60 THE SILESIAN WARS, 1740-5together with the neighing of horses, made a concert of sound
that was calculated to inspire anybody to combat. Further
embellishment was provided by the glittering of the weapons,
the spectacle of the countless colours and standards floating in
the air, and the contrast between the grave, disciplined march
of the main forces, and the speed of the light troops as they
hastened in front. All of this was lit by a radiant sun, presenting
a sight at once enchanting and terrible. (Oeuvres, III, 111;
Mauvillon, 1756, 261)In the evening the allies shook themselves into a loose line which
stretched for just over four miles between Kauder and Hohenfriede-
berg. They were negligent and overconfident, and they made no
attempt to occupy any features of tactical importance.
Frederick departed at a gallop, and at about 6 p.m. he reached his
headquarters at Alt-Jauernick and made a few necessaiy arrange-
ments. As a soldier-king he was under no obligation to summon a
council of war, and he could now enjoy a little rest in the darkness of
his tent. His friend Chasot entered at 8 p.m., and Frederick told him:
'Now at last I have got what I wanted. I have just seen the enemy
army leave the hills and spread out in the plain. Tomorrow will be an
important day for me' (Kroger, 1893, 34-5).
Frederick's intentions for the coming 'Battle of Hohenfriedeberg'
were to execute an overnight march to the north-west, make an
undisturbed crossing of the obstacle of the Striegauer-Wasser, and
finally roll up the enemy flank from the east.
The Prussian army set off at 9 p.m. on 3 June. The roads were
reserved for the artillery, and 'the soldiers had to march on either
side, up to their'knees in water for most of the time. But nobody left
his rank' (Valori, 1820,1, 228). The men knew what was at stake, and
they religiously observed the orders which forbade smoking and all
unnecessary noise. The army stopped short of the Striegauer-Wasser
in the early morning, and the troops rested under arms for a couple of
hours. Frederick was among them, wrapped in his cloak against the
chill of fresh and starlit night.
At 2.30 a.m. on 4 June Frederick assembled the generals and
issued his verbal orders. The columns were to pass the Striegauer-
Wasser in the region of Striegau, Graben and Teichau and make
northwards in the general direction of Pilgramshain until they had
covered enough ground to be able to form a line of battle. The
Prussians were then to advance to the west, with the right leading in a
staggered echelon of brigades.
Hohenfriedeberg was to be the most episodic and compartmen-
talised of all Frederick's battles, and within the limits of the present