ravine was not indeed above eight hundred
paces from the Austrian army; but the remainder of the ground, which
from Sueptitz descended like a glacis to the Elbe, was such that, had
the army here been formed, one-half must have been cut off before it
could approach the enemy.

Marshal Daun scarcely could credit the report that the Prussians were
marching to the attack; nor was it till after reiterated information
that he ordered his second line to face about and that the greatest part
of the artillery of the first line was brought to the second. Whatever
precaution the King might take to cover the march of his troops, the
enemy, who had four hundred pieces of artillery in battery, could not
fail to kill many of his men. Eight hundred soldiers fell, and thirty
cannon were destroyed, with their horses, train, and gunners, before the
columns arrived at the place where they were to be put in order of
battle. The King formed his infantry in three lines, each of ten
battalions, and began the attack. Had his cavalry been present, he would
have thrown two regiments of dragoons into a bottom, that was on the
right of his infantry, to cover its flank; but the Prince of Holstein,
whose phlegm was invincible, did not come up till an hour after the
action had begun. According to the regulations that had been agreed on,
the attacks were to be made at the same time, and the result ought to
have been that either the King or Zieten should penetrate through the
centre of the enemy at Sueptitz. But General Zieten, instead of
attacking, amused himself for a considerable time with a body of
pandoors, whom he encountered in the forest of Torgau. He next
cannonaded the corps of Lacy, who as we have said was posted behind the
ponds of Torgau. In a word, the orders were not executed; the King
attacked singly, without being seconded by Zieten, and without his
cavalry being present. This still did not prevent him from pursuing his
purpose. The first line of the King left the ravine and boldly marched
to the enemy; but the prodigious fire of the Imperial artillery, and the
descent of the ground, were too disadvantageous. Most of the Prussian
generals, commanders of battalions, and soldiers, were killed or
wounded. The line fell back, and returned in some disorder. By this the
Austrian carbineers profited, pursued, and did not retreat till they had
received some discharges from the second line. This line also
approached, was disturbed, and, after a