OftheAttackitselfweproposetosayalmostnothing。ItconsistsofTwoParts,WiedandMollendorf,whichareintenselyReal;andofagreatmanymorewhichareScenicchiefly,——someofthemScenictothedegreeofDrury—Laneitself,asweperceive;——allcunninglydevised,andbeautifullyplayingintooneanother,boththerealandthescenic。EVENINGOFTHE20th,Friedrichisonhisground,accordingtoProgram。Friedrich——whohasnowhisMollendorfandWiedbesidehimagain,nearthisVillageofBurkersdorf;andhashiscompletelyscenicCzernichef,andpartlyscenicZiethenandothers,allintheirplacesbehindhim——quietlycrushesDaun’speopleoutofBurkersdorfVillage;andfurthermore,sosoonasNighthasfallen,burstsup,forhisownuses,BurkersdorfoldCastle,anditsobstinatehandfulofdefenders,whichwasanoisierprocess。Whichdone,hediligentlysetstotrenching,buildingbatteriesinthatpart;willhavefortyformidableguns,howitzersagoodfewofthem,readybeforesunrise。Andso,WEDNESDAY,21stJULY,1762,AllPrussiansareinmotion,farandwide;especiallyMollendorfandWied(VERSUSO’KellyandPrincedeLigne),——whichPairofPrussiansmaybedefinedratherasnearandclose;theseTwobeing,infact,thesoulofthematter,andallelsegarnitureandsemblance。About4inthemorning,Friedrich’sBatteryof40hasbegunraging;thehowitzersdiligentuponO’KellyandhisBurkersdorfHeight,——notmuchhurtingO’KellyorhisHeight,sohighwasit,butmakingaprodigiousnoiseuponO’Kelly;
——othersofthecannonshearinghomeonthosepalisadesandelaborations,intheWeistritzValleyinparticular,andquitetearingupaCavalryRegimentwhichwasdrawnoutthere;sothatO’Kellyhadinstantlytocallithome,inaverywreckedcondition。
WhyO’Kellyeverputitthere——exceptthathesawnoplaceforitinhisruggedlocalities,ornouseforitanywhere——isstillamysterytotheintelligentmind。[Tempelhof,vi。107。]
Thehowitzers,theirshellsburstingmostlyintheair,didO’Kellylittlehurt,norforhoursyetwasthereanyrealattackonBurkersdorforhim;butthenoise,thehorriddeath—blazewasprodigious,andkeptO’Kelly,likesomeothers,inanagitated,occupiedconditiontilltheirownturncame。
ForithadbeenorderedthatWiedandMollendorfwerenottoattacktogether:nottogether,butsuccessively,——forthefollowingreasons。TOGETHER;supposeMollendorftoprosperonO’Kelly(whomheistostorm,notbythesteepfrontpartasO’Kellyfancies,buttogoroundbythewesternflankandtakehiminrear);supposeMollendorftobenearprosperingonBurkersdorfHeight,——unlessWiedtoohaveprospered,LudwigsdorfbatteriesandforceswillhaveMollendorfbytherightflank,andbetweentwofireshewillberuined;heandeverything!Ontheotherhand,letWiedtryfirst:
ifWiedcanmanageLudwigsdorf,well:ifWiedcannot,hecomeshomeagainwithsmalldamage;andthewholeEnterpriseisoffforthepresent。ThatwasFriedrich’swisearrangement,andthereasonwhyhesobombardsO’Kellywiththunder,blankmostly。
Andindeed,from4thismorningandtill4intheafternoon,thereissuchanoutburstandblazingseriesofScenicEffect,andthundermostlyblank,goingonfarandnearalloverthatDistrictofCountry:GeneralThisostentatiouslyspeedingoff,asifforattackonsomeimportantplace;GeneralThat,forattackonsomeother;allhandsbusy,——the20,000Russiansnotyetspeeding,butseeminglyjustabouttodoit,——andblankthundersomixedwithnotblank,andsceniceffectwithbitterreality,[Tempelhof,vi。
105—111。]——aswasseldomseenbefore。AndnowisestDaun,nottospeakofhisO’Kellysandlieutenants,can,forthelifeofhim,saywheretherealattackistobe,oronwhathandtoturnhimself。Dauninperson,Ibelieve,isstillatTannhausen,nearthecentreofthisastonishingscene;fiveorsixmilesfromanypracticalpartofit。Anddoesorderforward,hither,thither,massesofforcetosupporttheDeLigne,theO’Kelly,amongothers,——butwhocantellwhattosupport?Daun’slieutenantswerealertsomeofthem,othersless:GeneralGuasco,forinstance,whoisinSchweidnitz,analertCommandant,with12,000pickedmen,wasdrawingout,ofhisownwill,withcertainregimentstotryFriedrich’srear:butacheckwasputonhim(somedangerousshakeofthefistfromafar),whenhehadtodrawinagain。IngeneraltheO’Kellysupportssatgazingdubiously,anddidnothingforO’Kellybutrollbackalongwithhim,whenthetimecame。ButletusfirstattendtoWied,andtheLudwigsdorf—Leuthmannsdorfpart。
Wied,dividedintoThree,isdiligentlypushinguponLudwigsdorfbytheslackereasternascents;meetsfirmenoughbattalions,potent,dangerousandresoluteintheirstrongposts;butendeavorsfirmlytobemoredangerousthanthey。Dislodgeseverything,onhisright,onhisleft;comesinsightofthebatteriesandrankedmassesatop,whichseemtohimdifficultindeed;flatlyimpossible,iftriedonfront;butalwayssomeColonelLottum,orquick—eyedman,findssomelittlevalley,littlehollow;getsattheEnemyside—wiseandrear—wise;rushesonwithfixedbayonets,double—
quick,toco—operatewiththefront:and,onthewhole,therearethebestnewsfromWied,andweperceiveheseeshiswaythroughtheaffair。
Uponwhich,Mollendorfgetsinmotion,uponhisspecificerrand。
Mollendorfhasbeensurveyinghisgroundalittle,duringtheleisurehour;especiallyexaminingwhatmodeofpassagetheremaybe,andlookingforsomeroadupthoseslackerwesternparts:
hasfoundnoroad,butakindofsheeptrack,whichhethinkswilldo。Mollendorf,withallenergy,surmountingmanydifficulties,pushesupaccordingly;getsintohissheep—track;finds,inthesteeperpartofthistrack,thathorsescannotdrawhiscannon;
setshismentodoit;pullsandpushes,heandthey,witharightwill;——seesoverhisleftshoulder,atacertainpoint,therankedAustrianswaitingforhimbehindtheircannon(whichmusthavebeenaninterestingglimpseofsceneryforsomemoments);tugsalong,tillheisatapointforplantinghiscannon;andthen,underhelpofthese,rushesforward,——intwoparts,perhapsinthree,butwithoneimpetusinall,——toseizetheAustrianfruitsetbeforehim。
Surely,ifaprecious,averypricklyPomegranate,toclutchholdofondifferentsides,aftersuchaclimb!TheAustriansmakestifffight;haveabatis,multiplexdefences;andMollendorfhasafuriouswrestlewiththislastremnant,holdingoutwonderfully,——
tillatlengththeabatisitselfcatchesfire,inthemusketry,andtheyhavetosurrender。Thismustbeaboutnoon,asIcollect:
andFeldmarschallDaunhimselfnoworderseverybodytofallback。
Andthetugoffightisover;——thoughFriedrich’ssceniceffectsdidnotcease;andinparticularhisbigbatteryragedtill5intheafternoon,themoretoconfirmDaun’srearwardresolutionsandquickenhismotions。Onfallofnight,Daun,everybodyhavinghadhisorders,andbeenmakinghispreparationsforsixhourspast,ebbedtotallyaway;inperfectorder,bagandbaggage。Wellawaytosouthward;andleftFriedrichquitofhim。[Tempelhof。vi。100—115:
compareBerichtvonderbeyLeutmannsdorfden21stenJulius1762vorgefallenenAction(Seyfarth,
Beylagen,iii。302—308);AnderweiterBerichtvonder&c。(ib。308—314);Archenholtz,&c。&c。]
QuitofDaunforevermore,asitturnedout。Plainlyfree,atanyrate,tobeginuponSchweidnitz,wheneverheseesgood。OfthebehaviorofWied,Mollendorf,andtheirpeople,indeedofthePrussiansoneandall,whatcanbesaid,butthatitwasworthyoftheirCaptainandofthePlanningshehadmade?Whichissayingagreatdeal。"Wegotabove14bigguns,"reportthey;"above1,000
prisoners,andperhapstwiceasmanythatdesertedtousinthedaysfollowing。"Czernichefwasfullofadmirationattheday’swork:hemarchedearlynextmorning,——ItrustwithlastinggratitudeonthepartofanobligedFriedrich。
SomethreeweeksbeforethisofBurkersdorf,DukeFerdinand,nearaplacecalledWilhelmsthal,intheneighborhoodofCassel,inwoodybrokencountryofHillandDale,favorableforstrategiccontrivances,hadorganizedabeautifulmovementfrommanysides,hopingtooverwhelmthetoocarelessortooignorantFrench,andgainasignalvictoryoverthem:BATTLE,socalled,OF
WILHELMSTHAL,JUNE24th,1762,beingtheresult。MauvillonnevercanforgiveacertainstupidHanoverian,whomistookhisorders;
andongettingtohisHill—top,whichwasthecentreofalltherest,——formedhimselfwithhisBACKtothepointofattack;
andbeganshootingcannonatnexttonothing,asiftowarntheFrench,thattheyhadbetterinstantlymakeoff!Whichtheyinstantlysetabout,withawill;andmainlysucceededin;
nothingalldaybutmazesofintricatemarchingonbothsides,withspurtsoffighthereandthere,——endinginatrulystiffboutbetweenGranbyandaComtedeStainville,whocoveredtheretreat,andwhocouldnotbebeatenwithoutagreatdealoftrouble。
TheresultakindofvictorytoFerdinand;butnothinglikewhatheexpected。[Mauvillon,ii。227—236;Tempelhof,vi。&c。&c。]
SoubiseleadstheFrenchthisfinalYear;buthehasaD’Estreeswithhim(ouroldD’EstreesofHASTENBECK),whomuchhelpstheaccountcurrent;andthoughgenerallyonthedeclininghand(obligedtogiveupGottingen,toedgeawayfartherandfartheroutofHessenitself,togiveuptheWeser,andseenoshiftbutthefarthersideofFulda,withFrankfurttorear),——isnotoftencaughtnappingashereatWilhelmsthal。ThereensuedaboutthebanksoftheFulda,andthequestion,Shallwebedrivenacrossitsoonerornotsosoon?agreatdealoffightingandpushing(BattlecalledofLUTTERNBERG,BattleofJOHANNISBERG,andothers):butallreaderswilllookforwardrathertotheCANNONADEOFAMONEBURG,morepreciselyCannonadeoftheBRUCKEN—MUHLE(September2lst),whichfinishesthesewearisomedeath—wrestlings。Peaceiscoming;
alltheworldcannowcountonthat!
