struggles, exhorts, commands, entreats even with tears, "Children, don't
forsake me, in this pinch (KINDER, VERLASSET HEUTE MICH, EUREN KONIG,
EUREN VATER, NICHT)!" [Kriele, p. 169.]--but all ears are deaf. On the
Muhlberg one regiment still stood by their guns, covering the retreat.
But the retreat is more and more a flight; "no Prussian Army was ever
seen in such a state." At the Bridges of that Hen-Floss, there was such
a crowding, all our guns got jammed; and had to be left, 165 of them of
various calibre, and the whole of the Russian 180 that were once in our
hands. Had the chase been vigorous, this Prussian Army had been heard
of no more. But beyond the Muhlberg, there was little or no pursuit;
through the wood the Army, all in chaos, but without molestation
otherwise, made for its Oder Bridges by the way it had come. [Tempelhof,
iii. 179-200; Retzow, ii. 80-115: in Seyfarth, _Beylagen,_ ii. 589-598,
_ Bericht von der am 12 August, 1759 bey Kunersdorf vorgefallenen
Schlacht_ (Official); and IB. 598-603, _Beschreibung der &c._ (by a
Private Hand): lucidly accurate both.]

Friedrich was among the last to quit the ground. He seemed stupefied
by the excess of his emotions; in no haste to go; uncertain whether
he would go at all. His adjutants were about him, and a small party
of Ziethen Hussars under Captain Prittwitz. Wild swarms of Cossacks
approached the place. "PRITTWITZ, ICH BIN VERLOREN (Prittwitz, I am
lost)!" remarked he. "NEIN, IHRO MAJESTAT!" answered Prittwitz with
enthusiasm; charged fiercely, he and his few, into the swarms of
Cossacks; cut them about, held them at bay, or sent them else-whither,
while the Adjutants seized Friedrich's bridle, and galloped off with
him. At OEtscher and the Bridges, Friedrich found of his late Army not
quite 3,000 men. Even Wunsch is not there till next morning. Wunsch
with his Party had, early in the afternoon, laid hold of Frankfurt,
as ordered; made the garrison prisoners, blocked the Oder Bridge; poor
Frankfurt tremulously thanking Heaven for him, and for such an omen. In
spite of their Wagenburg and these Pontoon-Bridges, it appears, there
would have been no retreat for the Russians except into Wunsch's cannon:
Wagenburg way, latish in the afternoon, there was such a scramble of
runaways and retreating baggage, all was jammed into impassability;
scarcely could a single man get through. In case of defeat, the
Russian Army would have had no chance but surrender or exter