generals, commanders of battalions, and soldiers, were killed or
wounded. The line fell back, and returned in some disorder. By this the
Austrian carbineers profited, pursued, and did not retreat till they had
received some discharges from the second line. This line also
approached, was disturbed, and, after a more bloody and obstinate combat
than the preceding, was in like manner repulsed. Buelow, who led it to
the attack, was taken.
At length the much-expected Prince of Holstein and his cavalry arrived.
The third line of the Prussians was already in action; the regiment of
Prince Henry, attacking the enemy, was in turn charged by the Austrian
cavalry, and supported by the hussars of Hund, Reitzenstein, and
Prittwitz, against all the efforts of the enemy to break its ranks. The
dreadful fire of the artillery of the Austrians had too hastily consumed
the ammunition. They had left their reserve of cannon on the other side
of the Elbe, and their close lines did not admit of ammunition-wagons to
pass and make proper distribution to the batteries.
The King profited by the moment when their fire slackened, and ordered
the dragoons of Bayreuth to attack their infantry. They were led on with
so much valor and impetuosity by Buelow that, in less than three
minutes, they took prisoners the regiments of the Emperor, Neuperg,
Geisruck, and Imperial-Bayreuth. The cuirassiers of Spaen and Frederick
at the same time made an assault on that part of the enemy's infantry
which was most to the right of the Prussians, put it to the rout, and
brought back many prisoners. The Prince of Holstein was placed to cover
the left flank of the infantry, which his right wing joined, and his
left inclined toward the Elbe. The enemy soon presented himself before
the Prince, with eighty squadrons; the right toward the Elbe, the left
toward Zinna. O'Donnel commanded the Imperial cavalry. Had he resolutely
attacked the Prince, the battle must have been lost without resource,
but he was respectful of a ditch of a foot and a half wide, which those
who skirmished were forbidden to pass. The enemy believed it to be
considerable, because the Prussians made a pretence of fearing to cross
it; and the Imperialists remained, in the presence of the Prince,
inactive.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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