ination, attacked on his side. It began to be dark, and
to prevent Prussians from combating Prussians, the infantry of Sueptitz
beat the march. They were presently joined by Zieten; and scarcely had
the Prussians begun to form with order on the ground before Lacy came
up, with his corps, to dislodge the King's forces. He came too late: he
was twice repulsed. Offended at his ill-reception, at half-past nine he
retired toward Torgau. The Prussians and Imperialists were so near each
other, among the vineyards of Sueptitz, that many officers and soldiers,
on both parts, wandering in the dark, were made prisoners after the
battle was over and all was tranquil. The King himself, as he was
repairing to the village of Neiden, as well to expedite orders relative
to the victory as to send intelligence of it through Brandenburg and
Silesia, heard the sound of a carriage near the army. The word was
demanded, and the reply was "Austrian." The escort of the King fell on
and took two field-pieces and a battalion of pandoors, that had lost
themselves in the night. A hundred paces farther he came up with a
troop of horse; that again gave the word "Austrian carbineers." The
King's escort attacked and dispersed them in the forest. Those who were
taken related that they had lost their road with Ried in the wood, and
that they had imagined the Imperialists remained masters of the field.

The whole forest that had been crossed by the Prussians before the
battle, and beside which the King was then riding, was full of large
fires. What these might mean no one could divine, and some hussars were
sent to gain information. They returned, and related that soldiers sat
round the fires, some in blue uniforms and others in white. As
intelligence more exact was necessary, officers were then sent, who
learned a very singular fact, of which I doubt whether any example in
history may be found: The soldiers were of both armies, and had sought
refuge in the woods, where they had passed an act of neutrality, to wait
till fortune had decided in favor of the Prussians or Imperialists; and
they had mutually agreed to follow the victorious party.

This battle cost the Prussians thirteen thousand men, three thousand of
whom were killed, and three thousand fell into the enemy's hands, during
the first attacks, while the Austrians were victorious; Buelow and Finck
were among these. The breast of the King was grazed by a ball, and the
margrave, Charles, received a