diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/20frd10.txt | 11383 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/20frd10.zip | bin | 0 -> 278450 bytes |
2 files changed, 11383 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/20frd10.txt b/old/20frd10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..80abae1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/20frd10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11383 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Etext History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 20 +#26 in our series by Thomas Carlyle +V20 of 21 + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. We need your donations. + + +History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 20 + +by Thomas Carlyle + +March, 2000 [Etext #2120] + + +Project Gutenberg's Etext History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 20 +*******This file should be named 20frd10.txt or 20frd10.zip******** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, 20frd11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 20frd10a.txt + + +Prepared by D.R. Thompson <drthom@ihug.co.nz> + + +Project Gutenberg Etexts are usually created from multiple editions, +all of which are in the Public Domain in the United States, unless a +copyright notice is included. Therefore, we usually do NOT keep any +of these books in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +We are now trying to release all our books one month in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. + +Please note: neither this list nor its contents are final till +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg Etexts is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. To be sure you have an +up to date first edition [xxxxx10x.xxx] please check file sizes +in the first week of the next month. Since our ftp program has +a bug in it that scrambles the date [tried to fix and failed] a +look at the file size will have to do, but we will try to see a +new copy has at least one byte more or less. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any etext selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. This +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If our value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour this year as we release thirty-six text +files per month, or 432 more Etexts in 1999 for a total of 2000+ +If these reach just 10% of the computerized population, then the +total should reach over 200 billion Etexts given away this year. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away One Trillion Etext +Files by December 31, 2001. [10,000 x 100,000,000 = 1 Trillion] +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only ~5% of the present number of computer users. + +At our revised rates of production, we will reach only one-third +of that goal by the end of 2001, or about 3,333 Etexts unless we +manage to get some real funding; currently our funding is mostly +from Michael Hart's salary at Carnegie-Mellon University, and an +assortment of sporadic gifts; this salary is only good for a few +more years, so we are looking for something to replace it, as we +don't want Project Gutenberg to be so dependent on one person. + +We need your donations more than ever! + + +All donations should be made to "Project Gutenberg/CMU": and are +tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. (CMU = Carnegie- +Mellon University). + +For these and other matters, please mail to: + +Project Gutenberg +P. O. Box 2782 +Champaign, IL 61825 + +When all other email fails. . .try our Executive Director: +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> +hart@pobox.com forwards to hart@prairienet.org and archive.org +if your mail bounces from archive.org, I will still see it, if +it bounces from prairienet.org, better resend later on. . . . + +We would prefer to send you this information by email. + +****** + +To access Project Gutenberg etexts, use any Web browser +to view http://promo.net/pg. This site lists Etexts by +author and by title, and includes information about how +to get involved with Project Gutenberg. You could also +download our past Newsletters, or subscribe here. This +is one of our major sites, please email hart@pobox.com, +for a more complete list of our various sites. + +To go directly to the etext collections, use FTP or any +Web browser to visit a Project Gutenberg mirror (mirror +sites are available on 7 continents; mirrors are listed +at http://promo.net/pg). + +Mac users, do NOT point and click, typing works better. + +Example FTP session: + +ftp sunsite.unc.edu +login: anonymous +password: your@login +cd pub/docs/books/gutenberg +cd etext90 through etext99 +dir [to see files] +get or mget [to get files. . .set bin for zip files] +GET GUTINDEX.?? [to get a year's listing of books, e.g., GUTINDEX.99] +GET GUTINDEX.ALL [to get a listing of ALL books] + +*** + +**Information prepared by the Project Gutenberg legal advisor** + +(Three Pages) + + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this etext, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you can distribute copies of this etext if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS ETEXT +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +etext, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this etext by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this etext on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM ETEXTS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG- +tm etexts, is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor +Michael S. Hart through the Project Gutenberg Association at +Carnegie-Mellon University (the "Project"). Among other +things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this etext +under the Project's "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +To create these etexts, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's etexts and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other etext medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] the Project (and any other party you may receive this +etext from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext) disclaims all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this etext within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS ETEXT IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE ETEXT OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold the Project, its directors, +officers, members and agents harmless from all liability, cost +and expense, including legal fees, that arise directly or +indirectly from any of the following that you do or cause: +[1] distribution of this etext, [2] alteration, modification, +or addition to the etext, or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this etext electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + etext or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this etext in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word pro- + cessing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The etext, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The etext may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the etext (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + etext in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the etext refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Project of 20% of the + net profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Prepared by D.R. Thompson <drthom@ihug.co.nz> + + + + + +BOOK XX. + +FRIEDRICH IS NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED: +THE SEVEN-YEARS WAR GRADUALLY ENDS. + +25th April, 1760-15th February, 1763. + + +Chapter I. + +FIFTH CAMPAIGN OPENS. + +There were yet, to the world's surprise and regret, Three Campaigns +of this War; but the Campaign 1760, which we are now upon, was what +produced or rendered possible the other two;--was the crisis of +them, and is now the only one that can require much narrative from +us here. Ill-luck, which, Friedrich complains, had followed him +like his shadow, in a strange and fateful manner, from the day of +Kunersdorf and earlier, does not yet cease its sad company; but, on +the contrary, for long months to come, is more constant than ever, +baffling every effort of his own, and from the distance sending him +news of mere disaster and discomfiture. It is in this Campaign, +though not till far on in it, that the long lane does prove to have +a turning, and the Fortune of War recovers its old impartial form. +After which, things visibly languish: and the hope of ruining such +a Friedrich becomes problematic, the effort to do it slackens also; +the very will abating, on the Austrian part, year by year, as of +course the strength of their resources is still more steadily +doing. To the last, Friedrich, the weaker in material resources, +needs all his talent,--all his luck too. But, as the strength, on +both sides, is fast abating,--hard to say on which side faster +(Friedrich's talent being always a FIXED quantity, while all else +is fluctuating and vanishing),--what remains of the once terrible +Affair, through Campaigns Sixth and Seventh, is like a race between +spent horses, little to be said of it in comparison. Campaign 1760 +is the last of any outward eminence or greatness of event. Let us +diligently follow that, and be compendious with the remainder. + +Friedrich was always famed for his Marches; but, this Year, they +exceeded all calculation and example; and are still the admiration +of military men. Can there by no method be some distant notion +afforded of them to the general reader? They were the one resource +Friedrich had left, against such overwhelming superiority in +numbers; and they came out like surprises in a theatre,-- +unpleasantly surprising to Daun. Done with such dexterity, rapidity +and inexhaustible contrivance and ingenuity, as overset the schemes +of his enemies again and again, and made his one army equivalent in +effect to their three. + +Evening of April 25th, Friedrich rose from his Freyberg +cantonments; moved back, that is, northward, a good march; +then encamped himself between Elbe and the Hill-Country; with freer +prospect and more elbow-room for work coming. His left is on +Meissen and the Elbe; his right at a Village called the +Katzenhauser, an uncommonly strong camp, of which one often hears +afterwards; his centre camp is at Schlettau, which also is strong, +though not to such a degree. This line extends from Meissen +southward about 10 miles, commanding the Reich-ward Passes of the +Metal Mountains, and is defensive of Leipzig, Torgau and the Towns +thereabouts. [Tempelhof, iv. 16 et seq.] Katzenhauser is but a mile +or two from Krogis--that unfortunate Village where Finck got his +Maxen Order: "ER WEISS,--You know I can't stand having difficulties +raised; manage to do it!" + +Friedrich's task, this Year, is to defend Saxony; Prince Henri +having undertaken the Russians,--Prince Henri and Fouquet, the +Russians and Silesia. Clearly on very uphill terms, both of them: +so that Friedrich finds he will have a great many things to assist +in, besides defending Saxony. He lies here expectant till the +middle of June, above seven weeks; Daun also, for the last two +weeks, having taken the field in a sort. In a sort;--but comes no +nearer; merely posting himself astride of the Elbe, half in +Dresden, half on the opposite or northern bank of the River, with +Lacy thrown out ahead in good force on that vacant side; and so +waiting the course of other people's enterprises. + +Well to eastward and rearward of Daun, where we have seen Loudon +about to be very busy, Prince Henri and Fouquet have spun +themselves out into a long chain of posts, in length 300 miles or +more, "from Landshut, along the Bober, along the Queiss and Oder, +through the Neumark, abutting on Stettin and Colberg, to the Baltic +Sea." [Tempelhof, iv. 21-24.] On that side, in aid of Loudon or +otherwise, Daun can attempt nothing; still less on the +Katzenhauser-Schlettau side can he dream of an attempt: +only towards Brandenburg and Berlin--the Country on that side, 50 +or 60 miles of it, to eastward of Meissen, being vacant of troops-- +is Daun's road open, were he enterprising, as Friedrich hopes he is +not. For some two weeks, Friedrich--not ready otherwise, it being +difficult to cross the River, if Lacy with his 30,000 should think +of interference--had to leave the cunctatory Feldmarschall this +chance or unlikely possibility. At the end of the second week +("June 14th," as we shall mark by and by), the chance +was withdrawn. + +Daun and his Lacy are but one, and that by no means the most +harassing, of the many cares and anxieties which Friedrich has upon +him in those Seven Weeks, while waiting at Schlettau, reading the +omens. Never hitherto was the augury of any Campaign more +indecipherable to him, or so continually fluctuating with wild +hopes, which proved visionary, and with huge practical fears, of +what he knew to be the real likelihood. "Peace coming?" It is +strange how long Friedrich clings to that fond hope: "My Edelsheim +is in the Bastille, or packed home in disgrace: but will not the +English and Choiseul make Peace? It is Choiseul's one rational +course; bankrupt as he is, and reduced to spoons and kettles. +In which case, what a beautiful effect might Duke Ferdinand +produce, if he marched to Eger, say to Eger, with his 50,000 +Germans (Britannic Majesty and Pitt so gracious), and twitched Daun +by the skirt, whirling Daun home to Bohemia in a hurry!" Then the +Turks; the Danes,--"Might not the Danes send us a trifle of Fleet +to Colberg (since the English never will), and keep our Russians at +bay?"--"At lowest these hopes are consolatory," says he once, +suspecting them all (as, no doubt, he often enough does), "and give +us courage to look calmly for the opening of this Campaign, the +very idea of which has made me shudder!" ["To Prince Henri:" in +<italic> Schoning, <end italic> ii. 246 (3d April, 1760): ib. 263 +(of the DANISH outlook); &c. &c.] + +Meanwhile, by the end of May, the Russians are come across the +Weichsel again, lie in four camps on the hither side; start about +June 1st;--Henri waiting for them, in Sagan Country his head- +quarter; and on both hands of that, Fouquet and he spread out, +since the middle of May, in their long thin Chain of Posts, from +Landshut to Colberg again, like a thin wall of 300 miles. +To Friedrich the Russian movements are, and have been, full of +enigma: "Going upon Colberg? Going upon Glogau; upon Breslau?" +That is a heavy-footed certainty, audibly tramping forward on us, +amid these fond visions of the air! Certain too, and visible to a +duller eye than Friedrich's; Loudon in Silesia is meditating +mischief. "The inevitable Russians, the inevitable Loudon; and +nothing but Fouquet and Henri on guard there, with their long thin +chain of posts, infinitely too thin to do any execution!" thinks +the King. To whom their modes of operating are but little +satisfactory, as seen at Schlettau from the distance. +"Condense yourself," urges he always on Henri; "go forward on the +Russians; attack sharply this Corps, that Corps, while they are +still separate and on march!" Henri did condense himself, "took +post between Sagan and Sprottau; post at Frankfurt,"--poor +Frankfurt, is it to have a Kunersdorf or Zorndorf every year, then? +No; the cautious Henri never could see his way into these +adventures; and did not attack any Corps of the Russians. Took post +at Landsberg ultimately,--the Russians, as usual, having Posen as +place-of-arms,--and vigilantly watched the Russians, without coming +to strokes at all. A spectacle growing gradually intolerable to the +King, though he tries to veil his feelings. + +Neither was Fouquet's plan of procedure well seen by Friedrich in +the distance. Ever since that of Regiment Manteuffel, which was a +bit of disappointment, Loudon has been quietly industrious on a +bigger scale. Privately he cherishes the hope, being a swift +vehement enterprising kind of man, to oust Fouquet; and perhaps to +have Glatz Fortress taken, before his Russians come! In the very +end of May, Loudon, privately aiming for Glatz, breaks in upon +Silesia again,--a long way to eastward of Fouquet, and as if +regardless of Glatz. Upon which, Fouquet, in dread for Schweidnitz +and perhaps Breslau itself, hastened down into the Plain Country, +to manoeuvre upon Loudon; but found no Loudon moving that way; +and, in a day or two, learned that Landshut, so weakly guarded, had +been picked up by a big corps of Austrians; and in another day or +two, that Loudon (June 7th) had blocked Glatz,--Loudon's real +intention now clear to Fouquet. As it was to Friedrich from the +first; whose anger and astonishment at this loss of Landshut were +great, when he heard of it in his Camp of Schlettau. "Back to +Landshut," orders he (11th June, three days before leaving +Schlettau); "neither Schweidnitz nor Breslau are in danger: it is +Glatz the Austrians mean [as Fouquet and all the world now see they +do!]; watch Glatz; retake me Landshut instantly!" + +The tone of Friedrich, which is usually all friendliness to +Fouquet, had on this occasion something in it which offended the +punctual and rather peremptory Spartan mind. Fouquet would not have +neglected Glatz; pity he had not been left to his own methods with +Landshut and it. Deeply hurt, he read this Order (16th June); +and vowing to obey it, and nothing but it, used these words, which +were remembered afterwards, to his assembled Generals: +"MEINE HERREN, it appears, then, we must take Landshut again. +Loudon, as the next thing, will come on us there with his mass of +force; and we must then, like Prussians, hold out as long as +possible, think of no surrender on open field, but if even beaten, +defend ourselves to the last man. In case of a retreat, I will be +one of the last that leaves the field: and should I have the +misfortune to survive such a day, I give you my word of honor never +to draw a Prussian sword more." [Stenzel, v. 239.] This speech of +Fouquet's (June 16th) was two days after Friedrich got on march +from Schlettau. June 17th, Fouquet got to Landshut; drove out the +Austrians more easily than he had calculated, and set diligently, +next day, to repair his works, writing to Friedrich: "Your +Majesty's Order shall be executed here, while a man of us lives." +Fouquet, in the old Crown-Prince time, used to be called Bayard by +his Royal friend. His Royal friend, now darker of face and scathed +by much ill-weather, has just quitted Schlettau, three days before +this recovery of Landshut; and will not have gone far till he again +hear news of Fouquet. + +NIGHT OF JUNE 14th-15th, Friedrich, "between Zehren and Zabel," +several miles down stream,--his bridges now all ready, out of +Lacy's cognizance,--has suddenly crossed Elbe; and next afternoon +pitches camp at Broschwitz, which is straight towards Lacy again. +To Lacy's astonishment; who is posted at Moritzburg, with head- +quarter in that beautiful Country-seat of Polish Majesty,--only 10 +miles to eastward, should Friedrich take that road. Broschwitz is +short way north of Meissen, and lies on the road either to +Grossenhayn or to Radeburg (Radeburg only four miles northward of +Lacy), as Friedrich shall see fit, on the morrow. For the Meissen +north road forks off there, in those two directions: +straight northward is for Grossenhayn, right hand is for Badeburg. +Most interesting to Lacy, which of these forks, what is quite +optional, Friedrich will take! Lacy is an alert man; looks well to +himself; warns Daun; and will not be caught if he can help it. +Daun himself is encamped at Reichenberg, within two miles of him, +inexpugnably intrenched as usual; and the danger surely is not +great: nevertheless both these Generals, wise by experience, keep +their eyes open. + +The FIRST great Feat of Marching now follows, On Friedrich's part; +with little or no result to Friedrich; but worth remembering, so +strenuous, so fruitless was it,--so barred by ill news from +without! Both this and the Second stand recorded for us, in brief +intelligent terms by Mitchell, who was present in both; and who is +perfectly exact on every point, and intelligible throughout,--if +you will read him with a Map; and divine for yourself what the real +names are, out of the inhuman blotchings made of them, not by +Mitchell's blame at all. [Mitchell, <italic> Memoirs and Papers, +<end italic> ii. 160 et seq.] + +TUESDAY, JUNE 17th, second day of Friedrich's stay at Broschwitz, +Mitchell, in a very confidential Dialogue they had together, +learned from him, under seal of secrecy, That it was his purpose to +march for Radeburg to-morrow morning, and attack Lacy and his +30,000, who lie encamped at Moritzburg out yonder; for which step +his Majesty was pleased farther to show Mitchell a little what the +various inducements were: "One Russian Corps is aiming as if for +Berlin; the Austrians are about besieging Glatz,--pressing need +that Fouquet were reinforced in his Silesian post of difficulty. +Then here are the Reichs-people close by; can be in Dresden three +days hence, joined to Daun: 80,000 odd there will then be of +Enemies in this part: I must beat Lacy, if possible, while time +still is!"--and ended by saying: "Succeed here, and all may yet be +saved; be beaten here, I know the consequences: but what can I do? +The risk must be run; and it is now smaller than it will ever +again be." + +Mitchell, whose account is a fortnight later than the Dialogue +itself, does confess, "My Lord, these reasons, though unhappily the +thing seems to have failed, 'appear to me to be solid and +unanswerable.'" Much more do they to Tempelhof, who sees deeper +into the bottom of them than Mitchell did; and finds that the +failure is only superficial. [Mitchell, <italic> Memoirs and +Papers, <end italic> ii. 160 (Despatch, "June 30th, 1760"); +Tempelhof, iv. 44.] The real success, thinks Tempelhof, would be, +Could the King manoeuvre himself into Silesia, and entice a +cunctatory Daun away with him thither. A cunctatory Daun to preside +over matters THERE, in his superstitiously cautious way; +leaving Saxony free to the Reichsfolk,--whom a Hulsen, left with +his small remnant in Schlettau, might easily take charge of, till +Silesia were settled? "The plan was bold, was new, and completely +worthy of Friedrich," votes Tempelhof; "and it required the most +consummate delicacy of execution. To lure Daun on, always with the +prospect open to him of knocking you on the head, and always by +your rapidity and ingenuity to take care that he never got it +done." This is Tempelhof's notion: and this, sure enough, was +actually Friedrich's mode of management in the weeks following; +though whether already altogether planned in his head, or only +gradually planning itself, as is more likely, nobody can say. +We will look a very little into the execution, concerning which +there is no dubiety:-- + +WEDNESDAY, 18th JUNE, "Friedrich," as predicted to Mitchell, the +night before, "did start punctually, in three columns, at 3 A.M. +[Sun just rising]; and, after a hot march, got encamped on the +southward side of Radeburg: ready to cross the Rodern Stream there +to-morrow, as if intending for the Lausitz [should that prove +needful for alluring Lacy],--and in the mean while very inquisitive +where Lacy might be. One of Lacy's outposts, those Saxon light +horse, was fallen in with; was chased home, and Lacy's camp +discovered, that night. At Bernsdorf, not three miles to southward +or right of us; Daun only another three to south of him. Let us +attack Lacy to-morrow morning; wind round to get between Daun and +him, [Tempelhof, iv. 47-49.]--with fit arrangements; rapid as +light! In the King's tent, accordingly, his Generals are assembled +to take their Orders; brief, distinct, and to be done with brevity. +And all are on the move for Bernsdorf at 4 next morning; +when, behold,-- + +"THURSDAY, 19th, At Bernsdorf there is no Lacy to be found. +Cautions Dorn has ordered him in,--and not for Lacy's sake, as +appears, but for his own: 'Hitherward, you alert Lacy; to cover my +right flank here, my Hill of Reichenberg,--lest it be not +impregnable enough against that feline enemy!' And there they have +taken post, say 60,000 against 30,000; and are palisading to a +quite extraordinary degree. No fight possible with Lacy or Daun." + +This is what Mitchell counts the failure of Friedrich's enterprise: +and certainly it grieved Friedrich a good deal. Who, on riding out +to reconnoitre Reichenberg (Quintus Icilius and Battalion QUINTUS +part of his escort, if that be an interesting circumstance], finds +Reichenberg a plainly unattackable post; finds, by Daun's rate of +palisading, that there will be no attack from Daun either. +No attack from Daun;--and, therefore, that Hulsen's people may be +sent home to Schlettau again; and that he, Friedrich, will take +post close by, and wearisomely be content to wait for some new +opportunity. + +Which he does for a week to come; Daun sitting impregnable, +intrenched and palisaded to the teeth,--rather wishing to be +attacked, you would say; or hopeful sometimes of doing something of +the Hochkirch sort again (for the country is woody, and the enemy +audacious);--at all events, very clear not to attack. A man erring, +sometimes to a notable degree, by over-caution. "Could hardly have +failed to overwhelm Friedrich's small force, had he at once, on +Friedrich's crossing the Elbe, joined Lacy, and gone out against +him," thinks Tempelhof, pointing out the form of operation too. +[Tempelhof, iv. 42, 48.] Caution is excellent; but not quite by +itself. Would caution alone do it, an Army all of Druidic +whinstones, or innocent clay-sacks, incapable of taking hurt, would +be the proper one!--Daun stood there; Friedrich looking daily into +him,--visibly in ill humor, says Mitchell; and no wonder; gloomy +and surly words coming out of him, to the distress of his Generals: +"Which I took the liberty of hinting, one evening, to his Majesty;" +hint graciously received, and of effect perceptible, at least to +my imagining. + +WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25th, After nearly a week of this, there rose, +towards sunset, all over the Reichenberg, and far and wide, an +exuberant joy-firing: "For what in the world?" thinks Friedrich. +Alas, your Majesty,--since your own messenger has not arrived, nor +indeed ever will, being picked up by Pandours,--here, gathered from +the Austrian outposts or deserters, are news for you, fatal enough! +Landshut is done; Fouquet and his valiant 13,000 are trodden out +there. Indignant Fouquet has obeyed you, not wisely but too well. +He has kept Landshut six nights and five days. On the morning of +the sixth day, here is what befell:-- + +"LANDSHUT, MONDAY, 23d JUNE, About a quarter to two in the morning, +Loudon, who had gathered 31,000 horse and foot for the business, +and taken his measures, fired aloft, by way of signal, four +howitzers into the gray of the summer morning; and burst loose upon +Fouquet, in various columns, on his southward front, on both +flanks, ultimately in his rear too: columns all in the height of +fighting humor, confident as three to one,--and having brandy in +them, it is likewise said. Fouquet and his people stood to arms, in +the temper Fouquet had vowed they would: defended their Hills with +an energy, with a steady skill, which Loudon himself admired; +but their Hill-works would have needed thrice the number;--Fouquet, +by detaching and otherwise, has in arms only 10,680 men. Toughly as +they strove, after partial successes, they began to lose one Hill, +and then another; and in the course of hours, nearly all their +Hills. Landshut Town Loudon had taken from them, Landshut and its +roads: in the end, the Prussian position is becoming permeable, +plainly untenable;--Austrian force is moving to their rearward to +block the retreat. + +"Seeing which latter fact, Fouquet throws out all his Cavalry, a +poor 1,500, to secure the Passes of the Bober; himself formed +square with the wrecks of his Infantry; and, at a steady step, cuts +way for himself with bayonet and bullet. With singular success for +some time, in spite of the odds. And is clear across the Bober; +when lo, among the knolls ahead, masses of Austrian Cavalry are +seen waiting him, besetting every passage! Even these do not break +him; but these, with infantry and cannon coming up to help them, +do. Here, for some time, was the fiercest tug of all,--till a +bullet having killed Fouquet's horse, and carried the General +himself to the ground, the spasm ended. The Lichnowski Dragoons, a +famed Austrian regiment, who had charged and again charged with +nothing but repulse on repulse, now broke in, all in a foam of +rage; cut furiously upon Fouquet himself; wounded Fouquet thrice; +would have killed him, had it not been for the heroism of poor +Trautschke, his Groom [let us name the gallant fellow, even if +unpronounceable], who flung himself on the body of his Master, and +took the bloody strokes instead of him; shrieking his loudest, +'Will you murder the Commanding General, then!' Which brought up +the Colonel of Lichnowski; a Gentleman and Ritter, abhorrent of +such practices. To him Fouquet gave his sword;--kept his vow never +to draw it again. + +"The wrecks of Fouquet's Infantry were, many of them, massacred, no +quarter given; such the unchivalrous fury that had risen. +His Cavalry, with the loss of about 500, cut their way through. +They and some stragglers of Foot, in whole about 1,500 of both +kinds, were what remained of those 10,680 after this bloody +morning's work. There had been about six hours of it; 'all over by +8 o'clock.'" [<italic> Hofbericht von der am 23 Junius, 1760, bey +Landshuth vorgefallenen Action <end italic> (in Seyfarth, <italic> +Beylagen, <end italic> ii. 669-671); <italic> Helden-Geschichte, +<end italic> vi. 258-284; Tempelhof, iv. 26-41; Stenzel, v. 241 +(who, by oversight,--this Volume being posthumous to poor Stenzel, +--protracts the Action to "half-past 7 in the evening").] + +Fouquet has obeyed to the letter: "Did not my King wrong me?" +Fouquet may say to himself. Truly, Herr General, your King's Order +was a little unwise; as you (who were on the ground, and your King +not) knew it to be. An unwise Order;--perhaps not inexcusable in +the sudden circumstances. And perhaps a still more perfect Bayard +would have preferred obeying such a King in spirit, rather than in +letter, and thereby doing him vital service AGAINST his temporary +will? It is not doubted but Fouquet, left to himself and his +13,000, with the Fortresses and Garrisons about him, would have +maintained himself in Silesia till help came. The issue is,-- +Fouquet has probably lost this fine King his Silesia, for the time +being; and beyond any question, has lost him 10,000 Prussian- +Spartan fighters, and a fine General whom he could ill spare!--In a +word, the Gate of Silesia is burst open; and Loudon has every +prospect of taking Glatz, which will keep it so. + +What a thunder-bolt for Friedrich! One of the last pillars struck +away from his tottering affairs. "Inevitable, then? We are over +with it, then?" One may fancy Friedrich's reflections. But he +showed nothing of them to anybody; in a few hours, had his mind +composed, and new plans on the anvil. On the morrow of that +Austrian Joy-Firing,--morrow, or some day close on it (ought to +have been dated, but is not),--there went from him, to Magdeburg, +the Order: "Have me such and such quantities of Siege-Artillery in +a state of readiness." [Tempelhof, iv. 51.] Already meaning, it is +thought, or contemplating as possible a certain Siege, which +surprised everybody before long! A most inventive, enterprising +being; no end to his contrivances and unexpected outbreaks; +especially when you have him jammed into a corner, and fancy it is +all over with him! + +"To no other General," says Tempelhof, "would such a notion of +besieging Dresden have occurred; or if it had suggested itself, the +hideous difficulties would at once have banished it again, or left +it only as a pious wish. But it is strokes of this kind that +characterize the great man. Often enough they have succeeded, been +decisive of great campaigns and wars, and become splendid in the +eyes of all mankind; sometimes, as in this case, they have only +deserved to succeed, and to be splendid in the eyes of judges. +How get these masses of enemies lured away, so that you could try +such a thing? There lay the difficulty; insuperable altogether, +except by the most fine and appropriate treatment. Of a truth, it +required a connected series of the wisest measures and most secret +artifices of war;--and withal, that you should throw over them such +a veil as would lead your enemy to see in them precisely the +reverse of what they meant. How all this was to be set in action, +and how the Enemy's own plans, intentions and moods of mind were to +be used as raw material for attainment of your object,--studious +readers will best see in the manoeuvres of the King in his now more +than critical condition; which do certainly exhibit the completest +masterpiece in the Art of leading Armies that Europe has +ever seen." + +Tempelhof is well enough aware, as readers should continue to be, +that, primarily, and onward for three weeks more, not Dresden, but +the getting to Silesia on good terms, is Friedrich's main +enterprise: Dresden only a supplement or substitute, a second +string to his bow, till the first fail. But, in effect, the two +enterprises or strings coincide, or are one, till the first of them +fail; and Tempelhof's eulogy will apply to either. The initiatory +step to either is a Second Feat of Marching;--still notabler than +the former, which has had this poor issue. Soldiers of the studious +or scientific sort, if there are yet any such among us, will +naturally go to Tempelhof, and fearlessly encounter the ruggedest +Documents and Books, if Tempelhof leave them dubious on any point +(which he hardly will): to ingenuous readers of other sorts, who +will take a little pains for understanding the thing, perhaps the +following intermittent far-off glimpses may suffice. [Mitchell, ii. +162 et seq.; and Tempelhof (iv. 50-53 et seq.), as a scientific +check on Mitchell, or unconscious fellow-witness with him,-- +agreeing beautifully almost always.] + +On ascertaining the Landshut disaster, Friedrich falls back a +little; northward to Gross-Dobritz: "Possibly Daun will think us +cowed by what has happened; and may try something on us?" Daun is +by no means sure of this COWED phenomenon, or of the retreat it has +made; and tries nothing on it; only rides up daily to it, to +ascertain that it is there; and diligently sends out parties to +watch the Northeastward parts, where run the Silesian Roads. +After about a week of this, and some disappointments, Friedrich +decides to march in earnest. There had, one day, come report of +Lacy's being detached, Lacy with a strong Division, to block the +Silesian roads; but that, on trial, proved to be false. +"Pshaw, nothing for us but to go ourselves!" concludes Friedrich,-- +and, JULY 1st, sends off his Bakery and Heavy Baggage; indicating +to Mitchell, "To-morrow morning at 3!"--Here is Mitchell's own +account; accurate in every particular, as we find: [Mitchell, ii. +164; Tempelhof, iv. 54.] + +WEDNESDAY, JULY 2d. "From Gross-Dobritz to Quosdorf [to Quosdorf, a +poor Hamlet there, not QuoLsdorf, as many write, which is a Town +far enough from there]--the Army marched accordingly. In two +columns; baggage, bakery and artillery in a third; through a +country extremely covered with wood. Were attacked by some Uhlans +and Hussars; whom a few cannon-shot sent to the road again. +March lasted from 3 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon;" +twelve long hours. "Went northeastward a space of 20 miles, leaving +Radeburg, much more leaving Reichenberg, Moritzburg and the Daun +quarters well to the right, and at last quite to rearward; +crossed the Roder, crossed the Pulsnitz," small tributaries or sub- +tributaries of the Elbe in those parts; "crossed the latter (which +divides Meissen from the Lausitz) partly by the Bridge of Krakau, +first Village in the Lausitz. Head-quarter was the poor Hamlet of +Quosdorf, a mile farther on. 'This march had been carefully kept +secret,' says Mitchell; 'and it was the opinion of the most +experienced Officers, that, had the Enemy discovered the King of +Prussia's design, they might, by placing their light troops in the +roads with proper supports, have rendered it extremely difficult, +if not impracticable.'" + +Daun very early got to know of Friedrich's departure, and +whitherward; which was extremely interesting to Daun: "Aims to be +in Silesia before me; will cut out Loudon from his fine prospects +on Glatz?"--and had instantly reinforced, perhaps to 20,000, Lacy's +Division; and ordered Lacy, who is the nearest to Friedrich's +March, to start instantly on the skirts of said March, and endeavor +diligently to trample on the same. For the purpose of harassing +said March, Lacy is to do whatever he with safety can (which we see +is not much: "a few Uhlans and Hussars"); at lowest, is to keep it +constantly in sight; and always encamp as near it as he dare; +[Tempelhof, iv. 54.]--Daun himself girding up his loins; +and preparing, by a short-cut, to get ahead of it in a day or two. +Lacy was alert enough, but could not do much with safety: a few +Uhlans and Hussars, that was all; and he is now encamped somewhere +to rearward, as near as he dare. + +THURSDAY, 3d JULY. "A rest-day; Army resting about Krakau, after +such a spell through the woody moors. The King, with small escort, +rides out reconnoitring, hither, thither, on the southern side or +Lacy quarter: to the top of the Keulenberg (BLUDGEON HILL), at +last,--which is ten or a dozen miles from Krakau and Quosdorf, but +commands an extensive view. Towns, village-belfries, courses of +streams; a country of mossy woods and wild agricultures, of bogs, +of shaggy moor. Southward 10 miles is Radeberg [not RadebUrg, +observe]; yonder is the town of Pulsnitz on our stream of Pulsnitz; +to southeast, and twice as far, is Bischofswerda, chasmy Stolpen +(too well known to us before this): behind us, Konigsbruck, Kamenz +and the road from Grossenhayn to Bautzen: these and many other +places memorable to this King are discoverable from Bludgeon Hill. +But the discovery of discoveries to him is Lacy's Camp,--not very +far off, about a mile behind Pulsnitz; clearly visible, at +Lichtenberg yonder. Which we at once determine to attack; which, +and the roads to which, are the one object of interest just now, +--nothing else visible, as it were, on the top of the Keulenberg +here, or as we ride homeward, meditating it with a practical view. +'March at midnight,' that is the practical result arrived at, on +reaching home." + +FRIDAY, JULY 4th. "Since the stroke of midnight we are all on march +again; nothing but the baggages and bakeries left [with Quintus to +watch them, which I see is his common function in these marches]; +King himself in the Vanguard,--who hopes to give Lacy a salutation. +[Tempelhof, iv. 56.] 'The march was full of defiles,' says +Mitchell: and Mitchell, in his carriage, knew little what a region +it was, with boggy intricacies, lakelets, tangly thickets, stocks +and stumps; or what a business to pass with heavy cannon, baggage- +wagons and columns of men! Such a march; and again not far from +twenty miles of it: very hot, as the morning broke, in the +breathless woods. Had Lacy known what kind of ground we had to +march in, and been enterprising--! thinks Tempelhof. The march +being so retarded, Lacy got notice of it, and vanished quite away, +--to Bischofswerda, I believe, and the protecting neighborhood of +Daun. Nothing of him left when we emerge, simultaneously from this +hand and from that, on his front and on his rear, to take him as in +a vice, as in the sudden snap of a fox-trap;--fox quite gone. +Hardly a few hussars of him to be picked up; and no chase possible, +after such a march." + +Friedrich had done everything to keep himself secret: but Lacy has +endless Pandours prowling about; and, I suppose, the Country-people +(in the Lausitz here, who ought to have loyalty) are on the Lacy +side. Friedrich has to take his disappointment. He encamps here, on +the Heights, head-quarter Pulsnitz,--till Quintus come up with the +baggage, which he does punctually, but not till nightfall, not till +midnight the last of him. + +SATURDAY, JULY 5th. "To the road again at 3 A.M. Again to +northward, to Kloster (CLOISTER) Marienstern, a 15 miles or so,-- +head-quarter in the Cloister itself. Daun had set off for Bautzen, +with his 50 or 60,000, in the extremest push of haste, and is at +Bautzen this night; ahead of Friedrich, with Lacy as rear-guard of +him, who is also ahead of Friedrich, and safe at Bischofswerda. +A Daun hastening as never before. This news of a Daun already at +Bautzen awakened Friedrich's utmost speed: 'Never do, that Daun be +in Silesia before us! Indispensable to get ahead of Bautzen and +him, or to be waiting on the flank of his next march!' Accordingly, + +"SUNDAY, JULY 6th, Friedrich, at 3 A.M., is again in motion; +in three columns, streaming forward all day: straight eastward, +Daun-ward. Intends to cross the Spree, leaving Bautzen to the +right; and take post somewhere to northeast of Bautzen, and on the +flank of Daun. The windless day grows hotter and hotter; the roads +are of loose sand, full of jungles and impediments. This was such a +march for heat and difficulty as the King never had before. +In front of each Column went wagons with a few pontoons; there +being many brooks and little streams to cross. The soldier, for his +own health's sake, is strictly forbidden to drink; but as the +burning day rose higher, in the sweltering close march, thirst grew +irresistible. Crossing any of these Brooks, the soldiers pounce +down, irrepressible, whole ranks of them; lift water, clean or +dirty; drink it greedily from the brim of the hat. Sergeants may +wag their tongues and their cudgels at discretion: 'showers of +cudgel-strokes,' says Archenholtz; Sergeants going like threshers +on the poor men;--'though the upper Officers had a touch of mercy, +and affected not to see this disobedience to the Sergeants and +their cudgels,' which was punishable with death. War is not an +over-fond Mother, but a sufficiently Spartan one, to her Sons. +There dropt down, in the march that day, 105 Prussian men, who +never rose again. And as to intercepting Daun by such velocity,-- +Daun too is on march; gone to Gorlitz, at almost a faster pace, if +at a far heavier,--like a cart-horse on gallop; faring still worse +in the heat: '200 of Daun's men died on the road this day, and 300 +more were invalided for life.' [Tempelhof, iv. 58; Archenholtz, ii. +68; Mitchell, ii. 166.] + +"Before reaching the Spree, Friedrich, who is in the Vanguard, +hears of this Gorlitz March, and that the bird is flown. For which +he has, therefore, to devise straightway a new expedient: 'Wheel to +the right; cross Spree farther down, holding towards Bautzen +itself,' orders Friedrich. And settles within two miles of Bautzen; +his left being at Doberschutz,--on the strong ground he held after +Hochkirch, while Daun, two years ago, sat watching so quiescent. +Daun knows what kind of march these Prussians, blocked out from +relief of Neisse, stole on him THEN, and saved their Silesia, in +spite of his watching and blocking;--and has plunged off, in the +manner of a cart-horse scared into galloping, to avoid the like." +What a Sabbath-day's journey, on both sides, for those Sons of War! +Nothing in the Roman times, though they had less baggage, comes up +to such modern marching: nor is this the fastest of Friedrich's, +though of Daun's it unspeakably is. "Friedrich, having missed Daun, +is thinking now to whirl round, and go into Lacy,--which will +certainly bring Daun back, even better. + +"This evening, accordingly, Ziethen occupies Bautzen; sweeps out +certain Lacy precursors, cavalry in some strength, who are there. +Lacy has come on as far as Bischofswerda: and his Horse-people seem +to be wide ahead; provokingly pert upon Friedrich's outposts, who +determines to chastise them the first thing to-morrow. +To-morrow, as is very needful, is to be a rest-day otherwise. +For Friedrich's wearied people a rest-day; not at all for Daun's, +who continues his heavy-footed galloping yet another day and +another, till he get across the Queiss, and actually +reach Silesia." + +MONDAY, JULY 7th. "Rest-day accordingly, in Bautzen neighborhood; +nothing passing but a curious Skirmish of Horse,--in which +Friedrich, who had gone westward reconnoitring, seeking Lacy, had +the main share, and was notably situated for some time. Godau, a +small town or village, six miles west of Bautzen, was the scene of +this notable passage: actors in it were Friedrich himself, on the +Prussian part; and, on the Austrian, by degrees Lacy's Cavalry +almost in whole. Lacy's Cavalry, what Friedrich does not know, are +all in those neighborhoods: and no sooner is Godau swept clear of +them, than they return in greater numbers, needing to be again +swept; and, in fact, they gradually gather in upon him, in a +singular and dangerous manner, after his first successes on them, +and before his Infantry have time to get up and support. + +"Friedrich was too impatient in this provoking little haggle, +arresting him here. He had ordered on the suitable Battalion with +cannon; but hardly considers that the Battalion itself is six miles +off,--not to speak of the Order, which is galloping on horseback, +not going by electricity:--the impatient Friedrich had slashed in +at once upon Godau, taken above 100 prisoners; but is astonished to +see the slashed people return, with Saxon-Dragoon regiments, all +manner of regiments, reinforcing them. And has some really +dangerous fencing there;--issuing in dangerous and curious pause of +both parties; who stand drawn up, scarcely beyond pistol-shot, and +gazing into one another, for I know not how many minutes; +neither of them daring to move off, lest, on the instant of +turning, it be charged and overwhelmed. As the impatient Friedrich, +at last, almost was,--had not his Infantry just then got in, and +given their cannon-salvo. He lost about 200, the Lacy people hardly +so many; and is now out of a considerable personal jeopardy, which +is still celebrated in the Anecdote-Books, perhaps to a mythical +extent. 'Two Uhlans [Saxon-Polish Light-Horse], with their +truculent pikes, are just plunging in,' say the Anecdote-Books: +Friedrich's Page, who had got unhorsed, sprang to his feet, +bellowed in Polish to them: 'What are you doing here, fellows?' +'Excellenz [for the Page is not in Prussian uniform, or in uniform +at all, only well-dressed], Excellenz, our horses ran away with +us,' answer the poor fellows; and whirl back rapidly." The story, +says Retzow, is true. [Retzow, ii. 215.] + +This is the one event of July 7th,--and of July 8th withal; +which day also, on news of Daun that come, Friedrich rests. Up to +July 8th, it is clear Friedrich is shooting with what we called the +first string of his bow,--intent, namely, on Silesia. Nor, on +hearing that Daun is forward again, now hopelessly ahead, does he +quit that enterprise; but, on the contrasy, to-morrow morning, July +9th, tries it by a new method, as we shall see: method cunningly +devised to suit the second string as well. "How lucky that we have +a second string, in case of failure!"-- + +TUESDAY, 8th JULY. "News that Daun reached Gorlitz yesternight; +and is due to-night at Lauban, fifty miles ahead of us:--no hope +now of reaching Daun. Perhaps a sudden clutch at Lacy, in the +opposite direction, might be the method of recalling Daun, and +reaching him? That is the method fallen upon. + +"Sun being set, the drums in Bautzen sound TATTOO,--audible to +listening Croats in the Environs;--beat TATTOO, and, later in the +night, other passages of drum-music, also for Croat behoof +(GENERAL-MARCH I think it is); indicating That we have started +again, in pursuit of Daun. And in short, every precaution being +taken to soothe the mind of Lacy and the Croats, Friedrich silently +issues, with his best speed, in Three columns, by Three roads, +towards Lacy's quarters, which go from that village of Godau +westward, in a loose way, several miles. In three columns, by three +routes, all to converge, with punctuality, on Lacy. Of the columns, +two are of Infantry, the leftmost and the rightmost, on each hand, +hidden as much as possible; one is of Cavalry in the middle. +Coming on in this manner--like a pair of triple-pincers, which are +to grip simultaneously on Lacy, and astonish him, if he keep quiet. +But Lacy is vigilant, and is cautious almost in excess. Learning by +his Pandours that the King seems to be coming this way, Lacy +gathers himself on the instant; quits Godau, by one in the morning; +and retreats bodily, at his fastest step, to Bischofswerda again; +nor by any means stops there." [Tempelhof, iv. 61-63.] + +For the third time! "Three is lucky," Friedrich may have thought: +and there has no precaution, of drum-music, of secrecy or +persuasive finesse, been neglected on Lacy. But Lacy has ears that +hear the grass grow: our elaborately accurate triple-pincers, +closing simultaneously on Bischofswerda, after eighteen miles of +sweep, find Lacy flown again; nothing to be caught of him but some +80 hussars. All this day and all next night Lacy is scouring +through the western parts at an extraordinary rate; halting for a +camp, twice over, at different places,--Durre Fuchs (THIRSTY FOX), +Durre Buhle (THIRSTY SWEETHEART), or wherever it was; then again +taking wing, on sound of Prussian parties to rear; in short, +hurrying towards Dresden and the Reichsfolk, as if for life. + +Lacy's retreat, I hear, was ingeniously done, with a minimum of +disorder in the circumstances: but certainly it was with a velocity +as if his head had been on fire; and, indeed, they say he escaped +annihilation by being off in time. He put up finally, not at +Thirsty Sweetheart, still less at Thirsty Fox, successive Hamlets +and Public Houses in the sandy Wilderness which lies to north of +Elbe, and is called DRESDEN HEATH; but farther on, in the same +Tract, at Weisse Hirsch (WHITE HART); which looks close over upon +Dresden, within two miles or so; and is a kind of Height, and +military post of advantage. Next morning, July 10th, he crosses +Dresden Bridge, comes streaming through the City; and takes shelter +with the Reichsfolk near there:--towards Plauen Chasm; the +strongest ground in the world; hardly strong enough, it appears, in +the present emergency. + +Friedrich's first string, therefore, has snapt in two; but, on the +instant, he has a second fitted on:--may that prove luckier! + + + +Chapter II. + +FRIEDRICH BESIEGES DRESDEN. + +From and after the Evening of Wednesday, July 9th, it is upon a +Siege of Dresden that Friedrich goes;--turning the whole war- +theatre topsy-turvy; throwing Daun, Loudon, Lacy, everybody OUT, in +this strange and sudden manner. One of the finest military feats +ever done, thinks Tempelhof. Undoubtedly a notable result so far, +and notably done; as the impartial reader (if Tempelhof be a little +inconsistent) sees for himself. These truly are a wonderful series +of marches, opulent in continual promptitudes, audacities, +contrivances;--done with shining talent, certainly; and also with +result shining, for the moment. And in a Fabulous Epic I think +Dresden would certainly have fallen to Friedrich, and his crowd of +enemies been left in a tumbled condition. + +But the Epic of Reality cares nothing for such considerations; +and the time allowable for capture of Dresden is very brief. +Had Daun, on getting warning, been as prompt to return as he was to +go, frankly fronting at once the chances of the road, he might have +been at Dresden again perhaps within a week,--no Siege possible for +Friedrich, hardly the big guns got up from Magdeburg. But Friedrich +calculated there would be very considerable fettling and haggling +on Daun's part; say a good Fortnight of Siege allowed;--and that, +by dead-lift effort of all hands, the thing was feasible within +that limit. On Friedrich's part, as we can fancy, there was no want +of effort; nor on his people's part,--in spite of his complainings, +say Retzow and the Opposition party; who insinuate their own +private belief of impossibility from the first. Which is not +confirmed by impartial judgments,--that of Archenholtz, and others +better. The truth is, Friedrich was within an inch of taking +Dresden by the first assault,--they say he actually could have +taken it by storm the first day; but shuddered at the thought of +exposing poor Dresden to sack and plunder; and hoped to get it +by capitulation. + +One of the rapidest and most furious Sieges anywhere on record. +Filled Europe with astonishment, expectancy, admiration, horror:-- +must be very briefly recited here. The main chronological epochs, +salient points of crisis and successive phases of occurrence, will +sufficiently indicate it to the reader's fancy. + +"It was Thursday Evening, 10th July, when Lacy got to his +Reichsfolk, and took breath behind Plauen Chasm. Maguire is +Governor of Dresden. The consternation of garrison and population +was extreme. To Lacy himself it did not seem conceivable that +Friedrich could mean a Siege of Dresden. Friedrich, that night, is +beyond the River, in Daun's old impregnability of Reichenberg: +'He has no siege-artillery,' thinks Lacy; 'no means, no time.' + +"Nevertheless, Saturday, next day after to-morrow,--behold, there +is Hulsen, come from Schlettau to our neighborhood, on our Austrian +side of the River. And at Kaditz yonder, a mile below Dresden, are +not the King's people building their Pontoons; in march since 2 in +the morning,-- evidently coming across, if not to besiege Dresden, +then to attack us; which is perhaps worse! We outnumber them,--but +as to trying fight in any form? Zweibruck leaves Maguire an +additional 10,000;--every help and encouragement to Maguire; +whose garrison is now 14,000: 'Be of courage, Excellenz Maguire! +Nobody is better skilled in siege-matters. Feldmarschall and relief +will be here with despatch!'--and withdraws, Lacy and he, to the +edge of the Pirna Country, there to be well out of harm's way. +Lacy and he, it is thought, would perhaps have got beaten, trying +to save Dresden from its misery. Lacy's orders were, Not, on any +terms, to get into fighting with Friedrich, but only to cover +Dresden. Dresden, without fighting, has proved impossible to cover, +and Lacy leaves it bare." [Tempelhof, iv. 65.] + +"At Kaditz," says Mitchell, "where the second bridge of boats took +a great deal of time, I was standing by his Majesty, when news to +the above effect came across from General Hulsen. The King was +highly pleased; and, turning to me, said: 'Just what I wished! +They have saved me a very long march [round by Dippoldiswalde or +so, in upon the rear of them] by going of will.' And immediately +the King got on horseback; ordering the Army to follow as fast as +it could." [Mitchell, ii. 168.] "Through Preisnitz, Plauen-ward, +goes the Army; circling round the Western and the Southern side of +Dresden; [a dread spectacle from the walls]; across Weistritz Brook +and the Plauen Chasm [comfortably left vacant]; and encamps on the +Southeastern side of Dresden, at Gruna, behind the GREAT GARDEN; +ready to begin business on the morrow. Gruna, about a mile to +southeast of Dresden Walls, is head-quarter during this Siege. + +"Through the night, the Prussians proceed to build batteries, the +best they can;--there is no right siege-artillery yet; a few +accidental howitzers and 25-pounders, the rest mere field-guns;-- +but to-morrow morning, be as it may, business shall begin. +Prince von Holstein [nephew of the Holstein Beck, or "Holstein +SILVER-PLATE," whom we lost long ago], from beyond the River, +encamped at the White Hart yonder, is to play upon the +Neustadt simultaneously. + +MONDAY 14th, "At 6 A.M., cannonade began; diligent on Holstein's +part and ours; but of inconsiderable effect. Maguire has been +summoned: 'Will [with such a garrison, in spite of such +trepidations from the Court and others] defend himself to the last +man.' Free-Corps people [not Quintus's, who is on the other side of +the River], [Tempelhof, v. 67.] with regulars to rear, advance on +the Pirna Gate; hurl in Maguire's Out-parties; and had near got in +along with them,--might have done so, they and their supports, it +is thought by some, had storm seemed the recommendable method. + +"For four days there is livelier and livelier cannonading; +new batteries getting opened in the Moschinska Garden and other +points; on the Prussian part, great longing that the Magdeburg +artillery were here. The Prussians are making diligently ready for +it, in the mean while (refitting the old Trenches, 'old Envelope' +dug by Maguire himself in the Anti-Schmettau time; these will do +well enough):--the Prussians reinforce Holstein at the Weisse, +Hirsch, throw a new bridge across to him; and are busy day and +night. Maguire, too, is most industrious, resisting and preparing: +Thursday shuts up the Weistritz Brook (a dam being ready this long +while back, needing only to be closed), and lays the whole South +side of Dresden under water. Many rumors about Daun: coming, not +coming;--must for certain come, but will possibly be slowish." + +FRIDAY 18th. "Joy to every Prussian soul: here are the heavy guns +from Magdeburg. These, at any rate, are come; beds for them all +ready; and now the cannonading can begin in right earnest. As it +does with a vengeance. To Mitchell, and perhaps others, 'the King +of Prussia says He will now be master of the Town in a few days. +And the disposition he has made of his troops on the other side of +the River is intended not only to attack Dresden on that side [and +defend himself from Daun], but also to prevent the Garrison from +retiring. ... This morning, Friday, 18th, the Suburb of Pirna, the +one street left of it, was set fire to, by Maguire; and burnt out +of the way, as the others had been. Many of the wretched +inhabitants had fled to our camp: "Let them lodge in Plauen, no +fighting there, quiet artificial water expanses there instead." +Many think the Town will not be taken; or that, if it should, it +will cost very dear,--so determined seems Maguire. [Mitchell, iii. +170, 171.] And, in effect, from this day onwards, the Siege became +altogether fierce, and not only so, but fiery as well; and, though +lasting in that violent form only four, or at the very utmost +seven, days more, had near ruined Dresden from the face of +the world." + +SATURDAY, 19th, "Maguire, touched to the quick by these new +artilleries of the Prussians this morning, found good to mount a +gun or two on the leads of the Kreuz-Kirche [Protestant High +Church, where, before now, we have noticed Friedrich attending +quasi-divine service more than once];--that is to say, on the crown +of Dresden; from which there is view into the bottom of Friedrich's +trenches and operations. Others say, it was only two or three old +Saxon cannon, which stand there, for firing on gala-days; and that +they hardly fired on Friedrich more than once. For certain, this is +one of the desirablest battery-stations,--if only Friedrich will +leave it alone. Which he will not for a moment; but brings terrific +howitzers to bear on it; cannon-balls, grenadoes; tears it to +destruction, and the poor Kreuz-Kirche along with it. +Kirche speedily all in flames, street after street blazing up round +it, again and again for eight-and-forty hours coming; +hapless Dresden, during two days and nights, a mere volcano +henceforth." "By mistake all that, and without order of mine," says +Friedrich once;--meaning, I think, all that of the Kreuz-Kirche: +and perhaps wishing he could mean the bombardment altogether, +[Schoning, ii. 361 "To Prince Henri, at Giessen [Frankfurt +Country], 23d July, 1760."]--who nevertheless got, and gets, most +of the credit of the thing from a shocked outside world. + +"This morning," same Saturday, 19th, "Daun is reported to have +arrived; vanguard of him said to be at Schonfeld, over in THIRSTY- +SWEETHEART Country yonder which Friedrich, going to reconnoitre, +finds tragically indisputable: 'There, for certain; only five miles +from Holstein's post at the WHITE HART, and no River between;--as +the crow flies, hardly five from our own Camp. Perhaps it will be +some days yet before he do anything?' So that Friedrich persists in +his bombardment, only the more: 'By fire-torture, then! Let the +bombarded Royalties assail Maguire, and Maguire give in;--it is our +one chance left; and succeed we will and must!' Cruel, say you?-- +Ah, yes, cruel enough, not merciful at all. The soul of Friedrich, +I perceive, is not in a bright mood at this time, but in a black +and wrathful, worn almost desperate against the slings and arrows +of unjust Fate: 'Ahead, I say! If everybody will do miracles, +cannot we perhaps still manage it, in spite of Fate?'" Mitchell is +very sorry; but will forget and forgive those inexorable passages +of war. + +"I cannot think of the bombardment of Dresden without horror," says +he; "nor of many other things I have seen. Misfortunes naturally +sour men's temper [even royal men's]; and long continued, without +interval, at last extinguish humanity." "We are now in a most +critical and dangerous situation, which cannot long last: one lucky +event, approaching to a miracle, may still save all: but the +extreme caution and circumspection of Marshal Daun--!" [Mitchell, +ii. 184, 185.] + +If Daun could be swift, and end the miseries of Dresden, surely +Dresden would be much obliged to him. It was ten days yet, after +that of the Kreuz-Kirche, before Dresden quite got rid of its +Siege: Daun never was a sudden man. By a kind of accident, he got +Holstein hustled across the River that first night (July 19th),-- +not annihilated, as was very feasible, but pushed home, out of his +way. Whereby the North side of Dresden is now open; and Daun has +free communication with Maguire. + +Maguire rose thereupon to a fine pitch of spirits; tried several +things, and wished Daun to try; but with next to no result. For two +days after Holstein's departure, Daun sat still, on his safe +Northern shore; stirring nothing but his own cunctations and +investigations, leaving the bombardment, or cannonade, to take its +own course. One attempt he did make in concert with Maguire (night +of Monday 21st), and one attempt only, of a serious nature; +which, like the rest, was unsuccessful. And would not be worth +mentioning,--except for the poor Regiment BERNBURG'S sake; +Bernburg having got into strange case in consequence of it. + +"This Attempt [night of 21st-22d July] was a combined sally and +assault--Sally by Maguire's people, a General Nugent heading them, +from the South or Plauen side of Dresden, and Assault by 4,000 of +Daun's from the North side--upon Friedrich's Trenches. Which are to +be burst in upon in this double way, and swept well clear, as may +be expected. Friedrich, however, was aware of the symptoms, and had +people ready waiting,--especially, had Regiment BERNBURG, +Battalions 1st and 2d; a Regiment hitherto without stain. + +"Bernburg accordingly, on General Nugent's entering their trenches +from the south side, falls altogether heartily on General Nugent; +tumbles him back, takes 200 prisoners, Nudent himself one of them +[who is considered to have been the eye of the enterprise, worth +many hundreds this night] all this Bernburg, in its usually +creditable manner, does, as expected of it. But after, or during +all this, when the Dann people from the north come streaming in, +say four to one, both south and north, Bernburg looked round for +support; and seeing none, had, after more or less of struggle, to +retire as a defeated Bernburg,--Austrians taking the battery, and +ruling supreme there for some time. Till Wedell, or somebody with +fresh Battalions, came up; and, rallying Bernburg to him, retook +their Battery, and drove out the Austrians, with a heavy loss +of prisoners. [Tempelhof, iv. 79.] + +"I did not hear that Bernburg's conduct was liable to the least +fair censure. But Friedrich's soul is severe at this time; +demanding miracles from everybody: 'You runaway Bernburg, shame on +you!'--and actually takes the swords from them, and cuts off their +Hat-tresses: 'There!' Which excited such an astonishment in the +Prussian Army as was seldom seen before. And affected Bernburg to +the length almost of despair, and breaking of heart,--in a way that +is not ridiculous to me at all, but beautiful and pathetic. +Of which there is much talk, now and long afterwards, in military +circles. 'The sorrows of these poor Bernburgers, their desperate +efforts to wash out this stigma, their actual washing of it out, +not many weeks hence, and their magnificent joy on the occasion,-- +these are the one distinguishing point in Daun's relief of Dresden, +which was otherwise quite a cunctatory, sedentary matter." + +Daun built three Bridges,--he had a broad stone one already,--but +did little or nothing with them; and never himself came across at +all. Merely shot out nocturnal Pandour Parties, and ordered up Lacy +and the Reichsfolk to do the like, and break the night's rest of +his Enemy. He made minatory movements, one at least, down the +River, by his own shore, on Friedrich's Ammunition-Boats from +Torgau, and actually intercepted certain of them, which was +something; but, except this, and vague flourishings of the Pandour +kind, left Friedrich to his own course. + +Friedrich bombarded for a day or two farther; cannonaded, out of +more or fewer batteries, for eight, or I think ten days more. +Attacks from Daun there were to be, now on this side, now on that; +many rumors of attack, but, except once only (midnight Pandours +attempting the King's lodging, "a Farm-house near Gruna," but to +their astonishment rousing the whole Prussian Army "in the course +of three minutes" [Archenholtz, ii. 81 (who is very vivid, but does +not date); Rodenbeck, ii. 24 (quotes similar account by another +Eye-witness, and guesses it to be "night of July 22d-23d").]), +rumor was mainly all. For guarding his siege-lines, Friedrich has +to alter his position; to shift slightly, now fronting this way, +now the other way; is "called always at midnight" (against these +nocturnal disturbances), and "never has his clothes off." +Nevertheless, continues his bombardment, and then his cannonading, +till his own good time, which I think is till the 26th. +His "ricochet-battery," which is good against Maguire's people, +innocent to Dresden, he continued for three days more;--while +gathering his furnitures about Plauen Country, making his +arrangements at Meissen;--did not march till the night of June +29th. Altogether calmly; no Daun or Austrian molesting him in the +least; his very sentries walking their rounds in the trenches till +daylight; after which they also marched, unmolested, Meissen-ward. + +Unfortunate Friedrich has made nothing of Dresden, then. After such +a June and July of it, since he left the Meissen Country; after all +these intricate manoeuvrings, hot fierce marchings and superhuman +exertions, here is he returning to Meissen Country poorer than if +he had stayed. Fouquet lost, Glatz unrelieved--Nay, just before +marching off, what is this new phenomenon? Is this by way of "Happy +journey to you!" Towards sunset of the 29th, exuberant joy-firing +rises far and wide from the usually quiet Austrian lines,--"Meaning +what, once more?" Meaning that Glatz is lost, your Majesty; that, +instead of a siege of many weeks (as might have been expected with +Fouquet for Commandant), it has held out, under Fouquet's Second, +only a few hours; and is gone without remedy! Certain, though +incredible. Imbecile Commandant, treacherous Garrison (Austrian +deserters mainly), with stealthy Jesuits acting on them: no use +asking what. Here is the sad Narrative, in succinct form. + + +CAPTURE OF GLATZ (26th July, 1760). + +"Loudon is a swift man, when he can get bridle; but the curb-hand +of Daun is often heavy on him. Loudon has had Glatz blockaded since +June 7th; since June 23d he has had Fouquet rooted away, and the +ground clear for a Siege of Glatz. But had to abstain altogether, +in the mean time; to take camp at Landshut, to march and manoeuvre +about, in support of Daun, and that heavy-footed gallop of Daun's +which then followed: on the whole, it was not till Friedrich went +for Dresden that the Siege-Artillery, from Olmutz, could be ordered +forward upon Glatz; not for a fortnight more that the Artillery +could come; and, in spite of Loudon's utmost despatch, not till +break of day, July 26th, that the batteries could open. +After which, such was Loudon's speed and fortune,--and so diligent +had the Jesuits been in those seven weeks,--the 'Siege,' as they +call it, was over in less than seven hours. + +"One Colonel D'O [Piedmontese by nation, an incompetent person, +known to loud Trenck during his detention here] was Commandant of +Glatz, and had the principal Fortress,--for there are two, one on +each side the Neisse River;--his Second was a Colonel Quadt, by +birth Prussian, seemingly not very competent he either, who had +command of the Old Fortress, round which lies the Town of Glatz: +a little Town, abounding in Jesuits;--to whose Virgin, if readers +remember, Friedrich once gave a new gown; with small effect on her, +as would appear. The Quadt-D'O garrison was 2,400,--and, if tales +are true, it had been well bejesuited during those seven weeks. +[<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> v. 55.] At four in the +morning, July 26th) the battering began on Quadt; Quadt, I will +believe, responding what he could,--especially from a certain +Arrowhead Redoubt (or FLECHE) he has, which ought to have been +important to him. After four or five hours of this, there was +mutual pause,--as if both parties had decided upon breakfast before +going farther. + +"Quadt's Fortress is very strong, mostly hewn in the rock; and he +has that important outwork of a FLECHE; which is excellent for +enfilading, as it extends well beyond the glacis; and, being of +rock like the rest, is also abundantly defensible. Loudon's people, +looking over into this FLECHE, find it negligently guarded; +Quadt at breakfast, as would seem:--and directly send for Harsch, +Captain of the Siege, and even for Loudon, the General-in-Chief. +Negligently guarded, sure enough; nothing in the FLECHE but a few +sentries, and these in the horizontal position, taking their +unlawful rest there, after such a morning's work. 'Seize me that,' +eagerly orders Loudon; 'hold that with firm grip!' Which is done; +only to step in softly, two battalions of you, and lay hard hold. +Incompetent Quadt, figure in what a flurry, rushing out to +recapture his FLECHE,--explodes instead into mere anarchy, whole +Companies of him flinging down their arms at their Officers' feet, +and the like. So that Quadt is totally driven in again, Austrians +along with him; and is obliged to beat chamade;--D'O following the +example, about an hour after, without even a capitulation. +Was there ever seen such a defence! Major Unruh, one of a small +minority, was Prussian, and stanch; here is Unruh's personal +experience,--testimony on D'O's Trial, I suppose,--and now pretty +much the one thing worth reading on this subject. + +"MAJOR ULZRUH TESTIFIES: 'At four in the morning, 26th July, 1760, + + + + + + + + +the Enemy began to cannonade the Old Fortress [that of Quadt]; +and about nine, I was ordered with 150 men to clear the Envelope +from Austrians. Just when I had got to the Damm-Gate, halt was +called. I asked the Commandant, who was behind me, which way I +should march; to the Crown-work or to the Envelope? Being answered, +To the Envelope, I found on coming out at the Field-Gate nothing +but an Austrian Lieutenant-colonel and some men. He called to me, +"There had been chamade beaten, and I was not to run into +destruction (MICH UNGLUCKLICH MACHEN)!" I offered him Quarter; +and took him in effect prisoner, with 20 of his best men; and sent +him to the Commandant, with request that he would keep my rear +free, or send me reinforcement. I shot the Enemy a great many +people here; chased him from the Field-Gate, and out of both the +Envelope and the Redoubt called the Crane [that is the FLECHE +itself, only that the Austrians are mostly not now there, but gone +THROUGH into the interior there!]--Returning to the Field-Gate, I +found that the Commandant had beaten chamade a second time; +there were marching in, by this Field-Gate, two battalions of the +Austrian Regiment ANDLAU; I had to yield myself prisoner, and was +taken to General Loudon. He asked me, "Don't you know the rules of +war, then; that you fire after chamade is beaten?" I answered in my +heat, "I knew of no chamade; what poltroonery or what treachery had +been going on, I knew not!" Loudon answered, "You might deserve to +have your head laid at your feet, Sir! Am I here to inquire which +of you shows bravery, which poltroonery?"' [Seyfarth, ii. 652.] +A blazing Loudon, when the fire is up!"-- + +After the Peace, D'O had Court-Martial, which sentenced him to +death, Friedrich making it perpetual imprisonment: "Perhaps not a +traitor, only a blockhead!" thought Friedrich. He had been +recommended to his post by Fouquet. What Trenck writes of him is, +otherwise, mostly lies. + +Thus is the southern Key of Silesia (one of the two southern Keys, +Neisse being the other) lost to Friedrich, for the first time; +and Loudon is like to drive a trade there; "Will absolutely nothing +prosper with us, then?" Nothing, seemingly, your Majesty! +Heavier news Friedrich scarcely ever had. But there is no help. +This too he has to carry with him as he can into the Meissen +Country. Unsuccessful altogether; beaten on every hand. +Human talent, diligence, endeavor, is it but as lightning smiting +the Serbonian Bog? Smite to the last, your Majesty, at any rate; +let that be certain. As it is, and has been. That is always +something, that is always a great thing. + +Friedrich intends no pause in those Meissen Countries. JULY 30th, +on his march northward, he detaches Hulsen with the old 10,000 to +take Camp at Schlettau as before, and do his best for defence of +Saxony against the Reichsfolk, numerous, but incompetent; +he himself, next day, passes on, leaving Meissen a little on his +right, to Schieritz, some miles farther down,--intending there to +cross Elbe, and make for Silesia without loss of an hour. +Need enough of speed thither; more need than even Friedrich +supposes! Yesterday, July 30th, Loudon's Vanguard came blockading +Breslau, and this day Loudon himself;--though Friedrich heard +nothing, anticipated nothing, of that dangerous fact, for a week +hence or more. + +Soltikof's and Loudon's united intentions on Silesia he has well +known this long while; and has been perpetually dunning Prince +Henri on the subject, to no purpose,--only hoping always there +would probably be no great rapidity on the part of these discordant +Allies. Friedrich's feelings, now that the contrary is visible, and +indeed all through the Summer in regard to the Soltikof-Loudon +Business, and the Fouquet-Henri method of dealing with it, have +been painful enough, and are growing ever more so. Cautious Henri +never would make the smallest attack on Soltikof, but merely keep +observing him;--the end of which, what can the end of it be? urges +Friedrich always: "Condense yourselves; go in upon the Russians, +while they are in separate corps;"--and is very ill-satisfied with +the languor of procedures there. As is the Prince with such +reproaches, or implied reproaches, on said languor. Nor is his +humor cheered, when the King's bad predictions prove true. What has +it come to? These Letters of King and Prince are worth reading,--if +indeed you can, in the confusion of Schoning (a somewhat exuberant +man, loud rather than luminous);--so curious is the Private +Dialogue going on there at all times, in the background of the +stage, between the Brothers. One short specimen, extending through +the June and July just over,--specimen distilled faithfully out of +that huge jumbling sea of Schaning, and rendered legible,--the +reader will consent to. + + +DIALOGUE OF FRIEDRICH AND HENRI +(from their Private Correspondence: June 7th-July 29th, 1760). + +FRIEDRICH (June 7th; before his first crossing Elbe: Henri at +Sagan; he at Schlettau, scanning the waste of fatal possibilities). +... Embarrassing? Not a doubt, of that! "I own, the circumstances +both of us are in are like to turn my head, three or four times a +day." Loudon aiming for Neisse, don't you think? Fouquet all in the +wrong.--"One has nothing for it but to watch where the likelihood +of the biggest misfortune is, and to run thither with one's +whole strength." + +henri ... "I confess I am in great apprehension for Colberg:"-- +shall one make thither; think you? Russians, 8,000 as the first +instalment of them, have ARRIVED; got to Posen under Fermor, June +1st:--so the Commandant of Glogau writes me (see enclosed). + +FRIEDRICH (June 9th). Commandant of Glogau writes impossibilities: +Russians are not on march yet, nor will be for above a week. + +"I cross Elbe, the 15th. I am compelled to undertake something of +decisive nature, and leave the rest to chance. For desperate +disorders desperate remedies. My bed is not one of roses. +Heaven aid us: for human prudence finds itself fall short in +situations so cruel and desperate as ours." [Schoning, ii. 313 +("Meissen Camp, 7th June, 1760"); ib. ii. 317 ("9th June").] + +HENRI. Hm, hm, ha (Nothing but carefully collected rumors, and +wire-drawn auguries from them, on the part of Henri; very intense +inspection of the chicken-bowels,--hardly ever without a shake of +the head). + +FRIEDRICH (June 26th; has heard of the Fouquet disaster). ... +"Yesterday my heart was torn to pieces [news of Landshut, Fouquet's +downfall there], and I felt too sad to be in a state for writing +you a sensible Letter; but to-day, when I have come to myself a +little again, I will send you my reflections. After what has +happened to Fouquet, it is certain Loudon can have no other design +but on Breslau [he designs Glatz first of all]: it will be the +grand point, therefore, especially if the Russians too are bending +thither, to save that Capital of Silesia. Surely the Turks must be +in motion:--if so, we are saved; if not so, we are lost! To-day I +have taken this Camp of Dobritz, in order to be more collected, and +in condition to fight well, should occasion rise,--and in case all +this that is said and written to me about the Turks is TRUE [which +nothing of it was], to be able to profit by it when the time +comes." [Schoning, ii. 341 ("Gross-Dobritz, 26th June, 1760").] + +HENRI (simultaneously, June 26th: Henri is forward from Sagan, +through Frankfurt, and got settled at Landsberg, where he remains +through the rest of the Dialogue). ... Tottleben, with his +Cossacks, scouring about, got a check from us,--nothing like +enough. "By all my accounts, Soltikof, with the gross of the +Russians, is marching for Posen. The other rumors and symptoms +agree in indicating a separate Corps, under Fermor, who is to join +Tottleben, and besiege Colberg: if both these Corps, the Colberg +and the Posen one, act, in concert, my embarrassment will be +extreme. ... I have just had news of what has befallen General +Fouquet. Before this stroke, your affairs were desperate enough; +now I see but too well what we have to look for." [Ib. ii. 339 +("Landsberg, 26th June, 1760").] (How comforting!) + +FRIEDRICH. "Would to God your prayers for the swift capture of +Dresden had been heard; but unfortunately I must tell you, this +stroke has failed me. ... Dresden has been reduced to ashes, third +part of the Altstadt lying burnt;--contrary to my intentions: my +orders were, To spare the City, and play the Artillery against +the works. My Minister Graf von Finck will have told you what +occasioned its being set on fire." [Schoning, ii. 361 +("2d-3d July").] + +HENRI (July 26th; Dresden Siege gone awry). ... "I am to keep the +Russians from Frankfurt, to cover Glogau, and prevent a besieging +of Breslau! All that forms an overwhelming problem;--which I, with +my whole heart, will give up to somebody abler for it than I am." +[Ib. ii. 369-371 ("Landsherg, 26th July").] + +FRIEDRICH (29th July; quits the Trenches of Dresden this night). +... "I have seen with pain that you represent everything to +yourself on the black side. I beg you, in the name of God, my +dearest Brother, don't take things up in their blackest and worst +shape:--it is this that throws your mind into such an indecision, +which is so lamentable. Adopt a resolution rather, what resolution +you like, but stand by it, and execute it with your whole strength. +I conjure you, take a fixed resolution; better a bad than none at +all. ... What is possible to man, I will do; neither care nor +consideration nor effort shall be spared, to secure the result of +my plans. The rest depends on circumstances. Amid such a number of +enemies, one cannot always do what one will, but must let them +prescribe." [Ib. ii. 370-372 ("Leubnitz, before Dresden, 29th +July, 1760").] + +An uncomfortable little Gentleman; but full of faculty, if one can +manage to get good of it! Here, what might have preceded all the +above, and been preface to it, is a pretty passage from him; +a glimpse he has had of Sans-Souci, before setting out on those +gloomy marchings and cunctatory hagglings. Henri writes (at Torgau, +April 26th, just back from Berlin and farewell of friends):-- + +"I mean to march the day after to-morrow. I took arrangements with +General Fouquet [about that long fine-spun Chain of Posts, where we +are to do such service?]