Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/70

 56 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1758.

ready communications all along the Lippe, fuffered the vidorioua army to reap but little advanta.e from their vidory. That acccmpliilicd general advanced with the utnioll expedition towards Rheda, and the Prince Ifenburg having fallen back upon him, they joined in fuch a manner as perfccllv to lecure the Wefer, without lofing any thing on the fide of the Rhine. And although thefe ncccllary motions in feme fort uncovered the eledo- rate, io as to lav it open to the in- curfions of the enemies light troops, who penetrated even to the gates or Hanover; yet the Frevich uere not in a condition to eftabliili any con- fiderable body, or to take any poft of moment in that part.

During this time, the armies of the King of Pruflia and M. Daun made no very remarkable move- ments. The marihal kept his ad- vantageous camp at Stolpen, by which he preferved a communica- tion with the army of the Empire. The army was fecured by its in- acceflible iituation, but it enterprif- ed nothing of coniequence. I'he King of Prullia on the other hand, having taken poilefiion of the im- portant poll of Bautzen, which lies {o opportunely for commanding at once both Mifnia and Lufatia, extended his right wing to Hohkir- t:hen. By this pofition he pre- ferved a communication with the •irniy of his brother Prince Henry, he protected Brandenburg from the incurfions of the Auftrians, and at the fame time that he fe- cured thefe interefting objefts, he was better fituated for throwing fuccours into Silefia, than he could be any where elfe conullently with his general plan. The two armies kept the molt watchful eye upon

each other's motions. The prin- cipal aim of the King of Pruflia fecmed to have been the prevent- ing M. Daun from communicating with Bohemia. The great inten- tion of M. Daun was to cut off the King from Silefia. Things were fo balanced, that it did not feem pofiible by mere (kill in marches and p fitions to anfwer thefe ends very fully ; therefore a battle feem- ed inevitable. But it feemed too that conhdering the fituations of b th armies, a batde could not be att-mpted without extreme danger t ■> tiie party who fhould begin the atnck

M. Daun faw that if any more time was loil without adlion, the very lealon mull: oblige him to eva- cuate Saxony, and thus give up all the fruits cf the campaign. He came to a refolution of giving the King of i'ruflia battle. But even in the vigour of this refolution, ap- peared the extreme caution which charafterifes that able general. Having communicated his defign to the Prince of Deux Ponta, and fettled meafures with him, he marched in the dead of a very dark night, in three columns, towards the right of the King of Pruffia's camp. Nctwith (landing the dark- nefs of the night, nctwith- ^^ Handing the neceffary di- ' '^'

vifion of the Auilrian army, the greatneis of their numbers, and the length of way they had to maich, yet fuch was the wiie condudt and great good fortune of this defign, that they all arrived at the fame time at the Prulfian camp, none having loft their way, without dif- covery, without confufion, and be- gan the attack with the utmoll regu- larity and refolution at five o'clock in the morning.

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