The French land fifteen thousand troops under the command of the Duke of Richelieu on the western shore, spreading out to occupy the island before Byng arrives off Minorca.

Despite having considerable intelligence of the strength of the French fleet at Toulon that has been designated for the invasion of Minorca, the ships allocated to Byng are all in a poor state of repair and undermanned.

When Byng and his fleet, now numbering thirteen ships of the line (having been reinforced by ships of the Minorca squadron that had escaped the island), arrive off Minorca on May 19, they find the island already overrun by French troops, with only the garrison of St. Philip's Castle in (Port Mahon) holding out.

Byng's orders are to relieve the garrison, but a French squadron of twelve ships of the line and five frigates, commanded by the Marquis de La Galissonière, intervene as the afternoon is wearing on.

The two fleets position themselves, and ...

...battle is drawn up on the morning of the following day.

Facing twelve French ships of the line, Byng forms his twelve largest ships into a single line of battle and approaches the head of the French line on a parallel course while maintaining the weather gage.

He then orders his ships to go about and come alongside their opposite numbers in the French fleet.

However, the poor signalling capability of the times causes confusion and delay in closing.

Byng's flag captain points out to him that, by standing out of his line, he could bring the center of the enemy to closer action, but he declines because Thomas Mathews had been dismissed for so doing in 1744.

The British van takes a considerable pounding from their more heavily armed French adversaries, while the rear of the line, including Byng's flagship, fails to come within effective cannon range.

During the battle Byng displays considerable caution and an over-reliance on standard fighting procedures, and several of his ships are seriously damaged, while no ships are lost by the French.

Casualties are roughly even, with forty-three British sailors killed and one hundred and sixty-eight wounded, against French losses of thirty-eight killed and one hundred and seventy-five wounded.

The French ministers, deeply unhappy with d'Estrees due to the extremely slow advance of his army, have decided to replace him, despite his victory, with Armand de Vignerot du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu, who had recently distinguished himself leading the French forces that had captured Minorca.

Arriving shortly after the Battle of Hastenbeck with the Anglo-German Army of Observation retreating rapidly from him, the Duc leads his army in pursuit.

Richelieu's orders follow the original strategy of taking total control of Hanover, then turning west to offer assistance to the Austrians attacking Prussia.

Cumberland's forces continue to withdraw northwards.

The French pursuit is slowed by further problems with supplies, but they continue to steadily pursue the retreating Army of Observation.

In an effort to cause a diversion and provide some relief to Cumberland, the British plan an expedition to raid the French coastal town of Rochefort—hoping that the sudden threat will compel the French to withdraw troops from Germany to protect the French coast against further attacks.

Under Richelieu the French continue their drive, taking Minden, then...

...capturing the city of Hanover, the capital of the Electorate, on August 11.

Richelieu dispatches a force to occupy Brunswick.

Frederick the Great's decision to withdraw the Prussian contingent of Cumberland's army so they can rejoin his own forces further weakens the Army of Observation.

The Hanoverian government retreats with Cumberland via Verden to Stade, Bremen-Verden's capital and a port town connected to the North Sea by the River Elbe.

Although it is well-fortified and can be supplied from sea, Cumberland believes their situation to be precarious.

The proposal that a large number of British reinforcements be diverted to Stade is rejected, and the British expedition is sent to its original destination of Rochefort, although it is launched too late to do anything to provide a diversion in support of Cumberland.

The Duc du Richelieu, while waiting for suitable employment, has taken command of the French forces on the southern coast around Toulon.

In 1757 following Frederick the Great's sudden invasion of Bohemia, he had been given command of a relief force that was to relieve the Siege of Prague.

However this had been cancelled when an Austrian army defeated Frederick at Kolín, forcing him to break off the siege and withdraw from Bohemia.

Captain Hyde Parker's Royal Navy squadron is ordered to keep open the supply route down the Elbe to Cumberland until the onset of ice prevents him.

The deployment of this squadron leaves Richelieu to believe that Cumberland's position in Stade is secure, as he cannot be defeated through lack of food and supplies.

Morale in the French army has now collapsed, and many troops have been immobilized by illness.

Richelieu is now open to a negotiated settlement—a prospect he had rejected on August 21 when Cumberland had proposed an armistice.

Frederick V, King of Denmark, is obligated by treaty to send troops to defend the remote Duchies of Bremen and Verden, both ruled in personal union with Britain and Hanover, if they are threatened by a foreign power.

As he is eager to preserve his country's neutrality, he attempts to broker an agreement between the two commanders.

Richelieu's army now occupies most of Hanover, having captured the capital in the autumn.

His orders are to smash the Army of Observation and occupy all of Hanover, before turning east and launching an attack on the Prussian fortress of Magdeburg.

Instead, Richelieu, believing his army is in no condition to attack Klosterzeven, is receptive to the proposal, as is Cumberland who is not optimistic about his own prospects.

On September 10 at Klosterzeven, the British and French sign the Convention of Klosterzeven, which secures the immediate end of hostilities.

The terms call for several conditions.

The national contingents from Brunswick and Hesse are to return to their homelands.

Half the Hanoverian force will be interned at Stade, while the remainder are to withdraw across the River Elbe.

Most of Hanover is to be under French occupation, except for a demilitarized zone.

The French will evacuate the Duchy of Bremen, provided the British withdraw their ships from the River Weser.

However, a number of issues are left vague and poorly defined, which will lead to later dispute and controversy.

Following the convention, the Army of Observation begins to disperse, though they are not required to surrender their weapons.

Some of the Hessians are nevertheless forcibly disarmed by French troops, in apparent violation of the terms.