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Wolfersdorf hears farther in this Village, That there are some thirty Austrian horse in Grossenhayn: 'Possible these may escape General Wunsch! thinks Wolfersdorf; and decides to have them.
Its marchings and siegings, among those Northwestern places, not one of them capable of standing above a few days' siege, are worth no mention, except to Parish History: enough that, by little after the middle of August, Zweibruck had got all these places, "Free-withdrawal" the terms for all; and that, except it be the following feature in their Siege of Torgau, feature mainly Biographic, and belonging to a certain Colonel Wolfersdorf concerned, there is not one of those Sieges now worth a moment's attention from almost any mortal.
At Grodel, Wolfersdorf finds no boats that will avail: but certain boat-people, new from Dresden, report that no capitulation had been published when they left, but that it was understood to be going on. New spur to Wolfersdorf and Wunsch.
Takes thirty men of his own; orders the other seventy to hold rightward, gather what intelligence is going, and follow more leisurely; and breaks off for the Grossenhayn-Dresden Highway, to intercept those fellows. "Getting to the highway, Wolfersdorf does see the fellows; sees also, with what degree of horror I do not know, that there are at least 100 of them against his 30!
At sound of which Grollmann quivers as if struck by electricity; and instantly begins dissolving; dissolves, in effect, nearly all, and is in the act of vanishing like a dream! Wolfersdorf is a prompt man; and needs to be so.
Horror will do nothing for Wolfersdorf, nor are his other 70 now within reach. Putting a bold face on the matter, he commands, Stentor-like, as if it were all a fact: 'Grenadiers, march; Dragoons, to right forwards, WHEEL; Hussars, FORWARD: MARCH! and does terrifically dash forward with the thirty Hussars, or last item of the invoice; leaving the others to follow.
Grollmann gone, and Battalion Hofmann in due sequence come up, Wolfersdorf who has sent an Adjutant, with order, "Hessen-Cassel, HALT" gives Battalion Hofmann these three words of command: "Whole Battalion, halt! Front! Make ready!" I will now take you and your Suite prisoners, return into the Town, and again begin defending myself.
Storms him, a fourth time; likewise "No," as before: attacks, thereupon, his Elbe Bridge, and his Redoubt across the River; finds a Wolfersdorf party rush destructively into his rear there. And has to withdraw, and try battering from behind the Elbe Dam. Which produces entire silence, and considerable private reflection, on the part of indignant Stolberg.
"Absolute surrender," answers Daun: "prisoners of war, and you shall keep your private baggage. General Wunsch with the Cavalry, he too must turn back and surrender!" Finck pleaded hard, on this last score: "General Wunsch, as head of the Cavalry, is not under me; is himself chief in that department." Like Eight other Generals; like Wolfersdorf of Torgau, and many a brave Officer and man.
This Wolfersdorf was himself a Pirna Saxon; serving Polish Majesty, as Major, in that Pirna time; perhaps no admirer of "Feldmarschall Bruhl" and Company? at any rate, he took Prussian service, as then offered him; and this is his style of keeping it. A decidedly clever soldier, and comes out, henceforth, more and more as such, unhappily not for long. Was taken at Maxen, he too, as will be seen.
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