er--was
expecting the arrival of artillery and pontoons from Vienna, in the
course of a day or two, and was preparing to cross the river. It
was evident, then, that his intention was to relieve the Saxon
army, in the first place.

The roads through the defiles were very heavy and difficult, but
that afternoon the advance force reached Termitz. Late in the
evening the rest of the army arrived there.

A squadron of cavalry had been sent off, as soon as the vanguard
arrived, to ascertain the movements of the enemy; and they
returned, at ten at night, with information that the Austrians had
crossed the Eger that day, and were to encamp at Lobositz. The army
at once moved on across the mountains and, after a very difficult
and fatiguing march, arrived near Lobositz; and lay down for some
hours in the order in which they had marched, taking up their
position as soon as it was light.

[Map: Battle of Lobositz]

The infantry were in two lines. Their left was posted on a steep
hill known as the Lobosch, part of whose lower slopes extended to
the village of Lobositz. A battery, with infantry supports, took
post on a hill called Homolka, which commanded the whole plain
between the two armies. The centre stretched across the valley
between those hills.

On the low hill on which stood the little town, the Austrians had
thrown up intrenchments, and posted a very strong artillery force,
whose fire would sweep a greater portion of the Prussian position.
Except at this point, the ground between the two armies was low and
swampy. The Austrian force was greatly superior in numbers,
consisting of 72 squadrons of horse, 52 battalions of infantry, and
98 guns; while the Prussians had 55 squadrons, 26 battalions, and
102 guns.

It was evident to both commanders that the village of Lobositz was
the decisive point; and indeed, the nature of the ground was such
as to render operations almost impossible, in the marshy plain
intersected by rivulets, which in many places formed large ponds.

At seven in the morning the Prussian action began by a heavy fire
between the left, on the slopes of Lobosch, and 4000 Croats and
several battalions of Hungarians, scattered among the vineyards and
the stone walls dividing them. A heavy fog covered the whole
country and, until a full view could be obtained of the position of
the enemy, neither of the commanders deemed it prudent to move.

At twelve o'clock, however, the fog began to clear up. Th