different manoeuvres, marches, and countermarches.
Our corps was the most fatigued, as being encamped round the King's tent,
the station of which was central, and as likewise having the care of the
vanguard; we were therefore obliged to begin our march two hours sooner
than the remainder of the army, that we might be in our place. We also
accompanied the King whenever he went to reconnoitre, traced the lines of
encampment, led the horse to water, inspected the head-quarters, and
regulated the march and encampment, according to the King's orders; the
performance of all which robbed us of much rest, we being but six
officers to execute so many different functions.

Still further, we often executed the office of couriers, to bear the
royal commands to detachments. The King was particularly careful that
the officers of his guards, whom he intended should become excellent in
the art of tactics, should not be idle in his school. It was necessary
to do much in order that much might be learnt. Labour, vigilance,
activity, the love of glory and the love of his country, animated all his
generals; into whom, it may be said, he infused his spirit.

In this school I gained instruction, and here already was I selected as
one designed to instruct others; yet, in my fortieth year, a great
general at Vienna told me, "My dear Trenck, our discipline would be too
difficult for you to learn; for which, indeed, you are too far advanced
in life." Agreeable to this wise decision was I made an Austrian
invalid, and an invalid have always remained; a judgment like this would
have been laughed at, most certainly, at Berlin.

If I mistake not, the famous battle of Soor, or Sorau, was fought on the
14th day of September. The King had sent so many detachments into
Saxony, Bohemia, and Silesia, that the main army did not consist of more
than twenty-five thousand men. Neglecting advice, and obstinate in
judging his enemy by numbers, and not according to the excellence of
discipline, and other accidents, Prince Charles, blind to the real
strength of the Prussian armies, had enclosed this small number of
Pomeranian and Brandenburg regiments, with more than eighty-six thousand
men, intending to take them all prisoners.

It will soon be seen from my narrative with what kind of secrecy his plan
was laid and executed.

The King came into my tent about midnight; as he also did into that of
all the officers, to awaken them; his orders were, "Secret