OCTOBER 15th

Six deserters have arrived from Schweidnitz. According to them the garrison there includes two ex-Saxon battalions and most of the others are of the kind called "six-kreuzers". They considered that it might be possible to divert the course of the River Schweidnitz. Those deserters who come from the Army of the Duke of Bevern report that the Prussians spent last night under arms in expectation of an attack.

An officer arrived from General Hadik. He left Elsterwerda on the 10th of this month at which time that general was marching towards Torgau. He has continued to push detachments into Brandenburg - even as far as Berlin.

OCTOBER 16th

The Duke of Wurttemberg has returned from his excursion to review his troops. Despite the mutinous character that they had shown at the beginning of the campaign and the long march that they have undertaken, those regiments number 5,500 men, excluding the sick and convalescents.

We received the news that the small army of General Marschall, that had been at Bautzen, is drawing closer to Dresden and Torgau

The preparations for the siege of Schweidnitz are advancing. 60,000 fascines and gabions have been made, but the bad roads have delayed the artillery whose arrival is impatiently awaited so that the siege can start.

OCTOBER 17th

The Duke of Wurttemberg has returned from his excursion to review his troops.

The Comte de Montazet and General Lacy went out to the Right Wing of the army as far as Hartlieb. From there, they reconnoitred the left of the Prussian camp, They were accompanied by an escort of 50 hussars and rode out beyond the vedettes without meeting any opposition.

His Royal Highness had asked if there were any regimental officerss with a knowledge of engineering. Several came forward and they are destined to serve with the Engineers at Schweidnitz. They have been divided into three brigades and will be commanded by the French officers who have come to aide Brigadier Riverson, who will direct the attacks. 

OCTOBER 18th

The bridge that had been thrown across the small River Weida below the bridgehead on the Oder, in which it was included, gives considerable annoyance to the Prussians. The latter have been obliged to post a corps of 4,000 men at Wohlau in order to assure the passage of their convoys and to prevent the Austrians from gathering supplies on that bank.

700 convalescents, returning from the hospitals, arrived this morning to rejoin their regiments.

All the heavy artillery that had gathered at Koniggratz has now reached Landeshut.

The Austrian troops blockading Schweidnitz had, amongst other posts, occupied a windmill very close to that place. Wishing to recapture it, the Prussians marched against the garrison of I NCO and 12 men with 4 battalions. Without garrisoning the posts, the Prussians simply burnt the windmill.

OCTOBER 19th

It appears to be decided that the Duc d'Arenberg is to command the troops at the siege of Schweidnitz. As well as the generals who belong to the Corps of Nadasdy and the Bavarian and Wurttemberg generals, he will be seconded by Major-Generals the Prince of Stolberg and Wolfersdorff. For service at the siege, we have detached from this army a corps of 7 complete battalions - namely one each of Archduke Carl, Neipperg, Leopold Daun, Moltke, Arenberg, Botta and Thurheim - and 8 composite battalions. [The 8 composite battalions were formed as follows: 1 of Kaiser, Pallavicini & Lothringen 1 of Wallis, Harrach & Kheul, 1 of Waldeck, Wurzburg & Young-Wolfenbuttel, 1 of Hildburghausen, Kollowrat & Puebla 1 of Gaisrugg, Deutschmeister & Old-Colloredo 1 of Harsch, Browne & Mercy, 1 of Bethlem, Nikolaus Esterhazy & Joseph Esterhazy 1 of Wield, Old-Wolfenbuttel & Durlach]

For the latter, each regiment that did not give up a complete battalion has furnished 250 men with officers in proportion. 6 companies of grenadiers [The 6 companies of grenadiers were 1 each from Regiments Kaiser, Lothringen, Young-Wolfenbuttel, Harrach, Archduke Carl & Moltke] have also marched to join those that are already in front of Schweidnitz, making a total of 46 companies including those of the auxiliaries.

The first division of this corps will leave tomorrow under the command of the Prince of Stolberg, The second division, commanded by General Wolfersdorff, will follow the day after. The engineers have already left.

Count Czerniczeff received yesterday a courier from his Court who brought him the Red Ribbon of the Order of St Alexander Nevski and who also brought with him an order written in the hand of the Tsarina Elizabeth herself directing him immediately to return to Petersburg. He is most expressly directed to leave the army within 24 hours. Colonel Springer has also been promoted to the rank of Major-General and is to continue as the Russian representative in the place of Count Czerniczeff. These gentlemen assured us that the Tsarina most highly disapproved of the retreat of Marshal Apraxin. She had immediately sent to that army Major-General Menzikoff not only to attend to the subsistence of the troops but also to induce Marshal Apraxin to recommence active military operations.