--the Black Hussars cannot be here till +to-morrow, otherwise I should have marched a day sooner. My Brother +[poor little invalid Ferdinand] charged me to lay him at your feet. +I found him weak and thin, more so than formerly. Returning hither, +the day before yesterday, I passed through Potsdam; I went to +Sans-Souci [April 24th, 1760]:--all is green there; the Garden +embellished, and seemed to me excellently kept. Though these +details cannot occupy you at present, I thought it would give you +pleasure to hear of them for a moment." [Schoning, ii. 233 +("Torgau, 26th April, 1760").] Ah, yes; all is so green and +blessedly silent there: sight of the lost Paradise, actually IT, +visible for a moment yonder, far away, while one goes whirling in +this manner on the illimitable wracking winds!-- + +Here finally, from a distant part of the War-Theatre, is another +Note; which we will read while Friedrich is at Schieritz. At no +other place so properly; the very date of it, chief date (July +31st), being by accident synchronous with Schieritz:-- + + +DUKE FERDINAND'S BATTLE OF WARBURG (31st July, 1760). + +Duke Ferdinand has opened his difficult Campaign; and especially-- +just while that Siege of Dresden blazed and ended--has had three +sharp Fights, which were then very loud in the Gazettes, along with +it. Three once famous Actions; which unexpectedly had little or no +result, and are very much forgotten now. So that bare enumeration +of them is nearly all we are permitted here. Pitt has furnished +7,000 new English, this Campaign,--there are now 20,000 English in +all, and a Duke Ferdinand raised to 70,000 men. Surely, under good +omens, thinks Pitt; and still more think the Gazetteers, judging by +appearances. Yes: but if Broglio have 130,000, what will it come +to? Broglio is two to one; and has, before this, proved himself a +considerable Captain. + +Fight FIRST is that of KORBACH (July 10th): of Broglio, namely, who +has got across the River Ohm in Hessen (to Ferdinand's great +disgust with the General Imhof in command there), and is streaming +on to seize the Diemel River, and menace Hanover; of Broglio, in +successive sections, at a certain "Pass of Korbach," VERSUS the +Hereditary Prince (ERBPRINZ of Brunswick), who is waiting for him +there in one good section,--and who beautifully hurls back one and +another of the Broglio sections; but cannot hurl back the whole +Broglio Army, all marching by sections that way; and has to retire, +back foremost, fencing sharply, still in a diligently handsome +manner, though with loss. [Mauvillon, ii. 105.] That is the Battle +of Korbach, fought July 10th,--while Lacy streamed through Dresden, +panting to be at Plauen Chasm, safe at last. + +Fight SECOND (July 16th) was a kind of revenge on the Erbprinz's +part: Affair of EMSDORF, six days after, in the same neighborhood; +beautiful too, said the Gazetteers; but of result still more +insignificant. Hearing of a considerable French Brigade posted not +far off, at that Village of Emsdorf, to guard Broglio's meal-carts +there, the indignant Erbprinz shoots off for that; light of +foot,--English horse mainly, and Hill Scots (BERG-SCHOTTEN so +called, who have a fine free stride, in summer weather);--dashes in +upon said Brigade (Dragoons of Bauffremont and other picked men), +who stood firmly on the defensive; but were cut up, in an amazing +manner, root and branch, after a fierce struggle, and as it were +brought home in one's pocket. To the admiration of military +circles,--especially of mess-rooms and the junior sort. "Elliot's +light horse [part of the new 7,000], what a regiment! Unparalleled +for willingness, and audacity of fence; lost 125 killed,"--in fact, +the loss chiefly fell on Elliot. [Ib. ii. 109 (Prisoners got "were +2,661, including General and Officers 179," with all their +furnitures whatsoever, "400 horses, 8 cannon," &c.).] The BERG- +SCHOTTEN too,--I think it was here that these kilted fellows, +who had marched with such a stride, "came home mostly riding:" poor +Beauffremont Dragoons being entirely cut up, or pocketed as +prisoners, and their horses ridden in this unexpected manner! +But we must not linger,--hardly even on WARBURG, which was the +THIRD and greatest; and has still points of memorability, though +now so obliterated. + +"Warburg," says my Note on this latter, "is a pleasant little +Hessian Town, some twenty-five miles west of Cassel, standing on +the north or left bank of the Diemel, among fruitful knolls and +hollows. The famous 'BATTLE OF WARBURG,'--if you try to inquire in +the Town itself, from your brief railway-station, it is much if +some intelligent inhabitant, at last, remembers to have heard of +it! The thing went thus: Chevalier du Muy, who is Broglio's Rear- +guard or Reserve, 30,000 foot and horse, with his back to the +Diemel, and eight bridges across it in case of accident, has his +right flank leaning on Warburg, and his left on a Village of +Ossendorf, some two miles to northwest of that. Broglio, Prince +Xavier of Saxony, especially Duke Ferdinand, are all vehemently and +mysteriously moving about, since that Fight of Korbach; +Broglio intent to have Cassel besieged, Du Muy keeping the Diemel +for him; Ferdinand eager to have the Diemel back from Du Muy +and him. + +"Two days ago (July 29th), the Erbprinz crossed over into these +neighborhoods, with a strong Vanguard, nearly equal to Du Muy; +and, after studious reconnoitring and survey had, means, this +morning (July 31st), to knock him over the Diemel again, if he can. +No time to be lost; Broglio near and in such force. Duke Ferdinand +too, quitting Broglio for a moment, is on march this way; +crossed the Diemel, about midnight, some ten miles farther down, or +eastward; will thence bend southward, at his best speed, to support +the Erbprinz, if necessary, and beset the Diemel when got;-- +Erbprinz not, however, in any wise, to wait for him; such the +pressure from Broglio and others. A most busy swift-going scene +that morning;--hardly worth such describing at this date of time. + +"The Erbprinz, who is still rather to northeastward, that is to +rightward, not directly frontward, of Du Muy's lines; and whose +plan of attack is still dark to Du Muy, commences [about 8 A.M., I +should guess] by launching his British Legion so called,--which is +a composite body, of Free-Corps nature, British some of it +('Colonel Beckwith's people,' for example), not British by much the +most of it, but an aggregate of wild strikers, given to plunder +too:--by launching his British Legion upon Warburg Town, there to +take charge of Du Muy's right wing. Which Legion, 'with great +rapidity, not only pitched the French all out, but clean plundered +the poor Town;' and is a sad sore on Du Muy's right, who cannot +get it attended to, in the ominous aspects elsewhere visible. +For the Erbprinz, who is a strategic creature, comes on, in the +style of Friedrich, not straight towards Du Muy, but sweeps out in +two columns round northward; privately intending upon Du Muy's left +wing and front--left wing, right wing, (by British Legion), and +front, all three;--and is well aided by a mist which now fell, and +which hung on the higher ground, and covered his march, for an hour +or more. This mist had not begun when he saw, on the knoll-tops, +far off on the right, but indisputable as he flattered himself, +--something of Ferdinand emerging! Saw this; and pours along, we +can suppose, with still better step and temper. And bursts, pretty +simultaneously, upon Du Muy's right wing and left wing, coercing +his front the while; squelches both these wings furiously together; +forces the coerced centre, mostly horse, to plunge back into the +Diemel, and swim. Horse could swim; but many of the Foot, who +tried, got drowned. And, on the whole, Du Muy is a good deal +wrecked [1,600 killed, 2,000 prisoners, not to speak of cannon +and flags], and, but for his eight bridges, would have been +totally ruined. + +"The fight was uncommonly furious, especially on Du Muy's left; +'Maxwell's Brigade' going at it, with the finest bayonet-practice, +musketry, artillery-practice; obstinate as bears. On Du Muy's +right, the British Legion, left wing, British too by name, had a +much easier job. But the fight generally was of hot and stubborn +kind, for hours, perhaps two or more;--and some say, would not have +ended so triumphantly, had it not been for Duke Ferdinand's +Vanguard, Lord Granby and the English Horse; who, warned by the +noise ahead, pushed on at the top of their speed, and got in before +the death. Granby and the Blues had gone at the high trot, for +above five miles; and, I doubt not, were in keen humor when they +rose to the gallop and slashed in. Mauvillon says, 'It was in this +attack that Lord Granby, at the head of the Blues, his own +regiment, had his hat blown off; a big bald circle in his head +rendering the loss more conspicuous. But he never minded; stormed +still on,' bare bald head among the helmets and sabres; 'and made +it very evident that had he, instead of Sackville, led at Minden, +there had been a different story to tell. The English, by their +valor,' adds he, 'greatly distinguished themselves this day. +And accordingly they suffered by far the most; their loss amounting +to 590 men:' or, as others count,--out of 1,200 killed and wounded, +800 were English." [Mauvillon, ii. 114. Or better, in all these +three cases, as elsewhere, Tempelhof's specific Chapter on +Ferdinand (Tempelhof, iv. 101-122). Ferdinand's Despatch (to King +George), in <italic> Knesebeck, <end italic> ii. 96-98;--or in the +Old Newspapers (<italic> Gentleman's Magazine, <end italic> xxx. +386, 387), where also is Lord Granby's Despatch.] + +This of Granby and the bald head is mainly what now renders Warburg +memorable. For, in a year or two, the excellent Reynolds did a +Portrait of Granby; and by no means forgot this incident; but gives +him bare-headed, bare and bald; the oblivious British connoisseur +not now knowing why, as perhaps he ought. The portrait, I suppose, +may be in Belvoir Castle; the artistic Why of the baldness is this +BATTLE OF WARBURG, as above. An Affair otherwise of no moment. +Ferdinand had soon to quit the Diemel, or to find it useless for +him, and to try other methods,--fencing gallantly, but too weak for +Broglio; and, on the whole, had a difficult Campaign of it, against +that considerable Soldier with forces so superior. + + + +Chapter III. + +BATTLE OF LIEGNITZ. + +Friedrich stayed hardly one day in Neissen Country; Silesia, in the +jaws of destruction, requiring such speed from him. His new Series +of Marches thitherward, for the next two weeks especially, with +Daun and Lacy, and at last with Loudon too, for escort, are still +more singular than the foregoing; a fortnight of Soldier History +such as is hardly to be paralleled elsewhere. Of his inward gloom +one hears nothing. But the Problem itself approaches to the +desperate; needing daily new invention, new audacity, with imminent +destruction overhanging it throughout. A March distinguished in +Military Annals;--but of which it is not for us to pretend +treating. Military readers will find it in TEMPELHOF, and the +supplementary Books from time to time cited here. And, for our own +share, we can only say, that Friedrich's labors strike us as +abundantly Herculean; more Alcides-like than ever,--the rather as +hopes of any success have sunk lower than ever. A modern Alcides, +appointed to confront Tartarus itself, and be victorious over the +Three-headed Dog. Daun, Lacy, Loudon coming on you simultaneously, +open-mouthed, are a considerable Tartarean Dog! Soldiers judge that +the King's resources of genius were extremely conspicuous on this +occasion; and to all men it is in evidence that seldom in the Arena +of this Universe, looked on by the idle Populaces and by the +eternal Gods and Antigods (called Devils), did a Son of Adam fence +better for himself, now and throughout. + +This, his Third march to Silesia in 1760, is judged to be the most +forlorn and ominous Friedrich ever made thither; real peril, and +ruin to Silesia and him, more imminent than even in the old Leuthen +days. Difficulties, complicacies very many, Friedrich can foresee: +a Daun's Army and a Lacy's for escort to us; and such a Silesia +when we do arrive. And there is one complicacy more which he does +not yet know of; that of Loudon waiting ahead to welcome him, on +crossing the Frontier, and increase his escort thenceforth!--Or +rather, let us say, Friedrich, thanks to the despondent Henri and +others, has escaped a great Silesian Calamity;--of which he will +hear, with mixed emotions, on arriving at Bunzlau on the Silesian +Frontier, six days after setting out. Since the loss of Glatz (July +26th), Friedrich has no news of Loudon; supposes him to be trying +something upon Neisse, to be adjusting with his slow Russians; +and, in short, to be out of the dismal account-current just at +present. That is not the fact in regard to Loudon; that is far from +the fact. + + +LOUDON IS TRYING A STROKE-OF-HAND ON BRESLAU, IN THE +GLATZ FASHION, IN THE INTERIM (July 30th-August 3d). + +Hardly above six hours after taking Glatz, swift Loudon, no Daun +now tethering him (Daun standing, or sitting, "in relief of +Dresden" far off), was on march for Breslau--Vanguard of him +"marched that same evening (July 26th):" in the liveliest hope of +capturing Breslau; especially if Soltikof, to whom this of Glatz +ought to be a fine symbol and pledge, make speed to co-operate. +Soltikof is in no violent enthusiasm about Glatz; anxious rather +about his own Magazine at Posen, and how to get it carted out of +Henri's way, in case of our advancing towards some Silesian Siege. +"If we were not ruined last year, it was n't Daun's fault!" growls +he often; and Montalembert has need of all his suasive virtues +(which are wonderful to look at, if anybody cared to look at them, +all flung into the sea in this manner) for keeping the barbarous +man in any approach to harmony. The barbarous man had, after haggle +enough, adjusted himself for besieging Glogau; and is surly to +hear, on the sudden (order from Petersburg reinforcing Loudon), +that it is Breslau instead. "Excellenz, it is not Cunctator Daun +this time, it is fiery Loudon." "Well, Breslau, then!" answers +Soltikof at last, after much suasion. And marches thither; +[Tempelhof, iv. 87-89 ("Rose from Posen, July 26th").] faster than +usual, quickened by new temporary hopes, of Montalembert's raising +or one's own: "What a place-of-arms, and place of victual, would +Breslau be for us, after all!" + +And really mends his pace, mends it ever more, as matters grow +stringent; and advances upon Breslau at his swiftest: +"To rendezvous with Loudon under the walls there,--within the walls +very soon, and ourselves chief proprietor!"--as may be hoped. +Breslau has a garrison of 4,000, only 1,000 of them stanch; +and there are, among other bad items, 9,000 Austrian Prisoners in +it. A big City with weak walls: another place to defend than rock- +hewn little Glatz,--if there be no better than a D'O for Commandant +in it! But perhaps there is. + +"WEDNESDAY, 30th JULY, Loudon's Vanguard arrived at Breslau; +next day Loudon himself;--and besieged Breslau very violently, +according to his means, till the Sunday following. Troops he has +plenty, 40,000 odd, which he gives out for 50 or even 60,000; +not to speak of Soltikof, 'with 75,000' (read 45,000), striding on +in a fierce and dreadful manner to meet him here. 'Better surrender +to Christian Austrians, had not you?' Loudon's Artillery is not +come up, it is only struggling on from Glatz; Soltikof of his own +has no Siege-Artillery; and Loudon judges that heavy-footed +Soltikof, waited on by an alert Prince Henri, is a problematic +quantity in this enterprise. 'Speedy oneself; speedy and fiery!' +thinks Loudon: 'by violence of speed, of bullying and bombardment, +perhaps we can still do it!' And Loudon tried all these things to a +high stretch; but found in Tauentzien the wrong man. + +"THURSDAY, 3lst, Loudon, who has two bridges over Oder, and the +Town begirt all round, summons Tauentzien in an awful sounding +tone: 'Consider, Sir: no defence possible; a trading Town, you +ought not to attempt defence of it: surrender on fair terms, or I +shall, which God forbid, be obliged to burn you and it from the +face of the world!' 'Pooh, pooh,' answers Tauentzien, in brief +polite terms; 'you yourselves had no doubt it was a Garrison, when +we besieged you here, on the heel of Leuthen; had you? Go to!'-- +Fiery Loudon cannot try storm, the Town having Oder and a wet ditch +round it. He gets his bombarding batteries forward, as the one +chance he has, aided by bullying. And to-morrow, + +"FRIDAY, AUGUST 1st, sends, half officially, half in the friendly +way, dreadful messages again: a warning to the Mayor of Breslau +(which was not signed by Loudon), 'Death and destruction, Sir, +unless'--!--warning to the Mayor; and, by the same private half- +official messenger, a new summons to Tauentzien: 'Bombardment +infallible; universal massacre by Croats; I will not spare the +child in its mother's womb.' 'I am not with child,' said +Tauentzien, 'nor are my soldiers! What is the use of such talk?' +And about 10 that night, Loudon does accordingly break out into all +the fire of bombardment he is master of. Kindles the Town in +various places, which were quenched again by Tauentzien's +arrangements; kindles especially the King's fine Dwelling-house +(Palace they call it), and adjacent streets, not quenchable till +Palace and they are much ruined. Will this make no impression? +Far too little. + +"Next morning Loudon sends a private messenger of conciliatory +tone: 'Any terms your Excellency likes to name. Only spare me the +general massacre, and child in the mother's womb!' From all which +Tauentzien infers that you are probably short of ammunition; +and that his outlooks are improving. That day he gets guns brought +to bear on General Loudon's own quarter; blazes into Loudon's +sitting-room, so that Loudon has to shift else-whither. +No bombardment ensues that night; nor next day anything but +desultory cannonading, and much noise and motion;--and at night, +SUNDAY, 3d, everything falls quiet, and, to the glad amazement of +everybody, Loudon has vanished." [Tempelhof, iv. 90-100; +Archenholtz, ii. 89-94; HOFBERICHT VON DER BELAGERUNG VON BRESLAU +IM AUGUST 1760 (in Seyfarth, <italic> Beylagen, <end italic> +ii. 688-698); also in <italic> Helden-Geschichte, <end italic> +vi. 299-309: in <italic> Anonymous of Hamburg <end italic> +(iv. 115-124), that is, in the OLD NEWSPAPERS, extremely particular +account, How "not only the finest Horse in Breslau, and the finest +House [King's Palace], but the handsomest Man, and, alas, also the +prettiest Girl [poor Jungfer Muller, shattered by a bomb-shell on +the streets], were destroyed in this short Siege,"--world-famous +for the moment. Preuss, ii. 246.] + +Loudon had no other shift left. This Sunday his Russians are still +five days distant; alert Henri, on the contrary, is, in a sense, +come to hand. Crossed the Katzbach River this day, the Vanguard of +him did, at Parchwitz; and fell upon our Bakery; which has had to +take the road. "Guard the Bakery, all hands there," orders Loudon; +"off to Striegau and the Hills with it;"--and is himself gone +thither after it, leaving Breslau, Henri and the Russians to what +fate may be in store for them. Henri has again made one of his +winged marches, the deft creature, though the despondent; "march of +90 miles in three days [in the last three, from Glogau, 90; in the +whole, from Landsberg, above 200], and has saved the State," says +Retzow. "Made no camping, merely bivouacked; halting for a rest +four or five hours here and there;" [Retzow, ii. 230 (very vague); +in Tempelhof (iv. 89, 90, 95-97) clear and specific account.] and +on August 5th is at Lissa (this side the Field of Leuthen); +making Breslau one of the gladdest of cities. + +So that Soltikof, on arriving (village of Hundsfeld, August 8th), +by the other side of the River, finds Henri's advanced guards +intrenched over there, in Old Oder; no Russian able to get within +five miles of Breslau,--nor able to do more than cannonade in the +distance, and ask with indignation, "Where are the siege-guns, +then; where is General Loudon? Instead of Breslau capturable, and a +sure Magazine for us, here is Henri, and nothing but steel to eat!" +And the Soltikof risen into Russian rages, and the Montalembert +sunk in difficulties: readers can imagine these. +Indignant Soltikof, deaf to suasion, with this dangerous Henri in +attendance, is gradually edging back; always rather back, with an +eye to his provisions, and to certain bogs and woods he knows of. +But we will leave the Soltikof-Henri end of the line, for the +opposite end, which is more interesting.--To Friedrich, till he got +to Silesia itself, these events are totally unknown. His cunctatory +Henri, by this winged march, when the moment came, what a service +has he done!-- + +Tauentzien's behavior, also, has been superlative at Breslau; +and was never forgotten by the King. A very brave man, testifies +Lessing of him; true to the death: "Had there come but three, to +rally with the King under a bush of the forest, Tauentzien would +have been one." Tauentzien was on the ramparts once, in this +Breslau pinch, giving orders; a bomb burst beside him, did not +injure him. "Mark that place," said Tauentzien; and clapt his hat +on it, continuing his orders, till a more permanent mark were put. +In that spot, as intended through the next thirty years, he now +lies buried. [<italic> Militair-Lexikon, <end italic> iv. 72-75; Lessing's <italic> Werke; <end italic> &c. &c.] + + +FRIEDRICH ON MARCH, FOR THE THIRD TIME, TO RESCUE SILESIA +(August 1st-15th). + +AUGUST 1st, Friedrich crossed the Elbe at Zehren, in the Schieritz +vicinity, as near Meissen as he could; but it had to be some six +miles farther down, such the liabilities to Austrian disturbance. +All are across that morning by 5 o'clock (began at 2); whence we +double back eastward, and camp that night at Dallwitz,--are quietly +asleep there, while Loudon's bombardment bursts out on Breslau, far +away! At Dallwitz we rest next day, wait for our Bakeries and +Baggages; and SUNDAY, AUGUST 3d, at 2 in the morning, set forth on +the forlornest adventure in the world. + +The arrangements of the March, foreseen and settled beforehand to +the last item, are of a perfection beyond praise;--as is still +visible in the General Order, or summary of directions given out; +which, to this day, one reads with a kind of satisfaction like that +derivable from the Forty-seventh of Euclid: clear to the meanest +capacity, not a word wanting in it, not a word superfluous, solid +as geometry. "The Army marches always in Three Columns, left Column +foremost: our First Line of Battle [in case we have fighting] is +this foremost Column; Second Line is the Second Column; Reserve is +the Third. All Generals' chaises, money-wagons, and regimental +Surgeons' wagons remain with their respective Battalions; as do the +Heavy Batteries with the Brigades to which they belong. When the +march is through woody country, the Cavalry regiments go in between +the Battalions [to be ready against Pandour operations +and accidents]. + +"With the First Column, the Ziethen Hussars and Free-Battalion +Courbiere have always the vanguard; Mohring Hussars and Free- +Battalion Quintus [speed to you, learned friend!] the rear-guard. +With the Second Column always the Dragoon regiments Normann and +Krockow have the vanguard; Regiment Czetteritz [Dragoons, poor +Czetteritz himself, with his lost MANUSCRIPT, is captive since +February last], the rear-guard. With the Third Column always the +Dragoon regiment Holstein as head, and the ditto Finkenstein to +close the Column.--During every march, however, there are to be of +the Second Column 2 Battalions joined with Column Third; so that +the Third Column consists of 10 Battalions, the Second of 6, while +on march. + +"Ahead of each Column go three Pontoon Wagons; and daily are 50 +work-people allowed them, who are immediately to lay Bridge, where +it is necessary. The rear-guard of each Column takes up these +Bridges again; brings them on, and returns them to the head of the +Column, when the Army has got to camp. In the Second Column are to +be 500 wagons, and also in the Third 500, so shared that each +battalion gets an equal number. The battalions--" [In TEMPELHOF +(iv. 125, 126) the entire Piece.] ... This may serve as specimen. + +The March proceeded through the old Country; a little to left of +the track in June past: Roder Water, Pulsnitz Water; +Kamenz neighborhood, Bautzen neighborhood,--Bunzlau on Silesian +ground. Daun, at Bischofswerda, had foreseen this March; and, by +his Light people, had spoiled the Road all he could; broken all the +Bridges, HALF-felled the Woods (to render them impassable). +Daun, the instant he heard of the actual March, rose from +Bischofswerda: forward, forward always, to be ahead of it, however +rapid; Lacy, hanging on the rear of it, willing to give trouble +with his Pandour harpies, but studious above all that it should not +whirl round anywhere and get upon his, Lacy's, own throat. One of +the strangest marches ever seen. "An on-looker, who had observed +the march of these different Armies," says Friedrich, "would have +thought that they all belonged to one leader. Feldmarschall Daun's +he would have taken for the Vanguard, the King's for the main Army, +and General Lacy's for the Rear-guard." [<italic> OEuvres de +Frederic, <end italic> v. 56.] Tempelhof says: "It is given only to +a Friedrich to march on those terms; between Two hostile Armies, +his equals in strength, and a Third [Loudon's, in Striegau Country] +waiting ahead." + +The March passed without accident of moment; had not, from Lacy or +Daun, any accident whatever. On the second day, an Aide-de-Camp of +Daun's was picked up, with Letters from Lacy (back of the cards +visible to Friedrich). Once,--it is the third day of the March +(August 6th, village of Rothwasser to be quarter for the night),-- +on coming toward Neisse River, some careless Officer, trusting to +peasants, instead of examining for himself and building a bridge, +drove his Artillery-wagons into the so-called ford of Neisse; +which nearly swallowed the foremost of them in quicksands. +Nearly, but not completely; and caused a loss of five or six hours +to that Second Column. So that darkness came on Column Second in +the woody intricacies; and several hundreds of the deserter kind +took the opportunity of disappearing altogether. An unlucky, +evidently too languid Officer; though Friedrich did not annihilate +the poor fellow, perhaps did not rebuke him at all, but merely +marked it in elucidation of his qualities for time coming." +This miserable village of Rothwasser" (head-quarters after the +dangerous fording of Neisse), says Mitchell, "stands in the middle +of a wood, almost as wild and impenetrable as those in North +America. There was hardly ground enough cleared about it for the +encampment of the troops." [Mitchell, ii. 190; Tempelhof, iv. 131.] +THURSDAY, AUGUST 7th, Friedrich--traversing the whole Country, but +more direct, by Konigsbruck and Kamenz this time--is at Bunzlau +altogether. "Bunzlau on the Bober;" the SILESIAN Bunzlau, not the +Bohemian or any of the others. It is some 30 miles west of +Liegnitz, which again lies some 40 northwest of Schweidnitz and the +Strong Places. Friedrich has now done 100 miles of excellent +marching; and he has still a good spell more to do,--dragging +"2,000 heavy wagons" with him, and across such impediments within +and without. Readers that care to study him, especially for the +next few days, will find it worth their while. + +Tempelhof gives, as usual, a most clear Account, minute to a +degree; which, supplemented by Mitchell and a Reimann Map, enables +us as it were to accompany, and to witness with our eyes. +Hitherto a March toilsome in the extreme, in spite of everything +done to help it; starting at 3 or at 2 in the morning; resting to +breakfast in some shady place, while the sun is high, frugally +cooking under the shady woods,--"BURSCHEN ABZUKOCHEN here," as the +Order pleasantly bears. All encamped now, at Bunzlau in Silesia, on +Thursday evening, with a very eminent week's work behind them. +"In the last five days, above 100 miles of road, and such road; +five considerable rivers in it"--Bober, Queiss, Neisse, Spree, +Elbe; and with such a wagon-train of 2,000 teams. [Tempelhof, iv. +123-150.] + +Proper that we rest a day here; in view of the still swifter +marchings and sudden dashings about, which lie ahead. It will be by +extremely nimble use of all the limbs we have,--hands as well as +feet,--if any good is to come of us now! Friedrich is aware that +Daun already holds Striegau "as an outpost [Loudon thereabouts, +unknown to Friedrich], these several days;" and that Daun +personally is at Schmottseifen, in our own old Camp there, twenty +or thirty miles to south of us, and has his Lacy to leftward of +him, partly even to rearward: rather in advance of US, both of +them,--if we were for Landshut; which we are not. "Be swift enough, +may not we cut through to Jauer, and get ahead of Daun?" counts +Friedrich: "To Jauer, southeast of us, from Bunzlau here, is 40 +miles; and to Jauer it is above 30 east for Daun: possible to be +there before Daun! Jauer ours, thence to the Heights of Striegau +and Hohenfriedberg Country, within wind of Schweidnitz, of Breslau: +magazines, union with Prince Henri, all secure thereby?" So reckons +the sanguine Friedrich; unaware that Loudon, with his corps of +35,000, has been summoned hitherward; which will make important +differences! Loudon, Beck with a smaller Satellite Corps, both +these, unknown to Friedrich, lie ready on the east of him: +Loudon's Army on the east; Daun's, Lacy's on the south and west; +three big Armies, with their Satellites, gathering in upon this +King: here is a Three-headed Dog, in the Tartarus of a world he now +has! On the fourth side of him is Oder, and the Russians, who are +also perhaps building Bridges, by way of a supplementary or +fourth head. + +AUGUST 9th (BUNZLAU TO GOLDBERG), Friedrich, with his Three Columns +and perfect arrangements, makes a long march: from Bunzlau at 3 in +the morning; and at 5 afternoon arrives in sight of the Katzbach +Valley, with the little Town of Goldberg some miles to right. +Katzbach River is here; and Jauer, for to-morrow, still fifteen +miles ahead. But on reconnoitring here, all is locked and bolted: +Lacy strong on the Hills of Goldberg; Daun visible across the +Katzbach; Daun, and behind him Loudon, inexpugnably posted: +Jauer an impossibility! We have bread only for eight days; +our Magazines are at Schweidnitz and Breslau: what is to be done? +Get through, one way or other, we needs must! Friedrich encamps for +the night; expecting an attack. If not attacked, he will make for +Liegnitz leftward; cross the Katzbach there, or farther down at +Parchwitz:--Parchwitz, Neumarkt, LEUTHEN, we have been in that +country before now:--Courage! + +AUGUST 10th-11th (TO LIEGNITZ AND BACK). At 5 A.M., Sunday, August +10th, Friedrich, nothing of attack having come, got on march again: +down his own left bank of the Katzbach, straight for Liegnitz; +unopposed altogether; not even a Pandour having attacked him +overnight. But no sooner is he under way, than Daun too rises; +Daun, Loudon, close by, on the other side of Katzbach, and keep +step with us, on our right; Lacy's light people hovering on our +rear:--three truculent fellows in buckram; fancy the feelings of +the way-worn solitary fourth, whom they are gloomily dogging in +this way! The solitary fourth does his fifteen miles to Liegnitz, +unmolested by them; encamps on the Heights which look down on +Liegnitz over the south; finds, however, that the Loudon-Daun +people have likewise been diligent; that they now lie stretched out +on their right bank, three or four miles up-stream or to rearward, +and what is far worse, seven miles downwards, or ahead: that, in +fact, they are a march nearer Parchwitz than he;--and that there is +again no possibility. "Perhaps by Jauer, then, still? Out of this, +and at lowest, into some vicinity of bread, it does behoove us to +be!" At 11 that night Friedrich gets on march again; returns the +way he came. And, + +AUGUST 11th, At daybreak, is back to his old ground; nothing now to +oppose him but Lacy, who is gone across from Goldberg, to linger as +rear of the Daun-Loudon march. Friedrich steps across on Lacy, +thirsting to have a stroke at Lacy; who vanishes fast enough, +leaving the ground clear. Could but our baggage have come as fast +as we! But our baggage, Quintus guarding and urging, has to groan +on for five hours yet; and without it, there is no stirring. +Five mortal hours;--by which time, Daun, Lacy, Loudon are all up +again; between us and Jauer, between us and everything helpful;-- +and Friedrich has to encamp in Seichau,--"a very poor Village in +the Mountains," writes Mitchell, who was painfully present there, +"surrounded on all sides by Heights; on several of which, in the +evening, the Austrians took camp, separated from us by a deep +ravine only." [Mitchell, ii. 194.] + +Outlooks are growing very questionable to Mitchell and everybody. +"Only four days' provisions" (in reality six), whisper the Prussian +Generals gloomily to Mitchell and to one another: "Shall we have to +make for Glogau, then, and leave Breslau to its fate? Or perhaps it +will be a second Maxen to his Majesty and us, who was so indignant +with poor Finck?" My friends, no; a Maxen like Finck's it will +never be: a very different Maxen, if any! But we hope +better things. + +Friedrich's situation, grasped in the Three-lipped Pincers in this +manner, is conceivable to readers. Soltikof, on the other side of +Oder, as supplementary or fourth lip, is very impatient with these +three. "Why all this dodging, and fidgeting to and fro? You are +above three to one of your enemy. Why don't you close on him at +once, if you mean it at all? The end is, He will be across Oder; +and it is I that shall have the brunt to bear: Henri and he will +enclose me between two fires!" And in fact, Henri, as we know, +though Friedrich does not or only half does, has gone across Oder, +to watch Soltikof, and guard Breslau from any attempts of his,-- +which are far from HIS thoughts at this moment;--a Soltikof fuming +violently at the thought of such cunctations, and of being made +cat's-paw again. "Know, however, that I understand you," violently +fumes Soltikof, "and that I won't. I fall back into the Trebnitz +Bog-Country, on my own right bank here, and look out for my own +safety."--"Patience, your noble Excellenz," answer they always; +"oh, patience yet a little! Only yesterday (Sunday, 10th) the day +after his arrival in this region), we had decided to attack and +crush him; Sunday very early: [Tempelhof, iv. 137, 148-150.] but he +skipped away to Liegnitz. Oh, be patient yet a day or two: he skips +about at such a rate!" Montalembert has to be suasive as the Muses +and the Sirens. Soltikof gloomily consents to another day or two. +And even, such his anxiety lest this swift King skip over upon HIM, +pushes out a considerable Russian Division, 24,000 ultimately, +under Czernichef, towards the King's side of things, towards Auras +on Oder, namely,--there to watch for oneself these interesting +Royal movements; or even to join with Loudon out there, if that +seem the safer course, against them. Of Czernichef at Auras we +shall hear farther on,--were these Royal movements once got +completed a little. + +MORNING OF AUGUST 12th, Friedrich has, in his bad lodging at +Seichau, laid a new plan of route: "Towards Schweidnitz let it be; +round by Pombsen and the southeast, by the Hill-roads, make a sweep +flankward of the enemy!"--and has people out reconnoitring the +Hill-roads. Hears, however, about 8 o'clock, That Austrians in +strength are coming between us and Goldberg! "Intending to enclose +us in this bad pot of a Seichau; no crossing of the Katzbach, or +other retreat to be left us at all?" Friedrich strikes his tents; +ranks himself; is speedily in readiness for dispute of such +extremity;--sends out new patrols, however, to ascertain. +"Austrians in strength" there are NOT on the side indicated;-- +whereupon he draws in again. But, on the other hand, the Hill-roads +are reported absolutely impassable for baggage; Pombsen an +impossibility, as the other places have been. So Friedrich sits +down again in Seichau to consider; does not stir all day. +To Mitchell's horror, who, "with great labor," burns all the +legationary ciphers and papers ("impossible to save the baggage if +we be attacked in this hollow pot of a camp"), and feels much +relieved on finishing. [Mitchell, ii. 144; Tempelhof, iv. 144.] + +Towards sunset, General Bulow, with the Second Line (second column +of march), is sent out Goldberg-way, to take hold of the passage of +the Katzbach: and at 8 that night we all march, recrossing there +about 1 in the morning; thence down our left bank to Liegnitz for +the second time,--sixteen hours of it in all, or till noon of the +13th. Mitchell had been put with the Cavalry part; and "cannot but +observe to your Lordship what a chief comfort it was in this long, +dangerous and painful March," to have burnt one's ciphers and dread +secrets quite out of the way. + +And thus, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13th, about noon, we are in our old +Camp; Head-quarter in the southern suburb of Liegnitz (a wretched +little Tavern, which they still show there, on mythical terms): +main part of the Camp, I should think, is on that range of Heights, +which reaches two miles southward, and is now called "SIEGESBERG +(Victory Hill)," from a modern Monument built on it, after nearly +100 years. Here Friedrich stays one day,--more exactly, 30 hours;-- +and his shifting, next time, is extremely memorable. + + +BATTLE, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF LIEGNITZ, DOES ENSUE +(Friday morning, 15th August, 1760). + +Daun, Lacy and Loudon, the Three-lipped Pincers, have of course +followed, and are again agape for Friedrich, all in scientific +postures: Daun in the Jauer region, seven or eight miles south; +Lacy about Goldberg, as far to southwest; Loudon "between +Jeschkendorf and Koischwitz," northeastward, somewhat closer on +Friedrich, with the Katzbach intervening. That Czernichef, with an +additional 24,000, to rear of Loudon, is actually crossing Oder at +Auras, with an eye to junction, Friedrich does not hear till +to-morrow. [Tempelhof, iv. 148-151; Mitchell, ii. 197.] + +The scene is rather pretty, if one admired scenes. Liegnitz, a +square, handsome, brick-built Town, of old standing, in good repair +(population then, say 7,000), with fine old castellated edifices +and aspects: pleasant meeting, in level circumstances, of the +Katzbach valley with the Schwartz-wasser (BLACK-WATER) ditto, which +forms the north rim of Liegnitz; pleasant mixture of green poplars +and brick towers,--as seen from that "Victory Hill" (more likely to +be "Immediate-Ruin Hill!") where the King now is. Beyond Liegnitz +and the Schwartzwasser, northwestward, right opposite to the +King's, rise other Heights called of Pfaffendorf, which guard the +two streams AFTER their uniting. Kloster Wahlstatt, a famed place, +lies visible to southeast, few miles off. Readers recollect one +Blucher "Prince of Wahlstatt," so named from one of his Anti- +Napoleon victories gained there? Wahlstatt was the scene of an +older Fight, almost six centuries older, [April 9th, 1241 (Kohler, +REICHS-HISTORIE).]--a then Prince of Liegnitz VERSUS hideous Tartar +multitudes, who rather beat him; and has been a CLOISTER Wahlstatt +ever since. Till Thursday, 14th, about 8 in the evening, Friedrich +continued in his Camp of Liegnitz. We are now within reach of a +notable Passage of War. + +Friedrich's Camp extends from the Village of Schimmelwitz, fronting +the Katzbach for about two miles, northeastward, to his Head- +quarter in Liegnitz Suburb: Daun is on his right and rearward, now +come within four or five miles; Loudon to his left and frontward, +four or five, the Katzbach separating Friedrich and him; Lacy lies +from Goldberg northeastward, to within perhaps a like distance +rearward: that is the position on Thursday, 14th. Provisions being +all but run out; and three Armies, 90,000 (not to count Czernichef +and his 24,000 as a fourth) watching round our 30,000, within a few +miles; there is no staying here, beyond this day. If even this day +it be allowed us? This day, Friedrich had to draw out, and stand to +arms for some hours; while the Austrians appeared extensively on +the Heights about, apparently intending an attack; till it proved +to be nothing: only an elaborate reconnoitring by Daun; and we +returned to our tents again. + +Friedrich understands well enough that Daun, with the facts now +before him, will gradually form his plan, and also, from the lie of +matters, what his plan will be: many are the times Daun has +elaborately reconnoitred, elaborately laid his plan; but found, on +coming to execute, that his Friedrich was off in the interim, and +the plan gone to air. Friedrich has about 2,000 wagons to drag with +him in these swift marches: Glogau Magazine, his one resource, +should Breslau and Schweidnitz prove unattainable, is forty-five +long miles northwestward. "Let us lean upon Glogau withal," thinks +Friedrich; "and let us be out of this straightway! March to-night; +towards Parchwitz, which is towards Glogau too. Army rest till +daybreak on the Heights of Pfaffendorf yonder, to examine, to wait +its luck: let the empty meal-wagons jingle on to Glogau; +load themselves there, and jingle back to us in Parchwitz +neighborhood, should Parchwitz not have proved impossible to our +manoeuvrings,--let us hope it may not!"--Daun and the Austrians +having ceased reconnoitring, and gone home, Friedrich rides with +his Generals, through Liegnitz, across the Schwartzwasser, to the +Pfaffendorf Heights. "Here, Messieurs, is our first halting-place +to be: here we shall halt till daybreak, while the meal-wagons +jingle on!" And explains to them orally where each is to take post, +and how to behave. Which done, he too returns home, no doubt a +wearied individual; and at 4 of the afternoon lies down to try for +an hour or two of sleep, while all hands are busy packing, +according to the Orders given. + +It is a fact recorded by Friedrich himself, and by many other +people, That, at this interesting juncture, there appeared at the +King's Gate, King hardly yet asleep, a staggering Austrian Officer, +Irish by nation, who had suddenly found good to desert the Austrian +Service for the Prussian--("Sorrow on them: a pack of"--what shall +I say?)--Irish gentleman, bursting with intelligence of some kind, +but evidently deep in liquor withal. "Impossible; the King is +asleep," said the Adjutant on duty; but produced only louder +insistence from the drunk Irish gentleman. "As much as all your +heads are worth; the King's own safety, and not a moment to lose!" +What is to be done? They awaken the King: "The man is drunk, but +dreadfully in earnest, your Majesty." "Give him quantities of weak +tea [Tempelhof calls it tea, but Friedrich merely warm water]; +then examine him, and report if it is anything." Something it was: +"Your Majesty to be attacked, for certain, this night!" what his +Majesty already guessed:--something, most likely little; but nobody +to this day knows. Visible only, that his Majesty, before sunset, +rode out reconnoitring with this questionable Irish gentleman, now +in a very flaccid state; and altered nothing whatever in prior +arrangements;--and that the flaccid Irish gentleman staggers out of +sight, into dusk, into rest and darkness, after this one appearance +on the stage of history. [<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end +italic> v. 63; Tempelhof, iv. 154.] + +From about 8 in the evening, Friedrich's people got on march, in +their several columns, and fared punctually on; one column through +the streets of Liegnitz, others to left and to right of that; +to left mainly, as remoter from the Austrians and their listening +outposts from beyond the Katzbach River;--where the camp-fires are +burning extremely distinct to-night. The Prussian camp-fires, they +too are all burning uncommonly vivid; country people employed to +feed them; and a few hussar sentries and drummers to make the +customary sounds for Daun's instruction, till a certain hour. +Friedrich's people are clearing the North Suburb of Liegnitz, +crossing the Schwartzwasser: artillery and heavy wagons all go by +the Stone-Bridge at Topferberg (POTTER-HILL) there; the lighter +people by a few pontoons farther down that stream, in the +Pfaffendorf vicinity. About one in the morning, all, even the right +wing from Schimmelwitz, are safely across. + +Schwartzwasser, a River of many tails (boggy most of them, Sohnelle +or SWIFT Deichsel hardly an exception), gathering itself from the +southward for twenty or more miles, attains its maximum of north at +a place called Waldau, not far northwest of Topferberg. Towards +this Waldau, Lacy is aiming all night; thence to pounce on our +"left wing,"--which he will find to consist of those empty watch- +fires merely. Down from Waldau, past Topferberg and Pfaffendorf +(PRIEST-town, or as we should call it, "Preston"), which are all on +its northern or left bank, Schwartzwasser's course is in the form +of an irregular horse-shoe; high ground to its northern side, +Liegnitz and hollows to its southern; till in an angular way it do +join Katzbach, and go with that, northward for Oder the rest of its +course. On the brow of these horse-shoe Heights,--which run +parallel to Schwartzwasser one part of them, and nearly parallel to +Katzbach another (though above a mile distant, these latter, from +IT),--Friedrich plants himself: in Order of Battle; +slightly altering some points of the afternoon's program, and +correcting his Generals, "Front rather so and so; see where their +fires are, yonder!" Daun's fires, Loudon's fires; vividly visible +both:--and, singular to say, there is nothing yonder either but a +few sentries and deceptive drums! All empty yonder too, even as our +own Camp is; all gone forth, even as we are; we resting here, and +our meal-wagons jingling on Glogau way! + +Excellency Mitchell, under horse-escort, among the lighter baggage, +is on Kuchelberg Heath, in scrubby country, but well north behind +Friedrich's centre: has had a dreadful march; one comfort only, +that his ciphers are all burnt. The rest of us lie down on the +grass;--among others, young Herr von Archenholtz, ensign or +lieutenant in Regiment FORCADE: who testifies that it is one of the +beautifulest nights, the lamps of Heaven shining down in an +uncommonly tranquil manner; and that almost nobody slept. +The soldier-ranks all lay horizontal, musket under arm; +chatting pleasantly in an undertone, or each in silence revolving +such thoughts as he had. The Generals amble like observant spirits, +hoarsely imperative. [Archenholtz, ii. 100-111.] Friedrich's line, +we observed, is in the horse-shoe shape (or PARABOLIC, straighter +than horse-shoe), fronting the waters. Ziethen commands in that +smaller Schwartzwasser part of the line, Friedrich in the Katzbach +part, which is more in risk. And now, things being moderately in +order, Friedrich has himself sat down--I think, towards the middle +or convex part of his lines--by a watch-fire he has found there; +and, wrapt in his cloak, his many thoughts melting into haze, has +sunk ito a kind of sleep. Seated on a drum, some say; half asleep +by the watch-fire, time half-past 2,--when a Hussar Major, who has +been out by the Bienowitz, the Pohlschildern way, northward, +reconnoitring, comes dashing up full speed: "The King? where is the +King?" "What is it, then?" answers the King for himself. +"Your Majesty, the Enemy in force, from Bienowitz, from +Pohlschildern, coming on our Left Wing yonder; has flung back all +my vedettes: is within 500 yards by this time!" + +Friedrich springs to horse; has already an Order speeding forth, +"General Schenkendorf and his Battalion, their cannon, to the crown +of the Wolfsberg, on our left yonder; swift!" How excellent that +every battalion (as by Order that we read) "has its own share of +the heavy cannon always at hand!" ejaculate the military critics. +Schenkendorf, being nimble, was able to astonish the Enemy with +volumes of case-shot from the Wolfsberg, which were very deadly at +that close distance. Other arrangements, too minute for recital +here, are rapidly done; and our Left Wing is in condition to +receive its early visitors,--Loudon or whoever they may be. It is +still dubious to the History-Books whether Friedrich was in clear +expectation of Loudon here; though of course he would now guess it +was Loudon. But there is no doubt Loudon had not the least +expectation of Friedrich; and his surprise must have been intense, +when, instead of vacant darkness (and some chance of Prussian +baggage, which he had heard of), Prussian musketries and case-shot +opened on him. + +Loudon had, as per order, quitted his Camp at Jeschkendorf, about +the time Friedrich did his at Schimmelwitz; and, leaving the lights +all burning, had set forward on his errand; which was (also +identical with Friedrich's), to seize the Heights of Pfaffendorf, +and be ready there when day broke. scouts having informed him that +the Prussian Baggage was certainly gone through to Topferberg,-- +more his scouts did not know, nor could Loudon guess,--"We will +snatch that Baggage!" thought Loudon; and with such view has been +speeding all he could; no vanguard ahead, lest he alarm the Baggage +escort: Loudon in person, with the Infantry of the Reserve, +striding on ahead, to devour any Baggage-escort there may be. +Friedrich's reconnoitring Hussar parties had confirmed this belief: +"Yes, yes!" thought Loudon. And now suddenly, instead of Baggage to +capture, here, out of the vacant darkness, is Friedrich in person, +on the brow of the Heights where we intended to form!-- + +Loudon's behavior, on being hurled back with his Reserve in this +manner, everybody says, was magnificent. Judging at once what the +business was, and that retreat would be impossible without ruin, he +hastened instantly to form himself, on such ground as he had,-- +highly unfavorable ground, uphill in part, and room in it only for +Five Battalions (5,000) of front;--and came on again, with a great +deal of impetuosity and good skill; again and ever again, three +times in all. Had partial successes; edged always to the right to +get the flank of Friedrich; but could not, Friedrich edging +conformably. From his right-hand, or northeast part, Loudon poured +in, once and again, very furious charges of Cavalry; on every +repulse, drew out new Battalions from his left and centre, and +again stormed forward: but found it always impossible. Had his +subordinates all been Loudons, it is said, there was once a fine +chance for him. By this edging always to the northeastward on his +part and Friedrich's, there had at last a considerable gap in +Friedrich's Line established itself,--not only Ziethen's Line and +Friedrich's Line now fairly fallen asunder, but, at the Village of +Panten, in Friedrich's own Line, a gap where anybody might get in. +One of the Austrian Columns was just entering Panten when the Fight +began: in Panten that Column has stood cogitative ever since; +well to left of Loudon and his struggles; but does not, till the +eleventh hour, resolve to push through. At the eleventh hour;--and +lo, in the nick of time, Mollendorf (our Leuthen-and-Hochkirch +friend) got his eye on it; rushed up with infantry and cavalry; +set Panten on fire, and blocked out that possibility and the too +cogitative Column. + +Loudon had no other real chance: his furious horse-charges and +attempts were met everywhere by corresponding counter-fury. +Bernburg, poor Regiment Bernburg, see what a figure it is making! +Left almost alone, at one time, among those horse-charges; +spending its blood like water, bayonet-charging, platooning as +never before; and on the whole, stemming invincibly that horse- +torrent,--not unseen by Majesty, it may be hoped; who is here where +the hottest pinch is. On the third repulse, which was worse than +any before, Loudon found he had enough; and tried it no farther. +Rolled over the Katzbach, better or worse; Prussians catching 6,000 +of him, but not following farther: threw up a tine battery at +Bienowitz, which sheltered his retreat from horse:--and went his +ways, sorely but not dishonorably beaten, after an hour and half of +uncommonly stiff fighting, which had been very murderous to Loudon. +Loss of 10,000 to him: 4,000 killed and wounded; prisoners 6,000; +82 cannon, 28 flags, and other items; the Prussian loss being 1,800 +in whole. [Tempelhof, iv. 159.] By 5 o'clock, the Battle, this +Loudon part of it, was quite over; Loudon (35,000) wrecking himself +against Friedrich's Left Wing (say half of his Army, some 15,000) +in such conclusive manner. Friedrich's Left Wing alone has been +engaged hitherto. And now it will be Ziethen's turn, if Daun and +Lacy still come on. + +By 11 last night, Daun's Pandours, creeping stealthily on, across +the Katzbach, about Schimmelwitz, had discerned with amazement that +Friedrich's Camp appeared to consist only of watch-fires; and had +shot off their speediest rider to Daun, accordingly; but it was one +in the morning before Daun, busy marching and marshalling, to be +ready at the Katzbach by daylight, heard of this strange news; +which probably he could not entirely believe till seen with his own +eyes. What a spectacle! One's beautiful Plan exploded into mere +imbroglio of distraction; become one knows not what! Daun's watch- +fires too had all been left burning; universal stratagem, on both +sides, going on; producing--tragically for some of us--a TRAGEDY of +Errors, or the Mistakes of a Night! Daun sallied out again, in his +collapsed, upset condition, as soon as possible: pushed on, in the +track of Friedrich; warning Lacy to push on. Daun, though within +five miles all the while, had heard nothing of the furious Fight +and cannonade; "southwest wind having risen," so Daun said, and is +believed by candid persons,--not by the angry Vienna people, who +counted it impossible: "Nonsense; you were not deaf; but you +loitered and haggled, in your usual way; perhaps not sorry that, +the brilliant Loudon should get a rebuff!" + +Emerging out of Liegnitz, Daun did see, to northeastward, a vast +pillar or mass of smoke, silently mounting, but could do nothing +with it. "Cannon-smoke, no doubt; but fallen entirely silent, and +not wending hitherward at all. Poor Loudon, alas, must have got +beaten!" Upon which Daun really did try, at least upon Ziethen; +but could do nothing. Poured cavalry across the Stone-bridge at the +Topferberg: who drove in Ziethen's picket there; but were torn to +pieces by Ziethen's cannon. Ziethen across the Schwartzwasser is +alert enough. How form in order of battle here, with Ziethen's +batteries shearing your columns longitudinally, as they march up? +Daun recognizes the impossibility; wends back through Liegnitz to +his Camp again, the way he had come. Tide-hour missed again; +ebb going uncommonly rapid! Lacy had been about Waldau, to try +farther up the Schwartzwasser on Ziethen's right: but the +Schwartzwasser proved amazingly boggy; not accessible on any point +to heavy people,--"owing to bogs on the bank," with perhaps poor +prospect on the other side too! + +And, in fact, nothing of Lacy more than of Daun, could manage to +get across: nothing except two poor Hussar regiments; who, winding +up far to the left, attempted a snatch on the Baggage about +Hummeln,--Hummeln, or Kuchel of the Scrubs. And gave a new alarm to +Mitchell, the last of several during this horrid night; who has sat +painfully blocked in his carriage, with such a Devil's tumult, +going on to eastward, and no sight, share or knowledge to be had of +it. Repeated hussar attacks there were on the Baggage here, +Loudon's hussars also trying: but Mitchell's Captain was +miraculously equal to the occasion; and had beaten them all off. +Mitchell, by magnanimous choice of his own, has been in many Fights +by the side of Friedrich; but this is the last he will ever be in +or near;--this miraculous one of Liegnitz, 3 to 4.30 A.M., Friday, +August 15th, 1760. + +Never did such a luck befall Friedrich before or after. He was +clinging on the edge of slippery abysses, his path hardly a foot's- +breadth, mere enemies and avalanches hanging round on every side: +ruin likelier at no moment, of his life;--and here is precisely the +quasi-miracle which was needed to save him. Partly by accident too; +the best of management crowned by the luckiest of accidents. +[Tempelhof, iv. 151-171; Archenholtz, ubi supra; HO BERICHT VON DER +SCHLACHT SO AM 15 AUGUST, 1760, BEY LIEGNITZ, VORGEFALLEN +(Seyfarth, <italic> Beylagen, <end italic> ii. 696-703); &c. &c.] + +Friedrich rested four hours on the Battle-field,--if that could be +called rest, which was a new kind of diligence highly wonderful. +Diligence of gathering up accurately the results of the Battle; +packing them into portable shape; and marching off with them in +one's pocket, so to speak. Major-General Saldern had charge of +this, a man of many talents; and did it consummately. The wounded, +Austrian as well as Prussian, are placed in the empty meal-wagons; +the more slightly wounded are set on horseback, double in possible +cases: only the dead are left lying: 100 or more meal-wagons are +left, their teams needed for drawing our 82 new cannon;--the wagons +we split up, no Austrians to have them; usable only as firewood for +the poor Country-folk. The 4 or 5,000 good muskets lying on the +field, shall not we take them also? Each cavalry soldier slings one +of them across his back, each baggage driver one: and the muskets +too are taken care of. About 9 A.M., Friedrich, with his 6,000 +prisoners, new cannon-teams, sick-wagon teams, trophies, +properties, is afoot again. One of the succinctest of Kings. + +I should have mentioned the joy of poor Regiment Bernburg; +which rather affected me. Loudon gone, the miracle of Battle done, +and this miraculous packing going on,--Friedrich riding about among +his people, passed along the front of Bernburg, the eye of him +perhaps intimating, "I saw you, BURSCHE;" but no word coming from +him. The Bernburg Officers, tragically tressless in their hats, +stand also silent, grim as blackened stones (all Bernburg black +with gunpowder): "In us also is no word; unless our actions perhaps +speak?" But a certain Sergeant, Fugleman, or chief Corporal, stept +out, saluting reverentially: "Regiment Bernburg, IHRO MAJESTAT--?" +"Hm; well, you did handsomely. Yes, you shall have your side-arms +back; all shall be forgotten and washed out!" "And you are again +our Gracious King, then?" says the Sergeant, with tears in his +eyes.--"GEWISS, Yea, surely!" [Tempelhof, iv. 162-164.] Upon which, +fancy what a peal of sound from the ecstatic throat and heart of +this poor Regiment. Which I have often thought of; hearing mutinous +blockheads,"glorious Sons of Freedom" to their own thinking, ask +their natural commanding Officer, "Are not we as good as thou? Are +not all men equal?" Not a whit of it, you mutinous blockheads; +very far from it indeed! + +This was the breaking of Friedrich's imprisonment in the deadly +rock-labyrinths; this success at Liegnitz delivered him into free +field once more. For twenty-four hours more, indeed, the chance was +still full of anxiety to him; for twenty-four hours Daun, could he +have been rapid, still had the possibilities in hand;--but only +Daun's Antagonist was usually rapid. About 9 in the morning, all +road-ready, this latter Gentleman "gave three Salvos, as Joy-fire, +on the field of Liegnitz;" and, in the above succinct shape,-- +leaving Ziethen to come on, "with the prisoners, the sick-wagons +and captured cannon," in the afternoon,--marched rapidly away. +For Parchwitz, with our best speed: Parchwitz is the road to +Breslau, also to Glogau,--to Breslau, if it be humanly possible! +Friedrich has but two days' bread left; on the Breslau road, at +Auras, there is Czernichef with 24,000; there are, or there may be, +the Loudon Remnants rallied again, the Lacy Corps untouched, all +Daun's Force, had Daun made any despatch at all. Which Daun seldom +did. A man slow to resolve, and seeking his luck in leisure. + +All judges say, Daun ought now to have marched, on this enterprise +of still intercepting Friedrich, without loss of a moment. But he +calculated Friedrich would probably spend the day in TE-DEUM-ing on +the Field (as is the manner of some); and that, by to-morrow, +things would be clearer to one's own mind. Daun was in no haste; +gave no orders,--did not so much as send Czernichef a Letter. +Czernichef got one, however. Friedrich sent him one; that is to +say, sent him one TO INTERCEPT. Friedrich, namely, writes a Note +addressed to his Brother Henri: "Austrians totally beaten this day; +now for the Russians, dear Brother; and swift, do what we have +agreed on!" [<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> v. 67.] +Friedrich hands this to a Peasant, with instructions to let himself +be taken by the Russians, and give it up to save his life. +Czernichef, it is thought, got this Letter; and perhaps rumor +itself, and the delays of Daun, would, at any rate, have sent him +across. Across he at once went, with his 24,000, and burnt his +Bridge. A vanished Czernichef;--though Friedrich is not yet sure of +it: and as for the wandering Austrian Divisions, the Loudons, +Lacys, all is dark to him. + +So that, at Parchwitz, next morning (August 16th), the question, +"To Glogau? To Breslau?" must have been a kind of sphinx-enigma to +Friedrich; dark as that, and, in case of error, fatal. After some +brief paroxysm of consideration, Friedrich's reading was, "To +Breslau, then!" And, for hours, as the march went on, he was +noticed "riding much about," his anxieties visibly great. Till at +Neumarkt (not far from the Field of LEUTHEN), getting on the +Heights there,--towards noon, I will guess,--what a sight! +Before this, he had come upon Austrian Out-parties, Beck's or +somebody's, who did not wait his attack: he saw, at one point, "the +whole Austrian Army on march (the tops of its columns visible among +the knolls, three miles off, impossible to say whitherward);" +and fared on all the faster, I suppose, such a bet depending;--and, +in fine, galloped to the Heights of Neumarkt for a view: "Dare we +believe it? Not an Austrian there!" And might be, for the moment, +the gladdest of Kings. Secure now of Breslau, of junction with +Henri: fairly winner of the bet;--and can at last pause, and take +breath, very needful to his poor Army, if not to himself, after +such a mortal spasm of sixteen days! Daun had taken the Liegnitz +accident without remark; usually a stoical man, especially in other +people's misfortunes; but could not conceal his painful +astonishment on this new occasion,--astonishment at unjust fortune, +or at his own sluggardly cunctations, is not said. + +Next day (August 17th), Friedrich encamps at Hermannsdorf, head- +quarter the Schloss of Hermannsdorf, within seven miles of Breslau; +continues a fortnight there, resting his wearied people, himself +not resting much, watching the dismal miscellany of entanglements +that yet remain, how these will settle into groups,--especially +what Daun and his Soltikof will decide on. In about a fortnight, +Daun's decision did become visible; Soltikof's not in a fortnight, +nor ever clearly at all. Unless it were To keep a whole skin, and +gradually edge home to his victuals. As essentially it was, and +continued to be; creating endless negotiations, and futile +overtures and messagings from Daun to his barbarous Friend, endless +suasions and troubles from poor Montalembert,--of which it would +weary every reader to hear mention, except of the result only. + +Friedrich, for his own part, is little elated with these bits of +successes at Liegnitz or since; and does not deceive himself as to +the difficulties, almost the impossibilities, that still lie ahead. +In answer to D'Argens, who has written ("at midnight," starting out +of bed "the instant the news came"), in zealous congratulation on +Liegnitz, here is a Letter of Friedrich's: well worth reading,-- +though it has been oftener read than almost any other of his. +A Letter which D'Argens never saw in the original form; which was +captured by the Austrians or Cossacks; [See <italic> OEuvres de +Frederic, <end italic> xix. 198 (D'Argens himself, "19th October" +following), and ib. 191 n.; Rodenbeck, ii. 31, 36;--mention of it +in Voltaire, Montalembert, &c.] which got copied everywhere, soon +stole into print, and is ever since extensively known. + + +FRIEDRICH TO MARQUIS D'ARGENS (at Berlin). + +"HERMANNSDORF, near Breslau, 27th August, 1760. + +"In other times, my dear Marquis, the Affair of the 15th would have +settled the Campaign; at present it is but a scratch. There will be +needed a great Battle to decide our fate: such, by all appearance, +we shall soon have; and then you may rejoice, if the event is +favorable to us. Thank you, meanwhile, for all your sympathy. +It has cost a deal of scheming, striving and much address to bring +matters to this point. Don't speak to me of dangers; the last +Action costs me only a Coat [torn, useless, only one skirt left, by +some rebounding cannon-ball?] and a Horse [shot under me]: that is +not paying dear for a victory. + +"In my life, I was never in so bad a posture as in this Campaign. +Believe me, miracles are still needed if I am to overcome all the +difficulties which I still see ahead. And one is growing weak +withal. 'Herculean' labors to accomplish at an age when my powers +are forsaking me, my weaknesses increasing, and, to speak candidly, +even hope, the one comfort of the unhappy, begins to be wanting. +You are not enough acquainted with the posture of things, to know +all the dangers that threaten the State: I know them, and conceal +them; I keep all the fears to myself, and communicate to the Public +only the hopes, and the trifle of good news I may now and then +have. If the stroke I am meditating succeed [stroke on Daun's Anti- +Schweidnitz strategies, of which anon], then, my dear Marquis, it +will be time to expand one's joy; but till then let us not flatter +ourselves, lest some unexpected bit of bad news depress us +too much. + +"I live here [Schloss of Hermannsdorf, a seven miles west of +Breslau] like a Military Monk of La Trappe: endless businesses, and +these done, a little consolation from my Books. I know not if I +shall outlive this War: but should it so happen, I am firmly +resolved to pass the remainder of my life in solitude, in the bosom +of Philosophy and Friendship. When the roads are surer, perhaps you +will write me oftener. I know not where our winter-quarters this +time are to be! My House in Breslau is burnt down in the +Bombardment [Loudon's, three weeks ago]. Our enemies grudge us +everything, even daylight, and air to breathe: some nook, however, +they must leave us; and if it be a safe one, it will be a true +pleasure to have you again with me. + +"Well, my dear Marquis, what has become of the Peace with France +[English Peace]! Your Nation, you see, is blinder than you thought: +those fools will lose their Canada and Pondicherry, to please the +Queen of Hungary and the Czarina. Heaven grant Prince Ferdinand may +pay them for their zeal! And it will be the innocent that suffer, +the poor officers and soldiers, not the Choiseuls and--... But here +is business come on me. Adieu, dear Marquis; I embrace you.--F." +[<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> xix. 191.] + +Two Events, of opposite complexion, a Russian and a Saxon, +Friedrich had heard of while at Hermannsdorf, before writing as +above. The Saxon Event is the pleasant one, and comes first. + +HULSEN ON THE DURRENBERG, AUGUST 20th. "August 20th, at Strehla, in +that Schlettau-Meissen Country, the Reichsfolk and Austrians made +attack on Hulsen's Posts, principal Post of them the Durrenberg +(DRY-HILL) there,--in a most extensive manner; filling the whole +region with vague artillery-thunder, and endless charges, here, +there, of foot and horse; which all issued in zero and minus +quantities; Hulsen standing beautifully to his work, and Hussar +Kleist especially, at one point, cutting in with masterly +execution, which proved general overthrow to the Reichs Project; +and left Hulsen master of the field and of his Durrenberg, PLUS +1,217 prisoners and one Prince among them, and one cannon: a Hulsen +who has actually given a kind of beating to the Reichsfolk and +Austrians, though they were 30,000 to his 10,000, and had counted +on making a new Maxen of it." [Archenholts, ii. 114; BERICHT VON +DER OM 20 AUGUST 1780 BEY STREHLA VORGEFALLONEN ACTION (Seyfarth, +<italic> Beylagen, <end italic> ii. 703-719).] Friedrich writes a +glad laudatory Letter to Hulsen: "Right, so; give them more of that +when they apply next!" [Letter in SCHONING, ii. 396, "Hermsdorf" +(Hermannsdorf), "27th August, 1760."] + +This is a bit of sunshine to the Royal mind, dark enough otherwise. +Had Friedrich got done here, right fast would he fly to the relief +of Hulsen, and recovery of Saxony. Hope, in good moments, says, +"Hulsen will be able to hold out till then!" Fear answers, "No, he +cannot, unless you get done here extremely soon!"--The Russian +Event, full of painful anxiety to Friedrich, was a new Siege of +Colberg. That is the sad fact; which, since the middle of August, +has been becoming visibly certain. + +SECOND SIEGE OF COLBERG, AUGUST 26th. "Under siege again, that poor +Place; and this time the Russians seem to have made a vow that take +it they will. Siege by land and by sea; land-troops direct from +Petersburg, 15,000 in all (8,000 of them came by ship), with +endless artillery; and near 40 Russian and Swedish ships-of-war, +big and little, blackening the waters of poor Colberg. August 26th +[the day before Friedrich's writing as above], they have got all +things adjusted,--the land-troops covered by redoubts to rearward, +ships moored in their battering-places;--and begin such a +bombardment and firing of red-hot balls upon Colberg as was rarely +seen. To which, one can only hope old Heyde will set a face of +gray-steel character, as usual; and prove a difficult article to +deal with, till one get some relief contrived for him. +[Archenholtz, ii. 116: in <italic> Helden-Geschichte, <end italic> +(vi.73-83), "TAGEBUCH of Siege, 26th August-18th September," and +other details.] + + + +Chapter IV. + +DAUN IN WRESTLE WITH FRIEDRICH IN THE SILESIAN HILLS. + +In spite of Friedrich's forebodings, an extraordinary recoil, in +all Anti-Friedrich affairs, ensued upon Liegnitz; everything taking +the backward course, from which it hardly recovered, or indeed did +not recover at all, during the rest of this Campaign. Details on +the subsequent Daun-Friedrich movements--which went all aback for +Daun, Daun driven into the Hills again, Friedrich hopeful to cut +off his bread, and drive him quite through the Hills, and home +again--are not permitted us. No human intellect in our day could +busy itself with understanding these thousand-fold marchings, +manoeuvrings, assaults, surprisals, sudden facings-about (retreat +changed to advance); nor could the powerfulest human memory, not +exclusively devoted to study the Art Military under Friedrich, +remember them when understood. For soldiers, desirous not to be +sham-soldiers, they are a recommendable exercise; for them I do +advise Tempelhof and the excellent German Narratives and Records. +But in regard to others-- A sample has been given: multiply that by +the ten, by the threescore and ten; let the ingenuous imagination +get from it what will suffice. Our first duty here to poor readers, +is to elicit from that sea of small things the fractions which are +cardinal, or which give human physiognomy and memorability to it; +and carefully suppress all the rest. + +Understand, then, that there is a general going-back on the +Austrian and Russian part. Czernichef we already saw at once retire +over the Oder. Soltikof bodily, the second day after, deaf to +Montalembert, lifts himself to rearward; takes post behind bogs and +bushy grounds more and more inaccessible; ["August 18th, to +Trebnitz, on the road to Militsch" (Tempelhof, iv. 167).] followed +by Prince Henri with his best impressiveness for a week longer, +till he seem sufficiently remote and peaceably minded: "Making home +for Poland, he," thinks the sanguine King; "leave Goltz with 12,000 +to watch him. The rest of the Army over hither!" Which is done, +August 27th; General Forcade taking charge, instead of Henri,--who +is gone, that day or next, to Breslau, for his health's sake. +"Prince Henri really ill," say some; "Not so ill, but in the +sulks," say others:--partly true, both theories, it is now thought; +impossible to settle in what degree true. Evident it is, Henri sat +quiescent in Breslau, following regimen, in more or less pathetic +humor, for two or three months to come; went afterwards to Glogau, +and had private theatricals; and was no more heard of in this +Campaign. Greatly to his Brother's loss and regret; who is often +longing for "your recovery" (and return hither), to no purpose. + +Soltikof does, in his heart, intend for Poland; but has to see the +Siege of Colberg finish first; and, in decency even to the +Austrians, would linger a little: "Willing I always, if only YOU +prove feasible!" Which occasions such negotiating, and messaging +across the Oder, for the next six weeks, as--as shall be omitted in +this place. By intense suasion of Montalembert, Soltikof even +consents to undertake some sham movement on Glogau, thereby to +alleviate his Austrians across the River; and staggers gradually +forward a little in that direction:--sham merely; for he has not a +siege-gun, nor the least possibility on Glogau; and Goltz with the +12,000 will sufficiently take care of him in that quarter. + +Friedrich, on junction with Forcade, has risen to perhaps 50,000; +and is now in some condition against the Daun-Loudon-Lacy Armies, +which cannot be double his number. These still hang about, in the +Breslau-Parchwitz region; gloomy of humor; and seem to be aiming at +Schweidnitz,--if that could still prove possible with a Friedrich +present. Which it by no means does; though they try it by their +best combinations;--by "a powerful Chain of Army-posts, isolating +Schweidnitz, and uniting Daun and Loudon;" by "a Camp on the +Zobtenberg, as crown of the same;"--and put Friedrich on his +mettle. Who, after survey of said Chain, executes (night of August +30th) a series of beautiful manoeuvres on it, which unexpectedly +conclude its existence:--"with unaccountable hardihood," as +Archenholtz has it, physiognomically TRUE to Friedrich's general +style just now, if a little incorrect as to the case in hand, +"sees good to march direct, once for all, athwart said Chain; +right across its explosive cannonadings and it,--counter- +cannonading, and marching rapidly on; such a march for insolence, +say the Austrians!" [Archenholtz (ii. 115-116); who is in a hurry, +dateless, and rather confuses a subsequent DAY (September 18th) +with this "night of August 30th." See RETZOW, ii. 26; and still +better, TEMPELHOF, iv. 203.] Till, in this way, the insolent King +has Schweidnitz under his protective hand again; and forces the +Chain to coil itself wholly together, and roll into the Hills for a +safe lodging. Whither he again follows it: with continual changes +of position, vying in inaccessibility with your own; +threatening your meal-wagons; trampling on your skirts in this or +the other dangerous manner; marching insolently up to your very +nose, more than once ("Dittmannsdorf, September 18th," for a chief +instance), and confusing your best schemes. [Tempelhof, iv. +193-231; &c. &c.: in <italic> Anonymous of Hamburg, <end italic> +iv. 222-235, "Diary of the AUSTRIAN Army" (3-8th September).] + +This "insolent" style of management, says Archenholtz, was +practised by Julius Caesar on the Gauls; and since his time by +nobody,--till Friedrich, his studious scholar and admirer, revived +it "against another enemy." "It is of excellent efficacy," adds +Tempelhof; "it disheartens your adversary, and especially his +common people, and has the reverse effect on your own; confuses him +in endless apprehensions, and details of self-defence; so that he +can form no plan of his own, and his overpowering resources become +useless to him." Excellent efficacy,--only you must be equal to +doing it; not unequal, which might be very fatal to you! + +For about five weeks, Friedrich, eminently practising this style, +has a most complex multifarious Briarean wrestle with big Daun and +his Lacy-Loudon Satellites; who have a troublesome time, running +hither, thither, under danger of slaps, and finding nowhere an +available mistake made. The scene is that intricate Hill-Country +between Schweidnitz and Glatz (kind of GLACIS from Schweidnitz to +the Glatz Mountains): Daun, generally speaking, has his back on +Glatz, Friedrich on Schweidnitz; and we hear of encampings at +Kunzendorf, at BUNZELWITZ, at BURKERSDORF--places which will be +more famous in a coming Year. Daun makes no complaint of his Lacy- +Loudon or other satellite people; who are diligently circumambient +all of them, as bidden; but are unable, like Daun himself, to do +the least good; and have perpetually, Daun and they, a bad life of +it beside this Neighbor. The outer world, especially the Vienna +outer world, is naturally a little surprised: "How is this, +Feldmarschall Daun? Can you do absolutely nothing with him, then; +but sit pinned in the Hills, eating sour herbs!" + +In the Russians appears no help. Soltikof on Glogau, we know what +that amounts to! Soltikof is evidently intending home, and nothing +else. To all Austrian proposals,--and they have been manifold, as +poor Montalembert knows too well,--the answer of Soltikof was and +is: "Above 90,000 of you circling about, helping one another to do +Nothing. Happy were you, not a doubt of it, could WE be wiled +across to you, to get worried in your stead!" Daun begins to be +extremely ill-off; provisions scarce, are far away in Bohemia; +and the roads daily more insecure, Friedrich aiming evidently to +get command of them altogether. Think of such an issue to our once +flourishing Campaign 1760! Daun is vigilance itself against such +fatality; and will do anything, except risk a Fight. Here, however, +is the fatal posture: Since September 18th, Daun sees himself +considerably cut off from Glatz, his provision-road more and more +insecure;--and for fourteen days onward, the King and he have got +into a dead-lock, and sit looking into one another's faces; Daun in +a more and more distressed mood, his provender becoming so +uncertain, and the Winter season drawing nigh. The sentries are in +mutual view: each Camp could cannonade the other; but what good +were it? By a tacit understanding they don't. The sentries, +outposts and vedettes forbear musketry; on the contrary, exchange +tobaccoes sometimes, and have a snatch of conversation. Daun is +growing more and more unhappy. To which of the gods, if not to +Soltikof again, can he apply? + +Friedrich himself, successful so far, is abundantly dissatisfied +with such a kind of success;--and indeed seems to be less thankful +to his stars than in present circumstances he ought. +Profoundly wearied we find him, worn down into utter disgust in the +Small War of Posts: "Here we still are, nose to nose," exclaims he +(see Letters TO HENRI), "both of us in unattackable camps. +This Campaign appears to me more unsupportable than any of the +foregoing. Take what trouble and care I like, I can't advance a +step in regard to great interests; I succeed only in trifles. ... +Oh for good news of your health: I am without all assistance here; +the Army must divide again before long, and I have none to intrust +it to." [Schoning, ii. 416.] + +And TO D'ARGENS, in the same bad days: "Yes, yes, I escaped a great +danger there [at Liegnitz]. In a common War it would have signified +something; but in this it is a mere skirmish; my position little +improved by it. I will not sing Jeremiads to you; nor speak of my +fears and anxieties, but can assure you they are great. The crisis +I am in has taken another shape; but as yet nothing decides it, nor +can the development of it be foreseen. I am getting consumed by +slow fever; I am like a living body losing limb after limb. +Heaven stand by us: we need it much. [<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, +<end italic> xix. 193 ("Dittmannsdorf, 18th September," day after, +or day of finishing, that cannonade).] ... You talk always of my +person, of my dangers. Need I tell you, it is not necessary that I +live; but it is that I do my duty, and fight for my Country to save +it if possible. In many LITTLE things I have had luck: I think of +taking for my motto, MAXIMUS IN MINIMIS, ET MINIMUS IN MAXIMIS. +A worse Campaign than any of the others: I know not sometimes what +will become of it. But why weary you with such details of my labors +and my sorrows? My spirits have forsaken me. All gayety is buried +with the Loved Noble Ones whom my heart was bound to. Adieu." + +Or, again, TO HENRI: Berlin? Yes; I am trying something in bar of +that. Have a bad time of it, in the interim." Our means, my dear +Brother, are so eaten away; far too short for opposing the +prodigious number of our enemies set against us:--if we must fall, +let us date our destruction from the infamous Day of Maxen!" + +Is in such health, too, all the while: "Am a little better, thank +you; yet have still the"--what shall we say (dreadful biliary +affair)?