Autograph letter signed : "Ollmutz", to Sir James [Pulteney], 1805 Nov. 25.

Discussing his activities, troops movements and personalities since he arrived in Austria; saying "I was prevented when within a few Stages of Vienna from proceeding to that place, by the Fugitive Ministers with the Emperor at their head, was obliged to take refuge with them at Brunn, where I remained some days, and was then driven from that place to this with them, in consequence of the French who after entering Vienna, passed the Danube and advanced on the road to Brunn in the intention as It was supposed of getting into the [illegible] of Kutasoff's [Kutuzov] Army then on its retreat from [illegible] towards Moravia - We arrived at this place about a week ago, found the two Emperors had already arrived & were in three or four days followed by the Prussian army. You must have been very much astonished and concerned, my dear Sir James, when you heard of the disasters with which our campaign commenced. - One would have thought it impossible that Folly, Madness and Treachery united could have done so much in so short a time [illegible] if they had formed an alliance for the purpose. - There is no account for what has happened but by supposing that [Karl] Mack was seized by a temporary derangement of mind - Every officer in the army who conversed with him on the subject begged and intreated him to adopt other measures; but he never would listen to any representations - He was like the Maid in the Yorkshire Inn who said that the more They called for her, The more she would not come - His Object was as it is generally understood to beat the French before the Russians arrived and for this it is supposed, the condition agreed upon with Russia That the Austrians were not to pass the [illegible], till the Russians arrived, was violated and the devoted Austrian army marched in to the unfortunate position at Ulm like the Duck's going up to Mrs. Bond in the song when "she cried Dilly, Dilly, Dilly, come and be killed;" relating the details of the Russian retreat and the position they have taken "on a ridge of heights which intersect the great road to Brunn... a very strong and good position - They are now nearly sixty thousand strong and in two or three days they will have an encrease of about ten thousand men on the arrival of a column which is already within two days [illegible] of this place; " relating the position and strength of the Austrians and saying he has no exact count of French troops "but begin to suspect by them not advancing that they have heard of the reinforcements that have arrived within these few days and that they are not so strong as we are ourselves. If this is confirmed, we will I think immediately advance again."