OCTOBER 20th

The troops investing Schweidnitz are disposed in the following manner. The Corps of General Nadasdy has its right at Pankendorff and its left at BUrkenholtz. 1,000 horse under the command of Colonel Rheday are at Pultzen. There are 3 battalions at Bogendorff under the orders of Major-General Krottendorff Two battalions of Croats and 2 reiments of hussars are at Cammerau under the command of Lieutenant-General Count Palffy. At Jauernig, Colonel Wehla commands 3 battalions. There are 5 other battalions under the command of Major-General Draskowitz at Wilkau.

An officer of Dragoon Regiment Savoyen arrived at 6 o'clock yesterday evening bringing a letter from General Hadik dated from Berlin on the 16"' October with news of the capture of Berlin. This said that General Hadik had marched in six days from Elsterwerda to that town and had cut to pieces two Prussian battalions who had disputed his entry into the gates of the town. The colonel who had commanded those two Prussian battalions was killed and the major made prisoner with 10 other officers and 400 soldiers. The Austrians also captured 6 colours. On our side, General Baboczay was mortally wounded in the engagement. The Queen of Prussia took the opportunity afforded by that action to retire to Spandau (others say she has gone to Kustrin) escorted by two battalions. General Hadik had originally demanded a contribution of 300,000 Reichsthaler as ransom from the town. However, after the refusal of the inhabitants and the opposition made to his entry he had raised the sum to 500,000 Reichsthaler in default of which he threatened to give the town over to pillage

General Hadik, had left Radeburg on the 8th October. His Corps consisted of 2,000 chosen troops: 400 regular infantry, 400 Croats, 600 cuirassiers and 600 hussars with 4 cannon of which 2 were 6-pounders and 2 were 3-pounders. Colonel Prince Sulkowsky commanded the 400 German infantry, whom General Marschall had sent to reinforce General Hadik for this expedition. His march proceeded as follows: 8`h to Adelsdorff 9th to Elsterwerda, 10a' rest, 11`h to Dobraulau, 12th to Luckau, 13`h to Lieben, l4`'' to Bucholtz, 15`h to Vosterhausen, and, on the 16`h, he arrived about noon at the gates of Berlin. There he made the following dispositions. He made his troops change position several times in order to make it appear that there were more of them than he actually had. Wherever there was a little cover, he arranged the troops in a single rank; in other places he deployed then in two or three ranks according to the nature of the ground. This ruse was effective because, as he later learned, it was thought that he had between 10 and 12,000 men at his disposal.

The Berlin garrison had five battalions, two of which posted themselves near the gate where General Hadik had presented himself. General Hadik directed his four cannon to fire on one of the gates of which the drawbridge had been raised. His gunners had the good fortune to cut the chains and the bridge lowered itself. General Hadik then entered the town crying out that everybody must lay down their arms or he would give no quarter to anyone, not even the inhabitants. The Prussian soldiers fell into disorder and the massacre that he had commanded took place, especially amongst those burghers who had taken up arms and offered resistance. Finally, the Austrians gave quarter to 5 to 600 soldiers who claimed that they were Saxons who. 'had been forcibly enlisted. General Hadik was master of Berlin by 5 o'clock that evening.

The three other Prussian battalions had been posted to cover the retreat of the Queen, who retired in the direction of Potsdam as soon as the alarm was raised.

Of the 500,000 Reichsthaler contribution that General Hadik then levied on the town, half was to be paid within one hour and the other half by 10 o'clock that evening at the latest. If these terms were not met, he threatened to set fire to the town.

Between 11 o'clock and midnight, General Hadik retired following the same route by which he had come. Prince Moritz attempted to cut him off and marched with the utmost diligence towards Berlin with 4 regiments of infantry, 2 of cavalry and 2 of hussars. From Berlin to Lieben is 9 German miles, once General Hadik had arrived there he was secure.

On the 15th, the King of Prussia was at Leipzig and the Prince von AnhaltDessau, whom he had detached towards Berlin, was at Treuen Britzen on the 17`h.

OCTOBER 21st

The last column of troops destined to serve at the siege of Schweidnitz left this morning under the command of General Wolfersdorff. The Duc d'Arenberg, Brigadier de Riverson and the other engineers had already gone ahead post haste.

The generals gave orders to draw up the regiments in three ranks (instead of the usual four) to fill up the gaps in the line left by the troops who had gone to serve at the siege. By this means, it was not necessary to rearrange the camp except for that of the Reserve Corps, who had to leave their old camp where they had built huts and sheds to keep out the cold.

