Day Two: 6.50am!

Hunchmausen's Headquarters, 5.40am

For the first half hour it's difficult to tell what's going on. To the southeast and west, there are sounds of activity. After 5.30am, as it begins to get lighter, however, more of a sense of what's happening can be gleaned. It looks like movement rather than an attack. To the southwest, the enemy camp fires seem to be being extinguished. To the west, a vague sense of mustering can be determined. The enemy guns seem to be being withdrawn behind the hill.

Ziegler's Headquarters, 5.50am

Colonel Nockenshoppe and Major Seewurd organise things surprisingly competently, and Ziegler's force is united by 5.50am. It is now just about ready to depart in Ziegler's desired marching order. His dragoons leave to establish a scouting screen.

Herr Dodo seems surprisingly unenthusiastic about his new career, muttering some nonsense about a wife, five children, and rent payments. The six new Nabstrian recruits, nursing bruises from ‘hopping the gauntlet’ (which is a more entertaining Nabstrian form of the usual ‘running the gauntlet’) are with the  Nabstrian musketeer battalion. The bishop and his two minions are in the wagons.

Since the local roads all go through Schrote, Ziegler's route of march will take him cross country: first, from this road to the Tinkel road in a northeasterly direction; and then southeastwards from the Tinkel road down to the Widenlau road. All told, this will be about two thirds of a mile, and, taking into account Ziegler's wagons and guns, should take about forty minutes. This assumes that there are no unforeseen incidents. During this march, Schrote will be about a quarter of a mile to Ziegler's right. From there, Ziegler's force can march to Widenlau.

Major Seewurd presents himself at Ziegler's position near the rearguard. ‘Any final instructions, sir, before we leave?’

'Yes', says the colonel. 'Screen the march column with the rearguard - the Bachscuttel Light infantry and the hussars - to prevent any interference from Schrote'.

At 6am, and unknown at this stage to both commanders, Gelderland reinforcements begin to arrive in Schrote from the south.

Hunchmausen's Headquarters, 6.10am

Picquets to the southwest report that the enemy outposts seem to have gone, although they don’t seem to have much more information than that. From the observer in the cathedral spire, the enemy force seems to have concentrated at their positions to the west. The enemy force there has formed up into marching order out of cannon range and seems to be heading in a northeasterly direction, cross country towards the Tinkel road. Enemy cavalry, supported by some infantry can be seen forming a screen of outposts between the column and Schrote.

Hunchmausen orders the shifting of troops from the South/South West to cover the West of Schrote better, with his dragoons moving to take up position in the northeast of Schrote.

Ziegler's Headquarters, 6.50am

It’s a lovely morning, and the weather is fine.

At 6.20am, and unknown to Ziegler, Pfannensteil receives his orders to return to the main column.

The colonel's force reaches the Widenlau road. En route, the column re-absorbs the dragon picquet on the Tinkel road. The journey takes longer than expected – one of the wagons gets stuck and takes a while to free.

There has been no interference from the enemy, who seem content at this stage to observe Ziegler's force.

There is no sign of the dragoon picquet that Ziegler sent out yesterday to this road. There is no sign as yet of Pfannensteil and his hussars.

From here, it should be under an hour to Widenlau.

Hunchmausen's Headquarters, 6.50am

The barons's dragoons move to redeploy in the northeast of Schrote in Rimmer’s previous position.

Trees and intervening terrain make it difficult to keep a constant eye on the enemy column, as it were. However, it seems clear that they are skirting Schrote and heading to the Widenlau road. From the cathedral spire, it seems that the head of the enemy column reaches the Widenlau road at 6.50am.

Hunchmausen sends out a couple of scouts westwards to check that the enemy have vacated their positions. Meanwhile he begins shifting troops to garrison buildings facing the known enemy positions toward Widenlau as well as moving the guns, gabions and other defensive barricades. He orders some jägers to find a good position on the edge of the town or in nearby woods. At this stage, Ziegler's intentions are difficult to discern. Perhaps he is shifting his force in order to attack from the north?