POTENCE, whom
we heard of. Those three, ranked athwart in this right wing ("like a
lid," between First Line and second), maintained themselves in like
impregnable fashion,--Winterfeld commanding;--and proved unexpectedly,
thinks Friedrich, the saving of the whole. For they also stood their
ground immovable, like rocks; steadily spouting fire-torrents. Five
successive charges storm upon them, fruitless: "Steady, MEINE KINDER;
fix bayonets, handle ramrods! There is the Horse-deluge thundering in
upon you; reserve your fire, till you see the whites of their eyes, and
get the word; then give it them, and again give it them: see whether any
man or any horse can stand it!"
Neipperg, soon after Romer fell, had ordered Goldlein forward: Goldlein
with his Infantry did advance, gallantly enough; but to no purpose.
Goldlein was soon shot dead; and his Infantry had to fall back again,
ineffectual or worse. Iron ramrods against wooden; five shots to two:
what is there but falling back? Neipperg sent fresh Horse from his
right wing, with Berlichingen, a new famed General of Horse; Neipperg is
furiously bent to improve his advantage, to break those Prussians, who
are mere musketeers left bare, and thinks that will settle the account:
but it could in no wise be done. The Austrian Horse, after their fifth
trial, renounce charging; fairly refuse to charge any more; and withdraw
dispirited out of ball-range, or in search of things not impracticable.
The Hussar part of them did something of plunder to rearward;--and,
besides poor Maupertuis's adventure (of which by and by), and an attempt
on the Prussian baggage and knapsacks, which proved to be "too well
guarded,"--"burnt the Church of Pampitz," as some small consolation.
The Prussians had stript their knapsacks, and left them in Pampitz: the
Austrians, it was noticed, stript theirs in the Field; built walls of
them, and fired behind, the same, in a kneeling, more or less protected
posture,--which did not avail them much.
In fact, the Austrian Infantry too, all Austrians, hour after hour,
are getting wearier of it: neither Infantry nor Cavalry can stand being
riddled by swift shot in that manner. In spite of their knapsack walls,
various regiments have shrunk out of ball-range; and several cannot, by
any persuasion, be got to come into it again. Others, who do reluctantly
advance,--see what a figure they make; man after man edging away as he
can, so that the regiment "stands forty to
|