The army marched at 4 o'clock in the morning to go to camp at Alt-Benatek, a fief belonging to the Klenau family with a castle finely situated on the Right Bank of the River Iser.

Order of March from Lissau to Alt-Benatek

Yesterday, at first light, the Reserve had left camp under the command of Graf von Colloredo. Today, the Main Army marched in six columns.

The 1st Column comprised the cavalry of the Right Wing of the Second Line – Regiment Darmstadt taking the lead. This column left, to its right, the little village of Wapenitz, otherwise called Ray; then it passed by the village of Zbozicko and marched directly to Struka, where it entered the new camp.

The 2nd Column composed of the Right Wing of cavalry of the First Line also marched by its right – Regiment Archduke Joseph having the head – to the left of the 1st Column. It passed Mladá to its left and crossed the meadows to its camping ground.

The 3rd Column was composed of the infantry of the Right Wing of both lines. It marched by the left – Regiments Gyulay and Esterházy leading – through the villages of Wrutitz and Girschitz, from whence it encamped on the meadows to which it was conducted.

The 4th Column, formed of the Left Wing of the two lines of infantry, Regiment Archduke Carl in the lead, passed by Alt-Lissau leaving Wrutitz, Girschitz and the other column of infantry to its right, entered the new camp.

The 5th Column comprised the cavalry of the Left Wing of the First Line – Regiment Savoyen in the lead. This column marched by the left, filing along the edge of the wood on which their flank had rested. Then it passed, to its left, the villages of Sojowitz and Przedemierzitz and came to its camping-ground after having passed the Vogelberg.

The 6th and last Column, composed of the cavalry of the Left Wing of the Second Line – Regiment Liechtenstein at the head – marched by the left and came to its camp after always marching parallel to, and to the left of, the 5th Column.

The remainder of the infantry of the Reserve Corps marched through Wrutitz and Girschitz and came by the direct road to Benatak. There, it passed the Iser on the wooden bridge to encamp covering Gross-Benatek. The three regiments of cavalry of the Reserve followed the infantry of the Left Wing and then crossed the bridge at Benatek.

The Artillery marched by way of Wrutitz and Girschitz and across the meadows, where it made its Park.

The Baggage Train followed the various columns.

The right of the camp rests on the stream near Struka; the left is at a wood near the Iser. Alt-Benatek is in front of the Left Wing; there are woods in front of and behind the Right.

The Reserve encamped between Sedletz and Benatek. On this same day, General Colloredo marched to Jung-Bunzlau to form the Advanced Guard of the army. General Nádasdy came to Headquarters to render an account of the movements of the Prussians. He attended a Council of War, which resolved to augment his Corps with 5 battalions, 10 companies of grenadiers and 2 regiments of cavalry – one of cuirassiers and one of dragoons. With this small army, he is to proceed to Melnik and oblige the Corps of Marshal Keith to withdraw on that of the King, who has pushed forward some troops as far as Budin in order to disquiet the Prussians on the left bank of the Elbe. This eliminates any Prussian threat to Prague.

The Prussians, who yesterday quit Jung-Bunzlau, did not halt at Weisswasser. They marched, without camping, as far as Neu-Schloss. Being continually harassed by the Austrian hussars and Croats, they did not even make any halts in their march. As a result, the Prussians lost a greater number from desertion than from captured or killed. This corps, commanded by the Prince of Prussia, went on to camp at Leipa. It appears that it had only stayed at Jung-Bunzlau in order to send to the rear the wounded and magazines that were in that town. We had believed that army had been destined to cover Lusatia whilst the King opposed any attempt by the Austrians to push down the Elbe into Saxony. However, by their operations we now see that the Prussians have no other object than to remain entirely defensive, giving up the country step by step without risking an engagement.

80 prisoners and 50 Prussian deserters appeared at Headquarters today; several others are following them and will probably reach our new Headquarters tomorrow. Colonel Loudon has sent 4 Prussian boats to the bottom near Aussig; they were loaded with equipages, of which he carried off those which were best.

More Journal of Horace St. Paul 1757

Introduction and June 28, 1757
June 29, 1757
June 30, 1757
July 1, 1757
July 2, 1757
July 3, 1757
July 4, 1757
July 5, 1757
July 6, 1757
July 7, 1757
July 8, 1757
July 9, 1757
July 10, 1757
July 11, 1757
July 12, 1757
July 13, 1757
July 14, 1757

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