Treatise on Grand Military Operations (Volume 1); Or, a Critical and Military History of the Wars of Frederick the Great, as Contrasted with the Modern System. Together with a Few of the Most Important Principles of the Art of War (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1865. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER X. OPERATIONS OF THE KING UPON THE LINE OF THE LEFT; TAKING OF SCWEIDNITZ; INVASION OF MORAVIA; OPERA- TIONS OF PRINCE HENRY IN SAXONY, UPON THE LINE OF THE RIGHT; SIEGE OF OLMUTZ; RETREAT OF THE KING THROUGH BOHEMIA.* When the Austrians evacuated Silesia after the battle of Leuthen, they held fast to Schweidnitz, which was defended by General Thierheim with eight thousand men. By his great efforts the place was put in the best possible state of defense, and furthermore, observing that its capture would be due to the isolated position of its defences, he joined them by a rampart with curtains and bastions. On the 15th of March, Frederick set out from Breslau to join the army which was intended to cover the siege, and which was concentrated the same day at Landshut. That army was composed of forty-three battalions and sixty-five squadrons. General Fouquet, who up to this time had conducted the blockade of the place, turned over this duty to General Treskow, and set ont with sixteen battalions and fifteen squadrons, to expel the AusrYians from the county of Glatz. The siege corps consisted of eighteen battalions and thirty-five incomplete squadrons. The depot of artillery was at Jauernick, and the engineers' park at Sabischdorf. Trenches were opened on the night of the 1st and 2d of * In this chapter are given minute details of the king's operations, less to give them a historical interest, than to exhibit to the reader the various combinations of marches and encampments in vogue at that period. i April against one of the forts. Colonel Balby, who directed this operation, having proposed, some days after, to attempt to carry it by escalade, the king consented to it, and sent over, for this purpose, the grenadiers of Diringshofen and Benkendorf. Th...