Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/65

 HISTORY OF THE WAR.

51

2zd.

was now in a condition to

aft, and they did not lofe a moment's time to march againil: the enemy. AH their vigour and expedition was not more than ne- ceffary. The Ruffians had be- fieged Cuftrin from the 15th. Though thele people, fcarcely emerged from barbarifm, had not the molt pcrfeft Ciill in operations of this nature, they fupplied that deficiency by a ferocity that fcrupled nothing, by numbers vvhofe lives they did not regard, and by a moll formidable artillery, wnich rudely but furioufly man iged, only fpread the more general and indilcrimi- nate deftruftion. In efFeft, they threw fuch a multitude of bombs and red-hot balls into that unfor- tunate city, that in a Ihort time it was on fire in every quarter. Of the wretched inhabitants fome were burned, fome b'jried in the ruins, fome killed by the balls that fell like hail in the ftreets : the furviv- ing majority, fafe neither within nor without their houfes, aban- doned their homes, and their fub- ftance, and fled, many of them almoft naked. Gut of the city on the fide which was not inverted. Never was beheld a more de- plorable fpeftacle; nor was it eafy to fay which formed the more wretched appearance, thofe vvho perifhed, or thofe who efcaped. Meanwhi.e, the governor, firm in his cuurage and fidelity, did every thing tor the defence of the walls and ruins of the place ; but the walls built in the old manner did not promife a fuccefsful defence ; the enemy had polled themfelves in the fuburbs, and in the firing of the town, the principal maga- zine of the befieged was blown up.

The proteflor and avenger of his dominions, was now however at hand. On the 23d the King of Pruflia's whole army palTed the Oder at Gluft bifTel, about twenty Englifh miles to the no'th-eaft of Culirin. The Radians on the firft notice of his approach, broke up the ficge of that place, and march- ed towards the villages of Zwicker and Zorndorft*. It was the King's intention to wind round the left flank of their army, and to take them in the rear, by which he hoped to throw them into con- fufion. But in this he found him- felf difappointed. The Ruffian ge- nerals had forefeen his purpofe, and made excellent dlfpofitions. As the ground did not admit them to extend greatly in length, they threw theml'elves into a fquare body compofed of four lines, form- ing a front almioll equal on every fide, and on every fide furrcundcd by cannon and chevaux de frize. In this formidable difpofitlon they waited the attack of the Pruf- fians.

It was on the 25th of Augufl: that the King of Prulfia, after a march of 56 days, from the midft of Mo- ravia, brought his army in prefence of the Ruffians. The King had never been perlonally engaged with that enemy before. His troops had never obtained any advan- tage over them. The whole for- tune of the war depended upon the event of this day. The Pruf- fians were now in the clofeft fenfe to fight for their country, which was ready to fall under one of the fevereil fcourges with w^hich Pro- vidence has chaltifed a nation. Nothing was wanting which could infpire the foldier with re- venge. Every where the marks of E 2 th€