Journal of Horace St. Paul
1757: Waiting on Events

August 9, 1757

Translated and Edited With Additional Materials By Neil Cogswell


Around break of day, the Prussian army encamped near Bautzen put itself in movement. For a long time, we were uncertain which road it was taking, but now we understand that it has approached Weissenberg. In its new camp: its left stretches out towards the corps which was there already - the distance between the two is about a half hour march; the right is at Purschwitz. So as to facilitate the convoys to the Prussian army, Marshal Keith remains at Radeberg with the corps that lately crossed the Elbe. From that corps, General Kalnoky has carried off a commissary-of-war, 8 surgeons, 2 bakers and an hussar.

The 1,500 Croats, who arrived recently and encamped behind the Reserve, have gone to join Colonel Jahnus in Silesia.

From Silesia, we hear that 300 Croats, commanded by a Major, had a fight near Striegau with 6 Prussian battalions from different garrisons who had 24 cannon with them. This party of Croats found the means to slip into the Prussian camp. There they killed a lieutenant-colonel, a lieutenant and 30 men. The alarm being raised, those Croats then found themselves almost completely surrounded and obliged to retire into the town. There, they finally found it necessary to capitulate, which they did with all the honours of war and the agreement that they would not serve against the Prussians for the next 48 hours. The Croats suffered only a single man wounded in this whole affair.

A number of wagons loaded with forage and oats arrived today from Silesia. We expect to receive further considerable convoys from the same source.

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