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diff --git a/old/65827-0.txt b/old/65827-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index c3f1906..0000000 --- a/old/65827-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3620 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Frederick the Great and the Seven -Years War, by Ferdinand Schrader - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Frederick the Great and the Seven Years War - Life Stories for Young People - -Author: Ferdinand Schrader - -Translator: George P. Upton - -Release Date: July 12, 2021 [eBook #65827] - -Language: English - -Produced by: D A Alexander, Stephen Hutcheson, and the Online - Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This - file was produced from images generously made available by - The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FREDERICK THE GREAT AND THE -SEVEN YEARS WAR *** - - - - - - [Illustration: _After the battle at Kollin_] - - _Life Stories for Young People_ - - - - - FREDERICK THE GREAT - AND - THE SEVEN YEARS’ WAR - - - _Translated from the German of - Ferdinand Schrader_ - - BY - GEORGE P. UPTON -_Translator of “Memories,” author of “Upton Handbooks on Music,” editor - “Autobiography of Theodore Thomas,” etc., etc._ - - WITH FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS - - [Illustration: A·C·M^cCLURG] - - CHICAGO - A. C. McCLURG & CO. - 1905 - - Copyright - A. C. McClurg & Co. - 1905 - Published September 16, 1905 - - THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A. - - - - - Translator’s Preface - - -This little volume deals only with seven years in the life of Frederick -the Great, but they were seven of the most memorable years in the -history of Austria and Prussia—the period of the Seven Years’ War, which -confirmed to Frederick the possession of Silesia, and elevated Prussia -to the first rank among European states. Three times Frederick waged war -for its possession: the first time, in 1740-42, with Saxony, Bavaria, -and France for allies against Austria and Great Britain; the second -time, in 1744-45, when Austria was aided by Saxony; and the third time, -in 1756-63, when Prussia, aided by some of the small German states and -British subsidies, fought Austria, France, Russia, Sweden, and Saxony. -The Seven Years’ War was one of the greatest and most destructive wars -of the eighteenth century, both to victors and vanquished. Frederick and -his allies met with but five defeats in this war,—Kollin, Hastenbeck, -Grossjägerndorf, Hochkirch, and Kunersdorf,—the last a most crushing -defeat; but they won ten great victories, Lobositz, Prague, Rossbach, -Leuthen, Zorndorf, Minden, Liegnitz, Torgau, Burkersdorf, and Freiberg; -and in eight of these Frederick commanded in person, and in every case -with a much smaller force than that of his enemies. Peace was finally -made with Maria Theresa in 1763, and by a clear violation of ancient -faith and treaty rights Silesia was taken from her. The various -campaigns are described briefly and yet in such a manner that the -interest of the narrative is kept up to the last, and the author, by the -introduction of anecdotes, conversations, and fragments of letters, -brings out very clearly the peculiar traits of the great king—his -courage at one time, his despondent moods at others, his obstinacy and -self-conceit, which more than once involved him in disaster, his humor -and satire, his cruelty at times to his own troops, and again his -fatherly relations to them. It is also a thrilling period of history -with which the author deals, and replete with national as well as -individual interest. Of the close of this great and sanguinary war, -Macaulay says,—and he was not an admirer of Frederick,—“The proud and -revengeful spirit of the Empress-Queen at length gave way; and in -February, 1763, the peace of Hubertsburg put an end to the conflict -which had during seven years devastated Germany. The king ceded nothing. -The whole Continent in arms had proved unable to tear Silesia from that -iron grasp. The war was over. Frederick was safe. His glory was beyond -the reach of envy. If he had not made conquests as vast as those of -Alexander, of Cæsar, and of Napoleon,—if he had not, on field of battle, -enjoyed the constant success of Marlborough and Wellington,—he had yet -given an example unrivalled in history, of what capacity and resolution -can effect against the greatest superiority of power and the utmost -spite of fortune.” - - G. P. U. - -Chicago, 1905 - - - - - Contents - - - I The First Battle of the War 13 - II The Battle of Prague 18 - III Frederick’s Defeat and Seydlitz’s Surprise 24 - IV The Brilliant Victory at Rossbach 35 - V Frederick at Leuthen and Lissa 39 - VI The Siege of Olmütz 48 - VII Seydlitz saves the Day at Zorndorf 60 - VIII Frederick’s Defeat at Hochkirch 68 - IX The Most Dreadful Day in Frederick’s Life 78 - X The Battle of Liegnitz 92 - XI The Victory at Torgau surprises Frederick 98 - XII The Camp at Bunzelwiltz 117 - XIII The Dawn of Peace 128 - XIV End of the Seven Years’ War 136 - Appendix 145 - - - - - List of Illustrations - - - After the battle at Kollin _Frontispiece_ - _Facing page_ - “Good-evening, gentlemen, evidently you were not expecting me” 46 - “Frederick stood on the bloody field like one dazed” 84 - Frederick at the watch fire before the battle of Liegnitz 96 - - - - - Frederick the Great - and the Seven Years’ War - - - - - Chapter I - The First Battle of the War - - -What a glorious period of peace Germany enjoyed after the furious storms -of war had devastated its flourishing provinces and brought ruin and -death into so many homes! Prussia at this time had to stand the brunt of -the storm, and had it not been for the indomitable spirit and great -military skill of Frederick the Great, nothing could have saved the -young kingdom from being forced back within the limits of its original -territory. It was not the fault of its enemies that the effort failed. -They left nothing undone to humiliate and subdue Prussia. - -Maria Theresa was never reconciled to the loss of Silesia, which had -been taken from her by Frederick in the preceding war with Austria. They -said that she shed tears whenever she saw a Silesian. Cherishing such a -strong attachment, it is not remarkable that the high-spirited Empress -busied herself with schemes for the recovery of her lost province. With -this purpose in view, she made secret treaties with Russia, France, and -Sweden, and was also assured of the help of Saxony and many of the -German imperial princes. Thus united, the plan was made to seize Prussia -and reduce it to its old limits of the Mark of Brandenburg,[1] at the -same time allotting Silesia to Austria, Westphalia to France, the -bishopric of Magdeburg to Saxony, Pomerania to Sweden, and Prussia to -Russia; but Frederick’s sharp eyes discovered the designs of his enemies -at an early stage in the game. Two traitors assisted him. Wenzel, a -secretary in Dresden, and Weingarten, an _attaché_ of the Austrian -embassy in Berlin, were paid for warning him of the impending danger. - -Frederick quietly and speedily formed his counterplans. He strengthened -his army, concluded a subsidy agreement with England—which at that time -was under the Hanoverian dynasty—and also secured promise of help from -some of the German princes, particularly the dukes of Brunswick and -Gotha and the Elector of Hesse-Cassel. With this comparatively small -array he boldly prepared to oppose his powerful enemies. His motto was -“Nothing venture, nothing have.” He quietly placed his army upon a war -footing, concentrated it at a given point, and then gave the order to -march into Saxony.[2] - -Frederick’s army invaded that beautiful and fruitful country in three -divisions, while Field-Marshal Schwerin, with a fourth, occupied -Bohemia. In a few days its most important cities were in his possession. -The invasion was effected with such startling quickness that the Elector -and his family barely escaped being taken prisoners, but they were all -treated with proper respect. The unexpected occupation caused great -alarm all over Saxony, and the news of it created consternation at the -Austrian court. Frederick was charged with bad faith and disturbance of -the country’s peace. The Emperor went so far as to characterize the bold -intruders as outlaws. Frederick, however, was not disturbed. All that he -cared for was the rupture of the alliance between the Elector and -Austria. Not succeeding in this at the outset, he treated that province -as an enemy. - -The Saxon army, in the meantime, had camped at Pirna,[3] so as to be in -easy communication with the Austrian forces, but Frederick shut them in -so closely that they were soon in desperate straits. The Elector -despatched messenger after messenger to Maria Theresa, praying for help. -Alarmed at last by the bold operations of the King, she granted his -requests and sent Field-Marshal Browne with seventy thousand men to the -relief of Saxony, not doubting that he would crush Frederick at the -first blow. Frederick, however, did not wait for the arrival of his -enemy, but, dividing his force, boldly went out to meet him with about -twenty-four thousand men, leaving the other half to watch the Saxons at -Pirna. - -The two armies met at Lobositz on the Elbe, October 1, 1756. The battle -raged fiercely for six hours with little prospect of success for the -Prussians, considering the superior strength of the enemy. Indeed, -defeat at one time seemed inevitable, for their ammunition was -exhausted. The brave Duke of Bevern, however, saved the army from its -first defeat. When told that they were out of powder and shot, he coolly -exclaimed: “Comrades, be of good courage. Charge with fixed bayonets!” -His gallant troops obeyed, and hurled themselves upon the Austrians with -such impetuosity that they were soon masters of the field. This was the -first victory in the Seven Years’ War. Frederick was delighted, and on -that same day wrote to Field-Marshal Schwerin: - -“I hardly need say anything to you about the troops. You know them. But -never since I have had the honor to command them, cavalry as well as -infantry, have they fought more bravely. It is easy to see by these -brilliant achievements what they will do hereafter.” - -The news of the victory fell like a thunderbolt in the ranks of the -Prussian King’s enemies. The Saxon troops at Pirna, fourteen thousand -strong, forced by bitter necessity and half starved, laid down their -arms. The officers were released, after pledging themselves not to -engage again in hostilities against Prussia. The common soldiers were -placed at once in the Prussian army; but they were of no service, as -they deserted at the earliest opportunity. The victory was followed by -important results. It was the majestic prelude to the later battles of -the Seven Years’ War. - - - - - Chapter II - The Battle of Prague - - -Frederick improved the winter of 1756 by increasing the strength of his -army and putting it in complete readiness for the field; for it was -evident that the enemy, enraged at the glorious victory at Lobositz, -would put forth its utmost efforts to crush him. Emperor Francis I,[4] -upon the pretext that Frederick had broken the peace by the invasion of -Saxony, induced the German imperial princes to place an army of sixty -thousand men in the field, designated the Reichs Army. Frederick was -confronted in all by half a million fighting men, while he could only -muster the comparatively small force of about two hundred thousand. The -disparity was great, and any other in his place would have been -disheartened at once at the prospect before him, but Frederick did not -waver or retreat. He relied upon his own indomitable spirit, the strong -attachment and devotion of his officers, and above all upon his valiant, -well-trained soldiers, every one of whom would have sacrificed his life -for him. With such troops he could well afford to risk battle with an -enemy greatly superior to him in numbers. - -Without unnecessary waste of time, Frederick invaded Bohemia in the -Spring of 1757. On the first night of the march, he decided to lodge -with a peasant in a village near the frontier. Everything requisite was -sent on in advance, and a royal servant notified the peasant that the -King would sleep there that night. When the time came, the peasant went -to his door to see the sovereign and his festive array. After waiting -for some time he saw a man in a blue cloak, accompanied by two officers, -dismount at his door. He asked this person whether he was one of the -King’s people; if so, he undoubtedly could be accommodated by his -neighbors. - -“I am not in the service of the King,” was the reply of the man, who was -none other than Frederick himself, “but he has invited me to supper with -him.” - -“If that is the case, be so good as to come in, but brush off your -boots, and clean up.” - -Various other generals and adjutants shortly drove up and saluted the -King. The peasant, not knowing what to make of it, became alarmed and -retreated into a corner. The King noticed his movement and said, “Stay -here, sir, until the King arrives.” - -At last the peasant began to smile in a shame-faced way. “I know well -enough who you are,” he began. “You think I am a fool. This gentleman is -the King himself.” - -Frederick smiled, and then entered the hut with some of his generals. -The peasant thereupon came forward, shaking his head doubtfully, and -when he had sufficiently regained composure, said to one of the -attendants: “That is too simple a dress for the King of Prussia. Surely -that gentleman could not oppress his peasants.” - -The next morning Frederick set off again in search of the enemy, who was -in position on the heights around Prague. Before reaching that city, he -had to march through the Pascopol pass. By way of precaution he sent one -hundred and fifty hussars ahead to ascertain if the way was strongly -guarded. Hearing a few shots, the hussars rode back to the King and -reported that all the approaches to the city were securely defended by -hussars and _pandours_ (Hungarian soldiers). Frederick, who had already -been informed to the contrary, sternly rebuked the commanding officer, -and gave his own order, “Hussars! follow me. March!” They speedily -brought in twenty _pandours_ and seven hussars, who were found hiding in -the bushes. The pass was difficult to travel, but it was unprotected, -and on the same day the army got through safely and soon reached Prague, -where the attack was to be made. The situation seemed favorable, as -pasture land of unusual verdure appeared to stretch far in the distance; -but Field-Marshal Schwerin advised the King to be cautious, for the -meadow might be full of swamp-holes and bogs, in which cavalry and -cannon might easily be mired. He also asked that his troops might have a -short rest after their long and weary march; but, once having formed his -plans, Frederick would listen to no suggestion of change. - -“No, no,” said he, “I must attack the enemy to-day, cost what it may. -The fresher fish, the better fish.” - -The old Field-Marshal, notwithstanding his dismal forebodings, -exclaimed: “Well, then, the battle must and shall be fought to-day. I -will attack the Austrians here or wherever else I find them.” - -Frederick ordered the charge. Like the plunging billows of the sea the -cavalry, with Schwerin at their head, hurled themselves upon the enemy; -but the result was just what the veteran Field-Marshal had feared. -Cannon and cavalry were hampered in their movements by the swampy -ground, and while trying to extricate themselves were also exposed to a -murderous fire from the enemy’s batteries on the surrounding heights. -Whole ranks of gallant Prussians were mowed down. It seemed impossible -to fill the gaps, but at this juncture, Schwerin, then seventy-three -years of age, seized a standard from a captain, and with the shout, “On, -children, on, let those who are not cowards follow me!” rushed -forward.[5] The brave old hero, however, had hardly gone ten paces when -he fell, mangled by four grapeshots. - -General Manteuffel took the standard from the hand of his dead friend -and shouted, “Avenge the death of a great man! On, my children! Bravely -on!” Nothing now could restrain the Prussians, who were furious with -rage at the death of Schwerin. Notwithstanding the storm of fire which -cruelly devastated their ranks, they heeded neither wounds nor death. -They scaled the heights and deluged them with the enemy’s blood. -Frederick himself quickly ended the battle. He observed a gap in the -enemy’s centre, rushed in with three battalions, and held his position -in the very thick of the fight. His soldiers fought like lions, and soon -the victory was won. But at what a cost! Eighteen thousand brave -Prussians were lying dead or wounded on the field, without counting the -noble Schwerin, “who alone,” as Frederick said, “was worth an army of -ten thousand men.” Such was the battle of Prague (May 6, 1757), one of -the bloodiest struggles in the Seven Years’ War. - - - - - Chapter III - Fredrick’s Defeat and Seydlitz’s Surprise - - -The Austrians fled into the city of Prague, which was closely invested -by the Prussians and bombarded with red-hot shot. The people suffered -greatly, and the prospect of approaching famine compelled them to make -many sacrifices. The Austrian army had about given up everything for -lost and was on the point of capitulating, when news reached them that -Field-Marshal Daun, with a strong force of sixty-six thousand men, was -on the way to their relief. Frederick marched out to meet him with -thirty-two thousand men, the very flower of his army, hoping with this -comparatively small force to check his advance. The two armies speedily -met, and a battle began at Kollin. At the outset fortune favored the -Prussians. The hussars cut their way through the enemy’s lines so -furiously that Daun was on the point of retreating. At this juncture, -however, the King decided, in the very midst of the battle, to change -his excellent original plan. Prince Moritz of Dessau and several other -generals differed from him, and when at last he announced his decision, -they refused to obey, for they foresaw it must lead to disaster. Drawing -his sword for the first time, he rushed up to them, sternly reminded -them of their duty, and ordered them back to their commands. The result -was mismanagement and confusion in handling the troops. The Austrians -and Saxons took advantage of this, and rushed into the gaps—for the -Prussians were no longer in solid columns—and soon were the victors. The -latter left fourteen thousand dead and wounded on the field. The -remainder made an orderly retreat, and Daun did not venture to pursue -them. - -Bitterly disappointed, Frederick raised the siege of Prague and fell -back with his shattered army to Nürnberg. They were obliged to dismount -many times on the way to water the horses, and on one of these occasions -an old trooper brought Frederick a refreshing draught of water in his -steel cap, and handing it to him, said in the heartiest way, “Drink, -Your Majesty, and let battles be battles. You are living—that is good. -The Almighty also lives, and He will give us victory again.” - -The King looked at him and replied with a quiet smile: “Do you really -think so, old fellow?” - -The trooper nodded assent, and soon they were on the march again. The -King was in an unusually gloomy mood, and at such times no one ventured -to disturb him. When they reached Nürnberg he went off by himself -without saying a word to anyone, and sat down upon an old waste-pipe, -where he remained some time in deep thought, scratching curious figures -in the sand with a stick. Observing this, his officers stepped more -quietly and watched him with much curiosity. Suddenly he rose and said -to those about him, “Gentlemen, it is time for action. We must not -loiter.” - -Without showing any sign of his great disappointment over his defeat, he -issued the necessary commands, and his aides were at once busy in -distributing them. Even the appearance of his splendid guard, which had -been so sorely treated at Kollin that out of a thousand men only two -hundred were unharmed in the fight, did not disturb his composure in the -least. - -“Children,” he said with much feeling, “you have had a hard day. But -have patience, dear friends; I will make it all right yet.” - -The King’s enemies were joyful over the news of his defeat at Kollin, -and decided it would be wise to attack him on all sides. In the east the -Russians invaded Prussia with one hundred thousand men. The Swedes, to -prove their bravery, attacked Pomerania, but were driven back by General -Belling. General Lehwald, however, was less fortunate in his operations -against the Russians, as he had an army of only thirty-two thousand men. -He was overpowered in an engagement at Grossjägerndorf and compelled to -retreat. The Russians might easily have advanced to Brandenburg had they -followed up their advantage, but their General Apraxin fell back still -nearer the eastern Prussian frontier. This extraordinary movement can -only be explained in one way. Apraxin had received express orders from -the warlike Empress Elizabeth to press operations with vigor, but he had -also been instructed by Grand Duke Peter to go slow and take matters -easily, for he much preferred to have Frederick a good neighbor in the -future than an enemy. - -Thus the King’s lucky star shone brightly when everything was darkest. -He also received gratifying assurances of love and devotion from his own -people. In Pomerania and Brandenburg they vied with each other in making -good the losses of men and horses at Kollin. Frederick would have been -delighted with these assurances had not fresh troubles overtaken him. -His sorrow over the tragedy at Kollin was followed by bitter grief, -occasioned by the death of a brother and his beloved mother.