Galloping into camp, a messenger from a forward piquet sounded the alarm, the Prussians were a few hours march away. Beck called for an assembly of his officers and detailed his plan. The running would now stop, it was time to fight. Approaching Nunbung in two columns, Major General Braunschweig had been given the task to establish a base of operations at Nunbung. The six squadrons of Dragoons would sweep the banks of irritant Croats and prod them into the direction of his awaiting infantry. Such a simple plan really and why had Braunschweig been given this task, he begged to be part of the siege of Prague, rather than here Croat herding. These thoughts were quickly dispersed when scouts announced the presence of a camp to the north of Nunbung and what appeared the enemy having a mid-day meal. Together with General Norman and their adjutants, they made their way toward a slight rise. Through their telescopes they could see Nunbung to their right, with a continuous line of woods extending in a crescent shape toward their left. Other than a pond on their left, the approach was fairly clear of obstacles. A perfect location for a trap.
At the base of the woods, furthest from their position were several hundred Croats gathered about campfires seemingly unaware of their position. An adjutant mentioned seeing drunken soldiers stumbling out of a building waving bottles in the air. Confirming the adjutant’s observation, Norman slamming his telescope shut declared, “Let’s get this done, so we can have our meal”.
The Dragoons were evenly split on each flank and the two battalions of fusiliers would march forward in line supporting the Dragoons. Meincke Dragoons would dash toward Nunbung, while Czettritz would follow the line of woods to encircle the encamped Croats.
Startled by the Prussians sweeping left and right, the Croats were moving toward the woods to seek shelter. Within charge distance of the scattered Croats, Czettritz Dragoons were quickening their pace when to the left of the column, out of a clearing, the peel of trumpets could be heard.
The lead troop of Meincke Dragoons could see the drunken Croats ducking for cover and in a few seconds they would making minced meat of these Balkan peasants. Just then, the air was filled with the all too familiar sound bullets whistling in around their ears, some dropping a horse or knocking a rider out of the saddle. The column quickly wheeled about, but in doing so they could see two columns of red coated Hussars. One heading directly for them, the other further forward to cut them off.
Click here: Battle as slide show.
