142 THE SEVEN YEARS WAR, 1756-63The allies noticed the departure of the king's army shortly before- 15 p.m.:' In less than two minutes all the tents lay on the ground, as
if they had collapsed like theatrical scenery, and his army was in full
march' (Gr. Gstb., 1901-14, VII, 212). It was assumed that Frederick
was making his escape, and so the allies plunged recklessly on, with
the Austrian cavalry of the advance guard pushing 2,000 paces ahead
of the main infantry.
Moller's guns spoke at 3.15 p.m., and the ground miles away
shook with the concussion. At the sound of the cannon Seydlitz
wheeled his squadrons into line, and he continued the march in this
formation until the cavalry reached a suitable attacking position
behind the eastward extension of the Janus Hill ridge. At 3.30 p.m.
the leading allied squadrons approached to within about 1,000 paces
of the crest, whereupon Seydlitz ordered the trumpets to sound the
command 'Marsch! Marsch!' On the far side he was soon engaged in a
stern tussle with the two Austrian cuirassier regiments of Bretlach
and Trautmannsdorff, which were able to deploy themselves into a
passable fighting formation before the impact. The Austrian
Szecheny Hussars and three regiments of Imperial German horse
were in support, and for some minutes the allies withstood the onset
of Seydlitz's first line.
Seydlitz now committed the eighteen squadrons of the second
line in a double flanking attack which embraced not only the Aus-
trian and German cavalry but the twenty-four squadrons of French
which now arrived on the scene. The Low German cry of 'Gah to!'
burst from the Brandenburgers and Pomeranians of the cuirassiers,
giving one of the French officers occasion to wonder what kind of men
were these who went into battle crying 'Cake!'
The confused mass of allied cavalry was bundled back as far as
the deep sunken road which ran between Reichardtswerben and
Tagewerben, and this obstacle completed their rout. Seydlitz was one
of the rare cavalry commanders in history who have possessed the
discipline over themselves and their men to deal two great blows on
one day of battle. He appreciated that he still had a great deal to do,
and rather than pursue the already soundly beaten allied cavalry
beyond Reichardtswerben, he rallied his squadrons to the north-east
of that village and led them to a new position in the hollow of
Tagewerben, from where they would be well placed to intervene
against the southern flank of the allied infantry.
Meanwhile the Prussian infantry was hastening into view over
the ridge. It reached forward by the left in echelon of battalions, with
fifty-pace intervals, which usefully gained ground to the south, and
the troops wheeled into line short of Tagewerben. The front was
prolonged to the south by battalions which were drawn from the