ButeisravenousforPeace;hasbeenprivatelytakingthemostunheard—ofsteps:——wrotetoKaunitz,"PeaceatonceandwewillvoteforyourHAVINGSilesia;"towhichKaunitz,suspectingtrickeryinartlessBute,answered,haughtilysneering,"NohelpneededfromyourLordshipinthatmatter!"Afterwhichrepulse,orbeforeit,ButehadappliedtotheCzar’sMinisterinLondon:
"CzarishMajestytohaveEastPreussenguaranteedtohim,ifhewillinsistthattheKingofPrussiaDISPENSEwithSilesia;"
whichtheindignantCzarrejectedwithscorn,andatoncemadehisRoyalFriendawareof;withwhatemotionontheRoyalFriend’spartwehavetransientlyseen。"Horrorsandperfidies!"ejaculatedhe,inourhearinglately;andregardedBute,fromthattime,asaknaveandanimbecilebothinone;noreverquiteforgaveBute’sNationeither,whichwasfarfrombeingBute’saccompliceinthisunheard—ofprocedure。"NomoreAllianceswithEngland!"countedhe:
"WhatAlliancecantherebewiththatever—fluctuatingPeople?
To—daytheyhaveathrice—noblePitt;to—morrowathrice—paltryBute,andallgoesheels—over—headonthesudden!"[Preuss,ii。
308;Mitchell,ii。286。]
Bute,atthisrateofgoing,willmanagetogetholdofPeacebeforelong。ToFriedrichhimself,aSiegeofSchweidnitzisnowfree;Schweidnitzhis,theAustrianswillhavetoquitSilesia。
"Theircashisout:exceptprayertotheVirgin,whatbutPeacecantheyattemptfarther?InSaxonythingswillhavegoneill,iftherebenotenoughleftustooffertheminreturnforGlatz。AndPeaceandAS—YOU—WEREmustensue!"
LetusgouponSchweidnitz,therefore;pausingonnoneofthesesubsidiarythings;andbebriefuponSchweidnitztoo。
ChapterXII。
SIEGEOFSCHWEIDNITZ:SEVENTHCAMPAIGNENDS。
Daunbeingnowclearedaway,FriedrichinstantlyproceedsuponSchweidnitz。OrdersthenecessarySiegeMaterialstogetunderwayfromNeisse;postshisArmyintheproperplaces,betweenDaunandtheFortress,——King’shead—quarterDittmannsdorf,Armyspreadinfinelargecrescent—shape,tosouthwestofSchweidnitzsometenmiles,andasfarbetweenDaunandit;——ordershometohimhisUpper—SilesiaDetachments,"Home,allofyou,byNeisseCountry,tomakeupforCzernichef’sdeparture;fromNeisseonwardsyoucanguardtheSiege—Ammunitionwagons!"NaturallyhehasblockadedSchweidnitz,fromthefirst;henamesTauentzienSiege—Captain,witha10or12,000todotheSiege:"Ahead,allofyou!"——andinshort,AUGUST7th,withthedueadroitnessandprecautions,openshisfirstparallel;sufferinglittleornothinghithertobyaresistancewhichisrathervehement。[Tempelhof,vi。126。]
Heexpectstohavetheplaceinacoupleofweeks——"oneweek(HUIT
JOUR)"hesometimescountsit,butwasfaroutinhisreckoningastotime。
TheSiegeofSchweidnitzoccupiedtwomostlaborious,tediousmonths;——andwouldbewearisometoeveryreadernow,asitwastoFriedricbthen,didweventureonmorethanthebriefestoutline。
Theresistanceisvehement,veryskilful:——CommandantisGuasco(thesamewhowassotruculenttoSchmettauintheDresdentime);
hisGarrisonisnear12,000,pickedfromallregimentsoftheAustrianArmy;hisprovisions,ammunitions,areoftheamplest;
andhehasunderhimaschiefEngineeraM。Gribeauval,whounderstands"counter—mining"likenoother。Afteraboutafortnightoftrial,andoneEventintheneighborhoodwhichshallbementioned,thisofMiningandCounter—mining——thoughtheExternalSapwentrestlesslyforwardtoo,andthecannonadingwasincessantonbothsides——cametoberegardedmoreandmoreastherealmethod,andforsixorsevenweekslongerwaspersistedin,withwonderfultenacityofattemptandresistance。Friedrich’schiefMiningEngineerisalsoaFrenchman,oneLefebvre;whoispersonallytherivalofGribeauval(hisoldclass—fellowatCollege,Ialmostthink);butisnothisequalinsubterraneanwork,——orperhapsratherhasthehardertaskofit,thatofMining,insteadofCOUNTER—mining,orSPOILINGMines。Tempelhof’saccountofthesetwopeople,andtheirundergroundwrestlehere,isreallycuriousreading;——clearasdaylighttothosethatwillstudy,butofendlessexpansion(asusualinTempelhof),andfitonlytobeindicatedhere。[Tempelhof,vi。122—219;BerichtundTagebuchvonderBelagerungvonSchweidnitzvom7tenAugustbis9
October,1762(Seyfarth,Beylagen,iii。376—479);Archenholtz,Retzow,&c。]
TheexternalEventIpromisedtomentionisanattemptonDaun’spart(August16th)tobreakinuponFriedrich’sposition,andinterrupttheSiege,orrenderitstillimpossible。EventcalledtheBATTLEOFREICHENBACH,thoughtherewasnotmuchofbattleinit;——inwhichouroldfriendtheDukeofBrunswick—Bevern(whomwehaveseeninabeyance,andmerelyaGarrisonCommandant,foryearsback,tilltheRussiansleftStettintoitself)againplayedashiningpart。
Daun——atTannhausen,10milestosouthwestofFriedrich,andspreadoutamongtheHills,withLoudons,Lacys,Becks,aslieutenants,andinplentyofforce,couldheresolveonusingit——hasatlast,afteramonth’smeditation,hituponaplan。PlanofflowingroundbythesouthernskirtofFriedrich,andseizingcertainHeightstothesoutheasternoropensideofSchweidnitz,——KoltschenHeightthekeyone;fromwhichhemayspreadupatwill,HeightafterHeight,totheveryZobtenbergonthateasternside,andrenderSchweidnitzanimpossibility。Theplan,peoplesay,wasgood;butrequiredrapidityofexecution,——athingDaunisnotstrongin。
Bevern’sbehavior,too,uponwhomtheedgeofthematterfell,wasverygood。Bevern,comingonfromNeisseandUpperSilesia,hadbeenmuchmanoeuvreduponforvariousdaysbyBeck;Beck,adangerous,alertman,doinghisutmosttoseizepostafterpost,andbarBevern’sway,——meaningespecially,asultimatething,togetholdofaHeightcalledFischerberg,whichliesnearReichenbach(inthesouthernSchweidnitzvicinities),andisprefacetoKoltschenHeightandtothewholeEnterpriseofDaun。
Inmostofwhichattempts,especiallyinthislast,Bevern,withgreatmerit,notofdexterityalone(fortheKing’sOrdershadoftentobeDISobeyedintheletter,andonlythespiritofthemheldinview),contrivedtooutmanoeuvreBeck;andbefound(August13th)alreadyfirmontheFischerberg,whenBeck,infullconfidence,camemarchingtowardsit。"TheFischerberglosttous!"
