to seize the
crest of the Wolfberg. Loudon, whose work was to prevent Frederick
from flying eastward, had hurried forward; his scouts having
informed him that a number of the Prussian baggage waggons were
passing, and hoped to effect a capture of them; and he was vastly
surprised when, instead of finding the baggage guard before him, he
was received with a tremendous musketry fire and volleys of case
shot.

He at once rallied his troops and, with five battalions in front,
dashed forward. He was repulsed, but returned to the attack three
times. He kept edging round towards the right, to take Frederick in
flank; but the Prussians also shifted their ground, and met him.
The Austrian cavalry poured down again and again, and fresh
battalions of infantry were continually brought up.

At last Loudon felt that the contest was hopeless, and fell back
across the Katzbach. The Prussians captured six thousand of his men
before they could get across the river, four thousand were killed
and wounded, and eighty-two cannons captured. Thus his army of
thirty-five thousand strong had been wrecked by the Prussian left
wing, numbering fifteen thousand; the rest of the Prussian forces,
under Ziethen, keeping guard lest Daun and Lacy should come on to
aid him. Daun, however, was miles away, intent upon catching
Frederick; and did not know until morning that his camp had been
deserted, and Loudon beaten.

As soon as he was assured of this, he poured his cavalry across the
river, but Ziethen's cannon drove them back again; and he saw that,
with Ziethen standing in order of battle, in a commanding position,
with his guns sweeping the bridges, he could do nothing.

Frederick remained four hours on the battlefield, collected five
thousand muskets lying on the field and, with the six thousand
prisoners, his wounded, and newly-captured cannon, marched away at
nine o'clock in the morning.

A Russian force of twenty-four thousand still blocked the way; but,
desirous above all things to effect a junction with Prince Henry,
Frederick got rid of them, by sending a peasant with instructions
to let himself be taken by the Russians. The slip of paper he
carried contained the words:

"Austrians totally beaten this day. Now for the Russians, dear
brother, and swift. Do what we have agreed upon."

The ruse had its effect. The Russian general, believing that
Frederick and Prince Henry were both about to fall upon him,
retreated at once, burning the