The6,000Hessians,formerlyinEnglishpay,indignantLandgrafWilhelm[whonevercouldforgivethatMachiavellianconductofCarteretatHanau,nevertillhefoundoutwhatitreallywas]has,thisyear,putintoFrenchpay。AndtheyhavenowjoinedSeckendorf;[Espagnac,ii。13;Buchholz,ii。123。]PrinceFriedrich[BritannicMajesty’sSon—in—law],notgoodfatUncleGeorge,commandingthemhenceforth:——withextremelackofprofittoPrinceFriedrich,totheHessians,andtotheFrench,aswillappearintime。These6,000,andcertainthousandsofPfalzerslikewiseinFrenchpay,arenowwithSeckendorf,andhaveraisedhimtoabove30,000;——itistheonefruitKingFriedrichhasgotbythat’UnionofFrankfurt,’andbyallhislongprospectivehaggling,andstrugglingfora’UnionofGermanPrincesingeneral。’Twopears,afterthatlongshakingofthetree;bothpearsrotten,orindeedfallingintoSeckendorf,whoisabasketofsuchquality!
’Seckendorf,increasedinthismunificentmanner,canhestilldonothing?’crytheFrench:’theoldtraitor!’——’Ihavenomagazines,’saidSeckendorf,’nothingtoliveupon,toshootwith;
nomoney!’Anditisamutualcrescendobetweenthe’perfidiousSeckendorf’andthem;withoutworkdone。IntheNurnbergCountry,someHussarsofhispickedupLordHolderness,anEnglishAmbassadormakingforVenicebythatbadroute。’Prisoner,arenotyou?’Buttheydidnotusehimill;onconsideration,theHeadsofImperialDepartmentsgavehimaPass,andhecontinuedhisVenetianJourney(resultofitzero)withoutfarthermolestationthatI
heardof。[Adelung,iv。222。]
"TheseFrench—Seckendorfcunctations,recriminationsanddrenched—
henproceduresareanendlesssorrowtopoorKaiserKarl;whoatlengthcanstanditnolonger;butresolves,sinceatleastBavaria,thoughmoneylessandinruins,ishis,hewillinpersongothither;confidentthattherewillbevictualandequipmentdiscoverableforselfandArmywerehethere。Remonstrancesavailnot:’Askmetodiewithhonor,askmenottolierottinghere;’
[Ib。iv。241。]——andquitsFrankfurt,andtheReich’s—Dietanditsbabble,17thOctober,1744(smallsorrow,wereitforthelasttime),——andentershisMuncheninthecourseofaweek。
[17thOctober,1744,leavesFrankfurt;arrivesinMunchen23d(Adelung,iv。241—244)。]MunchenistransportedwithjoytoseetheLegitimateSovereignagain;andblazesintoilluminations,——
forgetfulwhocauseditspastwretchednesses,hopingonlyallwretchednessisnowended。Letruinedhuts,andChamandtheburntTowns,rebuildthemselves;thewastedhedgesmakeuptheirgapsagain:hereistheKingcomehome!Here,sureenough,isanunfortunateKaiseroftheHolyRomishReich,whocanoncemorehopetopayhismilk—scores,beingalovedKurfurstofBavariaatleast。
Verydeartotheheartsofthesepoorpeople;——andtotheirpurses,interestsandskins,hasnotheinanothersensebeendear?Whatapricetheambitionsandcrackedphantasmsofthatweakbrainhavecosttheseeminglyinnocentpopulation!Populationharried,hungereddown,draggedofftoperishinItalianWars;aCountryburnt,tribulated,torntoruin,undertheharrowofFateandruffianTrenckandCompany。BritannicGeorge,ratheradearmorseltoo,hascomemuchcheaperhitherto。Englandisnotyetburnt;
nothingburningthere,——exceptthedullfireofdeliriums;
NaturalStupiditiesallsetflaming,which(whateveritmayBEinthewayofloss)isnotfeltasaloss,butratherasacomfortforthetimebeing;——andinfactthereareonly,say,afortyorfiftythousandarmedEnglishmenrotteddown,andscarcelyaHundredMillionsofmoneyyetspent。Nothingtospeakof,inthecauseofHumanLiberty。WhyPopulationssufferfortheirguiltyKings?
Myfriend,itisthePopulationstoothatareguiltyinhavingsuchKings。Reverence,sacredRespectforHumanWorth,sacredAbhorrenceofHumanUnworth,haveyouconsideredwhatitmeans?ThesepoorPopulationshaveitnot,orforlonggenerationshavehaditlessandless。Hence,bydegrees,thissortof’Kings’tothem,andenormousconsequencesfollowing!"——
KarlVII。gotbacktoMunchen23dOctober,1744;andthetar—
barrelsbeingonceburnt,andindispensablesortingseffected,hewenttothefieldalongwithSeckendorf,toencouragehismenunderSeckendorf,andurgetheFrenchbyallconsiderationstocomeon。
Andreallydidwhathecould,poorman。Butthecordageofhislifehadbeensostrainedandtorn,hewasnotnowgoodformuch;
alas,ithadbeenbutlittlehewasevergoodfor。AcoupleofdearKurfursts,hisFatherandhe;havestoodtheseBavarianCountriesveryhigh,sincetheBattleofBlenheimanddownwards!