[6] His -great sorrow, as well as his greatness of soul, is shown in his letters -of that time, one of which closes with the words, “But I, threatened -with the storm, and notwithstanding the approaching ruin, must act, -live, and die as a King.” - -The French, meanwhile, who had crossed the Rhine and invaded Westphalia, -one hundred thousand strong, were giving the King much trouble. His -Anglo-German auxiliary army, led by the Duke of Cumberland, and much -weaker than the French, had been utterly defeated by them at Hastenbeck -on the Weser.[7] The French now swarmed over Hesse, Hanover, Brunswick, -and Westphalia, and destruction and ruin attended them wherever they -appeared; for it had been decided in Paris to devastate Prussia and all -the provinces which had remained faithful to the King. The French army, -which at the beginning operated in two divisions, was now united with -the imperial troops for the purpose of attacking Saxony, which was held -by Frederick. The French afterward divided again, at Erfurt, into two -bands, one of which under Prince Soubise levied contributions on Gotha -and Weimar, while the other, under Marshal d’Estrées, levied still -heavier contributions upon the city of Halle. From this point, one -division of troops, led by the Duke of Ayer, pressed forward to -Halberstadt and made inroads even as far as Magdeburg. Those were -troublous times for the old mark. - -Frederick, who was in upper Lusatia, was informed of the threatening -operations of the enemy. He hastened forward by forced marches, -strengthened his army by the corps of ten thousand men at Dresden under -Prince Moritz, and with his comparatively small force advanced to the -Saale by way of Grimma and Pegau. Bold General Seydlitz was in the -advance with a thousand dragoons to clear the region of roving -marauders. His brave troopers on September 7 appeared before Pegau, but -found the gate on the farther side of the stone Elster bridge blocked -and held by a large force of the enemy. Seydlitz had no infantry, but he -ordered a hundred of his dragoons, for whom no horse was too wild, no -ditch too wide, and who were splendidly trained, to dismount. They did -so and stormed the gate, and then, carbines in hand, the troop drove the -enemy at a gallop through the city. Seydlitz observed an Austrian hussar -regiment in battle-order on the other side of the city. Although greatly -outnumbered, without an instant’s delay he dashed through their closed -ranks with such fury that he captured three hundred and fifty of them -and hotly pursued the others. The flying enemy attempted to make a stand -on the bridge at Kösen and attack Seydlitz, but they were quickly -dispersed. - -Meanwhile Soubise and his French generals were occupying the castle at -Gotha, and living there in luxurious style. His eight thousand troops -were quartered in the market-place and other sections of the city and -living upon the best of the land at the land’s expense. Seydlitz, who -was aware of this, decided to arrange a little surprise for them with -the help of his merry troopers. Soubise and his generals were -entertaining some foreign guests at an entertainment, for which -extraordinary preparations had been made. The tables were loaded with -the choicest viands, and costly wines flowed in streams. The guests were -greatly enjoying the superb banquet, the charm of which was heightened -by the presence of beautiful ladies, when suddenly Seydlitz and his -hussars appeared at the gate. Everything was in confusion at once. The -officers hurriedly left the festive scene, donned their gayly plumed -hats, rushed out of the hall pell-mell, and fled in a panic. It never -occurred to anyone, though they were eight thousand strong, to offer the -slightest resistance to the little Prussian band. - -Seydlitz, who could not think of making an effective pursuit with his -few worn-out soldiers, contented himself with a short chase of the -French. Covered with dust and sprinkled with foam after the sudden bold -rush into the city, he and his officers laughed heartily at the deserted -tables decked out so lavishly for the enemy. With lively jokes and many -a rollicking troopers’ song, the bold heroes refreshed themselves with -the choice dishes and wines the duke’s cooks had provided so lavishly, -and passed the hours of the afternoon and night in the most hilarious -and satisfied manner. An eyewitness says: - -“Only a few French soldiers were taken prisoners, but an army of -servants, lackeys, cooks, hairdressers, actors, and chambermaids, chests -full of perfumes and pomades, powder-boxes and hair-nets, parasols and -dressing-gowns, as well as a mass of those knick-knacks which are -indispensable to French elegance, fell into the hands of the troopers, -who examined their plunder with astonishment and fared royally upon the -delicacies and wines found among the equipages and cooks’ wagons, which -Seydlitz turned over to his troopers. The other stuff he sent on to the -French the next day free of charge, as Prussian troopers had no use for -it.” - -Frederick, in the meantime, with his little army, about twenty-two -thousand strong, had reached Erfurt, by way of Grimma and Naumburg, -where he learned from Seydlitz that the fugitive enemy were occupying a -strong position at Eisenach.[8] The situation was so uncertain that he -decided not to venture far from Saxony and the Elbe. Believing that in -his position he could resist the French advance, he sent Duke Ferdinand -of Brunswick with four thousand men to Halberstadt to rid its people of -the enemy’s exactions, and Prince Moritz of Dessau with eight thousand -men into the region between the Mulde and Elbe to watch the movements of -the Austrians. When he heard of the departure of these forces Soubise’s -courage revived. He decided to advance and regain his former position. -He also plucked up courage to place himself at the head of his army. -With his strong force of eight thousand men he approached Gotha. As soon -as Seydlitz, who had been reënforced by about fifteen thousand men, -noticed this move of the enemy, he fell back, and pretended to seek -shelter in a ravine. He ordered his troopers to dismount, fasten their -sabres to their carbines, and spread themselves out in a long line near -their horses. Thus extended, with the hussars in front and the dragoons -dismounted and in position on the hillside, they presented from a -distance the appearance of long lines of infantry. The French, believing -the entire Prussian army was in front of them, fled precipitately. -Seydlitz’s troopers pursued them, and captured three officers and one -hundred and fifty men. Truly the Prussians had no reason to fear such an -enemy! As a result of the ruse, the French did not stop running until -they were far away from Gotha. - -About this time the Austrian general Haddick made a descent upon Berlin -and levied a considerable war contribution, beside making a demand for -twenty-four pairs of fine gloves, which he intended to present to his -Empress. He obtained all that he demanded, including the gloves; but the -Berliners showed a fine sense of humor in the trick they played upon -him—for on his return home he learned that they were all for the left -hand! Frederick, who received the news of the descent when it was too -late to prevent it, decided at least to cut off Haddick’s return, and -advanced with four thousand men to the Elbe, leaving Field-Marshal -Keith, with five thousand men, to guard the Saale. Other divisions were -sent to Weissenfels and Merseburg. After the King’s withdrawal from -Thuringia, the French and the imperial troops also abandoned their -position at Gotha, and advanced to Merseburg and Leipsic with the -intention of occupying Saxony. Keith, in the meantime, however, had -notified the King of the approach of the enemy, who, recognizing the -danger, at once turned, drove the French before him, and made a halt -between Weissenfels and Merseburg. This position, however, was insecure, -for the greatly superior enemy was bent upon surrounding and capturing -the King’s little force. Indeed, Soubise carried his audacity so far -that he sent word to his King that Frederick could no longer escape him -and that he expected soon to have the honor of bringing him a prisoner -to Paris. How bitterly he was deceived! - - - - - Chapter IV - The Brilliant Victory at Rossbach - - -Frederick encountered the enemy at Rossbach,[9] November 5, 1757. He -could only oppose twenty-two thousand men to an army over sixty thousand -strong. The disparity was great, but he relied upon his good fortune and -the bravery of his soldiers. As was his invariable custom upon critical -occasions, he sought to inspire his troops with words of encouragement. - -“The hour has come,” he said to them, “when all that is sacred to us -depends upon our bravery. You know that I have shared fatigue, hunger, -cold, night-watches, and dangers with you, and you know that I am ready -to sacrifice my life with you and for you. All I ask in return is the -same trust and good-will. Act now like men, and trust in God.” - -The King’s simple words made a deep impression. His soldiers answered -with an enthusiastic shout. “We will die with you!” exclaimed the -grizzled warriors, while tears rolled down their powder-stained cheeks. -The King was deeply moved by these expressions of love and devotion. He -had chosen an elevated spot for his camp. The enemy was exultant, for -they believed it an easy task to capture the little army, and they -hastened to surround the site where it was camped so as to cut off -escape in every direction. Frederick’s sharp eyes watched their -movements, but they did not appear to trouble him. On the other hand, he -ordered his soldiers to eat their dinner, he and his generals at the -same time sitting at open table. The French could not conceal their -surprise at such recklessness. They were sure he was ignorant of his -inevitable fate. They were not aware it was only a trick, for while part -of the soldiers were eating, the others were getting the horses in order -and artillery and ammunition in readiness. When all the preparations -were made, and the King believed the right moment had come, the tents -disappeared in a trice and the Prussians stood in marching order, ready -for the attack. Before it began, the King noticed Möller, an artillery -colonel, who was of great service to him in field operations, and who at -all critical times, when his advice was asked, invariably said, “Believe -me, Your Majesty, my guardian angel says it will be all right.” - -Möller had been assigned a very important position. The King had ordered -his guns placed so that they were invisible to the enemy, and had hopes -of good results from them. He hastened up to him, and placing his hand -familiarly upon his shoulder, said, “Well, Möller, what does your -guardian angel say this time? Is everything all right?” - -“Oh, yes, Your Majesty,” he replied. “My angel promises victory.” - -“At it, then, in God’s name,” answered Frederick, and at his signal the -battle began. The artillery poured a terrible rain of shot into the -French ranks, and the infantry accompanied the crashes of cannon with -such a din of musketry that the French were taken completely by -surprise. They had not recovered from it when General Seydlitz, hurling -his pipe into the air and shouting “Forward!” gave the signal to his -troopers to charge. Impetuously they dashed out from behind the hill, -and hurled themselves upon the French like a thunderbolt, riding down -and sabring everyone in their way. The panic-stricken enemy could offer -no resistance. All who could, fled to escape destruction. The battle of -Rossbach from that time on was simply a wild hunt. They threw away -everything that might impede their flight. Cavalrymen dismounted, took -off their great boots, and unbuckled their sabres. Whole battalions were -taken prisoners by a few hussars without making any resistance, while -others hid among the bushes or branches of trees. Few of them stopped -until the Rhine was behind them. In short, it was a spectacle the like -of which the world had rarely seen before. The attack began at two -o’clock, and at nightfall not a Frenchman was to be seen. Two thousand -of the enemy were left upon the field and seven thousand were captured -Sixty-three cannon and twenty-three standards were also taken. The -Prussians lost only ninety-one. All Germany was jubilant over the -victory, for the French had made themselves bitterly hated by their -outrages. - -Immediately after the battle, the heroic King led his brave troops into -Silesia, where the Austrians were once more active, having taken Breslau -and Schweidnitz, and confident they would become masters of the whole -province. In about a fortnight the Prussians reached the Oder. On the -march thither, a fortunate event occurred. As the Austrians, four -thousand strong, were taking the garrison of Schweidnitz to a place of -imprisonment, the latter heard of the great victory their beloved King -had won at Rossbach. Aroused by the news, they fell upon their guards -and cut them down, and regained their freedom. Uncertain where they were -going, they by chance met the King’s army, of whose movements they were -ignorant. Frederick, as delighted as he was surprised, cordially greeted -them, and all considered the happy incident as a good omen for the -future. - - - - - Chapter V - Frederick at Leuthen and Lissa - - -The main army of the Austrians, eighty thousand strong, held a position -in the vicinity of Leuthen, between Breslau and Neumarkt. When its -commander, Prince Carl of Lothringen, heard that the King was near by -with thirty-six thousand men, he remarked, “That must be the Berlin -guard parade.” Frederick did not wait long. Regardless of the disparity -between the two forces, he determined to measure strength with the -Austrians, cost what it might. Under a gloomy, gray December sky, the -King one day summoned his generals and thus addressed them: - -“In violation of all the rules of the art of war, I propose to attack -this army of Prince Carl though it is thrice as strong as ours. It is -not a question of the numbers of the enemy nor of the strength of his -position. I hope we shall overcome these odds by the valor of our -troops, and by strictly carrying out my plans. I must risk this action -or all will be lost. We must beat the enemy or all of us must perish -before his batteries. So I think, so I shall act. Make my decision known -to the army. Get it in readiness for the work soon to come. As for the -rest, when you remember you are Prussians, you will certainly prove -yourselves worthy of the name. But if there be any among you who fear to -share danger with me, he can have his discharge this evening without -exposing himself to the slightest reproach from me.” - -The King regarded his veterans questioningly. One of them came forward -and said: “He is a knave who would retire or fear to offer his life for -his Majesty.” - -“I was sure,” resumed the King, “none of you would desert me. With your -faithful aid, victory will be certain. Should I fall and thus be -prevented from rewarding you for your service, the Fatherland will do -it. Now go to your commands and give them this message: The regiment of -cavalry which does not attack the enemy the instant it is ordered, shall -be unhorsed after the battle and made a garrison regiment. The regiment -of infantry which under any circumstances hesitates in the least, shall -lose its colors and arms, and I will cut the decorations from the -uniforms. Now, good-bye, gentlemen. We shall soon defeat the enemy or -never see each other again.” - -Both officers and soldiers were deeply impressed by the King’s words, -and all awaited the battle of the following day with eager expectation. -The soldiers were so enthusiastic that they sang sacred hymns to the -accompaniment of the field bands.[10] As singing before battle had not -previously been customary, one of the generals asked the King if he -should not order the soldiers to be silent. - -“No!” replied the King. “With such men as these, God certainly will give -us the victory.” - -As the Prussians approached Leuthen, the King was informed that the -enemy’s force was as strong again as his own. - -“I know it,” answered the dauntless hero, “but there is only one way out -of it—conquer or perish. I would attack them even were they on the -Zobtenberg.[11]” Before giving the signal for the attack, Frederick -called a hussar officer with fifty men to him and said: “I shall expose -myself in battle to-day more than usual. You and your fifty men are to -serve as my bodyguard. You must not leave me, and you must see to it -that I do not fall into the hands of the canaille. If I am killed, cover -my body with my cloak, place it in a wagon, and say not a word about it. -Let the battle continue and the enemy will be beaten.” - -About this time the right wing of the cavalry, commanded by Prince -Moritz of Dessau, halted at a churchyard, where the Austrians had -planted one of their strongest batteries and were firing from time to -time upon the skirmishers, sometimes with serious effect. To save them -from this fire, Prince Moritz ordered them to fall back; but Frederick, -when he noticed the movement, rushed up and cried: “Not yet! not yet! -Those are only alarm shots. Children,” turning to the skirmishers, -“follow me.” - -They promptly obeyed the King, who led them back to their former -position and said: “Stay here. Have no fear. I will send help to you.” - -While saying this, the enemy’s cannonading was kept up. Prince Moritz -said to the King: “It is too dangerous for you here, Your Majesty.” - -“That is true,” replied Frederick, with the utmost composure, “but I -shall soon drive the Austrians back.” - -The King made good his promise. The battle began between one and two -o’clock, on the fifth of December, 1757. The enemy’s line of battle -stretched a mile, but Frederick was not alarmed. His main attack was -directed against the left wing, and at this point the enemy’s line was -completely broken. A like fate overtook the right wing, which was -simultaneously attacked. The enemy’s centre finally gave way, and before -dark the King was master of the field. The sanguinary struggle lasted -only three hours, but it was one of the most brilliant of his victories. -Twenty thousand prisoners fell into the hands of the Prussians, and -beside these they captured one hundred and thirty-four cannon and -fifty-nine standards. Frederick rewarded Prince Moritz on the field for -his service. Drawing rein, he said to him, “I congratulate you upon the -victory, Herr Field-Marshal”—with these words elevating him to that high -position. The exhausted troops camped that night on the battlefield. It -was a weird spectacle. All around them were the bodies left by the -defeated Austrians, and the groans of the wounded made dreary night -music. Suddenly an old grenadier loudly and jubilantly sang “Nun danket -alle Gott.”