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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
of the mode in which the Prussians and Austrians respectively fought, it 
deserves some little description here. 
Battle of Blumenau . 
Part of the 1st Prussian Army, the 8th Division, in marching from Brunn 
towards Vienna, had been thrown over to the east side of the river March, 
and moved down the road leading from Goding to Presburg. At Marchegg, 
the 7 th Division, and another division formed of cavalry, were united to it, 
the whole being commanded by Geheral Pransecky, who led the 7th Division 
throughout the battle of Koniggratz. On the 21st July this force was near 
the village of Bisternitz. The Qaarter-Master General of the 1st Army 
had been reconnoitring that afternoon, and found that the Austrians held 
the ground about Blumenau (between Bisternitz and Presburg) in some force. 
As Presburg would be an important place to obtain for further operations on 
the Danube, the Quarter-Master General thought it desirable to pave the 
way by dislodging the Austrians from Blumenau, and sent to Prince Prederick 
Charles to request permission to do so. The Prince readily gave his sanction 
to the scheme. The messenger returned to Bisternitz at dawn on the 22nd, 
and General Pransecky forthwith made dispositions for the attack. He 
proposed not only to carry the position, but to effect it in such a manner that 
the whole defending force should be captured. 
With this view he sent a body of 5000 men under General Bose round by 
the Gamsenberg to gain a point some distance in rear of the Austrians, and 
cut off their retreat, whilst he attacked, in front. The village of Blumenau 
stands among the spurs of the Carpathian mountains, with thick, almost 
impassable woods round it, and but few roads. It presented great facilities 
for defence, and four Austrian brigades were near enough to contest it; but 
the nature of the ground was favourable for concealing General Bose's 
flank march. 
The action began as usual by an exchange of artillery, in which forty 
Austrian and thirty-six Prussian guns took part. At half-past eight an 
officer came to announce that an armistice was to commence at midday, but 
Pransecky feared that if he left off fighting General Bose might be captured 
before the hour for ceasing hostilities had struck: the action therefore 
continued, and the infantry were brought into play. 
Between eleven and twelve a message was delivered from General Bose to 
report that the enemy's retreat was cut off and that the front attack might 
be pushed hard. He had, in fact, after some fighting, planted his brigade 
right across the road between Blumenau and Presburg, and as there was no 
other road by which the artillery could have marched, every gun would probably 
have fallen into his hands. It was even doubtful whether the infantry could 
have escaped by a rough country lane just fit for men on foot. Pransecky 
ordered a general advance, but he was unable to grasp the success so nearly 
within his reach, for in a few minutes an officer came out of the Austrian 
lines with a flag of truce, and the firing on both sides immediately ceased. 
The Austrians in the front line were totally ignorant of the danger to their 
rear, and of the escape that they had had. It was not until they had seen 
General Bose's force with their own eyes that they could believe how 
thoroughly their retreat was cut off. 