--"HEMORRHOIDES AVEUGLES: nothing that, were it not for the +disquietudes I feel: but all ends in this world, and so will these. +... I flatter myself your health is recovering. For these three +days in continuance I have had so terrible a cramp, I thought it +would choke me;--it is now a little gone. No wonder the chagrins +and continual disquietudes I live in should undermine and at length +overturn the robustest constitution." [Schoning, ii. 419: +"2d October." Ib. ii. 410: "16th September." Ib. ii. 408.] + +Friedrich, we observe, has heard of certain Russian-Austrian +intentions on Berlin; but, after intense consideration, resolves +that it will behoove him to continue here, and try to dislodge +Daun, or help Hunger to dislodge him; which will be the remedy for +Berlin and all things else. There are news from Colberg of welcome +tenor: could Daun be sent packing, Soltikof, it is probable, will +not be in much alacrity for Berlin!--September 18th, at +Dittmannsdorf, was the first day of Daun's dead-lock: ever since, +he has had to sit, more and more hampered, pinned to the Hills, +eating sour herbs; nothing but Hunger ahead, and a retreat (battle +we will not dream of), likely to be very ruinous, with a Friedrich +sticking to the wings of it. Here is the Note on Colberg:-- + +SEPTEMBER 18th, COLHERG SIEGE RAISED. "The same September 18th, +what a day at Colberg too! it is the twenty-fourth day of the +continual bombardment there. Colberg is black ashes, most of its +houses ruins, not a house in it uninjured. But Heyde and his poor +Garrison, busy day and night, walk about in it as if fire-proof; +with a great deal of battle still left in them. The King, I know +not whether Heyde is aware, has contrived something of relief; +General Werner coming:--the fittest of men, if there be +possibility. When, see, September 18th, uneasy motion in the +Russian intrenchments (for the Russians too are intrenched against +attack): Something that has surprised the Russians yonder. +Climb, some of you, to the highest surviving steeple, highest +chimney-top if no steeple survive:--Yonder IS Werner come to our +relief, O God the Merciful!" + +"Werner, with 5,000, was detached from Glogau (September 5th), from +Goltz's small Corps there; has come as on wings, 200 miles in +thirteen days. And attacks now, as with wings, the astonished +Russian 15,000, who were looking for nothing like him,--with wings, +with claws, and with beak; and in a highly aquiline manner, fierce, +swift, skilful, storms these intrenched Russians straightway, +scatters them to pieces,--and next day is in Colberg, the Siege +raising itself with great precipitation; leaving all its +artilleries and furnitures, rushing on shipboard all of it that can +get,--the very ships-of-war, says Archenholtz, hurrying dangerously +out to sea, as if the Prussian Hussars might possibly take THEM. +A glorious Werner! A beautiful defence, and ditto rescue; which has +drawn the world's attention." [Seyfarth, ii. 634; Archenholtz, ii. +116: in <italic> Helden-Geschichte, <end italic> (vi. 73-83), +TAGEBUCH of Siege.] + +Heyde's defence of Colberg, Werner's swift rescue of it, are very +celebrated this Autumn. Medals were struck in honor of them at +Berlin, not at Friedrich's expense, but under Friedrich's +patronage; who purchased silver or gold copies, and gave them +about. Veteran Heyde had a Letter from his Majesty, and one of +these gold Medals;--what an honor! I do not hear that Heyde got any +other reward, or that he needed any. A beautiful old Hero, +voiceless in History; though very visible in that remote sphere, if +you care to look. + +That is the news from Colberg; comfortable to Friedrich; not likely +to inspire Soltikof with new alacrity in behalf of Daun. It remains +to us only to add, that Friedrich, with a view to quicken Daun, +shot out (September 24th, after nightfall, and with due mystery) a +Detachment towards Neisse,--4,000 or so, who call themselves +15,000, and affect to be for Mahren ultimately. "For Mahren, and my +bit of daily bread!" Daun may well think; and did for some time +think, or partly did. Pushed off one small detachment really +thither, to look after Mahren; and (September 29th) pushed off +another bigger; Lacy namely, with 15,000, pretending to be +thither,--but who, the instant they were out of Friedrich's sight, +have whirled, at a rapid pace, quite into the opposite direction: +as will shortly be seen! Daun has now other irons in the fire. +Daun, ever since this fatal Dead-lock in the Hills, has been +shrieking hoarsely to the Russians, day and night; who at last take +pity on him,--or find something feasible in his proposals. + + +THE RUSSIANS MAKE A RAID ON BERLIN, FOR RELIEF OF DAUN +AND THEIR OWN BEHOOF (October 3d-12th, 1760). + +Powerful entreaties, influences are exercised at Petersburg, and +here in the Russian Camp: "Noble Russian Excellencies, for the love +of Heaven, take this man off my windpipe! A sally into Brandenburg: +oh, could not you? Lacy shall accompany; seizure of Berlin, were it +only for one day!" Soltikof has falleu sick,--and, indeed, +practically vanishes from our affairs at this point;--Fermor, who +has command in the interim, finally consents: "Our poor siege of +Colberg, what an end is come to it! What an end is the whole +Campaign like to have! Let us at least try this of Berlin, since +our hands are empty." The joy of Daun, of Montalembert, and of +everybody in Austrian Court and Camp may be conceived. + +Russians to the amount of 20,000, Czernichef Commander; Tottleben +Second in command, a clever soldier, who knows Berlin: these are to +start from Sagan Country, on this fine Expedition, and to push on +at the very top of their speed. September 20th, Tottleben, with +3,000 of them as Vanguard, does accordingly cross Oder, at Beuthen +in Sagan Country; and strides forward direct upon Berlin: +Lacy, with 15,000, has started from Silesia, we saw how, above a +week later (September 29th), but at a still more furious rate of +speed. Soltikof,--theoretically Soltikof, but practically Fermor, +should the dim German Books be ambiguous to any studious creature, +--with the Main Army (which by itself is still a 20,000 odd), moves +to Frankfurt, to support the swift Expedition, and be within two +marches of it. Here surely is a feasibility! Berlin, for defence, +has nothing but weak palisades; and of effective garrison +1,200 men. + +And feasible, in a sort, this thing did prove; indisputably +delivering Daun from strangulation in the Silesian Mountains; +filling the Gazetteer mind with loud emotion of an empty nature; +and very much affecting many poor people in Berlin and +neighborhood. Making a big Chapter in Berlin Local History; +though compressible to small bulk for strangers, who have no +specific sympathies in that locality. + +"FRIDAY, 3d OCTOBER, 1760, Tottleben, with his hasty Vanguard of +3,000, preceded by hastier rumor, comes circling round Berlin +environs; takes post at the Halle Gate [West side of the City]; +summons Rochow [the same old Commandant of Haddick's time];-- +requires instant admittance; ransom of Four million Thalers, and +other impossible things. Berlin has been putting itself in some +posture; repairing its palisades, throwing up bits of redoubts in +front of the gates, and, though sounding with alarms and +uncertainties, shows a fine spirit of readiness for the emergency. +Rochow is still Commandant, the same old Rochow who shrunk so +questionably in Haddick's time: but Rochow has no Court to tremble +for at present; Queen and Royal Family, Archives, Principal +Ministries, Directorium in a body, went all to Magdeburg again, on +the Kunersdorf Disaster last year, and are safe from such insults. +The spirit of the population, it appears, even of the rich classes, +some of whom are very rich, is extraordinary. Besides Rochow, +moreover, there are, by accident, certain Generals in Berlin: +Seidlitz and two others, recovering from their Kunersdorf hurts, +who step into the breach with heart admirably willing, if with +limbs still lame. Then there is old Field-marshal Lehwald [Anti- +Russian at Gross Jagersdorf, but dismissed as too old], who is +official Governor of Berlin, who succeeded poor Keith in that +honorable office: all these were strong for defence;--and do not +now grudge, great men as they are, to take each his Gate of Berlin, +his small redoubt thrown up there, and pass the night and the day +in doing his utmost with it. + +"Rochow refuses the surrender, and the Four Millions pure specie; +and Tottleben, about 3 P.M. in an intermittent way, and about 5 in +a constant, begins bombarding--grenadoes, red-hot balls, what he +can;--and continues the s&me till 3 next morning. Without result to +speak of; Seidlitz and Consorts making good counter-play; the poor +old 1,200 of Garrison growing almost young again with energy, under +their Seidlitzes; and the population zealously co-operating, +especially quenching all fires that rose. What greatly contributed +withal was the arrival of Prince Eugen overnight. Eugen of +Wurtemberg [cadet of that bad Duke] had been engaged driving home +the Swedes, but instantly quitted that with a 5,000 he had; and has +marched this day,--his Vanguard has, mostly Horse, whom the Foot +will follow to-morrow,--a distance of forty miles, on this fine +errand. Delicate manoeuvring, by these wearied horsemen, to enter +Berlin amid uncertain jostlings, under the shine of Russian +bombardment; ecstatic welcome to them, when they did get in,-- +instant subscription for fat oxen to them; a just abundance of beef +to them, of generous beer I hope not more than an abundance: +phenomena which, with others of the like, could be dwelt on, had +we room. [Tempelhof, iv. 266-290; Archenholtz, ii. 122-148; +<italic> Helden-Geschichte, <end italic> vi. 103-149, 350-352; +&c. &c.]' + +"Tottleben, under these omens, found it would not do; wended off +towards his Czernichef next morning; eastward again as far as +Copenik, Prince Eugen attending him in a minatory manner: and, in +Berlin for the moment, the bad ten hours were over. For four days +more, the fate of things hung dubious; hope soon fading again, but +not quite going out till the fifth day. And this, in fact, was +mainly all of bombardment that the City had to suffer; though its +fate of capture was not to be averted. Is not Tottleben gone? +Yes; but Lacy, marching at a rate he never did before (except from +Bischofswerda), is arrived in the environs this same evening, +cautious but furious. The King is far away; what are Eugen's 5,000 +against these? + +"On the other hand, Hulsen, leaving his Saxon affairs to their +chance,--which, alas, are about extinct, at any rate; +except Wittenberg, all Saxony gone from us!--Hulsen is on winged +march hitherward with about 9,000. 'How would the King come on +wings, like an eagle from the Blue, if he were but aware!' thought +everybody, and said. Hulsen did arrive on the 8th; so that there +are now 14,000 of us. Hulsen did;--but no King could; the King is +just starting (October 4th, the King, on these bad rumors about +Saxony, about Berlin, quitted the attempt on Daun; October 7th, got +on march hitherward; has finished his first march hitherward,--Daun +gradually preparing to attend him in the distance),--when Hulsen +arrives. And here are all their Lacys, Czernichefs fairly +assembled; five to two of us,--35,000 of them against our 14,000. + +"Hulsen and Eugen, drawn out in their skilfulest way, manoeuvred +about, all this Wednesday, 8th; attempted, did not attempt; +found on candid examination, That 14,000 VERSUS 35,000 ran a great +risk of being worsted; that, in such case, the fate of the City +might be still more frightful; and that, on the whole, their one +course was that of withdrawing to Spandau, and leaving poor Berlin +to capitulate as it could. Capitulation starts again with Tottleben +that same night; Gotzkowsky, a magnanimous Citizen and Merchant- +Prince, stepping forth with beautiful courageous furtherances of +every kind; and it ends better than one could have hoped: Ransom-- +not of Four Millions pure specie (which would have been 600,000 +pounds): 'Gracious Sir, it is beyond our utmost possibility!'--but +of One and a Half Million in modern Ephraim coin; with a 30,000 +pounds of douceur-money to the common man, Russian and Austrian, +for his forbearance;--'for the rest, we are at your Excellency's +mercy, in a manner!' And so, + +"THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9th, about 7 in the morning, Tottleben marches +in; exactly six days since he first came circling to the Halle Gate +and began bombarding. Tottleben, knowing Friedrich, knew the value +of despatch; and, they say, was privately no enemy to Berlin, +remembering old grateful days here. For Tottleben has himself been +in difficulties; indeed, was never long out of them, during the +long stormy life he had. Not a Russian at all; though I suppose +Father of the now Russian Tottlebens whom one hears of: this one +was a poor Saxon Gentleman, Page once to poor old drunken +Weissenfels, whom, for a certain fair soul's sake, we sigh to +remember! Weissenfels dying, Tottleben became a soldier of Polish +Majesty's;--acceptable soldier, but disagreed with Bruhl, for which +nobody will like him worse. Disagreed with Bruhl; went into the +Dutch service (may have been in Fontenoy for what I know); +was there till Aix-la-Chapelle, till after Aix-la-Chapelle; +kindly treated, and promoted in the Dutch Army; but with outlooks, +I can fancy, rather dull. Outlooks probably dull in such an +element,--when, being a handsome fellow in epaulettes (Major- +General, in fact, though poor), he, diligently endeavoring, caught +the eye of a Dutch West-Indian Heiress; soft creature with no end +of money; whom he privately wedded, and ran away with. To the +horror of her appointed Dutch Lover and Friends; who prosecuted the +poor Major-General with the utmost rigor, not of Law only. And were +like to be the ruin of his fair West-Indian and him; +when Friedrich, about 1754 as I guess, gave him shelter in Berlin; +finding no insupportable objection in what the man had done. +The rather, as his Heiress and he were rich. Tottleben gained +general favor in Berlin society; wished, in 1756, to take service +with Friedrich on the breaking out of this War. 'A Colonel with me, +yes,' said Friedrich. But Tottleben had been Major-General among +the Dutch, and could not consent to sink; had to go among the +Russians for a Major-Generalcy; and there and elsewhere, for many +years coming, had many adventures, mostly troublesome, which shall +not be memorable to us here. [Sketch of Tottleben's Life; in +RODENBECK, ii. 69-72.] + +"Lacy, who, after hovering about in these vicinities for four days, +had now actually come up, so soon as Eugen and Hulsen withdrew,-- +was deeply disgusted at the Terms of Capitulation; angry to find +that Tottleben had concluded without him; and, in fact, flew into +open rage at the arrangements Tottleben had made for himself and +for others. 'No admittance, except on order from his Excellency!' +said the Russian Sentry to Lacy's Austrians: upon which, Lacy +forced the Gate, and violently marched in. Took lodging, to his own +mind, in the Friedrichstadt quarter; and was fearfully truculent +upon person and property, during his short stay. A scandal to be +seen, how his Croats and loose hordes went openly ravening about, +bent on mere housebreaking, street-robbery and insolent violence. +So that Tottleben had fairly to fire upon the vagabonds once or +twice; and force on the unwilling Lacy some coercion of them within +limits. For the three days of his continuance,--it was but three +days in all,--Lacy was as the evil genius of Berlin; Tottleben and +his Russians the good. Their discipline was so excellent; +all Cossacks and loose rabble strictly kept out beyond the Walls. +To Bachmann, Russian Commandant, the Berliners, on his departure, +had gratefully got ready a money-gift of handsome amount: 'By no +means,' answered Bachmann: 'your treatment was according to the +mildness of our Sovereign Czarina. For myself, if I have served you +in anything, the fact that for three days I have been Commandant of +the Great Friedrich's Capital is more than a reward to me.' + +"Tottleben and Lacy, during those three days of Russian and +Austrian joint dominion, had a stormy time of it together. +'Destroy the LAGER-HAUS,' said Lacy: Lager-Haus, where they +manufacture their soldiers' uniforms; it is the parent of all +cloth-manufacturing in Prussia; set up by Friedrich Wilhelm,--not +on free-trade principles. 'The Lager-Haus, say you? I doubt, it is +now private property; screened by our Capitulation;'--which it +proves to be. 'You shall blow up the Arsenal!' said Lacy, with +vehemence and truculence. A noble edifice, as travellers yet know: +fancy its fragments flying about among the populous streets, +plunging through the roofs of Palaces, and great houses all round. +Lacy was inexorable; Tottleben had to send a Russian Party (one +wishes they had been Croats) on this sad errand. They proceeded to +the Powder-Magazine for explosive material, as preliminary; +they were rash in handling the gunpowder there, which blew up in +their hands; sent itself and all of them into the air; and saved +the poor Arsenal: 'Not powder enough now left for our own artillery +uses,' urged Tottleben. + +"Saxon and Austrian Parties were in the Palaces about,--at Potsdam, +at Charlottenburg, Schonhausen (the Queen's), at Friedrichsfeld +(the Margraf Karl's), some of whom behaved well, some horribly ill. +In Charlottenburg, certain Saxon Bruhl-Dragoons, who by their +conduct might have been Dragoons of Attila, smashed the furnitures, +the doors, cutting the Pictures, much maltreating the poor people; +and, what was reckoned still more tragical, overset the poor +Polignac Collection of Antiques and Classicalities; not only +knocking off noses and arms, but beating them small, lest +reparation by cement should be possible. Their Officers, Pirna +people, looking quietly on. A scandalous proceeding, thought +everybody, friend or foe,--especially thought Friedrich; +whose indignation at this ruin of Charlottenburg came out in way of +reprisal by and by. At Potsdam, on the other hand, Prince +Esterhazy, with perhaps Hungarians among his people, behaved like a +very Prince; received from the Castellan an Attestation that he had +scrupulously respected everything; and took, as souvenir, only one +Picture of little value; Prince de Ligne, who was under him, +carrying off, still more daintily, one goose-quill, immortal by +having been a pen of the Great Friedrich's. + +"Tottleben, with no feeling other than Official tempered by Human, +was in great contrast with Lacy, and very beneficent to Berlin +during the three days it lay under the TRIBULA, or harrow of War. +But the Tutelary Angel of Berlin, then and afterwards for weeks +and months, till all scores got settled, was the Gotzkowsky +mentioned above." Whom we shall see again helpful at Leipzig; +a man worth marking in these tumults. "If Tottleben was the +temporal Armed King, this Gotzkowsky was the Spiritual King, PAPA +or Universal Father, armed only with charities, pieties, prayers, +ever shiningly attended by self-sacrifices on Gotzkowsky's part; +which averted woes innumerable (Lager-Haus only one of a long +list); and which 'surpassed all belief,' write the Berlin +Magistracy, as if in tears over such heroism. Truly a Prince of +Merchants, this Gotzkowsky, not for his vast enterprises, and the +mere 1,500 workmen he employs, but for the still greater heart that +dwells in him. Had begun as a travelling Pedler; used to call at +Reinsberg, with female haberdasheries exquisitely chosen +('GALLANTERIE wares' the Germans call them), for the then Princess +Royal; not unnoticed by Friedrich, who recognized the broad sense, +solidity and great thoughts of the man. Of all which Friedrich has +known far more since then, in various branches of Prussian commerce +improved by Gotzkowsky's managements. A truly notable Gotzkowsky; +became bankrupt at last, one is sorry to hear; and died in +affliction and neglect,--short of the humblest wages for so much +good work done in the world! [Preuss, ii. 257, &c. &c.; +GESCHICHTE EINES PATRIOTISCHEN KAUFMANNS (Berlin, 1769, by +Gotzkowsky himself).] + +"Gotzkowsky's House was like a general storeroom for everybody's +preciosities; his time, means, self were the refuge of all the +needy. In Zorndorf time, when this Czernichef [if readers can +remember], who is now so supreme,--Czernichef, Soltikof and +others,--had nothing for it but to lodge in the cellars of burnt +Custrin, Gotzkowsky, with ready money, with advice, with +assuagement, had been their DEUS EX MACHINA: and now Czernichef +remembers it; and Gotzkowsky, as Papa, has to go with continual +prayers, negotiations, counsellings, expedients, and be the refuge +of all unjustly suffering men Berlin has immensities of trade in +war-furnitures: the capitals circulating are astonishing to +Archenholtz; million on the back of million; no such city in +Germany for trade. The desire of the Three-days Lacy Government is +towards any Lager-Haus; any mass of wealth, which can be construed +as Royal or connected with Royalty. Ephraim and Itzig, mint- +masters of that copper-coinage; rolling in foul wealth by the ruin +of their neighbors; ought not these to bleed? Well, yes,--if +anybody; and copiously if you like! I should have said so: but the +generous Gotzkowsky said in his heart, 'No;' and again pleaded and +prevailed. Ephraim and Itzig, foul swollen creatures, were not +broached at all; and their gratitude was, That, at a future day, +Gotzkowsky's day of bankruptcy, they were hardest of any +on Gotzkowsky. + +"Archenholtz and the Books are enthusiastically copious upon +Gotzkowsky and his procedures; but we must be silent. This Anecdote +only, in regard to Freedom of the Press,--to the so-called 'air we +breathe, not having which we die!' Would modern Friends of Progress +believe it? Because, in former stages of this War, the Berlin +Newspapers have had offensive expressions (scarcely noticeable to +the microscope in our day, and below calculation for smallness) +upon the Russian and Austrian Sovereigns or Peoples,--the Able +Editors (there are only Two) shall now in person, here in the +market-place of Berlin, actually run the gantlet for it,--'run the +rods (GASSEN-LAUFEN'), as the fashion now is; which is worse than +GANTLET, not to speak of the ignominy. That is the barbaric Russian +notion: 'who are you, ill-formed insolent persons, that give a +loose to your tongue in that manner? Strip to the waistband, swift! +Here is the true career opened for you: on each hand, one hundred +sharp rods ranked waiting you; run your courses there,--no hurry +more than you like!' The alternative of death, I suppose, was open +to these Editors; Roman death at least, and martyrdom for a new +Faith (Faith in the Loose Tongue), very sacred to the Democratic +Ages now at hand. But nobody seems to have thought of it; +Editors and Public took the thing as a 'sorrow incident to this +dangerous Profession of the Tongue Loose (or looser than usual); +which nobody yet knew to be divine. The Editors made passionate +enough lamentation, in the stript state; one of then, with loud +weeping, pulled off his wig, showed ice-gray hair; 'I am in my 68th +year!' But it seems nothing would have steaded them, had not +Gotzkowsky been busy interceding. By virtue of whom there was +pardon privately in readiness: to the ice-gray Editor complete +pardon; to the junior quasi-complete; only a few switches to assert +the principle, and dismissal with admonition." [<italic> Helden- +Geschichte, vi. 103-148; Rodenbeck, ii. 41-54; Archenholtz, ii. +130-147; Preuss, UBI SUPRA: &c. &c.] + +The pleasant part of the fact is, that Gotzkowsky's powerful +intercessions were thenceforth no farther needed. The same day, +Saturday, October 11th, a few hours after this of the GASSEN- +LAUFEN, news arrived full gallop: "The King is coming!" After which +it was beautiful to see how all things got to the gallop; and in a +no-time Berlin was itself again. That same evening, Saturday, Lacy +took the road, with extraordinary velocity, towards Torgau Country, +where the Reichsfolk, in Hulsen's absence, are supreme; and, the +second evening after, was got 60 miles thitherward. His joint +dominion had been of Two days. On the morning of Sunday, 12th, went +Tottleben, who had businesses, settlements of ransom and the like, +before marching. Tottleben, too, made uncommon despatch; +marched, as did all these invasive Russians, at the rate of thirty +miles a day; their Main Army likewise moving off from Frankfurt to +a safer distance. Friedrich was still five marches off; but there +seemed not a moment to lose. + +The Russian spoilings during the retreat were more horrible than +ever: "The gallows gaping for us; and only this one opportunity, if +even this!" thought the agitated Cossack to himself. Our poor +friend Nissler had a sad tale to tell of them; [In Busching, +<italic> Beitrage, <end italic> i. 400, 401, account of their +sacking of Nussler's pleasant home and estate, "Weissensee, near +Berlin."] as who had not? Terror and murder, incendiary fire and +other worse unnamable abominations of the Pit. One old Half-pay +gentleman, whom I somewhat respect, desperately barricaded himself, +amid his domestics and tenantries, Wife and Daughters assisting: +"Human Russian Officers can enter here; Cossacks no, but shall kill +us first. Not a Cossack till all of us are lying dead!" +[Archenholtz, ii. 150.] And kept his word; the human Russians +owning it to be proper. + +In Guben Country, "at Gross-Muckro, October 15th," the day after +passing Guben, Friedrich first heard for certain, That the Russians +had been in Berlin, and also that they were gone, and that all was +over. He made two marches farther,--not now direct for Berlin, but +direct for Saxony AND it;--to Lubben, 50 or 60 miles straight south +of Berlin; and halted there some days, to adjust himself for a new +sequel. "These are the things," exclaims he, sorrowfully, to +D'Argens, "which I have been in dread of since Winter last; this is +what gave the dismal tone to my Letters to you. It has required not +less than all my philosophy to endure the reverses, the +provocations, the outrages, and the whole scene of atrocious things +that have come to pass." [<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end +italic> xix. 199; "22d October."] Friedrich's grief about Berlin we +need not paint; though there were murmurs afterwards, "Why did not +he start sooner?" which he could not, in strict reason, though +aware that these savageries were on march. He had hoped the Eugen- +Hulsen appliances, even should all else fail, might keep them at +bay. And indeed, in regard to these latter, it turned only on a +hair. Montalembert calculating, vows, on his oath, "Can assure you, +M. l'Ambassadeur, PUIS BIEN VOUS ASSURER COMME SI J,ETAIS DEVANT +DIEU, as if I stood before God," [Montalembert, ii. 108.] that, +from first to last, it was my doing; that but for me, at the very +last, the Russians, on sight of Hulsen and Eugen, and no Lacy come, +would have marched away! + +Friedrich's orderings and adjustings, dated Lubben, where his Army +rested after this news from Berlin, were manifold; and a good deal +still of wrecks from the Berlin Business fell to his share. +For instance, one thing he had at once ordered: "Your Bill of a +Million-and-half to the Russians, don't pay it, or any part of it! +When Bamberg was ransomed, Spring gone a year,--Reich and Kaiser, +did they respect our Bill we had on Bamberg? Did not they cancel +it, and flatly refuse?" Friedrich is positive on the point, +"Reprisal our clear remedy!" But Berlin itself was in alarm, for +perhaps another Russian visit; Berlin and Gotzkowsky were humbly +positive the other way. Upon which a visit of Gotskowsky to the +Royal Camp: "Merchants' Bills are a sacred thing, your Majesty!" +urged Gotzkowsky. Who, in his zeal for the matter, undertook +dangerous visits to the Russian Quarters, and a great deal of +trouble, peril and expense, during the weeks following. +Magnanimous Gotzkowsky, "in mere bribes to the Russian Officials, +spent about 6,000 pounds of his own," for one item. But he had at +length convinced his Majesty that Merchants' Bills were a sacred +thing, in spite of Bamberg and desecrative individualities; +and that this Million-and-half must be paid. Friedrich was struck +with Gotzkowsky and his view of the facts. Friedrich, from his own +distressed funds, handed to Gotzkowsky the necessary Million-and- +half, commanding only profound silence about it; and to Gotzkowsky +himself a present of 150,000 thalers (20,000 pounds odd); +[Archenholtz, ii. 146.] and so the matter did at last end. + +It had been a costly business to Berlin, and to the King, and to +the poor harried Country. To Berlin, bombardment of ten hours; +alarm of discursive siege-work in the environs for five days; +foreign yoke for three days; lost money to the amounts above +stated; what loss in wounds to body or to peace of mind, or whether +any loss that way, nobody has counted. The Berlin people rose to a +more than Roman height of temper, testifies D'Argens; [<italic> +OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> xix. 195-199: "D'Argens to the +King: Berlin, 19th October, 1760,"--an interesting Letter of +details.] so that perhaps it was a gain. The King's Magazines and +War-furnitures about Berlin are wasted utterly,--Arsenal itself not +blown up, we well know why;--and much Hunnish ruin in +Charlottenburg, with damage to Antiques,--for which latter clause +there shall, in a few months, be reprisal: if it please the Powers! + +Of all this Montalembert declares, "Before God, that he, +Montalembert, is and was the mainspring." And indeed, Tempelhof, +without censure of Montalembert and his vocation, but accurately +computing time and circumstance, comes to the same conclusion;--as +thus: "OCTOBER 8th, seeing no Lacy come, Czernichef, had it not +been for Montalembert's eloquence, had fixed for returning to +Copenik: whom cautious Lacy would have been obliged to imitate. +Suppose Czernichef had, OCTOBER 9th, got to Copenik,--Eugen and +Hulsen remain at Berlin; Czernichef could not have got back thither +before the 11th; on the 11th was news of Friedrich's coming; which +set all on gallop to the right about." [Tempelhof, iv. 277.] +So that really, before God, it seems Montalembert must have the +merit of this fine achievement:--the one fruit, so far as I can +discover, of his really excellent reasonings, eloquences, +patiences, sown broadcast, four or five long years, on such a field +as fine human talent never had before. I declare to you, +M. l'Ambassadeur, this excellent vulture-swoop on Berlin, and +burning or reburning of the Peasantry of the Mark, is due solely to +one poor zealous gentleman!-- + +What was next to follow out of THIS,--in Torgau neighborhood, where +Daun now stands expectant,--poor M. de Montalembert was far from +anticipating; and will be in no haste to claim the merit of before +God or man. + + + +Chapter V. + +BATTLE OF TORGAU. + +After Hulsen's fine explosion on the Durrenberg, August 20th, on +the incompetent Reichs Generals, there had followed nothing +eminent; new futilities, attemptings and desistings, advancings and +recoilings, on the part of the Reich; Hulsen solidly maintaining +himself, in defence of his Torgau Magazine and Saxon interests in +those regions, against such overwhelming odds, till relief and +reinforcement for them and him should arrive; and gaining time, +which was all he could aim at in such circumstances. Had the Torgau +Magazine been bigger, perhaps Hulsen might have sat there to the +end. But having solidly eaten out said Magazine, what could Hulsen +do but again move rearward? [<italic> Hogbericht von dem Ruckzug +des General-Lieutenants von Hulsen aus dem Lager bey Torgau +<end italic> (in Seyfarth, <italic> Beylagen, <end italic> ii. +755-784).] Above all, on the alarm from Berlin, which called him +off double-quick, things had to go their old road in that quarter. +Weak Torgau was taken, weak Wittenberg besieged. Leipzig, Torgau, +Wittenberg, all that Country, by the time the Russians left Berlin, +was again the Reich's. Eugen and Hulsen, hastening for relief of +Wittenberg, the instant Berlin was free, found Wittenberg a heap of +ruins, out of which the Prussian garrison, very hunger urging, had +issued the day before, as prisoners of war. Nothing more to be done +by Eugen, but take post, within reach of Magdeburg and victual, and +wait new Order from the King. + +The King is very unquestionably coming on; leaves Lubben +thitherward October 20th. [Rodenbeck, ii. 35: in <italic> Anonymous +of Hamburg <end italic> (iv. 241-245) Friedrich's Two Marches, +towards and from Berlin (7th-17th October, to Lubben; thence, 20th +October-3d November, to Torgau).] With full fixity of purpose as +usual; but with as gloomy an outlook as ever before. Daun, we said, +is now arrived in those parts: Daun and the Reich together are near +100,000; Daun some 60,000,--Loudon having stayed behind, and gone +southward, for a stroke on Kosel (if Goltz will permit, which he +won't at all!),--and the Reich 35,000. Saxony is all theirs; +cannot they maintain Saxony? Not a Town or a Magazine now belongs +to Friedrich there, and he is in number as 1 to 2. +"Maintain Saxony; indisputably you can!" that is the express Vienna +Order, as Friedrich happens to know. The Russians themselves have +taken Camp again, and wait visibly, about Landsberg and the Warta +Country, till they see Daun certain of executing said Order; +upon which they intend, they also, to winter in those Elbe-Prussian +parts, and conjointly to crush Friedrich into great confinement +indeed. Friedrich is aware of this Vienna Order; which is a kind of +comfort in the circumstances. The intentions of the hungry +Russians, too, are legible to Friedrich; and he is much resolved +that said Order shall be impossible to Daun. "Were it to be +possible, we are landless. Where are our recruits, our magazines, +our resources for a new Campaign? We may as well die, as suffer +that to be possible!" Such is Friedrich's fixed view. He says to +D'Argens:-- + +"You, as a follower of Epicurus, put a value on life; as for me, I +regard death from the Stoic point of view. Never shall I see the +moment that forces me to make a disadvantageous Peace; +no persuasion, no eloquence, shall ever induce me to sign my +dishonor. Either I will bury myself under the ruins of my Country, +or if that consolation appears too sweet to the Destiny that +persecutes me, I shall know how to put an end to my misfortunes +when it is impossible to bear them any longer. I have acted, and +continue to act, according to that interior voice of conscience and +of honor which directs all my steps: my conduct shall be, in every +time, conformable to those principles. After having sacrificed my +youth to my Father, my ripe years to my Country, I think I have +acquired the right to dispose of my old age. I have told you, and I +repeat it, Never shall my hand sign a humiliating Peace. +Finish this Campaign I certainly will, resolved to dare all, and to +try the most desperate things either to succeed or to find a +glorious end (FIN GLORIEUSE)." [<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end +italic> xix. 202 ("Kemberg, 28th October, 1760," a week and a day +before Torgau).] + +Friedrich had marched from Lubben, after three days, settling of +affairs, OCTOBER 20th; arrived at Jessen, on the Elbe, within wind +of Wittenberg, in two days more. "He formed a small magazine at +Duben," says Archenholtz; "and was of a velocity, a sharpness,"-- +like lightning, in a manner! Friedrich is uncommonly dangerous when +crushed into a corner, in this way; and Daun knows that he is. +Friedrich's manoeuvrings upon Daun--all readers can anticipate the +general type of them. The studious military reader, if England +boasts any such, will find punctual detail of them in TEMPELHOF and +the German Books. For our poor objects, here is a Summary which +may suffice:-- + +From Lubben, having winded up these bad businesses,--and reinforced +Goltz, at Glogau, to a 20,000 for Silesia's sake, to look towards +Kosel and Loudon's attempts there,--Friedrich gathered himself into +proper concentration; and with all the strength now left to him +pushed forward (20th October) towards Wittenberg, and recovery of +those lost Saxon Countries. To Wittenberg from Lubben is some 60 +miles;--can be done, nearly, in a couple of days. With the King, +after Goltz is furnished, there are about 30,000; Eugen and Hulsen, +not idle for their own part, wait in those far Western or Ultra- +Wittenberg regions (in and beyond Dessau Country), to join him with +their 14,000, when they get signal. Joined with these, he will be +44,000; he will then cross Elbe somewhere, probably not where Daun +and the Reich imagine, and be in contact with his Problem; +with what a pitch of willingness nobody need be told! Daun, in +Torgau Country, has one of the best positions; nor is Daun a man +for getting flurried. + +The poor Reichs Army, though it once flattered itself with +intending to dispute Friedrich's passage of the Elbe, and did make +some detachings and manoeuvrings that way, on his approach to +Wittenberg (October 22d-23d),--took a safer view, on his actual +arrival there, on his re-seizure of that ruined place, and +dangerous attitude on the right bank below and above. Safer view, +on salutary second thoughts;--and fell back Leipzig-way, southward +to Duben, 30 or 40 miles. Whence rapidly to Leipzig itself, 30 or +40 more, on his actually putting down his bridges over Elbe. +Friedrich's crossing-place was Schanzhaus, in Dessau Country, +between Roslau and Klikau, 12 or 15 miles below Wittenberg; +about midway between Wittenberg and the inflow of the Mulda into +Elbe. He crossed OCTOBER 26th, no enemy within wind at all; Daun at +Torgau in his inexpugnable Camp, Reichsfolk at Duben, making +towards Leipzig at their best pace. And is now wholly between Elbe +and Mulda; nothing but Mulda and the Anhall Countries and the Halle +Country now to rear of him. + +At Jonitz, next march southward, he finds the Eugen-Hulsen people +ready. We said they had not been idle while waiting signal: +of which here is one pretty instance. Eugen's Brother, supreme +Reigning Duke of Wurtemberg,--whom we parted with at Fulda, last +Winter, on sore terms; but who again, zealous creature, heads his +own little Army in French-Austrian service, in still more eclipsed +circumstances ("No subsidy at all, this Year, say your august +Majesties? Well, I must do without: a volunteer; and shall need +only what I can make by forced contributions!" which of course he +is diligent to levy wherever possible),--has latterly taken Halle +Country in hand, very busy raising contributions there: and Eugen +hears, not without interest, that certain regiments or detachments +of his, pushed out, are lying here, there, superintending that +salutary work,--within clutch, perhaps, of Kleist the Hussar! +Eugen despatches Kleist upon him; who pounces with his usual fierce +felicity upon these people. To such alarm of his poor Serenity and +poor Army, that Serenity flies off homeward at once, and out of +these Wars altogether; where he never had other than the reverse of +business to be, and where he has played such a farce-tragedy for +four years back. Eugen has been heard to speak,--theoretically, and +in excited moments,--of "running such a fellow through the body, +were one near him:: but it is actually Eugen in person that sends +him home from these Wars: which may be counted a not unfraternal or +unpatriotic procedure; being of indisputable benefit to the poor +Sovereign man himself, and to everybody concerned with him. + +Hearing that Friedrich was across, Daun came westward that same day +(October 26th), and planted himself at Eilenburg; concluding that +the Reichsfolk would now be in jeopardy first of all. Which was +partly the fact; and indeed this Daun movement rather accelerated +the completion of it. Without this the Reichs Army might have lived +another day. It had quitted Duben, and gone in all haste for +Leipzig, at 1 in the morning (not by Eilenburg, of which or of +Daun's arrival there it knows nothing),--"at 1 in the morning of +the 27th," or in fact, so soon as news could reach it at the +gallop, That Friedrich was across. And now Friedrich, seeing Daun +out in this manner, judged that a junction was contemplated; +and that one could not be too swift in preventing it. October 29th, +with one diligent march, Friedrich posted himself at Duben; +there, in a sort now between Daun and the Reichsfolk, detached +Hulsen with a considerable force to visit these latter in Leipzig +itself; and began with all diligence forming "a small Magazine in +Duben," Magdeburg and the current of the Elbe being hitherto his +only resource in that kind. By the time of Hulsen's return, this +little operation will be well forward, and Daun will have declared +himself a little. + +Hulsen, evening of October 30th, found Leipzig in considerable +emotion, the Reichsfolk taking refuge in it: not the least inclined +to stand a push, when Hulsen presented himself. Night of 30th-31st, +there was summoning and menacing; Reich endeavoring to answer in +firm style; but all the while industriously packing up to go. By 5 +in the morning, things had come to extremity;---morning, happily +for some of us, was dark mist. But about 5 o'clock, Hulsen (or +Hulsen's Second) coming on with menace of fire and sword upon these +poor Reichspeople, found the Reichspeople wholly vanished in the +mist. Gone bodily; in full march for the spurs of the Metal- +Mountain Range again;--concluding, for the fourth time, an +extremely contemptible Campaign. Daun, with the King ahead of him, +made not the least attempt to help them in their Leipzig +difficulty; but retired to his strong Camp at Torgau; feels his +work to lie THERE,--as Friedrich perceives of him, with +some interest. + +Hulsen left a little garrison in Leipzig (friend Quintus a part of +it); [Tempelhof, iv. 290.] and returned to the King; whose small +Magazine at Duben, and other small affairs there,--Magdeburg with +boats, and the King with wagons, having been so diligent in +carrying grain thither,--are now about completed. From Daun's +returning to Torgau, Friedrich infers that the cautious man has got +Order from Court to maintain Torgau at all costs,--to risk a battle +rather than go. "Good: he shall have one!" thinks Friedrich. +And, NOVEMBER 2d, in four columns, marches towards Torgau; +to Schilda, that night, which is some seven miles on the southward +side of Torgau. The King, himself in the vanguard as usual, has +watched with eager questioning eye the courses of Daun's advanced +parties, and by what routes they retreat; discerns for certain that +Daun has no views upon Duben or our little Magazine; and that the +tug of wrestle for Torgau, which is to crown this Campaign into +conquest of Saxony, or shatter it into zero like its foregoers on +the Austrian part, and will be of death-or-life nature on the +Prussian part, ought to ensue to-morrow. Forward, then! + +This Camp of Torgau is not a new place to Daun. It was Prince +Henri's Camp last Autumn; where Daun tried all his efforts to no +purpose; and though hugely outnumbering the Prince, could make +absolutely nothing of it. Nothing, or less; and was flowing back to +Dresden and the Bohemian Frontier, uncheered by anything, till that +comfortable Maxen Incident turned up. Daun well knows the strength +of this position. Torgau and the Block of Hill to West, called Hill +of Siptitz:--Hulsen, too, stood here this Summer; not to mention +Finck and Wunsch, and their beating the Reichspeople here. A Hill +and Post of great strength; not unfamiliar to many Prussians, nor +to Friedrich's studious considerations, though his knowledge of it +was not personal on all points;--as To-morrow taught him, somewhat +to his cost. + +"Tourists, from Weimar and the Thuringian Countries," says a Note- +book, sometimes useful to us, "have most likely omitted Rossbach in +their screaming railway flight eastward; and done little in Leipzig +but endeavor to eat dinner, and, still more vainly, to snatch a +little sleep in the inhuman dormitories of the Country. +Next morning, screaming Dresden-ward, they might, especially if +military, pause at Oschatz, a stage or two before Meissen, where +again are objects of interest. You can look at Hubertsburg, if +given that way,--a Royal Schloss, memorable on several grounds;--at +Hubertsburg, and at other features, in the neighborhood of Oschatz. +This done, or this left not done, you strike off leftward, that is +northward, in some open vehicle, for survey of Torgau and its +vicinities and environs. Not above fifteen miles for you; a drive +singular and pleasant; time enough to return and be in Dresden +for dinner. + +"Torgau is a fine solid old Town; Prussian military now abundant in +it. In ancient Heathen times, I suppose, it meant the GAU, or +District, of THOR; Capital of that Gau,--part of which, now under +Christian or quasi-Christian circumstances, you have just been +traversing, with Elbe on your right hand. Innocent rural aspects of +Humanity, Boor's life, Gentry's life, all the way, not in any +holiday equipment; on the contrary, somewhat unkempt and scraggy, +but all the more honest and inoffensive. There is sky, earth, air, +and freedom for your own reflections: a really agreeable kind of +Gau; pleasant, though in part ugly. Large tracts of it are pine- +wood, with pleasant Villages and fine arable expanses interspersed. +Schilda and many Villages you leave to right and left. +Old-fashioned Villages, with their village industries visible +around; laboring each in its kind,--not too fast; probably with +extinct tobacco-pipe hanging over its chin (KALT-RAUCHEND, 'smoking +COLD,' as they phrase it). + +"Schilda has an absurd celebrity among the Germans: it is the +Gotham of Teutschland; a fountain of old broad-grins and homely and +hearty rustic banter; welling up from the serious extinct Ages to +our own day; 'SCHILTburger' (Inhabitant of SCHILDA) meaning still, +among all the Teutsch populations, a man of calmly obstinate whims +and delusions, of notions altogether contrary to fact, and +agreeable to himself only; resolutely pushing his way through life +on those terms: amid horse-laughter, naturally, and general wagging +of beards from surrounding mankind. Extinct mirth, not to be +growled at or despised, in Ages running to the shallow, which have +lost their mirth, and become all one snigger of mock-mirth. For it +is observable, the more solemn is your background of DARK, the +brighter is the play of all human genialities and coruscations on +it,--of genial mirth especially, in the hour for mirth. Who the +DOCTOR BORDEL of Schilda was, I do not know: but they have had +their Bordel, as Gotham had;--probably various Bordels; +industrious to pick up those Spiritual fruits of the earth. For the +records are still abundant and current; fully more alive than those +of Gotham here are.--And yonder, then, is actually Schilda of the +absurd fame. A small, cheerful-looking human Village, in its Island +among the Woods; you see it lying to the right:--a clean brick- +slate congeries, with faint smoke-canopy hanging over it, +indicating frugal dinner-kettles on the simmer;--and you remember +kindly those good old grinnings, over good SCHILTBURGER, good WISE +MEN OF GOTHAM, and their learned Chroniclers, and unlearned Peasant +Producers, who have contributed a wrinkle of human Fun to the +earnest face of Life. + +"After Schilda, and before, you traverse long tracts of Pine +Forest, all under forest management; with long straight stretches +of sandy road (one of which is your own), straight like red tape- +strings, intersecting the wide solitudes: dangerous to your +topographies,--for the finger-posts are not always there, and human +advice you can get none. Nothing but the stripe of blue sky +overhead, and the brown one of tape (or sand) under your feet: +the trees poor and mean for most part, but so innumerable, and all +so silent, watching you all like mute witnesses, mutely whispering +together; no voice but their combined whisper or big forest SOUGH +audible to you in the world:--on the whole, your solitary ride +there proves, unexpectedly, a singular deliverance from the mad +railway, and its iron bedlamisms and shrieking discords and +precipitances; and is soothing, and pensively welcome, though sad +enough, and in outward features ugly enough. No wild boars are now +in these woods, no chance of a wolf:"--what concerns us more is, +that Friedrich's columns, on the 3d of November, had to march up +through these long lanes, or tape-stripes of the Torgau Forest; +and that one important column, one or more, took the wrong turn at +some point, and was dangerously wanting at the expected moment!-- + +"Torgau itself stands near Elbe; on the shoulder, eastern or Elbe- +ward shoulder, of a big mass of Knoll, or broad Height, called of +Siptitz, the main Eminence of the Gau. Shoulder, I called it, of +this Height of Siptitz; but more properly it is on a continuation, +or lower ulterior height dipping into Elbe itself, that Torgau +stands. Siptitz Height, nearly a mile from Elbe, drops down into a +straggle of ponds; after which, on a second or final rise, comes +Torgau dipping into Elbe. Not a shoulder strictly, but rather a +CHEEK, with NECK intervening;--neck GOITRY for that matter, or +quaggy with ponds! The old Town stands high enough, but is enlaced +on the western and southern side by a set of lakes and quagmires, +some of which are still extensive and undrained. The course of the +waters hereabouts; and of Elbe itself, has had its intricacies: +close to northwest, Torgau is bordered, in a straggling way, by +what they call OLD ELBE; which is not now a fluent entity, but a +stagnant congeries of dirty waters and morasses. The Hill of +Siptitz abuts in that aqueous or quaggy manner; its forefeet being, +as it were, at or in Elbe River, and its sides, to the South and to +the North for some distance each way, considerably enveloped in +ponds and boggy difficulties. + +"Plenty of water all about, but I suppose mostly of bad quality; +at least Torgau has declined drinking it, and been at the trouble +to lay a pipe, or ROHRGRABEN, several miles long, to bring its +culinary water from the western neighborhoods of Siptitz Height. +Along the southern side of Siptitz Height goes leisurely an +uncomfortable kind of Brook, called the 'ROHRGRABEN (Pipe-Ditch);' +the meaning of which unexpected name you find to be, That there is +a SERVICE-PIPE laid cunningly at the bottom of this Brook; +lifting the Brook at its pure upper springs, and sending it along, +in secret tubular quasi-bottled condition; leaving the fouler +drippings from the neighborhood to make what 'brook' they still +can, over its head, and keep it out of harm's way till Torgau get +it. This is called the ROHRGRABEN, this which comes running through +Siptitz Village, all along by the southern base of Siptitz Hill; +to the idle eye, a dirtyish Brook, ending in certain notable Ponds +eastward: but to the eye of the inquiring mind, which has pierced +deeper, a Tube of rational Water, running into the throats of +Torgau, while the so-called Brook disembogues at discretion into +the ENTEFANG (Duck-trap), and what Ponds or reedy Puddles there +are,"--of which, in poor Wunsch's fine bit of fighting, last Year, +we heard mention. Let readers keep mind of them. + +The Hill Siptitz, with this ROHRGRABEN at the southern basis of it, +makes a very main figure in the Battle now imminent. Siptitz Height +is, in fact, Daun's Camp; where he stands intrenched to the utmost, +repeatedly changing his position, the better to sustain Friedrich's +expected attacks. It is a blunt broad-backed Elevation, mostly in +vineyard, perhaps on the average 200 feet above the general level, +and of five or six square miles in area: length, east to west, from +Grosswig neighborhood to the environs of Torgau, may be about three +miles; breadth, south to north, from the Siptitz to the Zinna +neighborhoods, above half that distance. The Height is steepish on +the southern side, all along to the southwest angle (which was +Daun's left flank in the great Action coming), but swells up with +easier ascent on the west, earth and other sides. Let the reader +try for some conception of its environment and it, as the floor or +arena of a great transaction this day. + +Daun stands fronting southward along these Siptitz Heights, looking +towards Schilda and his dangerous neighbor; heights, woods, ponds +and inaccessibilities environing his Position and him. One of the +strongest positions imaginable; which, under Prince Henri, proved +inexpugnable enough to some of us. A position not to be attacked on +that southern front, nor on either of its flanks:--where can it be +attacked? Impregnable, under Prince Henri in far inferior force: +how will you take it from Daun in decidedly superior? A position +not to be attacked at all, most military men would say;--though One +military man, in his extreme necessity, must and will find a way +into it. + +One fault, the unique military man, intensely pondering, discovers +that it has: it is too small for Daun; not area enough for +manoeuvring 65,000 men in it; who will get into confusion if +properly dealt with. A most comfortable light-flash, the EUREKA of +this terrible problem. "We will attack it on rear and on front +simultaneously; that is the way to handle it!" Yes; simultaneously, +though that is difficult, say military judges; perhaps to Prussians +it may be possible. It is the opinion of military judges who have +studied the matter, that Friedrich's plan, could it have been +perfectly executed, might have got not only victory from Daun, but +was capable to fling his big Army and him pell-mell upon the Elbe +Bridge, that is to say, in such circumstances, into Elbe River, and +swallow him bodily at a frightful rate! That fate was spared +poor Daun. + +MONDAY, 3d NOVEMBER, 1760, at half-past 6 in the morning Friedrich +is on march for this great enterprise. The march goes northward, in +Three Columns, with a Fourth of Baggage; through the woods, on four +different roads; roads, or combinations of those intricate sandy +avenues already noticed. Northward all of it at first; but at a +certain point ahead (at crossing of the Eilenburg-Torgau Road, +namely), the March is to divide itself in two. Half of the force is +to strike off rightward there with Ziethen, and to issue on the +south side of Siptitz Hill; other half, under Friedrich himself, to +continue northward, long miles farther, and then at last bending +round, issue--simultaneously with Ziethen, if possible--upon +Siptitz Hill from the north side. We are about 44,000 strong, +against Daun, who is 65,000. + +Simultaneously with Ziethen, so far as humanly possible: that is +the essential point! Friedrich has taken every pains that it shall +be correct, in this and all points; and to take double assurance of +hiding it from Daun, he yesternight, in dictating his Orders on the +other heads of method, kept entirely to himself this most important +Ziethen portion of the Business. And now, at starting, he has taken +Ziethen in his carriage with him a few miles, to explain the thing +by word of mouth. At the Eilenburg road, or before it, Ziethen +thinks he is clear as to everything; dismounts; takes in hand the +mass intrusted to him; and strikes off by that rightward course: +"Rightward, Herr Ziethen; rightward till you get to Klitschen, your +first considerable island in this sea of wood; at Klitschen strike +to the left into the woods again,-- your road is called the Butter- +Strasse (BUTTER-STREET); goes by the northwest side of Siptitz +Height; reach Siptitz by the Butter-Street, and then do +your endeavor!" + +With the other Half of his Army, specially with the First Column of +it, Friedrich proceeds northward on his own part of the adventure. +Three Columns he has, besides the Baggage one: in number about +equal to Ziethen's; if perhaps otherwise, rather the chosen Half; +about 8,000 grenadier and footguard people, with Kleist's Hussars, +are Friedrich's own Column. Friedrich's Column marches nearest the +Daun positions; the Baggage-column farthest; and that latter is to +halt, under escort, quite away to left or westward of the +disturbance coming; the other Two Columns, Hulsen's of foot, +Holstein's mostly of horse, go through intermediate tracks of wood, +by roads more or less parallel; and are all, Friedrich's own +Column, still more the others, to leave Siptitz several miles to +right, and to end, not AT Siptitz Height, but several miles past +it, and then wheeling round, begin business from the northward or +rearward side of Daun, while Ziethen attacks or menaces his front, +--simultaneously, if possible. Friedrich's march, hidden all by +woods, is more than twice as far as Ziethen's,--some 14 or 15 miles +in all; going straight northward 10 miles; thence bending eastward, +then southward through woods; to emerge about Neiden, there to +cross a Brook (Striebach), and strike home on the north side of +Daun. The track of march is in the shape somewhat of a shepherd's +crook; the long HANDLE of it, well away from Siptitz, reaches up to +Neiden, this is the straight or wooden part of said crook; after +which comes the bent, catching, or iron part,--intended for Daun +and his fierce flock. Ziethen has hardly above six miles; and ought +to be deliberate in his woodlands, till the King's party have time +to get round. + +The morning, I find, is wet; fourteen miles of march: fancy such a +Promenade through the dripping Woods; heavy, toilsome, and with +such errand ahead! The delays were considerable; some of them +accidental. Vigilant Daun has Detachments watching in these Woods: +--a General Ried, who fires cannon and gets off: then a General St. +Ignon and the St. Ignon Regiment of Dragoons; who, being BETWEEN +Column First and Column Second, cannot get away; but, after some +industry by Kleist and those of Column Two, are caught and +pocketed, St. Ignon himself prisoner among the rest. This delay may +perhaps be considered profitable: but there were other delays +absolutely without profit. For example, that of having difficulties +with your artillery-wagons in the wet miry lanes; that of missing +your road, at some turn in the solitary woods; which latter was the +sad chance of Column Third, fatally delaying it for many hours. + +Daun, learning by those returned parties from the Woods what the +Royal intentions on him are, hastily whirls himself round, so as to +front north, and there receive Friedrich: best line northward for +Friedrich's behoof; rear line or second-best will now receive +Ziethen or what may come. Daun's arrangements are admitted to be +prompt and excellent. Lacy, with his 20,000,--who lay, while +Friedrich's attack was expected from south, at Loswig, as advanced +guard, east side of the GROSSE TEICH (supreme pond of all, which is +a continuation of the Duck-trap, ENTEFANG, and hangs like a chief +goitre on the goitry neck of Torgau),--Lacy is now to draw himself +north and westward, and looking into the Entefang over his left +shoulder (so to speak), be rear-guard against any Ziethen or +Prussian party that may come. Daun's baggage is all across the +Elbe, all in wagons since yesterday; three Bridges hanging for Daun +and it, in case of adverse accident. Daun likewise brings all or +nearly all his cannon to the new front, for Friedrich's behoof: +200 new pieces hither; Archenholtz says 400 in whole; +certainly such a weight of artillery as never appeared in Battle +before. Unless Friedrich's arrangements prove punctual, and his +stroke be emphatic, Friedrich may happen to fare badly. On the +latter point, of emphasis, there is no dubiety for Friedrich: +but on the former,--things are already past doubt, the wrong way! +For the last hour or so of Friedrich's march there has been +continual storm of cannonade and musketry audible from Ziethen's +side:--"Ziethen engaged!" thinks everybody; and quickens step here, +under this marching music from the distance. Which is but a wrong +reading or mistake, nothing more; the real phenomenon being as +follows: Ziethen punctually got to Klitschen at the due hour; +struck into the BUTTER-STRASSE, calculating his paces; but, on the +edge of the Wood found a small Austrian party, like those in +Friedrich's route; and, pushing into it, the Austrian party replied +with cannon before running. Whereupon Ziethen, not knowing how +inconsiderable it was, drew out in battle-order; gave it a salvo or +two; drove it back on Lacy, in the Duck-trap direction,--a long way +east of Butter-Street, and Ziethen's real place;--unlucky that he +followed it so far! Ziethen followed it; and got into some languid +dispute with Lacy: dispute quite distant, languid, on both sides, +and consisting mainly of cannon; but lasting in this way many +precious hours. This is the phenomenon which friends, in the +distance read to be, "Ziethen engaged!" Engaged, yes, and alas with +what? What Ziethen's degree of blame was, I do not know. +Friedrich thought it considerable:--"Stupid, stupid, MEIN LIEBER!" +which Ziethen never would admit;--and, beyond question, it was of +high detriment to Friedrich this day. Such accidents, say military +men, are inherent, not to be avoided, in that double form of +attack: which may be true, only that Friedrich had no choice left +of forms just now. + +About noon Friedrich's Vanguard (Kleist and Hussars), about 1 +o'clock Friedrich himself, 7 or 8,000 Grenadiers, emerged from the +Woods about Neiden. This Column, which consists of choice troops, +is to be Front-line of the Attack. But there is yet no Second +Column under Hulsen, still less any Third under Holstein, come in +sight: and Ziethen's cannonade is but too audible. Friedrich halts; +sends Adjutants to hurry on these Columns;--and rides out +reconnoitring, questioning peasants; earnestly surveying Daun's +ground and his own. Daun's now right wing well eastward about Zinna +had been Friedrich's intended point of attack; but the ground, out +there, proves broken by boggy brooks and remnant stagnancies of the +Old Elbe: Friedrich finds he must return into the Wood again; +and attack Daun's left. Daun's left is carefully drawn down EN +POTENCE, or gallows-shape there; and has, within the Wood, +carefully built by Prince Henri last year, an extensive Abatis, or +complete western wall,--only the north part of which is perhaps now +passable, the Austrians having in the cold time used a good deal of +it as firewood lately. There, on the northwest corner of Daun, +across that weak part of the Abatis, must Friedrich's attack lie. +But Friedrich's Columns are still fatally behind,--Holstein, with +all the Cavalry we have, so precious at present, is wandering by +wrong paths; took the wrong turn at some point, and the Adjutant +can hardly find him at all, with his precept of "Haste, Haste!" + +We may figure Friedrich's humor under these ill omens. +Ziethen's cannonade becomes louder and louder; which Friedrich +naturally fancies to be death or life to him,--not to mean almost +nothing, as it did. "MEIN GOTT, Ziethen is in action, and I have +not my Infantry up!" [Tempelhof, iv. 303.] cried he. And at length +decided to attack as he was: Grenadiers in front, the chosen of his +Infantry; Ramin's Brigade for second line; and, except about 800 of +Kleist, no Cavalry at all. His battalions march out from Neiden +hand, through difficult brooks, Striebach and the like, by bridges +of Austrian build, which the Austrians are obliged to quit in +hurry. The Prussians are as yet perpendicular to Daun, but will +wheel rightward, into the Domitsch Wood again; and then form,-- +parallel to Daun's northwest shoulder; and to Prince Henri's +Abatis, which will be their first obstacle in charging. +Their obstacles in forming were many and intricate; ground so +difficult, for artillery especially: seldom was seen such +expertness, such willingness of mind. And seldom lay ahead of men +such obstacles AFTER forming! Think only of one fact: Daun, on +sight of their intention, has opened 400 pieces of Artillery on +them, and these go raging and thundering into the hem of the Wood, +and to whatever issues from it, now and for hours to come, at a +rate of deafening uproar and of sheer deadliness, which no observer +can find words for. + +Archenholtz, a very young officer of fifteen, who came into it +perhaps an hour hence, describes it as a thing surpassable only by +Doomsday: clangorous rage of noise risen to the infinite; +the boughs of the trees raining down on you, with horrid crash; +the Forest, with its echoes, bellowing far and near, and +reverberating in universal death-peal; comparable to the Trump of +Doom. Friedrich himself, who is an old hand, said to those about +him: "What an infernal fire (HOLLISCHES FEUER)! Did you ever hear +such a cannonade before? I never." [Tempelhof, iv. 304; +Archenholtz, ii. 164.] Friedrich is between the Two Lines of his +Grenadiers, which is his place during the attack: the first Line of +Grenadiers, behind Prince Henri's Abatis, is within 800 yards of +Daun; Ramin's Brigade is to rear of the Second Line, as a Reserve. +Horse they have none, except the 800 Kleist Hussars; who stand to +the left, outside the Wood, fronted by Austrian Horse in hopeless +multitude. Artillery they have, in effect, none: their Batteries, +hardly to be got across these last woody difficulties of trees +growing and trees felled, did rank outside the Wood, on their left; +but could do absolutely nothing (gun-carriages and gunners, +officers and men, being alike blown away); and when Tempelhof saw +them afterwards, they never had been fired at all. The Grenadiers +have their muskets, and their hearts and their right-hands. + +With amazing intrepidity, they, being at length all ready in rank +within 800 yards, rush into the throat of this Fire-volcano; in the +way commanded,--which is the alone way: such a problem as human +bravery seldom had. The Grenadiers plunge forward upon the throat +of Daun; but it is into the throat of his iron engines and his +tearing billows of cannon-shot that most of them go. Shorn down by +the company, by the regiment, in those terrible 800 yards,--then +and afterwards. Regiment STUTTERHEIM was nearly all killed and +wounded, say the Books. You would fancy it was the fewest of them +that ever got to the length of selling their lives to Daun, instead +of giving them away to his 400 cannon. But it is not so. +The Grenadiers, both Lines of them, still in quantity, did get into +contact with Daun. And sold him their lives, hand to hand, at a +rate beyond example in such circumstances;--Daun having to hurry up +new force in streams upon them; resolute to purchase, though the +price, for a long while, rose higher and higher. + +At last the 6,000 Grenadiers, being now reduced to the tenth man, +had to fall back. Upon which certain Austrian Battalions rushed +dawn in chase, counting it Victory come: but were severely +admonished of that mistake; and driven back by Ramin's people, who +accompanied them into their ranks and again gave Daun a great deal +of trouble before he could overpower them. This is Attack First, +issuing in failure first: one of the stiffest bits of fighting ever +known. Began about 2 in the afternoon; ended, I should guess, +rather after 3. Daun, by this time, is in considerable disorder of +line; though his 400 fire-throats continue belching ruin, and +deafening the world, without abatement. Daun himself had got +wounded in the foot or leg during this Attack, but had no time to +mind it: a most busy, strong and resolute Daun; doing his very +best. Friedrich, too, was wounded,--nobody will tell me in which of +these attacks;--but I think not now, at least will not speak of it +now. What his feelings were, as this Grenadier Attack went on,--a +struggle so unequal, but not to be helped, from the delays that had +risen,--nobody, himself least of all, records for us: only by this +little symptom: Two Grandsons of the Old Dessauer's are Adjutants +of his Majesty, and well loved by him; one of them now at his hand, +the other heading his regiment in this charge of Grenadiers. +Word comes to Friedrich that this latter one is shot dead. On which +Friedrich, turning to the Brother, and not hiding his emotion, as +was usual in such moments, said: "All goes ill to-day; my friends +are quitting me. I have just heard that your Brother is killed +(TOUT VA MAL AUJOURD'HUI; MES AMIS ME QUITTENT. ON VIENT DE +M'ANNONCER LA MORT DE VOTRE FRERE)!" [Preuss, ii. 226.] Words which +the Anhalt kindred, and the Prussian military public, treasured up +with a reverence strange to us. Of Anhalt perhaps some word by and +by, at a fitter season. + +Shortly after 3, as I reckon the time, Hulsen's Column did arrive: +choice troops these too, the Pomeranian MANTEUFFEL, one regiment of +them;--young Archenholtz of FORCADE (first Battalion here, second +and third are with Ziethen, making vain noise) was in this Column; +came, with the others, winding to the Wood's edge, in such +circuits, poor young soul; rain pouring, if that had been worth +notice; cannon-balls plunging, boughs crashing, such a TODES- +POSAUNE, or Doomsday-Thunder, broken loose:--they did emerge +steadily, nevertheless, he says, "like sea-billows or flow of tide, +under the smoky hurricane." Pretty men are here too, Manteuffel +Pommerners; no hearts stouter. With these, and the indignant +Remnants which waited for them, a new assault upon Daun is set +about. And bursts out, on that same northwest corner of him; +say about half-past 3. The rain is now done, "blown away by the +tremendous artillery," thinks Archenholtz, if that were any matter. + +The Attack, supported by a few more Horse (though Column Three +still fatally lingers), and, I should hope, by some practicable +weight of Field-batteries, is spurred by a grimmer kind of +indignation, and is of fiercer spirit than ever. Think how +Manteuffel of Foot will blaze out; and what is the humor of those +once overwhelmed Remnants, now getting air again! Daun's line is +actually broken in this point, his artillery surmounted and become +useless; Daun's potence and north front are reeling backwards, +Prussians in possession of their ground. "The field to be ours!" +thinks Friedrich, for some time. If indeed Ziethen had been +seriously busy on the southern side of things, instead of vaguely +cannonading in that manner! But resolute Daun, with promptitude, +calls in his Reserve from Grosswig, calls in whatsoever of +disposable force he can gather; Daun rallies, rushes again on the +Prussians in overpowering number; and, in spite of their most +desperate resistance, drives them back, ever back; and recovers +his ground. + +A very desperate bout, this Second one; probably the toughest of +the Battle: but the result again is Daun's; the Prussians palpably +obliged to draw back. Friedrich himself got wounded here;--poor +young Archenholtz too, ONLY wounded, not killed, as so many were:-- +Friedrich's wound was a contusion on the breast; came of some spent +bit of case-shot, deadened farther by a famed pelisse he wore,-- +"which saved my life," he said afterwards to Henri. The King +himself little regarded it (mentioning it only to Brother Henri, on +inquiry and solicitation), during the few weeks it still hung about +him. The Books intimate that it struck him to the earth, void of +consciousness for some time, to the terror of those about him; +and that he started up, disregarding it altogether in this press of +business, and almost as if ashamed of himself, which imposed +silence on people's tongues. In military circles there is still, on +this latter point, an Anecdote; which I cannot confirm or deny, but +will give for the sake of Berenhorst and his famed Book on the ART +OF WAR. Berenhorst--a natural son of the Old Dessauer's, and +evidently enough a chip of the old block, only gone into the +articulate-speaking or intellectual form--was, for the present, an +Adjutant or Aide-de-camp of Friedrich's; and at this juncture was +seen bending over the swooned Friedrich, perhaps with an over- +pathos or elaborate something in his expression of countenance: +when Friedrich reopened his indignant eyes: "WAS MACHT ER HIER?" +cried Friedrich: "ER SAMMLE FUYARDS! What have you to do here? Go +and gather runaways" (be of some real use, can't you)!--which +unkind cut struck deep into Berenhorst, they say; and could never +after be eradicated from his gloomy heart. It is certain he became +Prince Henri's Adjutant soon after, and that in his KRIEGSKUNST, +amidst the clearest orthodox admiration, he manifests, by little +touches up and down, a feeling of very fell and pallid quality +against the King; and belongs, in a peculiarly virulent though +taciturn way, to the Opposition Party. H1s Book, next to English +Lloyd's (or perhaps superior, for Berenhorst is of much the more +cultivated intellect, highly condensed too, though so discursive +and far-read, were it not for the vice of perverse diabolic +temper), seemed, to a humble outsider like myself, greatly the +strongest-headed, most penetrating and humanly illuminative I had +had to study on that subject. Who the weakest-headed was (perhaps +JOMINI, among the widely circulating kind?), I will not attempt to +decide, so great is the crush in that bad direction. To return. + +This Second Attack is again a repulse to the indignant Friedrich; +though he still persists in fierce effort to recover himself: +and indeed Daun's interior, too, it appears, is all in a whirl of +confusion; his losses too having been enormous:--when, see, here at +length, about half-past 4, Sun now down, is the tardy Holstein, +with his Cavalry, emerging from the Woods. Comes wending on yonder, +half a mile to north of us; straight eastward or Elbe-ward +(according to the order of last night), leaving us and our death- +struggles unregarded, as a thing that is not on his tablets, and is +no concern of Holstein's. Friedrich halts him, not quite too late; +organizes a new and third Attack. Simultaneous universal effort of +foot and horse upon Daun's Front; Holstein himself, who is almost +at Zinna by this time, to go upon Daun's right wing. This is Attack +Third; and is of sporadic intermittent nature, in the thickening +dusk and darkness: part of it successful, none of it beaten, but +nowhere the success complete. Thus, in the extreme west or leftmost +of Friedrich's attack, SPAEN Dragoons,--one of the last Horse +Regiments of Holstein's Column,--SPAEN Dragoons, under their +Lieutenant-Colonel Dalwig (a beautiful manoeuvrer, who has stormed +through many fields, from Mollwitz onwards), cut in, with an +admired impetuosity, with an audacious skill, upon, the Austrian +Infantry Regiments there; broke them to pieces, took two of them in +the lump prisoners; bearded whole torrents of Austrian cavalry +rushing up to the rescue,--and brought off their mass of prisoner +regiments and six cannon;--the Austrian rescuers being charged by +some new Prussian party, and hunted home again. [Tempelhof, iv. +305.] "Had these Prussian Horse been on their ground at 2 o'clock, +and done as now, it is very evident," says Tempelhof, "what the +Battle of Torgau had by this time been!" + +Near by, too, farther rightwards, if in the bewildering +indistinctness I might guess where (but the where is not so +important to us), Baireuth Dragoons, they of the 67 standards at +Striegau long since, plunged into the Austrian Battalions at an +unsurpassable rate; tumbled four regiments of them (Regiment +KAISER, Regiment NEIPPERG,--nobody now cares which four) heels over +head, and in few minutes took the most of them prisoners; +bringing them home too, like Dalwig, through crowds of rescuers. +Eastward, again, or Elbe-ward, Holstein has found such intricacies +of ground, such boggy depths and rough steeps, his Cavalry could +come to no decisive sabring with the Austrian; but stood exchanging +shot;--nothing to be done on that right wing of Daun. + +Daun's left flank, however, does appear, after Three such Attacks, +to be at last pretty well ruined: Tempelhof says, "Daun's whole +Front Line was tumbled to pieces; disorder had, sympathetically, +gone rearward, even in those eastern parts; and on the western and +northwestern the Prussian Horse Regiments were now standing in its +place." But, indeed, such charging and recharging, pulsing and +repulsing, has there been hereabouts for hours past, the rival +Hosts have got completely interpenetrated; Austrian parties, or +whole regiments, are to rear of those Prussians who stand ranked +here, and in victorious posture, as the Night sinks. Night is now +sinking on this murderous day: "Nothing more to be made of it; +try it again to-morrow!" thinks the King; gives Hulsen charge of +bivouacking and re-arranging these scattered people; and rides with +escort northwestward to Elsnig, north of Neiden, well to rear of +this bloody arena,--in a mood of mind which may be figured as +gloomy enough. + +Daun, too, is home to Torgau,--1 think, a little earlier,--to have +his wound dressed, now that the day seems to him secure. +Buccow, Daun's second, is killed; Daun's third is an Irish Graf +O'Donnell, memorable only on this one occasion; to this O'Donnell, +and to Lacy, who is firm on his ground yonder, untouched all day, +the charge of matters is left. Which cannot be a difficult one, +hopes Daun. Daun, while his wound is dressing, speeds off a courier +to Vienna. Courier did enter duly there, with glorious trumpeting +postilions, and universal Hep-hep-hurrah; kindling that ardently +loyal City into infinite triumph and illumination,--for the space +of certain hours following. + +Hulsen meanwhile has been doing his best to get into proper bivouac +for the morrow; has drawn back those eastward horse regiments, +drawn forward the infantry battalions; forward, I think, and well +rightward, where, in the daytime, Daun's left flank was. On the +whole, it is northwestward that the general Prussian Bivouac for +this night is; the extremest SOUTHwestern-most portion of it is +Infantry, under General Lestwitz; a gallant useful man, who little +dreams of becoming famous this dreary uncertain night. + +It is 6 o'clock. Damp dusk has thickened down into utter darkness, +on these terms:--when, lo, cannonade and musketade from the south, +audible in the Lestwitz-Hulsen quarters: seriously loud; red glow +of conflagration visible withal,--some unfortunate Village going up +("Village of Siptitz, think you?"); and need of Hulsen at his +fastest! Hulsen, with some readiest Foot Regiments, circling round, +makes thitherward; Lestwitz in the van. Let us precede him thither, +and explain a little what it was. + +Ziethen, who had stood all day making idle noises,--of what a fatal +quality we know, if Ziethen did not,--waiting for the King's +appearance, must have been considerably displeased with himself at +nightfall, when the King's fire gradually died out farther and +farther north, giving rise to the saddest surmises. +Ziethen's Generals, Saldern and the Leuthen Mollendorf, are full of +gloomy impatience, urgent on him to try something. "Push westward, +nearer the King? Some stroke at the enemy on their south or +southwestern side, where we have not molested them all day? +No getting across the Rohrgraben on them, says your Excellenz? +Siptitz Village, and their Battery there, is on our side of the +Rohrgraben:--UM GOTTES WILLEN, something, Herr General!" +Ziethen does finally assent: draws leftward, westward; +unbuckles Saldern's people upon Siptitz; who go like sharp hounds +from the slip; fasten on Siptitz and the Austrians there, with a +will; wrench these out, force them to abandon their Battery, and to +set Siptitz on fire, while they run out of it. Comfortable bit of +success, so far,--were not Siptitz burning, so that we cannot get +through. "Through, no: and were we through, is not there the +Rohrgraben?" thinks Ziethen, not seeing his way. + +How lucky that, at this moment, Mollendorf comes in, with a +discovery to westward; discovery of our old friend "the Butter- +Street,"--it is nothing more,--where Ziethen should have marched +this morning: there would he have found a solid road across the +Rohrgraben, free passage by a bridge between two bits of ponds, at +the SCHAFEREI (Sheep-Farm) of Siptitz yonder. "There still," +reports Mollendorf, "the solid road is; unbeset hitherto, except by +me Mollendorf!" Thitherward all do now hasten, Austrians, +Prussians: but the Prussians are beforehand; Mollendorf is master +of the Pass, deploying himself on the other side of it, and Ziethen +and everybody hastening through to support him there, and the +Austrians making fierce fight in vain. The sound of which has +reached Hulsen, and set Lestwitz and him in motion thither. + +For the thing is vital, if we knew it. Close ahead of Mollendorf, +when he is through this Pass, close on Mollendorf's left, as he +wheels round on the attacking Austrians, is the southwest corner of +Siptitz Height. Southwest corner, highest point of it; summit and +key of all that Battle area; rules it all, if you get cannon +thither. It hangs steepish on the southern side, over the +Rohrgraben, where this Mollendorf-Austrian fight begins; but it is +beautifully accessible, if you bear round to the west side,--a fine +saddle-shaped bit of clear ground there, in shape like the outside +or seat of a saddle; Domitsch Wood the crupper part; summit of this +Height the pommel, only nothing like so steep:--it is here (on tho +southern saddle-flap, so to speak), gradually mounting westward to +the crupper-and-pommel part, that the agony now is. + +And here, in utter darkness, illuminated only by the musketry and +cannon blazes, there ensued two hours of stiff wrestling in its +kind: not the fiercest spasm of all, but the final which decided +all. Lestwitz, Hulsen, come sweeping on, led by the sound and the +fire; "beating the Prussian march, they," sharply on all their +drums,--Prussian march, rat-tat-tan, sharply through the gloom of +Chaos in that manner; and join themselves, with no mistake made, to +Mollendorf's, to Ziethen's left and the saddle-flap there, and fall +on. The night is pitch-dark, says Archenholtz; you cannot see your +hand before you. Old Hulsen's bridle-horses were all shot away, +when he heard this alarm, far off: no horse left; and he is old, +and has his own bruises. He seated himself on a cannon; and so +rides, and arrives; right welcome the sight of him, doubt not! +And the fight rages still for an hour or more. + +To an observant Mollendorf, watching about all day, the importance +and all-importance of Siptitz Summit, if it can be got, is probably +known; to Daun it is alarmingly well known, when he hears of it. +Daun is zealously urgent on Lacy, on O'Donnell; who do try what +they can; send reinforcements, and the like; but nothing that +proves useful. O'Donnell is not the man for such a crisis: +Lacy, too, it is remarked, has always been more expert in ducking +out of Friedrich's way than in fighting anybody. [Archenholtz's +sour remark.] In fine, such is the total darkness, the difficulty, +the uncertainty, most or all of the reinforcements sent halted +short, in the belly of the Night, uncertain where; and their poor +friends got altogether beaten and driven away. + +MAP FACING PAGE 527, BOOK XX-------- + + +About 9 at night, all the Austrians are rolling off, eastward, +eastward. Prussians goading them forward what they could (firing +not quite done till 10); and that all-important pommel of the +saddle is indisputably won. The Austrians settled themselves, in a +kind of half-moon shape, close on the suburbs of Torgau; +the Prussians in a parallel half-moon posture, some furlongs behind +them. The Austrians sat but a short time; not a moment longer than +was indispensable. Daun perceives that the key of his ground is +gone from him; that he will have to send a second Courier to +Vienna. And, above all things, that he must forthwith get across +the Elbe and away. Lucky for him that he has Three Bridges (or +Four, including the Town Bridge), and that his Baggage is already +all across and standing on wheels. With excellent despatch and +order Daun winds himself across,--all of him that is still +coherent; and indeed, in the distant parts of the Battle-field, +wandering Austrian parties were admonished hitherward by the +River's voice in the great darkness,--and Daun's loss in prisoners, +though great, was less than could have been expected: 8,000 in all. + +Till towards one in the morning, the Prussians, in their half-moon, +had not learned what he was doing. About one they pushed into +Torgau, and across the Town Bridge; found 26 pontoons,--all the +rest packed off except these 26;--and did not follow farther. +Lacy retreated by the other or left bank of the River, to guard +against attempts from that side. Next day there was pursuit of +Lacy; some prisoners and furnitures got from him, but nothing of +moment: Daun and Lacy joined at Dresden; took post, as usual, +behind their inaccessible Plauen Chasms. Sat there, in view of the +chasing Prussians, without farther loss than this of Torgau, and of +a Campaign gone to water again. What an issue, for the third time! +[Tempelhof, iv. 291-318,; Archenholtz, ii. 159-174; Retzow, ii. 299 +et seq.; UMSTANDLICHE BESCHREIBUNG DES &C, (in Seyfarth, <italic> +Beylagen, <end italic> ii. 823-848): in <italic> Helden-Geschichte, +<end italic> or in <italic> Anonymous of Hamburg <end italic> (iv. +245-300), the Daun DESPATCHES, the Lists, &c.]