Translated and Edited With Additional Materials By Neil Cogswell
The army crossed the Iser to go to encamp at Swigan. Order of March for the Passage of the Iser and the March from Münchengrätz to Swigan The Army marched in four columns; the cavalry by Wings, the infantry by Lines. The four bridges used for the passage of the Iser were designated; No 1 at Podol; No 2 between Laukow and the extremity of the avenue to Swigan; No 3 at Hubal; No 4 at Mohelnitz. The 1st Column, comprising all the cavalry of the Right Wing, marched by Honsob and Brzesina, leaving them to its left, and crossed the wooden bridge No 1. The 2nd Column, the infantry of the Second Line – Regiment Lothringen at the head, went by the direct road through Brzesina, crossed the meadows and ditches behind that village, and then made its way to the newly-constructed bridge beneath the dyke at Zabokomer and Darzenitz. From there, it descended to the left and crossed the bridge of boats No 2 and entered its new camp. The 3rd Column, formed of the infantry of the First Line – Regiment Kaiser in the lead, passed through Hoskowitz and Hadutz crossing by bridge No 3, and, after it had passed through Hubal, it ascended the heights, where it established its camp. The 4th Column, composed of all the cavalry of the Left Wing – Regiment Anspach at the head, went by way of Vessely and Münchengrätz. It then went back up the Iser, passing that river by bridge No 4 at Mohelnitz. After this, it continued again along the Iser as far as Laukowitz, where it entered camp. The Reserve Corps also marched by its right, following the 2nd Column. The Artillery followed the 1st Column, taking the more direct and better road across the Pond at Zabokomer. Then, taking the dyke, which runs beside the high road from Podol, they crossed bridge No 1. The Baggage of the Left Wing went by way of the road through Hoskowitz and Hadutz and the bridge at Hubal; the baggage of the Right Wing followed the Artillery. The army has its Right Wing resting on a hill, which is just to the left of the high road from Liebenau to Turnau. Its left is in front of Laukowitz. To its front there are some dense woods; to the rear is the River Iser. According to deserters, the Prussians have received a reinforcement of 18,000 men, but we do not have positive confirmation of this. We estimate that, at most, they could have been joined by 8,000 recruits raised recently in Saxony and by some other poor quality troops that have been recently assembled in Silesia. According to the reports of the Austrian light troops, the King of Prussia is with the army that he commands at Schandau. He has left a strong rearguard at Leitmeritz to cover the remainder of the magazines that are hastily being carried away. The Prussian army at Neu-Schloss has encamped behind the River Polzen; its right is at Neustadl and its left at Böhmisch-Leipa. The march of the Prince of Prussia from Jung-Bunzlau to Leipa has left Silesia uncovered. Through Landshut, the Austrians will now be able to penetrate that country with light troops sustained by the large body of irregular troops. They can also push forward into Upper Lusatia by way of Reichenberg. It will be virtually impossible for the Prussians to protect these two provinces as well as Saxony, because they cannot divide their forces without incurring great risks. The King seems to have taken the role of controlling the Elbe. The Prince of Prussia holds Gabel, which protects his communications between Leipa and Zittau, from whence he draws a large part of the subsistence for his army. We have no doubt that the Prince of Prussia will soon be obliged to quit his present post in order to retire towards Görlitz, where we believe that the Prussians will seek to reunite their forces in order to prevent the entry of the Austrian forces into Lusatia. More Journal of Horace St. Paul 1757
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