338 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[period IV. 



and Frederick, and much nearer to Olmutz, so as to 

 prevent the possibility of news being conveyed to the 

 Prussian king of the danger the convoy was about to 

 encounter.* These cavalry posts performed this service 

 admirably, so that Frederick only heard of the loss of 

 his convoy a day after it had occurred. 



In the first attack, near Bautsch, Loudon was not suc- 

 cessful. MoseFs dispositions were so well taken, and 

 his troops fought so bravely, that the Austrians were 

 driven back with the loss of some 500 men. The same 

 evening General Ziethen joined Mosel with strong 

 reinforcements, and both officers halted the next 

 day to enable the long train of waggons to close 

 well up. On the morning of the 30th June the whole 

 force set out again, and on entering the defile of 

 Domstcedtel they found no sign of the enemy until 

 about 120 waggons had got out into the plain beyond, 

 when the Austrians appeared upon the heights, and 

 opened a heavy fire of artillery upon the mouth of the 

 defile. Ziethen ordered the waggons to be massed as 

 fast as they came up in front of the defile, and took steps 

 to drive olf the attacking forces. His first attack was 

 successful, but being charged in flank by the Saxon 

 dragoons, his troops were driven back upon the train. 

 General Ziskowitz directed his efforts towards the middle 

 of the convoy, while Loudon renewed his attack upon 

 the head. After most obstinate fighting, in which the 

 young recruits fought and died in their ranks without 

 v^avering, the overpowering numbers of the Austrians 

 prevailed, and Ziethen was obliged to retreat back to 

 Troppau, abandoning the whole convoy with the excep- 

 tion of about 250 waggons, which General Krokow, who 

 commanded the advance guard, was able to get through 

 in safety along with the remains of those troops which 

 had formed the foremost division of the escort.* 



The Prussian generals deserved no blame for their ill 

 success, for the guarding of a convoy through broken 

 country is, of all things^ the most difficult task a cavalry 



Jomini, Grand Operations, ii. 107, 108. 

 242, 244, 245. 



Carlyle, v. 241, 



