Lieutenant Henry and four soldiers remained in the custody of the victors. Trenck dashed into the arbor to seize Resident Reimer, but the only evidence of that personage was his wig, which remained caught in the foliage at an opening in the rear of the arbor through which the resident had made his escape. Trenck then returned to the prisoners.
As a fitting punishment for the Prussian soldiers, he commanded his dragoons to give each of them fifty blows, to turn their uniforms wrongside out, to decorate their helmets with straw cockades, and to drive them thus attired across the frontier.
While his men proceeded to execute his orders, Trenck drew his sword and turned to Lieutenant Henry.
“And now, for our affair, lieutenant!” he exclaimed.
The unfortunate Henry, under the disgrace of his position, lost his presence of mind. Hardly knowing what he did, he drew his sword, but dropped it almost immediately, begging for mercy.
Trenck endeavored to force him to fight, without avail, then, disgusted with the lieutenant’s cowardice, he caught up a stick and belabored him heartily, crying:
“Rogue, go tell your fellows how Trenck deals with traitors!”
The people of the inn, attracted by the noise of the conflict, had gathered around the spot, and, as the baron administered the punishment, they added to the shame of the disgraced lieutenant by applauding the baron heartily.
The punishment over and the sentence of the Prussians having been carried out, Trenck returned to the city with his six dragoons and the two servants.
In this affair, as throughout his entire career, Trenck was simply faithful to the rule which he had adopted to guide him through life: