159 THE SEVEN YEARS WAR, 1756-63The siege itself was going badly. The direction of the approaches
had been well chosen, namely from the south-west over the high and
firm ground of the Tafel-Berg. However, Frederick was at loggerheads
with his chief engineer, Colonel Balbi, over the siting of the trenches
and batteries. These had been begun at an excessive distance from the
fortress, and they were now coming under enfilade fire from one of
the Austrian works. Finally at the end of June two blows made it
impossible for the Prussians to linger any more around Olmiitz.
Frederick had been aware that the continuance of the siege hung
upon the safe arrival of a huge convoy of well over 3,000 carts, bearing
artillery ammunition, flour, one million thaler in cash, items of
equipment, and sutlers' provisions. Large numbers of recruits
marched with the column, as much to serve as reinforcements for the
army as to act as escort.
On 28 June the convoy survived a first Austrian attack at Unter-
Gundersdorf. Later in the day Zieten arrived on the scene from Silesia
with two battalions of grenadiers, two regiments of cuirassiers and
600 hussars, and on the 29th he leaguered up the carts into a defensive
Wagenburg south-west of Altliebe (he was criticised after the event
for not having pushed straight on towards Olmiitz).
At eight on the rainy morning of 30 June the reinforced convoy
set out along the road to Domstadtl. This was a landscape of little
rounded hills and valleys, and isolated blocks of conifers. It was not
particularly wild, but it was very well suited for ambush. Little or
nothing was seen of the Austrians until the advance guard had passed
through Domstadtl, but then almost the whole stretch of the road
back to Altliebe came under attack from the south-east by the
detachment of Major-General Siskovics. Zieten pushed the infantry
into two counter-attacks, one each from his right and left wings, but
the troops were thrown into disorder when they marched through the
woods, and the Austrians were able to drive them back to the road.
Late in the morning a further enemy force under Major-General
Loudon closed in from the west, and finally Siskovics combined with
the newcomers in an attack on the Altliebe Wagenburg, which still
held two-thirds of the carts.
By the late afternoon the Prussians had been split in two. Zieten
and 4,200 men made back towards Troppau, while Major-General
Krockow struggled on to the army with eight battered battalions, half
a dozen squadrons of cuirassiers, 550 hussars and a sorry train of about
one hundred waggons. Around Altliebe and Domstadtl the Prussians
left 2,386 casualties and prisoners, twelve cannon and over 3,000
vehicles. Mitchell observed:
The king of Prussia either was not informed of, or he did not