[12] This hymn of joy voiced the feelings of the soldiers, -and when the bands struck up, the whole army joined in the uplifting -song of thanksgiving. The effect was indescribable. The religious -sentiment in the camp was unmistakable. Everyone had awaited the day -with eager expectation. They had faced death in a thousand shapes, and -terrible was the remembrance which it left. The pious soldiers passed a -sleepless night, and left the field of victory with the proud -consciousness that they had added new laurels to their heroic King’s -wreath of fame. - -While in pursuit of the enemy, Frederick with a little band of soldiers -approached Lissa. Before arriving he learned that it swarmed with -Austrians. The King ordered a halt, reined up his horse, and sent one of -his aides back with instructions to bring up the Manteuffel and Wedell -battalions of grenadiers, which had been left behind at the last moment, -and to say to them that he was so well satisfied with their bravery, -they should spend the night with him at his headquarters in Lissa, and -every man beside should have a thaler. It was a good half-hour before -the two battalions came up, and when they did he placed himself at their -head and boldly rode into Lissa, where everything was quiet, although -lights were seen in the houses on all sides. As the King, who appeared -familiar with the place, rode into the spacious plaza near the castle, -and about sixty paces from the bridge across the Schweidnitz, he noticed -white-coats coming out of several of the houses with straw on their -backs. Most of them were caught by the Prussian grenadiers, and some -were brought before the King. When asked what they were doing, one of -them replied: - -“A captain holds the other end of the bridge with one hundred and fifty -men. He was ordered to strew the bridge with straw and set it afire as -soon as the Prussians approached. So many townspeople have crossed, -however, that the straw was trampled down in the mud and mire, and the -captain threw it into the water and sent forty men to the stables to -fetch fresh straw.” - -Some of the white-coats in the meantime had stolen away and notified the -captain of the arrival of the Prussians, and while the King was talking -with the prisoners he opened a brisk fire, by which some of the -grenadiers in the rear of the King were wounded. Great confusion -followed. The artillerists cried, “Back! back! we are fired upon!” Those -on horseback rode near the houses, so as not to expose themselves to the -fire of friend and enemy in the windows. The Prussian artillery opened -fire at once, and the grenadiers also joined in. The entire city was in -alarm. The Prussians were exposed to a brisk fire from the houses, to -which they promptly replied. The tumult was great, and shouts and -commands were confusedly mixed. The King, however, remarked with the -utmost composure: “Gentlemen, follow me. I am no stranger here.” -Thereupon he rode to the left over the drawbridge leading to the castle, -followed by a few of his officers. He had hardly arrived at the castle -entrance when several Austrian officers and attendants, with lanterns in -their hands, ran down the steps and made an effort to get to their -horses in the castle yard and escape under cover of the darkness. The -King, dismounting, quietly confronted them and said: “Good-evening, -gentlemen. Evidently you were not expecting me. Is there no room left -for me?” - -It would have been easy for them to have overpowered Frederick if they -had had the courage, but the suddenness of his appearance and the -confident tone of his voice so completely dazed them that they took the -lanterns from the hands of their attendants, lit the King up the stairs, -and escorted him to one of the finest of the rooms. The most -distinguished of the Austrian officers introduced his comrades to the -King, by name and rank, and all joined in agreeable conversation. During -this time more Prussian officers arrived at the castle, fearing the King -might be in danger; but they found him enjoying himself mightily. He -finally took leave of the Austrian officers, however, and they sought -quarters in other rooms of the spacious castle. - - [Illustration: “_Good evening, gentlemen, evidently you were not - expecting me_”] - -That same night the King’s entire army arrived at Lissa, having been -ordered there by mistake. By this time the Prussians had taken a great -number of prisoners. Zieten scoured the neighborhood with his hussars, -and drove the fugitives even into Bohemia, and pressed the enemy so -closely that out of eighty thousand men only about seventeen thousand -reached the Bohemian frontier. The King followed, and soon overtook -Zieten by a shorter route. - - - - - Chapter VI - The Siege of Olmütz - - -The year 1757, which had been so abundant in Prussian victories, drew to -its close. Without remaining longer in Bohemia, the King made a forced -march into Silesia,—where several cities and strongholds had again -fallen into the enemy’s hands,—not alone to drive the enemy out at that -unfavorable season, but for the more important purpose of seeking winter -quarters. As the Prussians were continually harassed on the march by the -enemy’s skirmishers, the King ordered night marches, so as to ensure the -security of the sutlers’ stores and baggage from the marauders. After -marching all night, the army would halt at daybreak, the cavalry -dismount, and the infantry sleep as much as possible under the -circumstances. One morning the King, after dismounting, said: “How nice -it would be if we had some schnapps!” Several, who had bread and brandy, -rushed up to him and offered him their little store. - -The King smiled with genuine satisfaction at the generosity and -self-sacrificing spirit of his soldiers, and said: “Children, if I could -drink brandy I would take it with pleasure. But I thank you for your -love, and will not forget this day which has been such a happy one for -us all.” Then he turned to his staff, and said: “There is no happier -King in the world than I.” He ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Von Wacknitz to -make a list of his guards, and at Breslau a _Friedrich d’or_[13] was -given to each man. Notwithstanding these fatiguing marches, the King -found his soldiers so eager for active duty that he decided to take -advantage of their enthusiasm and attack the enemy without delay. -Breslau, with its strong garrison of sixteen thousand men, surrendered, -and this placed the King once more in possession of all Silesia except -Schweidnitz. He now permitted his brave troops to go into winter -quarters, as they so well deserved, while he spent the Winter in -Breslau. - -With the first approach of Spring the King was on the alert. When all -was in readiness for moving, he mustered his guard on the Schweidnitz -meadows. As they were assembling he noticed a seven-year-old lad who was -actively engaged in drilling a dozen other boys, who had sticks for -horses. The King laughed at the sport, and after watching them a little -while, said: “That boy will be a good soldier some day.” The next time -he observed him, he saw that the little leader had exerted himself so -vigorously in making an attack that he was bleeding profusely from the -nose. The boy, however, mounted his stick again and renewed the attack -with vigor. The King called to him: “My child, go home and wash off the -blood.” - -The boy replied with much dignity: “Oh, no! that won’t do, for it will -throw everything into disorder. I am not yet killed; I am only wounded.” - -The King in surprise asked, “What is your name?” - -“Kneuschke,” replied the boy. - -“So? And what does your father do?” - -“He is a gardener.” - -The King made a note of it, and thenceforward paid the gardener five -thalers a month, to be applied toward his son’s education. - -Satisfactory as everything appeared, Frederick was not unmindful of the -dangers to which he was exposed. He would have been willing to make -terms of peace if this had been satisfactory, but his haughty enemies -did not stop to consider what serious losses their far abler adversary -could inflict upon them, even with a smaller force. The more victories -he won, the more implacable was their animosity toward him, and the more -firmly convinced were they that sooner or later they would crush him; -for they were sure that he could not hold out long against their united -strength, and that in the end he would have to abandon the struggle from -mere exhaustion. The King seems to have divined their schemes. About -this time he wrote to a friend: - -“What do you say to this alliance against the Margrave of Brandenburg? -What would the great Elector have said if he had known that his grandson -would have been fighting Russians, Austrians, nearly all Germany, and a -hundred thousand Frenchmen? I do not know whether I am strong enough to -withstand them and whether it would be a disgrace for me to submit, but -I am certain that my enemies will gain no honor from my defeat.” - -After a careful survey of the situation, the King decided it would not -be incompatible with honor to offer terms of peace to his enemies. They -regarded the offer as a sign of weakness, rejected it, and entered upon -a fresh campaign of even more active hostility. - -Frederick did not hesitate. He rallied all his strength, repaired the -losses incurred in previous battles, and confronted the powerful enemy -with a splendidly equipped army. Unfortunate Saxony, which was -completely in his hands, had to contribute a large sum of money, as well -as clothing and recruits. Unexpected help also came from another -quarter. The battle of Rossbach had aroused great enthusiasm in Europe, -particularly in England, where there was strong sympathy with Prussia. -Parliament unanimously voted to assist its brave ally. It sent him -twelve thousand men, placed the Hanoverian army, which was in excellent -condition, at his disposal, and united it with the forces from Hesse, -Brunswick, and Gotha, making an army thirty thousand strong. This fresh -body of troops, after such severe losses as he had met, was a welcome -gift to the King. Parliament also promised to send four million -thalers,[14] with the understanding that an able leader should be -selected for the new corps. It could not have sent more acceptable help, -for the King needed money as well as men at this time, when the war was -about to be resumed with renewed vigor on all sides. Necessity forced -him to make from ten to twelve millions of debased coin out of his four -million thalers, as he had no other way of meeting his war expenses. He -appointed Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick, who was universally regarded as a -superior soldier, in command of the thirty thousand. Like the King, he, -too, understood how to oppose a large army with a smaller one. Indeed, -he was an expert in that direction. He drove the French, who had overrun -West Germany, across the Rhine, inflicted heavy losses upon them in -their retreat, and captured eleven thousand prisoners. Not satisfied -with this achievement, he kept control of the river, and fought a battle -with the French, June 23, at Crefeld, in which they were routed. Seven -thousand more prisoners fell into his hands and hundreds of bodies -covered the battlefield. Notwithstanding these disasters, the French a -little later made another attempt to invade Germany, which was thwarted -in such a masterly manner that at the close of the year they were -content to stay on their own side of the German river. The Duke then -made his headquarters in Munster and from there held the enemy in check. - -While Duke Ferdinand was thus disposing of the French in the west, the -King decided to attack the strong fortress at Schweidnitz, the only one -remaining in the hands of the Austrians. On the march thither, while -riding through a narrow defile, he found the artillery badly tangled up. -While rushing about to hasten movements, he ran against a wheel and -split one of his boots so badly that he could hardly keep it on. -Impatient at the accident, he ordered an aide to find a shoemaker who -could stitch up the boot. After considerable search a dragoon was found, -who came, bringing his tools with him. The King, dismounting, and -seating himself upon a hillock, said: “Can you mend my boot?” - -“I will see, Your Majesty. I have mended a good many.” - -“Well, hurry up, so that I can go on.” - -The dragoon began work, at the same time growling to himself: “Hm! These -boots have done service enough to warrant a new pair.” - -“What is that you are saying?” - -“Nothing.” - -“But I want to know.” - -“Well, I think your boots have honestly done all the service they can. -It is no wonder they rip. They are worn out.” - -“So? How long think you boots must last?”[15] - -“_Must_ last—that is a different thing; but I can easily tell you how -long they _can_ last—three years.” - -“Old fool, they are not as old as that yet. But tell me how a shoemaker -can be a good dragoon.” - -“You might have seen how, at Hohenfriedsberg.” - -“Were you there?” - -“To be sure I was, and I have soled Austrians so that many of them will -remember me for a long time. When I make shoes, I am a shoemaker; and -when I ride a horse, I am a dragoon—and Heaven help those who get into -my hands!” - -“Gently, gently, Mr. Shoemaker, I am in your hands. Be merciful with -me.” When the dragoon had finished, the King swiftly rode forward, -placed himself at the head of his troops, and the march was resumed. - -Frederick’s fortunate victory so discouraged the Austrian troops that -the Schweidnitz garrison, although amply provisioned, made but a feeble -resistance, and surrendered in a few days at discretion. All Silesia was -once more in possession of the King. To make Maria Theresa appreciate -his strength he extended the area of his operations into Moravia and -laid siege to the city of Olmütz, a suburb, as it were, of Vienna. It -was an undertaking, however, as fruitless as it was unfortunate. The -siege was long protracted, for the besiegers were not only hampered by -lack of sufficient artillery, but of ammunition, which had to be hauled -over morasses and through deep defiles. In consequence, the King had -plenty of leisure for excursions into the neighboring country. Upon one -of these occasions he rode about the country of Glatz in company with -General Seydlitz. Passing through a defile, the King noticed, some -distance away, a collection of people, whom at first glance he took to -be a detachment of Austrians. Seydlitz, who had unusually sharp eyes, -was of opinion that Fouquet had fixed his limits there and stationed -these people so that the enemy’s troops could not cross them without his -knowledge. The King and Seydlitz rode up and found that the people were -peasants of the country, whom Fouquet had placed there to watch the -line. - -“Are you Prussians?” asked Frederick. - -“No,” they replied, “we are Fickets.” (Fouquet was called “Ficket” by -the common people.) - -“You can see now,” said the King to Seydlitz, laughing, “who is master -here, and that I don’t count for much.” - -Notwithstanding this, the King continued riding about the country, and -one day made a discovery which disturbed him not a little. He heard that -the Countess Grün, wife of a staff officer of the garrison, had made a -vow to the Virgin, at the Jesuit church, that she would present her a -beautiful robe when the siege of Olmütz was raised. He immediately -ordered a robe made of the richest material for the Madonna, and sent it -to the Jesuits with the message that as he had heard of the Countess’s -useless vow, and as he was as mindful of the amenities of life as she, -he did not wish our dear Lady should be the loser. As events might take -another turn, he was simply carrying out what the Countess might not be -able to perform. The Jesuits, delighted with his gift, came in -procession to thank him, and exhibited the robe to strangers as a proof -of the King’s pious sentiments. - -The King at this time evidently intended to press the siege with vigor -and capture Olmütz. The Austrians by themselves would not have troubled -him, but he soon heard the unwelcome news that the Russians had captured -Cüstrin and committed frightful excesses. He was, therefore, forced to -consider the raising of the siege. His final decision was hastened by -the information that a detachment of the enemy had captured a convoy of -ammunition and supplies at Domstädt, which had been sent him from -Silesia. With extreme reluctance he summoned all his generals and -regiment and battalion commanders to headquarters. When they were all -there, he advanced into their midst and said: - -“Gentlemen, the enemy has found an opportunity to destroy a convoy -coming to us from Silesia. Owing to this fatal blow, I must raise the -siege of Olmütz, but, gentlemen, you must not conclude that all is lost -on that account. No, you may be sure that everything will be made good, -and in such a way that the enemy will have something to think about. You -must persuade your commands not to grumble about it. I hope you will not -be disappointed yourselves, and should I,—though I do not expect -it,—find that anyone else is, I shall punish such an one severely. I -shall move immediately, and wherever I find the enemy I shall attack, -however he may be posted and whether he has one or several batteries; -but,” tapping his brow with his stick, “I shall never do anything -unreasonable or rash. I am confident that every one of my officers and -soldiers will do their duty when the time comes, as they have always -done in the past.” - -The King’s words had a marked effect upon his generals. Frederick -dismissed them with a cordial handshake and that gracious and friendly -manner which captivated everyone. He parted from them with their -assurance that he could rely upon their help under any circumstances. -The siege was raised and the retreat was a masterly exhibition of -generalship. It had to be made through Bohemia, as Field-Marshal Daun -occupied the road through Silesia. Daun was taken by surprise. The -hussars performed excellent service by covering the retreat through -defiles and over mountains. The King rode at the head of the cavalry day -and night, so as to be on the alert against surprise by the enemy. -Swamps and hollows were not looked upon as obstacles. Artillery and -cavalry were forced to find some way over them. Once, in the darkness of -the night, the King, riding in front of the vanguard, came to a steep -descent, some four or five hundred feet to the bottom. The skirmishers, -with a Bohemian peasant who served as guide, were some distance in -advance. For this reason the King, who was anxious to lose no time and -to take advantage of the darkness, called a halt and notified the whole -army of the situation. The cavalry had to dismount so as to reach the -valley. One under officer who was in the lead hesitated on the edge of -the descent, fearing that his horse would slip, and groped about himself -for a footing while all the others were ready to go down. The King grew -impatient over the waste of time. - -“You must have even poorer eyes than I,” he said with some anger, “for -you stumble around like a blind man. Come here and hold fast to my -coat-tails and I will get you down, and the army will not be delayed any -longer.” The officer did as he was bid and safely reached the bottom, -like the others, with no greater harm than a few bruises. - - - - - Chapter VII - Seydlitz Saves the Day at Zorndorf - - -Notwithstanding obstacles of the kind related in the last chapter, which -were frequent in that region, the progress of the army was not checked -and Silesia was reached. The King left the larger part of the army at -Landeshut with Field-Marshal Keith,[16] for the protection of Silesia, -and pushed on by exhausting marches under the scorching sun to the -relief of Count Dohna, who was in great danger from the attacks of the -Russians. The latter, leaving devastation in their wake, had invaded -Prussia as far as Cüstrin, as already mentioned. This place they had -captured after great destruction, and they also forced it to pay a heavy -contribution in money. Trampled fields and burning villages marked the -route of the northern barbarians. The unfortunate inhabitants of cities -and villages, driven from house and home, wandered in bands, seeking -shelter and help. Deeply touched by the indescribable wretchedness of -his countrymen, Frederick marched all the more rapidly until he came up -with the Russians at Zorndorf. A little stream alone separated the two -armies. - -As so much depended upon securing an accurate idea of the whole -situation, the exact position as well as numbers of the enemy, the King, -attended by an aide, a servant who carried his spyglass, and a groom, -rode to the bank of the stream, dismounted and bade his servant also -alight. Resting his glass upon the latter’s shoulder, he began making -observations. The moment the Russians saw him, they opened a continuous -fire from the nearest battery, the shot striking so near the King as to -cover his coat with dirt. He calmly continued his observations without -moving his glass or a change in the expression of his face. At last his -aide thought it was his duty to remind him of the danger to which he was -exposed. He stepped up, gently pulled the skirts of the King’s coat, and -said: “Your Majesty is in too great danger here. See how the shots are -striking all around you. Your coat and hat are covered with dirt.” - -It was some little time before the King replied. At last he turned to -the aide, saying with the utmost coolness: “If you are afraid, you can -ride back”; and then resumed his observations at once. After he had seen -all he wished, he said to his servant: “Now you can pack up.” With these -words he mounted his horse and leisurely rode away under a very shower -of shot, talking in the meanwhile with his aide on various matters, -utterly indifferent to danger. - -The ruin caused by the Russians so infuriated the King that he decided -upon a battle to the death, and issued orders that none of the barbarous -enemy should be spared. - -It was in the early morning of August 25, 1758, that the Prussian army, -thirty-two thousand strong, confronted, in battle array, an enemy -greatly exceeding it in strength, for the Russians numbered fifty-two -thousand men. After all preparations for the battle had been made, and -as the Prussians were marching out of camp, the King conversed with -officers and the rank-and-file upon various matters as they passed by, -with as much composure as if it were a parade. He was somewhat surprised -at an old corporal in the grenadier battalion of the Berlin garrison, -named Beek, whose very bald head was covered with the grenadier’s cap -while his wig was hanging from his knapsack. The King rode up to him and -noticed that the old man was still very active. - -“My friend,” said he, “it is high time somebody looked after you. Have -you had an education?” - -“No, Your Majesty, I have learned nothing; I can neither read nor write. -I had to be a soldier when I was very young, and I am of no use except -to be shot at.” - -“How long have you been in the service?” - -“Forty-four years already, and yet I am perfectly sound. If the war -lasts long enough, however, my time to die will come. I don’t care for -that, for I have always lived the soldier’s life. There is only one -thing that troubles me. If it were not for that, Your Majesty, I -shouldn’t care if I were shot to-day. I would die right willingly.” - -The King listened attentively and then asked: - -“Well, what troubles you?” - -“Your Majesty, I have an only boy who is making some progress. His -mother has taught him to read quite well, and I would be glad to have -him learn whatever is proper for him, and go to some good school, so -that he will know more than I do. That will help him when he goes out -into the world, I cannot afford to give him anything out of my -allowance.” - -“Where is your son to be found?” - -The father gave him his son’s residence, and told his name, and then the -King rode away. A few minutes after this the battle began. - -The Russians were formed in a huge quadrilateral. The Prussian artillery -played havoc with this dense, unwieldy mass, for Captain Möller that day -had one hundred and seventeen cannon and howitzers. Seydlitz was chief -in command of all the cavalry. The Russian general, Fermor, opened the -battle prematurely by a sudden attack with his cavalry, which dashed -upon the Prussians with loud cheers. Seydlitz did not neglect his -opportunity. With his characteristic energy he repulsed the cavalry and -hurled back the enemy’s infantry. The ensuing confusion, greatly -increased by the dust, smoke, and furious battle cries, was so great -that the Russian rear guard fired upon their own men. Dreadful slaughter -followed, but the Russians stood as if rooted to the earth and fought -like lions. At last, by the aid of invincible courage and judicious -leadership, the Prussian army weakened the enemy, but as yet without -decisive result. An eyewitness describes the further progress of the -battle as follows: - -“Fiercely blazed the noonday sun upon the exhausted troops, who had been -on their feet since four o’clock in the morning. The cavalry was -particularly fatigued, for it had been engaged at the most dangerous -points. Both men and animals needed refreshment, which could only be -procured for a short time back of the village of Zorndorf, where -Seydlitz’s squadrons had been stationed. The King was anxious to make -the battle decisive, and therefore, in the afternoon, ordered it to be -renewed. The Russian army stood ready in battle order. Fifteen thousand -infantry, twelve ranks deep, occupied a strong position, and one hundred -cannon covered their flanks and poured a deadly fire into the -approaching Prussian regiments. Their onset was checked, and they fell -back. The fate of Prussia and its heroic King hung in the balance. -Seydlitz, who had formed his cavalry in three divisions, recognized the -danger and rushed forward. He had his sixty-one squadrons in such shape -that they could make repeated assaults upon the obstinate enemy. The -first division was composed of eighteen squadrons of cuirassiers, -assisted by a fine regiment of carbineers and a corps of _gens d’armes_. -At a hundred yards away were three regiments of dragoons in the second -division, which supported the first and filled up gaps. The third -division, two hundred and fifty yards distant, consisted of three -regiments of hussars, whose duty it was to capture artillery, take -charge of prisoners, and destroy broken battalions. - -“In order to save the badly weakened men and horses as much as possible, -Seydlitz ordered that at first all movements should be made in slow and -regular time; but at the final ‘March, march,’ they should not spare the -spur, but hurl themselves upon the enemy with all possible force and -fury. The powerful body began its slow movement, greatly hindered by the -retreating battalions of Dohna’s infantry. With clear, far-reaching -voice Seydlitz ordered, ‘Make ready for attack!’ for the Russian shots -were already falling among them. Quickly followed the first ‘March, -march,’ order, blown by two hundred trumpeters, but the squadrons moved -forward at an easy gallop. Nearer and nearer, enveloped in dense clouds -of dust, they rushed upon the Russian colossus. Then came the -thunder-shock. Grapeshot made frightful havoc in the Prussian ranks. At -last the trumpeters sounded the final ‘March, march,’ and with all their -force the Prussian centaurs hurled themselves upon the enemy’s bayonets. -With incessant and irresistible fury the whole sixty-one squadrons -repeatedly charged. The cannon were captured, men were mowed down. -Suddenly firing ceased. Death came by cut and thrust. Darkness and the -complete exhaustion of men and horses ended the slaughter.” - -Frederick was jubilant over his brilliant victory. One hundred and three -cannon, twenty-seven standards, and the money chests were the spoils of -the day, but ten thousand Prussians were left upon the field of honor. -On this day, Seydlitz and his cavalry had rescued the Fatherland and -saved Prussia’s military glory. He had performed miracles of bravery, -and when the infantry wavered it was his cavalry which put the enemy to -flight. The King himself acknowledged this, for when he was -congratulated upon the great victory he turned to Seydlitz, and said: -“But for this man things would have looked bad for us by this time.” - - - - - Chapter VIII - Frederick’s Defeat at Hochkirch - - -The King was in more cheerful humor after the brilliant victory at -Zorndorf. The carrying out of his battle plans had demanded all his -physical and mental ability, but he was not so absorbed in his victory -that he forgot his old soldier. Shortly after the battle, he happened to -meet Corporal Beek, who had escaped unhurt. - -“Well,” said the King to him with great cordiality, “your son is going -to be looked after.” - -Beek soon learned that this was true. A messenger who carried the news -of the victory to Berlin, when he returned, brought him a letter from -his wife, telling him that her son had been taken from her by royal -command and placed in the Gymnasium, where he was to be clothed, -maintained, and educated at public expense. The old corporal wept tears -of joy on receiving the news, and blessed the King who had such a -fatherly interest in his soldiers. - -A few days before the battle of Zorndorf a letter from the Austrian -Field-Marshal Daun fell into the hands of the King.[17] It warned the -Russian commander of the proposed attack, and added that he ought not to -go into battle with such a wily enemy, but should cautiously manœuvre -and hold him in check until the Austrians could get possession of -Saxony. The letter disclosed the enemy’s plans. After the victory, the -King wrote to Daun: - -“You did well to warn the Russian general against a wily enemy whom you -know better than he. He made a stand and has been defeated.” - -A bolt from the clear sky could not have alarmed the Austrian -field-marshal more than these words from the much-feared King, and his -alarm increased when the rumor spread that he was approaching. The -report was true. The energetic hero hurried forward as rapidly as the -condition of his army would permit, so as to reach Saxony and bring -relief to his brother, Prince Henry, who was hard-pressed by the -Austrians. His plan was to drive the Austrians from Neisse, which had -been besieged by them for a long time; but Daun, as soon as he was aware -of Frederick’s approach, withdrew in alarm and entrenched himself in a -strong position. The King had no intention of attacking the enemy in his -stronghold. He paid not the slightest attention to him, but as if in -utter contempt took a position right before his eyes at Hochkirch, where -on October 14, 1758, the battle occurred. The King evidently carried his -audacious plan too far. He even allowed his enemy to go on entrenching -himself without once disturbing him. The day before the sudden attack -made by the Austrians he observed that they were throwing up defenses -upon a mountain side, opposite one of the wings of his army, as boldly -and openly as if they expected no interference. The Prussian general in -command of that wing sent an aide to the King’s headquarters with -information of the enemy’s operations. The King said to the aide: - -“What good news bring you?” - -The aide expressed his misgivings, and asked if his Majesty would order -them to open fire on the enemy. The commander of the nearest battery had -assured them the enemy was in range. - -“No, no,” replied the King, “pay no attention to them. I shall catch -them in the morning.” - -He took his leave, but just as he was going out the King called him -back. - -“Listen! Have you any idea what a cannon-shot might cost me?” - -The question surprised the aide, but he knew the King would prefer the -best answer he could make than no reply at all, so he said: - -“One shot might cost Your Majesty a _Friedrich d’or_.” - -“Well,” continued the King, “and how many _Friedrich d’ors_ do you -suppose those fellows over there are worth?” At last the King said: -“Well, you may fire a few shots, nothing more.” - -This was done, but the firing was useless. - -Notwithstanding the insecure position of his army, the King had so -little fear of attack that his generals felt it their duty to warn him -and to try to dissuade him from his purpose. The camp was so poorly -protected that Field-Marshal Keith one day said: “If the Austrians do -not attack us here, they deserve to be hanged.” - -“Oh,” replied the King, “let us hope they are more afraid of us than of -the gallows.” - -The Austrian general’s plans were so well made that the proud King had -to expiate his contempt in defeat. On the 14th of October, before -daybreak, Daun surrounded Hochkirch, in the vicinity of which the -Prussians were encamped. They were resting in fancied security when they -were suddenly roused by the dreadful thunder of cannon. The whole army -was thrown into confusion. Soldiers ran over each other and could hardly -find their weapons. In a wild scramble they tried to form in line, but -no one could find his comrade, for the enemy’s grapeshot was strewing -the ground with bodies. The confusion knew no bounds; everyone was -rushing about shouting and panic-stricken, the officers were powerless -to check the tumult and disorder. - -Zieten and Seydlitz, expecting the enemy’s attack, had not allowed their -men to leave their horses through the night. They endeavored to do -something, but in the darkness they could not distinguish friend from -foe, or escape the murderous fire which mowed down the Prussian ranks as -if they had been rows of corn. Never did the sun rise upon a more -dreadful spectacle. They turned their eyes away from it, and many of the -grizzled warriors could not restrain their tears as they looked upon the -awful sight. The signal for retreat was sounded, and notwithstanding the -terror and confusion of the scene it was executed in such a masterly -manner that Daun was astonished. He did not attempt to pursue, but fell -back to his camp as if nothing had occurred. The Prussian loss was -excessive. More than nine thousand bodies were lying in that narrow camp -area. Beside this, they lost one hundred cannon and nearly all their -tents and baggage. - -The King had to summon up all his courage. At eleven o’clock that -morning he had sadly gazed from an eminence at the fragments of his -shattered army. He forced himself to assume a cheerful air, for he knew -that all eyes were fixed upon him and that his soldiers were looking to -him for consolation and fresh assurance. Therefore he appeared unmoved, -and when General Von der Goltz joined him he said, in a facetious way: -“My dear Goltz, they did not wake us up very politely.” - -“Excuse me, Your Majesty,” replied the General, “we do not usually talk -by day about the things which trouble us in sleep.” - -“You are right,” said the King, “but some bright day I will return the -incivility of these gentlemen who woke us up so rudely.” Though only -joking, the King had spoken prophetic words. - -We know from the statements of those most intimate with him how deeply -Frederick felt this matter. As, after the defeat at Kollin, his troubles -were increased by the news of the death of his beloved mother, so now, -in the very hour of his defeat at Hochkirch, he heard the sad news of -the death of his sister Wilhelmina,[18] the sharer of his youthful -troubles. But painful as this news was, when he reflected upon the -dangers impending over the Fatherland he controlled his grief and -devoted himself to his kingly duties. - -Some days after this, October 17, the King summoned all his generals and -staff officers and thus addressed them: “You are aware, gentlemen, that -the army has suffered from a surprise. The darkness of the night was -accountable for it. You must now consider our situation. We are in upper -Lusatia. Our property, our wives, our children are far behind us. If we -weaken in the least, all will be lost. An immediate battle is -inevitable. Rather than submit, I will be buried with the rest of my -army. I suppose that every one of you thinks as I do. He who does not, -can be spared; he can go home immediately. Is there such a one among -you?” - -All present hastened to assure the King that they would do their duty as -they had always done it. Frederick listened to their declaration with -much satisfaction, and replied: “I am delighted, gentlemen, to find the -same devotion and self-sacrifice you have always shown. I thank you for -it.” - -His heavy losses at Hochkirch greatly troubled Frederick, but he -consoled himself with the thought of his next great battle. At this time -he wrote to a friend: - -“The affair of October 14 ought to have decided the campaign, but it was -nothing more than a scratch. A great battle must decide our fate. In all -likelihood we shall have one very soon and then, with the result in our -favor, we can rejoice. It has required many troops and much skill to get -us thus far along.” - -While Frederick was occupied with his great plans to avenge his defeat, -Daun remained quietly in his camp on the lookout, rejoicing over the -disaster and confident that the Prussians had had enough of it. On the -other hand, the King, who was always prompt in decision, sent speedy -couriers to his brother Henry, in Saxony, with instructions for him to -march into upper Lusatia with his seven thousand men and join his -command. Meanwhile he kept a sharp watch upon the enemy. One Autumn -morning, about daybreak, as he was riding out in search of information, -attended by some under-officers, the fog grew so dense that they could -only see a few paces ahead of them. They rode along a carriage road, the -King having the idea that by turning to the right they could avoid the -enemy’s outposts. Adjutant von Oppen, however, noticed that they had -already gone too far. “Upon my soul, Your Majesty,” said he, “we are -already too far to the left and are certainly behind the enemy’s -outposts.” Scarcely had he said the last word, when an Austrian hussar -appeared at their right to see who was talking. The King, with his usual -presence of mind, advanced to the Austrian and coolly asked: - -“Hussar, where does this road lead?” - -The hussar saw at once they were Prussians, but he was so struck by the -tone of voice and looks of the King, as well as by his coolness, that he -stood as speechless and motionless as a statue. With the utmost -composure, the King remarked: “Gentlemen, proceed. The hussar does not -know.” They rode quickly away under cover of the fog, which put an end -to further observations. Frederick often related this incident afterward -and laughed heartily over it. - -Prince Henry soon arrived with his reënforcements. Thus strengthened, -the King by skilful manœuvres succeeded in getting round the Austrians -without their knowledge, and reaching Silesia, where the enemy was again -trying to secure a foothold. Upon Frederick’s appearance, however, the -enemy retired. He believed he could drive the Austrians out of Neisse -without serious effort and make himself master of Silesia. Daun was not -a little surprised at the news. He was greatly astonished at the -shrewdness of his adversary, and was much chagrined that the disaster at -Hochkirch had not been of the least advantage to him. He longed to -perform some great deed, and, as nothing better suggested itself to him, -he decided to march into Saxony and wrest Dresden from the hands of the -Prussians. But he reckoned without his host. Perhaps he believed that he -could accomplish his purpose by merely demanding the surrender of the -city. But he made a sad mistake. Schmettau, the commander, was not -alarmed, and replied to the demand for surrender: “I will defend myself -from street to street and finish up in the ruins of the Elector’s -palace.” When Daun received this emphatic reply and was convinced that -Schmettau meant what he said, he quickly withdrew, so that he should not -be surprised by the King, and went into Winter quarters in Bohemia. - - - - - Chapter IX - The most dreadful Day in Frederick’s Life - - -The year 1758 came to its close, and after a survey of his military -operations it must be said that Frederick, notwithstanding many -disasters, had made great headway against the legions of his enemies. He -had again beaten them back and gloriously ended the year’s campaign. His -generals had also shown great skill in military operations. Belling, in -particular, had bravely held his ground, and driven the Swedes back to -Stralsund and the island of Rügen. Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick had been -equally successful in his campaign against the French. - -At the commencement of this year, war broke out first in Westphalia. The -French attempted to overwhelm Duke Ferdinand by superior numbers. They -despatched two strong armies against him, one of which went to Frankfurt -and the other to Düsseldorf. The Duke decided to attack the army at -Frankfurt, and fought a stubborn battle at Bergen. The French were in -such strong position that the Prussians could not dislodge them, but -were forced to fall back. The enemy pursued on foot and, harassed by -superior numbers, they were forced to retreat to Bremen on the Weser. -The enemies of Prussia held a jubilee. They were now certain that -Westphalia, Hesse, Brunswick, and Hanover would be held by the French -for all time, and that a sufficient force of commissioners would be sent -over from Paris to establish French dominion over these fine German -provinces. The Duke, however, did not entertain any such idea, for -suddenly he again took the offensive and attacked the other army while -on its way from Düsseldorf. - -Ferdinand came upon the French camp at Minden and gave battle on the -plains near that city, August 1, 1759. The attack began at the village -of Todtenhausen. Count Wilhelm of Bückeburg, commanding the Prussian -artillery, had taken a strong position. His fire played such havoc in -the close ranks of the French that they were forced to fall back. The -artillery was the first to retreat and the cavalry followed its example, -which left great gaps in the ranks of the infantry and created much -disorder. The Duke lost no time in following up his advantage. He -ordered Sackville, the English general, to attack the enemy with his -cavalry. There had been bad feeling between the two leaders for some -time, so that concerted action between them was well-nigh impossible. As -it was, the English general held back long enough to lose the advantage -of the critical moment, so that the enemy, who could not have escaped -annihilation had the attack been promptly made, had time enough to get -into order and effect a retreat.