The campaign passed in different manoeuvres, marches, and countermarches. Our corps was the most fatigued, as being encamped round the King's tent, the station of which was central, and as likewise having the care of the vanguard; we were therefore obliged to begin our march two hours sooner than the remainder of the army, that we might be in our place. We also accompanied the King whenever he went to reconnoitre, traced the lines of encampment, led the horse to water, inspected the head-quarters, and regulated the march and encampment, according to the King's orders; the performance of all which robbed us of much rest, we being but six officers to execute so many different functions.
Still further, we often executed the office of couriers, to bear the royal commands to detachments. The King was particularly careful that the officers of his guards, whom he intended should become excellent in the art of tactics, should not be idle in his school.
It was necessary to do much in order that much might be learnt.
Labour, vigilance, activity, the love of glory and the love of his country, animated all his generals; into whom, it may be said, he infused his spirit.
In this school I gained instruction, and here already was I selected as one designed to instruct others; yet, in my fortieth year, a great general at Vienna told me, "My dear Trenck, our discipline would be too difficult for you to learn; for which, indeed, you are too far advanced in life." Agreeable to this wise decision was Imade an Austrian invalid, and an invalid have always remained; a judgment like this would have been laughed at, most certainly, at Berlin.
If I mistake not, the famous battle of Soor, or Sorau, was fought on the 14th day of September. The King had sent so many detachments into Saxony, Bohemia, and Silesia, that the main army did not consist of more than twenty-five thousand men. Neglecting advice, and obstinate in judging his enemy by numbers, and not according to the excellence of discipline, and other accidents, Prince Charles, blind to the real strength of the Prussian armies, had enclosed this small number of Pomeranian and Brandenburg regiments, with more than eighty-six thousand men, intending to take them all prisoners.
It will soon be seen from my narrative with what kind of secrecy his plan was laid and executed.
The King came into my tent about midnight; as he also did into that of all the officers, to awaken them; his orders were, "Secretly to saddle, leave the baggage in the rear, and that the men should stand ready to mount at the word of command."Lieutenant Studnitz and myself attended the King, who went in person, and gave directions through the whole army; meantime, break of day was expected with anxiety.
Opposite the defile through which the enemy was to march to the attack eight field-pieces were concealed behind a hill. The King must necessarily have been informed of the whole plan of the Austrian general, for he had called in the advanced posts from the heights, that he might lull him into security, and make him imagine we should be surprised in the midst of sleep.
Scarcely did break of day appear before the Austrian artillery, situated upon the heights, began to play upon our camp, and their cavalry to march through the defile to the attack.