-- + +On Torgau-field, behind that final Prussian half-moon, there +reigned, all night, a confusion which no tongue can express. +Poor wounded men by the hundred and the thousand, weltering in +their blood, on the cold wet ground; not surgeons or nurses, but +merciless predatory sutlers, equal to murder if necessary, waiting +on them and on the happier that were dead. "Unutterable!" says +Archenholtz; who, though wounded, had crawled or got carried to +some village near. The living wandered about in gloom and +uncertainty; lucky he whose haversack was still his, and a crust of +bread in it: water was a priceless luxury, almost nowhere +discoverable. Prussian Generals roved about with their Staff- +Officers, seeking to re-form their Battalions; to little purpose. +They had grown indignant, in some instances, and were vociferously +imperative and minatory; but in tbe dark who needed mind them?-- +they went raving elsewhere, and, for the first time, Prussian word- +of-command saw itself futile. Pitch darkness, bitter cold, ground +trampled into mire. On Siptitz Hill there is nothing that will +burn: farther back, in the Domitsch Woods, are numerous fine fires, +to which Austrians and Prussians alike gather: "Peace and truce +between us; to-morrow morning we will see which are prisoners, +which are captors." So pass the wild hours, all hearts longing for +the dawn, and what decision it will bring. + +Friedrich, at Elsnig, found every hut full of wounded, and their +surgeries, and miseries silent or loud. He himself took shelter in +the little Church; passed the night there. Busy about many things; +--"using the altar," it seems, "by way of writing-table [self or +secretaries kneeling, shall we fancy, on those new terms?], and the +stairs of it as seat." Of the final Ziethen-Lestwitz effort he +would scarcely hear the musketry or cannonade, being so far away +from it. At what hour, or from whom first, he learned that the +Battle of Torgau had become Victory in the night-time, I know not: +the Anecdote-Books send him out in his cloak, wandering up and down +before daybreak; standing by the soldiers' fires; and at length, +among the Woods, in the faint incipiency of dawn, meeting a Shadow +which proves to be Ziethen himself in the body, with embraces and +congratulations:--evidently mythical, though dramatic. Reach him +the news soon did; and surely none could be welcomer. +Head-quarters change from the altar-steps in Elsnig Church to +secular rooms in Torgau. Ziethen has already sped forth on the +skirts of Lacy; whole Army follows next day; and, on the War- +theatre it is, on the sudden, a total change of scene. +Conceivable to readers without the details. + +Hopes there were of getting back Dresden itself; but that, on +closer view, proved unattemptable. Daun kept his Plauen Chasm, his +few square miles of ground beyond; the rest of Saxony was +Friedrich's, as heretofore. Loudon had tried hard on Kosel for a +week; storming once, and a second time, very fiercely, Goltz being +now near; but could make nothing of it; and, on wind of Goltz, went +his way. [HOFBERICHT VON DER BELAGERUNG VON KOSEL, IM OCTOBER 1760 +(Seyfarth, <italic> Beylagen, <end italic> ii. 798-804): began +"October 21st;" ended "at daybreak, October 27th."] The Russians, +on sound of Torgau, shouldered arms, and made for Poland. Daun, for +his own share, went to Vienna this Winter; in need of surgery, and +other things. The population there is rather disposed to be grumbly +on its once heroic Fabius; wishes the Fabius were a little less +cunctatory. But Imperial Majesty herself, one is proud to relate, +drove out, in Old Roman spirit, some miles, to meet him, her +defeated ever-honored Daun, and to inquire graciously about his +health, which is so important to the State. [Archenholtz, ii. 179.] + +Torgau was Daun's last Battle: Daun's last battle; and, what is +more to the joy of readers and their Editor here, was Friedrich's +last,--so that the remaining Two Campaigns may fairly be condensed +to an extreme degree; and a few Chapters more will deliver us +altogether from this painful element!-- + +Daun lost at Torgau, by his own account, "about 11,000 men,"-- +should have said, according to Tempelhof, and even to neutral +persons, "above 12,000 killed and wounded, PLUS 8,000 prisoners, +45 cannon, 29 flags, 1 standard (or horse-flag)," [Tempelhof, iv. +213; Kausler, p. 726.] which brings him to at least 20,000 minus;-- +the Prussian loss, heavy enough too, being, by Tempelhof's +admission, "between 13 and 14,000, of whom 4,000 prisoners." +The sore loss, not so computable in arithmetic,--but less sore to +Daun, perhaps, than to most people,--is that of being beaten, and +having one's Campaign reduced to water again. No Conquest of +Saxony, any more than of Silesia, possible to Daun, this Year. +In Silesia, thanks to Loudon, small thanks to Loudon's Chief, they +have got Glatz: Kosel they could not get; fiery Loudon himself +stormed and blazed to no purpose there, and had to hurry home on +sight of Goltz and relief. Glatz is the net sum-total. Daun knows +all this; but in a stoical arithmetical manner, and refuses to be +flurried by it. + +Friedrich, as we said, had hoped something might be done in Saxony +on the defeated Daun;--perhaps Dresden itself be got back from him, +and his Army altogether sent to winter in Bohemia again? But it +proved otherwise. Daun showed not the least disposition to quit his +Plauen Chasm, or fall into discouragement: and after some weeks of +diligent trial, on Friedrich's part, and much running about in +those central and Hill-ward parts, Friedrich found he would have to +be content with his former allotment of Saxon territory, and to +leave the Austrians quiet in theirs. Took winter-quarters +accordingly, and let the Enemy take. Cantoned himself, in that +Meissen-Freyberg Country, in front of the Austrians and their +impassable Plauens and Chasms:--pretty much as in the past Year, +only that the Two Armies lay at a greater distance, and were more +peaceable, as if by mutual consent. + +Head-quarter of the King is Leipzig; where the King did not arrive +till December 8th,--such adjusting and arranging has he had, and +incessant running to and fro. He lived in the "Apel House, NEW +Neumarkt, No. 16;" [Rodenbeck, ii. 65.] the same he had occupied in +1757, in the Rossbach time. "ACH! how lean your Majesty has grown!" +said the Mistress of it, at sight of him again (mythically, I +should fancy, though it is in the Anecdote-Books). "Lean, JA WOHL," +answered he: "and what wonder, with Three Women [Theresa, Czarina, +Pompadour] hanging on the throat of me all this while!" But we +propose to look in upon him ourselves, in this Apel House, on more +authentic terms, by and by. Read, meanwhile, these Two bits of +Autograph, thrown off incidentally, at different places, in the +previous busy journeyings over Meissen-Freyberg country:-- + + +1. FRIEDRICH TO MARQUIS D'ARGENS (at Berlin). + +"MEISSEN, 10th November, 1760. + +... "I drove the enemy to the Gates of Dresden; they occupy their +Camp of last Year; all my skill is not enough to dislodge them,"-- +[Chasm of Plauen, "a place impregnable, were it garrisoned by +chimney-sweeps," says the King once]. "We have saved our reputation +by the Day of Torgau: but don't imagine our enemies are so +disheartened as to desire Peace. Duke Ferdinand's affairs are not +in a good way [missed Wesel, of which presently;--and, alas also, +George II. died, this day gone a fortnight, which is far worse for +us, if we knew it!]--I fear the French will preserve through Winter +the advantages they gained during the Campaign. + +"In a word, I see all black, as if I were at the bottom of a tomb. +Have some compassion on the situation I am in; conceive that I +disguise nothing from you, and yet that I do not detail to you all +my embarrassments, my apprehensions and troubles. Adieu, dear +Marquis; write to me sometimes,--don't forget a poor devil, who +curses ten times a day his fatal existence, and could wish he +already were in those Silent Countries from which nobody returns +with news." [<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> xix. +204, 205.] + +2. The Second, of different complexion, is a still more interesting +little Autograph, date elsewhere, farther on, in those wanderings. +Madam Camas, Widow of the Colonel Camas whom we knew twenty years +ago, is "Queen's OBER-HOFMEISTERINN (Lady in Chief),"--to whom the +King's Letters are always pretty:-- + +FREIDRICH TO MADAM CAMAS (at Magdeburg, with the Queen's Majesty. + +"NEUSTADT, 18th November, 1760. + +"I am exact in answering, and eager to satisfy you [in that matter +of the porcelain: you shall have a breakfast-set, my good Mamma; +six coffee-cups, very pretty, well diapered, and tricked out with +all the little embellishments which increase their value. +On account of some pieces which they are adding to the set, you +will have to wait a few days; but I flatter myself this delay will +contribute to your satisfaction, and produce for you a toy that +will give you pleasure, and make you remember your old Adorer. +It is curious how old people's habits agree. For four years past I +have given up suppers, as incompatible with the Trade I am obliged +to follow; and in marching days, my dinner consists of a cup +of chocolate. + +"We hurried off, like fools, quite inflated with our Victory, to +try if we could not chase the Austrians out of Dresden: they made a +mockery of us from the tops of their mountains. So I have +withdrawn, like a bad little boy, to conceal myself, out of spite, +in one of the wretchedest villages in Saxony. And here the first +thing will be to drive the Circle gentlemen, [Reichs Army] out of +Freyberg into Chemnitz, and get ourselves room to quarter and +something to live upon. It is, I swear to you, a dog of a life [or +even a she-dog, CHIENNE DE VIE], the like of which nobody but Don +Quixote ever led before me. All this tumbling and toiling, and +bother and confusion that never ceases, has made me so old, that +you would scarcely know me again. On the right side of my head the +hair is all gray; my teeth break and fall out; I have got my face +wrinkled like the falbalas of a petticoat; my back bent like a +fiddle-bow; and spirit sad and downcast like a monk of La Trappe. +I forewarn you of all this, lest, in case we should meet again in +flesh and bone, you might feel yourself too violently shocked by my +appearance. There remains to me nothing but the heart,--which has +undergone no change, and which will preserve, so long as I breathe, +its feelings of esteem and of tender friendship for my good Mamma. +Adieu." [<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> XVIII. 144.]-- +To which add only this on Duke Ferdinand, "whose affairs," we just +heard, "are not in a good way:"-- + + +FIGHT OF KLOSTER KAMPEN (Night of October 15th-16th); +WESEL NOT TO BE HAD BY DUKE FERDINAND. + +After WARBURG (July 31st, while Friedrich was on the eve of +crossing Elbe on new adventures, Dresden Siege having failed him), +Duke Ferdinand made no figure to the Gazetteers; fought no Battle +farther; and has had a Campaign, which is honorable only to judges +of a higher than the Gazetteer sort. + +By Warburg Ferdinand had got the Diemel; on the north bank of which +he spread himself out, impassable to Broglio, who lay trying on the +opposite bank:--"No Hanover by this road." Broglio thereupon drew +back a little; pushed out circuitously from his right wing, which +reaches far eastward of Ferdinand, a considerable Brigade,-- +circuitously, round by the Weser-Fulda Country, and beyond the +embouchure of Diemel,--to try it by that method. Got actually a few +miles into Hanoverian territory, by that method; laid hold of +Gottingen, also of Munden, which secures a road thither: and at +Gottingen there, "ever since August 4th," Broglio has been throwing +up works, and shooting out hussar-parties to a good distance; +intending, it would seem, to maintain himself, and to be +mischievous, in that post. Would, in fact, fain entice Ferdinand +across the Weser, to help Gottingen. "Across Weser, yes;--and so +leave Broglio free to take Lippstadt from me, as he might after a +short siege," thinks Ferdinand always; "which would beautifully +shorten Broglio's communication [quite direct then, and without +interruption, all the way to Wesel], and make Hanover itself, +Hanover and Brunswick, the central Seat of War!" Which Ferdinand, +grieved as he is for Gottingen, will by no means consent to. + +Ferdinand, strong only as one to two, cannot hinder Broglio, though +he tries variously; and is much at a loss, seeing Broglio +irrepressibly busy this way, all through August and on into +September;--has heard, however, from Wesel, through secret +partisans there, that Wesel, considered altogether out of risk, is +left in a very weak condition; weak in garrison, weak even in +gunners. Reflecting upon which, in his difficulties, Ferdinand asks +himself, "A sudden stroke at Wesel, 200 miles away, might it not +astonish Broglio, who is so busy on us just here?"--and, September +22d, despatches the Hereditary Prince on that errand. A man likely +for it, if there be one in the world:--unable to do it, however, as +the issue told. Here is what I find noted. + +"SEPTEMBER 22d, the Erbprinz, with a chosen Corps of 15,000, mostly +English, left these Diemel regions towards Wesel, at his speediest. +September 29th, Erbprinz and vanguard, Corps rapidly following, are +got to Dorsten, within 20 miles of Wesel. A most swift Erbprinz; +likely for such work. And it is thought by judges, Had he had +either siege-artillery or scaling apparatus, he might really have +attacked Wesel with good chance upon it. But he has not even a +ladder ready, much less a siege-gun. Siege-guns are at Bielefeld +[come from Bremen, I suppose, by English boating, up the Weser so +far]; but that is six score miles of wheel-carriage; roads bad, and +threatening to be worse, as it is equinoctial weather. There is +nothing for it but to wait for those guns. + +"The Erbprinz, hopefully waiting, does his endeavor in the interim; +throws a bridge over the Rhine, pounces upon Cleve garrison +(prisoners, with their furnitures), pounces upon this and that; +'spreads terror' on the French thereabouts 'up to Dusseldorf and +Koln,--and on Broglio himself, so far off, the due astonishment. +'Wesel to be snatched,--ye Heavens! Our Netherlands road cut off: +Dusseldorf, Koln, our Rhine Magazines, all and sundry, fallen to +the hawks,--who, the lighter-winged of them, might pay visits in +France itself!' Broglio has to suspend his Gottingen operations, +and detach Marquis de Castries with (say ultimately, for Castries +is to grow and gather by the road) 35,000, to relieve Wesel. +Castries marches double-quick; weather very rainy;--arrives in +those parts OCTOBER 13th;--hardly a gun from Bielefeld come to hand +yet, Erbprinz merely filling men with terror. And so, + +"OCTOBER 14th, after two weeks and a day, the Hereditary Prince +sees, not guns from Bielefeld, but Castries pushing into Wesel a +7,000 of additional garrison,--and the Enterprise on Wesel grown +impossible. Impossible, and probably far more; Castries in a +condition to devour us, if he prove sharp. It behooves the +Hereditary Prince to be himself sharp;--which he undoubtedly was, +in this sharp crisis. Next day, our Erbprinz, taking survey of +Castries in his strong ground of Kloster Kampen, decides, like a +gallant fellow, to attack HIM;--and straightway does it. +Breaks, that same night (October 15th-16th, 1760), stealthily, +through woods and with precautions, into Castries's Post;-- +intending surprisal, and mere ruin to Castries. And there ensued, +not the SURPRISAL as it turned out, but the BATTLE OF KLOSTER +KAMPEN; which again proved unsuccessful, or only half-successful, +to the Hereditary Prince. A many-winged, intricate Night-Battle; +to be read of in Books. This is where the Chevalier d'Assas, he or +Somebody, gave the alarm to the Castries people at the expense of +his life. 'A MOI, AUVERGNE, Ho, Auvergne!' shouted D'Assas (if it +was D'Assas at all), when the stealthy English came upon him; +who was at once cut down. [Preuss (ii. 270 n.) asserts it to be +proved, in <italic> "Miscellen aus den neuesten auslandischen +Litteratur <end italic> (1824, No. 3, p. 409)," a Book which none +of us ever saw, "That the real hero [equal to a Roman Decius or +more] was not Captain d'Assas, of the Regiment Auvergne, but a poor +Private Soldier of it, called Dubois"!--Is not this a strange turn, +after such be-PENSIONING, be-painting, singing and celebrating, as +rose upon poor D'Assas, or the Family of D'Assas, twenty years +afterwards (1777-1790)!--Both Dubois and D'Assas, I conclude, lay +among the slain at Kloster Kampen, silent they forever:--and a +painful doubt does rise, As to the miraculous operation of +Posthumous Rumor and Wonder; and Whether there was any "miracle of +heroism," or other miracle at all, and not rather a poor nocturnal +accident,--poor sentry in the edge of the wood, shrieking out, on +apparition of the stealthy English, "Ho, Auvergne, help!" probably +firing withal; and getting killed in consequence? NON NOSTRUM EST.] +It is certain, Auvergne gave fire; awoke Castries bodily; and saved +him from what was otherwise inevitable. Surprise now there was none +farther; but a complex Fight, managed in the darkness with uncommon +obstinacy; ending in withdrawal of the Erbprinz, as from a thing +that could not be done. His loss in killed, wounded and prisoners, +was 1,638; that of Castries, by his own counting, 2,036: +but Kloster Kampen, in the wide-awake state, could not be won. + +"During the Fight, the Erbprinz's Rhine-Bridge had burst in two: +his ammunition was running short;--and, it would seem, there is no +retreat, either! The Erbprinz put a bold face on the matter, stood +to Castries in a threatening attitude; mamoeuvred skilfully for two +days longer, face still to Castries, till the Bridge was got +mended; then, night of October 18th-19th, crossed to his own side; +gathered up his goods; and at a deliberate pace marched home, on +those terms;--doing some useful fighting by the road." +[Mauvillon, ii. 120-129: Tempelhof, ii. 325-332.] + +Had lost nothing, say his admirers, "but one cannon, which burst." +One burst cannon left on the field of Kloster Kampen;--but also, as +we see, his errand along with it; and 1,600 good fighters lost aud +burst: which was more important! Criticisms there were on it in +England, perhaps of the unwise sort generally; sorrow in the +highest quarter. "An unaccountable expedition," Walpole calls it, +"on which Prince Ferdinand suddenly despatched his Nephew, at the +head of a considerable force, towards the frontiers of Holland,"-- +merely to see the country there?--"which occasioned much solicitude +in England, as the Main Army, already unequal to that of France, +was thus rendered much weaker. King George felt it with much +anxiety." [Walpole's <italic> George Second, <end italic> iii. +299.] An unaccountable Enterprise, my poor Gazetteer friends,-- +very evidently an unsuccessful one, so far as Wesel went. +Many English fallen in it, too: "the English showed here again a +GANZ AUSNEHMENDE TAPFERKEIT," says Mauvillon; and probably their +share of the loss was proportionate. + +Clearly enough there is no Wesel to be had. Neither could Broglio, +though disturbed in his Gottingen fortifyings and operations, be +ejected out of Gottingen. Ferdinand, on failure of Wesel, himself +marched to Gottingen, and tried for some days; but found he could +not, in such weather, tear out that firmly rooted French Post, but +must be content to "mask it," for the present; and, this done, +withdrew (December 13th) to his winter-quarters near by, as did +Broglio to his,--about the time Friedrich and Daun had finally +settled in theirs. + +Ferdinand's Campaigns henceforth, which turn all on the defence of +Hanover, are highly recommended to professional readers; but to the +laic sort do not prove interesting in proportion to the trouble. +In fact, the huge War henceforth begins everywhere, or everywhere +except in Pitt's department of it, to burn lower, like a lamp with +the oil getting done; and has less of brilliancy than formerly. +"Let us try for Hanover," the Belleisles, Choiseuls and wise French +heads had said to themselves: "Canada, India, everything is lost; +but were dear Hanover well in our clutch, Hanover would be a remedy +for many things!" Through the remaining Campaigns, as in this now +done, that is their fixed plan. Ferdinand, by unwearied effort, +succeeded in defending Hanover,--nothing of it but that +inconsiderable slice or skirt round Gottingen, which they kept +long, could ever be got by the French. Ferdinand defended Hanover; +and wore out annually the big French Armies which were missioned +thither, as in the spasm of an expiring last effort by this poor +hag-ridden France,--at an expense to her, say, of 50,000 men per +year. Which was good service on Ferdinand's part; but done less and +less in the shining or universally notable way. + +So that with him too we are henceforth, thank Heaven, permitted and +even bound to be brief. Hardly above two Battles more from him, if +even two:--and mostly the wearied Reader's imagination left to +conceive for itself those intricate strategies, and endless +manoeuvrings on the Diemel and the Dill, on the Ohm River and the +Schwalm and the Lippe, or wherever they may be, with small help +from a wearied Editor!-- + + + +Chapter VI. + +WINTER-QUARTERS 1760-1761. + +A melancholy little event, which afterwards proved unexpectedly +unfortunate for Friedrich, had happened in England ten days before +the Battle of Torgau. Saturday, 25th October, 1760, George II., +poor old gentleman, suddenly died. He was in his 77th year; +feeble, but not feebler than usual,--unless, perhaps, the +unaccountable news from Kloster Kampen may have been too agitating +to the dim old mind? On the Monday of this week he had, "from a +tent in Hyde Park," presided at a Review of Dragoons; and on +Thursday, as his Coldstream Guards were on march for Portsmouth and +foreign service, "was in his Portico at Kensington to see them +pass;"--full of zeal always in regard to military matters, and to +this War in particular. Saturday, by sunrise he was on foot; +took his cup of chocolate; inquired about the wind, and the chances +of mails arriving; opened his window, said he would have a turn in +the Gardens, the morning being so fine. It was now between 7 and 8. +The valet then withdrew with the chocolate apparatus; but had +hardly shut the door, when he heard a deep sigh, and fall of +something,--"billet of wood from the fire?" thought he;--upon +which, hurrying back, he found it was the King, who had dropt from +his seat, "as if in attempting to ring the bell." King said +faintly, "Call Amelia," and instantly died. Poor deaf Amelia +(Friedrich's old love, now grown old and deaf) listened wildly for +some faint sound from those lips now mute forever. George Second +was no more; his grandson George Third was now King. +[Old Newspapers (in <italic> Gentleman's Magazine, <end italic> +xxx. 486-488).] + +Intrinsically taken, this seemed no very great event for Friedrich, +for Pitt, for England or mankind: but it proved otherwise. +The merit of this poor King deceased, who had led his Nation +stumbling among the chimney-pots at such a rate in these mad German +Wars for Twenty Years past, was, That he did now stand loyal to the +Enterprise, now when it had become sane indeed; now when the Nation +was broad awake, and a Captain had risen to guide it out of that +perilous posture, into never-expected victory and triumph! Poor old +George had stood by his Pitt, by his Ferdinand, with a perfect +loyalty at all turns; and been devoted, heart and soul and +breeches-pocket, to completely beating Bourbon's oppressive ideas +out of Bourbon's head. A little fact, but how important, then and +there! Under the Successor, all this may be different:--ghastly +beings, Old Tutors, Favorites, Mother's-Favorites, flit, as yet +invisible, on the new backstairs:--should Bute and Company get into +the foreground, people will then know how important it was. +Walpole says:-- + +"The Yorkes [Ex-Chancellor Hardwicke people] had long distasted +this War:" yes, and been painfully obliged to hold their tongues: +"but now," within a month or so of the old King's death, "there was +published, under Lord Hardwicke's countenance, a Tract setting +forth the burden and ill policy of our German measures. It was +called CONSIDERATIONS ON THE GERMAN WAR; was ably written, and +changed many men's minds." This is the famous "Mauduit Pamphlet:" +first of those small stones, from the sling of Opposition not +obliged to be dormant, which are now beginning to rattle on Pitt's +Olympian Dwelling-place,--high really as Olympus, in comparison +with others of the kind, but which unluckily is made of GLASS like +the rest of them! The slinger of this first resounding little +missile, Walpole informs us, was "one Mauduit, formerly a +Dissenting Teacher,"--son of a Dissenting Minister in Bermondsey, I +hear, and perhaps himself once a Preacher, but at present concerned +with Factorage of Wool on the great scale; got soon afterwards +promoted to be Head of the Custom-house in Southampton, so lovely +did he seem to Bute and Company. "How agreeable his politics were +to the interior of the Court, soon appeared by a place [Southampton +Custom-house] being bestowed on him by Lord Bute." A fortunate +Mauduit, yet a stupidly tragical; had such a destiny in English +History! Hear Walpole a little farther, on Mauduit, and on other +things then resonant to Arlington Street in a way of their own. +"TO SIR HORACE MANN [at Florence]:-- + +"NOVEMBER 14th, 1760 [tenth night after Torgau]. ... We are all in +guns and bonfires for an unexpected victory of the King of Prussia +over Daun; but as no particulars are yet arrived, there +are doubters." + +"DECEMBER 5th, 1760. I have received the samples of brocadella. ... +I shall send you a curious Pamphlet, the only work I almost ever +knew that changed the opinions of many. It is called CONSIDERATIONS +ON THE PRESENT GERMAN WAR, ["London: Printed for John Wilkie, at +the Bible, in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1761," adds my poor Copy (a +frugal 12mo, of pp. 144), not adding of what edition.] and is +written by a wholesale Woollen-Draper [connected with Wool, in some +way; "Factor at Blackwell Hall," if that mean Draper:--and a +growing man ever after; came to be "Agent for Massachusetts," on +the Boston-TEA occasion, and again did Tracts; was "President of +the"--in short, was a conspicuous Vice-President, so let us define +him, of The general Anti-Penalty or Life-made-Soft Association, +with Cause of civil and religious Liberty all over the World, and +such like; and a Mauduit comfortably resonant in that way till he +died [Chalmers, BIOG. DICTIONARY; Nichols, LITERARY ANECDOTES; +&c. &c.]; but the materials are supposed to be furnished by the +faction of the Yorkes. The confirmation of the King of Prussia's +victory near Torgau does not prevent the disciples of the Pamphlet +from thinking that the best thing which could happen for us would +be to have that Monarch's head shot off. [Hear, hear!]-- + +"There are Letters from the Hague [what foolish Letters do fly +about, my friend!], that say Daun is dead of his wounds. If he is, +I shall begin to believe that the King of Prussia will end +successfully at last. [Oh!] It has been the fashion to cry down +Daun; but, as much as the King of Prussia may admire himself [does +immensely, according to our Selwyn informations], I dare say he +would have been glad to be matched with one much more like himself +than one so opposite as the Marshal." + +"JANUARY 2d, i761. The German War is not so popular as you imagine, +either in the Closet or in the Nation." [Walpole, <italic> Letters +to Sir Horace Mann <end italic> (Lond. 1843), i. 6, 7.] +(Enough, enough.) + +The Mauduit Pamphlet, which then produced such an effect, is still +to be met in old Collections and on Bookstalls; but produces little +save weariness to a modern reader. "Hanover not in real danger," +argues he; "if the French had it, would not they, all Europe +ordering them, have to give it up again?" Give it up,--GRATIS, or +in return for Canada and Pondicherry, Mauduit's does not say. +Which is an important omission! But Mauduit's grand argument is +that of expense; frightful outlay of money, aggravated by ditto +mismanagement of same. + +A War highly expensive, he says--(and the truth is, Pitt was never +stingy of money: "Nearly the one thing we have in any plenty; +be frank in use of that, in an Enterprise so ill-provided +otherwise, and involving life and death!" thinks Pitt);-- +"dreadfully expensive," urges Mauduit, and gives some instances of +Commissariat moneys signally wasted,--not by Pitt, but by the +stupidity of Pitt's War Offices, Commissariat Offices, Offices of +all kinds; not to be cured at once by any Pitt:--How magazines of +hay were shipped and reshipped, carried hither, thither, up this +river, down that (nobody knowing where the war-horses would be that +were to eat it); till at length, when it had reached almost the +value of bohea tea, the right place of it was found to be Embden +(nearest to Britain from the first, had one but known), and not a +horse would now taste it, so spoiled was the article; all horses +snorted at it, as they would have done at bohea, never so +expensive. [Mauduit (towards the end) has a story of that +tenor,--particulars not worth verifying.] These things are incident +to British warfare; also to Swedish, and to all warfares that have +their War Offices in an imaginary state,--state much to be abhorred +by every sane creature; but not to be mended all at once by the +noblest of men, into whose hands they are suddenly thrust for +saving his Nation. Conflagration to be quenched; and your buckets +all in hideous leakage, like buckets of the Danaides:--your one +course is, ply them, pour with them, such as they are. + +Mauduit points out farther the enormous fortunes realized by a +swindling set of Army-Furnishers, Hebrews mainly, and unbeautiful +to look on. Alas, yes; this too is a thing incident to the case; +and in a degree to all such cases, and situations of sudden crisis; +--have not we seen Jew Ephraim growing rich by the copper money +even of a Friedrich? Christian Protestants there are, withal, +playing the same game on a larger scale. Herr Schimmelmann +("MOULDY-man") the Dane, for instance,--Dane or Holsteiner,--is +coining false money for a Duke of Holstein-Plon, who has not a +Seven-Years War on his hands. Diligently coining, this Mouldy +Individual; still more successfully, is trading in Friedrich's +Meissen China (bought in the cheapest market, sold in the dearest); +has at Hamburg his "Auction of Meissen Porcelain," steadily going +on, as a new commercial institution of that City;--and, in short, +by assiduously laboring in such harvest-fields, gathers a colossal +fortune, 100,000 pounds, 300,000 pounds, or I will not remember +what. Gets "ennobled," furthermore, by a Danish Government prompt +to recognize human merit: Elephant Order, Dannebrog Order; no Order +good enough for this Mouldy-man of merit; [Preuss, ii. 391, 282, +&c.]--and is, so far as I know, begetting "Nobles," that is to say, +Vice-Kings and monitory Exemplars, for the Danish People, to this +day. Let us shut down the iron lid on all that. + +Mauduit's Pamphlet, if it raised in the abhorrent unthinking +English mind some vague notion, as probably it did, that Pitt was +responsible for these things, or was in a sort the cause or author +of them, might produce some effect against him. "What a splash is +this you are making, you Great Commoner; wetting everybody's feet, +--as our Mauduit proves;--while the Conflagration seems to be going +out, if you let it alone!" For the heads of men resemble-- +My friend, I will not tell you what they, in multitudinous +instances, resemble. + +But thus has woollen Mauduit, from his private camp ("Clement's +Lane, Lombard Street," say the Dictionaries), shot, at a very high +object, what pigeon's-egg or small pebble he had; the first of many +such that took that aim; with weak though loud-sounding impact, but +with results--results on King Friedrich in particular, which were +stronger than the Cannonade of Torgau! As will be seen. For within +year and day,--Mauduit and Company making their noises from +without, and the Butes and Hardwickes working incessantly with such +rare power of leverage and screwage in the interior parts,--a +certain Quasi-Olympian House, made of glass, will lie in sherds, +and the ablest and noblest man in England see himself forbidden to +do England any service farther: "Not needed more, Sir! Go you,--and +look at US for the remainder of your life!" + + +KING FRIEDRICH IN THE APEL HOUSE AT LEIPZIG +(8th December, 1760-17th March, 1761). + +Friedrich's Winter in the Apel House at Leipzig is of cheerfuler +character than we might imagine. Endless sore business he doubtless +has, of recruiting, financiering, watching and providing, which +grows more difficult year by year; but he has subordinates that +work to his signal, and an organized machinery for business such as +no other man. And solacements there are withal: his Books he has +about him; welcomer than ever in such seasons: Friends too,--he is +not solitary; nor neglectful of resources. Faithful D'Argens came +at once (stayed till the middle of March): [<italic> OEuvres de +Frederic, <end italic> xix. 212, 213. Sends a Courier to conduct +D'Argens "FOR December 8th;" "21st March," D'Argens is back at +Berlin.] D'Argens, Quintus Icilius, English Mitchell; these three +almost daily bore him company. Till the middle of January, also, he +had his two Nephews with him (Sons of his poor deceased Brother, +the late tragic Prince of Prussia),--the elder of whom, Friedrich +Wilhelm, became King afterwards; the second, Henri by name, died +suddenly of small-pox within about seven years hence, to the King's +deep and sore grief, who liked him the better of the two. +Their ages respectively are now about 16 and 14. [Henri, born 30th +December, 1747, died 26th May, 1767;--Friedrich Wilhelm, afterwards +Friedrich Wilhelm II. (sometimes called DER DICKE, The Big), born +25th December, 1744; King, 17th August, 1786; died 16th November, +1797.] Their appetite for dancing, and their gay young ways, are +pleasant now and afterwards to the old Uncle in his grim element. +[Letters, &c. in SCHONING.] + +Music, too, he had; daily evening Concert, though from himself +there is no fluting now. One of his Berlin Concert people who had +been sent for was Fasch, a virtuoso on I know not what instrument, +--but a man given to take note of things about him. Fasch was +painfully surprised to see his King so altered in the interim past: +"bent now, sunk into himself, grown old; to whom these five years +of war-tumult and anxiety, of sorrow and hard toil, had given a +dash of gloomy seriousness and melancholy, which was in strong +contrast with his former vividly bright expression, and was not +natural to his years." [Zelter's <italic> Life of Fasch <end +italic> (cited in PREUSS, ii. 278).] + +From D'Argens there is one authentic Anecdote, worth giving. +One evening D'Argens came to him; entering his Apartment, found him +in a situation very unexpected; which has been memorable ever +since. "One evening [there is no date to it, except vaguely, as +above, December, 1760-March, 1761], D'Argens, entering the King's +Apartment, found him sitting on the ground with a big platter of +fried meat, from which he was feeding his dogs. He had a little +rod, with which he kept order among them, and shoved the best bits +to his favorites. The Marquis, in astonishment, recoiled a step, +struck his hands together, and exclaimed: 'The Five Great Powers of +Europe, who have sworn alliance, and conspired to undo the Marquis +de Brandebourg, how might they puzzle their heads to guess what he +is now doing! Scheming some dangerous plan for the next Campaign, +think they; collecting funds to have money for it; studying about +magazines for man and horse; or he is deep in negotiations to +divide his enemies, and get new allies for himself? Not a bit of +all that. He is sitting peaceably in his room, and feeding his +dogs!'" [Preuss, ii. 282.] + + +INTERVIEW WITH HERR PROFESSOR GELLERT +(Thursday, 18th December, 1760). + +Still more celebrated is the Interview with Gellert; though I +cannot say it is now more entertaining to the ingenuous mind. +One of Friedrich's many Interviews, this Winter, with the Learned +of Leipzig University; for he is a born friend of the Muses so +called, and never neglects an opportunity. Wonderful to see how, in +such an environment, in the depths of mere toil and tribulation, +with a whole breaking world lying on his shoulders, as it were,--he +always shows such appetite for a snatch of talk with anybody +presumably of sense, and knowledge on something! + +This Winter, say the Books, "he had, in vacant intervals, a great +deal of communing with the famed of Leipzig University;" this or +the other famed Professor,--Winkler, Ernesti, Gottsched again, and +others, coming to give account, each for himself, of what he +professed to be teaching in the world: "on the Natural Sciences, +more especially the Moral; on Libraries, on Rare Books. +Gottsched was able to satisfy the King on one point; namely, That +the celebrated passage of St. John's Gospel--"THERE ARE THREE THAT +BEAR RECORD--was NOT in the famous Manuscript of the Vienna +Library; Gottsched having himself examined that important CODEX, +and found in the text nothing of said Passage, but merely, written +on the margin, a legible intercalation of it, in Melanchthon's +hand. Luther, in his Version, never had it at all." +[<italic> Helden-Geschichte, <end italic> vi. 596.] A Gottsched +inclined to the Socinian view? Not the least consequence to +Friedrich or us! Our business is exclusively with Gellert here. + +Readers have heard of Gellert; there are, or there were, English +Writings about him, LIVES, or I forget what: and in his native +Protestant Saxony, among all classes, especially the higher, he +had, in those years and onwards to his death, such a popularity and +real splendor of authority as no man before or since. Had risen, +against his will in some sort, to be a real Pope, a practical +Oracle in those parts. In his modest bachelor lodging (age of him +five-and-forty gone) he has sheaves of Letters daily,--about +affairs of the conscience, of the household, of the heart: +from some evangelical young lady, for example, Shall I marry HIM, +think you, O my Father?" and perhaps from her Papa, "Shall SHE, +think you, O my ditto?"--Sheaves of Letters: and of oral consulters +such crowds, that the poor Oracle was obliged to appoint special +hours for that branch of his business. His class-room (he lectures +on MORALS, some THEORY OF MORAL SENTIMENT, or such like) is crowded +with "blue uniforms" (ingenuous Prussian Officers eager to hear a +Gellert) in these Winters. Rugged Hulsen, this very season, who +commands in Freyberg Country, alleviates the poor village of +Hainichen from certain official inflictions, and bids the poor +people say "It is because Gellert was born among you!" Plainly the +Trismegistus of mankind at that date:--who is now, as usual, become +a surprising Trismegistus to the new generations! + +He had written certain thin Books, all of a thin languid nature; +but rational, clear; especially a Book of FABLES IN VERSE, which +are watery, but not wholly water, and have still a languid flavor +in them for readers. His Book on LETTER-WRITING was of use to the +rising generation, in its time. Clearly an amiable, ingenious, +correct, altogether good man; of pious mind,--and, what was more, +of strictly orthodox, according to the then Saxon standard in the +best circles. This was the figure of his Life for the last fifteen +years of it; and he was now about the middle of that culminating +period. A modest, despondent kind of man, given to indigestions, +dietetics, hypochondria: "of neat figure and dress; nose hooked, +but not too much; eyes mournfully blue and beautiful, fine open +brow;"--a fine countenance, and fine soul of its sort, poor +Gellert: "punctual like the church-clock at divine service, in all +weathers." [Jordens, <italic> Lexikon Deutscher Dichter und +Prosaisten <end italic> (Leipzig, 1807), ii. 54-68 (§ Gellert).] + +A man of some real intellect and melody; some, by no means much; +who was of amiable meek demeanor; studious to offend nobody, and to +do whatever good he could by the established methods;--and who, +what was the great secret of his success, was of orthodoxy perfect +and eminent. Whom, accordingly, the whole world, polite Saxon +orthodox world, hailed as its Evangelist and Trismegistus. +Essentially a commonplace man; but who employed himself in +beautifying and illuminating the commonplace of his clay and +generation:--infinitely to the satisfaction of said generation. +"How charming that you should make thinkable to us, make vocal, +musical and comfortably certain, what we were all inclined to +think; you creature plainly divine!" And the homages to Gellert +were unlimited and continual, not pleasant all of them to an idlish +man in weak health. + +Mitchell and Quintus Icilius, who are often urging on the King that +a new German Literature is springing up, of far more importance +than the King thinks, have spoken much to him of Gellert the +Trismegistus;--and at length, in the course of a ten days from +Friedrich's arrival here, actual Interview ensues. The DIALOGUE, +though it is but dull and watery to a modern palate, shall be given +entire, for the sake of one of the Interlocutors. The Report of it, +gleaned gradually from Gellert himself, and printed, not long +afterwards, from his manuscripts or those of others, is to be taken +as perfectly faithful. Gellert, writing to his inquiring Friend +Rabener (a then celebrated Berlin Wit), describes, from Leipzig, +"29th January, 1760," or about six weeks after the event: "How, one +day about the middle of December, Quintus Icilius suddenly came to +my poor lodging here, to carry me to the King." Am too ill to go. +Quintus will excuse me to-day; but will return to-morrow, when no +excuse shall avail. Did go accordingly next day, Thursday, 18th +December, 4 o'clock of the afternoon; and continued till a quarter +to 6. "Had nothing of fear in speaking to the King. Recited my +MALER ZU ATHEN." King said, at parting, he would send for me again. +"The English Ambassador [Mitchell], an excellent man, was probably +the cause of the King's wish to see me. ... The King spoke +sometimes German, sometimes French; I mostly German." +[<italic> Gellert's Briefwechsel mit Demoiselle Lucius, +herausgegeben von F. A. Ebert <end italic> (Leipzig, 1823), +pp. 629, 631.] As follows:-- + +RING. "Are you (ER) the Professor Gellert?" + +GELLERT. "Yea, IHRO MAJESTAT." + +KING. "The English Ambassador has spoken highly of you to me. +Where do you come from?" + +GELLERT. "From Hainichen, near Freyberg." + +KING. "Have not you a brother at Freyberg?" + +GELLERT. "Yea, IHRO MAJESTAT." + +KING. "Tell me why we have no good German Authors." + +MAJOR QUINTUS ICILIUS (puts in a word). "Your Majesty, you see here +one before you;--one whom the French themselves have translated, +calling him the German La Fontaine!" + +KING. "That is much. Have you read La Fontaine?" + +GELLERT. "Yes, your Majesty; but have not imitated: I am original +(ICH BIN EIN ORIGINAL)." + +KING. "Well, this is one good Author among the Germans; but why +have not we more?" + +GELLERT. "Your Majesty has a prejudice against the Germans." + +KING. "No; I can't say that (Nein; das kann ich nicht sagen)." + +GELLERT. "At least, against German writers." + +KING. "Well, perhaps. Why have we no good Historians? Why does no +one undertake a Translation of Tacitus?" + +GELLERT. "Tacitus is difficult to translate; and the Frenoh +themselves have but bad translations of him." + +KING. "That is true (DA HAT ER RECHT)." + +GELLERT. "And, on the whole, various reasons may be given why the +Germans have not yet distinguished themselves in every kind of +writing. While Arts and Sciences were in their flower among the +Greeks, the Romans were still busy in War. Perhaps this is the +Warlike Era of the Germans:--perhaps also they have yet wanted +Augustuses and Louis-Fourteenths!" + +KING. "How, would you wish one Augustus,then, for all Germany?" + +GELLERT. "Not altogether that; I could wish only that every +Sovereign encouraged men of genius in his own country." + +KING (starting a new subject). "Have you never been out of Saxony?" + +GELLERT. "I have been in Berlin." + +KING. "You should travel." + +GELLERT. "IHRO MAJESTAT, for that I need two things,--health +and means." + +KING. "What is your complaint? Is it DIE GELEHRTE KRANKHEIT +(Disease of the Learned," Dyspepsia so called)? "I have myself +suffered from that. I will prescribe for you. You must ride daily, +and take a dose of rhubarb every week." + +GELLERT. "ACH, IHRO MAJESTAT: if the horse were as weak as I am, he +would be of no use to me; if he were stronger, I should be too weak +to manage him." (Mark this of the Horse, however; a tale hangs +by it.) + +KING. "Then you must drive out." + +GELLERT. "For that I am deficient in the means." + +KING. "Yes, that is true; that is what Authors (GELEHRTE) in +Deutschland are always deficient in. I suppose these are bad times, +are not they?" + +GELLERT. "JA WOHL; and if your Majesty would grant us Peace (DEN +FRIEDEN GEBEN WOLLTEN)--" + +KING. "How can I? Have not you heard, then? There are three of them +against me (ES SIND JA DREI WIDER MICH)!" + +GELLERT. "I have more to do with the Ancients and their History +than with the Moderns." + +KING (changing the topic). "What do you think, is Homer or Virgil +the finer as an Epic Poet?" + +GELLERT. "Homer, as the more original." + +KING. "But Virgil is much more polished (VIEL POLIRTER)." + +GELLERT. "We are too far removed from Homer's times to judge of +his language. I trust to Quintilian in that respect, who +prefers Homer." + +KING. "But one should not be a slave to the opinion of +the Ancients." + +GELLERT. "Nor am I that. I follow them only in cases where, owing +to the distance, I cannot judge for myself." + +MAJOR ICILIUS (again giving a slight fillip or suggestion). "He," +the Herr Professor here, "has also treated of GERMAN LETTER- +WRITING, and has published specimens." + +KING. "So? But have you written against the CHANCERY STYLE, then" +(the painfully solemn style, of ceremonial and circumlocution; +Letters written so as to be mainly wig and buckram)? + +GELLERT. "ACH JA, that have I, IHRO MAJESTAT!" + +KING. "But why doesn't it change? The Devil must be in it (ES IST +ETWAS VERTEUFELTES). They bring me whole sheets of that stuff, and +I can make nothing of it!" + +GELLERT. "If your Majesty cannot alter it, still less can I. I can +only recommend, where you command." + +KING. "Can you repeat any of your Fables?" + +GELLERT. "I doubt it; my memory is very treacherous." + +KING. "Bethink you a little; I will walk about [Gellert bethinks +him, brow puckered. King, seeing the brow unpucker itself]. +Well, have you one?" + +GELLERT. "Yes, your Majesty: THE PAINTER." Gellert recites (voice +plaintive and hollow; somewhat PREACHY, I should doubt, but not +cracked or shrieky);--we condense him into prose abridgment for +English readers; German can look at the bottom of the page: +[(Gellert's WERKE: Leipzig, 1840; i. 135.)]-- + +"'A prudent Painter in Athens, more intent on excellence than on +money, had done a God of War; and sent for a real Critic to give +him his opinion of it. On survey, the Critic shook his head: "Too +much Art visible; won't do, my friend!" The Painter strove to think +otherwise; and was still arguing, when a young Coxcomb [GECK, Gawk] +stept in: "Gods, what a masterpiece!" cried he at the first glance: +"Ah, that foot, those exquisitely wrought toenails; helm, shield, +mail, what opulence of Art!" The sorrowful Painter looked +penitentially at the real Critic, looked at his brush; and the +instant this GECK was gone, struck out his God of War.'" + +KING. "And the Moral?" + +GELLERT (still reciting): + +"'When the Critic does not like thy Bit of Writing, it is a bad +sign for thee; but when the Fool admires, it is time thou at once +strike it out.'" + +<italic> +"Ein kluger Maler in Athen, +Der minder, weil man ihn bezhalte, +Als weil er Ehre suchte, malte, +Liess einen Kenner einst den Mars im Bilde sehn, +Und bat sich seine Meinung aus. +Der Kenner sagt ihm fiei heraus, +Dass ihm das Bild nicht ganz gefallen wollte, +Und dass es, um recht schon zu sein, +Weit minder Kunst verrathen sollte. +Der Maler wandte vieles ein; +Der Kenner stritt mit ihm aus Grunden, +Und konnt ihn doch nicht uberwinden. +Gleich trat ein junger Geck herein, +Und nahm das Bild in Augenschein. +'O,' rief er, 'bei dem ersten Blicke, +Ihr Gotter, welch ein Meisterstucke! +Ach, welcher Fuss! O, wie geschickt +Sind nicht die Nagel ausgedruckt! +Mars lebt durchaus in diesem Bilde. +Wie viele Kunst, wie viele Pracht +Ist in dem Helm und in dem Schilde, +Und in der Rustung angebracht!' +Der Maler ward beschamt geruhret, +Und sah den Kenner klaglich an. +'Nun,' sprach er, 'bin ich uberfuhret! +Ihr habt mir nicht zu viel gethan.' +Der junge Geck war kaum hinaus, +So strich er seinen Kriegsgott aus." +<end italic> + +MORAL. + +<italic> +"Wenn deine Schrift dem Kenner nicht gefallt, +So ist es schon ein boses Zeichen; +Doch, wenn sie gar des Narren Lob erhalt, +So ist es Zeit, sie auszustreichen." +<end italic> + +KING. "That is excellent; very fine indeed. You have a something of +soft and flowing in your verses; them I understand altogether. +But there was Gottsched, one day, reading me his Translation of +IPHIGENIE; I had the French Copy in my hand, and could not +understand a word of him [a Swan of Saxony, laboring in vain that +day]! They recommended me another Poet, one Peitsch [Herr Peitsch +of Konigsberg, Hofrath, Doctor and Professor there, Gottsched's +Master in Art; edited by Gottsched thirty years ago; now become a +dumb idol, though at one time a god confessed]; him I flung away." + +GELLERT. "IHRO MAJESTAT, him I also fling away." + +KING. "Well, if I continue here, you must come again often; +bring your FABLES with you, and read me something." + +GELLERT. "I know not if I can read well; I have the singing kind of tone, native to the Hill Country." + +KING. "JA, like the Silesians. No, you must read me the FABLES +yourself; they lose a great deal otherwise. Come back soon." +[<italic> Gellert's Briefwechsel mit Demoiselle Lucius <end italic> +(already cited), pp. 632 et seq.] (EXIT GELLERT.) + +KING (to Icilius, as we learn from a different Record). "That is +quite another man than Gottsched!" (EXUENT OMNES.) + +The modest Gellert says he "remembered Jesus Sirach's advice, PRESS +NOT THYSELF ON KINGS,--and never came back;" nor was specially sent +for, in the hurries succeeding; though the King never quite forgot +him. Next day, at dinner, the King said, "He is the reasonablest +man of all the German Literary People, C'EST LE PLUS RAISONNABLE DE +TOUS LES SAVANS ALLEMANDS." And to Garve, at Breslau, years +afterwards: "Gellert is the only German that will reach posterity; +his department is small, but he has worked in it with real +felicity." And indeed the King had, before that, as practical +result of the Gellert Dialogue, managed to set some Berlin +Bookseller upon printing of these eligible FABLES, "for the use of +our Prussian Schools;" in which and other capacities the FABLES +still serve with acceptance there and elsewhere. [Preuss, ii. 274.] + +In regard to Gellert's Horse-exercise, I had still to remember that +Gellert, not long after, did get a Horse; two successive Horses; +both highly remarkable. The first especially; which was Prince +Henri's gift: "The Horse Prince Henri had ridden at the Battle of +Freyberg" (Battle to be mentioned hereafter);--quadruped that must +have been astonished at itself! But a pretty enough gift from the +warlike admiring Prince to his dyspeptic Great Man. This Horse +having yielded to Time, the very Kurfurst (grandson of Polish +Majesty that now is) sent Gellert another, housing and furniture +complete; mounted on which, Gellert and it were among the sights of +Leipzig;--well enough known here to young Goethe, in his College +days, who used to meet the great man and princely horse, and do +salutation, with perhaps some twinkle of scepticism in the corner +of his eye. [DICHTUNG UND WAHRHEIT, Theil ii. Buch 6 (in Goethe's +WERKE, xxv. 51 et seq).] Poor Gellert fell seriously ill in +December, 1769; to the fear and grief of all the world: "estafettes +from the Kurfurst himself galloped daily, or oftener, from Dresden +for the sick bulletin;" but poor Gellert died, all the same (13th +of that month); and we have (really with pathetic thoughts, even +we) to bid his amiable existence in this world, his bits of glories +and him, adieu forever. + + +DIALOGUE WITH GENERAL SALDERN (in the Apel House, +Leipzig, 21st January, 1761). + +Four or five weeks after this of Gellert, Friedrich had another +Dialogue, which also is partly on record, and is of more importance +to us here: Dialogue with Major-General Saldern; on a certain +business, delicate, yet profitable to the doer,--nobody so fit for +it as Saldern, thinks the King. Saldern is he who did that +extraordinary feat of packing the wrecks of battle on the Field of +Liegnitz; a fine, clear-flowing, silent kind of man, rapid and +steady; with a great deal of methodic and other good faculty in +him,--more, perhaps, than he himself yet knows of. Him the King has +sent for, this morning; and it is on the business of Polish +Majesty's Royal Hunting-Schloss at Hubertsburg,--which is a thing +otherwise worth some notice from us. + +For three months long the King had been representing, in the proper +quarters, what plunderings, and riotous and even disgusting +savageries, the Saxons had perpetrated at Charlottenburg, +Schonhausen, Friedrichsfeld, in October last, while masters there +for a few days: but neither in Reichs Diet, where Plotho was +eloquent, nor elsewhere by the Diplomatic method, could he get the +least redress, or one civil word of regret. From Polish Majesty +himself, to whom Friedrich remonstrated the matter, through the +English Resident at Warsaw, Friedrich had expected regret; but he +got none. Some think he had hoped that Polish Majesty, touched by +these horrors of war, and by the reciprocities evidently liable to +follow, might be induced to try something towards mediating a +General Peace: but Polish Majesty did not; Polish Majesty answered +simply nothing at all, nor would get into any correspondence: +upon which Friedrich, possibly a little piqued withal, had at +length determined on retaliation. + +Within our cantonments, reflects Friedrich, here is Hubertsburg +Schloss, with such a hunting apparatus in and around it; +Polish Majesty's HERTZBLATT ("lid of the HEART," as they call it; +breastbone, at least, and pit of his STOMACH, which inclines to +nothing but hunting): let his Hubertsburg become as our +Charlottenburg is; perhaps that will touch his feelings! +Friedrich had formed this resolution; and, Wednesday, January 21st, +sends for Saldern, one of the most exact, deft-going and +punctiliously honorable of all his Generals, to execute it. +Enter Saldern accordingly,--royal Audience-room "in the APEL'SCHE +HAUS, New Neumarkt, No. 16," as above;--to whom (one Kuster, a +reliable creature, reporting for us on Saldern's behalf) the King +says, in the distinct slowish tone of a King giving orders:-- + +KING. "Saldern, to-morrow morning you go [ER, He goes) with a +detachment of Infantry and Cavalry, in all silence, to Hubertsburg; +beset the Schloss, get all the furnitures carefully packed up and +invoiced. I want nothing with them; the money they bring I mean to +bestow on our Field Hospitals, and will not forget YOU in disposing +of it." + +Saldern, usually so prompt with his "JA" on any Order from the +King, looks embarrassed, stands silent,--to the King's great +surprise;--and after a moment or two says:-- + +SALDERN. "Forgive me, your Majesty: but this is contrary to my +honor and my oath." + +KING (still in a calm tone). "You would be right to think so if I +did not intend this desperate method for a good object. Listen to +me: great Lords don't feel it in their scalp, when their subjects +are torn by the hair; one has to grip their own locks, as the only +way to give them pain." (These last words the King said in a +sharper tone; he again made his apology for the resolution he had +formed; and renewed his Order. With the modesty usual to him, but +also with manliness, Saldern replied:)-- + +SALDERN. "Order me, your Majesty, to attack the enemy and his +batteries, I will on the instant cheerfully obey: but against +honor, oath and duty, I cannot, I dare not!" + +The King, with voice gradually rising, I suppose, repeated his +demonstration that the thing was proper, necessary in the +circumstances; but Saldern, true to the inward voice, +answered steadily:-- + +SALDERN. "For this commission your Majesty will easily find another +person in my stead." + +KING (whirling hastily round, with an angry countenance, but, I +should say, an admirable preservation of his dignity in such +extreme case). "SALDERN, ER WILL NICHT REICH WERDEN,--Saldern, you +refuse to become rich." And EXIT, leaving Saldern to his own stiff +courses. [Kuster, <italic> Charakterzuge des General-Lieutenant v. +Saldern <end italic> (Berlin, 1793), pp. 39-44.] + +Nothing remained for Saldern but to fall ill, and retire from the +Service; which he did: a man honorably ruined, thought everybody;-- +which did not prove to be the case, by and by. + +This surely is a remarkable Dialogue; far beyond any of the Gellert +kind. An absolute King and Commander-in-Chief, and of such a type +in both characters, getting flat refusal once in his life (this +once only, so far as I know), and how he takes it:--one wishes +Kuster, or somebody, had been able to go into more details!-- +Details on the Quintus-Icilius procedure, which followed next day, +would also have been rather welcome, had Kuster seen good. It is +well known, Quintus Icilius and his Battalion, on order now given, +went cheerfully, next day, in Saldern's stead. And sacked +Hubertsburg Castle, to the due extent or farther: 100,000 thalers +(15,000 pounds) were to be raised from it for the Field-Hospital +behoof; the rest was to be Quintus's own; who, it was thought, made +an excellent thing of it for himself. And in hauling out the +furnitures, especially in selling them, Quintus having an +enterprising sharp head in trade affairs, "it is certain," says +Kuster, as says everybody, "various SCHANDLICHKEITEN (scandals) +occurred, which were contrary to the King's intention, and would +not have happened under Saldern." What the scandals particularly +were, is not specified to me anywhere, though I have searched up +and down; much less the net amount of money realized by Quintus. +I know only, poor Quintus was bantered about it, all his life +after, by this merciless King; and at Potsdam, in years coming, had +ample time and admonition for what penitence was needful. + +"The case was much canvassed in the Army," says poor Kuster; +"it was the topic in every tent among Officers and common Men. +And among us Army-Chaplains too," poor honest souls, "the question +of conflicting duties arose: Your King ordering one thing, and your +own Conscience another, what ought a man to do? What ought an Army- +Chaplain to preach or advise? And considerable mutual light in +regard to it we struck out from one another, and saw how a prudent +Army-Chaplain might steer his way. Our general conclusion was, That +neither the King nor Saldern could well be called wrong. +Saldern listening to the inner voice; right he, for certain. +But withal the King, in his place, might judge such a thing +expedient and fit; perhaps Saldern himself would, had Saldern been +King of Prussia there in January, 1761." + +Saldern's behavior in his retirement was beautiful; and after the +Peace, he was recalled, and made more use of than ever: +being indeed a model for Army arrangements and procedures, and +reckoned the completest General of Infantry now left, far and near. +The outcries made about Hubertsburg, which still linger in Books, +are so considerable, one fancies the poor Schloss must have been +quite ruined, and left standing as naked walls. Such, however, we +by no means find to be the case; but, on the contrary, shall +ourselves see that everything was got refitted there, and put into +perfect order again, before long. + + +THERE ARE SOME WAR-MOVEMENTS DURING WINTER; GENERAL +FINANCIERING DIFFICULTIES. CHOISEUL PROPOSES PEACE. + +February 15th, there fell out, at Langensalza, on the Unstrut, in +Gotha Country, a bit of sharp fighting; done by Friedrich's people +and Duke Ferdinand's in concert; which, and still more what +followed on it, made some noise in the quiet months. Not a great +thing, this of Langensalza, but a sudden, and successfully done; +costing Broglio some 2,000 prisoners; and the ruin of a +considerable Post of his, which he had lately pushed out thither, +"to seize the Unstrut," as he hoped. A Broglio grasping at more +than he could hold, in those Thuringen parts, as elsewhere! +And, indeed, the Fight of Langensalza was only the beginning of a +series of such; Duke Ferdinand being now upon one of his grand +Winter-Adventures: that of suddenly surprising and exploding +Broglio's Winter-quarters altogether, and rolling him back to +Frankfurt for a lodging. So that, since the first days of February, +especially since Langensalza day, there rose suddenly a great deal +of rushing about, in those regions, with hard bits of fighting, at +least of severe campaigning;--which lasted two whole-months;-- +filling the whole world with noise that Winter; and requiring +extreme brevity from us here. It was specially Duke Ferdinand's +Adventure; Friedrich going on it, as per bargain, to the +Langensalza enterprise, but no farther; after which it did not much +concern Friedrich, nor indeed come to much result for anybody. + +"Strenuous Ferdinand, very impatient of the Gottingen business and +provoked to see Broglio's quarters extend into Hessen, so near +hand, for the first time, silently determines to dislodge him. +Broglio's chain of quarters, which goes from Frankfurt north as far +as Marburg, then turns east to Ziegenhayn; thence north again to +Cassel, to Munden with its Defiles; and again east, or southeast, +to Langensalza even: this chain has above 150 miles of weak length; +and various other grave faults to the eye of Ferdinand,--especially +this, that it is in the form, not of an elbow only, or joiner's- +square, which is entirely to be disapproved, but even of two +elbows; in fact, of the PROFILE OF A CHAIR [if readers had a Map at +hand]. FOOT of the chair is Frankfurt; SEAT part is from Marburg to +Ziegenhayn; BACK part, near where Ferdinand lies in chief force, is +the Cassel region, on to Munden, which is TOP of the back,--still +backwards from which, there is a kind of proud CURL or overlapping, +down to Langensalza in Gotha Country, which greedy Broglio has +likewise grasped at! Broglio's friends say he himself knew the +faultiness of this zigzag form, but had been overruled. +Ferdinand certainly knows it, and proceeds to act upon it. + +"In profound silence, namely, ranks himself (FEBRUARY lst-12th) in +three Divisions, wide enough asunder; bursts up sudden as +lightning, at Langensalza and elsewhere; kicks to pieces Broglio's +Chair-Profile, kicks out especially the bottom part which ruins +both foot and back, these being disjointed thereby, and each +exposed to be taken in rear;--and of course astonishes Broglio not +a little; but does not steal his presence of mind. + +"So that, in effect, Broglio had instantly to quit Cassel and warm +lodging, and take the field in person; to burn his Magazines; +and, at the swiftest rate permissible, condense himself, at first +partially about Fulda (well down the leg of his chair), and then +gradually all into one mass near Frankfurt itself;--with +considerable losses, loss especially of all his Magazines, full or +half full. And has now, except Marburg, Ziegenhayn and Cassel, no +post between Gottingen and him. Ferdinand, with his Three +Divisions, went storming along in the wild weather, Granby as +vanguard; pricking into the skirts of Broglio. Captured this and +that of Corps, of Magazines that had not been got burnt; laid siege +to Tassel, siege to Ziegenhayn; blocked Marburg, not having guns +ready: and, for some three or four weeks, was by the Gazetteer +world and general public thought to have done a very considerable +feat;--though to himself, such were the distances, difficulties of +the season, of the long roads, it probably seemed very questionable +whether, in the end, any feat at all. + +"Cassel he could not take, after a month's siege under the best of +Siege-Captains; Ziegenhayn still less under one of the worst. +Provisions, ammunitions, were not to be had by force of wagonry: +scant food for soldiers, doubly scant the food of Sieges;"--"the +road from Beverungen [where the Weser-boats have to stop, which is +30 miles from Cassel, perhaps 60 from Ziegenhayn, and perhaps 100 +from the outmost or southern-most of Ferdinand's parties] is paved +with dead horses," nor has even Cassel nearly enough of +ammunition:--in a word, Broglio, finding the time come, bursts up +from his Frankfurt Position (March 14th-21st) in a sharp and +determined manner; drives Ferdinand's people back, beats the +Erbprinz himself one day (by surprisal, 'My compliment for +Langensalza'), and sets his people running. Ferdinand sees the +affair to be over; and deliberately retires; lucky, perhaps, that +he still can deliberately: and matters return to their old posture. +Broglio resumes his quarters, somewhat altered in shape, and not +quite so grasping as formerly; and beyond his half-filled +Magazines, has lost nothing considerable, or more considerable than +has Ferdinand himself." [Tempelhof, v. 15-45; Mauvillon, ii. +135-148.] + +The vital element in Ferdinand's Adventure was the Siege of Cassel; +all had to fail, when this, by defect of means, under the best of +management, declared itself a failure. Siege Captain was a Graf von +Lippe-Buckeburg, Ferdinand's Ordnance-Master, who is supposed to be +"the best Artillery Officer in the world,"--and is a man of great +mark in military and other circles. He is Son and Successor of that +fantastic Lippe-Buckeburg, by whom Friedrich was introduced to +Free-Masonry long since. He has himself a good deal of the fantast +again, but with a better basis of solidity beneath it. A man of +excellent knowledge and faculty in various departments; strict as +steel, in regard to discipline, to practice and conduct of all +kinds; a most punctilious, silently supercilious gentleman, of +polite but privately irrefragable turn of mind. A tall, lean, dusky +figure; much seen to by neighbors, as he stalks loftily through +this puddle of a world, on terms of his own. Concerning whom there +circulates in military circles this Anecdote, among many others;-- +which is set down as a fact; and may be, whether quite believable +or not, a symbol of all the rest, and of a man not unimportant in +these Wars. "Two years ago, on King Friedrich's birthday, 24th +January, 1759, the Count had a select dinner-party in his tent in +Ferdinand's Camp, in honor of the occasion. Dinner was well over, +and wine handsomely flowing, when somebody at last thought of +asking, 'What is it, then, Herr Graf, that whistling kind of noise +we hear every now and then overhead?' 'That is nothing,' said the +Graf, in his calm, dusky way: 'that is only my Artillery-people +practising; I have bidden them hit the pole of our tent if they +can: unhappily there is not the slightest danger. Push the bottles +on.'" [Archenholtz, ii. 356; Zimmermann, <italic> Einsamkeit, <end +italic> iii. 461; &c.] Lippe-Buckeburg was Siege-Captain at Cassel; +Commandant besieged was Comte de Broglio, the Marshal's younger +Brother, formerly in the Diplomatic line;--whom we saw once, five +years ago, at the Pirna Barrier, fly into fine frenzy, and kick +vainly against the pricks. Friedrich says once, to D'Argens or +somebody: "I hope we shall soon have Cassel, and M. le Comte de +Broglio prisoner" (deserves it for his fine frenzies, at Pirna and +since);--but that comfort was denied us. + +Some careless Books say, Friedrich had at first good hopes of this +Enterprise; and "had himself lent 7,000 men to it:" which is the +fact, but not the whole fact. Friedrich had approved, and even +advised this plan of Ferdinand's, and had agreed to send 7,000 men +to co-operate at Langensalza,--which, so far out in Thuringen, and +pointing as if to the Reichsfolk, is itself an eye-sorrow to +Friedrich. The issue we have seen. His 7,000 went accordingly, +under a General Syburg; met the Ferdinand people (General Sporken +head of these, and Walpole's "Conway" one of them); found the +Unstrut in flood, but crossed nevertheless; dashed in upon the +French and Saxons there, and made a brilliant thing of it at +Langensalza. [<italic> Bericht von der bey Langensalza am 15 +Februar 1761 vorgefallenen Action<end italic> in Seyfarth, +<italic> Beylagen, <end italic> iii. 75; Tempelhof, v. 22-27.] +Which done, Syburg instantly withdrew, leaving Sporken and his +Conways to complete the Adventure; and, for his part, set himself +with his whole might "to raising contributions, recruits, horses, +proviants, over Thuringen;" "which," says Tempelhof, "had been his +grand errand there, and in which he succeeded wonderfully." + +Towards the end of Ferdinand's Affair, Cassel Siege now evidently +like to fail, Friedrich organized a small Expedition for his own +behoof: expedition into Voigtland, or Frankenland, against the +intrusive Reichs-people, who have not now a Broglio or Langensalza +to look across to, but are mischievous upon our outposts on the +edge of the Voigtland yonder. The expedition lasted only ten days +(APRIL 1st it left quarters; APRIL 11th was home again); a sharp, +swift and very pretty expedition; [Tempelhof, v. 48-57.] of which +we can here say only that it was beautifully impressive on the +Reichs gentlemen, and sent their Croateries and them home again, to +Bamberg, to Eger, quite over the horizon, in a considerably +flurried state. After which there was no Small-War farther, and +everybody rested in cantonment, making ready till the Great +should come. + +The Prussian wounded are all in Leipzig this Winter; a crowded +stirring Town; young Archenholtz, among many others, going about in +convalescent state,--not attending Gellert's course, that I hear +of,--but noticing vividly to right and left. Much difficulty about +the contributions, Archenholtz observes;--of course an ever- +increasing difficulty, here as everywhere, in regard to finance! +From Archenholtz chiefly, I present the following particulars; +which, though in loose form, and without date, except the general +one of Winter 1760-1761, to any of them, are to be held +substantially correct. + +... "'It is impossible to pay that Contribution,' exclaim the +Leipzigers: 'you said, long since, it was to be 75,000 pounds on us +by the year; and this year you rise to 160,000 pounds; more than +double!'--'Perhaps that is because you favored the Reichsfolk while +here?' answer the Prussians, if they answer anything: 'It is the +King's order. Pay it you must.'--'Cannot; simply impossible.' +'Possible, we tell you, and also certain; we will burn your Leipzig +if you don't!' And they actually, these Collector fellows, a stony- +hearted set, who had a percentage of their own on the sums levied, +got soldiers drawn out more than once pitch-link in hand, as if for +immediate burning: hut the Leipzigers thought to themselves, 'King +Friedrich is not a Soltikof!' and openly laughed at those pitch- +links. Whereupon about a hundred of their Chief Merchants were +thrown into prison,--one hundred or so, riddled down in a day or +two to Seventeen; which latter Seventeen, as they stood out, were +detained a good many days, how many is not said, but only that they +were amazingly firm. Black-hole for lodging, bread-and-water for +diet, straw for bed: nothing would avail on the Seventeen: +'Impossible,' they answered always; each unit of them, in sight of +the other sixteen, was upon his honor, and could not think of +flinching. 'You shall go for soldiers, then;--possibly you will +prefer that, you fine powdered velvet gentlemen? Up then, and +march; here are your firelocks, your seventeen knapsacks: to the +road with us; to Magdeburg, there to get on drill!' Upon which the +Seventeen, horror-struck at such quasi-ACTUAL possibility, gave in. + +"Magnanimous Gotzkowsky, who had come to Leipzig on business at the +time [which will give us a date for this by and by], and been +solemnly applied to by Deputation of the Rath, pleaded with his +usual zealous fidelity on their behalf; got various alleviations, +abatements; gave bills:--'Never was seen such magnanimity!' said +the Leipzig Town-Council solemnly, as that of Berlin, in October +last, had done." [Archenholtz, ii. 187-192.] + +Of course the difficulties, financial and other, are increasing +every Winter;--not on Friedrich's side only. Here, for instance, +from the Duchy of Gottingen, are some items in the French Account +current, this Winter, which are also furnished by Archenholtz:-- + +"For bed-ticking, 13,000 webs; of shirts ready-made, 18,000; +shoes," I forget in what quantity; but "from the poor little Town +of Duderstadt 600 pairs,--liability to instant flogging if they are +not honest shoes; flogging, and the whole shoemaker guild summoned +out to see it." Hardy women the same Duderstadt has had to produce: +300 of them, "each with basket on back, who are carrying cannon- +balls from the foundry at Lauterberg to Gottingen, the road being +bad." [Archenholtz, ii. 237.] "These French are in such necessity," +continues Archenholtz, "they spare neither friend nor foe. +The Frankish Circle, for example, pleads piteously in Reichs Diet +that it has already smarted by this War to the length of 2,230,000 +pounds, and entreats the Kaiser to bid Most Christian Majesty cease +HIS exactions,--but without the least result." Result! If Most +Christian Majesty and his Pompadour will continue this War, is it +he, or is it you, that can furnish the Magazines? +"Magazine-furnishings, over all Hessen and this part of Hanover, +are enormous. Recruits too, native Hessian, native Hanoverian, you +shall furnish,--and 'We will hang them, and do, if caught +deserting' [to their own side]!" + +I add only one other item from Archenholtz: "Mice being busy in +these Hanover Magazines, it is decided to have cats, and a +requisition goes out accordingly [cipher not given]: cats do +execution for a time, but cannot stand the confinement," are averse +to the solitary system, and object (think with what vocality!): +"upon which Hanover has to send foxes and weasels." [Ib. ii. 240] +These guardian animals, and the 300 women laden with cannon-balls +from the forge, are the most peculiar items in the French Account +current, and the last I will mention. + +Difficulty, quasi-impossibility, on the French side, there +evidently is, perhaps more than on any other. But Choiseul has many +arts;--and his Official existence, were there nothing more, demands +that he do the impossible now if ever. This Spring (26th March, +1761), to the surprise and joy of mankind, there came formal +Proposal, issuing from Choiseul, to which Maria Theresa and the +Czarina had to put their signatures; regretting that the British- +Prussian Proposal of last Year had, by ill accident, fallen to the +ground, and now repeating it themselves (real "Congress at +Augsburg," and all things fair and handsome) to Britannic and +Prussian Majesties. Who answered (April 3d) as before, "Nothing +with more willingness, we!" [The "Declaration" (of France &c.), +with the Answer or "Counter-Declaration," in Seyfarth, <italic> +Beylagen, <end italic> iii. 12-16.] + +And there actually did ensue, at Paris, a vivid Negotiating all +Summer; which ended, not quite in nothing, but in less, if we might +say so. Considerably less, for some of us. We shall have to look +what end it had, and Mauduit will look!