Page:Gregor The story of Bohemia.pdf/423

 We have now reached the saddest period in Bohemian history. The battle of White Mountain, although insignificant when compared with some of the great battles that the Bohemians had been engaged in during other wars, still in its results proved to be more disastrous than that of Lipan, two centuries earlier. The latter marked the fall of Bohemian democracy; the former the fall of the nation itself.

The Bohemian army, under the command of Hohenloh and Anhalt, numbered about 20,000 men, half of whom were cavalry, the rest infantry. The Imperial army, under Buquoi and Maximilian numbered 25,000 men, their numbers having been considerably reduced by sickness and death, and by the garrisons left in the various towns that had been taken.

When the armies had taken their stand upon the White Mountain, the Bohemian leaders advised an immediate attack upon the army of Maximilian before it was joined by that of Buquoi; but General Hohenloh objected to this, laying great stress upon the strength of their position, and claiming that if the attack should not prove successful, it might involve the loss of the crown. This opinion being accepted by the council of war, the army remained upon the White Mountain, both privates and officers beginning to act in a most heedless manner. Many of the officers went to Prague to visit their wives and relatives; and, indeed, such recklessness was shown by all, that some of the more thoughtful citizens thought that both Frederick and the nation were sold to the enemy by Anhalt and Hohenloh.

November 8th, the army under Buquoi also reached