ChapterIV。
FRIEDRICHREDUCEDTOSTRAlTS;CANNOTMAINTAINHIS
MOLDAUCONQUESTSAGAINSTPRICEKARL。
OnemayfancywhatwereFriedrich’sreflectionswhenheheardthatPrinceKarlhad,prosperouslyandunmolested,gotacross,bythosePassesfromtheOber—Pfalz,intoBohmenandtheCircleofPilsen,intojunctionwithBathyaniandhismagazines;["AtMirotitz,October2d"(Ranke,iii。194);Orlich,ii。49。]heard,moreover,thattheSaxons,20,000strong,underWeissenfels,crossingtheMetalMountains,comingonbyEgerandKarlsbadregions,wereaboutunitingwithhim(boundbyTreatytoassisttheHungarianMajestywheninvaded);——andhadfinally,whatconfirmseverything,thatthesaidPrinceKarlinperson(makingforBudweis,"justseenhisadvancedguard,"saidrumorundermistake)wasbutfewmilesoff。
Fewmilesoff,ontheothersideoftheMoldau;——ofunknownstrength,hiddeninthecircumambientcloudsofPandours。
Suppressingalltheragesandnaturalreflectionsbutthoseneedfulforthemoment,Friedrich(October4th,byMoldau—Tein)dashesacrosstheMoldau,toseekPrinceKarl,attheplaceindicated,andatoncesmitehimdownifpossible;——thatwillbearemedyforallthings。PrinceKarlisnotthere,norwas;theindicationhadbeenfalse;Friedrichsearchesabout,forfourdays,tonopurpose。
PrinceKarl,hethenlearnsforcertain,hascrossedtheMoldaufartherdown,farthernorthward,betweenPragandus。MeanstocutusofffromPrag,then,whichisourfountainoflifeinthesecircumstances?Thatishisintention:——"OldTraun,whoiswithhim,understandshistrade!"thinksFriedrich。Traun,orthePrince,isdiligentlyformingmagazines,alltheCountrycarryingtohim,intheTownofBeneschau,hithersideoftheSazawa,someseventymilesnorthofus,animportantTownwhereroadsmeet:——unlesswecangetholdofBeneschau,itwillbeillwithushere!AcrosstheRiveragain,atanyrate;andletushastenthither。Thatisanaffairwhichmustbelookedto;andspeedisnecessary!
OCTOBER8th,Afterfourdays’searchendinginthismanner,FriedrichswiftlycrossestowardsTaboragain,toBechin(overontheLuschnitz,onemarch),theretocollecthimselfforBeneschauandtheotherintricacies。TowardsTaboragain,byhisBridgeofMoldau—Tein;——cloudsofPandourpeople,largercloudsthanusual,hanginground;hiddenbythewoodstillFriedrichisgone。
Friedrichbeinggone,thereoccurstheAFFAIROFMOLDAU—TEIN,muchtalkedofinPrussianBooks。Ofwhich,inextremecondensation,thisistheessence:——
"OCTOBER9th。FriedrichonceofftoBechin,thePandourcloudsgatheronhisrearguardnextdayatTeinBridgehere,tothenumberofabout10,000[rumorcounts14,000];andwithdesperateintent,andmoreregularitythanusual,attacktheTein—BridgeParty,whichconsistsofperhaps2,000grenadiersandhussars,thewholeunderZiethen’scharge,——obligedtowaitforacargoofBread—wagonshere。’DefendyourBridge,withcannon,withcase—shot:’thatiswhatthegrenadiersdo。ThePandourcloud,withhorridlanescutinit,drawsbackoutofthis;thenplungesattheRiveritself,whichcanberiddenaboveorbelow;ridesit,furious,bythethousand:
’Offwithyourinfantry;quittheBridge!’criesZiethentohisCaptainthere:’Retireyou,Parthian—like;thrice—steady,’ordersZiethen:’Itistobehopedourhussarscandealwiththismad—
doggery!’Andtheydoit;cuttinginwithirondiscipline,withfiercenessnotundrilled;awedgeofironhussars,withdittogrenadierscontinuallywheeling,likesomanyreaperssteadyamongwind—tossedgrain;andgraduallygivethePandoursenough。
Sevenhoursofit,inall:’oftheirsixtycartridgesthegrenadiershadfiredfifty—four,’whenitended,about7P。M。
ThecomingBread—wagons,gettingword,hadtocasttheirloavesintotheRiver(sadtothinkof);andmakeforBechinattheirswiftest。Buttherearguardgotoffwithitsguns,inthisvictoriousmanner:thankstoMajor—GeneralZiethen,ColonelReuschandtheothersconcerned。[FeldzugederPreussen,i。268;
Orlich,ii。55。]
"ZiethenhandselshisMajor—Generalcyinthisfineway:
[Patentgivenhim"3dOctober,1744,"onlyaweekago,"andorderedtobedatedeightmonthsback"(Rodenbeck,i。109)。]amanwhohashadpromotion,andalsohashadnone,andmayagaincometohavenone;——andisabletodoeitherway。Nevermind,myexcellenttacitfriend!Ziethenisfive—and—fortygone;hasafacewhichisbeautifultome,thoughoneofthecoarsest。Facethrice—honest,intricatelyploughedwiththoughtswhicharewellkeptsilent(thethoughts,indeed,beingthemselvesmostlyinarticulate;thoughtsofasimple—hearted,much—enduring,hot—temperedsonofironandoatmeal);——decidedlyratherlikable,withitslazilyhangingunder—lip,andrespectablebearskincylinderatop。"
FRIEDRICHTRIESTOHAVEBATTLEFROMPRINCEKARL,INTHEMOLDAU
COUNTRIES;CANNOT,OWINGTOTHESKILLOFPRINCEKARLOROFOLD
FELDMARSCHALLTRAUN;——HASTORETIREBEHINDTHESAZAWA,AND
ULTIMATELYBEHINDTHEELBE,WITHMUCHLABORINVAIN。
OCTOBER14th—18th:RETREATFROMBECHIN—TABORCOUNTRYTOBENESCHAU……"ThesePandoursgiveustroubleenough;noMagazinehere,nolivingtobehadinthisCountrybesidethem。UnfortunateColonelJahnuswentoutfromTaborlately,tolookafterrequisitionedgrains:infinitePandourssetuponhim[Muhlhausenisthememorableplace];Jahnuswasobstinate(tooobstinate,thinksFriedrich),andperishedontheground,heand200ofhis。[OEuvresdeFrederic,iii。61。]Nay,next,aswarmofthemcametoTaboritself,Nadastiattheirhead;totrywhetherTabor,withitssmallgarrison,couldnotbeescaladed,andperhapsPrinceHenri,wholiessickthere,betaken?Tabortaughtthemanotherlesson;
sentthemhomewithheadsbroken;——whichFriedrichthinkswasanextremelysuitablething。Butsoitstands:Herebythethousandandthetenthousandtheyhangroundus;andPrinceKarl——ItisofallthingsnecessarywegetholdofthatBeneschau,andtheMagazineheisgatheringthere!