Beckhadtoreport,indisappointment。"Mustberecovered,andmygrandEnterprisenolongerputoff!"thinksDauntohimself,instillmoredisappointment("LaggardthatIam!")。——Andonthethirddayfollowing,theBATTLEOFREICHENBACHensued。Lacy,aschief,withabundantforce,andBeckandBrentanounderhim:thesearetomarch,"RecovermethatFischerberg;itistheprefacetoKoltschenandallelse!"[Tempelhof,vi。144。]
MONDAY,AUGUST16th,prettyearlyintheday,Lacy,withhisBecksandBrentanos,appearedingreatforceonthewesternsideofFischerberg;plantedthemselvesthere,aboutthethreeVillagesofPeilau(Upper,NetherandMiddlePeilau,alittlewaytosouthofReichenbach),withincannon—shotofBevern;theirpurposeabundantlyclear。Behindthem,inthegorgesoftheMountains,whatisnotsoclear,layDaunandmostofhisArmy;intendingtopushthroughatonceuponKoltschenandseizethekey,werethisofFischerberghad。Lacy,afterreconnoitringalittle,spreadshistents(whichitisobservableBeckdoesnot);andallAustriansproceedtocookingtheirdinner。"Nothingcomingofthemtillto—morrow!"saidFriedrich,whowashere;andwenthiswayhome,onthissymptomoftheAustrianprocedures;——hardlyconsentingtoregardthemfarther,evenwhenheheardtheircannonadebegin。
Lacy,thegeneralcomposurebeingthusestablished,anddinnerwelldone,suddenlydrewoutaboutfiveintheevening,inlongstrongline,beforetheseHamletsofPeilau,onthewesternsideoftheFischerberg;Beckprivatelypushingroundbywoodstotakeitontheeasternside:andthereensuedabundantcannonadingonthepartofLacyandBrentano,andsomeidleflourishingaboutofhorse,respondedtobyBevern;and,onthepartofLacyandBrentano,nothingelsewhatever。Morelikeatheatrefightthanarealone,saysTempelhof。Beck,however,isinearnest;hasamostdifficultmarchthroughthetangledpathlesswoods;doesarriveatlength,andbeginrealfighting,verysharpforsometime;whichmighthavebeenproductive,hadLacygiventheleasthelptoit,ashedidNOT。[Tempelhof,vi。146—151。]Beckdidhisfieriest;butgotrepulsedeverywhere。Becktriesinvariousplaces;findsswamps,impediments,fierceresistancefromtheBevernpeople;——finds,atlength,thattheKingisawake,andthatreinforcements,horse,foot,riding—artillery,arecominginatthegallop;andthathe,Beck,cannottoosoongetaway。
NoneoftheKing’sFootpeoplecouldgetinforastroke,thoughtheycamemostlyrunning(distancefivemiles);buttheHorse—
chargeswerebeautifullyimpressiveonLacy’stheatricalperformers,aswastheHorse—Artillerytoastillmoresurprisingdegree;andproducedanimmediateEXEUNTOMNESontheLacypart。
Alloff;about7P。M。,——Sunjustgoingdownintheautumnsky;——andtheBattleofReichenbachathingfinished。Seeingwhich,Daunalsoimmediatelywithdrew,throughthegorgesoftheMountainsagain。
Andforsevenweeksthenceforthsatcontemplative,withouttheleastfartherattemptatreliefofSchweidnitz。Itwasduringthosesevenweeks,sometimeafterthis,thatpoorMadamDaun,goingtoaLeveeatSchonbrunnoneday,hadhercarriagehalffilledwithsymbolicalnightcaps,successivelyflunginuponherbytheViennapeople;——symbolical;inlieuofSlashingArticles,andNewspapersthebestInstructors,whichtheyasyethavenot。
NextdaytheJoy—fireofthePrussianstaughtGuascowhatdisasterhadhappened;andonthefifthdayafterwards(August22d),hearingnothingfartherofDaun,Guascoofferedtosurrender,ontheprincipleofFreeWithdrawal。"No,never,"answeredTauentzien,bytheKing’sorder:"AsPrisonersofWaritmustbe!"UponwhichGuascostoodtohisdefencesagain;andmaintainedhimself,——
Gribeauvalandhedid,——withanadmirableobstinacy:thedetailsofwhichwouldbeverywearisometoreaders。Gribeauvalandhe,I
said;forfromthistime,EngineerLefebvre,thoughhetried(withbadskill,thinksTempelhof)somebitsofassaultaboveground,tookmainlytomining,andagrandundergroundinventioncalledGLOBESDECOMPRESSION;whichhereckonedtobetherealsovereignmethod,——unluckythathewas!ImayatleastexplainwhatGLOBEDE
COMPRESSIONis;foritbecomesfamousonthisoccasion,andnonamecouldbelessdescriptiveofthething。NotaGLOBEatall,forthatmatter,norintendedto"compress,"buttoEXpress,andshattertopiecesinatranscendentdegree:itis,infact,ahugecubicalmine—chamber,filledbyawoodenbox(tillFriedrich,inhishurry,taughtLefebvrethatasackwoulddoaswell),loadedwith,say,fivethousand—weightofpowder。Sufficienttoblowanyhorn—work,bastion,bulwark,intotheair,——providedyouplantitintherightplace;whichpoorLefebrenevercan。Hetried,withimmenselabor,successivelysomefouroralmostfiveofthese"PRESSBALLS"socalled(orVolcanoesinLittle);miningon,manyyards,15or20feetunderground(tormentedbyGribeauvalalltheway);thenatlast,explodinghisfivethousand—weight,——wouldproducea"Funnel,"orcrater,ofperhaps"30yardsindiameter,"
but,alas,"150yardsOFFanybastion。"Funnelofnousetohim;——
meresigntohimthathemustgodownintoit,andbeginthereagain;withbetteraim,ifpossible。AndthenGribeauval’stormentings;neverwerethelike!Gribeauvalhas,allroundundertheGlacis,mine—galleries,ormain—roadsforCounter—mining,readytohishand(mine—galleriesbuiltbyFriedrichwhilelatelyproprietor);thereGribeauvalishearkeningthebeatofLefebvre’spicks:"Tenyardsfromus,thinkyou?Sixyards?Geta30
hundredweightofchamberreadyforhim!"Andwill,attherightmoment,blowLefebvre’sgalleryabouthisears;——sometimesburstsinuponhimbodilywithpistolandcutlass,orstillworse,withexplosivesulphur—balls,choke—potsandinfinitudesofmal—odorinstantaneouslydevelopedonLefebvre,——whichmeanwithal,"Youwillhavetobeginagain,Monsieur!"EnoughtodriveaLefebvreoutofhiswits。Twice,oroftener,Lefebvre,azealouscreaturebutathin—skinned,flewoutintoopenparoxysm;wept,invokedthegods,threatenedsuicide:sothatFriedrichhadtoconsolehim,"Courage,youwillmanageit;makechicanesonGribeauval,ashedoesonyou,"——andsuggestedthatpowder—SACKinsteadofdeal—box,whichwejustmentioned。
Friedrich’spatienceseemstohavebeengreat;butintheendhebegantothinkthetimelong。Hewasinthreesuccessivehead—
quarters,Dittmannsdorf,Peterswaldau,Bogendorf,nearerandnearer;atlengthquitenear(Bogendorfwithinacoupleofmiles);
andwonderingGazetteersreportedhimonhorseback,examiningminutelytheparallelsandsiege—works,——withasingularindifferencetothecannon—ballsflyingabout("Noteasytohitasmallobjectwithcannon!"),andintentonlyongivingTauentziensuggestions,admonitionsandneworders。Here,priortoBogendorf,arethreesnatchesofwriting,whichsuccessivelyhaveindicationsforus。KINGTOPRINCEHENRI:——
