k again, and
Austrian battalions from the centre were hurried down to aid
Nadasti's, but were impeded by the retreating troops; and the
confusion thickened, until it was brought to a climax by Ziethen's
horse, which had been unable to act until now. But fir wood,
quagmire, and abattis had all been passed by the Prussians, and
they dashed into the mass, sabring and trampling down, and taking
whole battalions prisoners.

Prince Karl exerted himself to the utmost to check the Prussian
advance. Batteries were brought up and advantageously posted at
Leuthen, heavy bodies of infantry occupied the village and its
church, and took post so as to present a front to the advancing
tide. Another quarter of an hour and the battle might have been
retrieved; but long before the dispositions were all effected, the
Prussians were at hand.

[Map: Battle of Leuthen]

Nevertheless, by great diligence the Austrians had to some extent
succeeded. Leuthen was the centre of the new position. Lucchesi was
hastening up, while Nadasti swung backwards and tried, as he
arrived, to form the left flank of the new position. All this was
being done under a storm of shot from the whole of the Prussian
artillery, which was so terrible that many battalions fell into
confusion as fast as they arrived.

Leuthen, a straggling hamlet of over a mile in length, and with two
or three streets of scattered houses, barns, farm buildings, and
two churches, was crowded with troops; ready to fight but unable to
do so, line being jammed upon line until sometimes a hundred deep,
pressed constantly behind by freshly arriving battalions, and in
front by the advancing Prussians. Some regiments were almost
without officers.

Into this confused, straggling, helpless mass, prevented from
opening out by the houses and inclosures, the Prussians, ever
keeping their formation, poured their volleys with terrible effect;
in such fashion as Drake's perfectly-handled ships poured their
broadsides into the huge helpless Spanish galleons at Gravelines.
With a like dogged courage as that shown by the Spanish, the
Austrian masses suffered almost passively, while those occupying
the houses and churches facing the Prussians resisted valiantly and
desperately. From every window, every wall, their musketry fire
flashed out; the resistance round the churchyard being specially
stubborn. The churchyard had a high and strong wall, and so
terrible was the fire from the roof of the chur