Chapter 1003: Prussian Upheaval
A Prussian officer echoed the sentiment immediately: "And then we can use our superior numbers to crush the Austrians in one fell swoop!"
The Prince of Hohenlohe had made thorough preparations this time, stationing a massive defensive force along the line from Liegnitz to Breslau. He was simply waiting for Archduke Charles to walk straight into his trap.
However, ten full days passed, and aside from a few small Austrian detachments of several thousand men scouting near Liegnitz, the full-scale siege he expected never materialized.
As October arrived, the Prince of Hohenlohe began to believe the Austrians had given up. Just as he was preparing to send a victory report to Potsdam, new intelligence finally reached him.
By the time the Prince finished reading the report from the direction of Breslau, his expression had grown thunderous.
Last weekend, the Austrians had occupied the town of Erls on the eastern side of the Breslau fortress. Using that as a base, they launched a fierce assault on Glogau, a vital stronghold on the middle reaches of the Oder River.
Glogau was a critical junction connecting Breslau to the Prussian heartland. If it fell to the Austrians, the entire Prussian army in Silesia would be severed from its supply lines.
At that moment, Glogau was defended by fewer than six thousand men.
The Prince of Hohenlohe sent his chair sprawling with a frustrated kick.
That man Ludwig was acting like a common gambler, completely ignoring Liegnitz to divert his main force toward Glogau!
He took several deep breaths to steady his nerves before turning his attention back to the map.
He now faced two choices.
First, he could abandon Liegnitz, cross the Sudeten Mountains, and risk a bold strike into the Austrian heartland. It would be a race to see whether Ludwig reached Potsdam first or if he himself occupied Vienna.
Second, he could rush back to reinforce Glogau and seek a decisive battle with the Austrians there. This was undoubtedly the safer path.
After much hesitation and repeated discussions with his officers, he opted for the second strategy.
Austria was significantly larger than Prussia and better equipped to absorb losses. In a trade of capitals, Prussia risked total collapse, whereas Austria could retreat into Hungary and potentially secure a final victory.
Two days later, the main Prussian force departed Liegnitz, hurrying back toward Glogau.
Meanwhile, near the town of Schweidnitz in south-central Liegnitz...
Archduke Charles listened to the report from his hussars, a look of relief finally crossing his face.
The Prussians had indeed turned back toward Glogau.
In truth, he had worried that the Prince of Hohenlohe might stake everything on a desperate push toward Prague. Had that happened, Charles would have been forced to redeploy quickly, organizing a defense at Hirschberg and recalling his troops from Glogau.
But now, the main Prussian army was marching straight into his ambush.
Indeed, he had sent thirty thousand raw recruits to attack Glogau, while keeping all his veterans in central Liegnitz.
He intended to use forty thousand men to devour a Prussian army of seventy thousand!
Two days later, as the Prince of Hohenlohe reached the midpoint between Liegnitz and Breslau, the Austrians suddenly struck.
The Prussian army scrambled to contract its formation for defense, but in the chaos, two corps at the vanguard were cut off by the Austrians and immediately subjected to a savage charge by enemy cavalry.
Hohenlohe frantically dispatched reinforcements while his main body braced for a pitched battle.
However, Archduke Charles fought with exceptional cunning. After eliminating several thousand Prussian troops, he immediately broke off engagement and raced toward Liegnitz.
The Prince of Hohenlohe was horrified by the news. He had left only a minimal garrison in Liegnitz. If the Austrians retook it, his entire campaign would yield nothing but the senseless loss of the Tauentzien corps.
After weighing his options, he ordered Möllendorff and Scharnhorst to lead twenty thousand men back to Glogau while he led the main force to intercept the Austrians threatening Liegnitz.
On the other side, Archduke Charles listened to his scouts and made a rapid judgment: "Given Friedrich's personality, he will likely prioritize securing Liegnitz. Therefore, the force heading east should be the smaller one."
At this stage, he only knew the enemy had split into two columns; detailed numbers for each were impossible to ascertain on such short notice.
He turned his horse, signaling to his messenger. "Come, we shall intercept them on the west bank of the Oder."
...
By the time the Prince of Hohenlohe returned to Liegnitz after a non-stop march, he found no sign of the Austrian army.
The following day, a rider arrived with devastating news: the Möllendorff corps had been shattered by the main Austrian force.
The Prince of Hohenlohe collapsed into his chair, paralyzed.
Since entering Liegnitz, he had done little more than run back and forth, losing half his strength in the process for no tangible gain.
The initiative had fallen entirely into the enemy's hands. Charles could now recall his troops from Glogau to face him with superior numbers, or he could drive his entire army north of Silesia to directly threaten Berlin.
After sitting in a daze for a long time, he silently moved to his desk and began to write.
On October 22, 1794.
Sanssouci Palace received a letter from the Prince of Hohenlohe suggesting a truce.
Panic-stricken, Wilhelmine had no choice but to call upon Prince Heinrich to take charge of the situation.
Returning to Sanssouci, the Prince immediately dispatched the former Prime Minister, Baron Friedrich, to London to seek British support. He then issued an emergency mobilization order and recalled Blücher, commanding him to assemble troops and organize a defense at Glogau.
...
In the gardens of Sanssouci Palace, William II watched a horsemanship display by his palace guards. He tossed a piece of fried veal into his mouth and washed it down with a large gulp of beer, letting out a satisfied groan.
Suddenly, a stern voice cut through the air: "Everyone, dismiss."
The guards hesitated for a moment, but quickly reigned in their horses, bowed their heads, and retreated.
William II was about to turn and snap at the intruder when he realized it was Prince Heinrich. His irritation softened into a disgruntled mumble. "What are you doing here?"
His constitution had been ravaged by years of excessive drinking. He only vaguely recalled that the Prince hadn't been to Sanssouci in a long time, and he seemed unaware that the man had been away from the center of power for quite a while.
Prince Heinrich looked at the King with profound disappointment. He bowed stiffly and said in a low voice, "Our war in Silesia is facing total defeat. Lady Wilhelmine made a series of disastrous decisions that may cost us our entire veteran army."
William II's eyes cleared instantly. He struggled to stand from his lounger, grabbing the Prince's arm. "What did you say? We've been defeated?!"
"I fear so. Tens of thousands of our soldiers are surrounded at Liegnitz. As of now, we have lost nearly forty thousand men."
William II rasped, "Send more troops immediately! We cannot lose!"
"There are fewer than ten thousand recruits left in the country, Your Majesty, and they are needed to defend Glogau. There is... nothing more we can do."
William II froze. His eyes began to bloodshot, and his entire body went rigid before he toppled straight backward.
Three hours later, the royal physician emerged from the King's bedroom and shook his head helplessly at Prince Heinrich and the other high-ranking officials gathered at the door.
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