The New Hampshire Gazette

The glorious Victory of the KING of Prussia.

From the London Gazette.

Extract of a Letter from the Prussian Army, upon the Unstrut, in Thuringen, of the 7th of November 1757.

On the 24th of October, the King's Army happened to be divided into several Corps, some of them at the Distance of twenty Leagues asunder. Upon Advice that the Princes of Saxe Hildburghausen and Soubize were marching up directly to Marshal Keith, who was then at Leipzig with seven Battalions, the King resolved that the Army should join again; which was executed the 27th of October. The whole Army remained at Leipzig the 28th and 29th; and on the 30th, marched towards Lutzen. On the 31st, in going thro' Weissenfels and Merseburg, 500 Men were made Prisoners of War.

The Enemy had repassed the Saale, and burnt down the Bridges at Weissenfels, Merseburg, and Halle; but they were soon repaired. And the whole Army having passed the River, through these three Towns, joined again the 3d of November in the Evening, over against the Enemy.

The King was going to engage them on the 4th, but deferred it, and the whole Day was Spent in a Cannonade, to which our Cavalry, being most advanced, were exposed, and by which the French killed them nine Men.

On the 5th. Intelligence was bro't, at nine o'Clock in the Morning, that the Enemy was every where in Motion. We heard their Drums beating the March the whole Morning: and we could very plainly perceive, from our Camp, which lay in the Bottom between the Villages of Reiderow and Rossbach, was Surrounded within the Reach of large Cannon. Soon after, that Cavalry was seen to halt, and afterwards to fall back to the Right. Some of this Corps remained, however whilst the Rest was marching back. About two in the Afternoon our Doubts were cleared up, and it plainly appeared, that the Enemy intended to attack us: and their Dispositions were made with a View to surround us, and to open the Action by attacking us in the Rear. In case we had been defeated, the Corps posted over against Reiderow, was to have fallen upon our routed Troops, and to have prevented their retiring into Merseburg, the only Retreat which would then have been left us.

The King took the Resolution to march up to the Enemy, and to attack them.

His Majesty had determined to make the Attack with one Wing only; and the Disposition of the Enemy made it necessary that it should be the left Wing.

The very Instant the Battle was going to begin, his Majesty ordered the General who commanded the right Wing to decline it, to take a proper Position in consequence thereof, and above all, to prevent our being surrounded. All the Cavalry of our right Wing, except two or three Squadrons had already marched to the Left, which was done at full Gallop; and being arrived at the Place assigned them, they formed over against that of the Enemy.

Our Cavalry moved on immediately; the Enemy's advanced to meet them, and the Charge was very fierce, several Regiments of the French coming on with great Resolution. The Advantage however was entirely on our Side. The Enemy's Cavalry being routed, were pursued, for a considerable Time, with the greatest Spirit. But having afterwards reached an Eminence, which gave them an Opportunity of rallying, our cavalry fell upon them afresh, and gave them so thorough a Defeat, that they betook themselves to Flight, in the utmost Disorder. This happened at Four in the Afternoon. Whilft the Cavalry charged, our Infantry opened themselves. The Enemy cannonaded them very briskly, during this Interval, and did some Execution, but our Artillery was not behind hand with them.

This Cannonade having continued on both Sides a full Quarter of an Hour, without the least Intermission, the Fire of the Infantry began. The Enemy could not stand it, nor resist the Valour of our Foot, who gallantly marched up to their Batteries. These Batteries were carried one after another, and the Enemy forced to give Way, which they did in great Confusion. As the left Wing advanced, the Right changed its Position; and having soon met with a small rising Ground, they availed themselves of it, and planted 16 Pieces of heavy Artillery on it. The Fire from thence was partly pointed at the Enemy's Right, to encrease the Disorder there, and took their left Wing in Front, which was excessively galled thereby. At Five the Victory was decided, the Cannon ceased, and the Enemy fled on all Sides. They were pursued as long as there was any Light to distinguish them by: and it may be said, that the Night alone was the Preservation of this Army, which was so formidable in the Morning. They took the Benefit of the Darkness to hurry on to Freyburg, and there to repass the Unstrut, which they did on the Morning of the 6th, after a whole Night's March. The King set out early in the Morning, to pursue them with all his Cavalry, supported by four Battalions of Grenadiers, the whole Infantry following them in two Columns. The Enemy had passed the Unstrut at Freyburg, when we arrived on its Banks: and as they had burnt the Bridge, it became necessary to make another, which however was soon done. The Cavalry passed first, but could not come up with the Enemy till Five in the Evening, upon the Hills of Eckartsberg. It was too late to force them there; and the King therefore thought proper to canton his Army in the nearest Villages, and to be satisfied with the Success our Hussars had in taking near 300 Baggage Waggons, and every Thing in them. This so glorious Victory, must be more agreeable to his Majesty than any one he has ever gained, as it was
the Price of so little Blood. our whole Loss not exceeding 200 in killed and wounded. Among the former is General Meinche. His Royal Highnes Prince Henry, and General Zeidiitz, are both slightly wounded.

