keep Friedrich dark upon it; which surely our Pandours will contrive to
do.

Finck, directly on arriving at Maxen, had reported himself to the King;
and got answer before next morning: "Very well; but draw in those Four
Battalions you have left in Dippoldiswalde; hit with the whole of your
strength, when a chance offers." Which order Finck, literally and not
too willingly, obeys; leaves only some light remnant in Dippoldiswalde,
and reinforcement to linger within reach, till a certain Bread-convoy
come to him, which will be due next morning (Monday, 19th); and which
does then safely get home, though under annoyances from cannonading in
the distance.

SUNDAY, 18th, Finck fails not to reconnoitre from the highest Hill-top;
to inquire by every method: he finds, for certain, that the enemy are
coming in upon him. With his own eyes he sees Reichsfolk marching, in
quantity, southeastward by the Elbe shore: "Intending towards Dohna, as
is like?"--and despatched Wunsch, who, accordingly, drove them out of
Dohna. Of all this Finck, at once, sent word to Friedrich. Who probably
enough received the message; but who would get no new knowledge from
it,--vigilant Ziethen having, by Austrian deserters and otherwise,
discovered this of the Reichsfolk; and furthermore that Sincere with
3,000 was in motion, from the north, upon Finck. Sunday evening,
Friedrich despatches Ziethen's Report; which punctually came to Finck's
hand; but was the last thing he received from Friedrich, or Friedrich
from him. The intervening Pandours picked up all the rest. The Ziethen
REPORT, of two or three lines, most succinct but sufficient, like a
cutting of hard iron, is to be read in many Books: we may as well give
the Letter and it:--

FRIEDRICH'S LETTER (WILSDRUF, 18th NOVEMBER, 1759). "My dear
General-Lieutenant von Finck,--I send you the enclosed Report from
General Ziethen, showing what is the lie of matters as seen from this
side; and leave the whole to your disposition and necessary measures. I
am your well-affectioned King,--F." The Enclosure is as follows:--

GENERAL ZIETHEN'S REPORT (KESSELSDORF, 18th NOVEMBER, 1759). "To your
Royal Majesty, send [no pronoun "I" allowed] herewith a Corporal, who
has deserted from the Austrians. He says, Sincere with the Reserve did
march with the Reichs Army; but a league behind it, and turned towards
Dippoldiswalde. General Brentano [Wehla's old comrade, luckier than
Wehla], as this Deserter heard last night