--Most people, Pitt probably +among the others, came to think that Choiseul, though his France is +in beggary, had no real view from the first, except to throw powder +in the eyes of France and mankind, to ascertain for himself on what +terms those English would make Peace, and to get Spain drawn into +his quarrel. A Choiseul with many arts. But we will leave him and +his Peace-Proposals, and the other rumors and futilities of this +Year. They are part of the sound and smoke which fill all Years; +and which vanish into next to nothing, oftenest into pure nothing, +when the Years have waited a little. Friedrich's finances, copper +and other, were got completed; his Armies too were once more put on +a passable footing;--and this Year will have its realities withal. + +Gotzkowsky, in regard to those Leipzig Finance difficulties, yields +me a date, which is supplementary to some of the Archenholtz +details. I find it was "January 20th, 1761,"--precisely while the +Saldern Interview, and subsequent wreck of Hubertsburg, went on, +--that "Gotzkowsky arrived in Leipzig," [Rodenbeck, ii. 77.] and +got those unfortunate Seventeen out of ward, and the +contributions settled. + +And withal, at Paris, in the same hours, there went on a thing +worth noting. That January day, while Icilius was busy on the +Schloss of Hubertsburg, poor old Marechal de Belleisle,--mark him, +reader!--"in the Rue de Lille at Paris," lay sunk in putrid fever; +and on the fourth day after, "January 26th, 1761," the last of the +grand old Frenchmen died. "He had been reported dead three days +before," says Barbier: "the public wished it so; they laid the +blame on him of this apparent" (let a cautious man write it, +"apparent) derangement in our affairs,"--instead of thanking him +for all he had done and suffered (loss of so much, including +reputation and an only Son) to repair and stay the same. "He was in +his 77th year. Many people say, 'We must wait three months, to see +if we shall not regret him,'"--even him! [Barbier, iv. 373; +i. 154.] So generous are Nations. + +Marechal Duc de Belleisle was very wealthy: in Vernon Country, +Normandy, he had estates and chateaux to the value of about 24,000 +pounds annually. All these, having first accurately settled for his +own debts, he, in his grand old way, childless, forlorn, but +loftily polite to the last, bequeathed to the King. His splendid +Paris Mansion he expressly left "to serve in perpetuity as a +residence for the Secretary of State in the Department of War:" +a magnificent Town-House it is, "HOTEL MAGNIFIQUE, at the end of +the Pont-Royal,"--which, I notice farther, is in our time called +"Hotel de CHOISEUL-PRASLIN,"--a house latterly become horrible in +men's memory, if my guess is right. + +And thus vanishes, in sour dark clouds, the once great Belleisle. +Grandiose, something almost of great in him, of sublime,--alas, +yes, of too sublime; and of unfortunate beyond proportion, paying +the debt of many foregoers! He too is a notability gone out, the +last of his kind. Twenty years ago, he crossed the OEil-de-Boeuf +with Papers, just setting out to cut Teutschland in Four; and in +the Rue de Lille, No. 54, with that grandiose Enterprise drawing to +its issue in universal defeat, disgrace, discontent and preparation +for the General Overturn (CULBUTE GENERALE of 1789)) he closes his +weary old eyes. Choiseul. succeeds him as War-Minister; +War-Minister and Prime-Minister both in one;--and by many arts of +legerdemain, and another real spasm of effort upon Hanover to do +the impossible there, is leading France with winged steps the +same road. + +Since March 17th, Friedrich was no longer in Leipzig. He left at +that time, for Meissen Country, and the Hill Cantonments,-- +organized there his little Expedition into Voigtland, for behoof of +the Reichsfolk;--and did not return. Continued, mostly in Meissen +Country, as the fittest for his many businesses, Army-regulatings +and other. Till the Campaign come, we will remember of him nothing, +but this little Note, and pleasant little Gift, to his CHERE MAMAN, +the day after his arrival in those parts:-- + + +TO MADAM CAMAS (at Magdeburg, with the Queen). + +"MEISSEN, 20th March, 1761. + +"I send you, my dear Mamma, a little Trifle, by way of keepsake and +memento [Snuffbox of Meissen Porcelain, with the figure of a Dog on +the lid]. You may use the Box for your rouge, for your patches, or +you may put snuff in it, or BONBONS or pills: but whatever use you +turn it to, think always, when you see this Dog, the Symbol of +Fidelity, that he who sends it outstrips, in respect of fidelity +and attachment to MAMAN, all the dogs in the world; and that his +devotion to you has nothing whatever in common with the fragility +of the material which is manufactured hereabouts. + +"I have ordered Porcelain here for all the world, for Schonhausen +[for your Mistress, my poor uncomplaining Wife], for my Sisters-in- +law; in fact, I am rich in this brittle material only. And I hope +the receivers will accept it as current money: for, the truth is, +we are poor as can be, good Mamma; I have nothing left but honor, +my coat, my sword, and porcelain. + +"Farewell, my beloved Mamma. If Heaven will, I shall one day see +you again face to face; and repeat to you, by word of mouth, what I +have already said and written; but, turn it and re-turn it as I +may, I shall never, except very incompletely, express what the +feelings of my heart to you are.--F." [Given in Rodenbeck, ii. 79; +omitted, for I know not what reason, in <italic> OEuvres de +Frederic, <end italic> xviii. 145: cited partly in Preuss, +ii. 282.] + +------ + +It was during this Winter, if ever it was, that Friedrich received +the following Letter from an aspiring Young Lady, just coming out, +age seventeen,--in a remote sphere of things. In "Sleepy Hollow" +namely, or the Court of Mirow in Mecklenburg-Strelitz, where we +once visited with Friedrich almost thirty years ago. The poor +collapsed Duke has ceased making dressing-gowns there; and this is +his Niece, Princess Charlotte, Sister to the now reigning Duke. + +This Letter, in the translated form, and the glorious results it +had for some of us, are familiar to all English readers for the +last hundred years. Of Friedrich's Answer to it, if he sent one, we +have no trace whatever. Which is a pity, more or less;--though, in +truth, the Answer could only have been some polite formality; the +Letter itself being a mere breath of sentimental wind, absolutely +without significance to Friedrich or anybody else,--except always +to the Young Lady herself, to whom it brought a Royal Husband and +Queenship of England, within a year. Signature, presumably, this +Letter once had; date of place, of day, year, or even century +(except by implication), there never was any: but judicious +persons, scanning on the spot, have found that the "Victory" spoken +of can only have meant Torgau; and that the aspiring Young Lady, +hitherto a School Girl, not so much as "confirmed" till a month or +two ago, age seventeen in May last, can only have I written it, at +Mirow, in the Winter subsequent. [Ludwig Giesebrecht,--DER +FURSTENHOF IN MIROW WUHREND DER JAHRE 1708-1761, in <italic> +Programm des vereinigten Koniglichen und Stadt-Gymnasiums <end +italic> for 1863 (Stettin, 1863), pp. 26-29,--enters into a minute +criticism.] Certain it is, in September NEXT, September, 1761, +directly after George III.'s Wedding, there appeared in the English +Newspapers, what doubtless had been much handed about in society +before, the following "TRANSLATION OF A LETTER, SAID TO HAVE BEEN +WRITTEN BY PRINCESS CHARLOTTE OF MECKLENBERG TO THE KING OF +PRUSSIA, ON ONE OF HIS VICTORIES,"--without farther commentary or +remark of any kind; everybody then understanding, as everybody +still. So notable a Document ought to be given in the Original as +well (or in what passes for such), and with some approach to the +necessary preliminaries of time and place: [From <italic> +Gentleman's Magazine <end italic> (for October, 1761, xxxi. 447) we +take, verbatim, the TRANSLATION; from PREUSS (ii. 186) the +"ORIGINAL," who does not say where he got it,--whether from an old +German Newspaper or not.]-- + + +[TO HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF PRUSSIA (in Leipzig, or Somewhere. +or Somewhere). + +MIROW IN MECHLENBURG-STRELITZ, Winter of 1760-1761.] + +"Sire!--Ich weiss nicht, ob ich uber Ewr. Majestat letzteren Sieg +frohlich odor traurig sein soll, weil eben der gluckliche Sieg, der +neue Lorbeern um Dero Scheitel geflochten hat, uber mein Vaterland +Jammer und Elend verbreitet. Ich weiss, Sire, in diesem unserm +lasterhaft verfeinerten Zeitalter werde ich verlacht werden, dass +mein Herz uber das Ungluck des Landes trauert, dass ich die +Drangsale des Krieges beweine, und von ganzer Seele die Ruckkehr +des Friedens wunsche. Selbst Sie, Sire, werden vielleicht denken, +es schicke sich besser fur mich, mich in der Kunst zu gefallen zu +uben, oder mich nur um hausliche Angelegenheiten zu bekummern. +Allein dem seye wie ihm wolle, so fuhlt mein Herz zu sehr fur diese +Unglucklichen, um eine dringende Furbitte fur dieselben zuruck +zu halten. + +"Seit wenigen Jahren hatte dieses Land die angenehmste Gestalt +gewonnen. Man traf keine verodete Stellen an. Alles war angebaut. +Das Landvolk sah vergnugt aus, und in den Stadten herrschte +Wohlstand und Freude. Aber welch' eine Veranderung gegen eine so +angenehme Scene! Ich bin in partheischen Beschreibungen nicht +erfahren, noch weniger kann ich die Grauel der Verwilstung mit +erdichteten Schilderungen schrecklicher darstellen. Allein gewiss +selbst Krieger, welche ein edles Herz und Gefuhl besitzen, wurden +durch den Anblick dieser Scenen zu Thranen bewegt werden. Das ganze +Land, mein werthes Vaterland, liegt da gleich einer Wuste. Der +Ackerbau und die Viehzucht haben aufgehort. Der Bauer und der Hirt +sind Soldaten worden, und in den Stadten sieht man nur Greise, +Weiber, und Kinder, vielleicht noch hie und da einen jungen Mann, +der aber durch empfangene Wunden ein Kruppel ist und den ihn +umgebenden kleinen Knaben die Geschichte einer jeden Wunde mit +einem so pathetischen Heldenton erzahlt, dassihr Herz schon der +Trommel folgt, ehe sie recht gehen konnen. Was aber das Elend auf +den hochsten Gipfel bringt, sind die immer abwechselnden +Vorruckungen und Zuruckziehungen beider Armeen, da selbst die, so +sich unsre Freunde nennen, beim Abzuge alles mitnehmen und +verheeren, und wenn sie wieder kommen, gleich viel wieder herbei +geschafft haben wollen. Von Dero Gerechtigkeit, Sire, hoffen wir +Hulfe in dieser aussersten Noth. An Sie, Sire, mogen auch Frauen, +ja selbst Kinder ihre Klagen bringen. Sie, die sich auch zur +niedrigsten Klasse gutigst herablassen, und dadurch, wenn es +moglich ist, noch grosser werden, als selbst durch ihre Siege, +werden die meinigen nicht unerhort lassen und, zur Ehre Dero +eigenen Ruhmes, Bedruckungen und Drangsalen abhelfen, welche wider +alle Menschenliebe und wider alle gute Kriegszucht streiten. +Ich bin &c." + + +"MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY, +"I am at a loss whether I shall congratulate or condole with you on +your late victory; since the same success that has covered you with +laurels has overspread the Couutry of MecklenburgH with desolation. +I know, Sire, that it seems unbecoming my sex, in this age of +vicious refinement, to feel for one's Country, to lament the +horrors of war, or wish for the return of peace. I know you may +think it more properly my province to study the art of pleasing, or +to turn my thoughts to subjects of a more domestic nature: +but, however unbecoming it may be in me, I can't resist the desire +of interceding for this unhappy people. + +"It was but a very few years ago that this territory wore the most +pleasing appearance. The Country was cultivated, the peasant looked +cheerful, and the towns abounded with riches and festivity. What an +alteration at present from such a charming scene! I am not expert +at description, nor can my fancy add any horrors to the picture; +but sure even conquerors themselves would weep at the hideous +prospect now before me. The whole Country, my dear Country, lies +one frightful waste, presenting only objects to excite terror, pity +and despair. The business of the husbandman and the shepherd are +quite discontinued; the husbandman and the shepherd are become +soldiers themselves, and help to ravage the soil they formerly +occupied. The towns are inhabited only by old men, women and +children; perhaps here and there a warrior, by wounds and loss of +limbs rendered unfit for service, left at his door; his little +children hang round him, ask a history of every wound, and grow +themselves soldiers before they find strength for the field. +But this were nothing, did we not feel the alternate insolence of +either army, as it happens to advance or retreat. It is impossible +to express the confusion, even those who call themselves our +friends create. Even those from whom we might expect redress, +oppress us with new calamities. From your justice, therefore, it is +that we hope relief; to you even children and women may complain, +whose humanity stoops to the meanest petition, and whose power is +capable of repressing the greatest injustice. + +"I am, Sire, &c." + + +It is remarked that this Young Lady, so amiably melodious in tone, +though she might address to King Friedrich, seems to be writing to +the wind; and that she gives nothing of fact or picture in regard +to Mecklenburg, especially to Mecklenburg-STRELITZ, but what is +taken from her own beautiful young brain. All operatic, vague, +imaginary,--some of it expressly untrue. [In Mecklenburg-SCHWERIN, +which had always to smart sore for its Duke and the line he took, +the Swedes, this year, as usual (but, TILL Torgau, with more hope +than usual), had been trying for winter-quarters: and had by the +Prussians, as usual, been hunted out,--Eugen of Wurtemberg speeding +thither, directly after Torgau; Rostock his winter-quarters;--who, +doubtless with all rigor, is levying contributions for Prussian +behoof. But as to Mecklenburg-Strelitz,--see, for example, in +SCHONING, iii. 30 &c., an indirect but altogether conclusive proof +of the perfectly amicable footing now and always subsisting there; +Friedrich reluctant to intrude even with a small request or +solicitation, on Eugen's behalf, at this time.] So that latterly +there have been doubts as to its authenticity altogether. +["Boll, <italic> Geschichte Mecklenburgs mit besonderer +Berucksichtigung der Culturgeschichte <end italic> (Neubrandenburg, +1856), ii. 303-305;"--cited by Giesebrecht, who himself takes the +opposite view.] And in fact the Piece has a good deal the air of +some School-Exercise, Model of Letter-writing, Patriotic Aspiration +or the like;--thrown off, shall we say, by the young Parson of +Mirow (Charlotte's late Tutor), with Charlotte there to SIGN; or by +some Patriotic Schoolmaster elsewhere, anywhere, in a moment of +enthusiasm, and without any Charlotte but a hypothetic one? +Certainly it is difficult to fancy how a modest, rational, +practical young person like Charlotte can have thought of so airy a +feat of archery into the blue! Charlotte herself never disavowed +it, that I heard of; and to Colonel Grahame the Ex-Jacobite, +hunting about among potential Queens of England, for behoof of Bute +and of a certain Young King and King's Mother, the Letter did seem +abundantly unquestionable and adorable. Perhaps authentic, after +all;--and certainly small matter whether or not. + + + +Chapter VII. + +SIXTH CAMPAIGN OPENS: CAMP OF BUNZELWITZ. + +To the outward observer Friedrich stands well at present, and seems +again in formidable posture. After two such Victories, and such +almost miraculous recovery of himself, who shall say what +resistance he will not yet make? In comparison with 1759 and its +failures and disasters, what a Year has 1760 been! Liegnitz and +Torgau, instead of Kunersdorf and Maxen, here are unexpected +phenomena; here is a King risen from the deeps again,--more +incalculable than ever to contemporary mankind. "How these things +will end?" Fancy of what a palpitating interest THEN, while +everybody watched the huge game as it went on; though it is so +little interesting now to anybody, looking at it all finished! +Finished; no mystery of chance, of world-hope or of world-terror +now remaining in it; all is fallen stagnant, dull, distant;--and it +will behoove us to be brief upon it. + +Contemporaries, and Posterity that will make study, must alike +admit that, among the sons of men, few in any Age have made a +stiffer fight than Friedrich has done and continues to do. But to +Friedrich himself it is dismally evident, that year by year his +resources are melting away; that a year must come when he will have +no resource more. Ebbing very fast, his resources;--fast too, no +doubt, those of his Enemies, but not SO fast. They are mighty +Nations, he is one small Nation. His thoughts, we perceive, have +always, in the background of them, a hue of settled black. Easy to +say, "Resist till we die;" but to go about, year after year, +practically doing it, under cloudy omens, no end of it visible +ahead, is not easy. Many men, Kings and other, have had to take +that stern posture;--few on sterner terms than those of Friedrich +at present; and none that I know of with a more truly stoical and +manful figure of demeanor. He is long used to it! Wet to the bone, +you do not regard new showers; the one thing is, reach the bridge +before IT be swum away. + +The usual hopes, about Turks, about Peace, and the like, have not +been wanting to Friedrich this Winter; mentionable as a trait of +Friedrich's character, not otherwise worth mention. Hope of aid +from the Turks, it is very strange to see how he nurses this fond +shadow, which never came to anything! Happily, it does not prevent, +it rather encourages, the utmost urgency of preparation: +"The readier we are, the likelier are Turks and everything!" +Peace, at least, between France and England, after such a Proposal +on Choiseul's part, and such a pass as France has really got to, +was a reasonable probability. But indeed, from the first year of +this War, as we remarked, Peace has seemed possible to Friedrich +every year; especially from 1759 onward, there is always every +winter a lively hope of Peace:--"No slackening of preparation; +the reverse, rather; but surely the Campaign of next Summer will be +cut short, and we shall all get home only half expended!" +[Schoning (IN LOCIS).] + +Practically, Friedrich has been raising new Free-Corps people, been +recruiting, refitting and equipping, with more diligence than ever; +and, in spite of the almost impossibilities, has two Armies on +foot, some 96,000 men in all, for defence of Saxony and of +Silesia,--Henri to undertake Saxony, VERSUS Daun; Silesia, with +Loudon and the Russians, to be Friedrich's heavier share. +The Campaign, of which, by the one party and the other, very great +things had been hoped and feared, seemed once as if it would begin +two months earlier than usual; but was staved off, a long time, by +Friedrich's dexterities, and otherwise; and in effect did not +begin, what we can call beginning, till two months later than +usual. Essentially it fell, almost all, to Friedrich's share; +and turned out as little decisive on him as any of its foregoers. +The one memorable part of it now is, Friedrich's Encampment at +Bunzelwitz; which did not occur till four months after Friedrich's +appearance on the Field. And from the end of April, when Loudon +made his first attempt, till the end of August, when Friedrich took +that Camp, there was nothing but a series of attempts, all +ineffectual, of demonstrations, marchings, manoeuvrings and small +events; which, in the name of every reader, demand condensation to +the utmost. If readers will be diligent, here, so far as needful, +are the prefatory steps. + +Since Fouquet's disaster, Goltz generally has Silesia in charge; +and does it better than expected. He was never thought to have +Fouquet's talent in him; but he shows a rugged loyalty of mind, +less egoistic than the fiery Fouquet's; and honestly flings himself +upon his task, in a way pleasant to look at: pleasant to the King +especially, who recognizes in Goltz a useful, brave, frank soul;-- +and has given him, this Spring, the ORDER OF MERIT, which was a +high encouragement to Goltz. In Silesia, after Kosel last Year, +there had been truce between Goltz and Loudon; which should have +produced repose to both; but did not altogether, owing to mistakes +that rose. And at any rate, in the end of April, Loudon, bursting +suddenly into Silesia with great increase to the forces already +there, gave notice, as per bargain, That "in 96 hours" the Truce +would expire. And waiting punctiliously till the last of said hours +was run out, Loudon fell upon Goltz (APRIL 25th, in the +Schweidnitz-Landshut Country) with his usual vehemence;--meaning to +get hold of the Silesian Passes, and extinguish Goltz (only 10 or +12,000 against 30,000), as he had done Fouquet last Year. + +But Goltz took his measures better; seized "the Gallows-Hill of +Hohenfriedberg," seized this and that; and stood in so forcible an +attitude, that Loudon, carefully considering, durst not risk an +assault; and the only result was: Friedrich hastened to relief of +Goltz (rose from Meissen Country MAY 3d), and appeared in Silesia +six weeks earlier than he had intended. But again took Cantonments +there (Schweidnitz and neighborhood);--Loudon retiring wholly, on +first tidings of him, home to Bohemia again. Home in Bohemia; +at Braunau, on the western edge of the Glatz Mountains,--there sits +Loudon thenceforth, silent for a long time; silently collecting an +Army of 72,000, with strict orders from Vienna to avoid fighting +till the Russians come. Loudon has very high intentions this Year. +Intends to finish Silesia altogether;--cannot he, after such a +beginning upon Glatz last Year? That is the firm notion at Vienna +among men of understanding: ever-active Loudon the favorite there, +against a Cunctator who has been too cunctatory many times. +Liegnitz itself, was not that (as many opine) a disaster due to +cunctation, not of Loudon's? + +Loudon is to be joined by 60,000 Russians, under a Feldmarschall +Butturlin, not under sulky Soltikof, this Year; junction to be in +Upper Silesia, in Neisse neighborhood. We take that Fortress," say +the Vienna people; "it is next on the file after Glatz. Neisse +taken; thence northward, cleaning the Country as we go; +Brieg, Schweidnitz, Glogau, probably Breslau itself in some good +interim: there are but Four Fortresses to do; and the thing is +finished. Let the King, one to three, and Loudon in command against +him, try if he can hinder it!" This is the Program in Vienna and in +Petersburg. And, accordingly, the Russians have got on march about +the end of May; plodding on ever since, due hereabouts before June +end: "junction to be as near Neisse as you can: and no fighting of +the King, on any terms, till the Russians come." Never were the +Vienna people so certain before. Daun is to do nothing "rash" in +Saxony (a Daun not given that way, they can calculate), but is to +guard Loudon's game; carefully to reinforce, comfort and protect +the brave Loudon and his Russians till they win;--after which +Saxony as rash as you like. This is the Program of the Season:-- +readers feel what an immensity of preliminary higglings, hitchings +and manoeuvrings will now demand to be suppressed by us! Read these +essential Fractions, chiefly chronological;--and then, at once, To +Bunzelwitz, and the time of close grips in Silesia here. + +"Last Year," says a loose Note, which we may as well take with us, +"Tottleben did not go home with the rest, but kept hovering about, +in eastern Pommern, with a 10,000, all Winter; attempting several +kinds of mischief in those Countries, especially attempting to do +something on Colberg; which the Russians mean to besiege next +Summer, with more intensity than ever, for the Third, and, if +possible, the last time. 'Storm their outposts there,' thinks +Tottleben, 'especially Belgard, the chief outpost; girdle tighter +and tighter the obstinate little crow's-nest of a Colberg, and have +it ready for besieging in good time.' Tottleben did try upon the +outposts, especially Belgard the chief one (January 18th, 1761), +but without the least success at Belgard; with a severe reproof +instead, Werner's people being broad awake: [Account of itt, +<italic> Helden-Geschichte, <end italic> vi. 670.] upon which +Tottleben and they made a truce, 'Peaceable till May 12th;' +till June 1st, it proved, about which time [which time, or +afterwards, as the Silesian crisis may admit!] we will look in on +them again." + +MAY 3d, as above intimated, Friedrich hastened off for Silesia, +quitted Meissen that day, with an Army of some 50,000; +pressingly intent to relieve Goltz from his dangerous predicament +there. This is one of Friedrich's famed marches, done in a minimum +of time and with a maximum of ingenuity; concerning which I will +remember only that, one night, "he lodged again at Rodewitz, near +Hochklrch, in the same house as on that Occasion [what a thirty +months to look back upon, as you sink to sleep!]--and that no +accident anywhere befell the March, though Daun's people, all +through Saxony and the Lausitz, were hovering on the flank,-- +apprehensive chiefly lest it might mean a plunge INTO BOHEMIA, for +relief of Goltz, instead of what it did." For six weeks after that +hard March, the King's people got Cantonments again, and rested. + +Prince Henri is left in Saxony, with Daun in huge force against +him, Daun and the Reich; between whom and Henri,--Seidlitz being in +the field again with Henri, Seidlitz and others of mark,--there +fell out a great deal of exquisite manoeuvring, rapid detaching and +occasional sharp cutting on the small scale; but nothing of moment +to detain us here or afterwards, We shall say only that Henri, to a +wonderful extent, maintained himself against the heavy overwhelming +Daun and his Austrian and Reichs masses; and that Napoleon, I know +not after what degree of study, pronounced this Campaign of 1761 to +be the masterpiece of Henri, and really a considerable thing, +<italic> "La campagne de 1761 est celle ou ce Prince a vraiment +montre des talents superieurs; <end italic> the Battle of Freyberg +[wait till next Year] nothing in comparison." [Montholon, <italic> +Memoires de Napoleon, <end italic> vii. 324.] Which may well detain +soldier-people upon it; but must not us, in any measure. The result +of Henri being what we said,--a drawn game, or nearly so,--we will, +without interference from him, follow Friedrich and Goltz. + +Friedrich and Goltz,--or, alas, it is very soon Friedrich alone; +the valiant Goltz soon perishing from his hand! After brief +junction in Schweidnitz Country, Friedrich detached Goltz to his +old fortified Camp at Glogau, there to be on watch. Goltz watching +there, lynx-eyed, skilful, volunteered a Proposal (June 22d): +"Reinforce me to 20,000, your Majesty; I will attack so and so of +those advancing Russians!" Which his Majesty straightway approved +of, and set going. [Goltz's Letter to the King, "Glogau, 22d June, +1761," is in Tempelhof (v. 88-90), who thinks the plan good.] +Goltz thereupon tasked all his energies, perhaps overmuch; and it +was thought might at last really have done something for the King, +in this matter of the Russians still in separate Divisions,--a +thing feasible if you have energy and velocity; always unfeasible +otherwise. But, alas, poor Goltz, just when ready to march, was +taken with sudden violent fever, the fruit probably of overwork; +and, in that sad flame, blazed away his valiant existence in three +or four days:-gone forever, June 30th, 1761; to the regret of +Friedrich and of many. + +Old Ziethen was at once pushed on, from Glogau over the frontier, +to replace Goltz; but, I doubt, had not now the requisite velocity: +Ziethen merely manoeuvred about, and came home "attending the +Russians," as Henri, Dohna and others had done. The Russians +entered Silesia, from the northeast or Polish side, without +difficulty; and (July 15th-20th) were within reach of Breslau and +of an open road to southward, and to junction with Loudon, who is +astir for them there. About Breslau they linger and higgle, at +their leisure, for three weeks longer: and if their junction with +the Austrians "in Neisse neighborhood" is to be prevented or +impeded, it is Friedrich, not Ziethen, that will have to do it. + +Junction in Neisse neighborhood (Oppeln, where it should have been, +which is some 35 miles from Neisse), Friedrich did, by velocity and +dexterity, contrive to prevent; but junction somewhere he probably +knows to be inevitable. These are among Friedrich's famed marches +and manoeuvrings, these against the swift Loudon and his slow +Russians; but we will not dwell on them. My readers know the King's +manner in such cases; have already been on two Marches with him, +and even in these same routes and countries. We will say only, that +the Russians were and had been very dilatory; Loudon much the +reverse; and their and Loudon's Adversary still more. That, for +five days, the Russians, at length close to Breslau (August +6th-11th), kept vaguely cannonading and belching noise and +apprehension upon the poor City, but without real damage to it, and +as if merely to pass the time; and had gradually pushed out fore- +posts, as far as Oppeln, towards Loudon, up their safe right bank +of Oder. That Loudon, on the first glimpse of these, had made his +best speed Neisse-ward; and did a march or two with good hope; +but at Munsterberg (July 22d), on the morning of the third or +fourth day's march, was astonished to see Friedrich ahead of him, +nearer Neisse than he; and that in Neisse Country there was nothing +to be done, no Russian junction possible there. + +"Try it in Schweidnitz Country, then!" said Loudon. The Russians +leave off cannonading Breslau; cross Oder, about Auras or Leubus +(August 11th-12th); and Loudon, after some finessing, marches back +Schweidnitz-way, cautiously, skilfully; followed by Friedrich, +anxious to prevent a junction here too or at lowest to do some +stroke before it occur. A great deal of cunning marching, shifting +and manoeuvring there is, for days round Schweidnitz on all sides; +encampings by Friedrich, now Liegnitz head-quarter, now Wahlstadt, +now Schonbrunn, Striegau;--without the least essential harm to +Loudon or likelihood increasing that the junction can be hindered. +No offer of battle either; Loudon is not so easy to beat as some. +The Russians come on at a snail's pace, so Loudon thinks it, who is +extremely impatient; but makes no mistakes in consequence, keeps +himself safe (Kunzendorf, on the edge of the Glatz Hills, his main +post), and the roads open for his heavy-footed friends. + +In Nicolstadt, a march from Wahlstadt, 16th August, there are +60,000 Russians in front of Friedrich, 72,000 Austrians in rear: +what can he, with at the very utmost 57,000, do against them? +Now was the time to have fallen upon the King, and have consumed +him between two fires, as it is thought might have been possible, +had they been simultaneous, and both of them done it with a will. +But simultaneity was difficult, and the will itself was wanting, or +existed only on Loudon's side. Nothing of the kind was attempted on +the confederate part, still less on Friedrich's,--who stands on his +guard, and, from the Heights about, has at last, to witness what he +cannot hinder. Sees both Armies on march; Austrians from the +southeast or Kunzendorf-Freyberg side, Russians from the northeast +or Kleinerwitz side, wending in many columns by the back of Jauer +and the back of Liegnitz respectively; till (August 18th) they +"join hands," as it is termed, or touch mutually by their light +troops; and on the 19th (Friedrich now off on another scheme, and +not witnessing), fall into one another's arms, ranked all in one +line of posts. [Tempelhof, v. 58-150.] "Can the Reichshofrath say +our junction is not complete?" And so ends what we call the +Prefatory part; and the time of Close Grips seems to be come!-- +Friedrich has now nothing for it but to try if he cannot possibly +get hold of Kunzendorf (readers may look in their Map), and cut off +Loudon's staff of bread; Loudon's, and Butturlin's as well; for the +whole 130,000 are now to be fed by Loudon, and no slight task he +will find it. By rushing direct on Kunzendorf with such a velocity +as Friedrich is capable of, it is thought he might have managed +Kunzendorf; but he had to mask his design, and march by the rear or +east side of Schweidnitz, not by the west side: "They will think I +am making off in despair, intending for the strong post of Pilzen +there, with Schweidnitz to shelter me in front!" hoped Friedrich +(morning of the 19th), as he marched off on that errand. But on +approaching in that manner, by the bow, he found that Loudon had +been quite sceptical of such despair, and at any rate had, by the +string, made sure of Kunzendorf and the food-sources. August 20th, +at break of day, scouts report the Kunzendorf ground thoroughly +beset again, and Loudon in his place there. No use marching +thitherward farther:--whither now, therefore? + +Friedrich knows Pilzen, what an admirable post it really is; +except only that Schweidnitz will be between the enemy and him, and +liable to be besieged by them; which will never do! Friedrich, on +the moment of that news from Kunzendorf, gets on march, not by the +east side (as intended till the scouts came in), but by the west or +exposed side of Schweidnitz:--he stood waiting, ready for either +route, and lost not a moment on his scouts coming in. All upon the +road by 3 A.M. August 20th; and encamps, still at an early hour, +midway between Schweidnitz and Striegau: right wing of him at +Zedlitz (if the reader look on his Map), left wing at Jauernik; +headquarters, Bunzelwitz, a poor Village, celebrated ever since in +War-annals. And begins (that same evening, the earlier or RESTED +part of him begins) digging and trenching at a most extraordinary +rate, according to plan formed; no enemy taking heed of him, or +giving the least molestation. This is the world-famous Camp of +Bunzelwitz, upon which it is worth while to dwell for a little. + +To common eyes the ground hereabouts has no peculiar military +strength: a wavy champaign, with nothing of abrupt or high, much of +it actual plain, excellent for cavalry and their work;--this +latter, too, is an advantage, which Friedrich has well marked, and +turns to use in his scheme. The area he takes in is perhaps some +seven or eight miles long, by as many broad. On the west side runs +the still-young Striegau Water, defensive more or less; and on the +farther bank of it green little Hills, their steepest side stream- +ward. Inexpugnable Schweidnitz, with its stores of every kind, +especially with its store of cannon and of bread, is on the left or +east part of the circuit; in the intervening space are peaceable +farm-villages, spots of bog; knolls, some of them with wood. Not a +village, bog, knoll, but Friedrich has caught up, and is busy +profiting by. "Swift, BURSCHE, dig ourselves in here, and be ready +for any quotity and quantity of them, if they dare attack!" + +And 25,000 spades and picks are at work, under such a Field- +Engineer as there is not in the world when he takes to that +employment. At all hours, night and day, 25,000 of them: half the +Army asleep, other half digging, wheeling, shovelling; plying their +utmost, and constant as Time himself: these, in three days, will do +a great deal of spade-work. Batteries, redoubts, big and little; +spare not for digging. Here is ground for Cavalry, too; post them +here, there, to bivouac in readiness, should our Batteries be +unfortunate. Long Trenches there are, and also short; Batteries +commanding every ingate, and under them are Mines: "We will blow +you and our Batteries both into the air, in case of capture!" think +the Prussians, the common men at least, if Friedrich do not. +"Mines, and that of being blown into the air," says Tempelhof, "are +always very terrible to the common man." In places there are +"Trenches 16 feet broad, by 16 deep," says an admiring Archenholtz, +who was in it: "and we have two of those FLATTERMINEN +(scatter-mines," blowing-up apparatuses) "to each battery." +[Archenholtz, ii. 262 &c.] + +"Bunzelwitz, Jauernik, Tschechen and Peterwitz, all fortified," +continues Archenholtz; "Wurben, in the centre, is like a citadel, +looking down upon Striegau Water. Heavy cannon, plenty of them, we +have brought from Schweidnitz: we have 460 pieces of cannon in all +and 182 mines. Wurben, our citadel and centre, is about five miles +from Schweidnitz. Our intrenchments"--You already heard what gulfs +some of them were! "Before the lines are palisades, storm-posts, +the things we call Spanish Horse (CHEVAUX-DE-FRISE);--woods we have +in abundance in our Circuit, and axes busy for carpentries of that +kind. There are four intrenched knolls; 24 big batteries, capable +of playing beautifully, all like pieces in a concert." Four knolls +elaborately intrenched, clothed with cannon; founded upon FLATTER- +mines: try where you will to enter, such torrents of death-shot +will converge on you, and a concert of 24 big batteries begin +their music!-- + +On the third day, Loudon, looking into this thing, which he has not +minded hitherto, finds it such a thing as he never dreamt of +before. A thing strong as Gibraltar, in a manner;--which it will be +terribly difficult to attack with success! For eight days more +Friedrich did not rest from his spadework; made many changes and +improvements, till he had artificially made a very Stolpen of it, a +Plauen, or more. Cogniazzo, the AUSTRIAN VETERAN, says: "Plauen, +and Daun's often ridiculed precautions there, were nothing to it. +Not as if Bunzelwitz had been so inaccessible as our sheer rocks +there; but because it is a masterpiece of Art, in which the +principles of tactics are combined with those of field- +fortification, as never before." Tielke grows quite eloquent on it: +"A masterpiece of judgment in ground," says he; "and the treatment +of it a model of sound, true and consummate field-engineering." +[Tielke, iii. § BUNZELWITZ (which is praised as an attractive +Piece); OESTERREICHISCHER VETERAN, iv. 79: cited in PREUSS, +ii. 285.] + +Ziethen, appointed to that function, watches on the Heights of +Wurben, the citadel of the place: keeps a sharp eye to the +southwest. All round, in huge half-moon on the edge of the Hills +over there, six or more miles from Ziethen, lie the angry Enemies; +Austrians south and nearest, about Kunzendorf and Freyberg. +Russians are on the top of Striegau Hills, which are well known to +some of us; Russian head-quarter is Hohenfriedberg,--who would have +thought it, Herr General von Ziethen? Sixteen years ago, we have +seen these Heights in other tenancy: Austrian field-music and +displayed banners coming down; a thousand and a thousand Austrian +watch-fires blazing out yonder, in the silent June night, eve of +such a Day! Baireuth Dragoons and their No. 67;--you will find the +Baireuth Dragoons still here in a sense, but also in a sense not. +Their fencing Chasot is gone to Lubeck long since; will perhaps pay +Friedrich a visit by and by: their fiery Gessler is gone much +farther, and will never visit anybody more! Many were the reapers +then, and they are mostly gone to rest. Here is a new harvest; +the old SICKLES are still here; but the hands that wielded them--! +"Steady!" answers the Herr General; profoundly aware of all that, +but averse to words upon it. + +Fancy Loudon's astonishment, on the third day: "While we have sat +consulting how to attack him, there is he,--unattackable, shall we +say?" Unattackable, Loudon will not consent to think him, though +Butturlin has quite consented. "Difficult, murderous," thinks +Loudon; "but possible, certain, could Butturlin but be persuaded!" +And tries all his rhetoric on Butturlin: "Shame on us!" urges the +ardent Loudon: "Imperial and Czarish Majesties; Kriegshofrath, +Russian Senate; Vienna, Petersburg, Versailles and all the world,-- +what are they expecting of us? To ourselves it seemed certain, and +here we sit helplessly gazing!" Loudon is very diligent upon +Butturlin: "Do but believe that it is possible. A plan can be made; +many plans: the problem is solved, if only your Excellency will +believe." Which Butturlin never quite will. + +Nobody knows better than Friedrich in what perilous crisis he now +stands: beaten here, what army or resource has he left? Silesia is +gone from him; by every likelihood, the game is gone. This of +Bunzelwitz is his last card; this is now his one stronghold in the +world:--we need not say if he is vigilant in regard to this. +From about the fourth day, when his engineering was only complete +in outline, he particularly expects to be attacked. On the fifth +night he concludes it will be; knowing Loudon's way. Towards +sunset, that evening (August 25th), all the tents are struck: +tents, cookeries, every article of baggage, his own among the rest, +are sent to Wurben Heights (to Schweidnitz, Archenholtz says; but +has misremembered): the ground cleared for action. And horse and +foot, every man marches out, and stands ready under arms. + +Contrary to everybody's expectation, not a shot was heard, that +night. Nor the next night, nor the next: but the practice of +vigilance was continued. Punctual as mathematics: at a given hour +of the afternoon, tents are all struck; tents and furnitures, field +swept clear; and the 50,000 in their places wait under arms. +Next morning, nothing having fallen out, the tents come back; +the Army (half of it at once, or almost the whole of it, according +to aspects) rests, goes to sleep if it can. By night there is +vigilance, is work, and no sleep. It is felt to be a hard life, but +a necessary. + +Nor in these labors of detail is the King wanting; far from it; +the King is there, as ear and eye of the whole. For the King alone +there is, near the chief Battery, "on the Pfarrberg, namely, in the +clump of trees there," a small Tent, and a bundle of straw where he +can lie down, if satisfied to do so. If all is safe, he will do so; +but perhaps even still he soon awakens again; and strolls about +among his guard-parties, or warms himself by their fires. +One evening, among the orders, is heard this item: "And remember, a +lock of straw, will you,--that I may not have to sleep on the +ground, as last night!" [Seyfarth, ii. 16 n.] Many anecdotes are +current to this day, about his pleasant homely ways and +affabilities with the sentry people, and the rugged hospitalities +they would show him at their watch-fires. "Good evening, children." +"The same to thee, Fritz." "What is that you are cooking?"--and +would try a spoonful of it, in such company; while the rough +fellows would forbid smoking, "Don't you know he dislikes it?" +"No, smoke away!" the King would insist. + +Mythical mainly, these stories; but the dialect of them true; +and very strange to us. Like that of an Arab Sheik among his +tribesmen; like that of a man whose authority needs no keeping up, +but is a Law of Nature to himself and everybody. He permits a +little bantering even; a rough joke against himself, if it spring +sincerely from the complexion of the fact. The poor men are +terribly tired of this work: such bivouacking, packing, unpacking; +and continual waiting for the tug of battle, which never comes. +Biscuits, meal are abundant enough; but flesh-meat wearing low; +above all, no right sleep to be had. Friedrich's own table, I +should think, is very sparingly beset ("A cup of chocolate is my +dinner on marching-days," wrote he once, this Season); +certainly his Lodging,--damp ground, and the straw sometimes +forgotten,--is none of the best. And thus it has to last, night +after night and day after day. On September 8th, General Bulow went +out for a little butcher's-meat; did bring home "200 head of neat +cattle [I fear, not very fat] and 300 sheep." [Tempelhof, v. 172.] + +Loudon, all this while, is laboring, as man seldom did, to bring +Butturlin to the striking place; who continues flaccid, Loudon +screwing and rescrewing, altogether in vain. Loudon does not deny +the difficulty; but insists on the possibility, the necessity: +Councils of War are bid, remonstrances, encouragements. "We will +lend you a Corps," answers Butturlin; "but as to our Army +cooperating,--except in that far-off way, it is too dangerous!" +Meanwhile provisions are running low; the time presses. A formal +Plan, presented by the ardent Loudon ,--Loudon himself to take the +deadlier part,--"Mark it, noble Russian gentlemen; and you to have +the easier!"--surely that is loyal, and not in the old cat's-paw +way? But in that, too, there is an offence. Butturlin and the +Russians grumble to themselves: "And you to take all the credit, as +you did at Kunersdorf? A mere adjunct, or auxiliary, we: and we are +a Feldmarschall; and you, what is your rank and seniority?" In +short, they will not do it; and in the end coldly answer: "A Corps, +if you like; but the whole Army, positively no." Upon which Loudon +goes home half mad; and has a colic for eight-and-forty hours. +This was September 2d; the final sour refusal;--nearly heart- +breaking to Loudon. Provisions are run so low withal: the Campaign +season all but done; result, nothing: not even an attempt at +a result. + +No Prussian, from Friedrich downwards, had doubted but the attack +would be: the grand upshot and fiery consummation of these dark +continual hardships and nocturnal watchings. Thrice over, on +different nights, the Prussians imagined Loudon to have drawn out, +intending actual business; and thrice over to have drawn in again, +--instead of once only, as was the fact, and then taken colic. +[Tempelhof, v. 170.] Friedrich's own notion, that "over dinner, +glass in hand," the two Generals had, in the enthusiasm of such a +moment, agreed to do it, but on sober inspection found it too +dubious, [<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> v. 125.] +appears to be ungrounded. Whether they could in reality have +stormed him, had they all been willing, is still a question; +and must continue one. Wednesday evening, 9th September, there was +much movement noticeable in the Russian camp; also among the +Austrian, there are regiments, foot and horse, coming down +hitherward . "Meaning to try it then?" thought Friedrich, and got +at once under arms. Suppositions were various; but about 10 at +night, the whole Russian Camp went up in flame; and, next morning, +the Russians were not there. + +Russian main Army clean gone; already got to Jauer, as we hear; and +Beck with a Division to see them safe across the Oder;--only +Czernichef and 20,000 being left, as a Corps of Loudon's. Who, with +all Austrians, are quiet in their Heights of Kunzendorf again. +And thus, on the twentieth morning, September 10th, this strange +Business terminated. Shot of those batteries is drawn again; +powder of those mines lifted out again: no firing of your heavy +Artillery at all, nor even of your light, after such elaborate +charging and shoving of it hither and thither for the last three +weeks. The Prussians cease their bivouacking, nightly striking of +tents; and encamp henceforth in a merely human manner; their +"Spanish Riders" (FRISIAN Horse, CHEVAUX-DE-FRISE, others of us +call them), their Storm-pales and elaborate wooden Engineerings, +they gradually burn as fuel in the cold nights; finding Loudon +absolutely quiescent, and that the thing is over, for the present. +One huge peril handsomely staved away, though so many +others impend. + +By way of accelerating Butturlin, Friedrich, next day, September +11th, despatched General Platen with some 8,000 (so I will guess +them from Tempelhof's enumeration by battalions), to get round the +flank of Butturlin, and burn his Magazines. Platen, a valiant +skilful person, did this business, as he was apt to do, in a +shining style; shot dexterously forward by the skirts of Butturlin; +heard of a big WAGENBURG or Travelling Magazine of his, at Gostyn +over the Polish Frontier; in fact, his travelling bread-basket, +arranged as "Wagon-fortress" in and round some Convent there, with +trenches, brick walls, cannon and defence considered strong enough +for so important a necessary of the road. September 15th, Platen, +before cock-crow, burst out suddenly on this Wagon-fortress, with +its cannons, trenches, brick walls and defensive Russians; +stormed into it with extraordinary fury: "Fixed bayonets," ordered +he at the main point of their defence, "not a shot till they are +tumbled out!"--tumbled them out accordingly, into flight and ruin; +took of prisoners 1,845, seven cannon, and burnt the 5,000 +provender wagons, which was the soul of the adventure; and directly +got upon the road again. [Tempelhof, v. 281-293; <italic> +Helden-Geschichte, <end italic> vi. 643-649.] Detachments of him +then fell on Posen, on Posen and other small Russian repositories +in those parts,--hay-magazines, biscuit-stores soldiers' uniforms; +distributed or burnt the same;--completely destroying the +travelling haversack or general road-bag of Butturlin; a Butturlin +that will have to hasten forward or starve. + +Which done, Platen (not waiting the King's new orders, but +anticipating them, to the King's great contentment) marched +instantly, with his best speed and skilfulest contrivance of routes +and methods, not back to the King, but onward towards Colberg,-- +(which he knows, as readers shall anon, to be much in need of him +at present);--and without injury, though begirt all the way by a +hurricane of Cossacks and light people doing their utmost upon him, +arrived there September 25th; victoriously cutting in across the +Besieging Party: and will again be visible enough when we arrive +there. Indignant Butturlin chased violently, eager to punish +Platen; but could get no hold: found Platen was clear off, to +Pommern,--on what errand Butturlin knew well, if not so well what +to do in consequence. "Reinforce our poor Besiegers there, and +again reinforce [to enormous amounts, 40,000 of them in the end];-- +get bread from them withal:--and, before long, flow bodily +thitherward, for bread to ourselves and for their poor sake!" +That, on the whole, was what Butturlin did. + +Friedrich stayed at Bunzelwitz above a fortnight after Butturlin. +"Why did not Friedrich stay altogether, and wait here?" said some, +triumphantly soon after. That was not well possible. +His Schweidnitz Magazine is worn low; not above a month's provision +now left for so many of us. The rate of sickness, too, gets heavier +and heavier in this Bunzelwitz Circuit. In fine, it is greatly +desirable that Loudon, who has nothing but Bohemia for outlook, +should be got to start thither as soon as possible, and be +quickened homeward. September 25th-26th, Friedrich will be under +way again. + +And, in the mean while, may not we employ this fortnight of +quiescence in noting certain other things of interest to him and us +which have occurred, or are occurring, in other parts of the Field +of War? Of Henri in Saxony we undertook to say nothing; and indeed +hitherto,--big Daun with his Lacys and Reichsfolk, lying so +quiescent, tethered by considerations (Daun continually detaching, +watching, for support of his Loudon and Russians and their thrice- +important operation, which has just had such a finish),--there +could almost nothing be said. Nothing hitherto, or even henceforth, +as it proves, except mutual vigilances, multifarious bickerings, +manoeuvrings, affairs of posts: sharp bits of cutting (Seidlitz, +Green Kleist and other sharp people there); which must not detain +us in such speed. But there are two points, the Britannic-French +Campaign, and the Third Siege of Colberg; which in no rate of speed +could be quite omitted. + + +OF FERDINAND'S BATTLE OF VELLINGHAUSEN (15th-16th July); +AND THE CAMPAIGN 1761. + +Vellinghausen is a poor little moory Hamlet in Paderborn Country, +near the south or left bank of the Lippe River; lies to the north +of Soest,--some 15 miles to your left-hand there, as you go by rail +from Aachen to Paderborn;--but nobody now has ever heard of it at +Soest or elsewhere, famous as it once became a hundred years ago. +Ferdinand had taken a singular position there, in the early days of +July, 1761. Here is brief Notice of that Affair, and of some +results, or adjuncts, still more important, which it had:-- + +"This Year, Ferdinand's Campaign is more difficult than ever; +Choiseul having made a quite spasmodic effort towards Hanover, +while negotiating for Peace. Two Armies, counting together 160,000 +men, in great completeness of equipment, Choiseul has got on foot, +against Ferdinand's of 95,000. Had a fine dashing plan, too;-- +devised by himself (something of a Soldier he too, and full of what +the mess-rooms call 'dash');--not so bad a Plan of the dashing +kind, say judges. But it was marred sadly in one point: +That Broglio, on issuing from his Hessian Winter-quarters, is not +to be sole General; that Soubise, from the Lower-Rhine Country, is +to be Co-General;--such the inexorable will of Pompadour. +This clause of the business Ferdinand, at an early stage, appears +to have guessed or discerned might, for him, be the saving clause. + +"Now, as formerly, Ferdinand's first grand business is to guard +Lippstadt,--guard it now from these two Generals:--and, singular to +see, instead of opposing the junction of them, he has submitted +cheerfully to let them join. And in the course of a week or two +after taking the field, is found to be on the western or outmost +flank of Soubise, crushing him up towards Broglio, not otherwise! +And has, partly by accident, taken a position at Vellinghausen +which infinitely puzzles Broglio and Soubise, when they rush into +junction at Soest (July 6th)) and study the thing, with their own +eyes, for eight whole days, in concert.' What continual +reconnoitring, galloping about of high-plumed gentlemen together or +apart; what MEMOIR-ing, mutual consulting, beating of brains, to +little purpose, during those eight days!-- + +"Ferdinand stands in moory difficult ground, length of him about +eight miles, looking eastward; with his left at Vellinghausen and +the Lippe; centre of him is astride of the Ahse (centre partly, and +right wing wholly, are on the south side of Ahse), which is a +branch of Lippe; and in front, he has various little Hamlets, +Kirch-Denkern [KIRCH-Denkern, for there are three or four other +Denkerns thereabouts], Scheidingen, Wambeln and others; and his +right wing is covered farther by a quaggy brook, which runs into +the above-said Ahse, and is a SUB-branch of Lippe. At most of these +Villages Ferdinand has thrown up something of earthworks: there are +bogs, rough places, woods; all are turned to advantage. +Ferdinand is in a strongish, but yet a dangerous position; and will +give difficulties, and does give endless dubieties, to these high- +plumed gentlemen galloping about with their spy-glasses for eight +days. One possibility they pretty soon discern in him: His left +flank rests on Lippe, yes; but his right flank is in the air, has +nothing to rest on;--here surely is some possibility for us? +A strong Position, that of his; but if driven out of it by any +method, he has no retreat; is tumbled back into the ANGLE where +Ahse and Lippe meet, and into the little Town of Hamm there, where +his Magazine is. What a fate for him, if we succeed!-- + +"Ferdinand, by the incessant reconnoitring and other symptoms, +judges what is coming; concludes he will be attacked in this +posture of his; and on the whole, what critics now reckon very wise +and very courageous of him, determines to stand his chance in it. +The consultations of Broglio and Soubise are a thing unique to look +upon; spread over volumes of Official Record, and about a volume +and a half even of BOURCET, where it is still almost amusing to +read; [<italic> Memoires Historiques <end italic> (that is to say, +for most part, Selection of Official Papers) <italic> sur la Guerre +que les Francais ont soutenue en Allemagne depuis 1757 jusqu'au +<end italic> 1762: par M. de Bourcet, Lieutenant-General des Armees +du Roi (3 tomes, Paris, 1792);--worthily done; but occupied, +two-thirds of it, with this Vellinghausen and the paltry "Campaign +of 1761"!] and ending in helpless downbreak on both parts. +Of strategic faculty nobody supposes they had much, and nearly all +of it is in Broglio; Soubise being strong in Court-favor only. +Exquisitely polite they both strive to be; and under the exquisite +politeness, what infirmities of temper, splenetic suspicions, and +in fact mutual hatred lay hidden, could never be accurately known. +'Attack him, Sunday next; on the 13th!' so, at the long last, both +of them had said. And then, on more reflection, Broglio afterwards: + 'Or not till the 15th, M. le Prince; till I reconnoitre yet again, +and drive in his outposts?' 'M. le Marechal's will is always mine: +Tuesday, 15th, reconnoitre him, drive him in; be it so, then!' +answers Soubise, with extreme politeness,--but thinking in his own +mind (or thought to be thinking), 'Wants to do it himself, or to +get the credit of doing it, as in former cases; and bring me into +disgrace!' Not quite an insane notion either, on Soubise's part, +say some who have looked into the Broglio-Soubise Controversy;-- +which far be it from any of us, at this or at any time, to do. +Here are the facts that ensued. + +"TUESDAY, JULY 15th, 1761, Broglio reconnoitred with intensity all +day, drove in all Ferdinand's outposts; and about six in the +evening, seeing hope of surprise, or spurred by some notion of +doing the feat by himself, suddenly burst into onslaught on +Ferdinand's Position: 'Vellinghausen yonder, and the woody +strengths about,--could not we get hold of that; it would be so +convenient to-morrow morning!' Granby and the English are in camp +about Vellinghausen; and are taken quite on the sudden: but they +drew out rapidly, in a state of bottled indignation, and fought, +all of them,--Pembroke's Brigade of Horse, Cavendish's of Foot, +BERG-SCHOTTEN, Maxwell's Brigade and the others, in a highly +satisfactory way,--'MIT UNBESCHREIBLICHER TAPFERKEIT,' says +Mauvillon on this occasion again. Broglio truly has burst out into +enormous cannonade, musketade and cavalry-work, in this part; +and struggles at it, almost four hours,--a furious, and especially +a very noisy business, charging, recharging through the woods +there;--but, met in this manner, finds he can make nothing of it; +and about 10 at night, leaves off till a new morning. + +"Next morning, about 4, Broglio, having diligently warned Soubise +overnight, recommenced; again very fiercely, and with loud +cannonading; but with result worse than before. +Ferdinand overnight, while Broglio was warning Soubise, had +considerably strengthened his left wing here,--by detachments from +the right or Anti-Soubise wing; judging, with good foresight, how +Soubise would act. And accordingly, while poor Broglio kept +storming forward with his best ability, and got always hurled back +again, Soubise took matters easy; 'had understood the hour of +attack to be' so-and-so, 'had understood' this and that; and on the +whole, except summoning or threatening, in the most languid way, +one outlying redoubt ('redoubt of Scheidingen') on Ferdinand's +right wing, did nothing, or next to nothing, for behoof of his +Broglio. Who, hour after hour, finds himself ever worse bested;-- +those Granby people proving 'indescribable' once more [their +Wutgenau also with his Hanoverians NOT being absent, as they rather +were last night];--and about 10 in the morning gives up the bad +job; and sets about retiring. If retiring be now permissible; +which it is not altogether. Ferdinand, watching intently through +his glass the now silent Broglio, discerns 'Some confusion in the +Marechal yonder!'--and orders a general charge of the left wing +upon Broglio; which considerably quickened his retreat; and broke +it into flight, and distressful wreck and capture, in some parts,-- +Regiment ROUGE, for one item, falling wholly, men, cannon, flags +and furniture, to that Maxwell and his Brigade. + +"Ferdinand lost, by the indistinct accounts, 'from 1,500 to 2,000:' +Broglio's loss was 'above 5,000; 2,000 of them prisoners.' +Soubise, for his share, 'had of killed 24,'--O you laggard of a +Soubise! [Mauvillon, ii. 171-189; Tempelhof, v. 207-221; +Bourcet, ii. 75 et seq. In <italic> Helden-Geschichte <end italic> +(vi. 770-782-792) the French Account, and the English (or Allied), +with LISTS, and the like. Slight LETTER from Sir Robert Murray +Keith to his Excellency Papa, now at Petersburg, "Excellency +first," as we used to define him, stands in the miserably edited +<italic> Memoirs and Correspondence <end italic> (London, 1849), +i. 104-105; and may tempt you to a reading; but alters nothing, +adds little or nothing. Sir R. fights here as a Colonel of +Highlanders, but afterwards became "Excellency second" of his +name.] And it is a Battle lost to Choiseul's grand Pair of Armies; +a Campaign checked in mid volley; and nothing but recriminations, +courts-martial, shrieky jargonings,--and plain incompatibility +between the two Marechaux de France; so that they had to part +company, and go each his own road henceforth. Choiseul remonstrates +with them, urges, eucourages; writes the 'admirablest Despatches;' +to no purpose. 'How ridiculous and humiliating would it be for us, +if, with Two Armies of such strength, we accomplished nothing, and +the whole Campaign were lost!' writes he once to them. + +"Which was in fact the result arrived at; the two Generals parting +company for this Campaign (and indeed for all others); and each, in +his own way, proving futile. Soubise, with some 30,000, went +gasconading about, in the Westphalian, or extreme western parts; +taking Embden (from two Companies of Chelsea Pensioners; to whom he +broke his word, poor old souls;--to whom, and much more to the +Populations there [LETTER FROM A FRENCH PROTESTANT GENTLEMAN AT +GRONINGEN; followed by confirmatory LETTER FROM &c. &c. (copied +into <italic> Gentleman's Magazine <end italic> for 1761), give +special details of the altogether ULTRA-Soltikof atrocities +perpetrated by Soubise's people (doubtless against his will) on the +recalcitrant or disaffected Peasants, on the &c. &c.]),--taking +Embden, not taking Bremen; and in fact doing nothing, except keep +the Gazetteers in vain noise: a Soubise not in force, by himself, +to shake Ferdinand; and who, it is remarked, now and formerly, +always prefers to be at a good distance from that Gentleman. +Broglio, on the other hand, keeps violently pulsing out, round +Ferdinand's flanks; taking Wolfenbuttel (Broglio's for two days), +besieging Brunswick (for one day);-and, in short, leaving, he too, +the matter as he had found it. A man of difficult, litigious +temper, I should judge; but clearly has something of generalship: +'does understand tactic, if strategy NOT,' said everybody; +'while Soubise, in both capacities, is plain zero!' [Excellency +Stanley (see INFRA) to Pitt, "Paris, 30th July, 1761:" in +THACKERAY, ii. 561-562.] The end, however, was: next Winter, +Broglio got dismissed, in favor of Soubise;--rest from shrieky +jargon having its value to some of us; and 'hold of Hanover' being +now plainly a matter hopeless to France and us." + +In this Battle a fine young Prince of Brunswick got killed; +Erbprinz's second Brother;--leading on a Regiment of BERG-SCHOTTEN, +say the accounts. [<italic> "The Life of Prince Albert Henry <end +italic> [had lived only 19 years, poor youth, not much of a +"Life"!-but the account of his Education is worth reading, from a +respectable Eye-witness] <italic> of Brunswick-Luneburg, Brother to +the Hereditary Prince; who so eminently &c. at Fellinghausen <end +italic> &c. &c. (London, Printed for &c. 1763). <italic> Written +originally in German by the Rev. Mr. Hierusalem" <end italic> +(Father of the "Young Jerusalem" who killed himself afterwards, and +became, in a sense, Goethe's WERTHER and SORROWS). Price, probably, +Twopence).] Berg-Schotten, and English generally, Pembroke's Horse, +Cavendish's Brigade,--we have mentioned their behavior; and how +Maxwell's Brigade took one whole regiment prisoners, in that final +charge on Broglio. "What a glorious set of fellows!" said the +English people over their beer at home. Beer let us fancy it; +at the sign of THE MARQUIS OF GRANBY, which is now everywhere +prevalent and splendent;--the beer, we will hope, good. And as this +is a thing still said, both over beer and higher liquors, and +perhaps is liable to be too much insisted on, I will give, from a +caudid By-stander, who knows the matter well, what probably is a +more solid and circumstantially correct opinion. Speaking of +Ferdinand's skill of management, and of how very composite a kind +his Army was, Major Mauvillon has these words:-- + +"The first in rank," of Ferdinand's Force, "were the English; +about a fourth part of the whole Army. Braver troops, when on the +field of battle and under arms against the enemy, you will nowhere +find in the world: that is a truth;--and with that the sum of their +military merits ends. In the first place, their Infantry consists +of such an unselected hand-over-head miscellany of people, that it +is highly difficult to preserve among them even a shadow of good +discipline,"--of MANNSZUCHT, in regard to plunder, drinking and the +like; does not mean KRIEGSZUCHT, or drill. "Their Cavalry indeed is +not so constituted; but a foolish love for their horses makes them +astonishingly plunderous of forage; and thus they exhaust a +district far faster in that respect than do the Germans. + +"Officers' Commissions among them are all had by purchase: +from which it follows that their Officers do not trouble their +heads about the service; and understand of it, very VERY few +excepted, absolutely nothing whatever [what a charming set of +"Officers"!]--and this goes from the Ensign up to the General. +Their home-customs incline them to the indulgences of life; +and, nearly without exception, they all expect to have ample and +comfortable means of sleep. [Hear, hear!] This leads them often +into military negligences, which would sound incredible, were they +narrated to a soldier. To all this is added a quiet natural +arrogance (UEBERMUTH),"--very quiet, mostly unconscious, and as if +inborn and coming by discernment of mere facts,--"which tempts them +to despise the enemy as well as the danger; and as they very seldom +think of making any surprisal themselves, they generally take it +for granted that the enemy will as little. + +"This arrogance, however, had furthermore a very bad consequence +for their relation to the rest of the Army. It is well known how +much these people despise all Foreigners. This of itself renders +their co-operating with Troops of other Nations very difficult. +But in this case there was the circumstance that, as the Army was +in English pay, they felt a strong tendency to regard their fellow- +soldiers and copartners as a sort of subordinate war-valets, who +must be ready to put up with anything:--which was far indeed from +being the opinion of the others concerned! The others had not the +smallest notion of consenting to any kind of inferior treatment or +consideration in respect of them. To the Hanoverians especially, +from known political feelings, they were at heart, for most part, +specially indisposed; and this mode of thinking was capable of +leading to very dangerous outbreaks. The Hanoverians, a dull steady +people, brave as need be, but too slow for anything but foot +service, considered silently this War to be their War, and that all +the rest, English as well, were here on their [and Britannic +Majesty's] account. + +"Think what difficulties Ferdinand's were, and what his merit in +quietly subduing them; while to the cursory observer they were +invisible, and nobody noticed them but himself!" [Mauvillon, ii. +270-272.] + +Yes, doubtless. He needed to know his kinds of men; to regard +intensely the chemic affinities and natural properties, to keep his +phosphorescents his nitres and charcoals well apart; to get out of +these English what they were capable of giving him, namely, heavy +strokes,--and never ask them for what they had not: them or the +others; but treat each according to his kind. Just, candid, +consummately polite: an excellent manager of men, as well as of +war-movements, though Voltaire found him shockingly defective in +ESPRIT. The English, I think, he generally quartered by themselves; +employed them oftenest under the Hereditary Prince,--a man of swift +execution and prone to strokes like themselves. "Oftenest under the +Erbprinz," says Mauvillon: "till, after the Fight of Kloster +Kampen, it began to be noticed that there was a change in that +respect; and the mess-rooms whispered, 'By accident or not?'"-- +which shall remain mysterious to me. In Battle after Battle he got +the most unexceptionable sabring and charging from Lord Granby and +the difficult English element; and never was the least discord +heard in his Camp;--nor could even Sackville at Minden tempt him +into a loud word. + +But enough of English soldiering, and battling with the French. +For about two months prior to this of Vellinghausen, and for more +than two months after, there is going on, by special Envoys between +Pitt and Choiseul, a lively Peace-Negotiation, which is of more +concernment to us than any Battle. "Congress at Augsburg" split +upon formalities, preliminaries, and never even tried to meet: +but France and England are actually busy. Each Country has sent its +Envoy: the Sieur de Bussy, a tricky gentleman, known here of old, +is Choiseul's, whom Pitt is on his guard against; "Mr. Hans +Stanley," a lively, clear-sighted person, of whom I could never +hear elsewhere, is Pitt's at Paris: and it is in that City between +Choiseul and Stanley, with Pitt warily and loftily presiding in the +distance, that the main stress of the Negotiation lies. Pitt is +lofty, haughty, but very fine and noble; no King or Kaiser could be +more. Sincere, severe, though most soft-shining; high, earnest, +steady, like the stars. Artful Choiseul, again, flashes out in a +cheerily exuberant way; and Stanley's Despatches about Choiseul +("CE FOU PLEIN D'ESPRIT," as Friedrich once christens him), about +Choiseul and the France then round him, and the effects of +Vellinghausen in society and the like,--are the liveliest reading +one almost anywhere meets with in that kind. [In THACKERAY, i. +505-579, and especially ii. 520-626, is the Stanley-and-Pitt +Correspondence: Stanley went "23d May;" returned (got his passports +for returning) "September 20th."] Choiseul frankly admits that he +has come to the worst: ready for concessions, but the question is, +What? Canada is gone, for instance; of Canada you will allow us +nothing: but our poor Fisher-people, toiling in the Newfoundland +waters, cannot they have a rock to dry their fish on; "Isle of +Miquelon, or the like?" "Not the breadth of a blanket,"--that is +Pitt's private expression, I believe; and for certain, that, in +polite official language, is his inexorable determination. +"You shall go home out of those Countries, Messieurs; America is to +be English or YANkee, not FRANGcee: that has turned out to be the +Decree of Heaven; and we will stand by that." + +So that Choiseul soon satisfies himself it will be a hard bargain, +this with Pitt; and turns the more assiduously to the Majesty of +Spain (Baby Carlos, our old friend, who has sore grudges of his own +against the English, standing grievance of Campeachy Logwood, of +bitter Naples reminiscences, and enough else), turns to Baby +Carlos, time after time, with his pathetic "See, your Most Catholic +Majesty!" And by rapid degrees induces Most Catholic Majesty to go +wholly into the adventure with Most Christian Ditto;--and to say, +at length, or to let Choiseul say for him, by way of cautious +first-step (15th July, a date worth remembering, if the reader +please): "Might not Most Catholic Majesty be allowed perhaps to +mediate a little in this Business?" "Most Catholic Majesty!" +answers Pitt, with a flash as if from the empyrean: "Who sent for +Most Catholic Majesty?"--and the matter catches fire, totally +explodes, and Spain too declares War; in what way is +generally known. + +Details are not permitted us. The Catastrophe we shall give +afterwards, and can here say only: FIRST, That old Earl Marischal, +Friedrich's Spanish Envoy, is a good deal in England, coming and +going, at this time,--on that interesting business of the Kintore +Inheritance, doubtless,--and has been beautifully treated. +Been pardoned, disattainted, permitted to inherit,--by the King on +the instant, by the Parliament so soon as possible; [King's Patent +is of "30th April, 1760 [DATED 29th May, 1759], Act of Parliament +to follow shortly;" "August 16th, 1760, Act having passed, is +Marischal's public Presentation to his Majesty (late Majesty);" +Old GAZETTES in <italic> Gentleman's Magazine <end italic> (for +1760), xxx. 201, 392.]--and is of a naturally grateful turn. +SECONDLY, That in the profoundest secrecy, penetrable only to eyes +near at hand and that see in the dark, a celebrated Bourbon Family +Compact was signed (August 15th, 1761, ten days before the digging +at Bunzelwitz began), of which the first news to the Olympian man +(conveyed by Marischal, as is thought) was like--like news of dead +Pythons pretending to revive upon him. And THIRDLY, That, +postponing the Catastrophe, and recommending the above two dates, +15th JULY, 15th AUGUST, to careful readers, we must hasten to +Colberg for the present. + + +THIRD SIEGE OF COLBERG. + +Readers had, some while ago, a flying Note, which we promised to +take up again; about Tottleben's procedures, and a Third Siege of +Colberg coming. Siege, we have chanced to see, there accordingly +is, and a Platen gone to help against it. Siege, after infinite +delays and haggles, has at length come,--uncommonly vivid during +the final days of Bunzelwitz;--and is, and has been, and continues +to be, much in the King's thoughts. Probably a matter of more +concernment to him, before, during and after Bunzelwitz (though the +Pitt Catastrophe, going on simultaneously, is still more important, +if he knew it), than anything else befalling in the distance. +Let us now give a few farther indications on that matter. + +Truce between Werner and Tottleben expired May 12th; but for five +weeks more nothing practical followed; except diligent reinforcing, +revictualling and extraordinary fortifying of Colberg and its +environs, on the Prussian part,--Eugen of Wurtemberg, direct from +Restock and his Anti-Swede business, Eugen 12,000 strong, with a +Werner and other such among them, taking head charge outside the +walls; old Heyde again as Commandant within: while on the Russian +part, under General Romanzow, there is a most tortoise-like +advance,--except that the tortoise carries all his resources with +him, and Romanzow's, multifarious and enormous, are scattered over +seas and lands, and need endless waiting for, in the intervals +of crawling. + +This is the Romanzow who failed at Colherg once already (on the +heel of Zorndorf in 1758, if readers recollect); and is the more +bound to be successful now. From sea and from land, for five weeks, +there is rumor of a Romanzow in overwhelming force, and with +intentions very furious upon Colberg,--upon the outposts, under +Werner, as first point. Five weeks went, before anything of +Romanzow was visible even to Werner (22d June, at Coslin, forty +miles to eastward); after which his advance (such waiting for the +ships, for the artilleries, the this and the that) was slower than +ever; and for about eight weeks more, he haggles along through +Coslin, through Corlin, Belgard again, flowing slowly forward upon +Werner's outposts, like a summer glacier with its rubbishes; +or like a slow lava-tide,--a great deal of smoke on each side of +him (owing to the Cossacks), as usual. Romanzow's progress is of +the slowest; and it is not till August 19th that he practically +gets possession of Corlin, Belgard and those outposts on the +Persante River, and comes within sight of Colberg and his problem. +By which time, he finds Eugen of Wurtemberg encamped and intrenched +still ahead of him, still nearer Colberg, and likely to give him +what they call "DE LA TABLATURE," or extremely difficult music +to play. + +"It was on AUGUST 19th [very eve of Friedrich's going into +Bunzelwitz] that Romanzow,--Werner, for the sake of those poor +Towns he holds, generally retiring without bombardment or utter +conflagration,--had got hold of Corlin and of the River Persante +[with "Quetzin and Degow," if anybody knew them, as his main posts +there]: and was actually now within sight of Colberg,--only 7 or 8 +miles west of him, and a river more or less in his way:--when, +singular to see, Eugen of Wurtemberg has rooted himself into the +ground farther inward, environing Colberg with a fortified Camp as +with a second wall; and it will be a difficult problem indeed! + +"But Sea Armaments, Swedish-Russian, with endless siege-material +and red-hot balls, are finally at hand; and this pitiful Colberg +must be done, were it only by falling flat, on it, and smothering +it by weight of numbers and of red-hot iron. The day before +yesterday, August 17th, after such rumoring and such manoeuvring as +there has been, six Russian ships-of-war showed themselves in +Colberg Roads, and three of them tried some shooting on Heyde's +workpeople, busy at a redoubt on the beach; but hit nothing, and +went away till Romanzow himself should come. Romanzow come, there +is utmost despatch; and within the eight days following, the +Russian ships, and then the Swedish as well, have all got to their +moorings,--12 sail of the line, with 42 more of the frigate and +gunboat kind, 54 ships in all;--and from August 24th, especially +from August 28th, bombardment to the very uttermost is going on. +[Tempelhof, v. 311.] Bombardment by every method, from sea and from +land, continues diligent for the next fortnight,--with little or no +result; so diligent are Eugen and veteran Heyde. + +"SEPTEMBER 4th. The Swedish-Russian gunboats have been much shot +down by Heyde's batteries on the beach; no success had, owing to +Heyde and Eugen: paltry little Colberg as impossible as Bunzelwitz, +it seems? 'Double our diligence, therefore!' That is Romanzow's and +everybody's sentiment here. Romanzow comes closer in, September +4th; besieges in form, since not Colberg, Eugen's CAMP, or brazen +wall of Colberg; and there rises in and round this poor little +Colberg (a 2,000 balls daily, red-hot and other) such a volcano as +attracts the eyes of all the world thither. + +"SEPTEMBER 12th. News yesterday of reinforcement, men and +provender, coming from Stettin; is to be at Treptow on the 13th. +Werner, night of the 11th, stealthily sets out to meet it, IT in +the first place; then, joined with it, to take by rearward a +certain inconvenient battery, which Romanzow is building to +westward of us, out that way; to demolish said battery, and be +generally distressful to the rear of Romanzow. At Treptow, after +his difficult night's march, Werner is resting, secure now of the +adventure;--too contemptuous of his slow Russians, as appeared! +Who, for once, surprise HIM; and, at and round Treptow, next +morning, Werner finds himself suddenly in a most awkward +predicament. Werner, one of the rapidest and stormiest of skilful +men, plunged valiantly into the affair; would still have managed +it, they say, had not, in some sudden swoop,--charge, or something +of critical or vital nature,--rapid Werner's horse got shot, and +fallen with him; whereby not only the charge failed, but Werner +himself was taken prisoner. A loss of very great importance, and +grievous to everybody: though, I believe, the reinforcement and +supply, for this time, got mostly through, and the dangerous +battery was got demolished by other means. [Seyfarth, <italic> +Beylagen, <end italic> iii. 238; Tempelhof, v. 314.] This is +Romanzow's first item of success, this of getting such a Werner +snatched out of the game [and sent to Petersburg instead as we +shall hear]; and other items fell to Romanzow thenceforth by the +aid of time and hunger. + +"In the way of storming, battering or otherwise capturing Eugen's +Camp, not to speak of Heyde's town, Romanzow finds, on trial after +trial, that he can do as good as nothing; and his unwieldy sea- +comrades (equinoctial gales coming on them, too) are equally +worthless. September 19th [a week after this of Werner, tenth day +after Bunzelwitz had ended], Romanzow made his fiercest attempt +that way; fiercest and last: furious extremely, from 2 in the +morning onwards; had for some time hold of the important 'Green +Redoubt;' but was still more furiously battered and bayoneted out +again, with the loss of above 3,000 men; and tried that no farther. +Impossible by that method. But he can stand between the Eugen-Heyde +people and supplies; and by obstinacy hunger them out: this, +added to the fruitless bombardment, is now his more or less +fruitful industry. + +"In the end of September, the effects of Bunzelwitz are felt: +Platen, after burning the Butturlin Magazine at Gostyn, has +hastened hither; in what style we know. Blaten arrives 25th +September; cuts his way through Romanzow into Eugen's Camp, raises +Eugen to about 15,000; [Tempelhof, v. 350.] renders Eugen, not to +speak of Heyde, more impossible than ever. Butturlin did truly send +reinforcements, a 10,000, a 12,000, 'As many as you like, my +Romanzow!' And, in the beginning of October, came rolling +thitherward bodily; hoping, they say, to make a Maxen of it upon +those Eugens and Platens: but after a fortnight's survey of them, +found there was not the least feasibility;--and that he himself +must go home, on the score of hunger. Which he did, November 2d; +leaving Romanzow reinforced at discretion [40,000, but with him too +provisions are fallen low], and the advice, 'Cut off their +supplies: time and famine are our sole chances here!' +Butturlin's new Russians, endless thousands of them, under Fermor +and others, infesting the roads from Stettin, are a great comfort +to Romanzow. Nor could any Eugen--with his Platens, Thaddens, and +utmost expenditure of skill and of valor and endurance, which are +still memorable in soldier-annals, [<italic> Tagebuch der +Unternehmungen des Platenschen Corps vom September bis November +1761 <end italic> (Seyfarth, <italic> Beylagen, <end italic> iii. +32-76). <italic> Bericht von der Unternehmungen des Thaddenschen +Corps vom Jenner bis zum December 1761 <end italic> (ibid. +77-147).]--suffice to convey provisions through that disastrous +Wilderness of distances and difficulties. + +"From Stettin, which lies southwest, through Treptow Gollnow and +other wild little Prussian Towns is about 100 miles; from Landsberg +south, 150: Friedrich himself is well-nigh 300 miles away; +in Stettin alone is succor, could we hold the intervening Country. +But it is overrun with Russians, more and ever more. A Country of +swamps and moors, winter darkness stealing over it,--illuminated by +such a volcano as we see: a very gloomy waste scene; and traits of +stubborn human valor and military virtue plentiful in it with utter +hardship as a constant quantity; details not permissible here only +the main features and epochs, if they could be indicated. + +"The King is greatly interested for Colberg; sends orders to +collect from every quarter supplies at Stettin, and strain every +nerve for the relief of that important little Haven. Which is done +by the diligent Bevern, the collecting part; could only the +conveying be accomplished. But endless Russians are afield, Fermor +with a 15,000 of them waylaying; the conveyance is the difficulty." +[<italic> Bericht von den Unternehmungen der Wurtembergischen Corps +in Pommern, vom May 1761 bis December 1761 <end italic> (Seyfarth, +<italic> Beylagen, <end italic> iii. 147-258). Tempelhof, v. +313-326. <italic> Helden-Geschichte, <end italic> vi. 669-708.] + +But now we must return to Bunzelwitz, and September 25th, in Head- +quarters there. + + + +Chapter VIII. + +LOUDON POUNCES UPON SCHWEIDNITZ ONE NIGHT (LAST OF SEPTEMBER, 1761). + +It was September 25th, more properly 26th, [Tempelhof, v. 327.] +when Friedrich quitted Bunzelwitz; we heard on what errand. +Early that morning he marches with all his goods, first to Pilzen +(that fine post on the east side of Schweidnitz); and from that, +straightway,--southwestward, two marches farther,--to Neisse +neighborhood (Gross-Nossen the name of the place); Loudon making +little dispute or none. In Neisse are abundant Magazines: +living upon these, Friedrich intends to alarm Loudon's rearward +country, and draw him towards Bohemia. As must have gradually +followed; and would at once,--had Loudon been given to alarms, +which he was not. Loudon, very privately, has quite different game +afield. Loudon merely detaches this and the other small Corps to +look after Friedrich's operations, which probably he believes to be +only a feint:--and, before a week passes, Friedrich will have news +he little expects! + +Friedrich, pausing at Gross-Nossen, and perhaps a little surprised +to find no Loudon meddling with him, pushes out, first one party +and then another,--Dalwig, Bulow, towards Landshut Hill-Country, to +threaten Loudon's Bohemian roads;--who, singular to say, do not +hear the least word of Loudon thereabouts. A Loudon strangely +indifferent to this new Enterprise of ours. On the third day of +Gross-Nossen (Friday, October 2d), Friedrich detaches General +Lentulus to rearward, or the way we came, for news of Loudon. +Rearward too, Lentulus sees nothing whatever of Loudon: but, from +the rumor of the country, and from two Prussian garrison-soldiers, +whom he found wandering about,--he hears, with horror and +amazement, That Loudon, by a sudden panther-spring, the night +before last, has got hold of Schweidnitz: now his wholly, since +5 A.M. of yesterday; and a strong Austrian garrison in it by this +time! That was the news Lentulus brought home to his King; +the sorest Job's-post of all this War. + +Truly, a surprising enterprise this of Loudon's; and is allowed by +everybody to have been admirably managed. Loudon has had it in his +head for some time;--ever since that colic of forty-eight hours, I +should guess; upon the wrecks of which it might well rise as a new +daystar. He kept it strictly in his own head; nobody but Daun and +the Kaiser had hint of it, both of whom assented, and agreed to +keep silence. + +"On Friedrich's removal towards Neisse and threatening of Bohemia," +says my Note on this subject, "Loudon's time had come. +Friedrich had disappeared to southwestward, Saturday, September +26th: 'Gone to Pilzen,' reported Loudon's scouts; 'rests there over +Sunday. Gone to Sigeroth, 28th; gone to Gross-Nossen, Tuesday, +September 29th.' [Tempelhof, v. 330.] That will do, thinks Loudon; +who has sat immovable at Kunzendorf all this while;--and, +WEDNESDAY, 30th, instantly proceeds to business. + +"Draws out, about 10 A.M. of Wednesday, all round Schweidnitz at +some miles distance, a ring, or complete girdle, of Croat-Cossack +people; blocking up every path and road: 'Nobody to pass, this day, +towards Schweidnitz, much less into it, on any pretext.' That is +the duty of the Croat people. To another active Officer he intrusts +the task of collecting from the neighboring Villages (outside the +Croat girdle) as many ladders, planks and the like, as will be +requisite; which also is punctually done. For the Attack itself, +which is to be Fourfold, our picked Officers are chosen, with the +20 best Battalions in the Army: Czernichef is apprised; who warmly +assents, and offers every help:--'800 of your Grenadiers,' answers +Loudon; 'no more needed.' Loudon's arrangements for management of +the ladders, for punctuality about the routes, the times, the +simultaneity, are those of a perfect artist; no Friedrich could +have done better. + +"About 4 in the afternoon, all the Captains and Battalions, with +their ladders and furnitures, everybody with Instruction very +pointed and complete, are assembled at Kunzendorf: Loudon addresses +the Troops in a few fiery words; assures himself of victory by +them; promises them 10,060 pounds in lieu of plunder, which he +strictly prohibits. Officers had better make themselves acquainted +with the Four Routes they are to take in the dark: proper also to +set all your watches by the chief General's, that there be no +mistake as to time. [In TEMPELHOF (v. 332-349) and ARCHENHOLTZ +(ii. 272-280) all these details.] At 9, all being now dark, and the +Croat girdle having gathered itself closer round the place since +nightfall, the Four Divisions march to their respective starting- +places; will wait there, silent; and about 2 in the morning, each +at its appointed minute, step forward on their business. With fixed +bayonets all of them; no musketry permitted till the works are won. +Loudon will wait at the Village of Schonbrunn [not WARKOTSCH'S +Schonbrunn, of which by and by, and which also is not far [See +ARCHENHOLTZ, ii. 287; and correct his mistake of the two places.]] +--at Schonbrunn, within short distance; give Loudon notice when you +are within 600 yards;--there shall, if desirable, be +reinforcements, farther orders. Loudon knows Schweidnitz like his +own bedroom. He was personally there, in Leuthen time, improving +the Works. By nocturnal Croat parties, in the latter part of +Bunzelwitz time; and since then, by deserters and otherwise,--he +knows the condition of the Garrison, of the Commandant, and of +every essential point. Has calculated that the Garrison is hardly +third part of what it ought to be,--3,800 in whole, and many of +them loose deserter fellows; special artillery-men, instead of +about 400, only 191;--most important of all, that Commandant +Zastrow is no wizard in his trade; and, on the whole, that the +Enterprise is likely to succeed. + +"Zastrow has been getting married lately; and has many things to +think of, besides Schweidnitz. Some accounts say this was his +wedding-night,--which is not true, but only that he had meant to +give a Ball this last night of September; and perhaps did give it, +dancing over BEFORE 2, let us hope! Something of a jolter-head +seemingly, though solid and honest. I observe he is a kind of butt, +or laughing-stock, of Friedrich's, and has yielded some gleams of +momentary fun, he and this marriage of his, between Prince Henri +and the King, in the tragic gloom all round. [Schoning, ii. +SOEPIUS.] Nothing so surprises me in Friedrich as his habitual +inattention to the state of his Garrisons. He has the best of +Commandants and also the worst: Tauentzien in Breslau, Heyde in +Colberg, unsurpassable in the world; in Glatz a D'O, in Schweidnitz +a Zastrow, both of whom cost him dear. Opposition sneers secretly, +'It is as they happen to have come to hand.' Which has not much +truth, though some. Tauentzien he chose; D'O was Fouquet's choice, +not his; Zastrow he did choose; Heyde he had by accident; of Heyde +he had never heard till the defence of Colberg began to be a +world's wonder. And in regard to his Garrisons, it is indisputable +they were often left palpably defective in quantity and quality; +and, more than once, fatally gave way at the wrong moment. We can +only say that Friedrich was bitterly in want of men for the field; +that 'a Garrison-Regiment' was always reckoned an inferior article; +and that Friedrich, in the press of his straits, had often had to +say: 'Well, these [plainly Helots, not Spartans], these will have +to do!' For which he severely suffered: and perhaps repented,-- +who knows? + +"Zastrow, in spite of Loudon's precautionary Girdle of Croats, and +the cares of a coming Ball, had got sufficient inkling of something +being in the wind. And was much on the Walls all day, he and his +Officers; scanning with their glasses and their guesses the +surrounding phenomena, to little purpose. At night he sent out +patrols; kept sputtering with musketry and an occasional cannon +into the vacant darkness ('We are alert, you see, Herr Loudon!'). +In a word, took what measures he could, poor man;--very stupid +measures, thinks Tempelhof, and almost worse than none, especially +this of sputtering with musketry;--and hoped always there would be +no Attack, or none to speak of. Till, in fine, between 2 and 3 in +the morning, his patrols gallop in, 'Austrians on march!' and +Zastrow, throwing out a rocket or two, descries in momentary +illumination that the Fact is verily here. + +"His defence (four of the Five several Forts attacked at once) was +of a confused character; but better than could have been expected. +Loudon's Columns came on with extraordinary vigor and condensed +impetuosity; stormed the Outworks everywhere, and almost at once +got into the shelter of the Covered-way: but on the Main Wall, or +in the scaling part of their business, were repulsed, in some +places twice or thrice; and had a murderous struggle, of very +chaotic nature, in the dark element. No picture of it in the least +possible or needful here. In one place, a Powder-Magazine blew up +with about 400 of them,--blown (said rumor, with no certainty) by +an indignant Prussian artillery-man to whom they had refused +quarter: in another place, the 800 Russian Grenadiers came +unexpectedly upon a chasm or bridgeless interstice between two +ramparts; and had to halt suddenly,--till (says rumor again, with +still less certainty) their Officers insisting with the rearward +part, 'Forward, forward!' enough of front men were tumbled in to +make a roadway! This was the story current; [Archenholtz, ii. 275.] +greatly exaggerated, I have no doubt. What we know is, That these +Russians did scramble through, punctually perform their part of the +work;--and furthermore, that, having got upon the Town-Wall, which +was finis to everything, they punctually sat down there; +and, reflectively leaning on their muskets, witnessed with the +gravity and dignity of antique sages, superior to money or money's +worth, the general plunder which went on in spite of +Loudon's orders. + +"For, in fine, between 5 and 6, that is in about three hours and a +half, Loudon was everywhere victorious; Zastrow, Schweidnitz +Fortress, and all that it held, were Loudon's at discretion; +Loudon's one care now was to stop the pillage of the poor +Townsfolk, as the most pressing thing. Which was not done without +difficulty, nor completely till after hours of exertion by cavalry +regiments sent in. The captors had fought valiantly; but it was +whispered there had been a preliminary of brandy in them; +certainly, except those poor Russians, nobody's behavior +was unexceptionable." + +The capture of Schweidnitz cost Loudon about 1,400 men; he found in +Schweidnitz, besides the Garrison all prisoners or killed, some 240 +pieces of artillery,--"211 heavy guns, 135 hand-mortars," say the +Austrian Accounts, "with stores and munitions" in such quantities; +"89,760 musket-cartridges, 1,300,000 flints," [In <italic> Helden- +Geschichte, <end italic> (vi. 651-665) the Austrian Account, +with LISTS &c.] for two items:--and all this was a trifle compared +to the shock it has brought on Friedrich's Silesian affairs. +For, in present circumstances, it amounts to the actual conquest of +a large portion of Silesia; and, for the first time, to a real +prospect of finishing the remainder next Year. It is judged to have +been the hardest stroke Friedrich had in the course of this War. +"Our strenuous Campaign on a sudden rendered wind, and of no worth! +The Enemy to winter in Silesia, after all; Silesia to go +inevitably,--and life along with it!" What Friedrich's black +meditations were, "In the following weeks [not close following, but +poor Kuster does not date], the King fell ill of gout, saw almost +nobody, never came out; and, it was whispered, the inflexible heart +of him was at last breaking; that is to say, the very axis of this +Prussian world giving way. And for certain, there never was in his +camp and over his dominions such a gloom as in this October, 1761; +till at length he appeared on horseback again, with a cheerful +face; and everybody thought to himself, 'Ha, the world will still +roll, then!'" [Kuster, <italic> Lebens-Rettungen Friedrichs des +Zweyten <end italic> (Berlin, 1797), p. 59 &c. It is the same +innocent reliable Kuster whom we cited, in SALDERN'S +case, already.] + +This is what Loudon had done, without any Russians, except Russians +to give him eight-and-forty hours colic, and put him on his own +shifts. And the way in which the Kriegshofrath, and her Imperial +Majesty the Kaiserinn, received it, is perhaps still worth a word. +The Kaiser, who had alone known of Loudon's scheme, and for good +reason (absolute secrecy being the very soul of it) had whispered +nothing of it farther to any mortal, was naturally overjoyed. +But the Olympian brow of Maria Theresa, when the Kaiser went +radiant to her with this news, did not radiate in response; +but gloomed indignantly: "No order from Kriegshofrath, or me!" +Indignant Kriegshofrath called it a CROATEN-STREICH +(Croat's-trick); and Loudon, like Prince Eugen long since, was with +difficulty excused this act of disobedience. Great is Authority;-- +and ought to be divinely rigorous, if (as by no means always +happens) it is otherwise of divine quality! + +Friedrich's treatment of Zastrow was in strong contrast of style. +Here is his Letter to that unlucky Gentleman, who is himself clear +that he deserves no blame: "My dear Major-General von Zastrow,-- +The misfortune that has befallen me is very grievous; but what +consoles me in it is, to see by your Letter that you have behaved +like a brave Officer, and that neither you nor the Garrison have +brought disgrace or reproach on yourselves. I am your well- +affectioned King,--FRIEDRICH." And in Autograph this Postscript: +"You may, in this occurrence, say what Francis I., after the Battle +of Pavia, wrote to his Mother: 'All is lost except honor.' As I do +not yet completely understand the affair, I forbear to judge of it; +for it is altogether extraordinary.--F." [<italic> +Militair-Lexikon, <end italic> iv. 305, 306 (Letter undated there; +date probably, "Gross-Nossen, October 3d").] + +And never meddled farther with Zastrow; only left him well alone +for the future. "Grant me a Court-Martial, then!" said Zastrow, +finding himself fallen so neglected, after the Peace. "No use," +answered Friedrich: "I impute nothing of crime to you; but after +such a mishap, it would be dangerous to trust you with any post or +command;"--and in 1766, granted him, on demand, his demission +instead. The poor man then retired to Cassel, where he lived twenty +years longer, and was no more heard of. He was half-brother of the +General Zastrow who got killed by a Pandour of long range (bullet +through both temples, from brushwood, across the Elbe), in the +first year of this War. + + + +Chapter IX. + +TRAITOR WARKOTSCH. + +Friedrich's Army was to have cantoned itself round Neisse, October +3d: but on the instant of this fatal Schweidnitz news proceeded +(3d-6th October) towards Strehlen instead,--Friedrich personally on +the 5th;--and took quarters there and in the villages round. +General cantonment at Strehlen, in guard of Breslau and of Neisse +both; Loudon, still immovable at Kunzendorf, attempting nothing on +either of those places, and carefully declining the risk of a +Battle, which would have been Friedrich's game: all this continued +till the beginning of December, when both parties took Winter- +quarters; [Tempelhof, v. 349.] cantoned themselves in the +neighboring localities,--Czernichef, with his Russians, in Glatz +Country; Friedrich in Breslau as headquarter;--and the Campaign had +ended. Ended in this part, without farther event of the least +notability;--except the following only, which a poor man of the +name of Kappel has recorded for us. Of which, and the astounding +Sequel to which, we must now say something. + +Kappel is a Gentleman's Groom of those Strehlen parts; and shall, +in his own words, bring us face to face with Friedrich in that +neighborhood, directly after Schweidnitz was lost. It is October +5th, day, or rather night of the day, of Friedrich's arrival +thereabouts; most of his Army ahead of him, and the remainder all +under way. Friedrich and the rearward part of his Army are filing +about, in that new Strehlen-ward movement of theirs, under cloud of +night, in the intricate Hill-and-Dale Country; to post themselves +to the best advantage for their double object, of covering Breslau +and Neisse both; Kappel LOQUITUR; abridged by Kuster, whom +we abridge:-- + +"MONDAY NIGHT, OCTOBER 5th, 1761, The King, with two or three +attendants, still ahead of his Army, appeared at Schonbrunn, a +Schloss and Village, five or six miles south from Strehlen; +[THIS is the Warkotsch Schonbrunn; not the other near Schweidnitz, +as Archenholtz believes: see ARCHENHOLTZ, ii. 287, and the bit of +myth he has gone into in consequence.] and did the owner, Baron von +Warkotsch, an acquaintance of his, the honor of lodging there. +Before bedtime,--if indeed the King intended bed at all, meaning to +be off in four hours hence,--Friedrich inquired of Warkotsch for 'a +trusty man, well acquainted with the roads in this Country.' +Warkotsch mentioned Kappel, his own Groom; one who undoubtedly knew +every road of the Country; and who had always behaved as a trusty +fellow in the seven years he had been with him. 'Let me see him,' +said the King. Kappel was sent up, about midnight, King still +dressed; sitting on a sofa, by the fire; Kappel's look was +satisfactory; Kappel knows several roads to Strehlen, in the +darkest night. 'It is the footpath which goes so-and-so that I +want' (for Friedrich knows this Country intimately: readers +remember his world-famous Camp of Strehlen, with all the +diplomacies of Europe gathered there, through summer, in the train +of Mollwitz). 'JA, IHRO MAJESTAT, I know it!' 'Be ready, then, +at 4.' + +"Before the stroke of 4, Kappel was at the door, on Master's best +horse; the King's Groom too, and led horse, a nimble little gray, +were waiting. As 4 struck, Friedrich came down, Warkotsch with him. +'Unspeakable the honor you have done my poor house!' Besides the +King's Groom, there were a Chamberlain, an Adjutant and two mounted +Chasers (REITENDE JAGER), which latter had each a lighted lantern: +in all seven persons, including Kappel and the King. (Go before us +on foot with your lanterns,' said the King. Very dark it was. And +overnight the Army had arrived all about; some of them just coming +in, on different roads and paths. The King walked above two miles, +and looked how the Regiments were, without speaking a word. +At last, as the cannons came up, and were still in full motion, the +King said: 'Sharp, sharp, BURSCHE; it will be MARCH directly.' +'March? The Devil it will: we are just coming into Camp!' said a +cannonier, not knowing it was the King. + +"The King said nothing. Walked on still a little while; +then ordered, 'Blow out the lanterns; to horseback now!' and +mounted, as we all did. Me he bade keep five steps ahead, five and +not more, that he might see me; for it was very dark. Not far from +the Lordship Casserey, where there is a Water-mill, the King asked +me, 'Have n't you missed the Bridge here?' (a King that does not +forget roads and topographies which may come to concern him!)--and +bade us ride with the utmost silence, and make no jingle. As day +broke, we were in sight of Strehlen, near by the Farm of +Treppendorf. 'And do you know where the Kallenberg lies?' said the +King: 'It must be to left of the Town, near the Hills; bring +us thither!' + +"When we got on the Kallenberg, it was not quite day; and we had to +halt for more light. After some time the King said to his Groom, +'Give me my perspective!' looked slowly all round for a good while, +and then said, 'I see no Austrians!'--(ground all at our choice, +then; we know where to choose!) The King then asked me if I knew +the road to"--in fact, to several places, which, in a Parish +History of those parts, would be abundantly interesting; but must +be entirely omitted here. ... "The King called his Chamberlain; +gave some sign, which meant 'Beer-money to Kappel!'--and I got four +eight-groschen pieces [three shillings odd; a rich reward in those +days]; and was bid tell my Master, 'That the King thanked him for +the good quarters, and assured him of his favor.' + +"Riding back across country, Kappel, some four or five miles +homeward, came upon the 'whole Prussian Army,' struggling forward +in their various Columns. Two Generals,--one of them Krusemark, +King's Adjutant [Colonel Krusemark, not General, as Kappel thinks, +who came to know him some weeks after],--had him brought up: +to whom he gave account of himself, how he had been escorting the +King, and where he had left his Majesty. 'Behind Strehlen, say you? +Breslau road? Devil knows whither we shall all have to go yet!' +observed Krusemark, and left Kappel free." [Kuster, <italic> +Lebens-Rettungen, <end italic> pp. 66-76.] + +In those weeks, Colberg Siege, Pitt's Catastrophe and high things +are impending, or completed, elsewhere: but this is the one thing +noticeable hereabouts. In regard to Strehlen, and Friedrich's +history there, what we have to say turns all upon this Kappel and +Warkotsch: and,--after mentioning only that Friedrich's lodging is +not in Strehlen proper, but in Woiselwitz, a village or suburb +almost half a mile off, and very negligently guarded,--we have to +record an Adventure which then made a great deal of noise in +the world. + +Warkotsch is a rich lord; Schonbrunn only one of five or six +different Estates which he has in those parts; though, not many +years ago, being younger brother, he was a Captain in the Austrian +service (Regiment BOTTA, if you are particular); and lay in +Olmutz,--with very dull oulooks; not improved, I should judge, by +the fact that Silesia and the Warkotsch connections were become +Prussian since this junior entered the Austrian Army. The junior +had sown his wild oats, and was already getting gray in the beard, +in that dull manner, when, about seven years ago, his Elder +Brother, to whom Friedrich had always been kind, fell unwell; +and, in the end of 1755, died: whereupon the junior saw himself +Heir; and entered on a new phase of things. Quitted his Captaincy, +quitted his allegiance; and was settled here peaceably under his +new King in 1756, a little while before this War broke out. And, at +Schonbrunn, October 5th, 1761, has had his Majesty himself +for guest. + +Warkotsch was not long in riding over to Strehlen to pay his court, +as in duty bound, for the honor of such a Visit; and from that +time, Kappel, every day or two, had to attend him thither. The King +had always had a favor for Warkotsch's late Brother, as an +excellent Silesian Landlord and Manager, whose fine Domains were in +an exemplary condition; as, under the new Warkotsch too, they have +continued to be. Always a gracious Majesty to this Warkotsch as +well; who is an old soldier withal, and man of sense and ingenuity; +acceptable to Friedrich, and growing more and more familiar among +Friedrich's circle of Officers now at Strehlen. + +To Strehlen is Warkotsch's favorite ride; in the solitary country, +quite a charming adjunct to your usual dull errand out for air and +exercise. Kappel, too, remarks about this time that he (Kappel) +gets once and again, and ever more frequently, a Letter to carry +over to Siebenhuben, a Village three or four miles off; the Letter +always to one Schmidt, who is Catholic Curate there; Letter under +envelope, well sealed,--and consisting of two pieces, if you finger +it judiciously. And, what is curious, the Letter never has any +address; Master merely orders, "Punctual; for Curatus Schmidt, you +know!" What can this be? thinks Kappel. Some secret, doubtless; +perhaps some intrigue, which Madam must not know of,--"ACH, HERR +BARON; and at your age,--fifty, I am sure!" Kappel, a solid fellow, +concerned for groom-business alone, punctually carries his Letters; +takes charge of the Responses too, which never have any Address; +and does not too much trouble himself with curiosities of an +impertinent nature. + +To these external phenomena I will at present only add this +internal one: That an old Brother Officer of Warkotsch's, a Colonel +Wallis, with Hussars, is now lying at Heinrichau,--say, 10 miles +from Strehlen, and about 10 from Schonbrunn too, or a mile more if +you take the Siebenhuben way; and that all these missives, through +Curatus Schmidt, are for Wallis the Hussar Colonel, and must be a +secret not from Madam alone! How a Baron, hitherto of honor, could +all at once become TURPISSIMUS, the Superlative of Scoundrels? +This is even the reason,--the prize is so superlative. + +"MONDAY NIGHT, NOVEMBER 30th, 1761 [night bitter cold], Kappel +finds himself sitting mounted, and holding Master's horse, in +Strehlen, more exactly in Woiselwitz, a suburb of Strehlen, near +the King's door,--Majesty's travelling-coach drawn out there, +symbol that Strehlen is ending, general departure towards Breslau +now nigh. Not to Kappel's sorrow perhaps, waiting in the cold +there. Kappel waits, hour after hour; Master taking his ease with +the King's people, regardless of the horses and me, in this shivery +weather;--and one must not walk about either, for disturbing the +King's sleep! Not till midnight does Master emerge, and the +freezing Kappel and quadrupeds get under way. Under way, Master +breaks out into singular talk about the King's lodging: Was ever +anything so careless; nothing but two sentries in the King's +anteroom; thirteen all the soldiers that are in Woiselwitz; +Strehlen not available in less than twenty minutes: nothing but +woods, haggly glens and hills, all on to Heinrichau: How easy to +snatch off his Majesty! "UM GOTTES WILLEN, my Lord, don't speak so: +think if a patrolling Prussian were to hear it, in the dark!" +Pooh, pooh, answers the Herr Baron. + +"At Schonbrunn, in the short hours, Kappel finds Frau Kappel in +state of unappeasable curiosity: 'What can it be? Curatus Schmidt +was here all afternoon; much in haste to see Master; had to go at +last,--for the Church-service, this St. Andrew's Eve. And only +think, though he sat with My Lady hours and hours, he left this +Letter with ME: "Give it to your Husband, for my Lord, the instant +they come; and say I must have an Answer to-morrow morning at 7." +Left it with me, not with My Lady;--My Lady not to know of it!' +'Tush, woman!' But Frau Kappel has been, herself, unappeasably +running about, ever since she got this Letter; has applied to two +fellow-servants, one after the other, who can read writing, 'Break +it up, will you!' But they would not. Practical Kappel takes the +Letter up to Master's room; delivers it, with the Message. +'What, Curatus Schmidt!' interrupts My Lady, who was sitting there: +'Herr Good-man, what is that?' 'That is a Letter to me,' answers +the Good-man: 'What have you to do with it?' Upon which My Lady +flounces out in a huff, and the Herr Baron sets about writing his +Answer, whatever it may be. + +"Kappel and Frau are gone to bed, Frau still eloquent upon the +mystery of Curatus Schmidt, when his Lordship taps at their door; +enters in the dark: 'This is for the Curatus, at 7 o'clock +to-morrow; I leave it on the table here: be in time, like a good +Kappel!' Kappel promises his Unappeasable that he will actually +open this Piece before delivery of it; upon which she appeases +herself, and they both fall asleep. Kappel is on foot betimes next +morning. Kappel quietly pockets his Letter; still more quietly, +from a neighboring room, pockets his Master's big Seal (PETSCHAFT), +with a view to resealing: he then steps out; giving his BURSCH +[Apprentice or Under-Groom] order to be ready in so many minutes, +'You and these two horses' (specific for speed); and, in the +interim, walks over, with Letter and PETSCHAFT, to the Reverend +Herr Gerlach's, for some preliminary business. Kappel is Catholic; +Warkotsch, Protestant; Herr Gerlach is Protestant preacher in the +Village of Schonbrunn,--much hated by Warkotsch, whose standing +order is: 'Don't go near that insolent fellow;' but known by Kappel +to be a just man, faithful in difficulties of the weak against the +strong. Gerlach, not yet out of bed, listens to the awful story: +reads the horrid missive; Warkotsch to Colonel Wallis: 'You can +seize the King, living or dead, this night!'--hesitates about +copying it (as Kappel wishes, for a good purpose]; but is +encouraged by his Wife, and soon writes a Copy. This Copy Kappel +sticks into the old cover, seals as usual; and, with the Original +safe in his own pocket, returns to the stables now. His Bursch and +he mount; after a little, he orders his Bursch: 'Bursch, ride you +to Siebenhuben and Curatus Schmidt, with this sealed Letter; +YOU, and say nothing. I was to have gone myself, but cannot; +be speedy, be discreet!' And the Bursch dashes off for Siebenhuben +with the sealed Copy, for Schmidt, Warkotsch, Wallis and Company's +behoof; Kappel riding, at a still better pace, to Strehlen with the +Original, for behoof of the King's Majesty. + +"At Strehlen, King's Majesty not yet visible, Kappel has great +difficulties in the anteroom among the sentry people. But he +persists, insists: 'Read my Letter, then!' which they dare not do; +which only Colonel Krusemark, the Adjutant, perhaps dare. They take +him to Krusemark. Krusemark reads, all aghast; locks up Kappel; +runs to the King; returns, muffles Kappel in soldier's cloak and +cap, and leads him in. The King, looking into Kappel's face, into +Kappel's clear story and the Warkotsch handwriting, needed only a +few questions; and the fit orders, as to Warkotsch and Company, +were soon given: dangerous engineers now fallen harmless, blown up +by their own petard. One of the King's first questions was: +'But how have I offended Warkotsch?' Kappel does not know; +Master is of strict wilful turn;--Master would grumble and growl +sometimes about the peasant people, and how a nobleman has now no +power over them, in comparison. 'Are you a Protestant?' 'No, your +Majesty, Catholic.' 'See, IHR HERREN,' said the King to those about +him; 'Warkotsch is a Protestant; his Curatus Schmidt is a Catholic; +and this man is a Catholic: there are villains and honest people in +every creed!' + +"At noon, that day, Warkotsch had sat down to dinner, comfortably +in his dressing-gown, nobody but the good Baroness there; +when Rittmeister Rabenau suddenly descended on the Schloss and +dining-room with dragoons: 'In arrest, Herr Baron; I am sorry you +must go with me to Brieg!' Warkotsch, a strategic fellow, kept +countenance to Wife and Rittmeister, in this sudden fall of the +thunder-bolt: 'Yes, Herr Rittmeister; it is that mass of Corn I was +to furnish [showing him an actual order of that kind], and I am +behind my time with it! Nobody can help his luck. Take a bit of +dinner with us, anyway!' Rittmeister refused; but the Baroness too +pressed him; he at length sat down. Warkotsch went 'to dress;' +first of all, to give orders about his best horse; but was shocked +to find that the dragoons were a hundred, and that every outgate +was beset. Returning half-dressed, with an air of baffled +hospitality: 'Herr Rittmeister, our Schloss must not be disgraced; +here are your brave fellows waiting, and nothing of refreshment +ready for them. I have given order at the Tavern in the Village; +send them down; there they shall drink better luck to me, and have +a bit of bread and cheese.' Stupid Rabenau again consents:--and in +few minutes more, Warkotsch is in the Woods, galloping like Epsom, +towards Wallis; and Rabenau can only arrest Madam (who knows +nothing), and return in a baffled state. + +"Schmidt too got away. The party sent after Schmidt found him in +the little Town of Nimptsch, half-way home again from his Wallis +errand; comfortably dining with some innocent hospitable people +there. Schmidt could not conceal his confusion; but pleading +piteously a necessity of nature, was with difficulty admitted to +the--to the ABTRITT so called; and there, by some long pole or +rake-handle, vanished wholly through a never-imagined aperture, and +was no more heard of in the upper world. The Prussian soldiery does +not seem expert in thief-taking. + +"Warkotsch came back about midnight that same Tuesday, 500 Wallis +Hussars escorting him; and took away his ready moneys, near 5,000 +pounds in gold, reports Frau Kappel, who witnessed the ghastly +operation (Hussars in great terror, in haste, and unconscionably +greedy as to sharing);--after which our next news of him, the last +of any clear authenticity, is this Note to his poor Wife, which was +read in the Law Procedures on him six months hence: 'My Child (MEIN +KIND),--The accursed thought I took up against my King has +overwhelmed me in boundless misery. From the top of the highest +hill I cannot see the limits of it. Farewell; I am in the farthest +border of Turkey.--WARKOTSCH.'" [Kuster, <italic> Lebens-Rettungen, +<end italic> p. 88: Kuster, pp. 65-188 (for the general Narrative); +Tempelhof, v. 346, &c. &c.] + +Schmidt and he, after patient trial, were both of them beheaded and +quartered,--in pasteboard effigy,--in the Salt Ring (Great Square) +of Breslau, May, 1762:--in pasteboard, Friedrich liked it better +than the other way. "MEINETWEGEN," wrote he, sanctioning the +execution, "For aught I care; the Portraits will likely be as +worthless as the Originals." Rittmeister Rabenau had got off with a +few days' arrest, and the remark, "ER IST EIN DUMMER TEUFEL (You +are a stupid devil)!" Warkotsch's Estates, all and sundry, +deducting the Baroness's jointure, which was punctually paid her, +were confiscated to the King,--and by him were made over to the +Schools of Breslau and Glogau, which, I doubt not, enjoy them to +this day. Reverend Gerlach in Schonbrunn, Kappel and Kappel's +Bursch, were all attended to, and properly rewarded, though there +are rumors to the contrary. Hussar-Colonel Wallis got no public +promotion, though it is not doubted the Head People had been well +cognizant of his ingenious intentions. Official Vienna, like +mankind in general, shuddered to own him; the great Counts Wallis +at Vienna published in the Newspapers, "Our House has no connection +with that gentleman;"--and, in fact, he was of Irish breed, it +seems, the name of him WallISCH (or Walsh), if one cared. +Warkotsch died at Raab (THIS side the farthest corner of Turkey), +in 1769: his poor Baroness had vanished from Silesia five years +before, probably to join him. He had some pension or aliment from +the Austrian Court; small or not so small is a disputed point. + +And this is, more minutely than need have been, in authentic form +only too diffuse, the once world-famous Warkotsch Tragedy or +Wellnigh-Tragic Melodrama; which is still interesting and a matter +of study, of pathos and minute controversy, to the patriot and +antiquary in Prussian Countries, though here we might have been +briefer about it. It would, indeed, have "finished the War at +once;" and on terms delightful to Austria and its Generals near by. +But so would any unit of the million balls and bullets which have +whistled round that same Royal Head, and have, every unit of them, +missed like Warkotsch! Particular Heads, royal and other, meant for +use in the scheme of things, are not to be hit on any terms till +the use is had. + +Friedrich settled in Breslau for the Winter, December 9th. +From Colberg bad news meet him in Breslau; bad and ever worse: +Colberg, not Warkotsch, is the interesting matter there, for a +fortnight coming,--till Colberg end, it also irremediable. +The Russian hope on Colberg is, long since, limited to that of +famine. We said the conveyance of Supplies, across such a Hundred +Miles of wilderness, from Stettin thither, with Russians and the +Winter gainsaying, was the difficulty. Our short Note continues:-- + +"In fact, it is the impossibility: trial after trial goes on, in a +strenuous manner, but without success. October 13th, Green Kleist +tries; October 22d, Knobloch and even Platen try. For the next two +months there is trial on trial made (Hussar Kleist, Knobloch, +Thadden, Platen), not without furious fencing, struggling; but with +no success. There are, in wait at the proper places, 15,000 +Russians waylaying. Winter comes early, and unusually severe: +such marchings, such endeavorings and endurances,--without success! +For darkness, cold, grim difficulty, fierce resistance to it, one +reads few things like this of Colberg. 'The snow lies ell-deep,' +says Archenholtz; 'snow-tempests, sleet, frost: a country wasted +and hungered out; wants fuel-wood; has not even salt. The soldier's +bread is a block of ice; impracticable to human teeth till you thaw +it,--which is only possible by night.' The Russian ships disappear +(17th October); November 2d, Butturlin, leaving reinforcements +without stint, vanishes towards Poland. The day before Butturlin +went, there had been solemn summons upon Eugen, 'Surrender +honorably, we once more bid you; never will we leave this ground, +till Colberg is ours!' 'Vain to propose it!' answers Eugen, as +before. The Russians too are clearly in great misery of want; +though with better roads open for them; and Romanzow's obstinacy +is extreme. + +"Night of November 14th-15th, Eugen, his horse-fodder being +entirely done, and Heyde's magazines worn almost out, is obliged to +glide mysteriously, circuitously from his Camp, and go to try the +task himself. The most difficult of marches, gloriously executed; +which avails to deliver Eugen, and lightens the pressure on Heyde's +small store. Eugen, in a way Tempelhof cannot enough admire, gets +clear away. Joins with Platen, collects Provision; tries to send +Provision in, but without effect. By the King's order, is to try it +himself in a collective form. Had Heyde food, he would care little. + +"Romanzow, who is now in Eugen's old Camp, summons the Veteran; +they say, it is 'for the twenty-fifth time,'--not yet quite the +last. Heyde consults his people: 'KAMERADEN, what think you should +I do?' 'THUN SIE'S DURCHAUS NICHT, HERR OBRIST, Do not a whit of +it, Herr Colonel: we will defend ourselves as long as we have bread +and powder.' [Seyfarth, iii. 28; Archenholtz, ii. 304.] It is grim +frost; Heyde pours water on his walls. Romanzow tries storm; +the walls are glass; the garrison has powder, though on half +rations as to bread: storm is of no effect. By the King's order, +Eugen tries again. December 6th, starts; has again a march of the +most consummate kind; December 12th, gets to the Russian +intrenchment; storms a Russian redoubt, and fights inexpressibly; +hut it will not do. Withdraws; leaves Colberg to its fate. +Next morning, Heyde gets his twenty-sixth summons; reflects on it +two days; and then (December 16th), his biscuit done, decides to +'march out, with music playing, arms shouldered and the honors of +war."' [Tempelhof, v. 351-377; Archenholtz, ii. 294-307; especially +the Seyfarth <italic> Beylagen <end italic> above cited.] Adieu to +the old Hero; who, we hope, will not stay long in Russian prison. + +"What a Place of Arms for us!" thinks Romanzow;--"though, indeed, +for Campaign 1762, at this late time of year, it will not so much +avail us." No;--and for 1763, who knows if you will need it then! + +Six weeks ago, Prince Henri and Daun had finished their Saxon +Campaign in a much more harmless manner. NOVEMBER 5th, Daun, after +infinite rallying, marshalling, rearranging, and counselling with +Loudon, who has sat so long quiescent on the Heights at Kunzendorf, +ready to aid and reinforce, did at length (nothing of "rashness" +chargeable on Daun) make "a general attack on Prince Henri's +outposts", in the Meissen or Mulda-Elbe Country, "from Rosswein all +across to Siebeneichen;" simultaneous attack, 15 miles wide, or I +know not how wide, but done with vigor; and, after a stiff struggle +in the small way, drove them all in;--in, all of them, more or +less;--and then did nothing farther whatever. Henri had to contract +his quarters, and stand alertly on his guard: but nothing came. +"Shall have to winter in straiter quarters, behind the Mulda, not +astride of it as formerly; that is all." And so the Campaign in +Saxony had ended, "without, in the whole course of it", say the +Books, "either party gaining any essential advantage over the +other." [Seyfarth, iii. 54; Tempelhof, v. 275 et seq. (ibid. pp. +263-280 for the Campaign at large, in all breadth of detail).] + + + +Chapter X. + +FRIEDRICH IN BRESLAU; HAS NEWS FROM PETERSBURG. + +Since December 9th, Friedrich is in Breslau, in some remainder of +his ruined Palace there; and is represented to us, in Books, as +sitting amid ruins; no prospect ahead of him but ruin. +Withdrawn from Society; looking fixedly on the gloomiest future. +Sees hardly anybody; speaks, except it be on business, nothing. +"One day," I have read somewhere, "General Lentulus dined with him; +and there was not a word uttered at all." The Anecdote-Books have +Dialogues with Ziethen; Ziethen still trusting in Divine +Providence; King trusting only in the iron Destinies, and the stern +refuge of Death with honor: Dialogues evidently symbolical only. +In fact, this is not, or is not altogether, the King's common +humor. He has his two Nephews with him (the elder, old enough to +learn soldiering, is to be of next Campaign under him); he is not +without society when he likes,--never without employment whether he +like or not; and, in the blackest murk of despondencies, has his +Turk and other Illusions, which seem to be brighter this Year than +ever. [LETTERS to Henri: in SCHONING, iii. (SOEPIUS).] + +For certain, the King is making all preparation, as if victory +might still crown him: though of practical hope he, doubtless often +enough, has little or none. England seems about deserting him; +a most sad and unexpected change has befallen there: great Pitt +thrown out; perverse small Butes come in, whose notions and +procedures differ far from Pitt's! At home here, the Russians are +in Pommern and the Neumark; Austrians have Saxony, all but a poor +strip beyond the Mulda; Silesia, all but a fraction on the Oder: +Friedrich has with himself 30,000; with Prince Henri, 25,000; +under Eugen of Wurtemberg, against the Swedes, 5,000; in all his +Dominions, 60,000 fighting men. To make head against so many +enemies, he calculates that 60,000 more must be raised this Winter. +And where are these to come from; England and its help having also +fallen into such dubiety? Next Year, it is calculated by everybody, +Friedrich himself hardly excepted (in bad moments), must be the +finis of this long agonistic tragedy. On the other hand, Austria +herself is in sore difficulties as to cash; discharges 20,000 men, +--trusting she may have enough besides to finish Friedrich. +France is bankrupt, starving, passionate for Peace; English Bute +nothing like so ill to treat with as Pitt: to Austria no more +subsidies from France. The War is waxing feeble, not on Friedrich's +side only, like a flame short of fuel. This Year it must go out; +Austria will have to kill Friedrich this Year, if at all. + +Whether Austria's and the world's prophecy would have been +fulfilled? Nobody can say what miraculous sudden shifts, and +outbursts of fiery enterprise, may still lie in this man. +Friedrich is difficult to kill, grows terribly elastic when you +compress him into a corner. Or Destiny, perhaps, may have tried him +sufficiently; and be satisfied? Destiny does send him a wonderful +star-of-day, bursting out on the sudden, as will be seen!-- +Meanwhile here is the English calamity; worse than any Schweidnitz, +Colberg or other that has befallen in this blackest, of the night. + + +THE PITT CATASTROPHE: HOW THE PEACE-NEGOTIATION WENT OFF BY EXPLOSION; +HOW PITT WITHDREW (3d October, 1761), +AND THERE CAME A SPANISH WAR NEVERTHELESS. + +In St. James's Street, "in the Duke of Cumberland's late lodgings," +on the 2d of October, 1761, there was held one of the most +remarkable Cabinet-Councils known in English History: it is the +last of Pitt's Cabinet-Councils for a long time,--might as well +have been his last of all;--and is of the highest importance to +Friedrich through Pitt. We spoke of the Choiseul Peace-Negotiation; +of an offer indirectly from King Carlos, "Could not I mediate a +little?"--offer which exploded said Negotiation, and produced the +Bourbon Family Compact and an additional War instead. Let us now +look, slightly for a few moments, into that matter and +its sequences. + +It was JULY 15th, when Bussy, along with something in his own +French sphere, presented this beautiful Spanish Appendix,-- +"apprehensive that War may break out again with Spain, when we Two +have got settled." By the same opportunity came a Note from him, +which was reckoned important too: "That the Empress Queen would and +did, whatever might become of the Congress of Augsburg, approve of +this Separate Peace between France and England,--England merely +undertaking to leave the King of Prussia altogether to himself in +future with her Imperial Majesty and her Allies." "Never, Sir!" +answered Pitt, with emphasis, to this latter Proposition; and to +the former about Spain's interfering, or whispering of +interference, he answered--by at once returning the Paper, as a +thing non-extant, or which it was charitable to consider so. +"Totally inadmissible, Sir; mention it no more!"--and at once +called upon the Spanish Ambassador to disavow such impertineuce +imputed to his Master. Fancy the colloquies, the agitated +consultations thereupon, between Bussy and this Don, in view +suddenly of breakers ahead! + +In about a week (July 23d), Bussy had an Interview with Pitt +himself on this high Spanish matter; and got some utterances out of +him which are memorable to Bussy and us. "It is my duty to declare +to you, Sir, in the name of his Majesty," said Pitt, "that his +Majesty will not suffer the disputes with Spain to be blended, in +any manner whatever, in the Negotiation of Peace between the Two +Crowns. To which I must add, that it will be considered as an +affront to his Majesty's dignity, and as a thing incompatible with +the sincerity of the Negotiation, to make farther mention of such a +circumstance." [In THACKERAY, ii. 554;--Pitt next day putting it in +writing, "word for word," at Bussy's request.] Bussy did not go at +once, after this deliverance; but was unable, by his arguments and +pleadings, by all his oil and fire joined together, to produce the +least improvement on it: "Time enough to treat of all that, Sir, +when the Tower of London is taken sword in hand!" [Beatson, ii. +434. Archenholtz (ii. 245) has heard of this expression, in a +slightly incorrect way.] was Pitt's last word. An expression which +went over the world; and went especially to King Carlos, as fast as +it could fly, or as his Choiseul could speed it: and, in about +three weeks: produced--it and what had gone before it, by the +united industry of Choiseul and Carlos, finally produced--the famed +BOURBON FAMILY COMPACT (August 15th, 1761), and a variety of other +weighty results, which lay in embryo therein. + +Pitt, in the interim, had been intensely prosecuting, in Spain and +everywhere, his inquiry into the Bussy phenomenon of July 15th; +which he, from the first glimpse of it, took to mean a mystery of +treachery in the pretended Peace-Negotiation, on the part of +Choiseul and Catholic Majesty;--though other long heads, and Pitt's +Ambassador at Madrid investigating on the spot, considered it an +inadvertence mainly, and of no practical meaning. On getting +knowledge of the Bourbon Family Compact, Pitt perceived that his +suspicion was a certainty;--and likewise that the one clear course +was, To declare War on the Spanish Bourbon too, and go into him at +once: "We are ready; fleets, soldiers, in the East, in the West; +he not ready anywhere. Since he wants War, let him have it, without +loss of a moment!" That is Pitt's clear view of the case; but it is +by no means Bute and Company's,--who discern in it, rather, a means +of finishing another operation they have long been secretly busy +upon, by their Mauduits and otherwise; and are clear against +getting into a new War with Spain or anybody: "Have not we enough +of Wars? " say they. + +Since September 18th, there had been three Cabinet-Councils held on +this great Spanish question: "Mystery of treachery, meaning War +from Spain? Or awkward Inadvertence only, practically meaning +little or nothing?" Pitt, surer of his course every time, every +time meets the same contradiction. Council of October 2d was the +third of the series, and proved to be the last. + +"Twelve Seventy-fours sent instantly to Cadiz", had been Pitt's +proposal, on the first emergence of the Bussy phenomenon. Here are +his words, October 2d, when it is about to get consummated: +"This is now the time for humbling the whole House of Bourbon: +and if this opportunity is let slip, we shall never find another! +Their united power, if suffered to gather strength, will baffle our +most vigorous efforts, and possibly plunge us in the gulf of ruin. +We must not allow them a moment to breathe. Self-preservation bids +us crush them before they can combine or recollect themselves."-- +"No evidence that Spain means war; too many wars on our hands; +let us at least wait!" urge all the others,--all but one, or one +and A HALF, of whom presently. Whereupon Pitt: "If these views are +to be followed, this is the last time I can sit at this Board. +I was called to the Administration of Affairs by the voice of the +People: to them I have always considered myself as accountable for +my conduct; and therefore cannot remain in a situation which makes +me responsible for measures I am no longer allowed to guide." +[Beatson, ii. 438.] + +Carteret Granville, President of said Council for ten years past, +[Came in "17th June, 1751",--died "2d January, 1763."] now an old +red-nosed man of seventy-two, snappishly took him up,--it is the +last public thing poor Carteret did in this world,--in the +following terms: "I find the Gentleman is determined to leave us; +nor can I say I am sorry for it, since otherwise he would have +certainly compelled us to leave him [Has ruled us, may not I say, +with a rod of iron!] But if he be resolved to assume the office of +exclusively advising his Majesty and directing the operations of +the War, to what purpose are we called to this Council? When he +talks of being responsible to the People, he talks the language of +the House of Commons; forgets that, at this Board, he is only +responsible to the King. However, though he may possibly have +convinced himself of his infallibility, still it remains that we +should be equally convinced, before we can resign our +understandings to his direction, or join with him in the measure he +proposes." [BIOG. BRITANNICA (Kippis's; London, 1784), iii. 278. +See Thackeray, i. 589-592.] + +Who, besides Temple (Pitt's Brother-in-law) confirmatory of Pitt, +Bute negatory, and Newcastle SILENT, the other beautiful gentlemen +were, I will not ask; but poor old Carteret,--the wine perhaps sour +on his stomach (old age too, with German memories of his own, +"A biggish Life once mine, all futile for want of this same +Kingship like Pitt's!")--I am sorry old Carteret should have ended +so! He made the above Answer; and Pitt resigned next day. +[Thackeray, i. 592 n. "October 5th" (ACCEPTANCE of the resignation, +I suppose?) is the date commonly given.] "The Nation was +thunderstruck, alarmed and indignant," says Walpole: [<italic> +Memoirs of the Reign of George the Third, <end italic> i. 82 et +seq.] yes, no wonder;--but, except a great deal of noisy jargoning +in Parliament and out of it, the Nation gained nothing for itself +by its indignant, thunderstricken and other feelings. Its Pitt is +irrecoverable; and it may long look for another such. +These beautiful recalcitrants of the Cabinet-Council had, +themselves, within three months (think under what noises and +hootings from a non-admiring Nation), to declare War on Spain, +["2d January, 1762," the English; "18th January," the Spaniard +(ANNUAL REGISTER for 1762, p. 50; or better, Beatson, ii. 443).] +NOT on better terms than when Pitt advised; and, except for the +"readiness" in which Pitt had left all things, might have fared +indifferently in it. + +To Spain and France the results of the Family Compact (we may as +well give them at once, though they extend over the whole next year +and farther, and concern Friedrich very little) were: a War on +England (chiefly on poor Portugal for England's sake); with a War +BY England in return, which cost Spain its Havana and its +Philippine Islands. + +"From 1760 and before, the Spanish Carlos, his orthodox mind +perhaps shocked at Pombal and the Anti-Jesuit procedures, had +forbidden trade with Portugal; had been drawing out dangerous +'militia forces on the Frontier;' and afflicting and frightening +the poor Country. But on the actual arrival of War with England, +Choiseul and he, as the first feasibility discernible, make Demand +(three times over, 16th March-18th April, 1762, each time more +stringently) on poor Portuguese Majesty: 'Give up your +objectionable Heretic Ally, and join with us against him; will you, +or will you not?' To which the Portuguese Majesty, whose very title +is Most Faithful, answered always: 'You surprise me! I cannot; +how can I? He is my Ally, and has always kept faith with me! +For certain, No!' [<italic> London Gazette, <end italic> 5th May, +1762, &c. (in <italic> Gentleman's Magazine <end italic> for 1762, +xxxii. 205, 321, 411).] So that there is English reinforcement got +ready, men, money; an English General, Lord Tyrawley, General and +Ambassador; with a 5 or 6,000 horse and foot, and many volunteer +officers besides, for the Portuguese behoof. [List of all this in +Beatson, ii. 491, iii. 323;--"did not get to sea till 12th May, +1762" (<italic> Gentleman's Magazine <end italic> for 1762, +p. 239).] In short, every encouragement to poor Portugal: +'Pull, and we will help you by tracing.' + +"The poor Portuguese pulled very badly: were disgusting to +Tyrawley, he to them; and cried passionately, 'Get us another +General;'--upon which, by some wise person's counsel, that singular +Artillery Gentleman, the Graf von der Lippe Buckeburg, who gave the +dinner in his Tent with cannon firing at the pole of it, was +appointed; and Tyrawley came home in a huff. [Varnhagen van Ense, +GRAF WILHELM ZUR LIPPE (Berlin, 1845), in <italic> Vermischte +Schriften, <end italic> i. 1-118: pp. 33-54, his Portuguese +operations.] Which was probably a favorable circumstance. +Buckeburg understands War, whether Tyrawley do or not. +Duke Ferdinand has agreed to dispense with his Ordnance-Master; +nay I have heard the Ordnance-Master, a man of sharp speeoh on +occasion, was as good as idle; and had gone home to Buckeburg, this +Winter: indignant at the many imperfections he saw, and perhaps too +frankly expressing that feeling now and then. What he thought of +the Portuguese Army in comparison is not on record; but, may be +judged of by this circumstance, That on dining with the chief +Portuguese military man, he found his Portuguese captains and +lieutenants waiting as valets behind the chairs. [VARNHAGEN (gives +no date anywhere).] + +"The improvements he made are said to have been many;--and +Portuguese Majesty, in bidding farewell, gave him a park of +Miniature Gold Cannon by way of gracious symbol. But, so far as the +facts show, he seems to have got from his Portuguese Army next to +no service whatever: and, but for the English and the ill weather, +would have fared badly against his French and Spaniards,--42,000 of +them, advancing in Three Divisions, by the Douro and the Tagus, +against Oporto and Lisbon. + +"His War has only these three dates of event. 1. May 9th, The +northmost of the Three Divisions [ANNUAL REGISTER for 1762, p. 30.] +crosses the Portuguese Frontier on the Douro; summons Miranda, a +chief Town of theirs; takes it, before their first battery is +built; takes Braganza, takes Monte Corvo; and within a week is +master of the Douro, in that part, 'Will be at Oporto directly!' +shriek all the Wine people (no resistance anywhere, except by +peasants organized by English Officers in some parts); upon which +Seventy-fours were sent. + +"2. Division Second of the 42,000 came by Beira Country, between +Tagus and Douro, by Tras-os-Montes; and laid siege to a place +called Almeida [northwest some 20 odd miles from CUIDAD RODRIGO, a +name once known to veterans of us still living], which Buckeburg +had tried to repair into strength, and furnish with a garrison. +Garrison defended itself well; but could not be relieved;--had to +surrender, August 25th: whereby it seems the Tagus is now theirs! +All the more, as Division Three is likewise got across from +Estremadura, invading Alemtejo: what is to keep these Two from +falling on Lisbon together? + +"3. Against this, Buckeburg does find a recipe. Despatches +Brigadier Burgoyne with an English party upon a Town called +Valencia d'Alcantara [not Alcantara Proper, but Valencia of ditto, +not very far from Badajoz], where the vanguard of this Third +Division is, and their principal Magazine. Burgoyne and his English +did perfectly: broke into the place, stormed it sword in hand +(August 27th); kept the Magazine and it, though 'the sixteen +Portuguese Battalions' could not possibly get up in time. In manner +following (say the Old Newspapers):-- + +"'The garrison of Almeida, before which place the whole Spanish +Army had been assembled, surrendered to the Spaniards on the 25th +[August 25th, as we have just heard], having capitulated on +condition of not serving against Spain for six months. + +"'As a counterbalance to this advantage, the Count de Lippe caused +Valencia d'Alcantara to be attacked, sword in hand, by the British +troops; who carried it, after an obstinate resistance. The loss of +the British troops, who had the principal share in this affair, is +luckily but inconsiderable: and consists in Lieutenant Burk of +Colonel Frederick's, one sergeant and three privates killed; +two sergeants, one drummer, 18 privates wounded; 10 horses killed +and 2 wounded [loss not at all considerable, in a War of such +dimensions!]. The British troops behaved upon this occasion with as +much generosity as courage; and it deserves admiration, that, in an +affair of this kind, the town and the inhabitants suffered very +little; which is owing to the good order Brigadier Burgoyne kept up +even in the heat of the action. This success would probably have +been attended with more, if circumstances, that could not well be +expected, had not retarded the march of sixteen Portuguese +battalions, and three regiments of cavalry.' [Old Newspapers (in +<italic> Gentleman's Magazine <end italic> for 1762, p, 443).] + +"Upon which--upon which, in fact, the War had to end. Rainy weather +came, deluges of rain; Burgoyne, with or without the sixteen +battalions of Portuguese, kept the grip he had. Valencia +d'Alcantara and its Magazine a settled business, roads round gone +all to mire,--this Third Division, and with it the 42,000 in +general, finding they had nothing to live upon, went their ways +again." NOTE, The Burgoyne, who begins in this pretty way at +Valencia d'Alcantara, is the same who ended so dismally at +Saratoga, within twenty years:--perhaps, with other War-Offices, +and training himself in something suitabler than Parliamentary +Eloquence, he might have become a kind of General, and have ended +far otherwise than there?-- + +"Such was the credit account on Carlos's side: By gratuitous +assault on Portugal, which had done him no offence; result zero, +and pay your expenses. On the English, or PER CONTRA side, again, +there were these three items, two of them specifically on Carlos: +FIRST, Martinique captured from the French this Spring (finished +4th February, 1762): [<italic> Gentleman's Magazine <end italic> +for 1762, p. 127.]--was to have been done in any case, Guadaloupe +and it being both on Pitt's books for some time, and only +Guadaloupe yet got. SECONDLY, King Carlos, for Family Compact and +fruitless attempt at burglary on an unoffending neighbor, Debtor: +1. To Loss of the Havana (6th June-13th August, 1762), [Ib. pp. +408-459, &c.] which might easily have issued in loss of all his +West Indies together, and total abolition of the Pope's meridian in +that Western Hemisphere; and 2. To Loss of Manilla, with his +Philippine Islands (23d September-6th October, 1762), +[<italic> Gentleman's Magazine <end italic> for 1762, xxxiii. +171-177.] which was abolition of it in the Eastern. After which, +happily for Carlos, Peace came,--Peace, and no Pitt to be severe +upon his Indies and him. Carlos's War of ten months had stood him +uncommonly high." + +All these things the English Public, considerably sullen about the +Cabinet-Council event of October 3d, ascribed to the real owner of +them. The Public said: "These are, all of them, Pitt's bolts, not +yours,--launched, or lying ready for launching, from that Olympian +battery which, in the East and in the West, had already smitten +down all Lallys and Montcalms; and had force already massed there, +rendering your Havanas and Manillas easy for you. For which, +indeed, you do not seem to care much; rather seem to be embarrassed +with them, in your eagerness for Peace and a lazy life!"--Manilla +was a beautiful work; [A JOURNAL OF THE PROCEEDINGS QF HIS +MAJESTY'S FORCES IN THE EXPEDITION TO MANILLA (<italic> London +Gazette, <end italic> April 19th, 1763; <italic> Gentleman's +Magazine, <end italic> xxxiii. 171 et seq.). Written by Colonel or +BrigadiecGeneral Draper (suggester, contriver and performer of the +Enterprise; an excellent Indian Officer, of great merit with his +pen as well,--Bully JUNIUS'S Correspondent afterwards).] but the +Manilla Ransom; a million sterling, half of it in bills,--which the +Spaniards, on no pretext at all but the disagreeableness, refused +to pay! Havana, though victorious, cost a good many men: +was thought to be but badly managed. "What to do with it?" said +Bute, at the Peace: "Give us Florida in lieu of it",--which proved +of little benefit to Bute. Enough, enough of Bute and his +performances. + +Pitt being gone, Friedrich's English Subsidy lags: this time +Friedrich concludes it is cut off;--silent on the subject; no words +will express one's thoughts on it. Not till April 9th has poor +Mitchell the sad errand of announcing formally That such are our +pressures, Portuguese War and other, we cannot afford it farther. +Answered by I know not what kind of glance from Friedrich; +answered, I find, by words few or none from the forsaken King: +"Good; that too was wanting," thought the proud soul: "Keep your +coin, since you so need it; I have still copper, and my sword!" +The alloy this Year became as 3 to 1:--what other remedy? + +From the same cause, I doubt not, this Year, for the first time in +human memory, came that complete abeyance of the Gift-moneys +(DOUCEUR-GELDER), which are become a standing expectation, quasi- +right, and necessary item of support to every Prussian Officer, +from a Lieutenant upwards: not a word, in the least official, said +of them this Year; still less a penny of them actually forthcoming +to a wornout expectant Army. One of the greatest sins charged upon +Friedrich by Prussian or Prussian-Military public opinion: not to +be excused at all;--Prussian-Military and even Prussian-Civil +opinion having a strange persuasion that this King has boundless +supply of money, and only out of perversity refuses it for objects +of moment. In the Army as elsewhere much ha8 gone awry; +[See Mollendorf's two or three LETTERS (Preuss, iv. 407-411).] many +rivets loose after such a climbing of the Alps as there has been, +through dense and rare. + +It will surprise everybody that Friedrich, with his copper and +other resources, actually raised his additional 60,000; and has for +himself 70,000 to recover Schweidnitz, and bring Silesia to its old +state; 40,000 for Prince Henri and Saxony, with a 10,000 of margin +for Sweden and accidental sundries. This is strange, but it is +true. [Stenzel, v. 297, 286; Tempelhof, vi. 2, 10, 63.] And has not +been done without strivings and contrivings, hard requisitions on +the places liable; and has involved not a little of severity and +difficulty,--especially a great deal of haggling with the +collecting parties, or at least with Prince Henri, who presides in +Saxony, and is apt to complain and mourn over the undoable, rather +than proceed to do it. The King's Correspondence with Henri, this +Winter, is curious enough; like a Dialogue between Hope on its +feet, and Despair taking to its bed. "You know there are Two +Doctors in MOLIERE," says Friedrich to him once; "a Doctor +TANT-MIEUX (So much the Better) and a Doctor TANT-PIS (So much the +Worse): these two cannot be expected to agree!"--Instead of +infinite arithmetical details, here is part of a Letter of +Friedrich's to D'Argens; and a Passage, one of many, with Prince +Henri;--which command a view into the interior that concerns us. + + +THE KING TO D'ARGENS (at Berlin). + +"BRESLAU, 18th January, 1762. + +... "You have lifted the political veil which covered horrors and +perfidies meditated and ready to burst out [Bute's dismal +procedures, I believe; who is ravenous for Peace, and would fain +force Friedrich along with him on terms altogether disgraceful and +inadmissible [See D'Argens's Letter (to which this is Answer), +<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> xix. 281, 282.]]: you +judge correctly of the whole situation I am in, of the abysses +which surround me; and, as I see by what you say, of the kind of +hope that still remains to me. It will not be till the month of +February [Turks, probably, and Tartar Khan; great things coming +then!] that we can speak of that; and that is the term I +contemplate for deciding whether I shall hold to CATO [Cato,--and +the little Glass Tube I have!] or to CAESAR'S COMMENTARIES," and +the best fight one can make. + +"The School of patience I am at is hard, long-continued, cruel, nay +barbarous. I have not been able to escape my lot: all that human +foresight could suggest has been employed, and nothing has +succeeded. If Fortune continues to pursue me, doubtless I shall +sink; it is only she that can extricate me from the situation I am +in. I escape out of it by looking at the Universe on the great +scale, like an observer from some distant Planet; all then seems to +me so infinitely small, and I could almost pity my enemies for +giving themselves such trouble about so very little. What would +become of us without philosophy, without this reasonable contempt +of things frivolous, transient and fugitive, about which the greedy +and ambitious make such a pother, fancying them to be solid! +This is to become wise by stripes, you will tell me; well, if one +do become wise, what matters it how?--I read a great deal; I devour +my Books, and that brings me useful alleviation. But for my Books, +I think hypochondria would have had me in bedlam before now. +In fine, dear Marquis, we live in troublous times and in desperate +situations:--I have all the properties of a Stage-Hero; always in +danger, always on the point of perishing. One must hope the +conclusion will come; and if the end of the piece be lucky, we will +forget the rest. Patience then, MON CHER, till February 20th [By +which time, what far other veritable star-of-day will have risen on +me!]. ADIEU, MON CHER.--F." [<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end +italic> xix. 282, 283.] + + + TIFF OF QUARREL BETWEEN KING AND HENRI (March-April, 1762). + +In the Spring months Prince Henri is at Hof in Voigtland, on the +extreme right of his long line of "Quarters behind the Mulda;" +busy enough, watching the Austrians and Reich; levying the severe +contributions; speeding all he can the manifold preparatives;-- +conscious to himself of the greatest vigilance and diligence, but +wrapt in despondency and black acidulent humors; a "Doctor SO MUCH +THE WORSE," who is not a comforting Correspondent. From Hof, +towards the middle of March, he becomes specially gloomy and +acidulous; sends a series of Complaints; also of News, not +important, but all rather in YOUR favor, my dearest Brother, than +in mine, if you will please to observe! As thus:-- + +HENRI (at Hof, 10th-13th March). ... "Sadly off here, my dearest +Brother.! Of our '1,284 head of commissariat horses,' only 180 are +come in; of our '287 drivers,' not one. Will be impossible to open +Campaign at that rate."--"Grenadier Battalions ROTHENBURG and GRANT +demand to have picked men to complete them [of CANTONIST, or sure +Prussian sort]. ... I find [NOTA BENE, Reader!] there are eight +Austrian regiments going to Silesia [off my hands, and upon YOURS, +in a sense], eight instead of four that I spoke of: intending, +probably, for Glatz, to replace Czernichef [a Czernichef off for +home lately, in a most miraculous way; as readers shall hear!]--to +replace Czernichef, and the blank he has left there? Eight of them: +Your Majesty can have no difficulty; but I will detach Platen or +somebody, if you order it; though I am myself perilously ill off +here, so scattered into parts, not capable of speedy junction like +your Majesty." + +FRIEDRICH (14th-16th March). "Commissariat horses, drivers? +I arranged and provided where everything was to be got. But if my +orders are not executed, nor the requisitions brought in, of course +there is failure. I am despatching Adjutant von Anhalt to Saxony a +second time, to enforce matters. If I could be for three weeks in +Saxony, myself, I believe I could put all on its right footing; +but, as I must not stir two steps from here, I will send you +Anhalt, with orders to the Generals, to compel them to their duty." +[Schoning, iii. 301, 302.] "As to Grenadier Battalions GRANT and +ROTHENBURG, it is absurd." (Henri falls silent for about a week, +brooding his gloom;--not aware that still worse is coming.) +King continues:-- + +KING (22d March). "Eight regiments, you said? Here, by enclosed +List, are seventeen of them, names and particulars all given", +which is rather a different view of the account against Silesia! +Seventeen of them, going, not for Glatz, I should say, but to +strengthen our Enemies hereabouts. + +HENRI. "Hm, hah [answers only in German; dry military reports, +official merely;--thinks of writing to Chief-Clerk Eichel, who is +factotum in these spheres]. ... Artillery recruits are scarce in +the extreme; demand bounty: five thalers, shall we say?" + +KING. "Seventeen regiments of them, beyond question, instead of +eight, coming on us: strange that you did n't warn me better. +I have therefore ordered your Major-General Schmettau hitherward at +once. As he has not done raising the contributions in the Lausitz, +you must send another to do it, and have them ready when General +Platen passes that way hither."--"'Five thalers bounty for +artillery men" say you? It is not to be thought of. Artillery men +can be had by conscription where you are." Henri (in silence, still +more indignant) sends military reports exclusively. March 26th, +Henri's gloom reaches the igniting point; he writes to Chief- +Clerk Eichel:-- + +"Monsieur, you are aware that Adjutant von Anhalt is on the way +hither. To judge by his orders, if they correspond to the Letters I +have had from the King, Adjutant von Anhalt's appearance here will +produce an embarrassment, from which I am resolved to extricate +myself by a voluntary retirement from office. My totally ruined +(ABIMEE) health, the vexations I have had, the fatigues and +troubles of war, leave in me little regret to quit the employment. +I solicit only, from your attentions and skill of management, that +my retreat be permitted to take place with the decency observed +towards those who have served the State. I have not a high opinion +of my services; but perhaps I am not mistaken in supposing that it +would be more a shame to the King than to me if he should make me +endure all manner of chagrins during my retirement." [Schoning, +iii. 307.] + +Eichel sinks into profound reflection; says nothing. How is this +fire to be got under? Where is the place to trample on it, before +opening door or window, or saying a word to the King or anybody? + +HENRI (same day, 26th March). "My dearest Brother,--In the List you +send me of those seventeen Austrian regiments, several, I am +informed, are still in Saxony; and by all the news that I get, +there are only eight gone towards Silesia."--"From Leipzig my +accounts are, the Reichs Army is to make a movement in advance, and +Prince Xavier with the Saxons was expected at Naumburg the 20th +ult. I know not if you have arranged with Duke Ferdinand for a +proportionate succor, in case his French also should try to +penetrate into Saxony upon me? I am, with the profoundest +attachment, your faithful and devoted servant and Brother." + +KING (30th March). "Seventeen of them, you may depend; I am too +well informed to be allowed to doubt in any way. What you report of +the Reichsfolk and Saxons moving hither, thither; that seems to me +a bit of game on their part. They will try to cut one post from +you, then another, unless you assemble a corps and go in upon them. +Till you decide for this resolution, you have nothing but chicanes +and provocations to expect there. As to Duke Ferdinand of +Brunswick, I don't imagine that his Orders [from England] would +permit him what you propose [for relief of yourself]: at any rate, +you will have to write at least thrice to him,--that is to say, +waste three weeks, before he will answer No or Yes. You yourself +are in force enough for those fellows: but so long as you keep on +the defensive alone, the enemy gains time, and things will always +go a bad road." Henri's patience is already out; this same day he +is writing to the King. + +HENRI (30th March). ... "You have hitherto received proofs enough +of my ways of thinking and acting to know that if in reality I was +mistaken about those eight regiments, it can only have been a piece +of ignorance on the part of my spy: meanwhile you are pleased to +make me responsible for what misfortune may come of it. I think I +have my hands full with the task laid on me of guarding 4,000 +square miles of country with fewer troops than you have, and of +being opposite an enemy whose posts touch upon ours, and who is +superior in force. Your preceding Letters [from March 16th +hitherto], on which I have wished to be silent, and this last proof +of want of affection, show me too clearly to what fortune I have +sacrificed these Six Years of Campaigning." + +KING (3d April: Official Orders given in Teutsch; at the tail of +which). "Spare your wrath and indignation at your servant, +Monseigneur! You, who preach indulgence, have a little of it for +persons who have no intention of offending you, or of failing in +respect for you; and deign to receive with more benignity the +humble representations which the conjunctures sometimes force from +me. F."--Which relieves Eichel of his difficulties, and quenches +this sputter. [Plucked up from the waste imbroglios of SCHONING +(iii. 296-311), by arranging and omitting.] + +Prince Henri, for all his complaining, did beautifully this Season +again (though to us it must be silent, being small-war merely);-- +and in particular, MAY 12th) early in the morning, simultaneously +in many different parts, burst across the Mulda, ten or twenty +miles long (or BROAD rather, from his right hand to his left), +sudden as lightning, upon the supine Serbelloni and his Austrians +and Reichsfolk. And hurled them back, one and all, almost to the +Plauen Chasm and their old haunts; widening his quarters notably. +[<italic> Bericht von dem Uebergang uber die Mulde, den der Prinz +Heinrich den 12ten May 1762 glucklich ausgefuhrt <end italic> (in +Seyfarth, <italic> Beylagen, <end italic> iii, 280-291).] A really +brilliant thing, testifies everybody, though not to be dwelt on +here. Seidlitz was of it (much fine cutting and careering, from the +Seidlitz and others, we have to omit in these two Saxon Campaigns!) +--Seidlitz was of it; he and another still more special +acquaintance of ours, the learned Quintus Icilius; who also did his +best in it, but lost his "AMUSETTE" (small bit of cannon, +"Plaything," so called by Marechal de Saxe, inventor of the +article), and did not shine like Seidlitz. + +Henri's quarters being notably widened in this way, and nothing but +torpid Serbellonis and Prince Stollbergs on the opposite part, +Henri "drew himself out thirty-five miles long;" and stood there, +almost looking into Plauen region as formerly. And with his fiery +Seidlitzes, Kleists, made a handsome Summer of it. And beat the +Austrians and Reichsfolk at Freyberg (OCTOBER 29th) a fine Battle, +and his sole one),--on the Horse which afterwards carried Gellert, +as is pleasantly known. + +But we are omitting the news from Petersburg,--which came the very +day after that gloomy LETTER TO D'ARGENS; months before the TIFF OF +QUARREL with Henri, and the brilliant better destinies of that +Gentleman in his Campaign. + + +BRIGHT NEWS FROM PETERSBURG (certain, Jan. 19th); WHICH GROW +EVER BRIGHTER; AND BECOME A STAR-OF-DAY FOR FRIEDRICH. + +To Friedrich, long before all this of Henri, indeed almost on the +very day while he was writing so despondently to D'Argens, a new +phasis had arisen. Hardly had he been five weeks at Breslau, in +those gloomy circumstances, when,--about the middle of January, +1762 (day not given, though it is forever notable),--there arrive +rumors, arrive news,--news from Petersburg; such as this King never +had before! "Among the thousand ill strokes of Fortune, does there +at length come one pre-eminently good? The unspeakable Sovereign +Woman, is she verily dead, then, and become peaceable to me +forevermore?" We promised Friedrich a wonderful star-of-day; and +this is it,--though it is long before he dare quite regard it as +such. Peter, the Successor, he knows to be secretly his friend and +admirer; if only, in the new Czarish capacity and its chaotic +environments and conditions, Peter dare and can assert these +feelings? What a hope to Friedrich, from this time onward! +Russia may be counted as the bigger half of all he had to strive +with; the bigger, or at least the far uglier, more ruinous and +incendiary;--and if this were at once taken away, think what a +daybreak when the night was at the blackest! + +Pious people say, The darkest hour is often nearest the dawn. And a +dawn this proved to be for Friedrich. And the fact grew always the +longer the brighter;--and before Campaign time, had ripened into +real daylight and sunrise. The dates should have been precise; +but are not to be had so: here is the nearest we could come. +January 14th, writing to Henri, the King has a mysterious word +about "possibilities of an uncommon sort,"--rumors from Petersburg, +I could conjecture; though perhaps they are only Turk or Tartar- +Khan affairs, which are higher this year than ever, and as futile +as ever. But, on JANUARY 19th, he has heard plainly,--with what +hopes (if one durst indulge them)!