Colonel Cordemann, the chief of the general staff, insisted strongly that the army, in consequence of its exhausting marches and scanty food, could not possibly undertake offensive movements, and that their course was to take up a defensive position, and make a courageous defence if attacked. The whole of the general staff agreed with the chief, and the general in command stated that under existing circumstances he could not be responsible for the consequences of an onward march.
The king gave his consent to the dispositions agreed upon with a sigh, but he declared that he would pass the night amongst his troops, and about midnight, accompanied by the whole of his suite, their royal master established himself amongst his soldiers for the night.
The royal bivouac was in a corn-field near to Merxleben, and everyone listened with anxious expectation until the morning dawned.
All was quiet. The outposts sent in no news of any movement on the part of the enemy.
About four o'clock in the morning one of the emissaries sent out several days before towards the south, returned with the intelligence that the Bavarians had been seen advancing in several detachments, and that even on the 25th they had reached Bacha. The complete inactivity of the enemy seemed to support this information, and it was believed the Prussian forces were drawn away in that direction.
This idea gave great satisfaction in head-quarters, and it was determined to wait in a strong position for the confirmation of the intelligence and the approach of the Bavarians. General von Brandis alone shook his head, and opined that if the Bavarians were advancing and the Prussians occupied in the south, it was a stronger reason for hastening as quickly as possible to meet them, and stretching towards them a helping hand, before the overwhelming Prussian forces could come down upon them from the north.
The order was given to erect batteries, and the king and his suite, exhausted by a sleepless night, repaired to Thamsbrück, a small village on the banks of the Unstrut, and there the king took up his quarters in the Pfarrhaus.
Clear and brilliant rose the sun on the 27th of June, and his first rays lighted up the varied changing picture of the Hanoverian army encamped around Langensalza.