486 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



he did not even take the common precaution of 

 guarding his army against surprise by having 

 chains of pickets and vedettes thrown out on all 

 sides. The Prussians, availing themselves of this 

 culpable negligence, managed to establish them- 

 selves unseen behind the rear of his position 

 (at Chlum), and by this bold but hazardous stroke 

 forced as gallant an army as ever took the field into 

 disastrous deroute. Even then, if he had only 

 allowed Edelsheim and his splendid cavalry to 

 make one dashing charge upon the exposed Prussian 

 flank, the day might have been retrieved — but it 

 was not to be. 



The game will one day be played over agam, 

 and I trust with diff'erent results ; for I am con- 

 vinced that the loss of the campaign may be 

 attributed much more to the errors of the Austrian 

 general, and the want of proper organisation in 

 the Southern army, than to any superior prowess 

 of the Prussian soldiers, or even the great ad- 

 vantage they possessed in being armed with the 

 " Zund-Nadel-Gewehr." 



There can be only one opinion with regard to J 



