n
became firmer, and she divulged the provisions of the truce, in order to
compromise Frederick with his allies. The war recommenced. Frederick had
not rested on his laurels; in the uneventful summer campaign of 1741 he had
found time to begin that reorganization of his cavalry which was before
long to make it even more efficient than his infantry. Charles VII., whose
territories were overrun by the Austrians, asked him to create a diversion
by invading Moravia. In December 1741, therefore, Schwerin had crossed the
border and captured Olmuetz. Glatz also was invested, and the Prussian army
was concentrated about Olmuetz in January 1742. A combined plan of
operations was made by the French, Saxons and Prussians for the rescue of
Linz. But Linz soon fell; Broglie on the Moldau, weakened by the departure
of the Bavarians to oppose Khevenhueller, and of the Saxons to join forces
with Frederick, was in no condition to take the offensive, and large forces
under Prince Charles of Lorraine lay in his front from Budweis to Iglau.
Frederick's march was made towards Iglau in the first place. Bruenn was
invested about the same time (February), but the direction of the march was
changed, and instead of moving against Prince Charles, Frederick pushed on
southwards by Znaim and Nikolsburg. The extreme outposts of the Prussians
appeared before Vienna. But Frederick's advance was a mere foray, and
Prince Charles, leaving a screen of troops in front of Broglie, marched to
cut off the Prussians from Silesia, while the Hungarian levies poured into
Upper Silesia by the Jablunka Pass. The Saxons, discontented and
demoralized, soon marched off to their own country, and Frederick with his
Prussians fell back by Zwittau and Leutomischl to Kuttenberg in Bohemia,
where he was in touch with Broglie on the one hand and (Glatz having now
surrendered) with Silesia on the other. No defence of Olmuetz was
attempted, and the small Prussian corps remaining in Moravia fell back
towards Upper Silesia. Prince Charles, in pursuit of the king [v.03 p.0041]
marched by Iglau and Teutsch (Deutsch) Brod on Kuttenberg, and on the 17th
of May was fought the battle of Chotusitz or Czaslau, in which after a
severe struggle the king was victorious. His cavalry on this occasion
retrieved its previous failure, and its conduct gave an earnest of its
future glory not only by its charges on the battlefield, but its vigorous
pursuit of the defeated Austrians. Almost at the sam