The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-03-31

ia iome years ago. permitting the mobility alone
to be promoted, preceded the disturbances in
The army which ended in the breaking out of
the revolution.
Thoie vino are we'll informed on the fntieei
allure US, that prince Louis Ferdinand Of Pruf-
Ia, the night before the battle of Saalfe,dt, in
which he fell, foretold to feveral OF his conf.
dental friends the fate of the Pruffian army.
The couufels of colonel Won Pfuhl were never
liitened to from the beginning.
Three principal errors probably hurled the
Prufiian army into the gulph of dearuaion.
The hrft was an Uncomfortable difregard of any
th'ng like regular plan, and heedlefs fecuri-
~. Only few hufrars were ftationed in the
Thurnger wood and hills, the pafIes and fan
neis OF which could have hcen fundamentally
defended againR the MOT hyperion force in the
world, bv few cannon and HARP fhooters. 1t
- incredible, but nevertheless true, that the
Pruifian generals left all the mott important
Pafies on the Saal, unoccupied; and when this
was remarked by fome Saxon engineers, they
were laughed at, as if no enemy could come
there. The Pruliians had a'moit no reconno.
teting parties, and they never fufpeeled that
the emperor OF the French, with his main body,
had advanced within few miles of them.
How differently was the emperor Napoleon
iuPP'ed in this refpea; and how far hyperion
was he in point of vigilance and Activity When
in the morning two Prifouers were brought in
who had been fezed as fpies.-It roon appear
co. however, that they were very honef men.
as IN their anfwers they completely conceded
with each other. One of them was fon of
the celebrated Scottifh baronet, fir John Sin.
clair, who was ftudying at the unworthy of
Gottengen, and having been on vifit to CO.
ina the road by which he was returning WAS
cut Off, and ne was travelling through the Pruf.
han main army to Leipzig. His companion
was garrifon preacher of Gotha. The young
Scotchman had plan of ftudy drawn up by
MS father in his pocket book, aud foon proved
his innocence. The emperor himfelf converted
with him fo early as two O'Clock in the morn
ing' and when he learned from him that the
fruiiians had 10 fufpicion of his being 70 near.
ne exclaimed, turning to the bye flanders.
AIS fe tromperont furieufement ces peru.
ques J" (How thefe wife-acres will be de-
celved y Both were kindly difmfIcd with pa.T
ports.
The Prufiian patroles allowed themfeivss to
be cheated by the mott trifiing appearance.
An officer commanding body of horfe, which
was lent out from the royal camp towards Ma
umourg TO reconnoitre, returned without 90
ing to Naumburg, becaufe when half way he
learned from traveller that they knew nothing
OF the French at Naumburg. From fuch ex
traordinary iecurity no acknowledgement could
follow.
The ieoond grand error was the unaccount
able neglect Of every means for FIGURING fub
iitence tor an army Of 10000 men.
The barren country of Weimar was in no
condition, neither was it BY any means prepar
ed' to iubtiit this army along with its append.
ages. There was no bread, no brandy, nor
Deer Tor the ioidiers, and no fodder for the
horfes. '"e
The third and mott deciive error Law in N.
iaiie calculations that were made refpe6tiny the
movements of the enemy, aud the unfortunate
choice of petitions.
The ancient fortreifes and bulwarks of the
Prufiian monarchy, which would have greatly
ooitructed the progrefs of the French army.
were in an untenable condition and witbont
proVltons; and in the event that the battle was
to have been LOFT, there was no place of.affem.
Ding made known-no rslyine point was fixed
upon. The ditcomhtted corps, therefore re-
tired in quite different directions, and were al
mott all made Crifopers.
On the Deceive day, the 18th of on. the left
wing was not formed in the f.me line. nor un;t'
ed with the centre. This want of unitv had
THIS efect-thattwo feparate and diffina battles
were 1ought at one and at the fame moment.
a"d tnat upon ground hot very extcnliye. Az
ter the duke of Brunfwick was wounded ,ber.
was no commander in chief TO direct tbe PIT
han army. The corps fought ingIy, without
plan, and without concert, and tuany re-imen,s
did not engage at all very little of the ffren,,b
or pohfion OF the enemy was known. The
Saxons, who fought on the left wing, eenerallv
afiert, that on the day of battle they either re.
ceved no orders at all from the officers under
whole command they were, or thofe thew did
receive were fuch as could not have been execut-
ed. They were foon obliged to deliver ND their
ammunition to the Prpfr;,rs ,rd
they loft their cannon when the retreat Lsa,n
in confequence of having no cayalrv to cSye,
them. Latiy, the Prufian army was detained
and hindered in its flight by the crowd of wap.
CONS ana hories' and their mutual great quanti-
ty of baggage This complete overthrow and
deitruction was not owing, however, to any
want of bravery. That the Prulians. under
all thefe difficulties fought with courage and
perseverance, is teftified by the French them
feves.
The victorious emperor Napoleon conducted
the events OF the 18th of October with (tea-
dinefs and the keenef prudence. He LODGED
the night before this eventful day in the caltle
of Jena, and on the following morning, as is
aiierted at Jena, he reconnotered from the
top of the old observatory, Commonly called
the Fox Iower,) the oppoii,e heights on the
road TO Weimar, & witne1ed the bloody battle
that took place between the French that were
marching through the MuhlenthAl and the Sax
ons and PrufIians ported on the Sneckenrere.
Not far from this fpot 10 the chain of fapdy
hillocks, which prefeDt, as it were, a Teen
wall on the heights of the Saal. There is here
a coppice, known through the whole neigh
A II