PETERSWALDAU,AUGUST13th,1762(Kinghasjustshiftedhither,August10th,ontheBevern—REICHENBACHscore;continuesheretillSeptember23d)……"Youarerighttosay,’WeourselvesareourbestAllies。’Iamofthesameopinion;nevertheless,itisacleardutyandcallofprudencetotryandalleviatetheburdenasmuchaspossible:andIowntoyou,thatif,afterallIhavewritten,thethingfailsthistime[asitdoes],IshallbeobligedtograntMAPGOESHERE——FACINGPAGE152,CHAPXII,BOOK20——————
thatthereisnothingtobemadeofthoseTurks。"——"WearenowinthepressofourcrisisastoSchweidnitz。TheSiegeadvancesbeautifully:butBeckiscomehereabouts,Lacymaskedbehindhim;
andIcannotyettellyou[nottillREICHENBACHandthe16th]
whethertheEnemyintendssomebigadventurefordisengagingSchweidnitz,orwillcontenthimselfwithdisturbingandannoyingus。"
PETERSWALDAU,9thSEPTEMBER。Springs,water—threadscomingintoourminesdelayusalittle:"bythe12th[in3days’time,littlethinkingitwouldbe30days!]Istillhopetodespatchyouacourierwiththenews,Allisover!YourNephew[PrinceofPrussia]
isoutto—dayassistinginaforage;hebeginstokindleintofineaction。Wearenothingbutpygmiesincomparisontohim[inpointofphysicalstature];imaginetoyourselfPrinceFranz[ofBrunswick;killed,poorfellow,atHochkirch],onlytallerstill:
thisisthefigureofhimatpresent。"
PETERSWALDAU,SEPTEMBER19th……"OurSiegeweariesalltheworld;
peoplepersecutemetoknowtheendofit;InevergetaBerlinLetterwithoutsomethingonthathead;——andIhavenoresourcemyselfbutpatience。Wedoallwecan:butIcannothindertheenemyfromdefendinghimself,andGribeauvalfrombeingacleverfellow:——soon,however,surelysoon,soon,weshallseetheend。
OurweatherhereislikeDecember;theSeasonsareasmadasthePoliticsofEurope。Finally,mydearBrother,onemustshoveTimeon;dayfollowsday,andatlastweshallcatchtheonethatendsourlabors。Adieu;JEVOUSEMBRASSE。"[Schoning,iii。403,430,446。]——Herefarther,fromtheSiege—grounditself,aresometraceries,scratchingsbyasurehand,whichyieldussomethingofimage。Dateisstillonly"BEFORESchweidnitz,"faronintheeighthweek:——
SEPTEMBER23d。"Thismorning,before9,theKing[directfromPeterswaldau,wherehehasbeenlodginghitherto,——musthavebreakfastedratherearly]cameintotheLineshere:——hisquarterisnowtobeatBogendorfnearhand,inaFarmhousethere。ThePrinceofPrussiawasridingwithhim,andLieutenant—ColonelvonAnhalt[theAdjutantwhomwehaveheardof]:helookedattheBattery"
latelyorderedbyhim;"lookedatmanythings;rodealong,agood100yardsinsideofthevedettes;sothattheEnemynoticedhim,andfiredviolently,"——Kingdecidedlyignoring。"ToCaptainBeauvrye[CaptainoftheMiners]hepaidagraciouscompliment;
MajorLefebvreheralliedalittleforlosingheart,forbunglinghisbusiness;butwasnotangrywithhim,consoledhimrather;
banteredhimontheshabbinessofhisequipments,andmadehimagiftof400thalers(60pounds),toimprovethem。Lefebvre,Tauentzienand"anotherGeneral"dinedwithhimatBogendorfto—day。"["CaptainGotz’sNOTE—book"(aconspicuousCaptainhere,Note—bookstillinmanuscript,Ithink):citedinSCHONING,iii。
453etseq。]
SEPTEMBER24th,EARLY。"TheKingonhorsebackviewedthetrenches,rodeclosebehindthefirstparallel,alongthemid—mostcommunication—line:theEnemycannonadedatushorribly(ERSCHRECKLICH);aballstruckdownthePagevonPirch’shorse[Pirchlaywrithing,makingmoan,——plainlyovermuch,thoughttheKing]:onPirch’saccident,too,thePrinceofPrussia’shorsemadeawildplunge,andpitcheditsrideraloftoutofthesaddle;
peoplethoughtthePrincewasshot,andeverybodywasinhorror:
greatwasthecommotion;onlytheKingwasheardcallingwithaclearvoice,’PIRCH,VERGISSERSEINENSATTELNICHT,——Pirch,bringyoursaddlewithyou!’"
ThisofPirchandthesaddleisanAnecdoteinwidecirculation;
takensometimesasaproofofRoyalthrift;butismainlytheRoyalmodeofrebukingPirchforhisweakbehaviorintheaccidentthathadbefallen。Pirch,aningenioushandykindoffellow,famedforhispranksandtrickeriesinthosePage—days,hadmanyadventuresintheworld;——was,foronewhile,somethingofanotabilityamongtheFrench;will"teachyouthePrussianmodeofdrill,"andactuallygotleavetotryit"ontheGermanRegimentsinourservice:"[Voltaire’swonderingReportofhim("Ferney,7thDecember,1774"),andFriedrich’squietAnswer("Berlin,28thDec。
1774"):inOEuvresdeFrederic,xxiii。297,301。Rodenbeck(ii。198—200)haaaslight"BIOGRAPHY"ofPirch。]——
died,finally,asColonelofoneofthese,attheSiegeofGibraltar,in1783。
SEPTEMBER25th。"Morningandnoon,eachtimetwohours,theKingwasinhisnewbatteries;and,withgreatsatisfaction,watchedtheworkingofthem。ThisdaytheredinedwithhimthePrinceofBernburg[GeneralofBrigadehere],Tauentzien,LefebvreandDieskau"(headoftheArtillery)。
TheKingisalwaysridingabout;hasnow,virtually,takenchargeoftheSiegehimself。"InBogendorf,thefirstnight,hedismissedtheGuardsentforhim;wouldhavenothingtherebutsixchasers(JAGER):"analarmingcase!"Afteranightortwo,therecamealways,withouthisknowledge,adragoonpartyof30horse;
tookpostbehindBogendorfChurch,patrolledtowardsKunzendorf,Giesdorf,andhadthreepickets。"
SEPTEMBER28th。"Gribeauvalhassprungaminelastnight;"
totallyblownupLefebvreagain!"Engineer—LieutenantsGerhardandVonKleistwerewoundedbyourownpeople;CaptainGuyonwasshot:"
thingsallgoingwrong,——weather,Isuspectalso,bad。"TheKingwasindreadfulhumor(SEHRUNGNADIG);ratedandrebukedtorightandleft:’IfitshouldlasttillJanuary,theAttackmustgoon。
Nobodyseemstobeableforhisbusiness;Lefebvreablockhead(DUMMERTEUFEL),whoknowsnothingofmining:theGenerals,too,wherearethey?EveryGeneralhenceforthistotakehisplaceinthethirdparallel,attheheadofhisCovering—Party[mostexposedplaceofall],andstayhiswholetwenty—fourhoursthere[PrinceofAnhalt—BernburgisCovering—Partytoday;Ihope,inhispostduringthisthunder!]:TakenthePlacecanandmustbe!Wehavethemisfortune,ThatastupidEngineerwhoknowsnothingofhisarthasthedirection;andaGeneralwithoutsenseinSieginghasthecommand。EverybodyisataNONPLUS,itappears!NotallourArtillerycansilencethatFront—fire;notinasingleplacecanThirtystupidMinersgetintotheFort。’To—dayandyesterdaytheKingspokeneithertoGeneralTauentziennortoMajorLefebvre;
Lieutenant—ColonelvonAnhalthadtogivealltheOrders。"
Anelectrickindofday!