If we consider the Disposition of both Armies, as to their Numbers, it must be acknowledged, that the Hand of Heaven has been upon our Side. The Enemy boasted they were 70,000 strong. I believe they were not quite so many, but from the Ground they covered, it may be inferred, they were not less than 50,000 fighting Men. After the King had got together at Leipic, all the several Corps of his Army, he had 33 Battalions and 43 Squadrons, leaving a Garrison of five Battalions at Leipic. He marched with the Rest to Luizen ; and having crost the Sala at Weissenfels, Merseburg and Halle. and left a Battalion in each of these three Places. the Army, which joined, after this Passage on the 3d of November, over against the Enemy, consisted only in 25 Battalions and 44 Squadrons,

During the Battle,the Regiment of Winterfield covered the Baggage, so that the whole Weight of the Action fell upon the Cavalry, and 23 Battalions drawn up in two Lines ; and even of the Infantry there were but six Battalions that had Recourse to the Fire of their Musquetry, viz. Four Battalions of Grenadiers, and the Regiment of Old Brunswick, which did Wonders. That Regiment lost its Colonel, with about 100 Men killed and wounded. The Loss of the Enemy cannot yet be ascertained. It is supposed they left 3000 Men upon the Field of Battle. The Prisoners exceed 4000 Men, and there is among them a great Number of Officers and Generals. We took Fifty Pieces of Cannon. and a great many Standards and Colours. We have this Day taken four more Pieces of large Cannon, and made 400 or 500 Prisoners.

Extract of a Letter from an Officer in the Army of the Empire, dated from Erfurth, November 7, 1757

" At one in the Morning of the 30th past, we left our Quarters at Stoffen, and received Orders to repair to Weissenfels ; the Regiment of Varell marched through the City. and over the Bridge, and was cantoned at Petra ; two Regiments, viz. those of Nassau, and Deux Ponts. and Reckman's, of Bavaria, with two Companies of French Grenadiers, remained at Weissenfels.

" On the 31st. at Five in the Morning.the Prussians came and attacked the City : upon this the whole Army was ordered to assemble ; but Prince Hildburghausen's Quarters being at half a League's Distance, from the City, Prince George d' Armstadt commanded in his Absence, and took every possible Method to make Resistance ; but it was too late ; they were obliged to retire, and that noble Bridge which had cost above 100,000 Crowns, was burnt, to secure our Retreat. The Prussian Artillery made a terrible Fire, whilst the two Regiments were passing the Bridge. The Regiment of Deux Ponts lost four Officers and 100 private Men, upon this Occasion ; the Captains Muncherode and Dames, with two Lieutenants, were among the Former. The Loss of Reckman's Regiment amounted to 200 Men, of whom six were Officers. The whole Army continued before the Town, and the Field Marshal in his Quarters at Bugerau. In the Night 300 of the Wurtzburg Imperial Regiment were detached to the place where the Bridge had been, in order to observe the Enemy.

During the whole Night a Noise was heard in the City, occasioned by the Stroakes of Mallets ; but it Was not discovered till Break of Day, that two Houses had been turned into Batteries. As they were not yet finished, we easily dismounted them with our six pieces of Cannon, which were sent thither ; and killed them four Soldiers, and one Workman.

