d
their battery was taken; then they retired to another rising ground,
where they rallied, but were driven from eminence to eminence, until, by
favour of the night, they made their last retreat to Falkenhayn. In
the meantime, count Daun had made such dispositions, that at day-break
general Finck found himself entirely enclosed, without the least
possibility of escaping, and sent a trumpet to count Daun to demand a
capitulation. This was granted in one single article, importing, that
he and eight other Prussian generals, with the whole body of troops they
commanded, should be received as prisoners of war. He was obliged
to submit; and his whole corps, amounting to nineteen battalions and
thirty-five squadrons, with sixty-four pieces of cannon, fifty pair of
colours, and twenty-five standards, fell into the hands of the Austrian
generals. This misfortune was the more mortifying to the king of
Prussia, as it implied a censure on his conduct, for having detached
such a numerous body of troops to a situation where they could not
be sustained by the rest of the army. On the other hand, the court
of Vienna exulted in this victory, as an infallible proof of Daun's
superior talents; and, in point of glory and advantage, much more
than an equivalent for the loss of the Saxon army, which, though
less numerous, capitulated in the year one thousand seven hundred and
fifty-six, after having held out six weeks against the whole power of
the Prussian monarch. General Hulsen had been detached, with about
nine battalions and thirty squadrons, to the assistance of Finck; but
he arrived at Klingenberg too late to be of any service; and, being
recalled, was next day sent to occupy the important post of Fribourg.

DISASTER OF THE PRUSSIAN GENERAL DIERCKE.

The defeat of general Finck was not the only disaster which befel the
Prussians at the close of this campaign. General Diercke, who was posted
with seven battalions of infantry and a thousand horse, on the right
bank of the Elbe, opposite to Meissen, finding it impracticable to lay a
bridge of pontoons across the river, on account of the floating ice,
was obliged to transport his troops in boats; and when all were passed
except himself, with the rear-guard, consisting of three battalions, he
was, on the third day of December, in the morning, attacked by a strong
body of Austrians, and taken, with all his men, after an obstinate
dispute. The king of Prussia, weakened by these two suc