Theweatherisbecomingwet。Infact,thereensuewholeweeksofrain,——thetrenchesswimming,serviceveryhard。Guasco’sgunsaremanyofthemdismounted;noDauntobeheardof。Guascoagainandagainproposesmodifiedcapitulations;answeralways,"PrisonersofWaronthecommonterms。"Guascoiswearinglow:OCTOBER7th(LefebvresweatingandpuffingathislastGlobeofExpression,hopingtohitthemarkthislasttime),anaccidentalgrenadefromTauentzien,aboveground,rolledintooneofGuasco’spowder—
vaults;blewit,andagoodspaceofWallalongwithit,intowreck;twodaysafterwhich,GuascohadfinishedhisCapitulating;
——andwegetdonewiththiswearisomeaffair。[Tempelhof,vi。
122—220;TagebuchvonderBelagerungvonSchweidnitzvom7tenAugustbis9tenOctober,1762(Seyfarth,
Beylagen,iii。376—497);Tielke,&c。&c。]GuascowasinvitedtodinewiththeKing;praisedforhisexcellentdefence。
PrisonersofWarhisGarrisonandhe;about9,000ofthemstillontheirfeet;theirentirelosshadbeen3,552killedandwounded;
thatofthePrussians3,033。PoorGuascodied,inKonigsberg,stillprisoner,beforethePeacecame。
OfAustrianfightinginSilesia,thisprovedtobethelast,inthepresentControversywhichhasenduredsolong。NothoughtoffightingisinDaun;farthereverse。Daunisgettingilloffforhorse—forageinhisMountains;theweatherisbaduponhim;wehear"hehashad,forsometimepast,12,000laborers"palisadingandfortifyingatthePassesofBohemia:"TrucefortheWinter"iswhatheproposes。TowhichtheKinganswers,"No;unlessyouretirewhollywithinBohemiaandGlatzCountry:"thisatpresentDaungrudgedtodo;butwasforcedtoit,someweeksafterwards,bythesleetsandthesnows,hadtherebeennootherpressure。Inaboutthreeweekshence,Friedrich,leavingBevernincommandhere,andaSilesiamoreorlessadjusted,madeforSaxony;whitherimportantreinforcementshadprecededhim,——reinforcementsunderGeneralWied,theinstantitwaspossible。Saxonyhehadlongregardedasthegrandpoint,wereSchweidnitzover:"RecaptureDresden,andtheywillhavetogiveusPeacethisveryWinter!"Daun,alsowithreinforcements,followedhimtoSaxony,asusual;butneverquitearrived,orelsefoundmatterssettledonarriving;——andwillnotrequirefarthermentioninthisHistory。Hediedsomethreeyearshence,age60;["5thFebruary,1766;""born24thSeptember,1705"
(HormayrOEster—reichischerPlutarch,ii。
80—111)。]anhonorable,imperturbable,eupeptickindofman,sufficientlyknowntoreadersbythistime。
FriedrichdidnotrecaptureDresden;farenoughfromthat,——thoughPeacecameallthesame。HardlyaweekafterourrecoveryofSchweidnitz,StollbergandhisReichsfolk,especiallyhisAustrians,becameunexpectedlypertuponHenri;pressedforward(October15th),inoverpoweringforce,intohisPostsaboutFreyberg,PretschendorfandthatsouthwesternReich—wardpart:
"NomoreinvadingsofBohemiafromyou,Monseigneur;nomoretormentingsoftheReich;hereisotherworkforyou,myPrince!"——
andinspiteofallPrinceHenricoulddo,drovehimback,clearoutofFreyberg;northwestward,towardsHulsenandhisreserves。
[BerichtvondemAngriffsoam15tenOctober,1762,vanderReichs—ArmeeaufdieKongilich—PreussischenunterdemPrinzenHeinrichgeschehen(Seyfarth,Beylagen,iii。362—364)。AusfuhrlicherBerichtvonderden15tenOctober,1762,beyBrandvorgefallenenAction
(Ib。iii。350—362)。Tempelhof,vi。238。]Givinghim,inthismanner,whatsoldierscallaslap;slapwhichmighthavebeenmoreconsiderable,hadthoseStollbergpeoplefolloweditupwithemphasis。Buttheydidnot;soalertwasHenri。Henriatonceralliedbeautifullyfromhisslap(King’sreinforcementscomingtoo,aswehavesaid);and,intendays’time,withoutanyreinforcement,paidStollbergandCompanybyastunningblow:
BATTLEOFFREYBERG(October29th),——whichmustnotgowithoutmention,wereitonlyasPrinceHenri’ssoleBattle,andthelastofthisWar。Preparatorytowhichanditssequel,letusglanceagainatDukeFerdinandandtheEnglish—Frenchposture,——alsoforthelasttime。
CANNONADEATAMONEBURG(2lstSeptember,1762)。"ThecontroversiesaboutrightorleftbankoftheFuldahavebeensettledlongsinceinFerdinand’sfavor;whoproceedednexttoblockadethevariousFrenchstrongholdsinHessen;Marburg,Ziegenhayn,especiallyCassel;withaneyetobesiegingthesame,androotingtheFrenchpermanentlyout。Topreventordelaywhich,whatcanSoubiseandD’EstreesdobutsendfortheirsecondarysmallerArmy,whichisintheLower—RhineCountryunderaPrincedeConde,mostlyidleatpresent,tocomeandjointheminthecriticalregionshere。
WhereuponnewControversyshiftingwestwardtotheMaynandNidda—
LahnCountry,toachievesaidJunctionandtohinderit。
Junctionwasnottobehindered。TheD’Estrees—SoubisepeopleandyoungCondemadegoodmanoeuvring,handsomefightonoccasion;
sothatinspiteofalltheErbprinzcoulddo,theygothandsjoined;fartoostrongfortheErbprinzthenceforth;andonthelastnightofAugustwereallfairlytogether,head—quarterFriedberginFrankfurtCountry(athirtymilesnorthofFrankfurt);
andwereearnestlyconsideringthenownothopelessquestion,’How,orbywhatroutesandmethods,pushtonorthwestward,getthroughtothoseblockadedHessianStrong—places,Casselespecially;
andhinderFerdinand’sbesiegingthem,andquiteoutrootingusthere?’
"Thisisadifficultquestion,butavital。’SweeprapidlypastFerdinand,——cannotwe?Wellfrontwardoreastwardofhim,dexterouslyacrosstheLahnanditsBranches(ourlightpeoplearetorearofhim,onthissideoftheFulda,betweentheFuldaandhim):oncejoinedwiththoselightpeoplebysuchmethods,wehaveCasselahead,Ferdinandtorear,andwillmakeshortworkwiththeblockades,——theblockadeswillhavetoriseinahurry!’ThiswastheplandevisedbyD’Estrees;andrapidlysetabout;butitwasseeninto,atthefirststep,byFerdinand,whoprovedstillmorerapiduponit。Campings,counter—campings,crossingsoftheLahnbyD’Estreespeople,thenrecrossingsofit,ensuedforaboveafortnight;whicharenotformentionhere:infine,aboutthemiddleofSeptember,theD’EstreesEnterprisehadplainlybecomeimpossible,unlessitcouldgetacrosstheOhm,——aneastern,orwide—circlingnortheasternBranchoftheLahn,——where,ontherightoreasternbankofwhich,asbetterforhimthantheLahnitselfinthispart,Ferdinandnowis。’AcrosstheOhm:andthat,howcanthatbedone,theprovidentFerdinandhavinglaidholdofOhm,andsecuredeverypassofit,severaldaysago!PerhapsbyaSurprisal;
byextremedespatch?’
"AmoneburgisapleasantlittleTown,aboutthirtymileseastofMarburg,——inwhichlatterwehavebeen,inveryoldtimes;lookingafterSt。Elizabeth,TeutschRitters,PhiliptheMagnanimousandotherobjects。AmoneburgstandsontheleftorwesternbankoftheOhm,withanoldSchlossinit,andaBridgenearby;bothofwhich,Ferdinand,theleftorsouthmostwingofwhosePositionontheotherbankofOhmishereabouts,hasmadedueseizureof。
SeizureoftheBridge,firstofall,——BridgewithaMillatit(which,inconsequence,iscalledBRUCKEN—MUHLE,Bridge—Mill),——attheeasternendofthisthereisastrongRedoubt,withtheBridge—
wayblockedandrammedaheadofit;thereFerdinandhasput200
men;500moreareacrossinAmoneburganditsoldCastle。Unlessbysurprisalandextremedespateh,thereisclearlynohope!
