him, indifferent to Pandours, or
giving them as good as they bring;--and that nothing but a battle and
beating (could we rashly dream of such a thing, which we cannot)
will prevent it. "Very well, then!" Daun strives to say. And lets the
Phenomenon march (FROM Gorlitz, OCTOBER 30th); Loudon harassing the
rear of it, for some days; not without counter harassment, much waste
of cannonading, and ruin to several poor Lausitz Villages by
fire,--"Prussians scandalously burn them, when we attack!" says Loudon.
Till, at last, finding this march impregnably arranged, "split into
two routes," and ready for all chances, Loudon also withdraws to more
promising business. Poor General Retzow Senior was of this march;
absolutely could not be excused, though fallen ill of dysentery, like
to die;--and did die, the day after he got to Schweidnitz, when the
difficulties and excitement were over. [Retzow, i. 372.]

Of Friedrich's march, onward from Gorlitz, we shall say nothing farther,
except that the very wind of it was salvatory to his Silesian Fortresses
and interests. That at Neisse, on and after November 1st,--which is the
third or second day of Friedrich's march,--General Treskow, Commandant
of Neisse, found the bombardment slacken more and more ("King of Prussia
coming," said the Austrian deserters to us); and that, on November 6th,
Treskow, looking out from Neisse, found the Austrian trenches empty,
Generals Harsch and Deville hurrying over the Hills homewards,--pickings
to be had of them by Treskow,--and Neisse Siege a thing finished.
[TAGEBUCH, &c. ("Diary of the Siege of Neisse," 4th August, 26th
October, 6th November, 1758, "1 A.M. suddenly"), in Seyfarth,
_Beylagen,_ ii. 468-472: of Treskow's own writing; brief and clear.
_Helden-Geschichte,_ v. 268-270.] It had lasted, in the way of blockade
and half-blockade, for about three months; Deville, for near one month,
half-blockading, then Harsch (since September 30th) wholly blockading,
with Deville under him, and an army of 20,000; though the actual
cannonade, very fierce, but of no effect, could not begin till little
more than a week ago,--so difficult the getting up of siege-material
in those parts. Kosel, under Commandant Lattorf, whose praises, like
Treskow's, were great,--had stood four months of Pandour blockading and
assaulting, which also had to take itself away on advent of Friedrich.
Of Friedrich, on his return-journey, we shall hear again before long;
but in the mean