"Rapidityisindispensable,——andyethowquitTabor?WehavedetachmentsoutatNeuhaus,atBudweis,andinTabor300meninhospital,whomtherearenomeansofcarrying。ToleavethemtotheTolpaches?Friedrichconfesseshewasweakonthisoccasion;
hecouldnotleavethese300men,aswashisclearduty,inthisextremityofWar。HeorderedinhisNeuhausDetachment;notyetanyoftheothers。HedespatchedSchmerintowardsBeneschauwithallhisspeed;SchwerinwasluckyenoughtotakeBeneschauanditsprovender,——amostblessedfortune,——andfenceshimselfthere。
Hearingwhich,Friedrich,havingnowgottheNeuhausDetachmentinhand,orderstheotherThree,theBudweis,theTaborhere,andtheFrauenbergacrosstheRiver,tomaintainthemselves;andthen,leavingthosesouthernregionstotheirchance,hastenstowardsBeneschauandSchwerin;encamps(October18th)nearBeneschau,——
’CampofKonopischt,’unattackableCamp,celebratedinthePrussianBooks;——andthere,foreightdays,stillonthesouthsideofSazawa,trieseveryshifttomendthebadpostureofaffairsinthatLuschnitz—SazawaCountry。HisThreeGarrisons(3,000meninthem,besidesthe300sick)henowseeswillnotbeabletomaintainthemselves;andhesendsinsuccession’eightmessengers,’
notonemessengerofwhomcouldgetthrough,tobidthemcomeaway。
HisownhopenowisforaBattlewithPrinceKarl;whichmightremedyallthings。[OEuvresdeFrederic,
iii。62—64。]"
ThatisFriedrich’swish;butitisbynomeansTraun’s,whoseesthathungerandwetweatherwillofthemselvessufficeforFriedrich。Thereensuesaccordingly,forthreeweekstocome,inthatconfusedCountry,aseriesofswiftshufflings,checkingsandmanoeuvringsbetweenthesetwo,whichisgratifyingandinstructivetothestrategicmind,butcannotbeinflicteduponcommonreaders。
Twoconsiderablechess—players,anoldandayoung;theirchess—
boardabushy,rocky,marshyparallelogram,runningfiftymilesstraighteastfromPrag,andtwentyorfewersouth,ofwhichPragisthenorthwestangle,andBeneschau,ortheimpregnableKonopischtthesouthwest:thereadermustconceiveit;andhowTraunwillnotfightFriedrich,yetmakeshimskiphitherandthither,chieflybythreateninghisvictuals。Friedrich’smainmagazineisnowatPardubitz,theextremenortheastangleoftheparallelogram。Parallelogramhasoneriverinit,withtheinnumerablerocksandbrooksandquagmires,theriverSazawa;
andonthenorthside,whereareKuttenberg,Czaslau,Chotusitz,placesagainbecomeimportantinthisbusiness,itisboundedbyanotherriver,theElbe。Intricatemanoeuvringthereishere,forthreeweeksfollowing:"oldTraunanadmirableman!"thinksFriedrich,whoeverafterrecognizedTraunashisSchoolmasterintheartofWar。Wemarkhereandthereadate,andleaveittoreaders。
"RADICZ,OCTOBER21st—22d。AtRadicz,amarchtosouthwestofus,andonoursideoftheMoldau,theSaxons,underWeissenfels,20,000effective,joinPrinceKarl;whichraiseshisforceto69,514men,some10,000morethanFriedrichismasterof。[Orlich,ii。66。]ProspectofwinteringbetweentheLuschnitzandtheSazawathereisnowlittle;unlesstheywillfightus,andbebeaten。
Friedrich,fromhisinaccessibleCampofKonopischt,manoeuvres,reconnoitres,inalldirections,toproducethisresult;buttonopurpose。AnAustrianDetachmentdidcome,tolookafterBeneschauandtheMagazinesthere;butrapidlydrewbackagain,findingKonopischtontheirroad,andhowmatterswere。FriedrichwillguardthedoorofthisSazawa—ElbetractofCountry;hopeoftheSazawa—Luschnitztracthas,infewdays,fallenextinct。HereisnewscometoKonopischt:ourThreepoorGarrisons,Budweis,Tabor,Frauenberg,alreadyalllost;gunsandmen,afterdefencetothelastcartridge,——inFrauenbergtheirwaterwascutoff,itwaseight—and—fortyhoursofthirstatFrauenberg:——onewayorother,theyareallThreegone;eightcouriersgallopingwithmessage,’Comeaway,’wereallpickedupbythePandours;sotheystood,andwerelost。’Threethousandfightingmengone,fortheweakchanceofsavingthreehundredwhowereinhospital!’thinksFriedrich:
Warisnotaschooloftheweakpities。Forthechanceoften,youloseahundredandthetentoo。Sazawa—Elbetractofcountry,letusvigilantlykeepthedoorofthat!
"SATURDAY,OCTOBER24th,FriedrichoutreconnoitringfromKonopischtdiscoversofacertaintythatthewholeAustrian—SaxonforceisnowadvaucingtowardsBeneschau,andwill,thisnight,encampatMarschowitz,tosouthwest,onlyonemarchfromus!OntheinstantFriedrichhurriesback;getshisArmyonmarchthitherward,thoughthelateOctobersunisnowpastnoon;offinstantly;
astrokeyonderwillperhapsbethecureofall。Suchroadswehad,saysFriedrich,asneverArmytravelledbefore:longafternightfall,wearriveneartheAustriancamp,bivouacaswecantilldaylightreturn。Atthefirststreakofday,Friedrichandhischiefgeneralsareontheheightswiththeirspy—glasses:
AustrianArmysureenough;andtheretheyhavealteredtheirpostureovernight(forTrauntoohasbeenawake);theylienowoppositeourRIGHTflank;’onascarpedheight,atthefootofwhich,throughswampsandquagmires,runsamuddystream。’
Unattackableonthisside:theirrightflankandfootaresafeenough。Creeproundandseetheirleft:——Nothingbutcopses,swampyintricacies!Wemayshoulderarmsagain,andgobacktoKonopischt:
nofighthere![OEuvresdeFrederic,iii。63,64;Orlich,ii。69。]SpeakingofdefensiveCampaigns,saysFriedrichdidactically,yearsafterwards,’Ifsuchsituationsaretoanswerthepurposeintended,thefrontandflanksmustbeequallystrong,buttherearentirelyopen。Such,forinstance,arethoseheightswhichhaveanextensivefront,andwhoseflanksarecoveredbymorasses:——aswasPrinceKarl’sCampatMarschowitzintheyear1744,withitsfrontcoveredbyastream,andthewingsbydeephollows;orthatwhichweourselvesthenoccupiedatKonopischt,——asyouwellremember。[MilitaryInstructions(abovecited),p。44。]
