Friedrich's First Army had advanced on June 30 to within one day's march of the Second Army

However, for the next two days, the Prussian cavalry had lost sight of the Austrians entirely, although Moltke's guess as to their actions—a retreat to the Elbe River—proves correct.

Dismayed by his losses, Benedek had ordered a withdrawal and urgently requested that Emperor Franz Josef make peace as the only way to save the army from a "catastrophe".

When this is refused, and an ambiguous last sentence of the imperial telegram is interpreted as ordering a final stand, Benedek draws his Austrians up against the Elbe between Sadowa and Königgrätz.

The Prussians finally sight the Austrians on the eve of 2 July near Sadowa, and Frederick Karl plans to attack the next morning.

Moltke orders the Crown Prince Frederick to join forces with the other two armies at the point where the Austrians are assembled, but the telegraph lines to the Second Army's positions are out, necessitating the dispatch of two mounted officers at midnight to ride the twenty miles' distance in time.

They arrive at 4 a.m.

The Crown Prince's Chief of Staff, Leonhard von Blumenthal, an able logistician, immediately reorganizes the Second Army's route plan.