s as if they had
been blades of straw. Straight before us we saw nothing but the enemy's
cavalry, which made movements in all directions; now extended
themselves lengthways, now as a half moon, then drew together again in
triangles and squares. Now our cavalry advanced, we made an opening and
let them through to gallop on the enemy. There was a hailstorm of
missiles rattling, and sabres glittering as they cut them down; but it
lasted only a quarter of an hour; our cavalry were beaten by the
Austrians and pursued almost under our guns. What a spectacle it was to
see: horses with their riders hanging to the stirrup, others with their
entrails trailing on the ground. Meanwhile we continued to stand under
the enemy's fire till towards 11 o'clock, without our left wing closing
with the skirmishers, although the fire was very hot on the right. Many
thought we were to storm the Imperial intrenchments. I was no longer in
such terror as at the beginning, although the gunners of the culverins
were carried off close on both sides of me, and the field of battle was
already covered with dead and wounded. About 12 o'clock orders came for
our regiment, together with two others (I believe Bevern and
Kalkstein), to march back. Now we thought we were going to the camp,
and that all danger was over. We hastened therefore with cheerful steps
up the steep vineyard, filled our hats with beautiful red grapes, eat
them with heartfelt pleasure, and neither I nor any near me expected
anything disagreeable, although from the heights we saw our brothers
beneath, still under fire and smoke, and heard a fearful thundering
noise; we could not tell which side was victorious. Meanwhile our
leaders took us still higher up the hill, on the summit of which was a
narrow pass betwixt rocks, which led down to the other side. As soon,
however, as our advanced-guard had reached this spot, there was a
terrible storm of musketry; and now we first discovered what was in the
wind. Some thousand Imperial Pandours were marching up the other side
of the hill in order to take our army in rear; this had been betrayed
to our leaders, and we were to anticipate them; only five minutes later
and they would have won the heights, and we should probably have been
worsted. There was indescribable bloodshed before we could drive the
Pandours from that thicket. Our advanced troops suffered severely, but
those behind pushed forward headlong till the heights were gained.

"Then we