"OCTOBER26th—NOVEMBER1st。TheSazawa—LuschnitztractofCountryisquitelost,then;lostwithdamages:thequestionnowis,CanwekeeptheSazawa—Elbetract?Foraboutthreeweeksmore,Friedrichstrugglesforthatobject;cannotcompassthateither。Wantofhorse—provenderisverygreat:——countryentirelyeaten,saythepeasants,andnotatrussremaining。October26th,FriedrichhastocrosstheSazawa;wemustquitthedoorofthattract(hungerdrivingus),andfightfortheinteriorindetail。TraungetstoBeneschauinthatcheapway;andnow,inbehalfofTraun,thepeasantsfindforageenough,beingzealousforQueenandcreed。
PandoursspreadthemselvesalloverthisSazawa—Elbecountry;
endangeroursubsistences,makeourlivesmiserable。Itistheoldstory:Friedrich,famineandmudandmiseryofPandourscompelling,hastoretirenorthward,Elbe—ward,inchbyinch;whithertheAustriansfollowatasafedistance,and,inspiteofallmanoeuvring,cannotbegottofight。
"BraveGeneralNassau,whomuchdistinguisheshimselfinthesebusinesses,has(thoughFriedrichdoesnotyetknowit)dexterouslyseizedKolin,westwardinthoseElbeparts,——groundthatwillbenotableinyearscoming。ImportantlittlefeatofNassau’s;ofwhichanon。Ontheotherhand,ourMagazineatPardubitz,eastwardontheElbe,isnotoutofdanger:Pandoursandregulars2,000andodd,’sixtyofthePandourkinddisguisedaspeasantsleadinghay—
carts,’madeanattempttherelately;butweredetectedbythevigilantColonel,andblowntopieces,inthenickoftime,someofthemactuallywithinthegate。[OEuvresdeFrederic,iii。65。]Nay,abodyofAustrianregularswereinfullmarchforKolinlately,intendingtogetholdoftheElbeitselfatthatpoint(midwaybetweenPragandPardubitz):butthepromptGeneralNassau,asweremarked,hadstruckinbeforethem;andnowholdsKolin;——though,forseveraldays,FriedrichcouldnottellwhathadbecomeofNassau,owingtotheswarmsofPandours。
"Friedrich,standingwithhisbacktoPrag,whichisfiftymilesfromhim,andratherinneedofhissupportthanabletogivehimany;anddrawinghismealfromtheuncertaindistance,withPandourshoveringround,——isindifficultcase。WhileoldTrauniskeptluminousasmid—day;thecircumambientatmosphereofPandoursistenebrifictoFriedrich,keepshiminperpetualmidnight。Hehastoreadhispositionaswithflashesoflightning,formostpart。
Aheavy—laden,sorelyexasperatedman;andmustkeephishaggardmiseriesstrictlysecret;whichIbelievehedoes。WereValorihere,itisverypossiblehemightfindthecountenanceFAROUCHE
again;eyesgloomy,ondampNovembermornings!Schwerin,inahuff,hasgonehome:SinceyourMajestyispleasedtopreferhisyoungDurchlauchtofAnhalt’sadvice,whatcananelderlyservant(notwithoutrheumatisms)doother?——’Well!’answersFriedrich,notwitheyescheeredbythephenomenon。TheElbe—Sazawatract,eventhislooksasifitwouldbehardtokeep。AworldverydarkforFriedrich,envelopedsobytheillchancesandthePandours。
Butwhathelp?
"FromtheFrenchCampfaraway,therecomes,dated17thOctober(thirdweekoftheirSiegeofFreyburg),bywayofhelptoFriedrich,magnanimouspromise:’SosoonasthisSiegeisdone,whichwillbespeedily,thoughitisdifficult,weproposetosendfiftybattalionsandahundredsquadrons,’"——sayonly60,000horseandfoot(notahoofortoeofwhichevergotthatlength,onactuallytryingit),——"towardsWestphalia,tobringtheElectorofKolntoreason[poorKaiser’slankyBrother,whocannotstandtheFrenchprocedures,andhaslatelysoldhimself,thatissoldhistroops,toEngland],andkeeptheKingofEnglandandtheDutchincheck,"——bywayofsolacementtoyourMajesty。Willyouindeed,youmagnanimousAllies?——ThiswaspickedupbythePandours;andIknownotbutFriedrichwassparedtheuselesspainofreadingit。
[Orlich,ii。73。]
"NOVEMBER1st—9th:FRIEDRICHLOSESSAZAWA—ELBECOUNTRYTOO。OnthefirstdayofNovember,hereisalightning—flashwhichrevealsstrangethingstoFriedrich。Traun’slatemanoeuvrings,whichhavebeensoenigmatic,torightandtoleft,uponPragandotherpoints,issuenowinanattempttowardsPardubitz;whichrevealstoFriedrichtheintentionTraunhasformed,offorcinghimtochooseoneofthosetwoplaces,andletgotheother。Formidable,fatal,thinksFriedrich;andyetadmirableonthepartofTraun:’adesignbeautifulandworthyofadmiration。’IfwestaynearPrag,whatbecomesofourcommunicationwithSilesia;whatbecomesofSilesiaitself?IfwegotowardsPardubitz,PragandBohmenarelost!
Whattodo?’DespatchreinforcementtoPardubitz;thankstoNassau,theKolin—Pardubitzroadisours!’Thatisdone,Pardubitzsavedforthemoment。CouldwenowgettoKuttenbergbeforetheoldMarshal,hisdesignwereoversetaltogether。Alas,wecannotmarchatonce,havetowaitadayforthebread。Forward,nevertheless;
andagainforward,andagain;threeheavymarchesinNovemberweather:letusmakeafourthforcedmarch,startto—morrowbeforedawn,——Kuttenbergaboveallthings!Invain;to—morrow,4thNovember,thereissuchafog,darkasLondonitself,fromsixinthemorningonwards,nostartingtillnoon:andthenimpossible,withallourefforts,toreachKuttenberg。Wehavetohaltaneightmilesshortofit,infrontofKolin;andpitchtentsthere。Onthemorrow,5thNovember,Traunisfoundencamped,unattackable,betweenusandourobject;sitsthere,athiseaseinafriendlyCountry,withPandourwhirlpoolsflowingoutandin;anirreduciblecasetoFriedrich。November5th,andforthreedaysmore,Friedrich,tonopurpose,trieshisutmost;——findshewillhavetogiveuptheElbe—Sazawaregion,liketheothers。Monday,November9th,FriedrichgathershimselfatKolin;crossestheElbebyKolinBridge,thatday。Pointafterpointofthegamegoingagainsthim。"
Kolinwas,ofcourse,attacked,thatMondayevening,sosoonasthemainArmycrossed:but,sosoonastheArmyleft,GeneralNassauhadtakenhismeasures;and,withhisgreatgunsandhissmall,handledthePandoursinawaythatpleasedus。[OEuvresdeFrederic,iii。68。]Thursdaynightfollowing,theycameback,withregulargrenadierstosupport;undercloudofnight,ingreatforce,ruffianTrenckattheheadofthem:
afrightfulphenomenontoweaknerves。ButthisalsoNassautreatedinsuchafieryfashionthatitvanishedwithoutreturn;
threehundreddeadleftontheground,andruffianTrenckridingoffwithhisowncrownbroken,——beautifulindigofacestreakingitselfintoGINGHAM—pattern,forthemoment!
