Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/38

 24 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1758.

diately fuirendered, where, as well as at Schweidnitz, they found vaft ^ ftores of provifion, ammunition, and money. All Silefia was on the point of falling into their hands. Fortune feems every where to have thrown the King of Pruffia's affairs into diftraftion, in order to raife, and as it were to round his glory in eftablifhing them; and to have been even fo jealous of his honour as not to permit his own excellent generals and incomparable troops to triumph any where but in his own prefence.

The King immediately after the battle of Rofbach, with thofe troops which he had a few days before collefted from places an hundred miles diftant from each other, began a. march of upwards of two hundred more, and led them from engag- ing one fuperior army, to engage another Hill more fuperior ; from danger to hardfliip, and from hard- fhip to renewed danger. In a mod rapid march he palfed through Thu- ringia, through Mifnia, through Lu- fatia, in fpite of the efforts of the generals Haddick and Marfhal, who were ported in Lufatia t6 obllrudt him ; and entering Silefia arrived the 2d of December at Parch- witz upon the Oder. Here he was joined by the Prince of Bevern's corps who croiTed that river to meet him.

About this time an incident hap- pened which was very remarkable ; one of thofe agreeable adventures that relieve the mind amidit the per- petual horror that attends a narra- tive of battles and bloodihed. The garrifon of Schweidnitz had feen, with the greatell reluftance, the capitulation which bound their hands from the fervice of their King and country. Whilft the Auftrians Vj'cre conducing them to prifon, on their route they chanced 10 hear of

the viftory their mafter had gained at Rofbach : animated with this news, they unanimoufly rofe upon the efcort which condufted them, and which happened not to be very flrong, and entirely difperfed it. Thus freed, they marched on, not very certain of their way, in hope to rejoin fome corps of the PrufTian troops. The fame fortune whicU freed them, led them direftly to the army commanded by the king him- felf, which was hallening to their relief. Qreat was the joy on both fides at this unexpedled meeting, for the prifbners had heard nothing of his majefly's march. This little incident, whiHl^ it added a confider- ablc flrength to the i^rmy, added likewife to its fpirit^ and feemed an happy omen of iuccels in the future engrigement.

As his Pruffian majefty approach- ed to Breflau, the Auilrians con- fiding in their fuperiority, abandon- ed their llrongcamp (the famewhich had been occupied by the Prince of Severn) and refolved to give the King battle. He was march- -p. ing with the utmoil dili- ' ^' gence not to difappoint them ; and they met near the viilageof Leuthen^ The ground which the Auflrians occupied was very a;ivantageous, and every advantage of the fitua- tion v/as improved to the utr.iofl, by the diligence and (kill of Count Daun ; who remembering that he was the only general who had ever carried the field from the King of Pruflia, knew better than any body how diihcult it was to obtain fuch a victory. All the difpofi- tions were made accordingly ; the ground they occupied was a plain, except that in fome parts it had fmall eminences; thefe they fur- rounded with artillery ; the ground was alio interfperfed with thick et«,

which