The first of November the Fire from the Artillery continued on both Sides till Ten o'Clock, when we began to march towards Merseberg, the Baggage having gone before as far as Camburg, we were forced to lie on the Ground without Wood or Straw. In the mean while, the French were reinforced by 20 Battalions and 28 Squadrons, commanded by the Duc de Broglio.

" The 3d of November we put ourselves in a posture to wait the Enemy ; at one in the Afternoon we retreated a League towards Frey. bourg. where we halted ; at Five we were drawn up in Order of Battle ; and thus we advanced slowly towards the Enemy all Night. We were posted in a Wood on the Right, where we covered ourselves by felling Trees ; and Batteries were placed by the French on the two Eminences at each End of the Wood. On the 4th we were in presence of the Enemy, and cannonaded each other. The Enemy's Cavalry advanced, but were repulsed by ours, sustained by the Fire of our Artillery. The Enemy's Infantry then moved forwards in three Columns, but were also repulsed. On the 5th the cannonading began very early in the Morning on both Sides. The left Wing of the Enemy extended as far as Legen, and their Right to Schorta ; and our Army was posted in the Wood at Waneroda. At Noon our Army, as well as the French, had Orders to form the Line of Battle, and to march out of the Entrenchments which we had made. We advanced towards the Enemy, keeping a little however to the Left. The Enemy made a Feint of retiring, on which we redoubled our Pace, but we soon found what kind of Retreat they were making. In order to deceive us the more effectually, they had sent some Squadrons towards Merseburgh ; but the Rest of their Army was drawn up behind an Eminence which concealed them from us. It must be confessed, that we got compleatly into the Snare.

The first Line of the French and our Cavalry, continued advancing, when all on a sudden our Right Wing received a terrible Fire from the Enemy, which we returned briskly, but,as we had been obliged to advance in some Hurry, our Ranks Were a little disordered, which made the Enemy's Fire fall the more heavily upon us. Our Cavalry fled the first Onset, upon a full Gallop, but our Artillery supported us some time longer; at last the French fled likewise, and being then no longer able to resist the Enemy, the Rout became general.

" We have lost all our Baggage and Artillery, and at least 18,000 Men. We marched the whole Night, and passing the River at Freyberg, arrived at Eckartsberg at six o'Clock in the Morning. At 2 o'Clock in the Afternoon the Field Marshal and Prince George joined us : they had hardly Set down to Dinner, but we perceived the Enemy at our Heels, who cannonaded us briskly ; and as our Army was not got together, nothing was left for us but to retreat. Having again marched all Night, we arrived at last at Erfurth, where we now are in want of every thing, tho' we are rather better off than before. It is now eight Days since our Men have had Bread ; they have lived upon Turnips and Radishes, which they dug out of the Earth."
Extract of a Letter from Leipzing, dated November 9, 1757.

" It is unfortunately, but too true, that the combined Army has been totally defeated and dispersed. One Part of it has fled by Naumberg, the other by Freyberg. The Prince of Saxe pursues the one, and the King in Person the other. There have been brought to Mersebourg above 2000 Prisoners. They are confined in the Churches. The Army of the Empire has lost 64 Pieces of Cannon, with Kettle Drums, Colours, and Standards, in great Number. General Revel, Brother to the Duc de Broglio, died Yesterday of his Wounds at Mersebourg. This enormous Misfortune is attributed solely, to the injudicious Dispositions of the two Commanders; and it is assured, that for two Days, the Army had not had a Morsel of Bread. Three Hundred Waggons with the heavy Baggage of the French Army, and a great Number of Mules, were taken Yesterday at Eckartsberg. Posterity will never believe, that, at most 18,000 Prussians could ruin an Army of above 60,000 Men. Last Night 300 Waggons came hither, loaded with wounded French and Swifs, who are in great Distress for want of a sufficient Number of Surgeons. This Day we are informed from Merseburgh, that the Number of Prisoners amount already to 10,000. The Peasants of Gotha and Thuringia bring in Numbers of them, in Resentment of the bad Treatment they have met with from the French. They add farther, That the Victors have taken in all 164 Pieces of Cannon.

Tis not to be doubted, but that their whole Force will now fall upon Erfurth."