ventured to attack Prince Henry, though in vastly superior force;
and still more difficult was it for Frederick to do so, when held
by an army greatly superior to his own, for the Austrian force
numbered sixty-five thousand, while the king, after being joined by
all his detachments, had but forty-four thousand. Nothing, indeed,
but the most urgent necessity could have driven the king to attempt
so difficult an enterprise.

[Map: Battle of Torgau]

His plan was to attack it simultaneously in front and rear; and to
do this he decided that half the force, under Ziethen, should
attack the Siptitz hill on the south side; while he himself, with
the other half, was to make a long detour and assault it, at the
same moment, on the north.

Frederick's march was some fifteen miles in length, while Ziethen
had but six to traverse; and as the route was through forests, the
difficulties in the way of the two columns arriving at their point
of attack, simultaneously, were great indeed; and were increased by
the fact that the weather was wet, the ground heavy, and the
streams swollen.

The king's force marched in three columns, by roads through the
forest. There were no villages here, no one to question as to the
turns and branchings of roads, thus adding to the chances that even
Frederick's force would not arrive together at the point of attack.
Frederick's own column contained eight thousand grenadiers and foot
guards, with a force of cavalry; and his line of march was by the
road nearest to Daun's position.

Two other columns--Hulsen's, composed principally of infantry; and
Holstein's, chiefly of cavalry--marched on parallel roads on a
wider circle; and the baggage, in a column by itself, outside all.

Daun had news of Frederick's approach, and had strong detachments
watching in the woods. The scouts of one of these parties brought
in news of the king's march. A signal cannon was fired immediately,
and Daun learned thereby of the movement to attack him from the
north.

Daun at once wheeled round a portion of his force to receive
Frederick's attack. Lacy, with twenty thousand men, had been placed
as an advanced guard; and now shifted his position westward, to
guard what had become Daun's rear; while two hundred fresh cannon
were added, to the two hundred already placed, to defend the face
threatened by Frederick.

For an hour before the king arrived at his point of attack, a heavy
artillery fire had been heard from Z