THE PRECAUTIONS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN IN RETREATS AGAINST HUSSARS AND PANDOURS.

No attack by hussars or irregulars need be apprehended in open country. Hussars fear fire and pandours, hand to hand combat. In this sort of march, if they are able, they will attempt something against the baggage. They are brave when they hope to win booty. But it is quite different in woods and mountains. There, the pandours lie flat on the ground and hide themselves behind stones and trees so that they are able to fire without your being able to see where the shots come from, nor to return the injury and harm they do. Thus I shall only speak here about how you can best secure yourself from them in retreats made in mountains.

We made two such retreats during the year 1745, one from the center of Liebenthal and the other from Trautenau to Schatzlar. At that time we placed detachments of from four to six platoons on the wings of the columns. 362 They occupied the heights which dominated the road, to turn aside these scoundrels, and the officers who were in command only had to have a few men fire against them. The rear guard also is always withdrawn from height to height following the army. But here is what happens as soon as one group abandons a height. The pandours run to it, seize it, and shoot you from there. For this I know of no remedy, and whatever a general does he always loses lots of men uselessly in this sort of a retreat. No matter how small a plain may be, have your hussars sortie out against the pandours! This turns them aside for a moment. But do not amuse yourself too much with them; otherwise your march will stretch out and you will lose prodigous numbers. Consequently, halts should not be made, and this type of difficult march should be made as rapidly as possible. But if the pandours imprudently occupy a small wood that can be turned, then hunt them down and have the hussars saber as many as you can.