r. But it was
not until long after the battle was done that Frederick, sitting
depressed and heavy hearted, dictating his despatches in the little
church seven or eight miles away, learned that what had seemed
likely to terminate in a terrible disaster, had ended with a
decisive victory. Daun lost in the battle twelve thousand killed
and wounded, eight thousand prisoners, and forty-five cannon; while
the Prussians lost between thirteen and fourteen thousand, of whom
four thousand were prisoners.

It was not until nearly one o'clock in the morning that Ziethen
learned that the Austrians were already across the river. Then he
pushed down into Torgau, and crossed the town bridge in time to
capture twenty-six pontoons.

Daun retreated by the right side of the river, Lacy by the left;
and the two forces rejoined at Dresden, and took up their position,
as usual, in the Plauen stronghold; while Frederick, after
finishing the clearance of all Saxony save the capital, took up his
winter quarters at Leipzig on the 6th of December.

The result of the battle of Torgau was not to be measured by the
respective losses of the two armies. It had the effect of entirely
undoing all the advantages that the Austrians had gained,
throughout the campaign; and left the king in a better position
than when it opened in the spring. The Russian army had been
attacked and beaten, while the Austrians were shut up in their
natural stronghold, near Dresden. The whole of Saxony had been
recovered; and Silesia, with the exception of one or two
fortresses, was still in Frederick's hands. How light hearted the
king felt, after the load of care that had lain upon him had been
lifted, may be judged by an extract from a letter, written a
fortnight after the battle to an elderly lady of the court at
Magdeburg.

"I am exact in answering, and eager to satisfy you (in that matter
of the porcelain). You shall have a breakfast set, my good Mamma:
six coffee-cups, very pretty, well diapered, and tricked out with
all the little embellishments which increase their value. On
account of some pieces which they are adding to the set, you will
have to wait a few days; but I flatter myself this delay will
contribute to your satisfaction, and produce for you a toy that
will give you pleasure, and make you remember your old adorer. It
is curious how old people's habits agree. For four years past I
have given up suppers, as incompatible with the trade I am obliged
to