196 THE SEVEN YEARS WAR, 1756-63
- the well-informed staff officer Gaudi suggests that Frederick be-
lieved that he had a complete moral superiority over the Austrians
after Daun had abandoned the Katzenhauser position so speedily on
the 14th (Bethcke, 1907, 200-1).
Thirteen days after the catastrophe of Maxen the Austrians
annihilated yet another isolated Prussian corps, albeit a much smal-
ler one than the vanished host of Finck. The victim was Major-
General Diericke, who commanded a detachment which was guard-
ing the Elbe communications downstream from Dresden. On 3
December he was caught with three of his battalions at Meissen, and
after a lively action he was forced to surrender with his 1,500
survivors.
Meanwhile Frederick and Daun faced each other across the
Plauensche-Grund. This was classic defensive terrain in the Austrian
style, and Frederick played a waiting game, still hoping that the
shortage of provisions would compel the Austrians to fall back into
Bohemia. It was dismal work in the snow and bitter frost, and the
frozen soldiers lay piled in heaps in their tents in search of animal
warmth. Frederick himself was low in health and spirits. He wrote to
Henry on 1 January:
My heart is eaten away by sorrow, and what depresses me most
of all is the knowledge that I have come to the end of my
resources - we have nothing left. I do not wish to plunge you
into gloom on this New Year's Day, but I have to speak frankly,
and this terrible prospect is evident to all who do not shut their
eyes to it. (PC 11731)
In 1757 there had been no fast-moving and victorious end to the
campaign which might have carried the army into the next year at a
high pitch of elation. Not only did the disaster of Kunersdorf stand
forth undiminished, but the surrender at Maxen, the misfortune at
Meissen and the cold and disease of the winter eroded the resources of
the army, and undermined confidence in Frederick's generalship. 'He
plunged us into this cruel war', wrote Henry, 'and only the courage of
the generals and soldiers can get us out again' ('Note', c. 15 Decem-
ber, PC 11673).
Frederick's skill as a re-maker of shattered armies was never shown to
greater effect than in 1760. It was a lengthy process, which was
completed in the material sense with surprising speed, but extended
in the moral dimension into August. The lack of good officers was felt
at every level of command. Boy Junkers came out to take the place of
the officers who had been killed at Kunersdorf or made prisoner at
Maxen. Seydlitz was still incapable of doing service after his wound,