--that the implacable Imperial +Woman, INFAME CATIN DU NORD, is verily dead. Dead; and does not +hate me any more. Deliverance, Peace and Victory lie in the word!-- +Catin had long been failing, but they kept it religiously secret +within the Court walls: even at Petersburg nobody knew till the +Prayers of the Church were required: Prayers as zealous as you +can,--the Doctors having plainly intimated that she is desperate, +and that the thing is over. On CHRISTMAS-DAY, 1761, by Russian +Style, 5th JANUARY, 1762, by European, the poor Imperial Catin lay +dead;--a death still more important than that of George II. to +this King. + +Peter III., who succeeded has lang been privately a sworn friend +and admirer of the King; and hastens, not too SLOWLY as the King +had feared, but far the reverse, to make that known to all mankind. +That, and much else,--in a far too headlong manner, poor soul! +Like an ardent, violent, totally inexperienced person (enfranchised +SCHOOL-BOY, come to the age of thirty-four), who has sat hitherto +in darkness, in intolerable compression; as if buried alive! He is +now Czar Peter, Autocrat, not of Himself only, but of All the +Russias;--and has, besides the complete regeneration of Russia, two +great thoughts: FIRST, That of avenging native Holstein, and his +poor martyr of a Father now with God, against the Danes;--and, + +SECOND, what is scarcely second in importance to the first, and +indeed is practically a kind of preliminary to it, That of +delivering the Prussian Pattern of Heroes from such a pattern of +foul combinations, and bringing Peace to Europe, while he settles +the Holstein-Danish business. Peter is Russian by the Mother's +side; his Mother was Sister of the late Catin, a Daughter, like +her, of Czar Peter called the Great, and of the little brown +Catharine whom we saw transiently long ago. His Holstein Business +shall concern us little; but that with Friedrich, during the brief +Six Months allowed him for it,--for it, and for all his remaining +businesses in this world,--is of the highest importance to +Friedrich and us. + +Peter is one of the wildest men; his fate, which was tragical, is +now to most readers rather of a ghastly grotesque than of a +lamentable and pitiable character. Few know, or have ever +considered, in how wild an element poor Peter was born and nursed; +what a time he has had, since his fifteenth year especially, when +Cousin of Zerbst and he were married. Perhaps the wildest and +maddest any human soul had, during that Century. I find in him, +starting out from the Lethean quagmires where he had to grow, a +certain rash greatness of idea; traces of veritable conviction, +just resolution; veritable and just, though rash. That of +admiration for King Friedrich was not intrinsically foolish, in the +solitary thoughts of the poor young fellow; nay it was the reverse; +though it was highly inopportune in the place where he stood. +Nor was the Holstein notion bad; it was generous rather, noble +and natural, though, again, somewhat impracticable in +the circumstances. + +The summary of the Friedrich-Peter business is perhaps already +known to most readers, and can be very briefly given; nor is +Peter's tragical Six Months of Czarship (5th JANUARY-9th JULY, +1762) a thing for us to dwell on beyond need. But it is wildly +tragical; strokes of deep pathos in it, blended with the ghastly +and grotesque: it is part of Friedrich's strange element and +environment: and though the outer incidents are public enough, it +is essentially little known. Had there been an AEschylus, had there +been a Shakspeare!--But poor Peter's shocking Six Months of History +has been treated by a far different set of hands, themselves almost +shocking to see: and, to the seriously inquiring mind, it lies, and +will long lie, in a very waste, chaotic, enigmatic condition. +Here, out of considerable bundles now burnt, are some rough +jottings, Excerpts of Notes and Studies,--which, I still doubt +rather, ought to have gone in AUTO DA FE along with the others. +AUTO DA FE I called it; Act of FAITH, not Spanish-Inquisitional, +but essentially Celestial many times, if you reflect well on the +poisonous consequences, on the sinfulness and deadly criminality, +of Human Babble,--as nobody does nowadays! I label the different +Pieces, and try to make legible;--hasty readers have the privilege +of skipping, if they like. The first Two are of preliminary or +prefatory nature,--perhaps still more skippable than those that +will by and by follow. + +1. GENEALOGY OF PETER. "His grandfather was Friedrich IV., Duke of +Holstein-Gottorp and Schleswig, Karl XII.'s brother-in-law; +on whose score it was (Denmark finding the time opportune for a +stroke of robbery there) that Karl XII., a young lad hardly +eighteen, first took arms; and began the career of fighting that +astonished Denmark and certain other Neighbors who had been too +covetous on a young King. This his young Brother-in-law, Friedrich +of Holstein-Gottorp (young he too, though Karl's senior by ten +years), had been reinstated in his Territory, and the Danes sternly +forbidden farther burglary there, by the victorious Karl; but went +with Karl in his farther expeditions. Always Karl's intimate, and +at his right hand for the next two years: fell in the Battle of +Clissow, 19th July, 1702; age not yet thirty-one. + +"He left as Heir a poor young Boy, at this time only two years old. +His young Widow Hedwig survived him six years. [Michaelis, ii. +618-629.] Her poor child grew to manhood; and had tragic fortunes +in this world; Danes again burglarious in that part, again robbing +this poor Boy at discretion, so soon as Karl XII. became +unfortunate; and refusing to restore (have not restored Schleswig +at all [A.D. 1864, HAVE at last had to do it, under unexpected +circumstances!]):--a grimly sad story to the now Peter, his only +Child! This poor Duke at last died, 18th June, 1739, age thirty- +nine; the now Peter then about 11,--who well remembers tragic Papa; +tragic Mamma not, who died above ten years before. [Michaelis, ii. +617; Hubner, tt. 227, 229.] + +"Czar Peter called the Great had evidently a pity for this +unfortunate Duke, a hope in his just hopes; and pleaded, as did +various others, and endeavored with the unjust Danes, mostly +without effect. Did, however, give him one of his Daughters to +wife;--the result of whom is this new Czar Peter, called the Third: +a Czar who is Sovereign of Holstein, and has claims of Sovereignty +in Sweden, right of heirship in Schleswig, and of damages against +Denmark, which are in litigation to this day. The Czarina CATIN, +tenderly remembering her Sister, would hear of no Heir to Russia +but this Peter. Peter, in virtue of his paternal affinities, was +elected King of Sweden about the same time; but preferred Russia,-- +with an eye to his Danes, some think. For certain, did adopt the +Russian Expectancy, the Greek religion so called; and was," in the +way we saw long years ago, "married (or to all appearance married) +to Catharina Alexiewna of Anhalt-Zerbst, born in Stettin; +[Herr Preuss knows the house: "Now Dr. Lehmann's [at that time the +Governor of Stettin's], in which also Czar Paul's second Spouse +[Eugen of Wurtemberg a NEW Governor's Daughter], who is Mother of +the Czars that follow, was born:" Preuss, ii. 310, 311. +Catharine, during her reign, was pious in a small way to the place +of her cradle; sent her successive MEDALS &c. to Stettin, which +still has them to show.] a Lady who became world-famous as Czarina +of the Russias. + +"Peter is an abstruse creature; has lived, all this while, with his +Catharine an abstruse life, which would have gone altogether mad +except for Catharine's superior sense. An awkward, ardent, but +helpless kind of Peter, with vehement desires, with a dash of wild +magnanimity even: but in such an inextricable element, amid such +darkness, such provocations of unmanageable opulence, such +impediments, imaginary and real,--dreadfully real to poor Peter,-- +as made him the unique of mankind in his time. He 'used to drill +cats,' it is said, and to do the maddest-looking things (in his +late buried-alive condition);--and fell partly, never quite, which +was wonderful, into drinking, as the solution of his +inextricabilities. Poor Peter: always, and now more than ever, the +cynosure of vulturous vulpine neighbors, withal; which infinitely +aggravated his otherwise bad case!-- + +"For seven or eight years, there came no progeny, nor could come; +about the eighth or ninth, there could, and did: the marvellous +Czar Paul that was to be. Concerning whose exact paternity there +are still calumnious assertions widely current; to this individual +Editor much a matter of indifference, though on examining, his +verdict is: 'Calumnies, to all appearance; mysteries which decent +or decorous society refuses to speak of, and which indecent is +pretty sure to make calumnies out of.' Czar Paul may be considered +genealogically genuine, if that is much an object to him. +Poor Paul, does not he father himself, were there nothing more? +Only that Peter and this Cathariue could have begotten such a Paul. +Genealogically genuine enough, my poor Czar,--that needed to be +garroted so very soon! + +2. OF CATHARINE AND THE BOOKS UPON PETER AND HER. "Catharine too +had an intricate time of it under the Catin; which was consoled to +her only by a tolerably rapid succession of lovers, the best the +ground yielded. In which department it is well known what a Thrice- +Greatest she became: superior to any Charles II.; equal almost to +an August the Strong! Of her loves now and henceforth, which are +heartily uninteresting to me, I propose to say nothing farther; +merely this, That in extent they probably rivalled the highest male +sovereign figures (and are to be put in the same category with +these, and damned as deep, or a little deeper);--and cost her, in +gifts, in magnificent pensions to the EMERITI (for she did things +always in a grandiose manner, quietly and yet inexorably dismissing +the EMERITUS with stores of gold), the considerable sum of 20 +millions sterling, in the course of her long reign. One, or at most +two, were off on pension, when Hanbury Williams brought Poniatowski +for her, as we transiently saw. Poniatowski will be King of Poland +in the course of events. ... + +"Russia is not a publishing country; the Books about Catharine are +few, and of little worth. TOOKE, an English Chaplain; CASTERA, an +unknown French Hanger-on, who copies from Tooke, or Tooke from him: +these are to be read, as the bad-best, and will yield little +satisfactory insight; Castera, in particular, a great deal of +dubious backstairs gossip and street rumor, which are not +delightful to a reader of sense. In fine, there has been published, +in these very years, a FRAGMENT of early AUTOBIOGRAPHY by Catharine +herself,--a credible and highly remarkable little Piece: worth all +the others, if it is knowledge of Catharine you are seeking. +[<italic> Memoires de l'Imperatrice Catharine II., ecrits par elle- +meme <end italic> (A. Herzen editing; London, 1859);--which we +already cited, on occasion of Catharine's marriage. + +Anonymous (Castera), <italic> Vie de Catharine II., Imperatrice de +Russie <end italic> (a Paris, 1797; or reprinted, most of it, +enough of it, A VARSOVIE, 1798) 2 tomes, 8vo. Tooke, <italic> Life +of Catharine II. <end italic> (4th edition, London, 1800), 3 vols. +8vo; <italic> View of the Russian Empire during &c. <end italic> +(London, 1799), 3 vols. 8vo.- Hermann, <italic> Geschichte des +Russischen Staats <end italic> (Hamburg, 1853 ET ANTEA), v. 241-308 +et seq.; is by much the most solid Book, though a dull and heavy. +Stenzel cites, as does Hermann, a <italic> Biographie Peters des +IIIten; <end italic> which no doubt exists, in perhaps 3 volumes; +but where, when, by whom, or of what quality, they do not tell me.] +A most placid, solid, substantial young Lady comes to light there; +dropped into such an element as might have driven most people mad. +But it did not her; it only made her wiser and wiser in her +generation. Element black, hideous, dirty, as Lapland Sorcery;--in +which the first clear duty is, to hold one's tongue well, and keep +one's eyes open. Stars,--not very heavenly, but of fixed nature, +and heavenly to Catharine,--a star or two, shine through the +abominable murk: Steady, patient; steer silently, in all weathers, +towards these! + +"Young Catharine's immovable equanimity in this distracted +environment strikes us very much. Peter is careering, tumbling +about, on all manner of absurd broomsticks, driven too surely by +the Devil; terrific-absurd big Lapland Witch, surrounded by +multitudes smaller, and some of them less ugly. Will be Czar of +Russia, however;--and is one's so-called Husband. These are +prospects for an observant, immovably steady-going young Woman! +The reigning Czarina, old CATIN herself, is silently the Olympian +Jove to Catharine, who reveres her very much. Though articulately +stupid as ever, in this Book of Catharine's, she comes out with a +dumb weight, of silence, of obstinacy, of intricate abrupt rigor, +which--who knows but it may savor of dumb unconscious wisdom in the +fat old blockhead? The Book says little of her, and in the way of +criticism, of praise or of blame, nothing whatever; but one gains +the notion of some dark human female object, bigger than one had +fancied it before. + +"Catharine steered towards her stars. Lovers were vouchsafed her, +of a kind (her small stars, as we may call them); and, at length, +through perilous intricacies, the big star, Autocracy of All the +Russias,--through what horrors of intricacy, that last! She had +hoped always it would be by Husband Peter that she, with the deeper +steady head, would be Autocrat: but the intricacies kept +increasing, grew at last to the strangling pitch; and it came to +be, between Peter and her, 'Either you to Siberia (perhaps +FARTHER), or else I!' And it was Peter that had to go;--in what +hideous way is well enough known; no Siberia, no Holstein thought +to be far enough for Peter:--and Catharine, merely weeping a little +for him, mounted to the Autocracy herself. And then, the big star +of stars being once hers, she had, not in the lover kind alone, but +in all uncelestial kinds, whole nebulae and milky-ways of small +stars. A very Semiramis, the Louis-Quatorze of those Northern +Parts. 'Second Creatress of Russia,' second Peter the Great in a +sense. To me none of the loveliest objects; yet there are uglier, +how infinitely uglier: object grandiose, if not great."-- +We return to Friedrich and the Death of Catin. + +Colonel Hordt, I believe, was the first who credibly apprised +Friedrich of the great Russian Event. Colonel Hordt, late of the +Free-Corps HORDT, but captive since soon after the Kunersdorf time; +and whose doleful quasi-infernal "twenty-five months and three +days" in the Citadel of Petersburg have changed in one hour into +celestial glories in the Court of that City;--as readers shall +themselves see anon. By Hordt or by whomsoever, the instant +Friedrich heard, by an authentic source, of the new Czar's +Accession, Friedrich hastened to turn round upon him with the +friendliest attitude, with arms as if ready to open; dismissing all +his Russian Prisoners; and testifying, in every polite and royal +way, how gladly he would advance if permitted. To which the Czar, +by Hordt and by other channels, imperially responded; rushing +forward, he, as if with arms flung wide. + +January 31st is Order from the King, [In SCHONING, iii. 275 +("Breslau, 31st January, 1762").] That our Russian Prisoners, one +and all, shod, clad and dieted, be forthwith set under way from +Stettin: in return for which generosity the Prussians, from Siberia +or wherever they were buried, are, soon after, hastening home in +like manner. Gudowitsh, Peter's favorite Adjutant, who had been +sent to congratulate at Zerbst, comes round by Breslau (February +20th), and has joyfully benign audience next day; directly on the +heel of whom, Adjutant Colonel von Goltz, who KAMMERHERR as well as +Colonel, and understands things of business, goes to Petersburg. +February 23d, Czarish Majesty, to the horror of Vienna and glad +astonishment of mankind, emits Declaration (Note to all the Foreign +Excellencies in Petersburg), "That there ought to be Peace with +this King of Prussia; that Czarish Majesty, for his own part, is +resolved on the thing; gives up East Preussen and the so-called +conquests made; Russian participation in such a War has ceased." +And practically orders Czernichef, who is wintering with his 20,000 +in Glatz, to quit Glatz and these Austrian Combinations, and march +homeward with his 20,000. Which Czernichef, so soon as arrangements +of proviant and the like are made, hastens to do;--and does, as far +as Thorn; but no farther, for a reason that will be seen. On the +last day of March, Czernichef--off about a week ago from Glatz, and +now got into the Breslau latitude--came across, with a select Suite +of Four, to pay his court there; and had the honor to dine with his +Majesty, and to be, personally too, a Czernichef agreeable to +his Majesty. + +The vehemency of Austrian Diplomacies at Petersburg; and the horror +of Kaiserinn and Kriegshofrath in Vienna,--who have just discharged +20,000 of their own people, counting on this Czernichef, and being +dreadfully tight for money,--may be fancied. But all avails +nothing. The ardent Czar advances towards Friedrich with arms flung +wide. Goltz and Gudowitsh are engaged on Treaty of Peace; +Czar frankly gives up East Preussen, "Yours again; what use has +Russia for it, Royal Friend?" Treaty of Peace goes forward like the +drawing of a Marriage-settlement (concluded MAY 5th); and, in a +month more, has changed into Treaty of Alliance;--Czernichef +ordered to stop short at Thorn; to turn back, and join himself to +this heroic King, instead of fighting against him. Which again +Czernichef, himself an admirer of this King, joyfully does;-- +though, unhappily, not with all the advantage he expected to +the King. + +Swedish Peace, Queen Ulrique and the Anti-French Party now getting +the upper hand, had been hastening forward in the interim +(finished, at Hamburg, MAY 2d): a most small matter in comparison +to the Russian; but welcome enough to Friedrich;--though he said +slightingly of it, when first mentioned: "Peace? I know not hardly +of any War there has been with Sweden;--ask Colonel Belling about +it!" Colonel Belling, a most shining swift Hussar Colonel, who, +with a 2,000 sharp fellows, hanging always on the Swedish flanks, +sharp as lightning, "nowhere and yet everywhere," as was said of +him, has mainly, for the last year or two, had the management of +this extraordinary "War." Peace over all the North, Peace and more, +is now Friedrich's. Strangling imbroglio, wide as the world, has +ebbed to man's height; dawn of day has ripened into sunrise for +Friedrich; the way out is now a thing credible and visible to him. +Peter's friendliness is boundless; almost too boundless! Peter begs +a Prussian Regiment,--dresses himself in its uniform, Colonel of +ITZENPLITZ; Friedrich begs a Russian Regiment, Colonel of +SCHUWALOF: and all is joyful, hopeful; marriage-bells instead of +dirge ditto and gallows ditto,--unhappily not for very long. + +In regard to Friedrich's feelings while all this went on, take the +following small utterances of his, before going farther. +JANUARY 27th, 1762 (To Madam Camas,--eight days after the Russian +Event): "I rejoice, my good Mamma, to find you have such courage; +I exhort you to redouble it! All ends in this world; so we may hope +this accursed War will not be the only thing eternal there. +Since death has trussed up a certain CATIN of the Hyperborean +Countries, our situation has advantageously changed, and becomes +more supportable than it was. We must hope that some other events +[favor of the new Czar mainly] will happen; by which we may profit +to arrive at a good Peace." + +JANUARY 31st (To Minister Finkenstein) "Behold the first gleam of +light that rises;--Heaven be praised for it! We must hope good +weather will succeed these storms. God grant it!" [Preuss, +ii. 312.] + +END OF MARCH (To D'Argens): ... "All that [at Paris; about the +Pompadourisms, the EXILE of Broglio and Brother, and your other +news] is very miserable; as well as that discrepancy between King's +Council and Parlement for and against the Jesuits! But, MON CHER +MARQUIS, my head is so ill, I can tell you nothing more,-- +except that the Czar of Russia is a divine man; to whom I ought to +erect altars." [<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> +xix. 301.] + +MAY 25th (To the same,--Russian PEACE three weeks ago): "It is very +pleasant to me, dear Marquis, that Sans-Souci could afford you an +agreeable retreat during the beautiful Spring days. If it depended +only on me, how soon should I be there beside you! But to the Six +Campaigns there is a Seventh to be added, and will soon open; +either because the Number 7 had once mystic qualities, or because +in the Book of Fate from all eternity the"-- ... "Jesuits banished +from France? Ah, yes:--hearing of that, I made my bit of plan for +them [mean to have my pick of them as schoolmasters in Silesia +here]; and am waiting only till I get Silesia cleared of Austrians +as the first thing. You see we must not mow the corn till it is +ripe." [<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> xix. p. 321.] + +MAY 28th (To the same): ... Tartar Khan actually astir, 10,000 men +of his in Hungary (I am told); Turk potentially ditto, with 200,000 +(futile both, as ever): "All things show me the sure prospect of +Peace by the end of this Year; and, in the background of it, Sans- +Souci and my dear Marquis! A sweet calm springs up again in my +soul; and a feeling of hope, to which for six years I had got +unused, consoles me for all I have come through. Think only what a +coil I shall be in, before a month hence [Campaign opened by that +time, horrid Game begun again]; and what a pass we had come to, in +December last: Country at its last gasp (AGONISAIT), as if waiting +for extreme unction: and now--!" [Ib. xix. 323.] ... + +JUNE 8th (To Madame Camas,--Russian ALLIANCE now come): "I know +well, my good Mamma, the sincere part you take in the lucky events +that befall us. The mischief is, we are got so low, that we want at +present all manner of fortunate events to raise us again; and Two +grand conclusions of Peace [the Russian, the Swedish], which might +re-establish Peace throughout, are at this moment only a step +towards finishing the War less unfortunately." [Ib. xviii. +146, 147.]* + +Same day, JUNE 8th (To D'Argens): "Czernichef is on march to join +us. Our Campaign will not open till towards the end of this month +[did open July 1st]; but think then what a pretty noise in this +poor Silesia again! In fine, my dear Marquis, the job ahead of me +is hard and difficult; and nobody can say positively how it will +all go. Pray for us; and don't forget a poor devil who kicks about +strangely in his harness, who leads the life of one damned; and who +nevertheless loves you sincerely.--Adieu." [<italic> OEuvres de +Frederic, <end italic> xix. 327.] D'Argens (May 24th) has heard, by +Letters from very well-informed persons in Vienna, that "Imperial +Majesty, for some time past, spends half of her time in praying to +the Virgin, and the other half in weeping." "I wish her," adds the +ungallant D'Argens, "as punishment for the mischiefs her ambition +has cost mankind these seven years past, the fate of Phaethon's +Sisters, and that she melt altogether into water!" [Ib. xix. 320 +("24th May, 1762").]--Take one other little utterance; and then to +Colonel Hordt and the Petersburg side of things. + +JUNE 19th (still to D'Argens); "What is now going on in Russia no +Count Kaunitz could foresee: what has come to pass in England,--of +which the hatefulest part [Bute's altogether extraordinary +attempts, in the Kaunitz, in the Czar Peter direction, to FORCE a +Peace upon me] is not yet known to you,--I had no notion of, in +forming my plans! The Governor of a State, in troublous times, +never can be sure. This is what disgusts me with the business, in +comparison. A Man of Letters operates on something certain; +a Politician can have almost no data of that kind." [Ib. xix. +p. 329.] (How easy everybody's trade but one's own!) + +Readers know what a tragedy poor Peter's was. His Czernichef did +join the King; but with far less advantage than Czernichef or +anybody had anticipated!--It is none of our intention to go into +the chaotic Russian element, or that wildly blazing sanguinary +Catharine-and-Peter business; of which, at any rate, there are +plentiful accounts in common circulation, more or less accurate,-- +especially M. Rulhiere's, [Histoire ou Anecdotes sur la Revolution +de Russie en l'annes 1762 (written 1768; first printed Paris, 1797: +English Translation, London, 1797).] the most succinct, lucid and +least unsatisfactory, in the accessible languages. Only so far as +Friedrich was concerned are we. But readers saw this Couple +married, under Friedrich's auspices,--a Marriage which he thought +important twenty years ago; and sure enough the Dissolution of it +did prove important to him, and is a necessary item here! + +Readers, even those that know RULHIERE, will doubtless consent to a +little supplementing from Two other Eye-witnesses of credit. +The first and principal is a respectable Ex-Swedish Gentleman, whom +readers used to hear of; the Colonel Hordt above mentioned, once of +the Free-Corps HORDT, but fallen Prisoner latterly;--whose +experiences and reports are all the more interesting to us, as +Friedrich himself had specially to depend on them at present; +and doubtless, in times long afterwards, now and then heard speech +of them from Hordt. Our second Eye-witness is the Reverend Herr +Doctor Busching (of the ERDBESCHREIBUNG, of the BEITRAGE, and many +other Works, an invaluable friend to us all along); who, in his +wandering time, had come to be "Pastor of the GERMAN CHURCH AT +PETERSBURG," some years back. + + +WHAT COLONEL HORDT AND THE OTHERS SAW AT PETERSBURG +(January-July, 1762). + +Autumn, 1759, in the sequel to KUNERSDORF,--when the Russians and +Daun lay so long torpid, uncertain what to do except keep Friedrich +and Prince Henri well separate, and Friedrich had such watchings, +campings and marchings about on the hither skirt of them (skirt +always veiled in Cossacks, and producing skirmishes as you marched +past),--we did mention Hordt's capture; [Supra, vol. x. p. 315.] +not much hoping that readers could remember it in such a press of +things more memorable. It was in, or as prelude to, one of those +skirmishes (one of the earliest, and a rather sharp one, "at +Trebatsch," in Frankfurt-Lieberose Country, "4th September, 1759"), +that Hordt had his misfortune: he had been out reconnoitring, with +an Orderly or two, before the skirmish began, was suddenly +"surrounded by 200 Cossacks," and after desperate plunging into +bogs, desperate firing of pistols and the like, was taken prisoner. +Was carted miserably to Petersburg,--such a journey for dead ennui +as Hordt never knew; and was then tumbled out into solitary +confinement in the Citadel, a place like the Spanish Inquisition; +not the least notice taken of his request for a few Books, for +leave to answer his poor Wife's Letter, merely by the words, "Dear +one, I am alive;"--and was left there, to the company of his own +reflections, and a life as if in vacant Hades, for twenty-five +months and three days. After the lapse of that period, he has +something to say to us again, and we transiently look in upon +him there. + +The Book we excerpt from is <italic> Memoires du Comte de Hordt +<end italic> (second edition, 2 volumes 12mo, Berlin, 1789). +This is Bookseller Pitra's redaction of the Hordt Autobiography +(Berlin, 1788, was Pitra's first edition): several years after, how +many is not said, nor whether Hordt (who had become a dignitary in +Berlin society before Pitra's feat) was still living or not, a +"M. Borelly, Professor in the Military School," undertook a second +considerably enlarged and improved redaction;--of which latter +there is an English Translation; easy enough to read; but nearly +without meaning, I should fear, to readers unacquainted with the +scene and subject. [<italic> Memoirs of the Count de Hordt: +<end italic> London, 1806: 2 vols. 12mo,--only the FIRST volume of +which (unavailable here) is in my possession.] Hordt was reckoned a +perfectly veracious, intelligent kind of man: but he seldom gives +the least date, specification or precise detail; and his Book +reads, not like the Testimony of an Eye-witness, which it is, and +valuable when you understand it; but more like some vague Forgery, +compiled by a destitute inventive individual, regardless of the Ten +Commandments (sparingly consulting even his file of Old +Newspapers), and writing a Book which would deserve the tread-mill, +were there any Police in his trade!-- + +WEDNESDAY, 6th JANUARY, 1762, Hordt's vacant Hades of an existence +in the Citadel of Petersburg was broken by a loud sound: +three minute-guns went off from different sides, close by; and then +whole salvos, peal after peal: "Czarina gone overnight, Peter III. +Czar in her stead!" said the Officer, rushing in to tell Hordt; +to whom it was as news of resurrection from the dead. "Evening of +same day, an Aide-de-Camp of the new Czar came to announce my +liberty; equipage waiting to take me at once to his Russian +Majesty. Asked him to defer it till the following day--so agitated +was I." And indeed the Czar, busy taking acclamations, oaths of +fealty, riding about among his Troops by torchlight, could have +made little of me that evening. [Hermann, <italic> Geschichte des +Russischen Staats, <end italic> v. 241.] "Ultimately, my +presentation was deferred till Sunday" January 10th, "that it might +be done with proper splendor, all the Nobility being then usually +assembled about his Majesty." + +"JANUARY 10th, Waited, amid crowds of Nobility, in the Gallery, +accordingly. Was presented in the Gallery, through which the Czar, +followed by Czarina and all the Court, were passing on their way to +Chapel. Czar made a short kind speech ('Delighted to do you an act +of justice, Monsieur, and return a valuable servant to the King I +esteem'); gave me his hand to kiss: Czarina did the same. +General Korf," an excellent friend, so kind to me at Konigsberg, +while I was getting carted hither, and a General now in high office +here, "who had been my introducer, led me into Chapel, to the +Court's place (TRIBUNE DE LA COUR). Czar came across repeatedly +[while public worship was going on; a Czar perhaps too regardless +that way!] to talk to me; dwelt much on his attachment to the King. +On coming out, the Head Chamberlain whispered me, 'You dine with +the Court.'" Which, of course, I did. + +"Table was of sixty covers; splendid as the Arabian Tales. Czar and +Czarina sat side by side; Korf and I had the honor to be placed +opposite them. Hardly were we seated when the Czar addressed me: +'You have had no Prussian news this long while. I am glad to tell +you that the King is well, though he has had such fighting to right +and left;--but I hope there will soon be an end to all that.' +Words which everybody listened to like prophecy! [Peter is nothing +of a Politician.] 'How long have you been in prison?' continued the +Czar. 'Twenty-five months and three days, your Majesty.' 'Were you +well treated?' Hordt hesitated, knew not what to say; but, the Czar +urging him, confessed, 'He had been always rather badly used; +not even allowed to buy a few books to read.' At which the Czarina +was evidently shocked: 'CELA EST BIEN BARBARE!' she exclaimed +aloud.--I wished much to return home at once; and petitioned the +Czar on that subject, during coffee, in the withdrawing rooms; +but he answered, 'No, you must not,--not till an express Prussian +Envoy arrive!' I had to stay, therefore; and was thenceforth almost +daily at Court",--but unluckily a little vague, and altogether +DATELESS as to what I saw there! + +BIEREN AND MUNNICH, BOTH OF THEM JUST HOME FROM SIBERIA, ARE TO +DRINK TOGETHER (No date: Palace of Petersburg, Spring, 1762).-- +Peter had begun in a great way: all for liberalism, enlightenment, +abolition of abuses, general magnanimity on his own and everybody's +part. Rulhiere did not see the following scene; but it seems to be +well enough vouched for, and Rulhiere heard it talked of in +society. "As many as 20,000 persons, it is counted, have come home +from Siberian Exile:" the L'Estocs, the Munnichs, Bierens, all +manner of internecine figures, as if risen from the dead. +"Since the night when Munnich arrested Bieren [readers possibly +remember it, and Mannstein's account of it [Supra, vol. vii. +p. 363.]], the first time these two met was in the gay and +tumultuous crowd which surrounded the new Czar. 'Come, bygones be +bygones,' said Peter, noticing them; 'let us three all drink +together, like friends!'--and ordered three glasses of wine. +Peter was beginning his glass to show the others an example, when +somebody came with a message to him, which was delivered in a low +tone; Peter listening drank out his wine, set down the glass, and +hastened off; so that Bieren and Munnich, the two old enemies, were +left standing, glass in hand, each with his eyes on the Czar's +glass;--at length, as the Czar did not return, they flashed each +his eyes into the other's face; and after a moment's survey, set +down their glasses untasted, and walked off in opposite +directions." [Rulhiere, p. 33.] Won't coalesce, it seems, in spite +of the Czar's high wishes. An emblem of much that befell the poor +Czar in his present high course of good intentions and headlong +magnanimities!--We return to Hordt:-- + +THE CZAR WEARS A PORTRAIT OF FRIEDRICH ON HIS FINGER. "Czar Peter +never disguised his Prussian predilections. One evening he said, +'Propose to your friend Keith [English Excellency here, whom we +know] to give me a supper at his house to-morrow night. The other +Foreign Ministers will perhaps be jealous; but I don't care!' +Supper at the English Embassy took place. Only ten or twelve +persons, of the Czar's choosing, were present. Czar very gay and in +fine spirits. Talked much of the King of Prussia. Showed me a +signet-ring on his finger, with Friedrich's Portrait in it; +ring was handed round the table." [Hordt, ii. 118, 124, 129.] +This is a signet-ring famous at Court in these months. One day +Peter had lost it (mislaid somewhere), and got into furious +explosion till it was found for him again. [Hermann, v. 258.] +Let us now hear Busching, our Geographical Friend, for a moment:-- + +HERR PASTOR BUSCHING DOES THE HOMAGING FOR SELF AND PEOPLE. ... +"In most Countries, it is Official or Military People that +administer the Oath of Homage, on a change of Sovereigns. But in +Petersburg, among the German population, it is the Pastors of their +respective Churches. At the accession of Peter III., I, for the +first time [being still a young hand rather than an old], took the +Oath from several thousands in my Church,"--and handed it over, +with my own, in the proper quarter. + +"As to the Congratulatory Addresses, the new Czar received the +Congratulations of all classes, and also of the Pastors of the +Foreign Churches, in the following manner. He came walking slowly +through a suite of rooms, in each of which a body of Congratulators +were assembled. Court-officials preceded, State-officials followed +him. Then came the Czarina, attended in a similar way. And always +on entering a new room they received a new Congratulation from the +spokesman of the party there. The spokesman of us Protestant +Pastors was my colleague, Senior Trefurt; but the General-in-Chief +and Head-of-Police, Baron von Korf [Hordt's friend, known to us +above, German, we perceive, by creed and name], thinking it was I +that had to make the speech, and intending to present me at the +same time to the Czar, motioned to me from his place behind the +Czar to advance. But I did not push forward; thinking it +inopportune and of no importance to me."--"Neither did I share the +great expectations which Baron von Korf and everybody entertained +of this new reign. All people now promised themselves better times, +without reflecting [as they should have done!] that the better men +necessary to produce these were nowhere forthcoming!" [Busching's +<italic> Beitrage, <end italic> vi. ("Author's own Biography") 462 +et seq.] + +For the first two or three months, Peter was the idol of all the +world: such generosities and magnanimities; Such zeal and +diligence, one magnanimous improvement following another! He had at +once abolished Torture in his Law-Courts: resolved to have a +regular Code of Laws,--and Judges to be depended on for doing +justice. He "destroyed monopolies;" "lowered the price of salt." +To the joy of everybody, he had hastened (January 18th, second week +of reign) to abolish the SECRET CHANCERY,--a horrid Spanish- +Inquisition engine of domestic politics. His Nobility he had +determined should be noble: January 28th (third week of reign just +beginning), he absolved the Nobility from all servile duties to +him: "You can travel when and where you please; you are not obliged +to serve in my Armies; you may serve in anybody's not at war with +me!" under plaudits loud and universal from that Order of men. +And was petitioned by a grateful Petersburg world: "Permit us, +magnanimous Czar, to raise a statue of your Majesty in solid Gold!" +"Don't at all!" answered Peter: "Ah, if by good governing I could +raise a memorial in my People's hearts; that would be the Statue +for me!" [Hermann, v. 248.] Poor headlong Peter!--It was a less +lucky step that of informing the Clergy (date not given), That in +the Czarship lay Spiritual Sovereignty as well as Temporal, and +that HE would henceforth administer their rich Abbey Lands and the +like:--this gave a sad shock to the upper strata of Priesthood, +extending gradually to the lower, and ultimately raising an ominous +general thought (perhaps worse than a general cry) of "Church in +Danger! Alas, is our Czar regardless of Holy Religion, then? +Perhaps, at heart still Lutheran, and has no Religion?" This, and +his too headlong Prussian tendencies, are counted to have done him +infinite mischief. + +HERR BUSCHING SEES THE CZAR ON HORSEBACK. "When the Czar's own +Regiment of Cuirassiers came to Petersburg, the Czar, dressed in +the uniform of the regiment, rode out to meet it; and returning at +its head, rode repeatedly through certain quarters of the Town. +His helmet was buckled tight with leather straps under the chin; +he sat his horse as upright and stiff as a wooden image; held his +sabre in equally stiff manner; turned fixedly his eyes to the +right; and never by a hair's-breadth changed that posture. In such +attitude he twice passed my house with his regiment, without +changing a feature at sight of the many persons who crowded the +windows. To me [in my privately austere judgment] he seemed so +KLEINGEISTISCH, so small-minded a person, that I"--in fact, knew +not what to think of it. [Busching, <italic> Beitrage, <end italic> +vi. 464.] + +HORDT SEES THE DECEASED CZARINA LYING IN STATE. "One day, after +dining at Court, General Korf proposed that we should go and see +the LIT DE PARADE" (Parade-bed) of the late Czarina, which is in +another Palace, not far off. "Count Schuwalof [NOT her old lover, +who has DIED since her, poor old creature; but his Son, a +cultivated man, afterwards Voltaire's friend] accompanied us; +and, his rooms being contiguous to those of the dead Lady, he asked +us to take coffee with him afterwards. The Imperial Bier stood in +the Grand Saloon, which was hung all round with black, festooned +and garlanded with cloth-of-silver; the glare of wax-lights quite +blinding. Bier, covered with cloth-of-gold trimmed with silver +lace, was raised upon steps. A rich Crown was on the head of the +dead Czarina. Beside the bier stood Four Ladies, two on each hand, +in grand mourning; immense crape training on the ground behind +them. Two Officers of the Life-Guard occupied the lowest steps: +on the topmost, at the foot of the bier, was an Archimandrite +(superior kind of ABBOT), who had a Bible before him, from which he +read aloud,--continuously till relieved by another. This went on +day and night without interruption. All round the bier, on stools +(TABOURETS), were placed different Crowns, and the insignia of +various Orders,--those of Prussia, among others. It being +established usage, I had, to my great repugnance, to kiss the hand +of the corpse! We then talked a little to the Ladies in attendance +(with their crape trains), joking about the article of hand- +kissing; finally we adjourned for coffee to Count Schuwalof's +apartments, which were of an incredible magnificence." That same +evening, farther on,-- + +"I supped with the Czar in his PETIT APPARTEMENT, Private Rooms [a +fine free-and-easy nook of space!]. The company there consisted of +the Countess Woronzow, a creature without any graces, bodily or +mental, whom the Czar had chosen for his Mistress [snub-nosed, +pock-marked, fat, and with a pert tongue at times], whom I liked +the less, as there were one or two other very handsome women there. +Some Courtiers too; and no Foreigners but the English Envoy and +myself. The supper was very gay, and was prolonged late into the +night. These late orgies, however, did not prevent his Majesty from +attending to business in good time next morning. He would appear +unexpectedly, at an early hour, at the Senate, at the Synod [Head +CONSISTORY], making them stand to their duties,"--or pretend to do +it. His Majesty is not understood to have got much real work out of +either of these Governing Bodies; the former, the Senate, or +SECULAR one, which had fallen very torpid latterly, was, not long +after this, suffered to die out altogether. Peter himself was a +violently pushing man, and never shrank from labor; always in a +plunge of hurries, and of irregular hours. In his final time, +people whispered, "The Czar is killing himself; sits smoking, +tippling, talking till 2 in the morning; and is overhead in +business again by 7!" + +CZARINA ELIZABETH'S FUNERAL, AS SEEN BY HORDT (much abridged). +"At 10 in the morning all the bells in Petersburg broke out; +and tolled incessantly [day or month not hinted at,--nor worth +seeking; grim darkness of universal frost perceptible enough; +clangor of bells; and procession seemingly of miles long,--on this +extremely high errand!]--Minute-guns were fired from the moment the +procession set out from the Castle till it arrived at the Citadel, +a distance of two English miles and a half. Planks were laid all +the way; forming a sort of bridge through the streets, and over the +ice of the Neva. All the soldiers of the Garrison were ranked in +espalier on each side. Three hundred grenadiers opened the march; +after them, three hundred priests, in sacerdotal costume; +walking two-and-two, singing hymns. All the Crowns and Orders, +above mentioned by me, were carried by high Dignitaries of the +Court, walking in single file, each a chamberlain behind him. +Hearse was followed by the Czar, skirt of his black cloak held up +by Twelve Chamberlains, each a lighted taper in the OTHER hand. +Prince George of Holstein [Czar's Uncle] came next, then Holstein- +Beck [Czar's Cousin]. Czarina Catharine followed, also on foot, +with a lighted taper; her cloak borne by all her Ladies. +Three hundred grenadiers closed the procession. Bells tolling, +minute-guns firing, seas of people crowding."--Thus the Russians +buried their Czarina. Day and its dusky frost-curtains sank; +and Bootes, looking down from the starry deeps, found one Telluric +Anomaly forever hidden from him. She had left of unworn Dresses, +the richest procurable in Nature (five a day her usual allowance, +and never or seldom worn twice), "15,000 and some hundreds." +[Hermann, v. 176.] + +HORDT IS OF THE NEW CZARINA CATHARINE'S EVENING PARTIES. +"The Czarina received company every morning. She received everybody +with great affability and grace. But notwithstanding her efforts to +appear gay, one could perceive a deep background of sadness in her. +She knew better than anybody the violent (ARDENTE) character of her +husband; and perhaps she then already foresaw what would come. +She also had her circle every evening, and always asked the company +to stay supper. One evening, when I was of her party, a +confidential Equerry of the Czar came in, and whispered me That I +had been searched for all over Town, to come to supper at the +COUNTESS'S (that was the usual designation of the Sultana,"--DAS +FRAULEIN, spelt in Russian ways, is the more usual). "I begged to +be excused for this time, being engaged to sup with the Czarina, to +whom I could not well state the reason for which I was to leave. +The Equerry had not gone long, when suddenly a great noise was +heard, the two wings of the door were flung open, and the Czar +entered. He saluted politely the Czarina and her circle; called me +with that smiling and gracious air which he always had; took me by +the arm, and said to the Czarina: 'Excuse me, Madam, if to-night I +carry off one of your guests; it is this Prussian I had searched +for all over the Town.' The Czarina laughed; I made her a deep bow, +and went away with my conductor. Next morning I went to the +Czarina; who, without mentioning what had passed last night, said +smiling, 'Come and sup with me always when there is nothing to +prevent it.'" + +FEBRUARY 21st, HORDT AT ZARSKOE-ZELOE. "On occasion of the Czar's +birthday [which gives us a date, for once], [Michaelis, ii. 627: +"Peter born, 21st February, 1728."] there were great festivities, +lasting a week. It began with a grand TE DEUM, at which the Czar +was present, but not the Czarina. She had, that morning, in +obedience to her husband's will, decorated 'the Countess' with the +cordon of the Order of St. Catharine. She was now detained in her +Apartment 'by indisposition;' and did not leave it during the eight +days the festivities lasted." This happened at the Country Palace, +Zarskoe-Zeloe; and is a turning-point in poor Peter's History. +[Hermann, p. 253.] From that day, his Czarina saw that, by the +medium of her Peter, it was not she that would ever come to be +Autocrat; not she, but a pock-marked, unbeautiful Person, with +Cordon of the Order of St. Catharine,--blessings on it! From that +day the Czarina sat brooding her wrongs and her perils,--wrongs +DOUE, very many, and now wrongs to be SUFFERED, who can say how +many! She perceives clearly that the Czar is gone from her, fixedly +sullen at her (not without cause);--and that Siberia, or worse, is +possible by and by. The Czarina was helplessly wretched for some +time; and by degrees entered on a Plot;--assisted by Princess +Dashkof (Sister of the Snub-nosed), by Panin (our Son's Tutor, +"a genuine Son, I will swear, whatever the Papa may think in his +wild moments!"), by Gregory Orlof (one's present Lover), and +others of less mark;--and it ripened exquisitely within the next +four months!-- + +HORDT HEARS THE PRAISES OF HIS KING. "Next day [nobody can guess +what DAY] I dined at Court. I sat opposite the Czar, who talked of +nothing but of his 'good friend the King of Prussia.' He knew all +the smallest details of his Campaigns; all his military +arrangements; the dress and strength of all his Regiments; and he +declared aloud that he would shortly put all his troops upon the +same footing [which he did shortly, to the great disgust of his +troops].--Rising from table, the Czar himself did me the honor to +say, 'Come to-morrow; dine with me EN PETIT APPARTEMENT [on the +SNUG, where we often play high-jinks, and go to great lengths in +liquor and tobacco]; I will show you something curious, which you +will like.' I went at the accustomed hour; I found--Lieutenant- +General Werner [hidden since his accident at Colberg last winter, +whom a beneficent Czar has summoned again into the light of noon]! +I made a great friendship with this distinguished General, who was +a charming man; and went constantly about with him, till he left me +here,"--Czarish kindness letting Werner home, and detaining me, to +my regret. [HORDT, i. 133-145, 151.] + +The Prussian Treaties, first of Peace (May 5th), with all our +Conquests flung back, and then of Alliance, with yourself and +ourselves, as it were, flung into the bargain,--were by no means so +popular in Petersburg as in Berlin! From May 5th onwards, we can +suppose Peter to be, perhaps rather rapidly, on the declining hand. +Add the fatal element, "Church in Danger" (a Czar privately +Apostate); his very Guardsmen indignant at their tight-fitting +Prussian uniforms, and at their no less tight Prussian DRILL +(which the Czar is uncommonly urgent with); and a Czarina Plot +silently spreading on all sides, like subterranean mines filled +with gunpowder!-- + +HERR BUSCHING SEES THE CATASTROPHE (Friday, 9th July, 1762). +"This being the day before Peter-and-Paul, which is a great Holiday +in Petersburg, I drove out, between 9 and 10 in the morning, to +visit the sick. On my way from the first house where I had called, +I heard a distant noise like that of a rising thunder-storm, and +asked my people what it was. They did not know; but it appeared to +them like the Shouting of a Mob (VOLKSGESCHREI), and there were all +sorts of rumors afloat. Some said, 'The Czar had suddenly resolved +to get himself crowned at Petersburg, before setting out for the +War on Denmark.' Others said, 'He had named the Czarina to be +Regent during his absence, and that she was to be crowned for this +purpose.' These rumors were too silly: meanwhile the noise +perceptibly drew nearer; and I ordered my coachman to proceed no +farther, but to turn home. + +"On getting home, I called my Wife; and told her, That something +extraordinary was then going on, but that I could not learn what; +that it appeared to me like some popular Tumult, which was coming +nearer to us every moment. We hurried to the corner room of our +house; threw open the window, which looks to the Church of St. Mary +of Casan [where an Act of Thanksgiving has just been consummated, +of a very peculiar kind!]--and we then saw, near this Church, an +innumerable crowd of people; dressed and half-dressed soldiers of +the foot-regiments of the Guards mixed with the populace. +We perceived that the crowd pressed round a common two-seated +Hackney Coach drawn by two horses; in which, after a few minutes, a +Lady dressed in black, and wearing the Order of St. Catharine, +coming out of the church, took a seat. Whereupon the church-bells +began ringing, and the priests, with their assistants carrying +crosses, got into procession, and walked before the Coach. We now +recognized that it was the Czarina Catharine saluting the multitude +to right and left, as she fared along." [<italic> Beitrage, <end +italic> vi. 465: compare RULHIERE, p. 95; HERMANN, v. 287.] + +Yes, Doctor, that Lady in black is the Czarina; and has come a +drive of twenty miles this morning; and done a great deal of +business in Town,--one day before the set time. In her remote +Apartment at Peterhof, this morning, between 2 and 3, she awoke to +see Alexei Orlof, called oftener SCARRED Orlof (Lover GREGORY'S +Brother), kneeling at her bedside, with the words, "Madam, you must +come: there is not a moment to lose!"--who, seeing her awake, +vanished to get the vehicles ready. About 7, she, with the Scarred +and her maid and a valet or two, arrived at the Guards' Barracks +here,--Gregory Orlof, and others concerned, waiting to receive her, +in the fit temper for playing at sharps. She has spoken a little, +wept a little, to the Guards (still only half-dressed, many of +them): "Holy religion, Russian Empire thrown at the feet of +Prussia; my poor Son to be disinherited: Alack, ohoo!" +Whereupon the Guards (their Officers already gained by Orlof) have +indignantly blazed up into the fit Hurra-hurra-ing:--and here, +since about 9 A.M., we have just been in the "Church of St. Mary of +Casan" ("Oh, my friends, Orthodox Religion, first of all!") doing +TE-DEUMS and the other Divine Offices, for the thrice-happy +Revolution and Deliverance now vouchsafed us and you! And the Herr +Doctor, under outburst of the chimes of St. Mary, and of the +jubilant Soldieries and Populations, sees the Czarina saluting to +right and left; and Priests, with their assistants and crucifixes +("Behold them, ye Orthodox; is there anything equal to true +Religion?"), walking before her Hackney Coach. + +"On the one step of her Coach," continues the Herr Doctor, "stood +Grigorei Grigorjewitsh Orlow," so he spells him, "and in front of +it, with drawn sword, rode the Field-marshal and Hetman Count +Kirila Grigorjewitsh Rasomowski, Colonel of the Ismailow Guard. +Lieutenant-General (soon to be General-Ordnance-Master) Villebois +came galloping up; leapt from his horse under our windows, and +placed himself on the other step of the Coach. The procession +passed before our house; going first to the New stone Palace, then +to the Old wooden Winter Palace. Common Russians shouted mockingly +up to us, 'Your god [meaning the Czar] is dead!' And others, 'He is +gone; we will have no more of him!'"-- + +About this hour of the day, at Oranienbaum (ORANGE-TREE, some +twenty miles from here, and from Peterhof guess ten or twelve), +Czar Peter is drilling zealously his brave Holsteiners (2,000 or +more, "the flower of all my troops"); and has not, for hours after, +the least inkling of all this. Catharine had been across to visit +him on Wednesday, no farther back; and had kindled Oranienbaum into +opera, into illumination and what not. Thursday (yesterday), Czar +and Czarina met at some Grandee's festivity, who lives between +their two Residences. This day the Czar is appointed for Peterhof; +to-morrow, July 10th (Peter-and-Paul's grand Holiday), Czar, +Czarina and united Court were to have done the Festivities together +there,--with Czarina's powder-mine of Plot laid under them; +which latter has exploded one day sooner, in the present happy +manner! The poor Czar, this day, on getting to Peterhof, and +finding Czarina vanished, understood too well; he saw "big smoke- +clouds rise suddenly over Petersburg region," withal,--"Ha, she has +cannon going for her yonder; salvoing and homaging!"--and rushed +back to Oranienbaum half mad. Old Munnich undertook to save him, by +one, by two or even three different methods, "Only order me, and +stand up to it with sword bare!"--but Peter's wits were all flying +miscellaneously about, and he could resolve on nothing. + +Peter and his Czarina never met more. Saturday (to-morrow), he +abdicates; drives over to Peterhof, expecting, as per bargain, +interview with his Wife; freedom to retire to Holstein, and "every +sort of kindness compatible with his situation:" but is met there +instead, on the staircase, by brutal people, who tear the orders +off his coat, at length the very clothes off his back,--and pack +him away to Ropscha, a quiet Villa some miles off, to sit silent +there till Orlof and Company have considered. Consideration is: +"To Holstein? He has an Anti-Danish Russian Army just now in that +neighborhood; he will not be safe in Holstein;--where will he be +safe?" Saturday, 17th, Peter's seventh day in Ropscha, the Orlofs +(Scarred Orlof and Four other miscreants, one of them a Prince, one +a Play-actor) came over, and murdered poor Peter, in a treacherous, +and even bungling and disgusting, and altogether hideous manner. +"A glass of burgundy [poisoned burgundy], your Highness?" said +they, at dinner with his poor Highness. On the back of which, the +burgundy having failed and been found out, came grappling and +hauling, trampling, shrieking, and at last strangulation. +Surely the Devil will reward such a Five of his Elect?-- But we +detain Herr Busching: it is still only Friday morning, 9th of the +month; and the Czarina's Hackney Coach, in the manner of a comet +and tail, has just gone into other streets:-- + +"After this terrible uproar had left our quarter, I hastened to the +Danish Ambassador, Count Haxthausen, who lived near me, to bring +him the important news that the Czar was said to be dead. The Count +was just about to burn a mass of Papers, fearing the mob would +plunder his house; but he did not proceed with it now, and thanked +Heaven for saving his Country. His Secretary of Legation, my friend +Schumacher, gave me all the money he had in his pockets, to +distribute amongst the poor; and I returned home. Directly after, +there passed our house, at a rate as if the horses were running +away, a common two-horse coach, in which sat Head-Tutor (OBER- +HOFMEISTER) von Panin with the Grand Duke [famous Czar Paul that is +to be], who was still in his nightgown," poor frightened +little boy!-- + +"Not long after, I saw some of the Foot-guards, in the public +street near the Winter Palace, selling, at rates dog-cheap, their +new uniforms after the Prussian cut, which they had stript off; +whilst others, singing merrily, carried about, stuck on the top of +their muskets, or on their bayonets, their new grenadier caps of +Prussian fashion. [See in HERMANN (v. 291) the Saxon Ambassador's +Report.] I saw several soldiers,, out on errand or otherwise, +seizing the coaches they met in the streets, and driving on in +them. Others appropriated the eatables which hucksters carried +about in baskets. But in all this wild tumult, nobody was killed; +and only at Oranienbaum a few Holstein soldiers got wounded by some +low Russians, in their wantonness. + +"July 11th, the disorder amongst the soldiers was at its height; +yet still much less than might have been expected. Many of them +entered the houses of Foreigners, and demanded money. Seeing a +number of them come into my house, I hastily put a quantity of +roubles and half-roubles in my pocket, and went out with a servant, +especially with a cheerful face, to meet them,"--and no harm +was done. + +"SATURDAY, JULY 17th, was the day of the Czar's death; on the same +17th, the Empress was informed of it; and next day, his body was +brought from Ropscha to the Convent of St. Alexander Newski, near +Petersburg. Here it lay in state three days; nay, an Imperial +Manifesto even ordered that the last honors and duty be paid to it. +July 20th, I drove thither with my Wife; and to be able to view the +body more minutely, we passed twice through the room where it lay. +[An uncommonly broad neckcloth on it, did you observe?] Owing to +the rapid dissolution, it had to be interred on the following day: +--and it was a touching circumstance, that this happened to be the +very day on which the Czar had fixed to start from Petersburg on +his Campaign against Denmark." [Busching, vi. 464-467.] + +Catharine, one must own with a shudder, has not attained the +Autocracy of All the Russias gratis. Let us hope she would once-- +till driven upon a dire alternative--have herself shuddered to +purchase at such a price. A kind of horror haunts one's notion of +her red-handed brazen-faced Orlofs and her, which all the cosmetics +of the world will never quite cover. And yet, on the spot, in +Petersburg at the moment--! Read this Clipping from Smelfungus, on +a collateral topic:-- + +"In BUSCHING'S MAGAZINE are some Love-letters from the old Marshal +Munnich to Catharine just after this event, which are +psychologically curious. Love-letters, for they partake of that +character; though the man is 82, and has had such breakages and +vicissitudes in this Earth. Alive yet, it would seem; and full of +ambitions. Unspeakably beautiful is this young Woman to him; +radiant as ox-eyed Juno, as Diana of the silver bow,--such a power +in her to gratify the avarices, ambitions, cupidities of an +insatiable old fellow: O divine young Empress, Aurora of bright +Summer epochs, rosy-fingered daughter of the Sun,--grant me the +governing of This, the administering of That: and see what a thing +I will make of it (I, an inventive old gentleman), for your +Majesty's honor and glory, and my own advantage! [Busching, +<italic> Magazin fur die neue Historie und Geographie <end italic> +(Halle, Year 1782), xvi. 413-477 (22 LETTERS, and only thrice or so +a word of RESPONSE from "MA DIVINITE:" dates, "Narva, 4th August, +1762" ... "Petersburg, 3d October, 1762").]--Innumerable persons of +less note than Munnich have their Biographies, and are known to the +reading public and in all barbers'-shops, if that were an advantage +to them. Very considerable, this Munnich, as a soldier, for one +thing. And surely had very strange adventures; an original German +character withal:--about the stature of Belleisle, for example; +and not quite unlike Belleisle in some of his ways? Came originally +from the swamps of Oldenburg, or Lower Weser Country,--son of a +DEICHGRAFE (Ditch-Superintendent) there. REQUIESCANT in oblivious +silence, Belleisle and he; it is better than being lied of, and +maundered of, and blotched and blundered of. + +"Biographies were once rhythmic, earnest as death or as life, +earnest as transcendent human Insight risen to the Singing pitch; +some Homer, nay some Psalmist or Evangelist, spokesman of reverent +Populations, was the Biographer. Rhythmic, WITH exactitude, +investigation to the very marrow; this, or else oblivion, Biography +should now, and at all times, be; but is not,--by any manner of +means. With what results is visible enough, if you will look! +Human Stupor, fallen into the dishonest, lazy and UNflogged +condition, is truly an awful thing." + +Catharine did not persist in her Anti-Prussian determination. +July 9th, the Manifesto had been indignantly emphatic on Prussia; +July 22d, in a Note to Goltz from the Czarina, it was all withdrawn +again. [Rodenbeck, ii. 171.] Looking into the deceased Czar's +Papers, she found that Friedrich's Letters to him had contained +nothing of wrong or offensive; always excellent advices, on the +contrary,--advice, among others, To be conciliatory to his clever- +witted Wife, and to make her his ally, not his opponent, in living +and reigning. In Konigsberg (July 16th, seven days after July 9th), +the Russian Governor, just on the point of quitting, emitted +Proclamation, to everybody's horror: "No; altered, all that; +under pain of death, your Oath to Russia still valid!" Which for +the next ten days, or till his new proclamation, made such a +Konigsberg of it as may be imagined. The sight of those Letters is +understood to have turned the scale; which had hung wavering till +July 22d in the Czarina's mind. "Can it be good," she might +privately think withal, "to begin our reign by kindling a foolish +War again?" How Friedrich received the news of July 9th, and into +what a crisis it threw him, we shall soon see. His Campaign had +begun July 1st;-- and has been summoning us home, into ITS horizon, +for some time. + + + +Chapter XI. + +SEVENTH CAMPAIGN OPENS. + +Freidrich's plan of Campaign is settled long since: Recapture +Schweidnitz; clear Silesia of the enemy; Silesia and all our own +Dominions clear, we can then stand fencible against the Austrian +perseverances. Peace, one day, they must grant us. The general tide +of European things is changed by these occurrences in Petersburg +and London. Peace is evidently near. France and England are again +beginning to negotiate; no Pitt now to be rigorous. The tide of War +has been wavering at its summit for two years past; and now, with +this of Russia, and this of Bute instead of Pitt, there is ebb +everywhere, and all Europe determining for peace. Steady at the +helm, as heretofore, a Friedrich, with the world-current in his +favor, may hope to get home after all. + +Austrian Head-quarters had been at Waldenburg, under Loudon or his +Lieutenants, all Winter. Loudon returned thither from Vienna April +7th; but is not to command in chief, this Year,--Schweidnitz still +sticking in some people's throats: "Dangerous; a man with such rash +practices, rapidities and Pandour tendencies!" Daun is to command +in Silesia; Loudon, under him, obscure to us henceforth, and +inoffensive to Official people. Reichs Army shall take charge of +Saxony; nominally a Reichs Army, though there are 35,000 Austrians +in it, as the soul of it, under some Serbelloni, some Stollberg as +Chief--(the fact, I believe, is: Serbelloni got angrily displaced +on that "crossing of the Mulda by Prince Henri, May 13th;" +Prince of Zweibruck had angrily abdicated a year before; and a +Prince von Stollberg is now Generalissimo of Reich and Allies: +but it is no kind of matter),--some Stollberg, with Serbelloni, +Haddick, Maguire and such like in subaltern places. Cunctator Daun, +in spite of his late sleepy ways, is to be Head-man again: +this surely is a cheering circumstance to Friedrich; Loudon, not +Daun, being the only man he ever got much ill of hitherto. + +Daun arrives in Waldenburg, May 9th; and to show that he is not +cunctatory, steps out within a week after. May 15th, he has +descended from his Mountains; has swept round by the back and by +the front of Schweidnitz, far and wide, into the Plain Country, and +encamped himself crescent-wise, many miles in length, Head-quarter +near the Zobtenberg. Bent fondly round Schweidnitz; meaning, as is +evident, to defend Schweidnitz against all comers,--his very +position symbolically intimating: "I will fight for it, Prussian +Majesty, if you like!" + +Prussian Majesty, however, seemed to take no notice of him; +and, what was very surprising, kept his old quarters: +"a Cantonment, or Chain of Posts, ten miles long; Schweidnitz Water +on his right flank, Oder on his left;" perfectly safe, as he +perceives, being able to assemble in four hours, if Daun try +anything. [Tempelhof, vi. 66.] And, in fact, sat there, and did not +come into the Field at all for five weeks or more;--waiting till +Czernichef's 20,000 arrive, who are on march from Thorn since June +2d. Mere small-war goes on in the interim; world getting all +greener and flowerier; the Glatz Highlands, to one's left yonder +(Owl-Mountains, EULENGEBIRGE so called), lying magically blue and +mysterious:--on the Plain in front of them, ten miles from the +final peaks of them, is Schweidnitz Fortress, lying full in view, +with a picked Garrison of 12,000 under a picked Captain, and all +else of defence or impregnability; and Friedrich privately +determined to take it, though by methods of his own choosing, and +which cannot commence till Czernichef come. Daun, with his right +wing, has hold of those Highland Regions, and cautiously guards +them; can, when he pleases, wend back to Waldenburg Country; and at +once, with his superior numbers, block all passages, and sit there +impregnable. The methods of dislodging him are obscure to Friedrich +himself; but methods there must be, dislodged he must be, and sent +packing. Without that, all siege of Schweidnitz is +flatly impossible. + +June 27th, Friedrich's Head-quarter is Tintz, Czernichef now nigh: +[Tempelhof, vi. 76.] two days ago (June 25th), Czernichef's +Cossacks "crossed the Oder at Auras,"--with how different objects +from those they used to have! JULY 1st, Czernichef himself is here, +in full tale and equipment. Had encamped, a day ago, on the Field +of Lissa; where Majesty reviewed him, inspected and manoeuvred him, +with great mutual satisfaction. "Field of Lissa;" it is where our +poor Prussian people encamped on the night of Leuthen, with their +"NUN DANKET ALLE GOTT," five years ago, in memorable circumstances: +to what various uses are Earth's Fields liable! + +Friedrich, by degrees, has considerably changed his opinion, and +bent towards the late Keith's, about Russian Soldiery: a Soldiery +of most various kinds; from predatory Cossacks and Calmucks to +those noble Grenadiers, whom we saw sit down on the Walls of +Schweidnitz when their work was done. A perfectly steady obedience +is in these men; at any and all times obedient, to the death if +needful, and with a silence, with a steadfastness as of rocks and +gravitation. Which is a superlative quality in soldiers. Good in +Nations too, within limits; and much a distinction in the Russian +Nation: rare, or almost unique, in these unruly Times. The Russians +have privately had their admirations of Friedrich, all this while; +and called him by I forget what unpronounceable vernacular epithet, +signifying "Son of Lightning," or some such thing. +[Buchholz, <italic> Neueste Preussisch-Brandenburgische Geschichte +<end italic> (1775), vol ii. (page irrecoverable).] No doubt they +are proud to have a stroke of service under such a one, since +Father Peter Feodorowitsh graciously orders it: the very Cossacks +show an alertness, a vivacity; and see cheery possibilities ahead, +in Countries not yet plundered out. They stayed with Friedrich only +Three Weeks,--Russia being an uncertain Country. As we have seen +above; though Friedrich, who is vitally concerned, has not yet +seen! But their junction with him, and review by him in the Field +of Lissa, had its uses by and by; and may be counted an epoch in +Russian History, if nothing more. The poor Russian Nation, most +pitiable of loyal Nations,--struggling patiently ahead, on those +bad terms, under such CATINS and foul Nightmares,--has it, shall we +say, quite gone without conquest in this mad War? Perhaps, not +quite. It has at least shown Europe that it possesses fighting +qualities: a changed Nation, since Karl XII. beat them easily, at +Narva, 8,000 to 80,000, in the snowy morning, long since!-- + +Czernichef once come, and in his place in the Camp of Tintz, +business instantly begins,--business, and a press of it, in right +earnest;--upon the hitherto idle Daun. July 1st, there is general +complex Advance everywhere on Friedrich's part; general attempt +towards the Mountains. Upon which Daun, well awake, at once rolls +universally thitherward again; takes post in front of the +Mountains,--on the Heights of Kunzendorf, to wit (Loudon's old post +in Bunzelwitz time);-and elaborately spreads himself out in defence +there. "Take him multifariously by the left flank, get between him +and his Magazine at Braunau!" thinks Friedrich. Discovering which, +Daun straightway hitches back into the Mountains altogether, +leaving Kunzendorf to Friedrich's use as main camp. His outmost +Austrians, on the edge of the Mountain Country, and back as far as +suitable, Daun elaborately posts; and intrenches himself behind +them in all the commanding points,--Schweidnitz still well in +sight; and Braunau and the roads to it well capable of being +guarded. Daun's Head-quarter is Tannhausen; Burkersdorf, +Ludwigsdorf, if readers can remember them, are frontward posts:--in +his old imperturbable way Daun sits there waiting events. + +And for near three weeks there ensues a very multiplex series of +rapid movements, and alarming demonstrations, on Daun's front, on +Daun's right flank; with serious extensive effort (masked in that +way) to turn Daun's left flank, and push round by Landshut Country +upon Bohemia and Braunau. Effort very serious indeed on that +Landshut side: conducted at first by Friedrich in person, with +General Wied (called also NEUwied, a man of mark since Liegnitz +time) as second under him; latterly by Wied himself, as Friedrich +found it growing dubious or hopeless. That was Friedrich's first +notion of the Daun problem. There are rapid marches here, there, +round that western or left flank of Daun; sudden spurts of fierce +fighting, oftenest with a stiff climb as preliminary: but not the +least real success on Daun. Daun perfectly comprehends what is on +foot; refuses to take shine for substance; stands massed, or +grouped, at his own skilful judgment, in the proper points for +Braunau, still more for Schweidnitz; and is very vigilant +and imperturbable. + +Kunzendorf Heights, which are not of the Hills, but in front of +them, with a strip of flat still intervening;--these, we said, Daun +had at once quitted: and these are now Friedrich's;--but yield him +a very complex prospect at present. A line of opposing Heights, +Burkersdorf, Ludwigsdorf, Leuthmannsdorf, bristling with abundant +cannon; behind is the multiplex sea of Hills, rising higher and +higher, to the ridge of the Eulenberg in Glatz Country 10 or 12 +miles southward: Daun, with forces much superior, calmly lord of +all that; infinitely needing to be ousted, could one but say how! +Friedrich begins to perceive that Braunau will not do; that he must +contrive some other plan. General Wied he still leaves to prosecute +the Braunau scheme: perhaps there is still some chance in it; +at lowest it will keep Daun's attention thitherward. And Wied +perseveres upon Braunau; and Braunau proving impossible, pushes +past it deeper into Bohemia, Daun loftily regardless of him. +Wied's marches and attempts were of approved quality; +though unsuccessful in the way of stirring Daun. Wied's Light +troops went scouring almost as far as Prag,--especially a 500 +Cossacks that were with him, following their old fashion, in a new +Country. To the horror of Austria; who shrieked loudly, feeling +them in her own bowels; though so quiet while they were in other +people's on her score. This of the 500 Cossacks under Wied, if this +were anything, was all of actual work that Friedrich had from his +Czernichef Allies;--nothing more of real or actual while they +stayed, though something of imaginary or ostensible which had its +importance, as we shall see. + +Friedrich, in the third week, recalls Wied: "Braunau clearly +impossible; only let us still keep up appearances!" July 18th, Wied +is in Kunzendorf Country again; on an important new enterprise, or +method with the Daun Problem, in which Wied is to bear a principal +hand. That is to say, The discomfiture and overturn of Daun's right +wing, if we can,--since his left has proved impossible. This was +the STORMING OF BURKERSDORF HEIGHTS; Friedrich's new plan. +Which did prove successful, and is still famous in the Annals of +War: reckoned by all judges a beautiful plan, beautifully executed, +and once more a wonderful achieving of what seemed the impossible, +when it had become the indispensable. One of Friedrich's prettiest +feats; and the last of his notable performances in this War. +Readers ought not to be left without some shadowy authentic notion +of it; though the real portraiture or image (which is achievable +too, after long study) is for the professional soldier only,--for +whom TEMPELHOF, good maps and plenty of patience are the recipe. + +"The scene is the Wall of Heights, running east and west, parallel +to Friedrich's Position at Kunzendorf; which form the Face, or +decisive beginning, of that Mountain Glacis spreading up ten miles +farther, towards Glatz Country. They, these Heights called of +Burkersdorf, are in effect Daun's right wing; vitally precious to +Daun, who has taken every pains about them. Burkersdorf Height (or +Heights, for there are two, divided by the Brook Weistritz; but we +shall neglect the eastern or lower, which is ruled by the other, +and stands or falls along with it), Burkersdorf Height is the +principal: a Hill of some magnitude (short way south of the Village +of Burkersdorf, which also is Daun's); Hill falling rather steep +down, on two of its sides, namely on the north side, which is +towards Friedrich and Kunzendorf, and on the east side, where +Weistritz Water, as yet only a Brook, gushes out from the +Mountains,--hastening towards Schweidnitz or Schweidnitz Water; +towards Lissa and Leuthen Country, where we have seen it on an +important night. Weistritz, at this part, has scarped the eastern +flank of Burkersdorf Height; and made for itself a pleasant little +Valley there: this is the one Pass into the Mountains. A Valley of +level bottom; where Daun has a terrific trench and sunk battery +level with the ground, capable of sweeping to destruction whoever +enters there without leave. + +"East from Burkersdorf Lesser Height (which we neglect for the +present), and a little farther inwards or south, are Two other +Heights: Ludwigsdorf and Leuthmannsdorf; which also need capture, +as adjuncts of Burkersdorf, or second line to Burkersdorf; and are +abundantly difficult, though not so steep as Burkersdorf. + +"The Enterprise, therefore, divides itself into two. Wied is to do +the Ludwigsdorf-Leuthmannsdorf part; Mollendorf, the Burkersdorf. +The strength of guns in these places, especially on Burkersdorf,-- +we know Daun's habit in that particular; and need say nothing. +Man-devouring batteries, abatis; battalions palisaded to the teeth, +'the pales strong as masts, and room only for a musket-barrel +between;' nay, they are 'furnished with a lath or cross-strap all +along, for resting your gun-barrel on and taking aim:'--so careful +is Daun. The ground itself is intricate, in parts impracticably +steep; everywhere full of bushes, gnarls and impediments. +Seldom was there such a problem altogether! Friedrich's position, +as we say, is Kunzendorf Heights, with Schweidnitz and his old +ground of Bunzelwitz to rear, Czernichef and others lying there, +and Wurben and the old Villages and Heights again occupied as +posts:--what a tale of Egyptian bricks has one to bake, your +Majesty, on certain fields of this world; and with such +insufficiency of raw-material sometimes!" + +By the 16th of July, Friedrich's plans are complete. Contrived, I +must say, with a veracity and opulent potency of intellect, +flashing clear into the matter, and yet careful of the smallest +practical detail. FRIDAY, 17th, Mollendorf, with men and furnitures +complete, circles off northwestward by Wurben (for the benefit of +certain on-lookers), but will have circled round to Burkersdorf +neighborhood two days hence; by which time also Wied will be +quietly in his place thereabouts, with a view to business on the +20th and 21st. Mollendorf, Wied and everything, are prosperously +under way in this manner,--when, on the afternoon of that same +Friday, 17th, [Compare Tempelhof, vi. 99, and Rodenbeck, ii. 164.] +Czernichef steps over, most privately, to head-quarters: with what +a bit of news! "A Revolution in Petersburg [JULY 9th, as we saw +above, or as Herr Busching saw]; Czar Peter,--your Majesty's +adorer, is dethroned, perhaps murdered; your Majesty's enemies, in +the name of Czarina Catharine, order me instantly homeward with my +20,000!" This is true news, this of Czernichef. A most unexpected, +overwhelming Revolution in those Northern Parts;--not needing to be +farther touched upon in this place. + +What here concerns us is, Friedrich's feelings on hearing of it; +which no reader can now imagine. Horror, amazement, pity, very +poignant; grief for one's hapless friend Peter, for one's still +more hapless self! "The Sisyphus stone, which we had got dragged to +the top, the chains all beautifully slack these three months past, +--has it leapt away again? And on the eve of Burkersdorf, and our +grand Daun problem!" Truly, the Destinies have been quite dramatic +with this King, and have contrived the moment of hitting him to the +heart. He passionately entreats Czernichef to be helpful to him,-- +which Czernichef would fain be, only how can he? To be helpful; +at least to keep the matter absolutely secret yet for some hours: +this the obliging Czernichef will do. And Friedrich remains, +Czernichef having promised this, in the throes of desperate +consideration and uncertainty, hour after hour,--how many hours I +do not know. It is confidently said, [Retzow, ii. 415.] Friedrich +had the thought of forcibly disarming Czernichef and his 20,000:-- +in which case he must have given up the Daun Enterprise; +for without Czernichef as a positive quantity, much more with +Czernichef as a negative, it is impossible. But, at any rate, most +luckily for himself, he came upon a milder thought: "Stay with us +yet three days, merely in the semblance of Allies, no service +required of you, but keeping the matter a dead secret;--on the +fourth day go, with my eternal thanks!" This is his milder +proposal; urged with his best efforts upon the obliging Czernichef: +who is in huge difficulty, and sees it to be at peril of his head, +but generously consents. It is the same Czernichef who got lodged +in Custrin cellars, on one occasion: know, O King,--the King, +before this, does begin to know,--that Russians too can have +something of heroic, and can recognize a hero when they see him! +In this fine way does Friedrich get the frightful chasm, or sudden +gap of the ground under him, bridged over for the moment; +and proceeds upon Burkersdorf all the same. + +Of the Attack itself we propose to say almost nothing. It consists +of Two Parts, Wied and Mollendorf, which are intensely Real; and of +a great many more which are Scenic chiefly,--some of them Scenic to +the degree of Drury-Lane itself, as we perceive;--all cunningly +devised, and beautifully playing into one another, both the real +and the scenic. EVENING OF THE 20th, Friedrich is on his ground, +according to Program. Friedrich--who has now his Mollendorf and +Wied beside him again, near this Village of Burkersdorf; and has +his completely scenic Czernichef, and partly scenic Ziethen and +others, all in their places behind him--quietly crushes Daun's +people out of Burkersdorf Village; and furthermore, so soon as +Night has fallen, bursts up, for his own uses, Burkersdorf old +Castle, and its obstinate handful of defenders, which was a noisier +process. Which done, he diligently sets to trenching, building +batteries in that part; will have forty formidable guns, howitzers +a good few of them, ready before sunrise. And so, + +WEDNESDAY, 21st JULY, 1762, All Prussians are in motion, far and +wide; especially Mollendorf and Wied (VERSUS O'Kelly and Prince de +Ligne),--which Pair of Prussians may be defined rather as near and +close; these Two being, in fact, the soul of the matter, and all +else garniture and semblance. About 4 in the morning, Friedrich's +Battery of 40 has begun raging; the howitzers diligent upon O'Kelly +and his Burkersdorf Height,--not much hurting O'Kelly or his +Height, so high was it, but making a prodigious noise upon O'Kelly; +--others of the cannon shearing home on those palisades and +elaborations, in the Weistritz Valley in particular, and quite +tearing up a Cavalry Regiment which was drawn out there; so that +O'Kelly had instantly to call it home, in a very wrecked condition. +Why O'Kelly ever put it there--except that he saw no place for it +in his rugged localities, or no use for it anywhere--is still a +mystery to the intelligent mind. [Tempelhof, vi. 107.] +The howitzers, their shells bursting mostly in the air, did O'Kelly +little hurt, nor for hours yet was there any real attack on +Burkersdorf or him; but the noise, the horrid death-blaze was +prodigious, and kept O'Kelly, like some others, in an agitated, +occupied condition till their own turn came. + +For it had been ordered that Wied and Mollendorf were not to attack +together: not together, but successively,--for the following +reasons. TOGETHER; suppose Mollendorf to prosper on O'Kelly (whom +he is to storm, not by the steep front part as O'Kelly fancies, but +to go round by the western flank and take him in rear); suppose +Mollendorf to be near prospering on Burkersdorf Height,--unless +Wied too have prospered, Ludwigsdorf batteries and forces will have +Mollendorf by the right flank, and between two fires he will be +ruined; he and everything! On the other hand, let Wied try first: +if Wied can manage Ludwigsdorf, well: if Wied cannot, he comes home +again with small damage; and the whole Enterprise is off for the +present. That was Friedrich's wise arrangement, and the reason why +he so bombards O'Kelly with thunder, blank mostly. + +And indeed, from 4 this morning and till 4 in the afternoon, there +is such an outburst and blazing series of Scenic Effect, and +thunder mostly blank, going on far and near all over that District +of Country: General This ostentatiously speeding off, as if for +attack on some important place; General That, for attack on some +other; all hands busy,--the 20,000 Russians not yet speeding, but +seemingly just about to do it,--and blank thunder so mixed with not +blank, and scenic effect with bitter reality, [Tempelhof, vi. +105-111.]