Marshal Daun mounted his horse at first light to reconnoiter the town from the side blockaded by General Macquire. He also wished to select sites for the batteries. He went as far as the suburbs on the other side of the Neisse between the two stone bridges - a short musket shot from the town. The Marshal had already placed a detachment in that suburb, based at the house which covered the exit from the second bridge. From there, the aides accompanying Marshal Daun tried several pot shots at the walls.

The Marshal sent word to the officer commanding the detachment in the suburbs to sound the recall. He then sent forward Colonel-of-Artillery Walther to summon the Commandant to yield the place. The Commandant responded: "We shall behave as brave men, who will not surrender while we have means to resist. We also have reason to hope that help is on its way. The mountain will crumble to dust before we yield!"

At this response, the Marshal ordered the General-of-Artillery to establish the batteries. The principal emplacement is behind the wall of the cemetery in the suburbs towards the Neisse; another battery is being built near the paper-mill.

During the afternoon, General Lucchese and other generals sent word that a Prussian army, commanded by the Prince of Prussia - or possibly the King himself - could be seen on the Heights of Oderwitz. That army appeared to be taking the road to Görlitz. On this news, the Marshal ordered the corps investing Zittau on the other side of the Neisse immediately to take itself onto the heights above the village of Eckartsberg and onto those heights which overlooked them. A short while later, the Prussians arrived on the Heights of Oderwitz and, by a rapid movement to their right, placed themselves in battle array.

The Right Wing of the Austrian army also moved off, filing to the other side of the Neisse, where Marshal Daun joined it to the Corps of the Duke of Arenberg and set the whole in battle array. The village of Eckartsberg supported the left of the Austrian line; the right rested on a wood on the height of Seifersdorf with a ravine in front. Three regiments of cavalry formed a second line together with several regiments of infantry. 1,000 horse guarded the right of the infantry of the first line.

On hearing the news that the Prussian army had formed in battle array within sight of Zittau, His Royal Highness came to see the dispositions made by Marshal Daun; he found no reason to change them.

The armies of both sides spent the night in bivouac without any alarms, despite the fact that they are within cannon range of one another. The troops commanded by Generals Wied and Esterházy, who had remained at Gabel and The Pass, received the order to rejoin the army.

We also sent 100 hussars to Görlitz, which the Prussians have completely evacuated. The Lieutenant of the Hussars of the Guard of His Royal Highness had approached Görlitz during the night and learned that the Prussians had evacuated the town on the 20th and retired to Bautzen taking with them nearly 2,000 wounded and several cannon. On the other side of the Neisse, there was a troop of 50 to 60 Prussian hussars, from whom he took several prisoners. In Görlitz, he captured a dozen wagons loaded with flour; these, with the prisoners, he conducted to Headquarters.

More Journal of Horace St. Paul 1757

Part 1: Introduction (June 30-July 14)

Part 2: Introduction and July 15
July 16, 1757
July 17, 1757
July 18, 1757
July 19, 1757
July 20, 1757
July 21, 1757
July 22, 1757
July 23, 1757
July 24, 1757
July 25, 1757

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