Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/173

 STATE PAPERS. 159

It was the lef? pofTible to pre- very fenfible lofs, to bring all his

vent or hinder this march, as the fnrces into Saxony againft the

enemy had, through his own conn- imperial and royal army, and the

try, a much {hor;er road, than vse combined army, and by that

had, and could fcarce be at any means the Ruflians and Swedes, as

lofi for fubfiRencc : that, befides well as the bodies of forces left on

theRufuan army, by its marcti to the frontiers of Bohemia and Mo-

Landfberg, was removed farther ravi?., under the generals Harfch.

from our arrtiy", which had on its and De Vi!l?, would have their

flank, on the fide of Siiefia, an hands much more free, to aft ef5-

army of 30,000 of the enemy's caciouily.

troops. Th"? real advantage that mull

In thefe circumftances, the fol- refult from al! this, doubtlefs con- lowing points were taken into con- liHed in diflodging the army under deration, Wnether for the good Prince Henry, and delivering of the common caufe, the marfhal D'r.?fd?n, and the greateft part of ought not to march forward' with* Sa-?ony.

his whole army, either .towar'cfs To attain this important en(J< Berlin, or towards Frai-.cfort oh th'e M. Daun's firft project was to ad- Oder, or whether he ought to di- varjce with his whole army ftraighc reel his operations towards Siiefia, to Mciiien, there to crofs theEibe, or towards Saxoiiy. h was confi- arid at once march up totheenemv, dered that the firiVo'f thefe p'rfcjedls at the fane time that he (hould be could be regarded as a couj> de main attacked by the combined army, only, and by no means as a decifive and thus deprived of an opportu- blow; and there were the fewer nity of throwing himfelf into Dref- m'otives'to follow it, as it was eafy den. But at that time, that is to to imagine that the King of Pruffia fay, on the 3d of September, Son- would give battle to the Rullians neP.ein was not yet in our poHelHon, before we could,, for want of fub- and the enemy had taken fuch an fiflcnce, ge* into'fhe Lower Lufatia advantageous ppGtion, oppnfite to with our whole force. tlie combined armv, that it was

It feemcd at the fame time thought fcarce feafible, and highly

highly "improper to transfer the dangerous, fpr this to make the

theatre of war into Siiefia, becaufe Rrll attack ; and yet, i3nlefs it did

nothing e/IVntial would thereby be fo. Prince Henry would llill have

gained, and it would give to the it in his power to throw himfelf

troops of the enemy that were left into Drefden, vvhilft the imperial

in Siiefia, an opportunity of taking and roval army pafied the Eibe

an advantageous camp neaf fome near Meiffen, and to maintain

fortrefs in that duchy, and fo pro- himfelf an this fide of the river,

tradl our operations. The court, and open a coinmunication svith

therefore, as well as Marlhal Daun, the king.

thought it would be beft to march Marflial Daun did not think it

towards Saxony. It was thought cdnfiflent with the dignity of arms,

that by taking this ilep efTential "or the intereft of the fervice, to

advantages v.'oulid be gained, or that make ufclefs marches, and to take

at lead the enemy would be forced, infignificant pofitions. Nor did he

by thc' ippreheiifion of fuiFering a think it prudent to remove ro a

greater