Day Two: 7.50am!

Ziegler's Headquarters, 7am

The colonel now has all of his forces on the Widenlau road. He commences his move northeastwards along it, heading for a line of hills.

At 7am, Pfannensteil’s hussars arrive at the head of the column. He reports that his force had yesterday followed the enemy cavalry as directed, which rode along the Widenlau road to a point just past the hills. There, the enemy left the road and headed northwards. Contact was lost last night in the dark. However, this morning, before receiving the order to return, scouts reported that the enemy had camped overnight and was that morning setting off, again in a northerly direction.

Hunchmausen's Headquarters, 7am

The baron has begun redeploying his forces. His jager begin a search for a decent ambush position.

From the cathedral spire comes a report that the enemy column is now fully deployed on the Widenlau road, and is now moving northeastwards along it in the direction of Widenlau. They will be completely out of sight imminently.

A messenger arrives from the direction of Hanau-Brancau, dated 6am this morning. Compliments from Major Ranke. He is leading three companies of garrison infantry from the direction of Bad Singen. Depending upon circumstances, he should be at Schrote by 8am. Other reinforcements are being marshalled.

Ziegler's Headquarters, 7.45am

What a lovely morning!

There have been no contacts with enemy forces.

The colonel's force arrives at the village of Widenlau, a settlement consisting of around thirty or so buildings. The village seems largely to have been deserted by most of its inhabitants, but a few of the braver, or more foolhardy, seem to have stayed. Hussars bring one of them, the mayor, to see Hunchmausen. Dressed in his Sunday best, which looks like most of everyone else’s ‘weekday worst’ he says timorously: ‘Welcome, your worship! I am Herr Schwein, the mayor! I come to you in goodwill and friendship! Wherever you are, er, from, may I guarantee that no one here will offer any threat or harm to you and your men! Pass through with our blessing!’

Hunchmausen's Headquarters, 7.45am

The weather is lovely – brisk but sunny.

The enemy column has disappeared northeastwards along the Widenlau road. Scouts indicate that this column of troops must be all of the enemy forces – their positions to the west and southwest have been abandoned, leaving behind merely the expected flotsam and jetsam of a military camp: although some of the piles of jetsam are particularly sticky and unpleasant.

From the cathedral spire, the observer identifies a column of troops at a distance of around a third of a mile, approaching this way from the direction of Hanau-Brancau.

Hunchmausen considers this intelligence carefully.

'What's for breakfast, Fluffy?' he asks.

'It's Czernazmije, sir. I had hoped that the passage of time might lead you to remember: but I think that you are actually getting my name more wrong, the longer you try and use it'.

'Come, come Brenda - don't be like that', says the baron, jovially. 'It looks to me like the enemy are retreating'.

'Or', says Czernazmije, 'redeploying?'

The baron wrinkles his brow and considers this.

'Fair enough, Wendy: let's take some appropriate action. I’d like to send scouts to report accurate enemy numbers, along with a body of hussars to harass the rear end of the enemy column and flanks should the opportunity present itself. Any news from Rimmer’s expedition?'

'Nothing as yet from Rimmer , sir. How many hussars on the harassment mission?'
'Send out the Schmetterling Hussars and Giftschlange Dragoons. And send those jager as back up. They'll just have to run'.