[19] As it was, however, seven thousand -prisoners were captured, and twenty-five cannon and several standards -fell into the hands of the Prussians. The French were pursued for some -distance, and did not find safety until they reached their camp at -Frankfurt. - -The news of this brilliant victory surprised the King just as he was in -the midst of preparations for a terrible struggle with the enemy. He was -in a strong position at Landeshut, and to the great astonishment of his -enemies he remained there quietly until the middle of the year, -apparently waiting to see what the Russians and Austrians were going to -do. They had improved the intervening time in strengthening their -depleted ranks, and now proposed to move against the Prussians in a body -and with largely increased numbers. Frederick, all this time, was not -unmindful of their plans, and considerably strengthened his own army; -but even then he had only half as many troops as the enemy. The larger -part of his choicest soldiers had been left on the field of honor, and -it was with much anxiety that he regarded further campaigning. When news -came of the Russian advance he was ignorant from what direction the -attack would be made, as they were approaching the Brandenburg frontier -in several divisions. To strengthen themselves and get in readiness for -the great task awaiting them, it was decided that the brave Austrian -General Laudon should unite his force of twenty thousand men with their -force. Frederick, who was apprised of their plans, attempted to thwart -them, and sent Generals Dohna and Wedell against them, but they were -driven back, and the Austro-Russian combination was effected. The King -had not believed this possible, and he was greatly surprised, therefore, -by the news that the combined army, seventy thousand strong, was -advancing to the Oder with designs upon the capital,[20] the road to -which was open. The King now made his plans to frustrate the movement, -and ordered the rapid advance of his army. He felt a fatal presentiment, -and before he set out left his will with Prince Henry, and committed the -administration of the kingdom to him in case anything happened to -himself. He made all his arrangements with the same care that one -displays when about to engage in a hazardous task. He provided for every -emergency, and cautioned his brother against making a dishonorable peace -after his death. With such gloomy thoughts as these the King advanced to -meet his enemy. - -On the eleventh of August, 1759, Frederick encountered his enemies fifty -miles from Berlin. They were strongly entrenched at Kunersdorf[21] and -surrounded by batteries of cannon, whose yawning mouths threatened death -and destruction to anyone who came near them. Notwithstanding the great -superiority of the enemies’ numbers and the exceeding strength of their -batteries, the King decided to attack the combined armies August 12. At -that very time a courier from Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick arrived with -the good news of the victory at Minden. The King now was in such -confident mood that he ordered the courier to put off his return a few -days, so that he could send back an equally joyful message of victory. - -Toward noon the signal was given for attack, and the battle began with -good fortune on the Prussian side. Encouraged by their King, the brave -troops displayed again that heroic courage which had aroused universal -admiration. They paid no attention to the awful fire which was -devastating their ranks; with utter contempt for death they charged -battery after battery, until the Russian left wing could no longer -withstand their assaults. It was driven from its position and seventy -cannon fell into their hands. It was a sign that the Goddess of Victory -this time favored the Prussians. - -By this time the day was nearly spent, and the soldiers, exhausted by -their long struggle, aroused the sympathy of their leaders. Some of the -oldest and most experienced of them urgently appealed to the King to -stop the battle and spare the soldiers, as the enemy was retreating. -Frederick, however, remained unmoved. He was not contented with the -advantage he had gained. No, he would immediately annihilate the enemy. -He ordered Seydlitz to cut his way through them with the cavalry. It was -in vain, however, that Seydlitz explained he was holding Laudon in check -on the right wing of the Russians. It was in vain that he assured the -King the meadows before them were so swampy that horses and riders would -be stuck in the bogs if they ventured there. All that he said was of no -avail. - -“Do your duty and execute the orders of your King,” replied Frederick, -firmly. - -Seydlitz saluted and obeyed, but the soundness of his suggestions was -realized only too soon. The ground shook under the squadrons as they got -into motion, and soon they were floundering in the swamp. As if they -were anticipating just such an inconsiderate movement, the Russians and -Austrians furiously assaulted their immovable enemy, and such bloodshed -ensued that the green meadows were crimsoned. Seydlitz himself was -carried off the field wounded. The tired-out Prussians were -panic-stricken. All fled who could, and the commands even of their -highest officers were ineffective to stay the retreat. The Prussian army -was not only defeated, it was destroyed. The battle was irretrievably -lost, the ruin was complete. Pursued by the enemy, the unfortunates -sought protection, and found it only in the darkness of the night. - -The King had been conspicuous in his efforts to avert this disastrous -defeat. He was in the very thick of the battle and did his utmost to -keep the troops in line and encourage them. His attention was called to -the danger he was in and he was besought to be more careful, but he -emphatically refused, saying: “No! We must all strive for victory -together, and I must do my duty like everyone else.” - - [Illustration: “_Frederick stood on the bloody field like one dazed_”] - -In the main attack two horses were shot down under him. Mounting a -third, a bullet passed through his overcoat and shattered a gold case in -his waistcoat pocket. All his efforts, however, were useless. His -exhortations had lost their customary inspiring effect. Throwing away -weapons and accoutrements, everyone sought safety in flight. He was not -only compelled to witness the abandoning of the cannon captured from the -Russians, but to mourn the loss of one hundred and sixty-five pieces of -Prussian artillery. The situation became more and more desperate, and at -last, realizing all was lost, he exclaimed in utter despair: “Is there -not a cursed bullet for me to-day?” - -When night came on, he was almost the only living soul on the wide -battlefield. His army was partly scattered about the surrounding -country; the rest of it had been put to flight. - -Frederick stood on the bloody field like one dazed, and it was only by -chance he was saved from capture by some Russians and Austrians who -approached the spot where he was standing. Captain Prittiwitz, his -fortunate star, happened to be passing near by, with forty hussars. -Lieutenant Belten suddenly exclaimed: “Captain Prittiwitz, yonder stands -the King.” - -The captain immediately turned his horse and rode forward with his men -to the King, who was standing with folded arms upon a sandy hillock and -alone, save for a single attendant who held his horse. His sword was -sticking in the sand in front of him. The captain had considerable -trouble in persuading the King to mount his horse, for at that instant -Frederick was on the very verge of despair. To the appeal of the -captain, he replied: “Leave me, Prittiwitz; I am lost.” - -“Not yet, Your Majesty,” answered Prittiwitz; “you are still King of -Prussia and commander of an army of brave soldiers.” - -“Well, if you think so, forward.” - -The hussars surrounded Frederick and made their way to the Oder, with -roving bands of Cossacks continually swarming about them. Prittiwitz -kept off the insolent pack and shot their leader off his horse. After -the Muhl was safely crossed there was no further trouble, and the King -was left uninjured at a ferryman’s hut. He thanked the captain, ordered -that gifts be distributed among the hussars, and gave instructions to -see that he remained undisturbed until he had time to collect himself, -for he was still overmastered by his calamity. He wrote to his minister, -Finkenstein, in Berlin: - -“Provide for the safety of the Queen and the royal family at Magdeburg, -and do all you can for them.” - -A few hours later, he sent the following message to him: - -“It is a terrible disaster. I shall not survive it. The consequences of -the battle will be worse than the battle itself. I have no further -resources and, to tell the truth, I consider everything lost. I shall -not survive the destruction of the Fatherland. Adieu forever.” - -That was the most dreadful day in the life of the great King. - -It is not surprising, however, that the King was in such a despondent -mood, for on that very evening he could not have assembled five thousand -men of his magnificent army. Twenty-six thousand were killed, wounded, -or prisoners, and the others were scattered in flight. But the Russian -army also suffered dreadfully. “If I should fight one more such battle,” -said its commanding general, “I should take the news of it to St. -Petersburg myself with a staff in my hand.” It was not long, however, -before Frederick regained his composure. It was characteristic of him -that he was always the greatest when things were going badly. Messengers -flew to Berlin and Cüstrin with orders that artillery should be -despatched to him as quickly as possible. He collected his fugitive -troops, reënforced them with other detachments, and within a short time -an army of eighteen thousand men was at his disposal. The most important -thing for him now was to rouse the courage of his officers. To this end -he sent for the messenger who had brought the news of the victory in -Westphalia, and said to him in their hearing: “You have seen what has -been going on here. Hurry back, and if you find the enemy is not in -Berlin or Magdeburg, tell the Duke not much has yet been lost.” - -In view of Frederick’s plight and the general condition of his affairs, -this message must have seemed ridiculous, for he had not a sufficient -force in readiness to stay the victorious advance of the Russians or to -defend the capital and the country. This was known abroad also, for word -was sent from Paris to the Russian general that the King of Prussia must -be exterminated, and Berlin and the whole Mark of Brandenburg -devastated. The Austrian Field-Marshal Daun also urged the Russians to -make a rapid advance. Soltikow, their commander, however, did not move, -and when further urged by Daun, almost suppliantly, to hurry forward, he -simply wrote to him: - -“I have won two battles, and am waiting before I advance again for news -of a second one from you. It is not fair that my Emperor’s army should -have to do all the work.” - -Of course this jealousy among the enemy’s leaders was of the greatest -advantage to the King and the Fatherland. The Russians were in position -at Frankfurt-on-the-Oder, and it was not until they were stirred up on -all sides that they moved at all. When they did, they could not find -subsistence, and at the end of October they went back again into Poland, -which relieved the Prussians of one imminent danger. - -Field-Marshal Daun in the meantime had been held in check in Saxony in a -most masterly way by Prince Henry. The Prince was one of the ablest -generals of his time, and his brother, the King, fully recognized it. He -said of him once, “He is the only general who has not made a mistake -during the entire war.” Beside his strategic talent, he had engaging -personal qualities which commended him to friend and foe alike. To him -was assigned the duty of watching over the Electorate of Saxony. It may -well be believed that he was an unwelcome visitor in the enemy’s -country, but he was greatly respected by the Saxons, and years after -this they told with much emotion how this noble Hohenzollern in 1759, -one day in harvest-time, when a sudden storm threatened to ruin their -cornfields, allowed the peasants of a Saxon village to use his own -horses for getting in their corn. He specially displayed his brilliant -qualities in preventing Field-Marshal Daun from effecting a union with -the Russians. By swift and skilful marches he kept Daun moving here and -there, then suddenly eluded him, and destroyed a number of storehouses -with supplies sufficient to have maintained fifty thousand soldiers for -six months. This caused such a scarcity of subsistence and fodder that -the indignant troops began to complain, and Daun had to fall back to a -better position. The Mark of Brandenburg was safe, but other misfortunes -were in store for Frederick. Dresden was in the hands of the enemy as -one of the immediate results of the battle of Kunersdorf. When hardest -pressed, Frederick wrote the commander in the Saxon capital to save if -possible the seven millions of treasure in the money chests and evacuate -with honor, for he could not send him help. This occurred immediately -after the disastrous battle. - -When Frederick was himself once more, he changed his mind, but alas! it -was too late. Dresden was already lost to the Prussians. Frederick -stamped with rage and declared he would retake it. He at once ordered -the army to move into Saxony, although the inclement season of the year -had begun. Prince Henry begged the King to spare his troops during the -Winter and put off any large undertakings he had in view, but it was all -in vain. The King would not listen to him. He ordered General Finck to -attack the enemy’s rear with fifteen thousand men and force him to -retreat. Every tactician foresaw the disastrous consequences. All his -generals were of opinion that the attack would end calamitously, and so -it turned out. Finck had hardly reached Maxen, November 21, 1759, before -the tables were turned. Instead of being the attacking party, he himself -was attacked on all sides. Terrible slaughter ensued. The Prussians -resisted the attack with their customary bravery, but finally had to -succumb. The army was nearly wiped out, as eleven thousand of them were -taken prisoners. Never before had a year been so disastrous for -Frederick as was 1759. Never before did a year close more gloomily for -him. - - - - - Chapter X - The Battle of Liegnitz - - -The deplorable result of these operations weighed heavily upon the King -and never before did he inaugurate a campaign in a more despondent mood -than that of 1760. It affected all his movements and all his actions and -at last it seemed as if his lucky star would never shine again. In -Silesia, the Austrian General Laudon, with a force three times greater, -attacked General Fouqué, and his eight thousand men. Fouqué defended -himself with the courage of a lion, and his soldiers fought none the -less bravely, but he had the misfortune to be thrown from his horse in -such a way that the animal fell upon him and undoubtedly would have -crushed him to death but for the opportune arrival of his faithful -groom. Only such troopers as had swift enough horses escaped from the -scene of slaughter. - -Frederick meanwhile was busy with his plans for retaking Dresden. He -closely invested that city, but whatever moves he made were immediately -thwarted by the Austrian general, who made a resolute defence of the -post entrusted to him. The failure of his plans only made the King still -more despondent. His best friends and most experienced generals suffered -greatly from his ill humor, for he was often not only severe, but -grossly unjust. He called the soldiers of one regiment cowards, and cut -off the decorations from their uniforms beside taking away their -sidearms and badges of honor. One blow after another struck the King. -Hardly had he learned of the destruction of Fouqué’s corps when the -unhappy news came that General Laudon had taken the important fortress -of Glatz. Everyone now expected another wrathful outbreak from the King, -but on the contrary he remarked: - -“Be it so! But they will have to give it back when peace is made. We -must now go to Silesia lest we lose everything.” - -His decision was executed almost as soon as it was announced. While on -the way, Daun was near him on one side and the Austrian General Lacy on -the other. The three armies were so close together that they might -easily have been mistaken for one. The light troops had frequent -skirmishes, and hardly a day passed without encounters. Thus they fought -their way along to Liegnitz. Further advance of the King was now -impossible, for Laudon appeared in front of him. He was completely -surrounded by the Austrian armies. The enemy’s leaders were jubilant -over the prospect of capturing the King and his entire army. - -“The net is made in which we will capture the whole Prussian army,” they -said, contemptuously. “We have only to cast it.” - -The King was informed of their boast and laughingly replied: “That may -be so, but I think I can make a hole in that net which they can’t sew up -again.” - -These were prophetic words. - -The King’s army now was so closely hemmed in by the Austrians that a -mouse could not have slipped through, and the transportation of -subsistence was impossible. Instead of commissary bread, zwiebach was -distributed among the soldiers. The King often diverted himself toward -evening by walking or riding among the squadrons of the _Garde du Corps_ -and talking with the men in a joking way, so as to keep them in good -spirits and arouse hope for better times. Upon one such occasion he -happened upon an under-officer who had broken his zwiebach and mixed it -with a flask of red wine in the camp kettle, hanging over the fire. - -“What kind of red soup is that you have there?” asked the King. - -“Your Majesty,” was the reply, “that soup cost me seven thalers in -cash.” - -“Hoho! hoho!” said the King, “what is it?” - -“It is red wine and zwiebach. I spent my last ducat[22] that I might -have a little comfort once more.” - -“Well, if it has cost that much, I would like to know how it tastes.” - -“Certainly, Your Majesty, but I have only a tin spoon.” - -“That makes no difference.” - -Thereupon the King took a spoonful of the soup and said: “This is really -very good, but it is too expensive. But I thank you just the same, and -you must come soon and eat with me.” - -The King shortly afterward ordered the officer to come to his -headquarters, and there he appeased his hunger with such food as -Frederick ate. Beside this, the King gave him a handsome sum in gold. In -such ways as these he managed to win the love and respect of his -soldiers. - -To the astonishment of all, Daun decided upon a battle, hoping thus to -ensure the destruction of the Prussian army. The decisive blow was to be -struck August 15, and to make it all the more decisive he arranged for -an attack at daybreak and a repetition of the slaughter at Hochkirch. -This time, however, Frederick was fortunate enough to hear of the plan -and he made a counterplan at once. The Prussian army left its camp in -absolute silence during the night and occupied the neighboring heights; -and to make the Austrians believe it was resting quietly in its old -position, peasants were employed to keep the campfires burning brightly. - -Noiselessly Frederick arranged his army in fighting order. Silently the -regiments stood in rank and listened for the signal to attack. There was -something weird in the spectacle. The infantry stood with weapons ready -for attack, and bright sabres flashed in the stout fists of the troopers -ready at any instant to strike. Far down in the east day was dawning, -and the silent host in the gray dusk looked like a troop of spectres. - -To enjoy a moment’s rest, Generals Seydlitz and Zieten threw themselves -down by a campfire and slept; but Frederick, sitting upon a drumhead, -considered the plans of the coming battle. At last he too was overcome -by fatigue, and lying by the side of his generals was soon asleep. -Suddenly a major rushed up and loudly asked, “Where is the King?” - -The latter, somewhat startled, arose at once and answered, “What is the -matter?” - -“The enemy is not four hundred yards away,” was his reply. - - [Illustration: _Frederick at the watch-fire before the battle of - Liegnitz_] - -Officers and men were at once on the alert. Two minutes sufficed to form -the regiments in order. Words of command were heard on all sides. The -cavalry made ready for the onset. The thunder of artillery resounded -over hill and valley, and in less than ten minutes the battle was -raging. Frederick’s invincible spirit worked wonders. General Laudon had -not expected such a reception and was utterly astonished to find a -powerful force confronting him when he expected to surprise the -Prussians in their camp. But in this emergency everything depended upon -energy and courage. He made a brave assault, but the Prussians made a -braver resistance. They fought like lions, and if it had been lighter -the enemy would have been mercilessly slaughtered. When the sun rose it -illuminated the field covered with bodies and broken weapons. The four -hours’ sanguinary conflict was decided. The Prussians won a complete -victory, and the Austrians lost ten thousand men, beside twenty-three -standards and eighty-two cannon. Thus ended the battle of Liegnitz, -August 15, 1760. - - - - - Chapter XI - The Victory of Torgau Surprises Frederick - - -Cavalry and infantry were so exhausted by the bloody work that the King -granted them a three hours’ rest. Frederick went through the camp-lines, -where there was great rejoicing over the victory, one of the most -important results of which was the reawakening of the old battle spirit. -There had not been such a glorious event since the disaster at -Kunersdorf. He commended their valor, and assured them they should be -rewarded at the proper time. The regiment which had lost its decorations -at the close of the battle before Dresden behaved so bravely that the -King uncovered his head before its commander and cordially thanked him. -One old gray-bearded warrior, hoping that the King, while in this -gracious mood, might restore to the regiment its trophies and sidearms, -stepped forward and pleaded for them. The King quietly listened and then -with much emotion replied: - -“Yes, children, you have done handsomely. I thank you. You shall have -everything back. All is forgotten and forgiven. But this day I shall -never forget.” - -Loud cheers filled the air at the regiment’s good fortune. After they -were rested they formed on the field, strewn with the debris of battle, -took the cannon and prisoners along, and made a three hours’ march on -that same day. This one victory placed Silesia, partly captured from the -Austrians, in Prussian hands. - -The King pursued the Austrians vigorously, and used his utmost endeavors -to force them from their position. In one of his movements it became -necessary to burn a village in the Silesian hills, to keep the Austrians -from occupying a certain height. An officer, whose mother belonged in -the village, happened to receive the order to burn it, and performed his -duty without a moment’s hesitation. This induced the King to interest -himself in the family. He not only reimbursed her generously, but every -time he met the officer he remembered the occurrence and inquired about -his mother’s health. The unconditional surrender of Silesia made that -country very dear to him. He used to call it “The Pearl of his Crown,” -and used his utmost efforts to free it from the hated enemy. - -Greatly to his disappointment, he was suddenly compelled to abandon -further pursuit, for he learned that the Mark was in danger of falling -into the enemy’s hands. Forty-eight thousand Austrians and Russians had -set out to capture Berlin, and reached the frontier unchecked. They knew -that the weak city garrison was in no condition to resist the advance of -such a strong army. The Prussian Residence actually fell into the hands -of the Russian General Tottleben, October 4, 1760. Reports of cruelties -practised by the Russians on the march had preceded their coming, and -the people were greatly apprehensive of violence. Their apprehensions, -however, were needless, as Tottleben was a very noble and humane man and -exerted himself constantly to suppress all acts of violence. In reality, -the Russians conducted themselves courteously as compared with the -Saxons and Austrians, who committed outrageous acts of violence and -vandalism.