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

Part 7: October 3, 1757

Translated and Edited
With Additional Materials By Neil Cogswell


After a brief skirmish at Klein Masselwitz, the Imperial and Royal Army settles into its camp outside Breslau. The bird's eye view in Plate 63, based on a vignette by Fryderyk Bernard Werner in "Topographafia Wroclawia" (ISBN 83-86642-59-9), shows typical detail of the small villages of the period where many skirmishes occurred

Seemingly, rather than make an immediate assault on Breslau, the Austrian command is content to allow the Duke of Bevern to entrench himself. Here we shall leave the two armies scowling at each other across the banks of the Lohe whilst the focus of attention moves elsewhere. If the Editor will allow, I will continue to supply the Journal in serial form as those events unfold.

In the meantime, I propose preparing a volume entitled "1757: From the Elbe to the Oder ". This will be a collection of the chapters that have appeared so far taking the story from the Relief of Prague up to the beginning of October. As well as certain corrections that have come to light, this volume will contain the Gazetteer and Who's Who sections that I have included in previous volumes of the Journal. I am conscious that, with little in the way of major engagements, such a volume may have only limited appeal. Accordingly, I intend only a very limited print run. With 65 Plates, the cost - including postage - will probably be in the order of £20, 35 Euros or $40. If you would like to reserve a copy or copies - a discount is available for bulk orders because of the saving in postage - please let me know on neil@cogswellfn.freeserve.co.uk

At 7 o'clock this morning, the Prussian debouched from behind the brushwood that surrounds the village of Pilsnitz. They had 3 battalions of infantry and 3 squadrons of hussars with 6 cannon; those troops formed up to attack the village of Klein Masselwitz. There, Lieutenant-Colonel Count Erzoffi of Regiment Nikolaus Esterhazy commanded 800 infantry and LieutenantColonel Riese commanded a detachment of Croats. Those troops formed up behind the hedges along the road that passes through that village.

They held their position for more than an hour in the face of the superior Prussian fire, to which they responded with great steadiness despite their having only two 3pounder cannon. Marshal Daun sent three companies of grenadiers to support them and General Beck, who was out reconnoitering to determine where to deploy his Croats, ordered forward the piquets of the cavalry. The Prussians then withdrew to their village of Pilsnitz.

On this occasion, the Austrians lost 70 men killed and wounded; it is presumed that, in their attack, the Prussians will not have lost fewer. In order to forestall a similar future attempt, towards noon the three regiments of the Left Wing - Archduke Carl, Hildburghausen and Moltke - with several pieces of artillery, all under the orders of Lieutenant-General the Comte d'Arberg, advanced to encamp behind the village of Klein Masselwitz.

Jumbo Map: 10/3 (slow: 267K)

Journal of Horace St. Paul 1757 Part 7

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© Copyright 2002 by James J. Mitchell

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