ble to rally near
Kratzen. Night coming on obliged the troops to remain in the open air
till the next morning, when, at break of day, the Prussians marched
in two columns by Habendorf, towards the enemy's army, amounting to
twenty-eight thousand men, commanded by count Konigsegg, and posted near
Roichenberg. As soon as the troops were formed, they advanced towards
the enemy's cavalry, drawn up in three lines of about thirty squadrons.
The two wings were sustained by the infantry, which was posted among
felled trees and intrenchments. The Prussians immediately cannonaded the
enemy's cavalry, who received it with resolution, having on their right
hand a village, and on their left a wood whore they had intrenched
themselves. But the prince of Bevern having caused fifteen squadrons of
dragoons of the second line to advance, and the wood on his right to be
attacked at the same time by the battalions of grenadiers of Kahlden
and of Moellendorf, and by the regiment of the prince of Prussia, his
dragoons, who, by clearing the ground and possessing the intrenchment,
had their flanks covered, entirely routed the enemy's cavalry. In the
meantime colonel Putkammer and major Schenfield, with their hussars,
though flanked by the enemy's artillery, gave the Austrian horse
grenadiers a very warm reception, whilst general Lestewitz, with
the left wing of the Prussians, attacked the redoubts that covered
Reichenberg. Though there were many defiles and rising grounds to pass,
all occupied by the Austrians, yet the regiment of Darmstadt forced the
redoubt, and put to flight and pursued the enemy, after some discharge
of their artillery and small arms, from one eminence to another, for the
distance of a mile, when they left off the pursuit. The action began at
half an hour after six, and continued till eleven. About one thousand
of the Austrians were killed and wounded; among the former were general
Porporati and count Hohenfelds, and among the latter prince Lichtenstein
and count Mansfeld. Twenty of their officers, and four hundred soldiers,
were taken prisoners, and they also lost three standards. On the side of
the Prussians seven subalterns and about an hundred men were killed, and
sixteen officers and an hundred and fifty men wounded. After this battle
mareschal Schwerin joined the prince of Bevern, made himself master of
the greatest part of the circle of Buntzlau, and took a considerable
magazine from the Austrians, whom he dislodged.