[23] For eight days they gave free rein to their rapacity and -maltreatment, when suddenly the rumor spread and was publicly talked -about that the King was approaching. Its effect was electrical. Taking -all they could lay hands on, they hurriedly made off, for they feared -his wrath. When Frederick heard that the mere rumor of his approach had -so alarmed the enemy, he laughed loudly and said in the presence of his -men: “And such louts as these would cope with us Prussians!” - -He liked to joke with his soldiers, and took it in the best of humor -when they joked back with him. On the march from Silesia to the Mark, -which was a very quick one, the King often said to them when they were -tired: “Straighten up, children, straighten up,” meaning that they -should march straighter and in better order. - -“Fritz, we can’t do it,” was the reply; and one hussar, whom the King -had personally addressed, said to him: “Fritz, I can’t do it; I can’t -pull up my boots,” at which the King laughed heartily. - -It was on such intimate footing as this that the King stood with his -men. He also knew just what demands he could make of them. They -willingly made their utmost exertions on the long, hard marches. They -would gladly die for him. He naturally shared all their troubles and -deprivations. He had good reason therefore to write these words to one -of his friends: - -“You can have no conception of our dreadful fatigues. This movement is -worse than any of its predecessors. Sometimes I do not know which way to -turn. But I will not weary you with the recital of my troubles and -anxieties. All my happiness is buried with the loved and revered ones to -whom my heart clings. The close of my life is full of sorrow and pain.” - -As already said, Frederick found no enemy in Charlottenburg and its -vicinity. Daun had fallen back to Saxony and taken a strong position at -Torgau, so that by skilfully distributing his force he could drive back -the Prussians and hold almost the whole country. Frederick found himself -in a very bad position. The Russians were on the Oder in his rear, and -in front the Austrians occupied an almost impregnable position. Under -such circumstances it was difficult to find a safe way out. He hastily -decided to move against the Austrians, but was at once deterred from so -doing when he found their position was impregnable. It was now really a -question of life or death. The King realized only too well that he could -hardly have found a more disagreeable situation, but he did not disclose -his anxiety. He forced himself to conceal his real feelings under a mask -of cheerfulness rather than risk losing everything. It is even asserted -indeed that in the last years of the Seven Years’ War, when Frederick -saw that the strength of his army was steadily diminishing while his -enemies maintained their numbers, he carried opium with him with which -to take his life if at last he had to succumb to their united strength. -He said to a friend at this time: - -“I shall never see the moment that forces me to make a disadvantageous -peace. Either I will bury myself under the ruins of the Fatherland, or, -should fate forbid me that consolation, I will put an end to my troubles -when I no longer can bear them. I have acted according to the inner -voice of conscience and honor, which guides and has always guided my -steps, and my conduct will always be grounded on those principles. I -sacrificed my youth to my father, my riper years to the Fatherland; now -I think I have the right to dispose of my old age. I have said to you, -and I repeat it, never will I put my hand to a disadvantageous peace. I -am determined to finish this campaign and to venture the most desperate -things, for I will conquer or honorably die.” - -How heavily his anxiety wore upon him at this time is shown in another -letter to a friend, in which he says: - -“I am slowly wasting away; I am like a living body gradually growing -speechless, and losing limb by limb. Heaven help us! We need it. You -always talk of me and my dangers. Do you not know it is not necessary -for me to live? It is only necessary to do my duty and fight for the -Fatherland and save it if possible.” - -In such a despondent mood as this was the King in the presence of the -enemy at Torgau! What was to be done? If he quietly abandoned the place -to the enemy, he must spend the Winter in his own country, already -nearly exhausted. If he attacked and was defeated, he would lose all -Prussia. He must venture everything, but before acting he decided to -summon all his generals for a consultation. This took place on the -morning of November 3, 1760. General Zieten, one of his most trusted -friends, did not immediately appear, which greatly disturbed the King. - -“Gentlemen,” he said to them, “we can do nothing, for one of our number -is not here.” - -He anxiously looked in the direction whence Zieten should come. At last -the old general came riding up. Frederick hastened to meet him, embraced -him, and said: - -“Come, my dear Zieten, I have been anxiously waiting for you, for to-day -will be a memorable one. Either I shall conquer or I shall end my -troubles, for my position is very critical.” - -“What!” said the pious old Zieten, as he dismounted and stroked his -beard, “do you doubt the help of God? He has stood by us often and will -do so to-day. Your soldiers are full of courage. They trust their God.” - -These words restored the King’s confidence. “Well, my dear Zieten,” he -replied, “if you think it all right, we will face the inevitable.” - -Taking Zieten’s arm, they withdrew from the others for a time and had a -confidential interview, after which he returned in better spirits. It -was decided to attack, and the aides were soon flying in all directions, -carrying the orders to the generals. The attack began that day. - -The Prussian army was in two divisions, one led by the King, and the -other by Zieten, who got in the rear of the enemy to attack his -entrenchments. The King’s division consisted of ten thousand grenadiers -and was posted in some woods in battle order. When Frederick advanced -with his vanguard upon Daun’s entrenchments he was greeted by a -murderous fire from two hundred cannon, so directed that even before the -troops reached the enemy’s lines they were almost unfitted for action, -as they were deafened by the terrible crashes of the artillery. -Notwithstanding the din and confusion, the King retained his composure, -and turning to one of his generals, said: “What a horrible cannonading! -Did you ever hear anything like it?” - -The effect was frightful. In a short time nearly all the brave -grenadiers were shot down. Their places were filled by fresh regiments -and the cavalry was ordered to advance, but it was useless. Nothing -could withstand that murderous fire. In the meantime Frederick himself -was exposed to the greatest danger. Shots ploughed up the earth so near -him that his horse was very restive. At last he had to make a show of -composure. He rode from the first rank to the second, and came to a -dragoon regiment. - -“Well, children, how goes it? ” he asked. - -Some answered, “Badly, Your Majesty; we are standing here letting them -shoot us down, and we cannot defend ourselves.” - -“Wait a little,” said the King to them, “the firing will soon cease; -then we will attack them.” - -While saying these words a cannon-ball came so close to him that his -horse jumped to one side, knocked over a drum, and seemed about to run -away with him. The King smiled, and said to the drummer: - -“You tell the Austrians if they don’t soon march off, I will take their -guns away from them.” - -A new attack was ordered, but the Austrians resumed their destructive -fire. At this crisis the King noticed there was a great gap on the right -wing, between the _Garde du Corps_ and the _gens d’armes_. He rode where -the shots were falling thickest, to strengthen the weak spot. When this -had been done, he remained there a short time, watching with his glass -one of the batteries which was playing havoc with the _Garde du Corps_. -A corporal of the fourth company remarked to a guard: “If we have got to -stand here and be shot at, because they won’t let us attack, give me a -pinch of snuff.” - -The guard took his box from his pouch, and as he was lifting the cover, -a cannon-ball shot off his head. In the most cold-blooded way, the -corporal turned to his second neighbor and said: “Well, now, you give me -a pinch; that one has gone to the d—l.” - -While Lieutenant von Byern, who afterward became leader of a cuirassier -regiment, was speaking with the man about the accident, another ball -killed his horse. The King, who had been watching them closely, rode up -to the lieutenant, and then said to the corporal: “You have the proper -coolness of a soldier. I shall remember you.” - -The corporal was overjoyed because the King had honored him by -addressing him, which aroused his hope of promotion. - -The _Garde du Corps_ suffered greatly in this battle, for they were -exposed to the fire of the battery already mentioned, and every -discharge killed some of them. The King greatly deplored it, but he -could not relieve them right away. He rode up to them and said in a tone -of deep sympathy: “Children, only have patience for a few minutes. -Things will quickly change.” - -At that instant a shot came close to the King and killed the file leader -of the fourth company of the second squadron. His next neighbor said to -the King: “Be careful of yourself, Your Majesty, and ride to a safer -place. It is more important you should live than we.” - -The King turned a grateful look to the speaker and said: “My dear son, I -thank you for your honest intentions and good-will. I shall not forget -you.” - -Hardly had the King gone when a shot killed this honest man on the spot. - -The attack was renewed by the Prussians, but their valor was of no avail -against the strongly entrenched enemy. Night was approaching, but the -Austrians had not been dislodged from their position. Firing was still -kept up vigorously on both sides, and the combatants were shot down in -rows. Frederick himself did not escape untouched. A bullet stunned him, -and with the words, “I am killed,” he fell. Two of his aides instantly -ran up to him and searched for the wound, but his thick pelisse had -saved him. Opening it, they found that the bullet had passed through his -heavy clothing, but had not pierced his body. The King speedily came to -himself and coolly said: “It is a matter of no consequence.” The bullet, -however, had made a bad contusion on his breast. - -As night came on, confusion spread through the ranks, and Frederick was -not a little disturbed about the result of the battle. He looked upon it -as lost, and the Austrians were rejoicing over the victory they supposed -they had gained. Both sides, however, were premature in their -conclusions, for almost immediately the situation took on a new aspect. - -In carrying out his orders, Zieten had had to contend with almost -insuperable obstacles before he could get to the place to which he had -been assigned. After almost superhuman exertions he reached, toward -evening, the Süptitz heights. His soldiers dragged their cannon by hand -and planted them on a hill near the enemy. With drums beating and cannon -thundering, Zieten advanced to the attack, and at the very first onset -captured a battery, causing great alarm and confusion among the -Austrians. Field-Marshal Daun rallied all his forces and tried to drive -the Prussians out of his entrenchments, but the effort was fruitless. -Zieten, clearly realizing what was at stake, so continuously pressed his -assaults that the Austrians could not withstand them. They began to -waver, and General Daun was so badly wounded that he had to be carried -from the field. This new misfortune increased their panic, and Zieten -gave them no chance to get over it. He hurled his entire force upon -them, and the victory was won. - -The King, meanwhile, knew nothing of Zieten’s successful attack and its -important results, as the intervening darkness cut off his view of the -field. Fancying the battle was lost, or at least that the victory was -doubtful, he rode to the neighboring village of Elsnitz, where he went -into a church, as all other places were filled with wounded. It was a -very cold night. While tired-out, shivering soldiers sought rest and -warmth by the watch-fires, Frederick sat upon the lowest step of the -altar and by the dim light of a lamp wrote his orders for attack on the -following day, for he was determined to make the battle decisive, -whatever the cost. It was hardly daybreak when he mounted his horse and -rode out of the village. He had not gone far when he saw a cavalry troop -approaching, with Zieten at its head. In the tone of an officer -reporting, he said to the King, “The enemy is beaten and has retreated.” - -Frederick was much excited by the announcement. With the activity of a -boy, he jumped from his horse, Zieten following his example, and -embraced his faithful general. Zieten cried like a child. Then the two -rode back to the field, by different routes, to acquaint the troops with -the joyful news and thank them for the bravery they had shown. - -The King rode along the front, from the left to the right wing, and -approached the generals who were gathered about the watch-fire. -Frederick dismounted and joined the brave officers and men of his -division, who were waiting for dawn to renew the attack upon the -Austrians if they had not retreated. The King talked much with his -soldiers and praised them for their valor. The grenadiers, knowing his -amiability and condescension, crowded nearer and nearer about him. One -of them, with whom the King had several times conversed and to whom he -had often given money, was bold enough to ask him where he had been -during the battle. They were accustomed to seeing him at their head, -leading them into the thickest of the fight. This time, however, not an -eye had seen him, and it was not right for him to forsake them. The King -replied most graciously to the grenadier, saying that during most of the -battle he had been at the left wing of the army and therefore could not -be with his own men. While saying this, he unbuttoned his blue overcoat, -as he was getting too warm. As he did so, the grenadier noticed a bullet -falling from his clothes and saw the wound on his breast through the -rent in his uniform. Excitedly he shouted: “Thou art still the old -Fritz! Thou sharest every danger with us. For thee we would die gladly. -Long live the King! Three times three!” - -There was the greatest enthusiasm as Frederick rode up and down the -line, shaking hands with this and that old graybeard and addressing a -kindly word to everyone. On this occasion the old grenadiers were -smoking wretched tobacco in their stub pipes right under his nose. An -officer, who knew his dislike of tobacco, said to them, “Step back a -little. His Majesty cannot endure tobacco smoke.” - -“No, children, stay where you are,” replied the King, with a kindly -smile. “I don’t mind the smell.” - -He was thus gracious to his soldiers—for it was well known that he was -averse to tobacco all his life—and in this and other ways was constantly -manifesting his regard for them. - -The loss of life at Torgau was very great on both sides. The Austrians -lost twenty thousand men beside fifty-five cannon and twenty-seven -standards, and the Prussians suffered almost as severely. Frederick, -writing about it to a friend, said: - -“We have just defeated the Austrians. They have lost an extraordinary -number as well as we. This victory will perhaps allow us a little rest -this Winter and that is about all. Next year we must begin anew. I have -been hit by a shot, which grazed my breast, but it is only a -bruise,—little pain, but no danger,—therefore I shall be as busy as -ever.” - -Large as was the number killed in this battle, it was compensated for by -its important results, for Prussia was saved and Saxony was once more -freed from the Austrians. The Russians had retired again into Poland, -and the Swedes had sought refuge in the farthest corners of Pomerania. -The King decided to make his Winter quarters in Leipsic. On his way -there, he reached a Saxon village near Wittenburg and took lodgings with -a preacher. Delighted with the honor conferred upon him, he went to the -door to meet the King, and said: “Come in, thou blessed of the Lord! Why -dost thou stand outside?” - -The King regarded the preacher, a venerable old man, with a kindly -smile, and said to him: “How many taxpayers are there in this village?” - -The preacher was so astonished at the question that he could hardly -reply, although he knew the number very well. At last he collected his -wits and said: “Twenty-two.” - -“And how much do they raise?” - -The preacher stated the amount of grain in bushels as nearly as he -could. - -“Has the village suffered much during the war?” - -“In the last eight weeks, Your Majesty, your troops and the Austrians -have alternately foraged here. We are about at the end, for we only have -our lives and cabins left.” - -“Who represented the Austrians here?” - -“General Luzinsky.” - -“Where did he stop?” - -“I had the honor of entertaining him in my house as well as I could.” - -“So? Did you also call him ‘blessed of the Lord’ when he came?” - -“By no means, but I could not curse him.” - -“Oh, yes! You are a Saxon. Now I shall see whether I bring more -blessings to this village than Luzinsky.” - -The King was shown to his room, and made much of the preacher, who -greatly entertained him. When he departed he paid him a hundred -_Friedrich d’ors_, and left an order that if Prussian troops came to the -village they should take nothing, and should pay for everything they got -outside their quarters. - -Frederick always liked to talk with the country clergy. He resumed his -march to Leipsic in more cheerful spirits, but did not enter the city at -once. He had his night’s lodgings at a parson’s house in one of the -villages near Leipsic. He was kept awake all night, for the house was -overrun with mice, which made much noise in his room. Frederick arose at -daybreak, called the pastor, and said: “Listen! Do you know anything -about interpreting dreams?” - -“Not particularly, Your Majesty, for I am not much of a believer in -them.” - -“You may not believe in them, but many a dream has a real meaning. I -will tell you of mine. I dreamed your rooms were full of mice. What does -that signify?” - -“I don’t know.” - -“Well, I think Heaven means me to understand by this that my -commissaries are good at plundering.” - -“Oh, no, Your Majesty, I fear your dream was the result of natural -causes; for, alas! I am very much plagued by these vermin in my house -and I do not know how to get rid of them.” - -“So? then I must be wrong. Now you take this _Friedrich d’or_ and buy -yourself a mouse-trap. Perhaps then I may sleep better the next time I -come.” - -Frederick’s enemies continued hoping that the time would come, in the -execution of their plans, when they should find him exhausted by the -weakness of his forces; and prospects indeed seemed to point that way. -Doubtless he gained much by the victory at Torgau, but his situation -still was a difficult one. He greatly deplored the losses his army had -suffered, for he saw no way of replacing them. Signs of discontent were -also beginning to appear among his troops because they were not -regularly paid. This induced him, immediately after the battle at -Torgau, to abandon his original plan of retaking Dresden. The following -conversation shows how serious he was in this purpose. Immediately after -the victory a grenadier asked: “Your Majesty, shall we now go into good -Winter quarters?” - -“We must first retake Dresden. After that, I will look out for you and -you shall be satisfied.” - -In view of dissatisfactions among the soldiers and the approach of cold, -rainy weather, the King decided, at the close of the year 1760, to go -into Winter quarters. - - - - - Chapter XII - The Camp at Bunzelwilz - - -The next year began less fortunately than 1760 closed. The enemy -determined to crush Frederick by weight of numbers. It was a long time, -however, before military operations commenced. The King’s forces had -been so weakened that he dared not take the offensive without reserves -to fall back upon. Nor did the enemy dare to attack singly. Every effort -was made to overwhelm him by united strength. With this end in view, in -August, seventy-two thousand Austrians under General Laudon joined the -Russians, making a total of one hundred and thirty thousand men, while -Frederick’s army was hardly fifty thousand strong. Frederick had never -before confronted so strong a combination. - -At the beginning of Spring the King left Saxony for Silesia, most of -which was in the enemy’s possession. The march was made swiftly, for the -Austrians were establishing strong positions here and there. One day, -about noon, he approached a Saxon village near the Bohemian frontier, in -the vicinity of which an entrenched position was held by a detachment -under the command of an Austrian captain. As soon as he noticed the -King’s arrival at the village, he began a vigorous fire. Frederick was -leaning against a shed, deep in thought, and at first seemed to pay no -attention to the firing. His aides besought him to leave, as the place -was too dangerous. - -“The bullet which is to hit me,” said the King, “will come from above.” - -A few minutes later a shot struck a post three yards away, quickly -followed by a second. Remarking, “They are growing too discourteous,” he -ordered the destruction of the nest. The entrenchment was stormed and -the captain and his men were made prisoners. The Prussian soldiers took -his watch, purse, and whatever else of value he had about him, and at -last cut off the gold ornaments on his hat. This he pronounced an -insult, and demanded to be taken to the King. After a respectful -greeting, the King said: - -“Your servant, my dear Captain. What can I do for you?” The captain -complained of his ill treatment. - -“Do you