CHAP. XXIX.] AUSTRO-PRUSSIAN WAR OF 1866. 



489 



blurted forth with a nervous haste, through the thick 

 clouds of smoke that hung heavily before the muzzles. 

 The flank squadrons, trending a little away from their 

 comrades, made for either end of the lines of guns, in 

 expectation of finding there some supporting cavalry. 

 The two centre ones went, straight as an arrow, against 

 the guns themselves, and hurled themselves through the 

 intervals between them upon the gunners. Then the 

 firing ceased in a moment, and the smoke began to drift 

 slowly away ; but all noise was not hushed : shrieks from 

 men cut down by the broad blades of the cuirassiers, 

 cries for quarter, the rapid tramp of snorting and excited 

 horses, the rattle of steel, shouts, cheers, and imprecations 

 from the excited combatants rose up to heaven in a wild 

 medley, along with the prayers which were being offered 

 up by another armed host not many miles distant, at 

 Briinn, where, on this Sunday, the army of Prince 

 Frederick Charles was engaged in a solemn thanksgiving 

 for their hitherto victorious career. Eighteen guns, 

 seven waggons, and 168 horses, with 170 prisoners, fell 

 into the hands of the Prussian force. A noble prize to 

 be won by a single regiment ! It lost only twelve men 

 and eight horses, for the swelling ground, and rapid 

 motion of the gliding squadrons, baulked the aim of the 

 gunners, who mostly pointed their pieces too high, and 

 sent their shells over the heads of the charging horse- 

 men. Of the eigliteen captured guns, seventeen were 

 conveyed to Prosnitz. One was too much disabled to be 

 moved. 



" While the Prussian cuirassiers were engaged in 

 drawing the captured guns to a safe place, a squadron 

 of hostile cavalry deployed from Nenakowitz. Colonel 

 Bredow placed himself at the head of his first squadron, 

 and charged to cover the retreat of his regiment's spoils. 

 This squadron dashed with a heavy surge upon the 

 hostile ranks ; the lighter Austrian horsemen, borne 

 down and scattered by their ponderous shock, broke in 

 wild confusion, could not rally, and were driven far 

 beyond Nenakowitz." ' 



' Hozier, 374, 375. 



