"To the east?" Blücher frowned. "Have you forgotten that Trier has already been occupied by the French?"
Scharnhorst hurriedly said, "General, the French Army has limited numbers. They must be rushing to Cologne now to seize the crossing.
"The troops left behind should be concentrated in Trier and Koblenz Fortress.
"As long as we move quickly enough, we have a chance to pass through Trier near Kastellaun, go through the Palatinate, and withdraw across the Rhine from Mannheim."
Kastellaun was a town between Trier and Koblenz, and the terrain there was flat and easy to traverse.
After hesitating for several seconds, Blücher gestured to the Orderly Officer. "Send the order. The entire army will turn toward Kastellaun."
Meanwhile, when Saint Hilaire led his troops to the banks of the Uhr River, he discovered that Blücher had already crossed the river and departed.
In truth, it could not be blamed on his carelessness. Normally, the Uhr River would not freeze by late October. It was this year's extreme weather that had saved the Prussians.
After a brief discussion with his Staff Officers, Saint Hilaire and the others unanimously concluded that Blücher must have fled toward Cologne—the only crossing on the northern stretch of the Rhine River still controlled by the Allied Forces.
He immediately accelerated his northward advance, yet he never found any trace of the Prussian Army. Just as he began to doubt his judgment, the cavalry he had sent ahead returned with a report: English Army troops had been found at Düren, locked in fierce battle with the Walloon Corps.
Beside the dense forest east of Düren.
The Duke of York watched the steadily retreating English Army line through his Telescope. Struggling to maintain the elegant composure of royalty, he turned to the staff officer beside him and asked,