nder, but, at the Village of Panten, in Friedrich's own
Line, a gap where anybody might get in. One of the Austrian Columns was
just entering Panten when the Fight began: in Panten that Column has
stood cogitative ever since; well to left of Loudon and his struggles;
but does not, till the eleventh hour, resolve to push through. At
the eleventh hour;--and lo, in the nick of time, Mollendorf (our
Leuthen-and-Hochkirch friend) got his eye on it; rushed up with infantry
and cavalry; set Panten on fire, and blocked out that possibility and
the too cogitative Column.
Loudon had no other real chance: his furious horse-charges and attempts
were met everywhere by corresponding counter-fury. Bernburg, poor
Regiment Bernburg, see what a figure it is making! Left almost alone,
at one time, among those horse-charges; spending its blood like water,
bayonet-charging, platooning as never before; and on the whole, stemming
invincibly that horse-torrent,--not unseen by Majesty, it may be hoped;
who is here where the hottest pinch is. On the third repulse, which
was worse than any before, Loudon found he had enough; and tried it no
farther. Rolled over the Katzbach, better or worse; Prussians catching
6,000 of him, but not following farther: threw up a tine battery at
Bienowitz, which sheltered his retreat from horse:--and went his ways,
sorely but not dishonorably beaten, after an hour and half of uncommonly
stiff fighting, which had been very murderous to Loudon. Loss of 10,000
to him: 4,000 killed and wounded; prisoners 6,000; 82 cannon, 28 flags,
and other items; the Prussian loss being 1,800 in whole. [Tempelhof, iv.
159.] By 5 o'clock, the Battle, this Loudon part of it, was quite over;
Loudon (35,000) wrecking himself against Friedrich's Left Wing (say half
of his Army, some 15,000) in such conclusive manner. Friedrich's Left
Wing alone has been engaged hitherto. And now it will be Ziethen's turn,
if Daun and Lacy still come on.
By 11 last night, Daun's Pandours, creeping stealthily on, across
the Katzbach, about Schimmelwitz, had discerned with amazement that
Friedrich's Camp appeared to consist only of watch-fires; and had shot
off their speediest rider to Daun, accordingly; but it was one in the
morning before Daun, busy marching and marshalling, to be ready at the
Katzbach by daylight, heard of this strange news; which probably
he could not entirely believe till seen with his own eyes. What
a spectacle! One's beautiful Plan
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