Ferdinand’shead—quarterissevenoreightmilestonorthwestofthishisBrucken—Muhleandextremeleft;nexttoBrucken—MuhleisZastrow’sDivision;next,again,isGranby’s;severalDivisionsbetweenFerdinandandit;’Doitbysurprisal,byutmostforceofvehemency!’saytheFrench。Andaccordingly,"SEPTEMBER21st[dayoftheEquinox,1762],Anhourbeforesunrise,therebegan,quiteonthesudden,avividattackontheBrucken—
MuhleandonAmoneburg,bycannon,bymusketry,byallmethods;
and,inspiteofthealertandcompletelyobstinateresistance,wouldnotcease;but,onthecontrary,seemedtobeontheincreasinghand,newcannon,newmusketries;andwenton,hourafterhour,everthemorevivid。Sothat,about8inthemorning,afterthreehoursofthis,Zastrow,withhisDivision,hadtointervene:torangehimselfontheHill—topbehindthisBrucken—
Muhle;replacetheafflicted200(manyofthemhurt,notafewkilled)byafresh200ofhisown;whoagainneededtoberelievedbeforelong。FortheFrench,whomZastrowhadtoimitateinthatrespect,keptbringingupmorecannon,evermore,asiftheywouldbringupallthecannonoftheirArmy:andthererosebetweenZastrowandthemsuchacannonade,forlengthandloudnesstogether,ashadnotbeenheardinthisWar。Mostfuriouscannonading,musketading;andseeminglynoendtoit。
Ferdinandhimselfcameovertoascertain;founditahotthingindeed。Zastrowhadtorelievehis200everyhour:’Don’tgodowninrank,younewones,’orderedhe——’slide,leap,descendthehill—
faceinscatteredform:rankatthebottom!’——andgenerallyabouthalfoftheold200wereleftdeadorlamedbytheirhour’swork。
’TheyintendtohavethisBridgefromusatanycost,’thinksFerdinand;’andatanycosttheyshallnot!’And,intheend,ordersGranbyforwardinroomofZastrow,whohashadsomeeighthoursofitnow;andrideshometolookafterhismainquarters。
"Itwasabout4intheafternoonwhenGranbyandhisEnglishcameintothefire;andIratherthinktheFrenchonslaughtwas,ifanything,morefuriousthanever:——Despairstridingvisiblyforwardonit,orsomethingtoolikeDespair。Amoneburgtheyhadbatteredtopieces,WallandSchloss,sothatthe500hadtogroundarms:
butnotaninchofwayhadtheymadeupontheBridge,norwereliketomake。Granbycontinuedontheoldplan,plyingallhisdiligencesandartilleries;needingthemall。Fierceworktoadegree:’200ofyougodownonwings’(inanhourabout100willcomeback)!InEnglishFamiliesyouwillstillhearsomevaguememoryofAmoneburg,Howwehadbuiltwallsofthedead,andfiredfrombehindthem,——Frenchmoreandmorefurious,wemoreandmoreobstinate。Granbyhadstillfourhoursofit;sunset,twilight,dusk;about8,theFrench,inwhatspiritsIcanguess,ceased,andwenttheirways。Bridgeimpossible;gameup。Theyhadlost,bytheirownaccount,1,100killedandwounded;Ferdinandprobablynotfewer。"[Mauvillon,ii。251;Helden—Geschichte,vii。432—439。]
Andinthisloudpeal,whatnonecouldyetknow,theFrench—EnglishpartoftheSeven—YearsWarhadended。TheFrenchattemptednothingfarther;huttedthemselveswheretheywere,andwaitedinthepouringrains:Ferdinandalsohuttedhimself,inguardoftheOhm;
whilehispeoplepliedtheirSiege—batteriesonCassel,onZiegenhayn,cannonadingtheirbestinthebadweather;——tookCassel,didnotquitetakeZiegenhayn,haditbeenofmoment;——andforabovesixweekscoming(tillNovember7th—14th[PreliminariesofPeaceSIGNED,"Paris,November3d;"knowntoFrenchGenerals"November7th;"not,OFFICIALLY,toFerdinandtill"November14th"
(Mauvillon,ii。257)。]),nothingmorebutskirmishingsandsmallscuffles,notworthawordfromus,felloutbetweentheTwoPartiesthere。ThatCannonadeoftheBrucken—Muhlehadbeenfinis。
ForsupremeBute,carelessofthegoodnewscominginonhimfromWestandfromEast,orevenratherembarrassedbythem,hadsometimeagostarteddecisivelyuponthePeaceNegotiation。
"September5th,"threeweeksbeforethatofAmoneburg,"theDukeofBedford,Bute’sPlenipotentiary,setouttowardsParis,——
considerablyhissedonthestreetherebyasulkypopulation,"itwouldseem;——"butsureofsuccessinParis。ButesharedinnoneofthenationaltriumphsofthisYear。ThetransportsofrejoicingwhichburstoutonthenewsofHavana"wereasorrowanddistresstohim。[Walpole’sGeorgetheThird,
ii。191。]"Havana,whatshallwedowithit?"thoughthe;andforhisownshareansweredstiffly,"Nothingwithit;flingitbacktothem!"——tillsomeconsortofhispersuadedhimFloridawouldlookbetter。[Thackeray,ii。11。]OfManillaandthePhilippineshedidnotevenheartillPeacewasconcluded;hadmadetheMostCatholicCarlosapresentofthatColony,——whowouldnotevenpayoursoldierstheirManillaRansom,astoodisagreeable。SuchistheBute,suchandnoother,whomthesatiricalFateshaveappointedtocrownandfinishofftheheroicDay’s—workofsuchaPitt。Letus,ifwecanhelpit,speaknomoreofhim!FriedrichwritesbeforeleavingforSaxony:"ThePeacebetweentheEnglishandtheFrenchismuchfartheroffthanwasthought;——somanyoppositionsdotheSpaniardsraise,orratherdotheFrench,——busydupingthisbuzzardofanEnglishMinister,whohasnotcommonsense。"[Schoning,iii。
480(ToHenri:"Peterswaldau,17thOctober,1762")。]Neverfear,yourMajesty:amanwithHavanasandManillasofthatkindtoflingaboutatrandom,iscertaintobringPeace,ifresolvedonit!——
Wesaid,PrinceHenriralliedbeautifullyfromhislittleslapandlossofFreyberg(October15th),andthattheKingwassendingWiedwithreinforcementstohim。Infact,PrinceHenriofhimselfwasallalertness,andinstantlyappearedontheHeightsagain;
seeminglyquiteinsanguinaryhumor,andcourtingBattle,muchmorethanwasyetreallythecase。WhichcowedStollbergfrommeddlingwithhimfarther,ashemighthavedone。NotforsometendayshadHenrifinishedhisarrangements;andthen,undercloudofnight(28th—29thOCTOBER,1762),hedidbreakforwardonthoseSpittelwaldsandMichael’sMounts,andmultipleximpregnabilitiesaboutFreyberg,inwhatwasthoughtaveryshiningmanner。
TheBATTLEOFFREYBERG,Ithink,isfiveorsixmileslong,allonthewest,andfinallyonthesouthwestsideofFreyberg(northandnorthwestsides,withsomanybatteriesandfortifiedvillages,arejudgedunattackable);andthemainstress,veryheavyforsometime,layintheabatisoftheSpittelwald(whereSeidlitzwassublime),andabouttherootsofSt。Michael’sMount(theTOPofitStollberg,orsomefoolishGeneralofStollberg’s,hadleftempty;
nobodytherewhenwereachedthetop),——downfromwhich,Freybergnowlyingfreeaheadofus,andtheSpittelwaldonourleftnowalsoours,wetakeStollberginrear,andturnhiminsideout。
TheBattlelastedonlythreehours,tillStollbergandhisMaguires,CampitellisandAustrians(especiallyhisReichsfolk,whodidnoworkatall,exceptatlastrunning),wereallunderway;
andthehopesofsomeSaxonVictorytobalanceone’sdisgracesinSilesiahadaltogethervanished。[Beschreibungderam29stenOctober,1762,beyFreybergvorgefallenenSchlacht(Seyfarth,Beylagen,iii。365—376)。
Tempelhof,vi。235—258;Helden—Geschichte,
vii。177—181。]
OfAustriansandReichsfolktogetherIdimlycountabout40,000inthisAction;PrinceHenriseemstohavebeenwellunder30,000。
["29battalions,60squadrons,"VERSUS"49battalions,68
squadrons"(Schoning,iii。499)。]IwillgivePrinceHenri’sDESPATCHtohisBrother(amostmodestPiece);andcannotaffordtosaymoreofthematter,——exceptthat"Wegfurth,"whereHenrigetsonmarchthenightbefore,lies8ormoremileswest—by—northofFreybergandtheSpittelwald,andisaboutasfarstraightsouthfromHainichen,Gellert’sbirthplace,whoafterwardsgottheWar—
horsenowcomingintoaction,——Isometimesthink,withwhatsurprisetothatquadruped!
