115 THE SEVEN YEARS WAR, 1756-63the Croats as they stalked the ramparts of Prague in their red cloaks.
More significantly, Frederick's telescope revealed the lines of the
Austrian army, which had taken up position on the far side of the
Moldau on the plateau immediately to the east of the city. Prince
Charles's generals had rejected all talk of retreating any further into
the centre of Bohemia (something which Schwerin at that time was
in no position to prevent) and they had determined to make a stand
outside Prague. Frederick was going to have his battle after all.
Mitchell dined with Frederick on 4 May. 'He was very hearty and
cheerful, and told me in a day or two the battle of Pharsalia between
the Houses of Austria and Brandenburg would be fought' (Mitchell,
1850, I, 325; on Frederick's ambitions see also Henckel von Donners-
marck, 1858, I, part 2, 192).
Frederick's plan was to bring his army into the Moldau-Elbe
triangle, unite there with Schwerin under the noses of the Austrians,
and attack without delay. Thirty-two thousand troops were to be left
under Field-Marshal Keith on the left bank of the Moldau opposite
Prague (apparently to prevent the Austrians from escaping to the
west), but Frederick and Schwerin combined would still have 64,000
men at their disposal, which exceeded the Austrian army by about
4,000.
On 5 May the royal army crossed to the right bank of the Moldau
by a bridge of boats which had been cast across the river at Seltz, four
miles below Prague. No word arrived from Schwerin, but Frederick
sent an adjutant to tell him to bring his army early next morning to
the plateau of Prosek, about three miles north of the Austrian camp.
Frederick's army was on the march again at five on the morning
of 6 May, and just over an hour later Schwerin's columns swung into
alignment, forming the left or eastern wing of the united force.
Frederick was glad to see Schwerin and Winterfeldt again:
With his usual cheerfulness he called out, 'Good morning,
gentlemen!' Then he rode with them and a few adjutants to the
heights of Broditz, and saw the whole enemy camp stretching
before him. 'Good morning to you too!' he shouted in a jocular
way to the Austrians, when the appearance of the royal suite
induced them to fire a few cannon in the direction of the hill.
One of the shot buried itself in the earth close to the king.
(Hildebrandt, 1829-35, III, 175-6)
Winterfeldt timed the reunion of the commanders at 6.30 a.m., and
noted: 'The king was determined to attack the enemy without more
ado - a sentiment shared by Field-Marshal Schwerin as well as my
humble self. Now we had to find a suitable gap' (Volz, 1926-7, II, 18).