ExceptPardubitz,wherealsotheduebattalionsareleft,FriedrichnowholdsnopostsouthoftheElbeinthisquarter;Elbe—SazawaTractisgoneliketheothers,toallappearance。Andwemustnowsay,SilesiaorPrag?PrinceLeopold,Council—of—Warbeingheldonthematter,isforkeepingholdofPrag:"Pitytolosealltheexcellentsiege—artillerywebroughtthither,"sayshe。True,tootrue;anill—managedbusinessthatofPrag!thinksFriedrichsadlytohimself:butwhatisPragandartillery,comparedtoSilesia?
ParthianretreatintoSilesia;andletPragandtheartillerygo:
that,toFriedrich,isclearlythesurecourse。Orperhapsthefatalalternativewillnotactuallyarrive?SolongasPardubitzandKolinhold;andwehavetheElbeforbarrier?Truthis,PrinceKarlhashimselfwrittentoCourtthat,havingnowpushedhisEnemyfairlyovertheElbe,andwinterbeingcomewithitssleetsandslushes,ruinoustotroopsthathavebeensomarchedabout,theCampaignoughttoend;——nay,hisownyoungWifeisinperilousinterestingcircumstances,andthepoorPrincewishestobehome。
Towhich,however,itisagainunderstood,MariaTheresahasemphaticallyanswered,"No,——finishfirst!"
NOVEMBER9th—19th:WEDEFENDTHEELBERIVER。FriedrichhaspostedhimselfonthenorthshoreoftheElbe,fromPardubitztotheothersideofKolin;meanstodefendthatsideoftheRiver,wheregotheSilesianroads。AtBohdenetz,shortwayacrossfromPardubitz,hehimselfis;PrinceLeopoldisnearKolin:thirtymilesofriver—
banktodispute。Thecontroversylaststendays;endsinELBE—TEINITZ,acelebrated"passage,"inBooksandotherwise。
Friedrichisinshaggy,intricatecountry;nowantofdingles,woodsandquagmires;nowandthenpleasantplacestoo,——hereisKladrupforexample,whereourFathercamethreehundredmilestodinewiththeKaiseronce。Thegroomsandcoltsarealloffatpresent;FatherandKaiserareoff;andmuchischangedsincethen。
GrimtussleofWarnow;sleetywinter,andtheGiantMountainsinthedistancegettingontheirwhitehoods!Friedrichdoubtlesshashisthoughtsasheridesupanddown,insightofKladrup,amongotherplaces,settlingmanythings;butwhathisthoughtswere,heiscarefulnottosayexceptwherenecessary。Muchistobelookedafter,inthisRivercontroversyofthirtymiles。Detachmentslie,atintervals,alltheway;andmountedsentries,asentryeveryfivemiles,patroltheRiver—bank;vigilant,wehope,aslynxes。
Nothingcancrossbutalarmwillbegiven,andbydegreesthewholePrussianforcebeuponit。ThisistheCircleofKonigsgratz,thisthatnowliestorear;andhappilythereareafewHussitesinit,notutterlyindisposedtodoalittlespyingforus,andbringaglimmeringofintelligence,nowandthen。
ItisnowthesecondweekthatFrietrichhaslainso,withhismountedpatrolsinmotion,withhisHussitespies;guardingArgus—
likethisthirtymilesofRiver;andtheAustriansattemptnothing,ornothingwitheffect。IftheAustriansgohometotheirwinter—
quarters,hehopestoissuefromKolinagainbeforeSpring,andtosweeptheElbe—SazawaTractclearofthem,afterall。MariaTheresahavingansweredNo,itislikelytheAustrianswilltrytogetacross:Bevigilanttherefore,yemountedsentries。OrwilltheyperhapsmakeanattemptonPrag?Einsiedel,whohasnogarrisonoftheleastadequacy,apprisesusThat"inallthevillagesroundPragpeoplearebusymakingladders,"——whatcanthatmean?
Friedrichhaslearned,byinterceptedletters,thatsomethinggreatistobedoneonWednesday,18th:hesendsRothenburgwithreinforcementtoEinsiedel,lestascaladeofPragshouldbeonthecards。RothenburgisrightwelcomeinthelinesofPrag,thoughwithreinforcementstillineffectual;butitisnotPragthatismeant,norisWednesdaytheday。ThroughWednesday,Friedrich,alleyeandear,couldobservenothing:muchmarchingtoandfroontheAustriansideoftheRiver;butapparentlyitcomestonothing?
