356 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
course of lectures arranged by the Committee at the Eoyal Artillery 
Institution, but ill health prevented him from fulfilling the engagement. 
To prevent the members from being entirely disappointed, I offered this as 
an imperfect substitute for his account, and made such alterations as could 
then be introduced, to make it more suitable for a military audience. It 
was received more favourably than I could have anticipated, and is now 
printed by desire of the Committee, to form part of the Institution “ Pro¬ 
ceedings.” I have added a few notes and several references to sources of 
further information to give it a little more value. I must however express 
my regret that the Institution was deprived of Major Adams' remarks; for 
he has formerly served in the Austrian army, -he has visited the scene of the 
campaign, and he has been for many years professionally employed in 
treating the subjects which I myself have but desultorily taken up. 
Preliminary Operations . 
The first episode of the war was a simultaneous invasion by Prussia of 
three independent states, carried out with a promptitude which took the world 
by surprise. Austria had brought forward a motion in the German Diet 
which was fairly interpreted by Prussia as an act of hostility against her. 
On the 14th June it was carried, and among the majority were Saxony, 
Hanover, and Electoral Hesse. Immediately Prussia called on these three 
states to place their troops on a peace establishment, and to accept her 
proposition for reform of the Confederation. The alternative was war, and 
only twelve hours were allowed for deliberation. The states returned a 
refusal; war was therefore declared on the evening of the 15th June, and in 
course of the next day each of them was invaded by Prussian troops. 
Electoral Hesse fell victim to a force composed of troops collected from 
various garrisons and assembled at Wetzlar under General Yon Beyer. 
Hanover was entered by General von Ealkenstein from Minden (on the west) 
and by General von Manteuffel from Sleswig (on the north); the two columns 
uniting in the capital of the kingdom. Saxony was in like manner entered 
and reduced by General Herwarth von Bittenfeld. In each case the army of 
the country was unprepared for resistance, and fell back before the invaders. 
The Hessians succeeded in uniting themselves to the federal troops assembling 
at Erankfort, and the Saxons took shelter in Bohemia. The Hanoverians 
marched towards Bavaria, but were not equally fortunate in escaping their 
pursuers. 
Thus, within a few days, Prussia had won great success. She had 
established a connection with the Ehenish provinces, which were before cut 
off and isolated from the rest, and she had excited some wholesome respect 
for her readiness in action. She had also acquired possession of certain 
lines of railway which very much improved the means of communication 
throughout the tract of country where her main forces were posted.* 
* The direct line of railway between Halle, in Prussian Saxony, and Breslau in Silesia runs through 
Dresden, the distance being about 225 miles. So long as this line was closed the only railway com* 
munication was round by Berlin, which lies a hundred miles north of Dresden. 