not know the usages of war?” said the King. “This is not a -processional. Thank God that you escaped with your life. My people are -very considerate after all.” - -The captain was surprised at the light manner in which the King spoke, -for, as he afterward said, he had always supposed the conqueror of -Silesia to be a strong, imperious man. - -The march was immediately resumed, and whenever Austrians showed -themselves they were dispersed. Too weak to attack the Austrians at that -time investing Schweidnitz, the King kept on to Bunzelwiltz, a very -favorable position not far from Schweidnitz, where an entrenched camp -was established in such a scientific and formidable manner that it -looked like a fortress. The work of entrenching was rushed at every -point, and officers joined hands with the soldiers in the work. -Earthworks were also constructed in the churchyard in the village of -Jauernick by soldiers sent for that purpose, who worked under the -supervision of an officer. As they were throwing up the earth an old box -was struck. They did not remove it with the usual care, but broke it -open a little and found there was money in it. They would have instantly -pounced upon it, but the officer drove them back and took the box -himself, assuring them he would divide the money fairly when the work -was done. They were satisfied with this, and the box was placed by the -church door. The officer quietly retired to an unseen position, took off -his stockings and went back with bare feet in his boots. He then took -the box, shook the money out when unobserved, placed the stockings on -the bottom of it and threw in what money it would hold. When the men -were through with their work they asked for the box. The officer brought -it at once, emptied out the money, and showed them there was nothing -more in it but some old rags. There was great dissatisfaction, however, -for they suspected the captain was not dealing fairly with them; seeing -which, he threatened them with a stick. At this juncture the King came -up to inspect the work. He asked what the matter was. They related the -whole occurrence to him, whereupon he requested them to show him the -box, the money, and the pretended old rags. An old grenadier, who had -the latter in his hands, said: “Your Majesty, these are not old rags, -but a pair of linen-thread stockings with a name on them.” - -Thereupon he showed them to the King, who clearly enough saw the name -“V——” on them. The King summoned the officer and asked his name. He -answered “V——.” - -“Well,” said the King to the men, “don’t you see the money belongs to -him? His ancestors buried it here. Here is his name on the stockings, as -plain as if it were put there recently. Stupids, what do you mean? Give -the officer his money. I will have the box filled with genuine -two-groschen pieces, and they shall be divided equally among you. Will -that satisfy you?” - -“Oh, yes, Your Majesty,” was the answer of all. They were all the better -satisfied as the coins in the box were mostly little old copper pieces. -In this way the King saved the officer from the embarrassment naturally -consequent upon discovery of dishonesty, and left him standing -speechless and ashamed. - -The defences were at last completed, and in that strong position -Frederick awaited whatever might happen. As he was situated he could not -undertake an attack, and was forced to act upon the defensive. Unusual -precautions were taken in the camp. During the day the men slept by -turns, and at night officers and men were awake and ready for action. As -a rule the King left his tent every night, betook himself to a battery, -and there awaited the morning under the open heavens. One night, as he -was sitting upon the ground by the fire, enveloped in his cloak, he -seemed to be tired and somewhat sleepy. A soldier of the Wolfersdorf -regiment, noticing it, said to him: “I will make Your Majesty a pillow.” - -“How will you do it?” said the King. - -The soldier took off his knapsack and fixed it so the King could rest -his head upon it. He could not sleep, however, and so he talked with the -soldier about his native land, his service, and other things. The latter -asked the King several rather bold questions, which he answered very -affably. The following conversation occurred between them: - -Soldier. “If Your Majesty should be taken prisoner, how could you get -released, as you are a King?” - -King. “As a general, not otherwise.” - -Soldier. “Hm! I don’t believe that. You are more than a general.” - -King. “No! With the army I am only a general.” - -Soldier (shaking his head). “They would get rich booty if they took -you.” - -King. “Oh, no, they would not. I have not a groschen in my pockets.” - -Soldier. “Your Majesty is trying to deceive me.” - -King. “No! I tell you I have not a kreutzer” (and to convince him, the -King emptied his pockets). “There! do you not see I am right?” - -Soldier. “That is strange, but—you have a beautiful ring, which -certainly is worth something.” - -King. “Well—and what do you think it is worth? Give a guess.” (Saying -this, the King held up the ring for his examination.) - -Soldier. “The ring may well have cost ten thousand thalers.” - -King. “Fool! I will let you have it for five hundred thalers, and even -then make money.” - -Soldier. “I would not believe that to all eternity. It is not true.” - -King. “Certainly it is. Look here—I will count up the cost. This little -stone here is perhaps worth three hundred and some odd thalers. The -large one in the middle is a table diamond, which at the utmost did not -cost over thirty thalers, and the rest of the ring, outside of the plain -setting, is of no value.” - -Soldier. “I certainly wouldn’t have believed it.” - -Day had dawned in the meantime. The King arose and ordered an aide, who -had come up to make report, to give the soldier a _Friedrich d’or_, -saying at the same time, “Are you convinced now that I have no money?” - -Frederick often availed himself of the darkness to ride about and see -what was going on. Once the King and Zieten, riding early in the -morning, came to a little wood. Seeing no signs of an enemy Frederick -began whistling softly, as was often his habit when not talking. All at -once, as they ascended an eminence, Zieten noticed some of the enemy’s -troopers in the distance, wearing white cloaks. - -“Be quiet, Your Majesty. Quick, put my white undercoat over your -shoulders and ride slowly. They will think we are friends coming to meet -them.” - -This evidently was the Austrians’ opinion, for they seemed to be -directing their course straight toward them; but suddenly the King and -Zieten put spurs to their horses, changed their direction, and -fortunately escaped. The King laughed and said: “My dear Zieten, that -was a neat trick. Now, can I go on with my whistling?” - -As was always his habit, the King continued to share all dangers and -privations with his soldiers. Like them, he ate out of tin dishes and -the hard ground was his bed whatever the weather might be. - -“Take along a bundle of straw,” he once said, as he started for a ride -through the camp, “so that I won’t have to lie on the bare ground, as I -did last night.” - -The King was forced to remain inactive for three weeks in this -distressing situation, for the combined Russian and Austrian forces were -stretched out until they shut him in on all sides. He was in a critical -condition. His stores were giving out and his troops were getting -uneasy. He resolved therefore to risk a decisive stroke. It was -fortunate for him that Laudon did not have supreme command, else he -would have been crushed. The larger part of the army was under command -of the Russian Field-Marshal Butterlin, who disliked Laudon and -frequently quarrelled with him. This of course prevented coöperation. If -one favored attacking, the other would refuse; if one gave an order to -assault at a certain point, the other would issue an exactly contrary -order. In this dissension lay the possibility of the King’s escape, -though he did not know it, for he had never heard even a hint of their -enmity. His situation appeared to him desperate enough. Whichever way he -turned he saw no prospect of escape. This greatly disturbed him. With an -anxious heart he often hurried to old Zieten’s little hut for -consolation. This brave general confidently looked for better days in -the future. His devotion and loyalty to the King never permitted him to -doubt the success of his undertakings. In sheer desperation, the King -would often say: “It cannot be done; it is impossible.” - -Whenever he said this, Zieten would reply: “Have courage, Your Majesty. -Everything will come out right.” Once he said this with so much -assurance that the King quickly asked: “Have you secured the help of -some new allies?” - -“No,” replied the general, “only our old help from above, which will -never forsake us.” - -“Ah!” sighed the King, “the days of miracles are over.” - -“There is no need of miracles,” replied the pious old hero. “He is on -our side and will not let us be defeated.” - -Brave Zieten spoke truly, for three weeks afterward the Russians -suddenly broke camp and departed. The cause was partly the disagreement -between Butterlin and Laudon, but the principal reason for the sudden -exit was the difficulty of procuring subsistence for man and beast. -Silesia had been the scene of war so long and had been so ravaged that -its people had to kill most of their animals for food and had been -living for some time in a most wretched plight. It was manifestly -impossible therefore to feed this great army. To save his, the Russian -general had no alternative but to break camp and hurry off to Poland. -How delighted was the King when he saw that he was freed from the -enemy’s investment! It was with a strange feeling he left the prison -from which he had never expected to escape alive. - -The close of the year, however, brought fresh trouble. The fortress of -Schweidnitz, in Silesia, at last fell into the hands of the Austrians, -and this strengthened the Russian force at Colberg, in the East. -Frederick’s immediate situation was not very enviable in any sense, for -there had been a lack of subsistence for his troops for a long time, -resulting in general discontent as well as disobedience. His financial -resources were also well-nigh exhausted. But what made him most -despondent was the great shrinkage of his numerical strength and the -apparent impossibility of making it good. It was no longer possible to -maintain discipline among his troops after they had been reduced to the -bare necessities. The _Garde du Corps_ and _gens d’armes_, who had been -most loyally devoted to the King, now loudly asserted that if they were -attacked, they would surrender. Such was the spiritless condition of his -army! Is it any wonder the King was dejected as he contemplated the -situation? Only his feeling of duty and his love for the Fatherland -helped him to bear this heavy burden of trouble and care. In a letter -written immediately after the taking of Schweidnitz, he says: - -“This painful duty of service to the Fatherland is a heavy burden. With -sadness I see its glory dimmed, its people despairing of deliverance, -and devastation everywhere. Fatherland! Beloved name! Thy sorrows have -moved me to devote the last remaining energies of my unfortunate life to -thy rescue. Away with fruitless complaints—I will again take the field. -Patriotism inspires me. A new day is dawning. I will revenge the State -and end its troubles. I will forget my own distress and think only of -it. My strong arm shall be its support. Notwithstanding his inclinations -one must swim with the current, die for Fatherland, or accomplish his -purposes.” - - - - - Chapter XIII - The Dawn of Peace - - -The King entered upon another year with serious anxiety, for he could -not escape the conviction that the longer the war continued the worse -was his situation. His army was continually dwindling away. The old and -tried troops, with which he had almost done wonders at the beginning of -field operations, were now nearly all gone. His former sources of money -had also run dry. Saxony, which until now had helped him greatly with -its generous contributions, had paid out its last mark, and Prussia was -so utterly exhausted that it could do nothing in any direction. With the -enemy it was different. They confronted him with renewed strength and -increased numbers. The combination of the two great armies was the most -serious danger to his small force. It was by this combination that the -fall of Schweidnitz was hastened. Frederick saw no prospect of victory -anywhere, and yet the truth of his saying, “When necessity is greatest, -help is nearest,” was confirmed at that very time. - -The Empress Elizabeth of Russia,[24] a faithful ally of Maria Theresa, -died January 5, 1762. Both empresses, in alliance with France, had sworn -to ruin the King of Prussia. Elizabeth’s successor was Peter III, who -was friendly to the King, and who at the very beginning of the war -expressed his regret that Russia had taken part in hostilities against -the King whom he greatly esteemed for his heroism. Frederick knew this, -and hence was inclined to regard the death of the Empress as a fortunate -event which would make for his success. He reckoned rightly, for hardly -had Peter ascended the throne before he sent a messenger with orders to -his army to retire from all of Frederick’s provinces, to release all -prisoners without further ceremony, and hand over the contents of the -great storehouses in Pomerania to the people living there without cost. -In place of a bitter enemy, the King had a warm friend in Russia. On May -fifth, Peter made peace with Prussia; and not only this, but soon -afterward he sent Czernichef with his twenty thousand men to join the -Prussians. When this was known, Sweden, which had also been a party to -the alliance, out of deference to Russia, decided to forego the pleasure -of making war upon Prussia any longer. It did not waste any time in -acquainting Frederick with its wishes. In fact, the proposition was made -so suddenly that the great King facetiously said to the messenger who -brought it: - -“I was not aware I had been at war with Sweden. To be sure, I have heard -of some dealings which my General Belling has had with that people, but -they shall have peace if they wish it.” The treaty of peace with Sweden -was concluded May twenty-second. - -How suddenly the aspect of his affairs changed! All at once Frederick -was free from all danger, and was in a position to attack once more. Up -to this time his weakness had forced him to act on the defensive. Now he -was able to take the offensive, and make a stout resistance to his -remaining enemies. He did not wait long, but marched his army with its -Russian reënforcement into Silesia, to expel the Austrians and save that -province from the enemy. Daun was seized with consternation when he -heard of the King’s advance. He hastily fell back, took a new position -on the Burkersdorf hills, and entrenched himself as well as he could. It -was Frederick’s firm intention to attack the enemy at that point, and he -had even fixed the day upon which he would measure strength with the -foe, but an entirely unexpected as well as unfortunate event occurred, -which frustrated all his plans and menaced both him and the Fatherland. -After ruling six months, Peter was dethroned by conspirators, and died -shortly afterward.[25] His wife, Catharine, was made regent by the -dominant party. The shrewd Frederick may have anticipated such an -occurrence, for, in all his letters to the young Emperor, he gave him -much fatherly advice, and particularly entreated him to be prudent in -his administration, and conciliatory in all his relations to his wife. -This was a fortunate thing for the King, for when the ambitious Empress -read this correspondence she was so deeply touched by Frederick’s -attitude toward her that she hastened negotiations for peace, declared -she would have nothing to do with the war, and furthermore ordered her -armies to return home at once. - -The friendly sentiments of the Empress were very agreeable to Frederick, -and yet he was greatly disappointed, as the Empress’ order came just at -the time he was about to strike a blow at the enemy. It was necessary to -strike quickly, and yet he must act very cautiously. He knew the weak -side of General Czernichef, his love of gold, and with this inducement -he persuaded him to make a show of marching out with his army and -occupying a threatening position, with the understanding that after -three days he should return home. It was a rash act on the general’s -part, and one that might easily have cost him his head; but his -good-will to the King, and his avarice, overcame all scruples. -Frederick, happy that his wishes were now realized, vigorously attacked -the enemy at Burkersdorf, while the Russians held their position, as -agreed, a little distance off. Daun, who was ignorant of this -arrangement, feared Czernichef and his strong force more than he did the -King, and sent a considerable force against him. This was just what -Frederick wished. This division of the enemy’s strength made the battle -easier, and the result was a complete victory for the Prussians. When -the Austrians approached, the Russians retired, and on the day after the -battle they began their homeward march. - -Frederick now set out for Schweidnitz, and most skilfully and closely -invested that fortress. His impatience at the slow progress of his -laborers excited him to such a degree as to threaten serious physical -consequences, and one day he decided to be bled in the open field. He -inquired if there were a surgeon near by, and one was brought. The King -alighted, took off his coat, seated himself, and the operation began. -The cut was already bleeding, when a shell struck near the King, and -sprinkled him and the surgeon with blood. The surgeon fled as fast as he -could, leaving the King sitting. The latter was perfectly composed, and -ordered him to come back and bandage the cut, adding some of his very -emphatic threats. The surgeon finally returned in a very uneasy frame of -mind. “I know your heart is in the right place; bandage the cut,” said -the King. Half scared to death, the surgeon did as he was ordered with -trembling hands, after which the King mounted and rode away. - -Notwithstanding all of Frederick’s blustering the laborers made slow -progress on account of the hardness of the soil, which the King did not -take into consideration. He visited his displeasure principally upon his -engineers. He spoke very harshly with a staff captain of that corps -about the trenches, and at last in a burst of temper exclaimed: “Go to -the d—l!” - -The officer quietly withdrew, but the King called him back and said: “I -wish that you would take charge of the work and then it may get on.” - -The officer at once replied: “Your Majesty, I am gratified that you will -allow me to have a leg or an arm shot off before I leave the service, -but I have great need of both, and beside, it will save Your Majesty the -expense of carrying me back home.” - -The King was not displeased at his boldness, but laughed and ordered him -back to work and handsomely remembered him. - -The investment was now rapidly pushed on all sides and the fall of the -fortress was inevitable. At this time Frederick had his headquarters at -Peterswaldau, not far from Reichenbach, where he was much surprised by a -sudden attack from the besieged. After the Austrians were driven back -the Prussians strengthened their position, and the King decided that on -the following day he would celebrate the victory by a general parade of -the army. Frederick rode out from Peterswaldau with the Prussian princes -to view the spectacle. A colonel from Schwerin, seeing him approach, -rode quickly forward to receive his orders, but had the misfortune to be -thrown from his horse, which stumbled. He was uninjured, and his horse -waited quietly for him. The colonel remounted and galloped to meet the -King as if nothing had happened. As they met, the King said: “You have -had a fall!” - -“Yes, but not from your favor.” - -“No,” was the King’s reply, “only out of the saddle into the sand.” - -The storming of Schweidnitz was successful and Frederick looked for -important results to come from its fall, especially hoping it would -revive the old battle spirit of his troops. This proved to be the case. -Almost immediately came the glad tidings that Prince Henry, on the -twenty-ninth of October, had completely routed the enemy in a sanguinary -battle at Freiberg, Saxony. This was the last battle in the Seven Years’ -War, and good fortune did not again desert Frederick. As gloriously and -successfully as he had maintained himself against the Austrians and -Russians did Henry in the last year of the war maintain himself against -the French, notwithstanding the meagre help he received. Though often -forced to fall back, yet he always managed to advance again and -successfully cope with the enemy. He so misled them by his extraordinary -craftiness that his marches and counter-marches were a puzzle to the -French. It was due to his military discipline and strategic skill that -he won victories over a much stronger force at Billingshausen, -Wilhelmsthal, and Luttenberg. Next he captured the capital at Cassel, -November 1, 1762, and was preparing to take advantage of the favorable -season to drive the French over the Rhine, when his plans were -interrupted by an unlooked-for event. France asked for peace, and the -King made no delay in seizing the opportunity to secure what he had long -desired. The treaty between France, England, and Prussia was formally -negotiated February 10, 1763. - - - - - Chapter XIV - End