Themountedpatrolshadbetterbevigilant,however。
Onthemorrow,5A。M。,whatisthisthatisgoingon?Audibleboomingofcannon,ofmusketryandbattle,echoingthroughthewoods,penetratestoFriedrich’squartersatBohdenetzinthePardubitzregion:AttackuponKolin,Nassaudefendinghimselfthere?Outswiftscouts,andsee!Manyscoutsgallopout;butnonecomesback。Friedrich,forhours,hastoremainuncertain;canonlyhopeNassauwilldefendhimself。Boomgothedistantvolleyings;
noscoutcomesback。AnditisnotNassauorKolin;itissomethingworse:verygloriousforPrussianvalor,butruinoustothisCampaign。
TheAustrians,at2o’clockthismorning,AustriansandSaxons,cameingreatforce,indeadsilence,tothesouthbrinkoftheRiver,oppositeaplacecalledTeinitz(Elbe—Teinitz),tenmileseastofKolin;thatwasthefruitoftheirmarchingyesterday。
Theysatthereforbiddentospeak,tosmoketobaccoordoanythingbutbreathe,tillallwasready;tillpontoons,cannonshadcomeup,andsomegleamofdawnhadbroken。Atthefirstgleamofdawn,astheyareshovingdowntheirpontoonboats,therecomesa"WER—DA,Whogoes?"fromourPrussianpatrolacrosstheRiver。
Receivingnoanswer,hefires;andishimselfshotdown。
OneWedell,WedellandZiethen,whokeepwatchinthispart,startinstantlyatsoundoftheseshots;andmakeadreadfuldayofitfortheseinvasiveSaxonandAustrianmultitudes。Naturally,too,theysendoffscouts,gallopingformorehelp,totherightandtotheleft。Butthatavailsnot。WilddoggeryofPandours,itwouldseem,havealreadyswumorwadedtheRiver,aboveTeinitzandbelow:——"Wantofvigilance!"barksFriedrichimpatiently:butsuchadoggeryisdifficulttowatchwitheffect。Atanyrate,totherightandtotheleft,thewoodsarealreadybesetwithPandours;
everyscoutsentoutiskilled:andtoeastortowesttherecomesnonewsbutanechoingofmusketry,aboomofdistantcannon。
[Orlich,ii。82—85。]Saxon—Austrianbattalions,fourorfive,withunlimitedartillerygoing,VERSUSWedell’sonebattalion,withmusketryandZiethen’shussars:itisfearfulodds。ThePrussiansstandtoitlikeheroes;doggedly,forfourhours,continuethedispute,——tillitisfairlydesperate;"twobridgesoftheenemy’snowfinished;"——whereupontheymanoeuvreoff,withParthianorPrussiancountenance,intothewoods,safe,towardsKolin;
"despatchingdefinitenewstoFriedrich,whichdoesarriveabout11A。M。,andsetshimatonceonnewmeasures。"
ThisisagreatfeatinthePrussianmilitaryannals;forwhich,sadasthenewswas,WedellgotthenameofLeonidasattachedtohimbyFriedrichhimself。Andindeeditisagallantpassageofwar;"ForcingoftheElbeatTeinitz;"ofwhichIcouldgivetwoNarratives,onefromthePrussian,andonefromtheSaxonside;
[Seyfarth,Beylage,i。595—598;
Helden—Geschichte,ii。1175—1181。]didactic,admonitorytothemilitarymind,naytothecivicreaderthathassympathywithheroisms,withworkdonemanfully,andterroranddangeranddifficultywelltrampledunderfoot。LeonidasWedellhasanadmirablesilence,too;andZiethen’slazilyhangingunder—lipisinitsoldattitudeagain,nowthatthespasmisover。"WAS
THUTS?Theyareacross,withoutadoubt。Wewouldhavehelpedit,andcouldnot。Steady!"——
FRIEDRICH’SRETREAT;ESPECIALLYEINSIEDEL’SFROMPRAG。
Seeing,then,thattheyarefairlyover,Friedrich,withacreditableveracityofmind,seesalsothatthegameisdone;
andthatsamenighthebeginsmanoeuvringtowardsSilesia,lestfarmorebelostbycontinuingtheplay。Onecolumn,underLeopoldtheYoungDessauer,goesthroughGlatz,takestheMagazineofPardubitzalongwithit:goodtogoinseveralcolumns,theenemywilllessknowwhichtochase。Friedrich,withanothercolumn,willwaitforNassauaboutKonigsgratz,thengobythemorewesterlyroad,throughNachodandthePassofBraunau。Nassau,whoistogetacrossfromKolin,andjoinusnorthwards,hasduerendezvousappointedhimintheKonigsgratzregion。Einsiedel,inPrag,istospikehisguns,sincehecannotcarrythem;blowuphisbastions,andthelike;andgetawaywithalldiscretionandalldiligence,——
northwestwardfirst,toLeitmeritz,whereourmagazinesare;
theretoleavehisheaviergoods,andmakeeastwardtowardsFriedland,andacrossthe"SilesianCombs"bywhatPasseshecan。
Willhaveadifficultoperation;butmuststandtoit。Andspeed;
steady,simultaneous,regular,unrestingvelocity;thatisthewordforall。Andsoitisdone,——thoughwithdifficulty,onthepartofpoorEinsiedelforone。ItwasThursday,19thNovember,whentheAustriansgotacrosstheElbe:onMonday,23d,thePrussianrendezvousingsarecompleted;andFriedrich’scolumn,andtheGlatzoneunderLeopold,arebothonmarch;infinitebaggage—wagonsgroaningorderlyalong("sick—wagonswellahead,"andthelikeprecautionsandarrangements),onboththesehighwaysforSilesia:
andbeforetheweekends,Thursday,26th,evenEinsiedelisunderway。LetusgivesomethingofpoorEinsiedel,whosedisastersmadeconsiderablenoiseintheworld,thatWinterandafterwards。
"Thetwomaincolumnswerenotmuchmolested;thatwhichwentbyGlatz,underLeopold,wasnotpursuedatall。OntherearofFriedrich’sowncolumn,goingtowardsBraunau,allthewaytoNachodorbeyond,therehungtheusualdoggeryofPandours,whichrequiredwhippingofffromtimetotime;bntinthedefilesanddifficultplacesdueprecautionwastaken,andtheydidlittlerealdamage。TruchsessvonWaldburg[ouroldfriendoftheSpartanfeatnearAusterlitzintheMORAVIAN—FORAYtime,whomwehaveknowninLondonsocietyasPrussianEnvoyinbygoneyears]wasinoneofthedivisionsofthiscolumn;andoneday,atavillagewheretherewasalittlerivertocross(riverMietau,KonigsgratzbranchoftheElbe),gotprovokedinjudiciouslyintofightingwithabodyofthesepeople。Intentnotonwhippingthemmerely,butonwhippingthemtodeath,Truchsesshadalreadylostsomefortymen,andthebusinesswithsuchcrowdsofthemwasgettinghot;when,allatoncealoudsqueakingofpigswasheardinthevillage,"——
