209 THE SEVEN YEARS WAR, 1756-63Frederick had purchased from Cardinal Polignac.
The essential damage to Frederick's interests could have been
much worse. A Prussian courtier wrote on the 10th: 'The fall of Berlin
signifies a frightful loss. All the resources to sustain the war are gone
at a single stroke. The enemy have possession of our magazines, our
factories, our powder mills and countless other stores' (Lehndorff,
1910-13,1, 270). The Austrians certainly broke up the machinery and
the stored weapons in the small-arms factory at Spandau. However,
no great harm was done to most of the objects of strategic importance.
The cloth factory was spared, and the activities of the Russians in the
Berlin Arsenal, the bronze foundry and the immense magazines
amounted to little more than minor vandalism (Warnery, 1788, 535;
Ligne, 1795-1811, XVI, 46).
The allies streamed away from Berlin on 11 October, upon the
report that Frederick was on the move. The Austrians tried to drag the
famous 'Mollwitz Grey' from Potsdam as a last trophy, but the old
creature stood its ground in the Lustgarten under repeated blows, and
it was left to live out its days in peace.
By 4 October Frederick had been convinced that his western flank
and his capital were in the greatest danger. He knew of the departure
of Lacy's corps, and he believed that it was making for Saxony, where
the Prussian forces under Hiilsen had retreated frorff Torgau in the
face of the Reichsarmee. Alarming news also came from Lieutenant-
General von der Goltz, who commanded the troops who had been left
by Prince Henry to observe the Russians. Not only had the main army
of the Russians advanced once more to the Oder, but at headquarters
they were talking quite openly about some great blow they were
going to deal at Brandenburg.
Ever since 18 September the Prussian army had been immobile
in the Waldenburg Hills around Dittmannsdorf, while Frederick
watched in vain for some opening that might enable him to catch the
Austrians at a disadvantage. Now he saw that he must retreat to the
plain, where at least he would gain the freedom to move into Saxony
or Brandenburg, wherever the need proved greater. Frederick pro-
vided the army with enough flour, bread and biscuit to sustain it for a
full month, and on the night of 6 October the Prussians abandoned the
Dittmannsdorf position in the greatest silence.
The strategic deadlock had been broken on terms dictated by the
enemy. Nobody could have guessed as much from Frederick's cheerful
demeanour when he marched his army north-west towards the bor-
ders of Brandenburg and Saxony. He exchanged good-natured insults
with his soldiers, and he talked as an equal with the company
womenfolk, who helped with the cooking and laundry. He was