--as was seldom seen before. And no wisest Daun, not to +speak of his O'Kellys and lieutenants, can, for the life of him, +say where the real attack is to be, or on what hand to turn +himself. Daun in person, I believe, is still at Tannhausen, near +the centre of this astonishing scene; five or six miles from any +practical part of it. And does order forward, hither, thither, +masses of force to support the De Ligne, the O'Kelly, among +others,--but who can tell what to support? Daun's lieutenants were +alert some of them, others less: General Guasco, for instance, who +is in Schweidnitz, an alert Commandant, with 12,000 picked men, was +drawing out, of his own will, with certain regiments to try +Friedrich's rear: but a check was put on him (some dangerous shake +of the fist from afar), when he had to draw in again. In general +the O'Kelly supports sat gazing dubiously, and did nothing for +O'Kelly but roll back along with him, when the time came. But let +us first attend to Wied, and the Ludwigsdorf-Leuthmannsdorf part. + +Wied, divided into Three, is diligently pushing up on Ludwigsdorf +by the slacker eastern ascents; meets firm enough battalions, +potent, dangerous and resolute in their strong posts; but endeavors +firmly to be more dangerous than they. Dislodges everything, on his +right, on his left; comes in sight of the batteries and ranked +masses atop, which seem to him difficult indeed; flatly impossible, +if tried on front; but always some Colonel Lottum, or quick-eyed +man, finds some little valley, little hollow; gets at the Enemy +side-wise and rear-wise; rushes on with fixed bayonets, double- +quick, to co-operate with the front: and, on the whole, there are +the best news from Wied, and we perceive he sees his way through +the affair. + +Upon which, Mollendorf gets in motion, upon his specific errand. +Mollendorf has been surveying his ground a little, during the +leisure hour; especially examining what mode of passage there may +be, and looking for some road up those slacker western parts: +has found no road, but a kind of sheep track, which he thinks will +do. Mollendorf, with all energy, surmounting many difficulties, +pushes up accordingly; gets into his sheep-track; finds, in the +steeper part of this track, that horses cannot draw his cannon; +sets his men to do it; pulls and pushes, he and they, with a right +will;--sees over his left shoulder, at a certain point, the ranked +Austrians waiting for him behind their cannon (which must have been +an interesting glimpse of scenery for some moments); tugs along, +till he is at a point for planting his cannon; and then, under help +of these, rushes forward,--in two parts, perhaps in three, but with +one impetus in all,--to seize the Austrian fruit set before him. +Surely, if a precious, a very prickly Pomegranate, to clutch hold +of on different sides, after such a climb! The Austrians make stiff +fight; have abatis, multiplex defences; and Mollendorf has a +furious wrestle with this last remnant, holding out wonderfully,-- +till at length the abatis itself catches fire, in the musketry, and +they have to surrender. This must be about noon, as I collect: +and Feldmarschall Daun himself now orders everybody to fall back. +And the tug of fight is over;--though Friedrich's scenic effects +did not cease; and in particular his big battery raged till 5 in +the afternoon, the more to confirm Daun's rearward resolutions and +quicken his motions. On fall of night, Daun, everybody having had +his orders, and been making his preparations for six hours past, +ebbed totally away; in perfect order, bag and baggage. Well away to +southward; and left Friedrich quit of him. [Tempelhof. vi. 100-115: +compare <italic> Bericht von der bey Leutmannsdorf den 21sten +Julius 1762 vorgefallenen Action <end italic> (Seyfarth, <italic> +Beylagen, <end italic> iii. 302-308); <italic> Anderweiter Bericht +von der &c. <end italic> (ib. 308-314); Archenholtz, &c. &c.] + +Quit of Daun forevermore, as it turned out. Plainly free, at any +rate, to begin upon Schweidnitz, whenever he sees good. Of the +behavior of Wied, Mollendorf, and their people, indeed of the +Prussians one and all, what can be said, but that it was worthy of +their Captain and of the Plannings he had made? Which is saying a +great deal. "We got above 14 big guns," report they; "above 1,000 +prisoners, and perhaps twice as many that deserted to us in the +days following." Czernichef was full of admiration at the day's +work: he marched early next morning,--I trust with lasting +gratitude on the part of an obliged Friedrich. + +Some three weeks before this of Burkersdorf, Duke Ferdinand, near a +place called Wilhelmsthal, in the neighborhood of Cassel, in woody +broken country of Hill and Dale, favorable for strategic +contrivances, had organized a beautiful movement from many sides, +hoping to overwhelm the too careless or too ignorant French, and +gain a signal victory over them: BATTLE, so called, OF +WILHELMSTHAL, JUNE 24th, 1762, being the result. Mauvillon never +can forgive a certain stupid Hanoverian, who mistook his orders; +and on getting to his Hill-top, which was the centre of all the +rest,--formed himself with his BACK to the point of attack; +and began shooting cannon at next to nothing, as if to warn the +French, that they had better instantly make off! Which they +instantly set about, with a will; and mainly succeeded in; +nothing all day but mazes of intricate marching on both sides, with +spurts of fight here and there,--ending in a truly stiff bout +between Granby and a Comte de Stainville, who covered the retreat, +and who could not be beaten without a great deal of trouble. +The result a kind of victory to Ferdinand; but nothing like what he +expected. [Mauvillon, ii. 227-236; Tempelhof, vi. &c. &c.] + +Soubise leads the French this final Year; but he has a D'Estrees +with him (our old D'Estrees of HASTENBECK), who much helps the +account current; and though generally on the declining hand +(obliged to give up Gottingen, to edge away farther and farther out +of Hessen itself, to give up the Weser, and see no shift but the +farther side of Fulda, with Frankfurt to rear),--is not often +caught napping as here at Wilhelmsthal. There ensued about the +banks of the Fulda, and the question, Shall we be driven across it +sooner or not so soon? a great deal of fighting and pushing (Battle +called of LUTTERNBERG, Battle of JOHANNISBERG, and others): but all +readers will look forward rather to the CANNONADE OF AMONEBURG, +more precisely Cannonade of the BRUCKEN-MUHLE (September 2lst), +which finishes these wearisome death-wrestlings. Peace is coming; +all the world can now count on that! + +Bute is ravenous for Peace; has been privately taking the most +unheard-of steps:--wrote to Kaunitz, "Peace at once and we will +vote for your HAVING Silesia;" to which Kaunitz, suspecting +trickery in artless Bute, answered, haughtily sneering, "No help +needed from your Lordship in that matter!" After which repulse, or +before it, Bute had applied to the Czar's Minister in London: +"Czarish Majesty to have East Preussen guaranteed to him, if he +will insist that the King of Prussia DISPENSE with Silesia;" +which the indignant Czar rejected with scorn, and at once made his +Royal Friend aware of; with what emotion on the Royal Friend's part +we have transiently seen. "Horrors and perfidies!" ejaculated he, +in our hearing lately; and regarded Bute, from that time, as a +knave and an imbecile both in one; nor ever quite forgave Bute's +Nation either, which was far from being Bute's accomplice in this +unheard-of procedure. "No more Alliances with England!" counted he: +"What Alliance can there be with that ever-fluctuating People? +To-day they have a thrice-noble Pitt; to-morrow a thrice-paltry +Bute, and all goes heels-over-head on the sudden!" [Preuss, ii. +308; Mitchell, ii. 286.] + +Bute, at this rate of going, will manage to get hold of Peace +before long. To Friedrich himself, a Siege of Schweidnitz is now +free; Schweidnitz his, the Austrians will have to quit Silesia. +"Their cash is out: except prayer to the Virgin, what but Peace can +they attempt farther? In Saxony things will have gone ill, if there +be not enough left us to offer them in return for Glatz. And Peace +and AS-YOU-WERE must ensue!" + +Let us go upon Schweidnitz, therefore; pausing on none of these +subsidiary things; and be brief upon Schweidnitz too. + + + +Chapter XII. + +SIEGE OF SCHWEIDNITZ: SEVENTH CAMPAIGN ENDS. + +Daun being now cleared away, Friedrich instantly proceeds upon +Schweidnitz. Orders the necessary Siege Materials to get under way +from Neisse; posts his Army in the proper places, between Daun and +the Fortress,--King's head-quarter Dittmannsdorf, Army spread in +fine large crescent-shape, to southwest of Schweidnitz some ten +miles, and as far between Daun and it;--orders home to him his +Upper-Silesia Detachments, "Home, all of you, by Neisse Country, to +make up for Czernichef's departure; from Neisse onwards you can +guard the Siege-Ammunition wagons!" Naturally he has blockaded +Schweidnitz, from the first; he names Tauentzien Siege-Captain, +with a 10 or 12,000 to do the Siege: "Ahead, all of you!"--and in +short, AUGUST 7th, with the due adroitness and precautions, opens +his first parallel; suffering little or nothing hitherto by a +resistance which is rather vehement. [Tempelhof, vi. 126.] +He expects to have the place in a couple of weeks--"one week (HUIT +JOUR)" he sometimes counts it, but was far out in his reckoning as +to time. + +The Siege of Schweidnitz occupied two most laborious, tedious +months;--and would be wearisome to every reader now, as it was to +Friedricb then, did we venture on more than the briefest outline. +The resistance is vehement, very skilful:--Commandant is Guasco +(the same who was so truculent to Schmettau in the Dresden time); +his Garrison is near 12,000, picked from all regiments of the +Austrian Army; his provisions, ammunitions, are of the amplest; +and he has under him as chief Engineer a M. Gribeauval, who +understands "counter-mining" like no other. After about a fortnight +of trial, and one Event in the neighborhood which shall be +mentioned, this of Mining and Counter-mining--though the External +Sap went restlessly forward too, and the cannonading was incessant +on both sides--came to be regarded more and more as the real +method, and for six or seven weeks longer was persisted in, with +wonderful tenacity of attempt and resistance. Friedrich's chief +Mining Engineer is also a Frenchman, one Lefebvre; who is +personally the rival of Gribeauval (his old class-fellow at +College, I almost think); but is not his equal in subterranean +work,--or perhaps rather has the harder task of it, that of Mining, +instead of COUNTER-mining, or SPOILING Mines. Tempelhof's account +of these two people, and their underground wrestle here, is really +curious reading;--clear as daylight to those that will study, but +of endless expansion (as usual in Tempelhof), and fit only to be +indicated here. [Tempelhof, vi. 122-219; <italic> Bericht und +Tagebuch von der Belagerung von Schweidnitz vom 7ten August bis 9 +October, 1762 <end italic> (Seyfarth, <italic> Beylagen, <end +italic> iii. 376-479); Archenholtz, Retzow, &c.] + +The external Event I promised to mention is an attempt on Daun's +part (August 16th) to break in upon Friedrich's position, and +interrupt the Siege, or render it still impossible. Event called +the BATTLE OF REICHENBACH, though there was not much of battle in +it;--in which our old friend the Duke of Brunswick-Bevern (whom we +have seen in abeyance, and merely a Garrison Commandant, for years +back, till the Russians left Stettin to itself) again played a +shining part. + +Daun--at Tannhausen, 10 miles to southwest of Friedrich, and spread +out among the Hills, with Loudons, Lacys, Becks, as lieutenants, +and in plenty of force, could he resolve on using it--has at last, +after a month's meditation, hit upon a plan. Plan of flowing round +by the southern skirt of Friedrich, and seizing certain Heights to +the southeastern or open side of Schweidnitz,--Koltschen Height the +key one; from which he may spread up at will, Height after Height, +to the very Zobtenberg on that eastern side, and render Schweidnitz +an impossibility. The plan, people say, was good; but required +rapidity of execution,--a thing Daun is not strong in. + +Bevern's behavior, too, upon whom the edge of the matter fell, was +very good. Bevern, coming on from Neisse and Upper Silesia, had +been much manoeuvred upon for various days by Beck; Beck, a +dangerous, alert man, doing his utmost to seize post after post, +and bar Bevern's way,--meaning especially, as ultimate thing, to +get hold of a Height called Fischerberg, which lies near +Reichenbach (in the southern Schweidnitz vicinities), and is +preface to Koltschen Height and to the whole Enterprise of Daun. +In most of which attempts, especially in this last, Bevern, with +great merit, not of dexterity alone (for the King's Orders had +often to be DISobeyed in the letter, and only the spirit of them +held in view), contrived to outmanoeuvre Beck; and be found (August +13th) already firm on the Fischerberg, when Beck, in full +confidence, came marching towards it. "The Fischerberg lost to us!" + Beck had to report, in disappointment. "Must be recovered, and my +grand Enterprise no longer put off!" thinks Daun to himself, in +still more disappointment ("Laggard that I am!").--And on the third +day following, the BATTLE OF REICHENBACH ensued. Lacy, as chief, +with abundant force, and Beck and Brentano under him: these are to +march, "Recover me that Fischerberg; it is the preface to Koltschen +and all else!" [Tempelhof, vi. 144.] + +MONDAY, AUGUST 16th, pretty early in the day, Lacy, with his Becks +and Brentanos, appeared in great force on the western side of +Fischerberg; planted themselves there, about the three Villages of +Peilau (Upper, Nether and Middle Peilau, a little way to south of +Reichenbach), within cannon-shot of Bevern; their purpose +abundantly clear. Behind them, in the gorges of the Mountains, what +is not so clear, lay Daun and most of his Army; intending to push +through at once upon Koltschen and seize the key, were this of +Fischerberg had. Lacy, after reconnoitring a little, spreads his +tents (which it is observable Beck does not); and all Austrians +proceed to cooking their dinner. "Nothing coming of them till +to-morrow!" said Friedrich, who was here; and went his way home, on +this symptom of the Austrian procedures;--hardly consenting to +regard them farther, even when he heard their cannonade begin. + +Lacy, the general composure being thus established, and dinner well +done, suddenly drew out about five in the evening, in long strong +line, before these Hamlets of Peilau, on the western side of the +Fischerberg; Beck privately pushing round by woods to take it on +the eastern side: and there ensued abundant cannonading on the part +of Lacy and Brentano, and some idle flourishing about of horse, +responded to by Bevern; and, on the part of Lacy and Brentano, +nothing else whatever. More like a theatre fight than a real one, +says Tempelhof. Beck, however, is in earnest; has a most difficult +march through the tangled pathless woods; does arrive at length, +and begin real fighting, very sharp for some time; which might have +been productive, had Lacy given the least help to it, as he did +NOT. [Tempelhof, vi. 146-151.] Beck did his fieriest; but got +repulsed everywhere. Beck tries in various places; finds swamps, +impediments, fierce resistance from the Bevern people;--finds, at +length, that the King is awake, and that reinforcements, horse, +foot, riding-artillery, are coming in at the gallop; and that he, +Beck, cannot too soon get away. + +None of the King's Foot people could get in for a stroke, though +they came mostly running (distance five miles); but the Horse- +charges were beautifully impressive on Lacy's theatrical +performers, as was the Horse-Artillery to a still more surprising +degree; and produced an immediate EXEUNT OMNES on the Lacy part. +All off; about 7 P.M.,--Sun just going down in the autumn sky;--and +the Battle of Reichenbach a thing finished. Seeing which, Daun also +immediately withdrew, through the gorges of the Mountains again. +And for seven weeks thenceforth sat contemplative, without the +least farther attempt at relief of Schweidnitz. It was during those +seven weeks, some time after this, that poor Madam Daun, going to a +Levee at Schonbrunn one day, had her carriage half filled with +symbolical nightcaps, successively flung in upon her by the Vienna +people;--symbolical; in lieu of Slashing Articles, and Newspapers +the best Instructors, which they as yet have not. + +Next day the Joy-fire of the Prussians taught Guasco what disaster +had happened; and on the fifth day afterwards (August 22d), hearing +nothing farther of Daun, Guasco offered to surrender, on the +principle of Free Withdrawal. "No, never," answered Tauentzien, by +the King's order: "As Prisoners of War it must be!" Upon which +Guasco stood to his defences again; and maintained himself,-- +Gribeauval and he did,--with an admirable obstinacy: the details of +which would be very wearisome to readers. Gribeauval and he, I +said; for from this time, Engineer Lefebvre, though he tried (with +bad skill, thinks Tempelhof) some bits of assault above ground, +took mainly to mining, and a grand underground invention called +GLOBES DE COMPRESSION; which he reckoned to be the real sovereign +method,--unlucky that he was! I may at least explain what GLOBE DE +COMPRESSION is; for it becomes famous on this occasion, and no name +could be less descriptive of the thing. Not a GLOBE at all, for +that matter, nor intended to "compress," but to EXpress, and +shatter to pieces in a transcendent degree: it is, in fact, a huge +cubical mine-chamber, filled by a wooden box (till Friedrich, in +his hurry, taught Lefebvre that a sack would do as well), loaded +with, say, five thousand-weight of powder. Sufficient to blow any +horn-work, bastion, bulwark, into the air,--provided you plant it +in the right place; which poor Lefebre never can. He tried, with +immense labor, successively some four or almost five of these +"PRESS BALLS" so called (or Volcanoes in Little); mining on, many +yards, 15 or 20 feet underground (tormented by Gribeauval all the +way); then at last, exploding his five thousand-weight,--would +produce a "Funnel," or crater, of perhaps "30 yards in diameter," +but, alas, "150 yards OFF any bastion." Funnel of no use to him;-- +mere sign to him that he must go down into it, and begin there +again; with better aim, if possible. And then Gribeauval's +tormentings; never were the like! Gribeauval has, all round under +the Glacis, mine-galleries, or main-roads for Counter-mining, ready +to his hand (mine-galleries built by Friedrich while lately +proprietor); there Gribeauval is hearkening the beat of Lefebvre's +picks: "Ten yards from us, think you? Six yards? Get a 30 +hundredweight of chamber ready for him!" And will, at the right +moment, blow Lefebvre's gallery about his ears;--sometimes bursts +in upon him bodily with pistol and cutlass, or still worse, with +explosive sulphur-balls, choke-pots and infinitudes of mal-odor +instantaneously developed on Lefebvre,--which mean withal, "You +will have to begin again, Monsieur!" Enough to drive a Lefebvre out +of his wits. Twice, or oftener, Lefebvre, a zealous creature but a +thin-skinned, flew out into open paroxysm; wept, invoked the gods, +threatened suicide: so that Friedrich had to console him, "Courage, +you will manage it; make chicanes on Gribeauval, as he does on +you,"--and suggested that powder-SACK instead of deal-box, which we +just mentioned. + +Friedrich's patience seems to have been great; but in the end he +began to think the time long. He was in three successive head- +quarters, Dittmannsdorf, Peterswaldau, Bogendorf, nearer and +nearer; at length quite near (Bogendorf within a couple of miles); +and wondering Gazetteers reported him on horseback, examining +minutely the parallels and siege-works,--with a singular +indifference to the cannon-balls flying about ("Not easy to hit a +small object with cannon!"), and intent only on giving Tauentzien +suggestions, admonitions and new orders. Here, prior to Bogendorf, +are three snatches of writing, which successively have indications +for us. KING TO PRINCE HENRI:-- + +PETERSWALDAU, AUGUST 13th, 1762 (King has just shifted hither, +August 10th, on the Bevern-REICHENBACH score; continues here till +September 23d). ... "You are right to say, 'We ourselves are our +best Allies.' I am of the same opinion; nevertheless, it is a clear +duty and call of prudence to try and alleviate the burden as much +as possible: and I own to you, that if, after all I have written, +the thing fails this time [as it does], I shall be obliged to grant + + +MAP GOES HERE--FACING PAGE 152, CHAP XII, BOOK 20------ + + +that there is nothing to be made of those Turks."--"We are now in +the press of our crisis as to Schweidnitz. The Siege advances +beautifully: but Beck is come hereabouts, Lacy masked behind him; +and I cannot yet tell you [not till REICHENBACH and the 16th] +whether the Enemy intends some big adventure for disengaging +Schweidnitz, or will content himself with disturbing and +annoying us." + +PETERSWALDAU, 9th SEPTEMBER. Springs, water-threads coming into our +mines delay us a little: "by the 12th [in 3 days' time, little +thinking it would be 30 days!] I still hope to despatch you a +courier with the news, All is over! Your Nephew [Prince of Prussia] +is out to-day assisting in a forage; he begins to kindle into fine +action. We are nothing but pygmies in comparison to him [in point +of physical stature]; imagine to yourself Prince Franz [of +Brunswick; killed, poor fellow, at Hochkirch], only taller still: +this is the figure of him at present." + +PETERSWALDAU, SEPTEMBER 19th. ... "Our Siege wearies all the world; +people persecute me to know the end of it; I never get a Berlin +Letter without something on that head;--and I have no resource +myself but patience. We do all we can: but I cannot hinder the +enemy from defending himself, and Gribeauval from being a clever +fellow:--soon, however, surely soon, soon, we shall see the end. +Our weather here is like December; the Seasons are as mad as the +Politics of Europe. Finally, my dear Brother, one must shove Time +on; day follows day, and at last we shall catch the one that ends +our labors. Adieu; JE VOUS EMBRASSE." [Schoning, iii. 403, 430, +446.]--Here farther, from the Siege-ground itself, are some +traceries, scratchings by a sure hand, which yield us something of +image. Date is still only "BEFORE Schweidnitz," far on in the +eighth week:-- + +SEPTEMBER 23d. "This morning, before 9, the King [direct from +Peterswaldau, where he has been lodging hitherto,--must have +breakfasted rather early] came into the Lines here:--his quarter is +now to be at Bogendorf near hand, in a Farm house there. The Prince +of Prussia was riding with him, and Lieutenant-Colonel von Anhalt +[the Adjutant whom we have heard of]: he looked at the Battery" +lately ordered by him; "looked at many things; rode along, a good +100 yards inside of the vedettes; so that the Enemy noticed him, +and fired violently,"--King decidedly ignoring. "To Captain +Beauvrye [Captain of the Miners] he paid a gracious compliment; +Major Lefebvre he rallied a little for losing heart, for bungling +his business; but was not angry with him, consoled him rather; +bantered him on the shabbiness of his equipments, and made him a +gift of 400 thalers (60 pounds), to improve them. Lefebvre, +Tauentzien and" another General "dined with him at Bogendorf +to-day." ["Captain Gotz's NOTE-book" (a conspicuous Captain here, +Note-book still in manuscript, I think): cited in SCHONING, iii. +453 et seq.] + +SEPTEMBER 24th, EARLY. "The King on horseback viewed the trenches, +rode close behind the first parallel, along the mid-most +communication-line: the Enemy cannonaded at us horribly +(ERSCHRECKLICH); a ball struck down the Page von Pirch's horse +[Pirch lay writhing, making moan,--plainly overmuch, thought the +King]: on Pirch's accident, too, the Prince of Prussia's horse made +a wild plunge, and pitched its rider aloft out of the saddle; +people thought the Prince was shot, and everybody was in horror: +great was the commotion; only the King was heard calling with a +clear voice, 'PIRCH, VERGISS ER SEINEN SATTEL NICHT,--Pirch, bring +your saddle with you!'" + +This of Pirch and the saddle is an Anecdote in wide circulation; +taken sometimes as a proof of Royal thrift; but is mainly the Royal +mode of rebuking Pirch for his weak behavior in the accident that +had befallen. Pirch, an ingenious handy kind of fellow, famed for +his pranks and trickeries in those Page-days, had many adventures +in the world;--was, for one while, something of a notability among +the French; will "teach you the Prussian mode of drill," and +actually got leave to try it "on the German Regiments in our +service:" [Voltaire's wondering Report of him ("Ferney, 7th +December, 1774"), and Friedrich's quiet Answer ("Berlin, 28th Dec. +1774"): in <italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> xxiii. 297, +301. Rodenbeck (ii. 198-200) haa a slight "BIOGRAPHY" of Pirch.]-- +died, finally, as Colonel of one of these, at the Siege of +Gibraltar, in 1783. + +SEPTEMBER 25th. "Morning and noon, each time two hours, the King +was in his new batteries; and, with great satisfaction, watched the +working of them. This day there dined with him the Prince of +Bernburg [General of Brigade here], Tauentzien, Lefebvre and +Dieskau" (head of the Artillery). + +The King is always riding about; has now, virtually, taken charge +of the Siege himself. "In Bogendorf, the first night, he dismissed +the Guard sent for him; would have nothing there but six chasers +(JAGER):" an alarming case! "After a night or two, there came +always, without his knowledge, a dragoon party of 30 horse; +took post behind Bogendorf Church, patrolled towards Kunzendorf, +Giesdorf, and had three pickets." + +SEPTEMBER 28th. "Gribeauval has sprung a mine last night;" +totally blown up Lefebvre again! "Engineer-Lieutenants Gerhard and +Von Kleist were wounded by our own people; Captain Guyon was shot:" +things all going wrong,--weather, I suspect also, bad. "The King +was in dreadful humor (SEHR UNGNADIG); rated and rebuked to right +and left: 'If it should last till January, the Attack must go on. +Nobody seems to be able for his business; Lefebvre a blockhead +(DUMMER TEUFEL), who knows nothing of mining: the Generals, too, +where are they? Every General henceforth is to take his place in +the third parallel, at the head of his Covering-Party [most exposed +place of all], and stay his whole twenty-four hours there [Prince +of Anhalt-Bernburg is Covering-Party today; I hope, in his post +during this thunder!]: Taken the Place can and must be! We have the +misfortune, That a stupid Engineer who knows nothing of his art has +the direction; and a General without sense in Sieging has the +command. Everybody is at a NON PLUS, it appears! Not all our +Artillery can silence that Front-fire; not in a single place can +Thirty stupid Miners get into the Fort.' To-day and yesterday the +King spoke neither to General Tauentzien nor to Major Lefebvre; +Lieutenant-Colonel von Anhalt had to give all the Orders." +An electric kind of day! + +The weather is becoming wet. In fact, there ensue whole weeks of +rain,--the trenches swimming, service very hard. Guasco's guns are +many of them dismounted; no Daun to be heard of. Guasco again and +again proposes modified capitulations; answer always, "Prisoners of +War on the common terms." Guasco is wearing low: OCTOBER 7th +(Lefebvre sweating and puffing at his last Globe of Expression, +hoping to hit the mark this last time), an accidental grenade from +Tauentzien, above ground, rolled into one of Guasco's powder- +vaults; blew it, and a good space of Wall along with it, into +wreck; two days after which, Guasco had finished his Capitulating; +--and we get done with this wearisome affair. [Tempelhof, vi. +122-220; <italic> Tagebuch von der Belagerung von Schweidnitz vom +7ten August bis 9ten October, 1762 <end italic> (Seyfarth, <italic> +Beylagen, <end italic> iii. 376-497); Tielke, &c. &c.] Guasco was +invited to dine with the King; praised for his excellent defence. +Prisoners of War his Garrison and he; about 9,000 of them still on +their feet; their entire loss had been 3,552 killed and wounded; +that of the Prussians 3,033. Poor Guasco died, in Konigsberg, still +prisoner, before the Peace came. + +Of Austrian fighting in Silesia, this proved to be the last, in the +present Controversy which has endured so long. No thought of +fighting is in Daun; far the reverse. Daun is getting ill off for +horse-forage in his Mountains; the weather is bad upon him; we hear +"he has had, for some time past, 12,000 laborers" palisading and +fortifying at the Passes of Bohemia: "Truce for the Winter" is what +he proposes. To which the King answers, "No; unless you retire +wholly within Bohemia and Glatz Country:" this at present Daun +grudged to do; but was forced to it, some weeks afterwards, by the +sleets and the snows, had there been no other pressure. In about +three weeks hence, Friedrich, leaving Bevern in command here, and a +Silesia more or less adjusted, made for Saxony; whither important +reinforcements had preceded him,--reinforcements under General +Wied, the instant it was possible. Saxony he had long regarded as +the grand point, were Schweidnitz over: "Recapture Dresden, and +they will have to give us Peace this very Winter!" Daun, also with +reinforcements, followed him to Saxony, as usual; but never quite +arrived, or else found matters settled on arriving;--and will not +require farther mention in this History. He died some three years +hence, age 60; ["5th February, 1766;" "born 24th September, 1705" +(Hormayr <italic> OEster-reichischer Plutarch, <end italic> ii. +80-111).] an honorable, imperturbable, eupeptic kind of man, +sufficiently known to readers by this time. + +Friedrich did not recapture Dresden; far enough from that,--though +Peace came all the same. Hardly a week after our recovery of +Schweidnitz, Stollberg and his Reichsfolk, especially his +Austrians, became unexpectedly pert upon Henri; pressed forward +(October 15th), in overpowering force, into his Posts about +Freyberg, Pretschendorf and that southwestern Reich-ward part: +"No more invadings of Bohemia from you, Monseigneur; no more +tormentings of the Reich; here is other work for you, my Prince!"-- +and in spite of all Prince Henri could do, drove him back, clear +out of Freyberg; northwestward, towards Hulsen and his reserves. +[<italic> Bericht von dem Angriff so am 15ten October, 1762, van +der Reichs-Armee auf die Kongilich-Preussischen unter dem Prinzen +Heinrich geschehen <end italic> (Seyfarth, <italic> Beylagen, <end +italic> iii. 362-364). <italic> Ausfuhrlicher Bericht von der den +15ten October, 1762, bey Brand vorgefallenen Action <end italic> +(Ib. iii. 350-362). Tempelhof, vi. 238.] Giving him, in this +manner, what soldiers call a slap; slap which might have been more +considerable, had those Stollberg people followed it up with +emphasis. But they did not; so alert was Henri. Henri at once +rallied beautifully from his slap (King's reinforcements coming +too, as we have said); and, in ten days' time, without any +reinforcement, paid Stollberg and Company by a stunning blow: +BATTLE OF FREYBERG (October 29th),--which must not go without +mention, were it only as Prince Henri's sole Battle, and the last +of this War. Preparatory to which and its sequel, let us glance +again at Duke Ferdinand and the English-French posture,--also for +the last time. + +CANNONADE AT AMONEBURG (2lst September, 1762). "The controversies +about right or left bank of the Fulda have been settled long since +in Ferdinand's favor; who proceeded next to blockade the various +French strongholds in Hessen; Marburg, Ziegenhayn, especially +Cassel; with an eye to besieging the same, and rooting the French +permanently out. To prevent or delay which, what can Soubise and +D'Estrees do but send for their secondary smaller Army, which is in +the Lower-Rhine Country under a Prince de Conde, mostly idle at +present, to come and join them in the critical regions here. +Whereupon new Controversy shifting westward to the Mayn and Nidda- +Lahn Country, to achieve said Junction and to hinder it. +Junction was not to be hindered. The D'Estrees-Soubise people and +young Conde made good manoeuvring, handsome fight on occasion; +so that in spite of all the Erbprinz could do, they got hands +joined; far too strong for the Erbprinz thenceforth; and on the +last night of August were all fairly together, head-quarter +Friedberg in Frankfurt Country (a thirty miles north of Frankfurt); +and were earnestly considering the now not hopeless question, 'How, +or by what routes and methods, push to northwestward, get through +to those blockaded Hessian Strong-places, Cassel especially; +and hinder Ferdinand's besieging them, and quite outrooting +us there?' + +"This is a difficult question, but a vital. 'Sweep rapidly past +Ferdinand,--cannot we? Well frontward or eastward of him, +dexterously across the Lahn and its Branches (our light people are +to rear of him, on this side of the Fulda, between the Fulda and +him): once joined with those light people by such methods, we have +Cassel ahead, Ferdinand to rear, and will make short work with the +blockades,--the blockades will have to rise in a hurry!' This was +the plan devised by D'Estrees; and rapidly set about; but it was +seen into, at the first step, by Ferdinand, who proved still more +rapid upon it. Campings, counter-campings, crossings of the Lahn by +D'Estrees people, then recrossings of it, ensued for above a +fortnight; which are not for mention here: in fine, about the +middle of September, the D'Estrees Enterprise had plainly become +impossible, unless it could get across the Ohm,--an eastern, or +wide-circling northeastern Branch of the Lahn,--where, on the right +or eastern bank of which, as better for him than the Lahn itself in +this part, Ferdinand now is. 'Across the Ohm: and that, how can +that be done, the provident Ferdinand having laid hold of Ohm, and +secured every pass of it, several days ago! Perhaps by a Surprisal; +by extreme despatch?' + +"Amoneburg is a pleasant little Town, about thirty miles east of +Marburg,--in which latter we have been, in very old times; looking +after St. Elizabeth, Teutsch Ritters, Philip the Magnanimous and +other objects. Amoneburg stands on the left or western bank of the +Ohm, with an old Schloss in it, and a Bridge near by; both of +which, Ferdinand, the left or southmost wing of whose Position on +the other bank of Ohm is hereabouts, has made due seizure of. +Seizure of the Bridge, first of all,--Bridge with a Mill at it +(which, in consequence, is called BRUCKEN-MUHLE, Bridge-Mill),--at +the eastern end of this there is a strong Redoubt, with the Bridge- +way blocked and rammed ahead of it; there Ferdinand has put 200 +men; 500 more are across in Amoneburg and its old Castle. Unless by +surprisal and extreme despateh, there is clearly no hope! +Ferdinand's head-quarter is seven or eight miles to northwest of +this his Brucken-Muhle and extreme left; next to Brucken-Muhle is +Zastrow's Division; next, again, is Granby's; several Divisions +between Ferdinand and it; 'Do it by surprisal, by utmost force of +vehemency!' say the French. And accordingly, + +"SEPTEMBER 21st [day of the Equinox, 1762], An hour before sunrise, +there began, quite on the sudden, a vivid attack on the Brucken- +Muhle and on Amoneburg, by cannon, by musketry, by all methods; +and, in spite of the alert and completely obstinate resistance, +would not cease; but, on the contrary, seemed to be on the +increasing hand, new cannon, new musketries; and went on, hour +after hour, ever the more vivid. So that, about 8 in the morning, +after three hours of this, Zastrow, with his Division, had to +intervene: to range himself on the Hill-top behind this Brucken- +Muhle; replace the afflicted 200 (many of them hurt, not a few +killed) by a fresh 200 of his own; who again needed to be relieved +before long. For the French, whom Zastrow had to imitate in that +respect, kept bringing up more cannon, ever more, as if they would +bring up all the cannon of their Army: and there rose between +Zastrow and them such a cannonade, for length and loudness +together, as had not been heard in this War. Most furious +cannonading, musketading; and seemingly no end to it. +Ferdinand himself came over to ascertain; found it a hot thing +indeed. Zastrow had to relieve his 200 every hour: 'Don't go down +in rank, you new ones,' ordered he--'slide, leap, descend the hill- +face in scattered form: rank at the bottom!'--and generally about +half of the old 200 were left dead or lamed by their hour's work. +'They intend to have this Bridge from us at any cost,' thinks +Ferdinand; 'and at any cost they shall not!' And, in the end, +orders Granby forward in room of Zastrow, who has had some eight +hours of it now; and rides home to look after his main quarters. + +"It was about 4 in the afternoon when Granby and his English came +into the fire; and I rather think the French onslaught was, if +anything, more furious than ever:--Despair striding visibly forward +on it, or something too like Despair. Amoneburg they had battered +to pieces, Wall and Schloss, so that the 500 had to ground arms: +but not an inch of way had they made upon the Bridge, nor were like +to make. Granby continued on the old plan, plying all his +diligences and artilleries; needing them all. Fierce work to a +degree: '200 of you go down on wings' (in an hour about 100 will +come back)! In English Families you will still hear some vague +memory of Amoneburg, How we had built walls of the dead, and fired +from behind them,--French more and more furious, we more and more +obstinate. Granby had still four hours of it; sunset, twilight, +dusk; about 8, the French, in what spirits I can guess, ceased, and +went their ways. Bridge impossible; game up. They had lost, by +their own account, 1,100 killed and wounded; Ferdinand probably not +fewer." [Mauvillon, ii. 251; <italic> Helden-Geschichte, <end +italic> vii. 432-439.] + +And in this loud peal, what none could yet know, the French-English +part of the Seven-Years War had ended. The French attempted nothing +farther; hutted themselves where they were, and waited in the +pouring rains: Ferdinand also hutted himself, in guard of the Ohm; +while his people plied their Siege-batteries on Cassel, on +Ziegenhayn, cannonading their best in the bad weather;--took +Cassel, did not quite take Ziegenhayn, had it been of moment;--and +for above six weeks coming (till November 7th-14th [Preliminaries +of Peace SIGNED, "Paris, November 3d;" known to French Generals +"November 7th;" not, OFFICIALLY, to Ferdinand till "November 14th" +(Mauvillon, ii. 257).]), nothing more but skirmishings and small +scuffles, not worth a word from us, fell out between the Two +Parties there. That Cannonade of the Brucken-Muhle had been finis. + +For supreme Bute, careless of the good news coming in on him from +West and from East, or even rather embarrassed by them, had some +time ago started decisively upon the Peace Negotiation. +"September 5th," three weeks before that of Amoneburg, "the Duke of +Bedford, Bute's Plenipotentiary, set out towards Paris,-- +considerably hissed on the street here by a sulky population," it +would seem;--"but sure of success in Paris. Bute shared in none of +the national triumphs of this Year. The transports of rejoicing +which burst out on the news of Havana" were a sorrow and distress +to him. [Walpole's <italic> George the Third, <end italic> +ii. 191.] "Havana, what shall we do with it?" thought he; and for +his own share answered stiffly, "Nothing with it; fling it back to +them!"--till some consort of his persuaded him Florida would look +better. [Thackeray, ii. 11.] Of Manilla and the Philippines he did +not even hear till Peace was concluded; had made the Most Catholic +Carlos a present of that Colony,--who would not even pay our +soldiers their Manilla Ransom, as too disagreeable. Such is the +Bute, such and no other, whom the satirical Fates have appointed to +crown and finish off the heroic Day's-work of such a Pitt. Let us, +if we can help it, speak no more of him! Friedrich writes before +leaving for Saxony: "The Peace between the English and the French +is much farther off than was thought;--so many oppositions do the +Spaniards raise, or rather do the French,--busy duping this buzzard +of an English Minister, who has not common sense." [Schoning, iii. +480 (To Henri: "Peterswaldau, 17th October, 1762").] Never fear, +your Majesty: a man with Havanas and Manillas of that kind to fling +about at random, is certain to bring Peace, if resolved on it!-- + +We said, Prince Henri rallied beautifully from his little slap and +loss of Freyberg (October 15th), and that the King was sending Wied +with reinforcements to him. In fact, Prince Henri of himself was +all alertness, and instantly appeared on the Heights again; +seemingly quite in sanguinary humor, and courting Battle, much more +than was yet really the case. Which cowed Stollberg from meddling +with him farther, as he might have done. Not for some ten days had +Henri finished his arrangements; and then, under cloud of night +(28th-29th OCTOBER, 1762), he did break forward on those +Spittelwalds and Michael's Mounts, and multiplex impregnabilities +about Freyberg, in what was thought a very shining manner. +The BATTLE OF FREYBERG, I think, is five or six miles long, all on +the west, and finally on the southwest side of Freyberg (north and +northwest sides, with so many batteries and fortified villages, are +judged unattackable); and the main stress, very heavy for some +time, lay in the abatis of the Spittelwald (where Seidlitz was +sublime), and about the roots of St. Michael's Mount (the TOP of it +Stollberg, or some foolish General of Stollberg's, had left empty; +nobody there when we reached the top),--down from which, Freyberg +now lying free ahead of us, and the Spittelwald on our left now +also ours, we take Stollberg in rear, and turn him inside out. +The Battle lasted only three hours, till Stollberg and his +Maguires, Campitellis and Austrians (especially his Reichsfolk, who +did no work at all, except at last running), were all under way; +and the hopes of some Saxon Victory to balance one's disgraces in +Silesia had altogether vanished. [<italic> Beschreibung der am +29sten October, 1762, bey Freyberg vorgefallenen Schlacht <end +italic> (Seyfarth, <italic> Beylagen, <end italic> iii. 365-376). +Tempelhof, vi. 235-258; <italic> Helden-Geschichte, <end italic> +vii. 177-181.] + +Of Austrians and Reichsfolk together I dimly count about 40,000 in +this Action; Prince Henri seems to have been well under 30,000. +["29 battalions, 60 squadrons," VERSUS "49 battalions, 68 +squadrons" (Schoning, iii. 499).] I will give Prince Henri's +DESPATCH to his Brother (a most modest Piece); and cannot afford to +say more of the matter,--except that "Wegfurth," where Henri gets +on march the night before, lies 8 or more miles west-by-north of +Freyberg and the Spittelwald, and is about as far straight south +from Hainichen, Gellert's birthplace, who afterwards got the War- +horse now coming into action,--I sometimes think, with what +surprise to that quadruped! + + +PRINCE HENRI TO THE KING (Battle just done; King on the road +from Silesia hither, Letter meets him at Lowenberg). + +"FREYBERG, 29th October, 1762. + +"MY DEAREST BROTHER,--It is a happiness for me to send you the +agreeable news, That your Army has this day gained a considerable +advantage over the combined Austrian and Reichs Army. I marched +yesternight; I had got on through Wegfurth, leaving Spittelwald +[Tempelhof, p. 237.] to my left, with intent to seize [storm, if +necessary] the Height of St. Michael,--when I came upon the Enemy's +Army. I made two true attacks, and two false: the Enemy resisted +obstinately; but the sustained valor of your troops prevailed: +and, after three hours in fire, the Enemy was obliged to yield +everywhere. I don't yet know the number of Prisoners; but there +must be above 4,000:--the Reichs Army has lost next to nothing; +the stress of effort fell to the Austrian share. We have got +quantities of Cannon and Flags; Lieutenant-General Roth of the +Reichs Army is among our Prisoners. I reckon we have lost from 2 to +3,000 men; among them no Officer of mark. Lieutenant-General von +Seidlitz rendered me the highest services; in a place where the +Cavalry could not act [border of the Spittelwald, and its +impassable entanglements and obstinacies], he put himself at the +head of the Infantry, and did signal services [his Battle mainly, +scheming and all, say some ill-natured private accounts]; +Generals Belling and Kleist [renowned Colonels known to us, now +become Major-Generals] did their very best. All the Infantry was +admirable; not one battalion yielded ground. My Aide-de-Camp +[Kalkreuth, a famous man in the Napoleon times long after], who +brings you this, had charge of assisting to conduct the attack +through the Spittelwald [and did it well, we can suppose]: if, on +that ground, you pleased to have the goodness to advance him, I +should have my humble thanks to give you. There are a good many +Officers who have distinguished themselves and behaved with +courage, for whom I shall present similar requests. You will permit +me to pay those who have taken cannons and flags (100 ducats per +cannon, 50 per flag, or whatever the tariff was:--"By all manner of +means!" his Majesty would answer]. + +"The Enemy is retiring towards Dresden and Dippoldiswalde. I am +sending at his heels this night, and shall hear the result. +My Aide-de-Camp is acquainted with all, and will be able to render +you account of everything you may wish to know in regard to our +present circumstances. General Wied, I believe, will cross Elbe +to-morrow [General Wied, with 10,000 to help us,--for whom it was +too dangerous to wait, or perhaps there was a spur on one's own +mind?]; his arrival would be [not "would have been:" CELA +VIENDRAIT, not even VIENDRA] very opportune for me. I am, with all +attachment, my dearest Brother,--your most devoted Servant and +Brother,--HENRI." [Schoning, iii. 491, 492.] + +To-morrow, in cipher, goes the following Despatch:-- + +"FREYBERG, 30th October, 1762. + +"General Wied [not yet come to hand, or even got across Elbe] +informs me, That Prince Albert of Saxony [pushing hither with +reinforcement, sent by Daun] must have crossed Elbe yesterday at +Pirna [did not show face here, with his large reinforcements to +them, or what would have become of us!];--and that for this reason +he, Wied, must himself cross; which he will to-morrow. The same day +I am to be joined by some battalions from General Hulsen; and the +day after to-morrow, when General Wied [coming by Meissen Bridge, +it appears] shall have reached the Katzenhauser, the whole of +General Hulsen's troops will join me. Directly thereupon I shall--" +[Schoning, p. 493.] Or no more of that second Despatch; Friedrich's +LETTER IN RESPONSE is better worth giving:-- + +"LOWENBERG, 2d November, 1762. + +"MY DEAR BROTHER,--The arrival of Kalkreuter [so he persists in +calling him], and of your Letter, my dear Brother, has made me +twenty [not to say forty] years younger: yesterday I was sixty, +to-day hardly eighteen. I bless Heaven for preserving you in health +(BONNE SANTE," so we term escape of lesion in fight); "and that +things have passed so happily! You took the good step of attacking +those who meant to attack you; and, by your good and solid measures +(DISPOSITIONS), you have overcome all the difficulties of a strong +Post and a vigorous resistance. It is a service so important +rendered by you to the State, that I cannot enough express my +gratitude, and will wait to do it in person. + +"Kalkreuter will explain what motions I-- ... If Fortune favor our +views on Dresden [which it cannot in the least, at this late +season], we shall indubitably have Peace this Winter or next +Spring,--and get honorably out of a difficult and perilous +conjuncture, where we have often seen ourselves within two steps of +total destruction. And, by this which you have now done, to you +alone will belong the honor of having given the final stroke to +Austrian Obstinacy, and laid the foundations of the Public +Happiness, which will be the consequence of Peace.--F." [Ib. iii. +495, 496.] + +Two days after this, November 4th, Friedrich is in Meissen; +November 9th, he comes across to Freyberg; has pleasant day,-- +pleasant survey of the Battle-field, Henri and Seidlitz escorting +as guides. Henri, in furtherance of the Dresden project, has Kleist +out on the Bohemian Magazines,--"That is the one way to clear +Dresden neighborhood of Enemies!" thinks Henri always. Kleist burns +the considerable magazine of Saatz; finds the grand one of +Leitmeritz too well guarded for him:--upon which, in such +snowdrifts and sleety deluges, is not Dresden plainly impossible, +your Majesty? Impossible, Friedrich admits,--the rather as he now +sees Peace to be coming without that. Freyberg has at last broken +the back of Austrian Obstinacy. "Go in upon the Reich," Friedrich +now orders Kleist, the instant Kleist is home from his Bohemian +inroad: "In upon the Reich, with 6,000, in your old style! That +will dispose the Reichs Principalities to Peace." + +Kleist marched November 3d; kept the Reich in paroxysm till +December 13th;--Plotho, meanwhile, proclaiming in the Reichs Diet: +"Such Reichs Princes as wish for Peace with my King can have it; +those that prefer War, they too can have it!" Kleist, dividing +himself in the due artistic way, flew over the Voigtland, on to +Bamberg, on to Nurnberg itself (which he took, by sounding rams'- +horns, as it were, having no gun heavier than a carbine, and held +for a week); [<italic> Helden-Geschichte, <end italic> vii. +186-194.]--fluttering the Reichs Diet not a little, and disposing +everybody for Peace. The Austrians saw it with pleasure, "We +solemnly engaged to save these poor people harmless, on their +joining us;--and, behold, it has become thrice and four times +impossible. Let them fall off into Peace, like ripe pears, of +themselves; we can then turn round and say, 'Save you harmless? +Yes; if you had n't fallen off!'" + +NOVEMBER 24th, all Austrians make truce with Friedrich, Truce till +March 1st;--all Austrians, and what is singular, with no mention of +the Reich whatever. The Reich is defenceless, at the feet of Kleist +and his 6,000. Stollberg is still in Prussian neighborhood; and may +be picked up any day! Stollberg hastens off to defend the Reich; +finds the Reich quite empty of enemies before his arrival;--and at +least saves his own skin. A month or two more, and Stollberg will +lay down his Command, and the last Reichs-Execution Army, playing +Farce-Tragedy so long, make its exit from the Theatre of +this World. + + + +Chapter XIII. + +PEACE OF HUBERTSBURG. + +The Prussian troops took Winter-quarters in the Meissen-Freyberg +region, the old Saxon ground, familiar to them for the last three +years: room enough this Winter, "from Plauen and Zwickau, round by +Langensalza again;" Truce with everybody, and nothing of +disturbance till March 1st at soonest. The usual recruiting went +on, or was preparing to go on,--a part of which took immediate +effect, as we shall see. Recruiting, refitting, "Be ready for a new +Campaign, in any case: the readier we are, the less our chance of +having one!" Friedrich's head-quarter is Leipzig; but till December +5th he does not get thither. "More business on me than ever!" +complains he. At Leipzig he had his Nephews, his D'Argens; for a +week or two his Brother Henri; finally, his Berlin Ministers, +especially Herzberg, when actual Peace came to be the matter in +hand. Henri, before that, had gone home: "Peace being now the +likelihood;--Home; and recruit one's poor health, at Berlin, +among friends!" + +Before getting to Leipzig, the King paid a flying Visit at Gotha;-- +probably now the one fraction of these manifold Winter movements +and employments, in which readers could take interest. Of this, as +there happens to be some record left of it, here is what will +suffice. From Meissen, Friedrich writes to his bright Grand- +Duchess, always a bright, high and noble creature in his eyes: +"Authorized by your approval [has politely inquired beforehand], I +shall have the infinite satisfaction of paying my duties on +December 3d [four days hence], and of reiterating to you, Madam, my +liveliest and sincerest assurances of esteem and friendship. ... +Some of my Commissariat people have been misbehaving? +Strict inquiry shall be had," [To the Grand-Duchess, "Meissen, +29th November" (<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> xviii. +199).]--and we soon find WAS. But the Visit is our first thing. + +The Visit took place accordingly; Seidlitz, a man known in Gotha +ever since his fine scenic-military procedures there in 1757, +accompanied the King. Of the lucent individualities invited to meet +him, all are now lost to me, except one Putter, a really learned +Gottingen Professor (deep in REICHS-HISTORY and the like), whom the +Duchess has summoned over. By the dim lucency of Putter, faint to +most of us as a rushlight in the act of going out, the available +part of our imagination must try to figure, in a kind of +Obliterated-Rembrandt way, this glorious Evening; for there was but +one,--December 3d-4th,--Friedrich having to leave early on the 4th. +Here is Putter's record, given in the third person:-- + +"During dinner, Putter, honorably present among the spectators of +this high business, was beckoned by the Duchess to step near the +King [right hand or left, Putter does not say]; but the King +graciously turned round, and conversed with Putter." +The King said:-- + +KING. "In German History much is still buried; many important +Documents lie hidden in Monasteries." Putter answered "schicklich-- +fitly;" that is all we know of Putter's answer. + +KING (thereupon). "Of Books on Reichs-History I know only the PERE +BARRI." [<italic> Barri de Beaumarchais, <end italic> 10 vols. 4to, +Paris, 1748: I believe, an extremely feeble Pillar of Will-o'-Wisps +by Night;--as I can expressly testify Pfeffel to be (Pfeffel, +<italic> Abrege Chronologique de l'Histoire d'Allemagne, <end +italic> 2 vols. 4to, Paris, 1776), who has succeeded Barri as +Patent Guide through that vast SYLVA SYLVARUM aud its pathless +intricacies, for the inquiring French and English.] + +PUTTER. ... "Foreigners have for most part known only, in regard to +our History, a Latin work written by Struve at Jena." +[Burkhard Gotthelf Struve, <italic> Syntagma Historiae Germanicus +<end italic> (1730, 2 vols. folio).] + +KING. "Struv, Struvius; him I don't know." + +PUTTER. "It is a pity Barri had not known German." + +KING. "Barri was a Lorrainer; Barri must have known German!"--Then +turning to the Duchess, on this hint about the German Language, he +told her, "in a ringing merry tone, How, at Leipzig once, he had +talked with Gottsched [talk known to us] on that subject, and had +said to him, That the French had many advantages; among others, +that a word could often be used in a complex signification, for +which you had in German to scrape together several different +expressions. Upon which Gottsched had said, 'We will have that +mended (DAS WOLLEN WIR NOCH MACHEN)!' These words the King repeated +twice or thrice, with such a tone that you could well see how the +man's conceit had struck him;"--and in short, as we know already, +what a gigantic entity, consisting of wind mainly, he took this +elevated Gottsched to be. + +Upon which, Putter retires into the honorary ranks again; +silent, at least to us, and invisible; as the rest of this Royal +Evening at Gotha is. ["Putter's <italic> Selbstbiographie <end +italic> (Autobiography), p. 406:" cited in Preuss, ii. 277 n.] +Here, however, is the Letter following on it two days after:-- + + +FRIEDRICH TO THE DUCHESS OF SACHSEN-GOTHA. + +"LEIPZIG, 6th December, 1762. + +"MADAM,--I should never have done, my adorable Duchess, if I +rendered you account of all the impressions which the friendship +you lavished on me has made on my heart. I could wish to answer it +by entering into everything that can be agreeable to you [conduct +of my Recruiters or Commissariat people first of all]. I take the +liberty of forwarding the ANSWERS which have come in to the Two +MEMOIRES you sent me. I am mortified, Madam, if I have not been +able to fulfil completely your desires: but if you knew the +situation I am in, I flatter myself you would have some +consideration for it. + +"I have found myself here [in Leipzig, as elsewhere] overwhelmed +with business, and even to a degree I had not expected. +Meanwhile, if I ever can manage again to run over and pay you in +person the homage of a heart which is more attached to you than +that of your near relations, assuredly I will not neglect the first +opportunity that shall present itself. + +"Messieurs the English [Bute, Bedford and Company, with their +Preliminaries signed, and all my Westphalian Provinces left in a +condition we shall hear of] continue to betray. Poor M. Mitchell +has had a stroke of apoplexy on hearing it. It is a hideous thing +(CHOSE AFFREUSE); but I will speak of it no more. May you, Madam, +enjoy all the prosperities that I wish for you, and not forget a +Friend, who will be till his death, with sentiments of the highest +esteem and the most perfect consideration,--Madam, your Highness's +most faithful Cousin and Servant, FRIEDRICH." +[<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> xzvii. 201.] + +For a fortnight past, Friedrich has had no doubt that general Peace +is now actually at hand. November 25th, ten days before this visit, +a Saxon Privy-Councillor, Baron von Fritsch, who, by Order from his +Court, had privately been at Vienna on the errand, came privately +next, with all speed, to Friedrich (Meissen, November 25th): +[Rodenbeck, ii. 193.] "Austria willing for Treaty; is your Majesty +willing?" "Thrice-willing, I; my terms well known!" Friedrich would +answer,--gladdest of mankind to see general Pacification coming to +this vexed Earth again. The Dance of the Furies, waltzing itself +off, HOME out of this upper sunlight: the mad Bellona steeds +plunging down, down, towards their Abysses again, for a season!-- + +This was a result which Friedrich had foreseen as nearly certain +ever since the French and English signed their Preliminaries. +And there was only one thing which gave him anxiety; that of his +Rhine Provinces and Strong Places, especially Wesel, which have +been in French hands for six years past, ever since Spring, 1757. +Bute stipulates That those places and countries shall be evacuated +by his Choiseul, as soon as weather and possibility permit; +but Bute, astonishing to say, has not made the least stipulation as +to whom they are to be delivered to,--allies or enemies, it is all +one to Bute. Truly rather a shameful omission, Pitt might +indignantly think,--and call the whole business steadily, as he +persisted to do, "a shameful Peace," had there been no other +article in it but this;--as Friedrich, with at least equal emphasis +thought and felt. And, in fact, it had thrown him into very great +embarrassment, on the first emergence of it. + +For her Imperial Majesty began straightway to draw troops into +those neighborhoods: "WE will take delivery, our Allies playing +into our hand!" And Friedrich, who had no disposable troops, had to +devise some rapid expedient; and did. Set his Free-Corps agents and +recruiters in motion: "Enlist me those Light people of Duke +Ferdinand's, who are all getting discharged; especially that +BRITANNIC LEGION so called. All to be discharged; re-enlist them, +you; Ferdinand will keep them till you do it. Be swift!" And it is +done;--a small bit of actual enlistment among the many prospective +that were going on, as we noticed above. Precise date of it not +given; must have been soon after November 3d. There were from 5 to +6,000 of them; and it was promptly done. Divided into various +regiments; chief command of them given to a Colonel Bauer, under +whom a Colonel Beckwith whose name we have heard: these, to the +surprise of Imperial Majesty, and alarm of a pacific Versailles, +suddenly appeared in the Cleve Countries, handy for Wesel, for +Geldern; in such posts, and in such force and condition as +intimated, "It shall be we, under favor, that take delivery!" +Snatch Wesel from them, some night, sword in hand: that had been +Bauer's notion; but nothing of that kind was found necessary; +mere demonstration proved sufficient. To the French Garrisons the +one thing needful was to get away in peace; Bauer with his brows +gloomy is a dangerous neighbor. Perhaps the French Officers +themselves rather favored Friedrich than his enemies. Enough, a +private agreement, or mutual understanding on word of honor, was +come to: and, very publicly, at length, on the 11th and 12th days +of March, 1763 (Peace now settled everywhere), Wesel, in great +gala, full of field-music, military salutations and mutual dining, +saw the French all filing out, aud Bauer and people filing in, to +the joy of that poor Town. [Preuss, ii. 342.] + +Soon after which, painful to relate, such the inexorable pressure +of finance, Bauer and people were all paid off, flung loose again: +ruthlessly paid off by a necessitous King! There were about 6,000 +of those poor fellows,--specimens of the bastard heroic, under +difficulties, from every country in the world; Beckwith and I know +not what other English specimens of the lawless heroic; who were +all cashiered, officer and man, on getting to Berlin. As were the +earlier Free-Corps, and indeed the subsequent, all and sundry, +"except seven," whose names will not be interesting to you. +Paid off, with or without remorse, such the exhaustion of finance; +Kleist, Icilius, Count Hordt and others vainly repugning and +remonstrating; the King himself inexorable as Arithmetic. +"Can maintain 138,000 of regular, 12,000 of other sorts; not a man +more!" Zealous Icilius applied for some consideration to his +Officers: "partial repayment of the money they have spent from +their own pocket in enlistment of their people now discharged!" +Not a doit. The King's answer is in autograph, still extant; not in +good spelling, but with sense clear as light: "SEINE OFFICIERS +HABEN WIE DIE RABEN GESTOLLEN SIE KRIGEN NICHTS, Your Officers +stole like ravens;--they get Nothing." [Preuss, ii. 320.] +Lessing's fine play of MINNA VON BARNHELM testifies to considerable +public sympathy for these impoverished Ex-Military people. +Pathetic truly, in a degree; but such things will happen. +Irregular gentlemen, to whom the world 's their oyster,--said +oyster does suddenly snap to on them, by a chance. And they have to +try it on the other side, and say little!--But we are forgetting +the Peace-Treaty itself, which still demands a few words. + +Kleist's raid into the Reich had a fine effect on the Potentates +there; and Plotho's Offer was greedily complied with; the Kaiser, +such his generosity, giving "free permission." We spoke of Privy- +Councillor von Fritsch, and his private little word with Friedrich +at Meissen, on November 25th. The Electoral-Prince of Saxony, it +seems, was author of that fine stroke; the history of it this. +Since November 3d, the French and English have had their +preliminaries signed; and all Nations are longing for the like. +"Let us have a German Treaty for general Peace," said the Kurprinz +of Saxony, that amiable Heir-Apparent whom we have seen sometimes, +who is rather crooked of back, but has a sprightly Wife. "By all +means," answered Polish Majesty: "and as I am in the distance, do +you in every way further it, my Son!" Whereupon despatch of Fritsch +to Vienna, and thence to Meissen; with "Yes" to him from both +parties. Plenipotentiaries are named: "Fritsch shall be ours: +they shall have my Schloss of Hubertsburg for Place of Congress," +said the Prince. And on Thursday, December 30th, 1762, the Three +Dignitaries met at Hubertsburg, and began business. + +This is the Schloss in Torgau Country which Quintus Icilius's +people, Saldern having refused the job, willingly undertook +spoiling; and, as is well known, did it, January 22d, 1761; a thing +Quintus never heard the end of. What the amount of profit, or the +degree of spoil and mischief, Quintus's people made of it, I could +not learn; but infer from this new event that the wreck had not +been so considerable as the noise was; at any rate, that the +Schloss had soon been restored to its pristine state of brilliancy. +The Plenipotentiaries,--for Saxony, Fritsch; for Austria, a Von +Collenbach, unknown to us; for Prussia, one Hertzberg, a man +experienced beyond his years, who is of great name in Prussian +History subsequently,--sat here till February 15th, 1763, that is +for six weeks and five days. Leaving their Protocols to better +judges, who report them good, we will much prefer a word or two +from Friedrich himself, while waiting the result they come to. + + +FRIEDRICH TO PRINCE HENRI (home at Berlin). + +"LEIPZIG, 14th JANUARY, 1763. ... Am not surprised you find Berlin +changed for the worse: such a train of calamities must, in the end, +make itself felt in a poor and naturally barren Country, where +continual industry is needed to second its fecundity and keep up +production. However, I will do what I can to remedy this dearth (LA +DISETTE), at least as far as my small means permit. ... + +"No fear of Geldern and Wesel; all that has been cared for by Bauer +and the new Free-Corps. By the end of February Peace will be +signed; at the beginning of April everybody will find himself at +home, as in 1756. + +"The Circles are going to separate: indifferent to me, or nearly +so; but it is good to be plucking out tiresome burning sticks, +stick after stick. I hope you amuse yourself at Berlin: at Leipzig +nothing but balls and redouts; my Nephews diverting themselves +amazingly. Madam Friedrich, lately Garden-maid at Seidlitz [Village +in the Neumark, with this Beauty plucking weeds in it,--little +prescient of such a fortune], now Wife to an Officer of the Free +Hussars, is the principal heroine of these Festivities." +[Schoning, iii. 528.] + +LEIPZIG, 25th JANUARY, 1763. "Thanks for your care about my +existence. I am becoming very old, dear Brother; in a little while +I shall be useless to the world and a burden to myself: it is the +lot of all creatures to wear down with age,-- but one is not, for +all that, to abuse one's privilege of falling into dotage. + +"You still speak without full confidence of our Negotiation +business [going on at Hubertsburg yonder]. Most certainly the +chapter of accidents is inexhaustible; and it is still certain +there may happen quantities of things which the limited mind of man +cannot foresee: but, judging by the ordinary course, and such +degrees of probability as human creatures found their hopes on, I +believe, before the month of February entirely end, our Peace will +be completed. In a permanent Arrangement, many things need +settling, which are easier to settle now than they ever will be +again. Patience; haste without speed is a thriftless method." +[Ib. iii. 529.] + +February 5th, the trio at Hubertsburg got their Preliminaries +signed. On the tenth day thereafter, the Treaty itself was signed +and sealed. All other Treaties on the same subject had been guided +towards a contemporary finis: England and France, ready since the +3d of November last, signed and ended February 10th. February 11th, +the Reich signed and ended; February 15th, Prussia, Austria, +Saxony; and the THIRD SILESIAN or SEVEN-YEARS WAR was completely +finished. [Copy of the treaty in <italic> Helden-Geschichte, <end +italic> vii. 624 et seq.; in Seyfarth, <italic> Beylagen, <end +italic> iii. 479-495; in ROUSSET, in WENCK, in &c. &c.] + +It had cost, in loss of human lives first of all, nobody can say +what: according to Friedrich's computation, there had perished of +actual fighters, on the various fields, of all the nations, +853,000; of which above the fifth part, or 180,000, is his own +share: and, by misery and ravage, the general Population of Prussia +finds itself 500,000 fewer; nearly the ninth man missing. This is +the expenditure of Life. Other items are not worth enumerating, in +comparison; if statistically given, you can find the most approved +guesses at them by the same Head, who ought to be an authority. +[<italic> OEuvres de Frederic, <end italic> v. 230-234; Preuss, +iii. 349-351.] It was a War distinguished by--Archenholtz will tell +you, with melodious emphasis, what a distinguished, great and +thrice-greatest War it was. There have since been other far bigger +Wars,--if size were a measure of greatness; which it by no means +is! I believe there was excellent Heroism shown in this War, by +persons I could name; by one person, Heroism really to be called +superior, or, in its kind, almost of the rank of supreme;--and that +in regard to the Military Arts and Virtues, it has as yet, for +faculty and for performance, had no rival; nor is likely soon to +have. The Prussians, as we once mentioned, still use it as their +school-model in those respects. And we-- O readers, do not at least +you and I thank God to have now done with it!-- + +Of the Peace-Treaties at Hubertsburg, Paris and other places, it is +not necessary that we say almost anything. They are to be found in +innumerable Books, dreary to the mind; and of the 158 Articles to +be counted there, not one could be interesting at present. +The substance of the whole lies now in Three Points, not mentioned +or contemplated at all in those Documents, though repeatedly +alluded to and intimated by us here. + +The issue, as between Austria and Prussia, strives to be, in all +points, simply AS-YOU-WERE; and, in all outward or tangible points, +strictly is so. After such a tornado of strife as the civilized +world had not witnessed since the Thirty-Years War. +Tornado springing doubtless from the regions called Infernal; +and darkening the upper world from south to north, and from east to +west for Seven Years long;--issuing in general AS-YOU-WERE! +Yes truly, the tornado was Infernal; but Heaven too had silently +its purposes in it. Nor is the mere expenditure of men's diabolic +rages, in mutual clash as of opposite electricities, with reduction +to equipoise, and restoration of zero and repose again after seven +years, the one or the principal result arrived at. +Inarticulately, little dreamt of at the time by any by-stander, the +results, on survey from this distance, are visible as Threefold. +Let us name them one other time:-- + +1. There is no taking of Silesia from this man; no clipping of him +down to the orthodox old limits; he and his Country have palpably +outgrown these. Austria gives up the Problem: "We have lost +Silesia!" Yes; and, what you hardly yet know,--and what, I +perceive, Friedrich himself still less knows,--Teutschland has +found Prussia. Prussia, it seems, cannot be conquered by the whole +world trying to do it; Prussia has gone through its Fire-Baptism, +to the satisfaction of gods and men; and is a Nation henceforth. +In and of poor dislocated Teutschland, there is one of the Great +Powers of the World henceforth; an actual Nation. And a Nation not +grounding itself on extinct Traditions, Wiggeries, Papistries, +Immaculate Conceptions; no, but on living Facts,--Facts of +Arithmetic, Geometry, Gravitation, Martin Luther's Reformation, and +what it really can believe in:--to the infinite advantage of said +Nation and of poor Teutschland henceforth. To be a Nation; and to +believe as you are convinced, instead of pretending to believe as +you are bribed or bullied by the devils about you; what an +advantage to parties concerned! If Prussia follow its star-- As it +really tries to do, in spite of stumbling! For the sake of Germany, +one hopes always Prussia will; and that it may get through its +various Child-Diseases, without death: though it has had sad +plunges and crises,--and is perhaps just now in one of its worst +Influenzas, the Parliamentary-Eloquence or Ballot-Box Influenza! +One of the most dangerous Diseases of National Adolescence; +extremely prevalent over the world at this time,--indeed +unavoidable, for reasons obvious enough. "SIC ITUR AD ASTRA;" +all Nations certain that the way to Heaven is By voting, by +eloquently wagging the tongue "within those walls"! Diseases, real +or imaginary, await Nations like individuals; aud are not to be +resisted, but must be submitted to, and got through the best you +can. Measles and mumps; you cannot prevent them in Nations either. +Nay fashions even; fashion of Crinoline, for instance (how +infinitely more, that of Ballot-Box and Fourth-Estate!),--are you +able to prevent even that? You have to be patient under it, and +keep hoping! + +2. In regard to England. Her JENKINS'S-EAR CONTROVERSY is at last +settled. Not only liberty of the Seas, but, if she were not wiser, +dominion of them; guardianship of liberty for all others +whatsoever: Dominion of the Seas for that wise object. America is +to be English, not French; what a result is that, were there no +other! Really a considerable Fact in the History of the World. +Fact principally due to Pitt, as I believe, according to my best +conjecture, and comparison of probabilities and circumstances. +For which, after all, is not everybody thankful, less or more? +O my English brothers, O my Yankee half-brothers, how oblivious are +we of those that have done us benefit!-- + +These are the results for England. And in the rear of these, had +these and the other elements once ripened for her, the poor Country +is to get into such merchandisings, colonizings, foreign-settlings, +gold-nuggetings, as lay beyond the drunkenest dreams of Jenkins +(supposing Jenkins addicted to liquor);--and, in fact, to enter on +a universal uproar of Machineries, Eldorados, "Unexampled +Prosperities," which make a great noise for themselves in the very +days now come. Prosperities evidently not of a sublime type: +which, in the mean while, seem to be covering the at one time +creditably clean and comely face of England with mud-blotches, +soot-blotches, miscellaneous squalors and horrors; to be preaching +into her amazed heart, which once knew better, the omnipotence of + +SHODDY; filling her ears and soul with shriekery and metallic +clangor, mad noises, mad hurries mostly no-whither;--and are +awakening, I suppose, in such of her sons as still go into +reflection at all, a deeper and more ominous set of Questions than +have ever risen in England's History before. As in the foregoing +case, we have to be patient and keep hoping. + +3. In regard to France. It appears, noble old Teutschland, with +such pieties and unconquerable silent valors, such opulences human +and divine, amid its wreck of new and old confusions, is not to be +cut in Four, and made to dance to the piping of Versailles or +another. Far the contrary! To Versailles itself there has gone +forth, Versailles may read it or not, the writing on the wall: +"Thou art weighed in the balance, and found wanting" (at last even +"FOUND wanting")! France, beaten, stript, humiliated; +sinful, unrepentant, governed by mere sinners and, at best, clever +fools (FOUS PLEINS D'ESPRIT),--collapses, like a creature whose +limbs fail it; sinks into bankrupt quiescence, into nameless +fermentation, generally into DRY-ROT. Rotting, none guesses +whitherward;--rotting towards that thrice-extraordinary +Spontaneous-Combustion, which blazed out in 1789. And has kindled, +over the whole world, gradually or by explosion, this unexpected +Outburst of all the chained Devilries (among other chained things), +this roaring Conflagration of the Anarchies; under which it is the +lot of these poor generations to live,--for I know not what length +of Centuries yet. "Go into Combustion, my pretty child!" the +Destinies had said to this BELLE FRANCE, who is always so fond of +shining and outshining: "Self-Combustion;--in that way, won't you +shine, as none of them yet could?" Shine; yes, truly,--till you are +got to CAPUT MORTUUM, my pretty child (unless you gain new wisdom!) +--But not to wander farther:-- + +WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16th, Friedrich, all Saxon things being now +settled,--among the rest, "eight Saxon Schoolmasters" to be a model +in Prussia,--quitted Leipzig, with the Seven-Years War safe in his +pocket, as it were. Drove to Moritzburg, to dinner with the amiable +Kurprinz and still more amiable Wife: "It was to your Highness that +we owe this Treaty!" A dinner which readers may hear of again. +At Moritzburg; where, with the Lacys, there was once such rattling +and battling. After which, rapidly on to Silesia, and an eight days +of adjusting and inspecting there. + +WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30th, Friedrich arrives in Frankfurt-on-Oder, on +the way homeward from Silesia: "takes view of the Field of +Kunersdorf" (reflections to be fancied); early in the afternoon +speeds forward again; at one of the stages (place called Tassdorf) +has a Dialogue, which we shall hear of; and between 8 and 9 in the +evening, not through the solemn receptions and crowded streets, +drives to the Schloss of Berlin. "Goes straight to the Queen's +Apartment," Queen, Princesses and Court all home triumphantly some +time ago; sups there with the Queen's Majesty and these bright +creatures,--beautiful supper, had it consisted only of cresses and +salt; and, behind it, sound sleep to us under our own roof-tree +once more. [Rodenbeck, ii. 211, 212; Preuss, ii. 345, 346; &c. &c.] +Next day, "the King made gifts to," as it were, to everybody; +"to the Queen about 5,000 pounds, to the Princess Amelia 1,000 +pounds," and so on; and saw true hearts all merry round him,-- +merrier, perhaps, than his own was. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Etext History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 20 + + diff --git a/old/20frd10.zip b/old/20frd10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..abe86ea --- /dev/null +++ b/old/20frd10.zip |