As for the Prussians, the rough terrain around Freiberg had necessitated the splitting of the attack force into four bodies (shades of the king’s plan at Torgau): Seydlitz with the largest (more than 9,000 strong) was to move round the Spittel Wald and sweep in upon Stolberg, headquartered in Freiberg itself, by launching against the Allied left wing. On the Allied left about Freiberg, Lt.-Gen. On the Allied right close by to Freiberg, Campitelli’s little force was ensconced, at Klein-Waltersdorf. His fatal flaw, if he listened to his advisers, lay in the fact that he lacked sufficient numbers of men to hold the very extensive posts that those very same “advisers” were pontificating about. Stolberg was bluntly told by Austrian advisers (among them our old friend Major Seeger) he needed to keep close to the vest the outlying wooded areas around Freiberg. There can be little doubt that Stolberg felt the positions his army were holding could not be maintained against aggressive attacks by the Prussians. As for Stolberg, his main Imperial army stayed put northwest of Freiberg extending down into the city. General Hadik had his main Austrian force in the vicinity of the Saxon capital, MacQuire staying close to the Weisteritz, with the aforementioned Buttlar bridging the all-important gap between Hadik and the Imperialists of Stolberg. Buttlar’s was just one of the different Allied forces round about in that area. The latter had some 8,000 men under his charge, which included 24 squadrons of the precious Allied cavalry, and 34 pieces of artillery. General Hülsen took his force (some 10,500 men) and moved up the Triebisch, pressing against the barrier of Buttlar’s men. Prince Henry’s plan, indeed, was nothing short of the complete destruction of the Allied army. The plan was indeed bold, for Otto Stutterheim’s stroke, if not repulsed, would split open Stolberg’s front, while, more or less simultaneously, Johann Stutterheim and Seydlitz would serve to encircle Stolberg if he were not careful. The enemy had been tipped off by a deserter, and, about 0100 hours, the Allies braced themselves for the coming blow. During the night of October 28–29, the bluecoats succinctly pushed off.24 Prince Henry himself was with Seydlitz.
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