apprehensiveswineherdhastilypenninghispigsbelike,andsomepigrefractory;——"atsoundofwhich,thePandourmultitudesuddenlypauses,quitsfighting,and,struckbyanewenthusiasm,rusheswhollyintothevillage;leavingTruchsess,inatragi—comichumor,victorious,buthalfashamedofhimself。[OEuvresdeFrederic,iii。73。]InthebeginningofDecember,Friedrich’scolumnreachedhome,byBraunauthroughtheMountains,thesamewaypartofithadcomeinAugust;notquitesobrilliantinequipmentnowasthen。
"ItwasuponEinsiedel’spoorGarrison,leavingPraginsuchhaste,thattherealstressoftheretreatfell;itsdifficultiesgreatindeed,anditslossesgreat。Einsiedeldidwhatwaspossible;
butallthingsarenotpossibleonaweek’swarning。Hespikedgreatguns,shookendlesshundredweightsofpowder,and10,000
standofarms,intotheRiver;herequisitionedhorses,oxen,withoutnumber;putminesunderthebastions,almostnoneofwhichwentoffwitheffect。HekeptPragaccuratelyshut,thePraguersaccuratelyinthedark;tookhismeasuresprudently;andlaborednightandday。OnemeasureInoteofhim:stringentProclamationtotheinhabitantsofPrag,’Provisionyourselvesforthreemonths;
nothingbutstarvationaheadotherwise。’Alas,wearetostandafourthsiege,then?saythePraguers。Butwhereareprovisionstobehad?Atsuchandsuchplaces;fromtheRoyalMagazinesonly,ifyoubringacertificateandreadymoney!WherebyEinsiedelgotdeliveredofhismeal—magazine,foronething。Buthisdifficultiesotherwisewereimmense。
"OntheThursdaymorning,26thNovember,1744,hemarched。
Hiswagonshadbegunthenightbefore;andwentallnight,rumblingcontinuous(AnonymousofPrag[Second"LETTERfromaCitizen,&c。"
(date,27thNovember,seesupra,p。348),inHelden—
Geschichte,ii。1181—1188。]hearingthemwell),throughtheKarlthor,northwestgateofPrag,acrosstheMoldauRridge。Allnightacrossthatbridge,——Leitmeritzroad,greatroadtothenorthwest:——followedfinallybythemarchofhorseandfoot。
Butnewshadalreadyfledabroad。FivehundredPandourswereintheCity,backedbytheButchers’ladsandotherriotousGESINDEL,beforetherear—guardgotaway。Sadtuggingandwrigglinginconsequence,muchfiringfromwindows,anduproariouschaos;——sothatRothenburghadatlasttoremountacoupleofguns,andblowitoffwithcase—shot。AdrilledPrussianrear—guardstruggling,withsterncomposure,througharealbitofburningchaos。
Witheffect,thoughnotwithoutdifficulty。HereisthesceneontheNoldauBridge,andpastthathighHradschin[OldPalaceoftheBohemianKings(pronounceRADsheen);oneofthesteepestRoyalSitesintheworld。]massofbuildings;allPrag,nottheHradschinonly,strugglingtogiveusfatalfarewellifitdurst。RiveriscoveredwithPandoursfiringoutofboats;Bridgeencumberedtoimpassabilitybyforsakenwagons,thedriversofwhichhadcuttracesandrun;shotcomesoverheadfromtheHradschinonourleft,muchshot,infinitetumultallround;thoroughfareimpossiblefortwo—wheeledvehicle,ormeninrank。’Halt!’criesColonelBrandes,whohaschargeofthething;dividestheminthree:’Firstoneparty,dealwiththeseriver—boats,thatPandourdoggery;
secondparty,pullthesestraywagonstorightandleft,makingthewayclear;thirdparty,dragourownwagonsforward,shouldertoshaft,andyokethemoutofshot—range;——you,CaptainCarlowitz,’
andcallstwentyvolunteerstogowithCarlowitz,anddragtheirowncannon,’stepyouforward,keepthegateofthatHradschintillweallpass!’Inthismanner,rapid,hardofstroke,clear—headedandwithsternregularity,drilledtalentgetstheburningNessus’—
shirtwriggledoff;andtrampssuccessfullyforthwithitsbaggages。About11A。M。,thisrearguardofBrandes’sdid;shouldhavebeenatseven,——rightwellthatitcouldbeatall。
"Einsiedel,afterthis,gottolerablywelltoLeitmeritz;lefthisheavybaggagethere;thenturnedatanacuteanglerighteastward,towardstheSilesianCombs,asordered:stillagoodseventymilestodo,andtheweathergettingsnowyandthedaystowardstheirshortest。Worsestill;oldWeissenfels,nowinPragwithhisSaxons,isawarethatEinsiedel,beforeending,willtouchonawildhigh—lyingcorneroftheLausitzwhichisSaxonCountry;
andthitherwardWeissenfelshasdespatchedChevalierdeSaxe(inplentyoftime,November29th),withhorseandfoot,towaylayEinsiedel,andblocktheentranceoftheSilesianMountainsforhim。Whereupon,inthelatterendofhislongmarch,andalmostwithinsightofhome,ensuesthehardestbrushofallforEinsiedel。And,inthedesolationofthatruggedHillcountryoftheLausitz,’HOCHWALD(UpperWeld),’twentyormoremilesfromBohemianFriedland,fromhisentranceontheMountainBarrierandSilesianCombs,therearescenes——whichgaverisetoaCourt—
Martialbeforelong。Forunexpectedly,onthewinterafternoon(December9th),Einsiedel,strugglingamongthesnowsandpathlessHills,comesuponChevalierdeSaxeandhisSaxonDetachment,——
intrenchedwithtrees,snow—redoubts,andahollowbogdividingus;
plainlyunassailable;——andstandsthere,withoutcovering,without’food,fire,orsalt,’saysoneEye—witness,’forthespaceoffourteenhours。’Gazinggloomilyintoit,exchangingafewshots,uncertainwhatmoretodo;themuch—dubitatingEinsiedel。’Atwhichthemenweresodisgustedandenraged,theydeserted[theforeignpartofthem,Ifancy]ingroupsatatime,’saystheaboveEye—witness。Nottothinkwhatbecameoftheequipments,baggage—
wagons,sick—wagons:——tooevidentEinsiedel’sloss,inallkinds,wasveryconsiderable。Nassau,despatchedbyLeopoldoutofGlatz,fromtheothersideoftheCombs,ismarchingtohelpEinsiedel;——
whoknows,atthismoment,whereorwhitherward?Forthepeasantsareallagainstus;ourveryguidesdesert,andbecomespies。
’Pushtotheleft,overtheHochwaldtop,mustnotwe?’thinksEinsiedel:’thatisLausitz,aSaxonCountry;andSaxony,thoughtheSaxonsstandintrenchedhere,withtheknifeatourthroat,arenotatwarwithus,ohno,onlyalliesofherMajestyofHungary,andneutralotherwise!’Andhere,itistooclear,theChevalierdeSaxestandsintrenchedbehindhistreesandsnow;anditisthefourteenthhour,mendesertingbythehundred,withoutfireandwithoutsalt;andNassauiscoming,——Godknowsbywhatroad!