Last night we could see a great blaze in the direction of Schweidnitz. We presumed that the Prussians had set fire to several villages on that side. However the Duke of Wurttemberg informed us that this was the village of Cosel, about 2 German miles away, that had caught fire by accident. The Duke also reported to His Royal Highness that, during the last 24 hours, 36 Prussians had deserted from the garrison of Schweidnitz to General Nadasdy.

OCTOBER 22nd

The departure of the Duc d'Arenberg and his troops on the 20th occasioned a new Order of Battle for the Main Army. The 1,000 horse detached with the grenadiers commanded by General Sprecher were relieve by 8 companies of carabineers and 6 of horse grenadiers

The news from Lusatia says that the Corps of General Marschall has marched from Bautzen towards Hoyerswerda in order to cover the withdrawal of General Hadik.

Graf Anton von Colloredo is suffering from consumption aggravated by the fall that he had from his horse some time ago. He is unable to continue with the campaign and has departed for Vienna because of his health, which he will endeavour to regain.

Three hussars and two grenadiers, deserters from the Army of the Duke of Bevern, say that army is striving to improve its entrenchments. As well as the line of small fleches in front of their camp, they have constructed redoubts linked by continuous lines.

OCTOBER 23rd

Major Bosfort of Cuirassier Regiment Kalkreuth arrived this morning with the 6 flags taken from the 2 Prussian battalions at Berlin by General Hadik. Major Bosfort immediately went of the carry the flags to Vienna. The two Prussian battalions had been totally cut to pieces.

General Hadik had reached safety before he sent off Major Bosfort. However, we now know that, had he delayed leaving Berlin for just six hours, Prince Moritz von Anhalt-Dessau would have cut him off. In a single day, that Prince had marched 8 German miles (60 kilometres) to overtake him. As soon as General Hadik reached Cotbus he sent ahead the 480 prisoners, excluding the wounded whom he had been obliged to abandon.

Major Bosfort reported that extracted contributions and drawn subsistence from regions very close to Berlin. We presume that the Corps of Prince Moritz, having failed to come to grips with General Hadik, will have driven off the Swedes from the regions of Liebewalde and Niestadt.

An officer from the Corps of General Marschall has just arrived from Hoyerswerda. He reports that the column of prisoners has arrived there closely followed by General Hadik with his whole force. The Austrian loss in this expedition was the Hussar General Baboczay and 10 soldiers. The contribution raised from Berlin amounted to 300,000 florins in specie and the remainder in bills of exchange.

General Hadik had gathered the 300,000 florins by 10 o'clock in the evening of the 16'h. He had loaded it into 14 horse drawn carriages confiscated from the town of Berlin. His whole force of German regular infantry together with the 4 cannon had acted as escort for this convoy. He himself stayed with the rearguard comprised of his hard-marching Croats whilst his hussars escorted the hostages taken to guarantee the payment of the 50,000 Reichsthaler promised in the letters of credit on banks in Vienna. General Hadik directed his march through Vosterhausen, Serkow and Beskow - where he passed the Spree. He then continued through Lieben, Rosen, Spremberg and Erzwerda - from whence he was in communication with Bautzen and where he paused to allow some detachments to catch up while he gained intelligence of Prince Moritz, whom he supposed was trying to cut of his retreat. One of those detachments had reduced to rubble a bomb and shot foundry belonging to the King of Prussia. General Hadik conducted his operation with great prudence; he held his troops in hand near the gates of the town and only allowed officers to enter to execute the orders that he sent to the magistrates. By so acting he prevented any disorder. Before entering the suburbs, he had left behind a body of infantry and 300 horse to cover his retreat if that had become necessary.

The Court of Vienna has made arrangements to remount the cavalry by furnishing it with 5,000 horses each month. In consequence, it has become necessary to choose an intelligent officer to supervise their distribution; MajorGeneral la Reintrie has been chosen for this duty and an order to this effect has been sent to him at the Corps of General Marschall where he is currently serving.

Three deserters arrived from Breslau, They said that there had been an attempt to persuade them that the Austrian army was on the point of running out of supplies and that it would then withdraw to Winter Quarters

OCTOBER 24th

News from Schweidnitz says that the Croats have killed a Prussian hussar officer who had been incommoding them considerably.

The Prince de Soubise reported that he was expecting to enter Saxony on the 23`d and that the Duke of Sax-Hildburghausen is leading the way.

Journal of Horace St. Paul 1757 Part 7

October 5-14, 1757
October 15-24, 1757
October 25-31, 1757
November 1-16, 1757

More Journal of Horace St. Paul 1757

Part 1: Introduction (June 30-July 14)
Part 2: Introduction (July 15-July 25)
Part 3: Introduction (July 26-August 19)
Part 4: August 20-September 7)
Part 5: September 7-September 13)
Part 7: October 5-November 16)

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