Page:Surprising adventures of Frederick Baron Trenck.pdf/16

 placed in the middle of the camp, always formed the van-guard.

The famous battle of Soran 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 Bradenburgh and Pomerian 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 planted on the heights, cannonaded our camp, and the cavalry, advanced to attack us, entered the defile.

We immediately drew up in order of battle, and in less than ten minutes began the attack; notwithstanding our small number of men, (there were