e Austrian general was obliged to retreat
with loss; while the king penetrated into Silesia, that he might be
at hand to act against the Russians, whose progress was now become the
chief object of his apprehension. He no sooner received intimation
that Wedel had been worsted, than he marched with a select body of ten
thousand men from his camp in Silesia, in order to take upon him
the command of Wedel's army, leaving the rest of his forces strongly
encamped, under the direction of his brother prince Henry, who had
joined him before this event. Count Daun being apprized of the king's
intention, and knowing the Russians were very defective in cavalry,
immediately detached a body of twelve thousand horse to join them, under
the command of Laudohn, and these, penetrating in two columns through
Silesia and Lusatia, with some loss, arrived in the Russian camp at a
very critical juncture. Meanwhile the king of Prussia joined general
Wedel on the fourth day of August, at Muhlrose, where he assumed the
command of the army; but finding it greatly inferior to the enemy, he
recalled general Finck, whom he had detached some time before, with a
body of nine thousand men, to oppose the progress of the imperialists in
Saxony; for when prince Henry joined his brother in Silesia, the army of
the empire had entered that electorate. Thus reinforced, the number of
the king's army at Muhlrose did not exceed fifty thousand, whereas the
Russians were more numerous by thirty thousand. They had chosen a strong
camp at the village of Cunersdorf, almost opposite to Franckfort upon
the Oder, and increased the natural strength of their situation, by
intrenchments mounted with a numerous artillery. In other circumstances
it might have been deemed a rash and ridiculous enterprise, to attack
such an army under such complicated disadvantages; but here was no room
for hesitation. The king's affairs seemed to require a desperate effort,
and perhaps he was partly impelled by self-confidence and animosity.

BATTLE OF CUNERSDORF.

Having determined to hazard an attack, he made his disposition, and on
the twelfth day of August, at two in the morning, his troops were in
motion. The army feeing formed in a wood, advanced towards the enemy,
and about eleven the action was begun with a severe cannonade. This
having produced the desired effect, he charged the left wing of the
Russian army with his best troops formed in columns. After a very
obstinate disput