Journal of Horace St. Paul
1757: Advance Astride the Neisse

Part 5: The Combat at the Jakelsberg
September 12, 1757

Translated and Edited
With Additional Materials By Neil Cogswell


From Dresden, we hear that Colonel Finck has, once again, taken on the role of Commandant. The garrison there consists of 6 battalions. Colonel Finck has made public that he is ordered to defend that place to the last man. In Dresden, there are 10,000 sick and wounded, including those who are Austrian prisoners.

The Austrians have established a hospital at Gorlitz. A lieutenant-colonel commands there with a detachment of 200 men acting as orderlies.

According to the lists held by the magistrates in Gorlitz, 39 Prussian officers, wounded in the action on the 7th September, were billeted in the homes of burghers; this does not include those who stayed in the villages or remained in the camp.

Since the departure of the Prussians, the decision has been taken to follow them into Silesia. There, the Austrians will undertake certain sieges in order to give security to their Winter Quarters. To further this, Brigadier de Riverson, of the French Royal Corps of Artillery and Engineers, has been sent to Vienna with the project about which everyone is talking -- the Siege of Schweidnitz, that he will direct.

The March of the Army to Lauban

At 7 o'clock this morning, the army marched in three columns.

The 1st Column, composed of the cavalry of the Right Wing - Regiment Anspach at the head, marched towards Ober Rudelsdorff. Leaving that village on its right, it passed through Belmansdorff to the left of the Spitzberg. Then, it went to Ober Lichtenau, where it encamped.

The 2nd Column was formed from Regiments Kaiser, Neipperg, Botta, Lothringen, and Waldeck. It marched to the right of Ober-Oldendorff and made its way towards Nicolsdorf. Leaving that village on its left, it crossed the stone bridge in front of the Bembs House. Then, by way of Nieder-Heidrsdorf, it crossed the wooden bridge near the windmill of Nieder Geissdorf and encamped. The Second Line infantry, after Regiment Wallis, followed this column along the same road. Regiment Browne followed along the route that the cavalry of the Right Wing had marched.

The 3rd Column comprised Regiments Marschall and Joseph EsterhAzy. These linked up with Regiment Old-Wolfenbtlttle as soon as the cavalry of the Right Wing had passed Pfaffendorff. Then, it marched through the village of Ober-Geissdorf where it entered camp. All the cavalry of the Left Wing followed this column.

The equipages followed their respective columns.

Headquarters are established at Lauban. The Reserve Corps crossed the Queiss and has made its camp on the far side, resting its tell on that river.

Journal of Horace St. Paul 1757 Part 5 The Combat at the Jakelsberg

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© Copyright 2001 by James J. Mitchell

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