THE EOYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
369 
firmly and rapidly they might have attained their object; but fearing that 
there was a Prussian force in their front they hesitated, and this hesitation 
led to the accomplishment of what they feared. When they actually were 
cut off they offered to treat; then they attempted to break their way 
through, and finally they laid down their arms at Langensalza. 
The Hanoverian army being deprived of participation in the war, the 
Bavarians turned their attention to effecting a junction with the 8th Corps, 
(still round Priedberg), and on the 2nd July they began to move in that 
direction. This, however, it was clearly the object of Palkenstein to prevent. 
After the surrender of the Hanoverians he had been obliged to remain a 
few days at Eisenach whilst he organized the forces which had been collected 
from so many quarters to form his army. Having done so he marched from 
Eisenach towards Eulda on the day that the Bavarians were tending towards 
the same place. 
The outposts soon came into collision, and on the 3rd and 4th of July, 
(the date of the battle of Koniggratz,) there were several encounters in the 
neighbourhood of Dermbach, so much to the disadvantage of the Bavarians 
that they fell back in a south-easterly direction towards the river Saale, with 
the view of seeking a junction with the 8th Corps in some more convenient 
quarter. 
Successful in the first step, Palkenstein marched on towards Hanau, 
expecting to meet the 8th Corps in that neighbourhood, but hearing that 
Prince Alexander had withdrawn his right wing and judging from general 
intelligence that the Bavarians were still the more dangerous enemy of the 
two, he altered his direction and marched rapidly upon the Saale. 
The Bavarians held Kissingen and other points on the river; their position 
was strong, but their forces were scattered and badly handled. Although 
they had a superiority of numbers within reach of the several scenes of action, 
the Prussians were more numerous at the fighting points, and the Bavarians 
dislodged from the Saale fell back to the Maine. Palkenstein followed 
them to the neighbourhood of Schweinfurt, but then made a sudden change 
of plan, and turning his back upon them in an extraordinary manner, 
retraced his steps to the Saale.* 
Prankfort was henceforth his goal. The vicinity of the city was held 
by the 8th Corps, but in this ill-starred body confusion reigned supreme, 
and the only opposition made to his approach was offered by isolated 
detachments of the corps. The contingent of Hesse-Darmstadt, full of 
courage, but unskillfully led, threw themselves in his way at Laufach. 
That point carried a force mainly consisting of 15,000 Austrians barred 
his passage by posting themselves in Aschaffenburg. As this town was still 
surrounded by an old wall it might have been a troublesome impediment, 
but it was soon in the Prussians’ hands. In the confusion of retreating 
out of the town many prisoners were taken; a part of the Austrian soldiers 
made indeed no attempt to get out; there happened to be two battalions of 
an Italian regiment within the walls, and these, taking the opportunity of 
getting free from the Austrian service, allowed themselves to be captured 
without striking a blow. 
* This change is attributed by a correspondent of the “ Kolnische Zeitungto secret Uegotiatioilsi 
