was to cross a stream, called
the Floss Graben, some five miles to the south of Luetzen, storm the
villages of Gross Goerschen, Rahna, and Starsiedel, held by the French
vanguard, and, cutting into Napoleon's line of march towards Luetzen
and Leipzig, throw it into disorder and rout. But their great enemy
had recently joined his array to that of Eugene: he was in force, and
was then planning a turning movement on the north, similar to that
which threatened his south flank. Ney, on whom fell Bluecher's first
blows, had observed the preparations, and one of his divisions, that
of Souham, had strengthened the village of Gross Goerschen for an
obstinate defence. The French position is thus described by Lord
Cathcart, who was then present at the allied headquarters:

"The country is uncovered and open, but with much variety of hill
and valley, and much intersected by hollow ways and millstreams,
the former not discernible till closely approached. The enemy,
placed behind a long ridge and in a string of villages, with a
hollow way in front, and a stream sufficient to float timber on
the left, waited the near approach of the allies. He had an
immense quantity of ordnance: the batteries in the open country
were supported by masses of infantry in solid squares. The plan of
our operations was to attack Gross Goerschen with artillery and
infantry, and meanwhile to pierce the line, to the enemy's right
of the villages, with a strong column of cavalry in order to cut
off the troops in the villages from support.... The cavalry of the
Prussian Reserve, to whose lot this attack fell, made it with
great gallantry; but the showers of grapeshot and musketry to
which they were exposed in reaching the hollow way made it
impracticable for them to penetrate; and, the enemy appearing
determined to hold the villages at any expense, the affair assumed
the most expensive character of attack and defence of a post
repeatedly taken, lost, and retaken. The cavalry made several
attempts to break the enemy's line, and in some of their attacks
succeeded in breaking into the squares and cutting down the
infantry. Late in the evening, Bonaparte, having called in the
troops from [the side of] Leipzig and collected all his reserves,
made an attack on the right of the allies, supported by the fire
of several batteries advancing. The vivacity of this movement m