PRINCEHENRITOTHEKING(Battlejustdone;KingontheroadfromSilesiahither,LettermeetshimatLowenberg)。
"FREYBERG,29thOctober,1762。
"MYDEARESTBROTHER,——Itisahappinessformetosendyoutheagreeablenews,ThatyourArmyhasthisdaygainedaconsiderableadvantageoverthecombinedAustrianandReichsArmy。Imarchedyesternight;IhadgotonthroughWegfurth,leavingSpittelwald[Tempelhof,p。237。]tomyleft,withintenttoseize[storm,ifnecessary]theHeightofSt。Michael,——whenIcameupontheEnemy’sArmy。Imadetwotrueattacks,andtwofalse:theEnemyresistedobstinately;butthesustainedvalorofyourtroopsprevailed:
and,afterthreehoursinfire,theEnemywasobligedtoyieldeverywhere。Idon’tyetknowthenumberofPrisoners;buttheremustbeabove4,000:——theReichsArmyhaslostnexttonothing;
thestressofeffortfelltotheAustrianshare。WehavegotquantitiesofCannonandFlags;Lieutenant—GeneralRothoftheReichsArmyisamongourPrisoners。Ireckonwehavelostfrom2to3,000men;amongthemnoOfficerofmark。Lieutenant—GeneralvonSeidlitzrenderedmethehighestservices;inaplacewheretheCavalrycouldnotact[borderoftheSpittelwald,anditsimpassableentanglementsandobstinacies],heputhimselfattheheadoftheInfantry,anddidsignalservices[hisBattlemainly,schemingandall,saysomeill—naturedprivateaccounts];
GeneralsBellingandKleist[renownedColonelsknowntous,nowbecomeMajor—Generals]didtheirverybest。AlltheInfantrywasadmirable;notonebattalionyieldedground。MyAide—de—Camp[Kalkreuth,afamousmanintheNapoleontimeslongafter],whobringsyouthis,hadchargeofassistingtoconducttheattackthroughtheSpittelwald[anddiditwell,wecansuppose]:if,onthatground,youpleasedtohavethegoodnesstoadvancehim,I
shouldhavemyhumblethankstogiveyou。ThereareagoodmanyOfficerswhohavedistinguishedthemselvesandbehavedwithcourage,forwhomIshallpresentsimilarrequests。Youwillpermitmetopaythosewhohavetakencannonsandflags(100ducatspercannon,50perflag,orwhateverthetariffwas:——"Byallmannerofmeans!"hisMajestywouldanswer]。
"TheEnemyisretiringtowardsDresdenandDippoldiswalde。Iamsendingathisheelsthisnight,andshallheartheresult。
MyAide—de—Campisacquaintedwithall,andwillbeabletorenderyouaccountofeverythingyoumaywishtoknowinregardtoourpresentcircumstances。GeneralWied,Ibelieve,willcrossElbeto—morrow[GeneralWied,with10,000tohelpus,——forwhomitwastoodangeroustowait,orperhapstherewasaspuronone’sownmind?];hisarrivalwouldbe[not"wouldhavebeen:"CELA
VIENDRAIT,notevenVIENDRA]veryopportuneforme。Iam,withallattachment,mydearestBrother,——yourmostdevotedServantandBrother,——HENRI。"[Schoning,iii。491,492。]
To—morrow,incipher,goesthefollowingDespatch:——
"FREYBERG,30thOctober,1762。
"GeneralWied[notyetcometohand,orevengotacrossElbe]
informsme,ThatPrinceAlbertofSaxony[pushinghitherwithreinforcement,sentbyDaun]musthavecrossedElbeyesterdayatPirna[didnotshowfacehere,withhislargereinforcementstothem,orwhatwouldhavebecomeofus!];——andthatforthisreasonhe,Wied,musthimselfcross;whichhewillto—morrow。ThesamedayIamtobejoinedbysomebattalionsfromGeneralHulsen;andthedayafterto—morrow,whenGeneralWied[comingbyMeissenBridge,itappears]shallhavereachedtheKatzenhauser,thewholeofGeneralHulsen’stroopswilljoinme。DirectlythereuponIshall——"
[Schoning,p。493。]OrnomoreofthatsecondDespatch;Friedrich’sLETTERINRESPONSEisbetterworthgiving:——
"LOWENBERG,2dNovember,1762。
"MYDEARBROTHER,——ThearrivalofKalkreuter[sohepersistsincallinghim],andofyourLetter,mydearBrother,hasmademetwenty[nottosayforty]yearsyounger:yesterdayIwassixty,to—dayhardlyeighteen。IblessHeavenforpreservingyouinhealth(BONNESANTE,"sowetermescapeoflesioninfight);"andthatthingshavepassedsohappily!Youtookthegoodstepofattackingthosewhomeanttoattackyou;and,byyourgoodandsolidmeasures(DISPOSITIONS),youhaveovercomeallthedifficultiesofastrongPostandavigorousresistance。ItisaservicesoimportantrenderedbyyoutotheState,thatIcannotenoughexpressmygratitude,andwillwaittodoitinperson。
"KalkreuterwillexplainwhatmotionsI——……IfFortunefavorourviewsonDresden[whichitcannotintheleast,atthislateseason],weshallindubitablyhavePeacethisWinterornextSpring,——andgethonorablyoutofadifficultandperilousconjuncture,wherewehaveoftenseenourselveswithintwostepsoftotaldestruction。And,bythiswhichyouhavenowdone,toyoualonewillbelongthehonorofhavinggiventhefinalstroketoAustrianObstinacy,andlaidthefoundationsofthePublicHappiness,whichwillbetheconsequenceofPeace。——F。"[Ib。iii。
495,496。]
Twodaysafterthis,November4th,FriedrichisinMeissen;
November9th,hecomesacrosstoFreyberg;haspleasantday,——
pleasantsurveyoftheBattle—field,HenriandSeidlitzescortingasguides。Henri,infurtheranceoftheDresdenproject,hasKleistoutontheBohemianMagazines,——"ThatistheonewaytoclearDresdenneighborhoodofEnemies!"thinksHenrialways。KleistburnstheconsiderablemagazineofSaatz;findsthegrandoneofLeitmeritztoowellguardedforhim:——uponwhich,insuchsnowdriftsandsleetydeluges,isnotDresdenplainlyimpossible,yourMajesty?Impossible,Friedrichadmits,——theratherashenowseesPeacetobecomingwithoutthat。FreyberghasatlastbrokenthebackofAustrianObstinacy。"GoinupontheReich,"FriedrichnowordersKleist,theinstantKleistishomefromhisBohemianinroad:"InupontheReich,with6,000,inyouroldstyle!ThatwilldisposetheReichsPrincipalitiestoPeace。"
KleistmarchedNovember3d;kepttheReichinparoxysmtillDecember13th;——Plotho,meanwhile,proclaimingintheReichsDiet:
"SuchReichsPrincesaswishforPeacewithmyKingcanhaveit;
thosethatpreferWar,theytoocanhaveit!"Kleist,dividinghimselfinthedueartisticway,flewovertheVoigtland,ontoBamberg,ontoNurnbergitself(whichhetook,bysoundingrams’—
horns,asitwere,havingnogunheavierthanacarbine,andheldforaweek);[Helden—Geschichte,vii。
186—194。]——flutteringtheReichsDietnotalittle,anddisposingeverybodyforPeace。TheAustrianssawitwithpleasure,"Wesolemnlyengagedtosavethesepoorpeopleharmless,ontheirjoiningus;——and,behold,ithasbecomethriceandfourtimesimpossible。LetthemfalloffintoPeace,likeripepears,ofthemselves;wecanthenturnroundandsay,’Saveyouharmless?
Yes;ifyouhadn’tfallenoff!’"
NOVEMBER24th,allAustriansmaketrucewithFriedrich,TrucetillMarch1st;——allAustrians,andwhatissingular,withnomentionoftheReichwhatever。TheReichisdefenceless,atthefeetofKleistandhis6,000。StollbergisstillinPrussianneighborhood;andmaybepickedupanyday!StollberghastensofftodefendtheReich;
findstheReichquiteemptyofenemiesbeforehisarrival;——andatleastsaveshisownskin。Amonthortwomore,andStollbergwilllaydownhisCommand,andthelastReichs—ExecutionArmy,playingFarce—Tragedysolong,makeitsexitfromtheTheatreofthisWorld。
ChapterXIII。
PEACEOFHUBERTSBURG。
ThePrussiantroopstookWinter—quartersintheMeissen—Freybergregion,theoldSaxonground,familiartothemforthelastthreeyears:roomenoughthisWinter,"fromPlauenandZwickau,roundbyLangensalzaagain;"Trucewitheverybody,andnothingofdisturbancetillMarch1statsoonest。Theusualrecruitingwenton,orwaspreparingtogoon,——apartofwhichtookimmediateeffect,asweshallsee。Recruiting,refitting,"BereadyforanewCampaign,inanycase:thereadierweare,thelessourchanceofhavingone!"Friedrich’shead—quarterisLeipzig;buttillDecember5thhedoesnotgetthither。"Morebusinessonmethanever!"
complainshe。AtLeipzighehadhisNephews,hisD’Argens;foraweekortwohisBrotherHenri;finally,hisBerlinMinisters,especiallyHerzberg,whenactualPeacecametobethematterinhand。Henri,beforethat,hadgonehome:"Peacebeingnowthelikelihood;——Home;andrecruitone’spoorhealth,atBerlin,amongfriends!"
BeforegettingtoLeipzig,theKingpaidaflyingVisitatGotha;——
probablynowtheonefractionofthesemanifoldWintermovementsandemployments,inwhichreaderscouldtakeinterest。Ofthis,astherehappenstobesomerecordleftofit,hereiswhatwillsuffice。FromMeissen,FriedrichwritestohisbrightGrand—
Duchess,alwaysabright,highandnoblecreatureinhiseyes:
"Authorizedbyyourapproval[haspolitelyinquiredbeforehand],I
shallhavetheinfinitesatisfactionofpayingmydutiesonDecember3d[fourdayshence],andofreiteratingtoyou,Madam,myliveliestandsincerestassurancesofesteemandfriendship……
SomeofmyCommissariatpeoplehavebeenmisbehaving?