of the Seven Years’ War - - -Maria Theresa and the Elector of Saxony realized that under such -circumstances as these they were in no condition to continue the war -alone against Prussia and that, whether they would or not, they must -take steps to conclude a treaty of peace. The Seven Years’ War had -convinced both of them that they could never take beautiful Silesia from -the hands of their brave enemies, much less humble the Margrave of -Brandenburg. So they extended the hand of peace to the King. The hunting -castle of Hubertsburg[26] was selected as the place for the negotiations -and there the plenipotentiaries made peace, the King of Prussia being -represented by Minister Von Herzberg. As he had fought many enemies in -the field he had to make treaties with many, and they were concluded in -such an honorable and skilful manner that Frederick was once more in -possession of Silesia, and the county of Glatz did not lose a foot of -its old possessions. The treaty was signed February 15, 1763, and caused -unbounded enthusiasm in city and country. Those who have not experienced -the horrors of war have little idea of the true significance of the word -“peace.” It recalls Schiller’s beautiful words: “Gentle peace, sweet -concord, abide with us. May that day never come when war’s hordes shall -devastate this quiet valley and when the evening sky, tinged with -roseate hues, shall reflect the dreadful glare of burning villages and -towns.” - -Crowned with victory, the King returned to his capital amid the -rejoicings of his subjects. The Berliners had arranged an ovation for -the homecoming hero. In view of the devastation and misery caused by the -war he declined an immediate reception. On the thirtieth of March, a -little later than he had intended, he entered his capital in the dusk of -evening, remained there a short time, and then hastened on to Potsdam -and Charlottenburg. At the latter place he one day summoned his -musicians and fixed a time at which they should sing the chorale, “We -praise thee, O God.” - -They assembled punctually, supposing that the church would be filled -with a large and brilliant audience. Instead of this, the King alone -appeared, seated himself, and gave them the signal. The singers began, -and each one did his utmost to contribute to the success of the -performance. As the music of the hymn of praise, majestic as a song of -cherubim, filled the house of God, Frederick was so affected that he -reverently fell upon his knees and with tears in his eyes expressed his -sincere gratitude to the Almighty for his many deliverances and for the -help which had been vouchsafed him through the long and dreadful war now -so happily ended. It was thus the victorious King celebrated his peace -festival, and his devout attitude was so impressive that there was not a -dry eye among the singers. Never before had they taken part in such a -solemn and inspiring ceremony. - -Frederick always spoke freely of the battles in the long war and liked -to hear the accounts of his generals. On one occasion General Seydlitz -was dining with him at Potsdam. After a general conversation, mention -was made of the battle of Rossbach, and the King said: “My dear -Seydlitz, I am greatly indebted to you, to your officers, and to your -whole division for that victory.” - -Seydlitz replied: “Excuse me, Your Majesty, not alone my division, but -my chaplain, Balke, also conducted himself most gallantly. When the -battle began he buckled on a sword and fought splendidly.” - -“You don’t say so,” said the King. “He must be rewarded in some special -way for such unusual service. The Provost[27] has just died. Balke shall -have the place.” The chaplain was summoned to Potsdam, and was not a -little surprised to receive an appointment to the vacant position. - -The King extended his generosity not only in individual cases, but all -over the country. There was urgent necessity to awaken fresh life and -secure prosperity once more for the exhausted provinces. The war, which -had been conducted with great bitterness and sometimes barbarity, had -not only greatly distressed Prussia, but had left all Germany in a -wretched plight. An entire circuit of towns and villages had been -destroyed. The luxuriant fields had been trodden down by hoofs of horses -and were lying waste. Entire villages were destitute of men, for their -former residents had either been killed or driven away by the enemy. The -Prussian army alone lost over two hundred thousand men during the war, -and its allies, England, Hanover, Hesse, and others one hundred and -sixty thousand more. The losses of the enemy were still greater, for -they amounted to more than half a million men. Austria lost one hundred -and forty thousand, Russia, one hundred and twenty thousand, France -twenty-two thousand, Sweden, twenty-five thousand, and the German Reich, -twenty-eight thousand. - -Under such circumstances, it is not strange there were not enough men -left in the country to till the soil. Women had to do that work, and in -some places there were not women enough. Consequently the King issued an -order to take a hundred of the strongest boys from the Potsdam Orphan -Asylum, and set them at work in these depopulated localities. He devised -still other means to make up this lack of men. He released Prussians -from the army, filled their places with foreign recruits, and then -ordered that as few Prussians as possible should be enlisted until the -deficiency was made good. The number thus released was thirty thousand -seven hundred and eighty. Every effort was made to assist them in the -habits of self-reliance and industrial life, and orders were also issued -that soldiers in such districts should be allowed to marry without a -license from the authorities. Many buildings abandoned by their owners -were going to ruin, and more than thirteen thousand houses in Prussia -were destroyed. Fertile fields after the war looked like a barren -wilderness, for there was a lack of seed-corn and products, and -implements of every kind needed to put them in good condition again. - -Gentry and peasants alike had been plundered by so many armies, and had -lost so much by contributions and confiscations, that they were utterly -destitute. The enemy had left them nothing but their lives. The country -was not the only sufferer. Prosperity was ruined and trade was dead in -the cities. There was no longer any regard for habits of order, and the -police administration was wretched. The courts of justice and financial -institutions had been reduced to inaction by these frequent invasions of -the enemy. The silence of the laws had made the people reckless and -produced in them an uncontrollable greed of gain. Nobles, merchants, -farmers, and laborers raised the prices of their commodities, and their -demands were exorbitant beyond belief. The situation called for drastic -remedies, and the King, who was greatly concerned over the country’s -condition, did not hesitate to apply them in a practical way. He -realized that the Provinces could not recover unaided, and so he decided -to help them. By his orders Silesia had to contribute three million; -Pomerania and Neumark, one million four hundred thousand; the -Electorate, seven hundred thousand; the Duchy of Cleve, one hundred -thousand, and the province of Prussia, eight hundred thousand thalers. -Beside this, he distributed among the most needy localities twenty-five -thousand bushels of rye and meal, and seventeen thousand bushels of oats -taken from the public storehouses. He went even further than this. He -reduced the army, and distributed thirty-five thousand horses among the -peasants and gentry. In those parts of the country which had suffered -most severely during the war, particularly Crossen, Hohenstein, and -Halberstadt, the taxes were reduced one-half. In Silesia the payment of -taxes was suspended for six months, and in Pomerania and Neumark for two -years. The gentry also received considerable sums of money for the -arrangement of their affairs and the payment of debts, for their -resources had been so greatly impaired, money was so scarce, and credit -so uncertain, that there was otherwise no hope for their recovery.[28] - -It was not only cities and villages that were ruined during this war. -The discipline of the army was so impaired by dissoluteness that more -stringent regulations had to be adopted. The work, however, proceeded so -slowly that permanent results were not apparent until 1775. From that -time the army displayed the genuine military spirit. Everything except -the regulations governing enlistments had been changed. - -It was natural that by the reduction of the army many a deserving -soldier found himself badly off. When the free battalions were -organized, a blacksmith’s journeyman in a Silesian village enlisted in -the one commanded by Quintus Icilius, became a corporal, and -subsequently was promoted to the position of major and was given the -decoration for merit. After the battalion was disbanded, he was left to -shift for himself, and as he could find nothing better went back to the -smithy, but still wore his decoration. Seydlitz found him at work, and -inquired where he got that decoration. He told his story, and Seydlitz -told it to the King. Quintus was in attendance upon the King, and, one -day at table, he said to him: - -“Quintus, you had some fine specimens of officers in your battalion. -There is, for instance, a blacksmith journeyman who has decorated -himself with a service badge. How did that Cyclops come by it?” - -Quintus replied: “I remember the brave fellow. I wish Your Majesty had -had more such smiths in the campaign. This one certainly did well, and -Your Majesty recognized his service and gave him the decoration in -Saxony.” - -“Why have you not told me about him before?” said the King. - -Quintus answered: “It has been done, but Your Majesty at the time was -much prejudiced against the free battalions and struck the name of this -brave fellow off the list.” - -The King smiled and shaking his head, said: “He has had hard luck and I -must help him some way. Now, listen, I will give the man a pension for -service, but he must not wear his decoration when at work and he must -keep quiet until I call him.” - -The quondam major shortly after this received a kindly letter, which -assured him a generous pension and made him the happiest of men. - -Considering the care with which this sagacious sovereign looked after -matters in general as well as individual affairs, and devoted himself to -the humblest as well as the greatest in his dominions, it is not -surprising that the ruined towns and villages, and the waste lands as -well, soon presented a changed aspect, but it took years before the -sorely oppressed country recovered entirely from the devastating effects -of war. With the increasing industry of the people, however, and the -unfailing encouragement and assistance of the King in advancing the -interests of commerce, trade, and agriculture, Prussia in time rose to a -higher degree of prosperity and culture than ever before. - - - - - Appendix - - -The following is a chronological statement of the principal events in -the Seven Years’ War: - - 1756 Frederick invades Saxony. - October 1, 1756 Frederick’s first victory at Lobositz. - 1757 Frederick invades Bohemia. - May 6, 1757 Frederick defeats the Austrians at Prague. - June 18, 1757 Frederick defeated by the Austrians at Kollin. - July 26, 1757 French victory at Hastenbeck. - August 30, 1757 Russian victory at Grossjägendorf. - November 5, 1757 Frederick’s great victory at Rossbach. - December 5, 1757 Frederick defeats the Austrians at Leuthen. - August 25, 1758 Frederick defeats the Russians at Zorndorf. - October 14, 1758 Frederick defeated by Austrians at Hochkirch. - August 1, 1759 French defeated at Minden. - August 12, 1760 Frederick defeated at Kunersdorf. - August 15, 1760 Frederick defeats the Austrians at Liegnitz. - November 3, 1760 Frederick’s great victory at Torgau. - January 5, 1762 Death of Czarina Elizabeth and accession of Peter III. - March 3, 1762 Peter makes peace with Frederick. - July 17, 1762 Peter assassinated and succeeded by Catharine. - July 21, 1762 Frederick’s victory at Burkersdorf. - October 29, 1762 Victory of Prince Henry at Freiburg. - Last battle in the Seven Years’ War. - February 10, 1763 Peace between France, England, and Prussia. - February 15, 1763 Peace of Hubertsburg and close of the war. - - - - - Footnotes - - -[1]The Mark or Margravate of Brandenburg was the beginning of the - Kingdom of Prussia. The Nordmark, now in Saxony, was founded by Henry - I in 928 to preserve certain German territory. In 1134 it was granted - to Albert, who took the title of Margrave of Brandenburg. The mark - was gradually extended during the next three centuries, and in 1618 - the Duchy of Prussia was united to it. During the reign of Frederick - William, the “Great Elector,” it was largely developed, and in 1700 - it became the Kingdom of Prussia. - -[2]This was in the Autumn of 1756. - -[3]Pirna is on the Elbe, twelve miles from Dresden. It suffered greatly - not only during the Seven Years’ but the Thirty Years’ War. - -[4]Francis I, son of Leopold, Duke of Lorraine, married Maria Theresa in - 1736 and was elected Emperor of Austria in 1745. - -[5]“Very certain it is, at sight of his own regiment in retreat, - Feld-Marschall Schwerin seized the colors, as did other generals, who - are not named, that day. Seizes the colors, fiery old man: ‘_Heran, - meine kinder_’ (‘This way, my sons’), and rides ahead, along the - straight dam again; his ‘sons’ all turning and with hot repentance - following. ‘On, my children, _heran!_’ Five bits of grapeshot, deadly - each of them, at once hit the old man; dead he sinks there on his - flag: and will never fight more. ‘_Heran!_’ storm the others with hot - tears. Adjutant von Platen takes the flag; Platen too is instantly - shot; but another takes it. ‘_Heran_, on!’ in wild storm of rage and - grief; in a word, they manage to do the work at Sterbohol, they and - the rest.”—_Carlyle’s “Life of Frederick the Great_,” Book XVIII. - -[6]July 5, 1757, Frederick wrote to his sister Wilhelmina at Baireuth: - “We have no longer a mother. This loss puts the crown on my sorrows. - I am obliged to act; and have not time to give free course to my - tears. Judge, I pray you, of the situation of a feeling heart put to - so cruel a trial. All losses in the world are capable of being - remedied; but those which death causes are beyond the reach of hope.” - -[7]July 22, 1757. - -[8]Eisenach is famous as the birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach, the - father of modern music. Luther also passed his early days there. - Wartburg, the princely residence of the Grand Duke of Weimar, is - there. - -[9]A village in Saxony, nine miles southwest of Merseburg. - -[10]Carlyle, in his “Frederick the Great,” quotes the following verse - from one of these hymns: - - “Grant that with zeal and skill this day I do - What me to do behoves, what thou command’st me to; - Grant that I do it sharp, at point of moment fit, - And when I do it grant me good success in it.” - -[11]A famous solitary and massive eminence south of Leuthen, known as - the “Magic Mountain.” - -[12] - “Nun danket alle Gott - Mit Herzen, Mund, und Händen, - Der grosse Dinge thut - An uns und allen Erden.” - - “Now thank God, one and all, - With heart, with voice, with hands, - Who wonders great hath done - To us and to all lands.” - -[13]About $3.50 in our money. - -[14]About $3,350,000. - -[15]“His wardrobe consisted of one fine gala dress, which lasted all his - life; of two or three old coats fit for Monmouth Street, of yellow - waistcoats soiled with snuff, and of huge boots embrowned by - time.”—_Macaulay’s Essays._ - -[16]George Keith was an English soldier, who fought for the house of - Stuart in 1715, with his younger brother James. When that cause was - lost, they went to the Continent and served under various flags, - finally taking service with Frederick. Macaulay says: “Some of those - who knew the palace best pronounced that the Lord Marischal (Keith) - was the only human being whom Frederick ever really loved.” - -[17]This letter was written by Daun to the Russian General Fermor. The - reply sent to Daun was written by the King, but was signed “Fermor,” - and read: “Your Excellency was in the right to warn me against a - cunning enemy whom you know better than I. Here have I tried fighting - him and got beaten. - - “Your unfortunate - “Fermor.” - -[18]Princess Friederike Sophie Wilhelmina was the favorite sister of - Frederick the Great. She was born in 1709, married the Margrave of - Baireuth in 1731, and died in 1758. She wrote her memoirs, but they - were not published until 1810. Like her brother, she was the frequent - victim of her father’s cruelty. - -[19]Lord George Sackville, third son of the first Duke of Dorset, was an - English soldier. He was made Major General in 1755 and Lieutenant - General in 1757. He served second in command to Marlborough at - Hanover in 1758, and upon the latter’s death succeeded to the chief - command. For his conduct at Minden he was dismissed from the army. - -[20]Frankfurt. - -[21]The battlefield of Kunersdorf is near Frankfurt, on the other side - of the Oder, fifty miles southeast of Berlin. - -[22]A ducat was the equivalent at that time of seven thalers. - -[23]“In Charlottenburg, certain Saxon-Bruhl dragoons, who by their - conduct, might have been the dragoons of Attila, smashed the - furniture and the doors, cut the pictures, much maltreated 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 Frederick; whose indignation at the ruin of Charlottenburg - came out in way of reprisal by and by.”—_Carlyle’s_ “_Life of - Frederick the Great._” - -[24]Elizabeth Petrovna, born December 29, 1709, Empress of Russia from - 1741 to 1762, was the daughter of Peter the Great and Catharine I. - She was the founder of the Moscow University and St. Petersburg - Academy of Fine Arts. - -[25]Peter III was born in Holstein in 1728. He was the son of Charles - Frederick, Duke of Holstein, and Anna, daughter of Peter the Great. - He was assassinated, and his wife, who was an accomplice, succeeded - him. - -[26]This castle is near Wermadorf, Saxony, twenty-five miles east of - Leipsic. - -[27]An ecclesiastical officer. - -[28]The translator has taken the liberty to omit a few paragraphs in - this connection, setting forth some of Frederick’s financial and - economical methods for the restoration of prosperity. They have only - a local interest, and would hardly be entertaining for young people. - - - - - LIFE STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE - - _Translated from the German by - GEORGE P. UPTON_ - - 8 Vols. Ready - - Beethoven - Mozart - Bach - Maid of Orleans - William Tell - The Little Dauphin - Frederick the Great - Maria Theresa - - _Each, with 4 Illustrations, 60 cents net_ - - - LIFE STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE - - _BIOGRAPHICAL ROMANCES - TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY_ - GEORGE P. UPTON - -_A new, interesting, and very useful series that will be found especially - suitable for school libraries and for supplementary reading_ - -The books in this series are translated from the German, because in that -country a specialty is made of really desirable reading for the young. -Eight titles are now ready and more will follow. - -Their simplicity and accuracy make them very useful for every school -library in the grades. - -For parents who feel disposed to give their children books that provide -a mild element of historical information, as well as first-class -entertainment, the little books will prove a veritable find. - -The “life-stories” retain the story form throughout, and embody in each -chapter a stirring event in the life of the hero or the action of the -time. The dramatis personæ are actual characters, and the facts in the -main are historically correct. They are therefore both entertaining and -instructive, and present biography in its most attractive form for the -young. - - A FULL LIST OF THE TITLES IS GIVEN ON THE NEXT PAGE - -The work of translation has been done by Mr. George P. Upton, whose -“Memories” and Lives of Beethoven, Haydn, and Liszt, from the German of -Max Mueller and Dr. Nohl, have been so successful. - - _Each is a small square 16mo in uniform binding, with four - illustrations. Each 60 cents net._ - - _FULL LIST OF TITLES_ - Frederick the Great - The Maid of Orleans - The Little Dauphin - Maria Theresa - William Tell - Mozart - Beethoven - Johann Sebastian Bach - -“These narratives have been well calculated for youthful minds past -infancy, and Mr. Upton’s version is easy and idiomatic.”—_The Nation._ - -“He is a delightful writer, clearness, strength, and sincerity marking -everything to which he puts his hand. He has translated these little -histories from the German in a way that the reader knows has conserved -all the strength of the original.”—_Chicago Evening Post._ - -“They are written in simple, graphic style, handsomely illustrated, and -will be read with delight by the young people for whose benefit they -have been prepared.”—_Chicago Tribune._ - -“The work of translation seems to have been well done, and these little -biographies are very well fitted for the use of young people.... The -volumes are compact and neat, and are illustrated sufficiently but not -too elaborately.”—_Springfield Republican._ - -“These books are most entertaining and vastly more wholesome than the -story books with which the appetites of young readers are for the most -part satisfied.”—_Indianapolis Journal._ - - - _OF ALL BOOKSELLERS OR OF THE PUBLISHERS_ - - - A. C. 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