336 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[period IV. 



lie belonged to were generally two or three marches off, 

 and though he was always in sight of the enemy, and 

 scarce a day passed without some skirmish, yet in the 

 course of the campaign he did not lose twenty men."' 



The above incidents and passages will give an idea of 

 the wonderful skill with which the outpost service was 

 performed by the irregular horsemen who foughi under the 

 Austrian flag. Had Frederick been as well provided 

 with light cavalry his successes would have been much 

 greater, and he would rarely have found his army in the 

 dangerous, in fact desperate, situations in which it was 

 so often placed. 



In addition to the reconnoitring and advanced post 

 service, in which the Austrian cavalry were so efficient, 

 they were equally effective in another very impor- 

 tant branch of the duties of cavalry in a campaign, 

 namely, in detached service, in partisan raids, and in 

 operations in rear of the enemy against his lines of 

 communication. 



The most remarkable of these operations was the 

 partisan raid of General Haddick, with about 4,000 men 

 and four cannon, upon Berlin on the 17th October, 1757. 

 His force consisted mainly of Croats, and by concealing 

 his movements as much as possible by marching through 

 the woods, he obtained a good start, and his numbers 

 being unknown were greatly magnified by rumour. 

 General Rochow, commandant of Berlin, had a force 

 under his command equal to that of Haddick and capable 

 of defeating it, but imposed upon by the rumours that 

 had reached him, as well as by the bold front shown by 

 the Austrian leader, who at once attacked the Silesian 

 gate and was soon in possession of the suburb of the 

 city, he retreated to Spandau with the royal family and 

 archives, and left the capital of Prussia to make its own 

 terms with the Austrian commander. 



After a good deal of bargaining, Haddick accepted a 

 ransom of 27,000/. sterling, and marched off" after a halt 

 of twelve hours, skilfully evading any attempt to cut 

 him off* and effecting a safe retreat behind the river 



» Lloyd, ii. 53. 