Strictinquiryshallbehad,"[TotheGrand—Duchess,"Meissen,29thNovember"(OEuvresdeFrederic,xviii。
199)。]——andwesoonfindWAS。ButtheVisitisourfirstthing。
TheVisittookplaceaccordingly;Seidlitz,amanknowninGothaeversincehisfinescenic—militaryprocedurestherein1757,accompaniedtheKing。Ofthelucentindividualitiesinvitedtomeethim,allarenowlosttome,exceptonePutter,areallylearnedGottingenProfessor(deepinREICHS—HISTORYandthelike),whomtheDuchesshassummonedover。BythedimlucencyofPutter,fainttomostofusasarushlightintheactofgoingout,theavailablepartofourimaginationmusttrytofigure,inakindofObliterated—Rembrandtway,thisgloriousEvening;fortherewasbutone,——December3d—4th,——Friedrichhavingtoleaveearlyonthe4th。
HereisPutter’srecord,giveninthethirdperson:——
"Duringdinner,Putter,honorablypresentamongthespectatorsofthishighbusiness,wasbeckonedbytheDuchesstostepneartheKing[righthandorleft,Putterdoesnotsay];buttheKinggraciouslyturnedround,andconversedwithPutter。"
TheKingsaid:——
KING。"InGermanHistorymuchisstillburied;manyimportantDocumentsliehiddeninMonasteries。"Putteranswered"schicklich——
fitly;"thatisallweknowofPutter’sanswer。
KING(thereupon)。"OfBooksonReichs—HistoryIknowonlythePERE
BARRI。"[BarrideBeaumarchais,10vols。4to,Paris,1748:Ibelieve,anextremelyfeeblePillarofWill—o’—WispsbyNight;——asIcanexpresslytestifyPfeffeltobe(Pfeffel,AbregeChronologiquedel’Histoired’Allemagne,2vols。4to,Paris,1776),whohassucceededBarriasPatentGuidethroughthatvastSYLVASYLVARUMauditspathlessintricacies,fortheinquiringFrenchandEnglish。]
PUTTER……"Foreignershaveformostpartknownonly,inregardtoourHistory,aLatinworkwrittenbyStruveatJena。"
[BurkhardGotthelfStruve,SyntagmaHistoriaeGermanicus(1730,2vols。folio)。]
KING。"Struv,Struvius;himIdon’tknow。"
PUTTER。"ItisapityBarrihadnotknownGerman。"
KING。"BarriwasaLorrainer;BarrimusthaveknownGerman!"——ThenturningtotheDuchess,onthishintabouttheGermanLanguage,hetoldher,"inaringingmerrytone,How,atLeipzigonce,hehadtalkedwithGottsched[talkknowntous]onthatsubject,andhadsaidtohim,ThattheFrenchhadmanyadvantages;amongothers,thatawordcouldoftenbeusedinacomplexsignification,forwhichyouhadinGermantoscrapetogetherseveraldifferentexpressions。UponwhichGottschedhadsaid,’Wewillhavethatmended(DASWOLLENWIRNOCHMACHEN)!’ThesewordstheKingrepeatedtwiceorthrice,withsuchatonethatyoucouldwellseehowtheman’sconceithadstruckhim;"——andinshort,asweknowalready,whatagiganticentity,consistingofwindmainly,hetookthiselevatedGottschedtobe。
Uponwhich,Putterretiresintothehonoraryranksagain;
silent,atleasttous,andinvisible;astherestofthisRoyalEveningatGothais。["Putter’sSelbstbiographie(Autobiography),p。406:"citedinPreuss,ii。277n。]
Here,however,istheLetterfollowingonittwodaysafter:——
FRIEDRICHTOTHEDUCHESSOFSACHSEN—GOTHA。
"LEIPZIG,6thDecember,1762。
"MADAM,——Ishouldneverhavedone,myadorableDuchess,ifI
renderedyouaccountofalltheimpressionswhichthefriendshipyoulavishedonmehasmadeonmyheart。Icouldwishtoansweritbyenteringintoeverythingthatcanbeagreeabletoyou[conductofmyRecruitersorCommissariatpeoplefirstofall]。ItakethelibertyofforwardingtheANSWERSwhichhavecomeintotheTwoMEMOIRESyousentme。Iammortified,Madam,ifIhavenotbeenabletofulfilcompletelyyourdesires:butifyouknewthesituationIamin,Iflattermyselfyouwouldhavesomeconsiderationforit。
"Ihavefoundmyselfhere[inLeipzig,aselsewhere]overwhelmedwithbusiness,andeventoadegreeIhadnotexpected。
Meanwhile,ifIevercanmanageagaintorunoverandpayyouinpersonthehomageofaheartwhichismoreattachedtoyouthanthatofyournearrelations,assuredlyIwillnotneglectthefirstopportunitythatshallpresentitself。
"MessieurstheEnglish[Bute,BedfordandCompany,withtheirPreliminariessigned,andallmyWestphalianProvincesleftinaconditionweshallhearof]continuetobetray。PoorM。Mitchellhashadastrokeofapoplexyonhearingit。Itisahideousthing(CHOSEAFFREUSE);butIwillspeakofitnomore。Mayyou,Madam,enjoyalltheprosperitiesthatIwishforyou,andnotforgetaFriend,whowillbetillhisdeath,withsentimentsofthehighestesteemandthemostperfectconsideration,——Madam,yourHighness’smostfaithfulCousinandServant,FRIEDRICH。"
[OEuvresdeFrederic,xzvii。201。]
Forafortnightpast,FriedrichhashadnodoubtthatgeneralPeaceisnowactuallyathand。November25th,tendaysbeforethisvisit,aSaxonPrivy—Councillor,BaronvonFritsch,who,byOrderfromhisCourt,hadprivatelybeenatViennaontheerrand,cameprivatelynext,withallspeed,toFriedrich(Meissen,November25th):
[Rodenbeck,ii。193。]"AustriawillingforTreaty;isyourMajestywilling?""Thrice—willing,I;mytermswellknown!"Friedrichwouldanswer,——gladdestofmankindtoseegeneralPacificationcomingtothisvexedEarthagain。TheDanceoftheFuries,waltzingitselfoff,HOMEoutofthisuppersunlight:themadBellonasteedsplungingdown,down,towardstheirAbyssesagain,foraseason!——
ThiswasaresultwhichFriedrichhadforeseenasnearlycertaineversincetheFrenchandEnglishsignedtheirPreliminaries。
Andtherewasonlyonethingwhichgavehimanxiety;thatofhisRhineProvincesandStrongPlaces,especiallyWesel,whichhavebeeninFrenchhandsforsixyearspast,eversinceSpring,1757。
ButestipulatesThatthoseplacesandcountriesshallbeevacuatedbyhisChoiseul,assoonasweatherandpossibilitypermit;
butBute,astonishingtosay,hasnotmadetheleaststipulationastowhomtheyaretobedeliveredto,——alliesorenemies,itisallonetoBute。Trulyratherashamefulomission,Pittmightindignantlythink,——andcallthewholebusinesssteadily,ashepersistedtodo,"ashamefulPeace,"hadtherebeennootherarticleinitbutthis;——asFriedrich,withatleastequalemphasisthoughtandfelt。And,infact,ithadthrownhimintoverygreatembarrassment,onthefirstemergenceofit。
ForherImperialMajestybeganstraightwaytodrawtroopsintothoseneighborhoods:"WEwilltakedelivery,ourAlliesplayingintoourhand!"AndFriedrich,whohadnodisposabletroops,hadtodevisesomerapidexpedient;anddid。SethisFree—Corpsagentsandrecruitersinmotion:"EnlistmethoseLightpeopleofDukeFerdinand’s,whoareallgettingdischarged;especiallythatBRITANNICLEGIONsocalled。Alltobedischarged;re—enlistthem,you;Ferdinandwillkeepthemtillyoudoit。Beswift!"Anditisdone;——asmallbitofactualenlistmentamongthemanyprospectivethatweregoingon,aswenoticedabove。Precisedateofitnotgiven;musthavebeensoonafterNovember3d。Therewerefrom5to6,000ofthem;anditwaspromptlydone。Dividedintovariousregiments;chiefcommandofthemgiventoaColonelBauer,underwhomaColonelBeckwithwhosenamewehaveheard:these,tothesurpriseofImperialMajesty,andalarmofapacificVersailles,suddenlyappearedintheCleveCountries,handyforWesel,forGeldern;insuchposts,andinsuchforceandconditionasintimated,"Itshallbewe,underfavor,thattakedelivery!"
SnatchWeselfromthem,somenight,swordinhand:thathadbeenBauer’snotion;butnothingofthatkindwasfoundnecessary;
meredemonstrationprovedsufficient。TotheFrenchGarrisonstheonethingneedfulwastogetawayinpeace;Bauerwithhisbrowsgloomyisadangerousneighbor。PerhapstheFrenchOfficersthemselvesratherfavoredFriedrichthanhisenemies。Enough,aprivateagreement,ormutualunderstandingonwordofhonor,wascometo:and,verypublicly,atlength,onthe11thand12thdaysofMarch,1763(Peacenowsettledeverywhere),Wesel,ingreatgala,fulloffield—music,militarysalutationsandmutualdining,sawtheFrenchallfilingout,audBauerandpeoplefilingin,tothejoyofthatpoorTown。[Preuss,ii。342。]