Page:Surprising adventures and sufferings of Frederick Baron Trenck.pdf/15

15 horse was badly wounded, and at the third charge I was obliged to mount another. The following day all the officers received the order of Merit; for my part I remained near a month in the hospital at Schweidoitz. More than sixteen thousand wounded men were dressed there; some of whom could get no assistance till the third day.

The campaign passed in marching and counter-marching: we were the most fatigued, because the Guards encamped round the King's tent, which, placed in the middle of the camp, always formed the van-guard.

The famous battle of Sora was fought on September 14th. The King had sent such large detachments into Saxony, Silesia, and Bohemia that the grand army consisted at most of twenty six thousand men, had surrounded the small number of Brandenburgh and Pomeranian troops with more than eighty six thousand men, and was in hopes of taking them all prisoners.

About midnight the King came into my tent and went likewise into those of the other officers to wake them; he ordered the horses to be saddled without noise, the baggage to be left behind, and the whole army to hold themselves in readiness for action.

Eight field pieces were placed behind a rising ground opposite the defile through which the King meant to pass, and where it was intended to begin the action. He must have received information of all the designs of the Austrian General, for he had called in all the advanced posts on the heights to inspire him with greater confidence.

At the dawn of day, the Austrian artillery