"Einsiedelpushestotheleft,theHochwaldway;finds,intheHochwaldtoo,aSaxonCommandantwaitinghim,witharmsstrictlyshouldered。’AndwecannotpassthroughthismoorskirtofLausitz,sayyou,then?’’Unarmed,yes;yourmusketscancomeinwagonsafteryou,’repliestheSaxonCommandantofLausitz。
’Thousandthanks,HerrCommandant;butwewillnotgiveyouallthattrouble,’answerEinsiedelandhisPrussians;’andmarchon,overwhelminghimwithpolitenesses,’saysFriedrich;——theapproachofNassau,aboveall,beingastringentcivility。Ofcourse,despatchisveryrequisitetoEinsiedel;theChevalier,withhisforce,beingstillwithinhail。ThePrussiansmarchallnight,withpitch—linksflaring,——nights(Ithink)ofthe13th—15thDecember,1744,upamongthehighlandsthere,ruggedbuttressesoftheSilesianCombs:asightenoughtoastonishRubezahl,ifhehappenedtobeout!Asgoodchancewouldhaveit,NassauandEinsiedel,bypreconcert,partlybyluckyguessoftheirown,werehurryingbythesameroad:threeheaven—rendingcheers(December16th)whenwegetsightofNassau;andfindthathereisland!December16th,weareacross,——byRuckersdorf,notfarfromFriedland(BohmischFriedland,nottheSilesiantownofthatname,onceWallenstein’s);
——andrejoicenowtolookbackonlabordone。"[Helden—
Geschichte,ii。1181—1190,1191—1194;
Feldzuge,i。278—280。]
Thesewereintricatestrangescenes,muchtalkedofatthetime:
Rothenburg,uglyWalrave,Hacke,andotherknownfigures,concernedinthem。ScenesinwhichFriedrichisnotwellinformed;whomuchblamesEinsiedel,asheisapttodotheunsuccessful。Accountsexist,bothfromthePrussianandfromtheSaxonside,decipherablewithindustry;notnowworthdecipheringtoEnglishreaders。
Onlythatfinalsceneofthepitch—links,thenightbeforemeetingwithNassau,dwellsvoluntarilyinone’smemory。AndisthefarewellofEinsiedelwithal。Friedrichblameshimtothelast:
thoughaCourt—Martialhadsatonhiscase,somemonthsafter,andhonorablyacquittedhim。Goodsolid,silentEinsiedel;——andinsomemonthsmore,hewenttoastillhighercourt,gotstillstricterjustice:Idonothearexpresslythatitwasthewintermarches,orstrainofmind;buthediedin1745;andthatflareofpitch—linksinRubezahl’scountryisthelastsceneofhimtous,——andtheendofFriedrich’sunfortunateFirstExpeditionintheSecondSilesianWar。
"Foiled,ultimately,then,oneverypoint;atotallyill—orderedgameonourpart!Evidentlywe,forourpart,havebeenaltogetherinthewrong,invariousessentialparticulars。Amendment,thatandnoother,isthewordnow。Letustakethescatheandthescorncandidlyhometous;——andtrytopreparefordoingbetter。
Theworldwillcrowoverus。Well,theworldknowslittleaboutit;
theworld,ifitdidknow,wouldbepartlyintheright!"——Wiseishewho,whenbeaten,learnsthereasonsofit,andaltersthese。
Thiswisdom,itmustbeowned,isFriedrich’s;andmuchdistinguisheshimamonggeneralsandmen。Veracityofmind,asI
say,loyaleyesightsuperiortosophistries;nobleincapacityofself—delusion,therootofallgoodqualitiesinman。HisepiloguetothisCampaignisremarkable;——toolongforquotinghere,exceptthefirstwordofitandthelast:——
"NoGeneralcommittedmorefaultsthandidtheKinginthisCampaign……TheconductofM。deTraunisamodelofperfection,whicheverysoldierthatloveshisbusinessoughttostudy,andtrytoimitate,ifhehavethetalent。ThekinghashimselfadmittedthatheregardedthisCampaignashisschoolintheArtofWar,andM。deTraunashisteacher。"Butwhatshallwesay?"BadisoftenbetterforPrincesthangood;——andinsteadofintoxicatingthemwithpresumption,rendersthemcircumspectandmodest。"
[OEuvres,iii。76,77。]Letusstillhope!——
ChapterV。
FRIEDRICH,UNDERDIFFICULTIES,PREPARESFORA
NEWCAMPAIGN。
TotheCourtofVienna,especiallytotheHungarianMajesty,thiswonderfulreconquestofBohemia,withoutbattlefought,——oranycauseassignablebutTraun’sexcellentmanoeuvringandFriedrich’simprudencesandtrustintheFrench,——wasathingofheavenlymiracle;blessedomenthatProvidencehadvouchsafedtoherprayerstherecoveryofSilesiaitself。AlltheworldwascrowingoverFriedrich:butherMajestyofHungary’sviewshadrisentoaclearlyhigherpitchofexultationandtriumphanthope,terrestrialandcelestial,thananyotherlivingperson’s。"Silesiabackagain,"thatwasnowthehopeandresolutionofherMajesty’shighheart:"Mywickedneighborshallbedrivenout,andsmartdearfortheillhehasdone;Heavensowillsit!""VerylittleupliftstheAustrians,"saysValori;whichistrue,undersuchaQueen;
"andyetthereisnothingthatcancrushthemaltogetherdown,"
addshe。
NosoonerisBohemiaclearedofFriedrich,thanMaria,winterasitis,ordersthattherebe,throughtheGiant—Mountains,vigorousassaultuponSilesia。Highlandsnowsandices,whatarethesetoPandourpeople,who,attheirfirstentranceonthesceneofHistory,"crossedthePalus—Maeotisitself[FatherofQuagmires,sotospeak]inafrozenstate,"andweresufficientlyaccommodatedeachinhisowndirtysheepskin?"ProsecutetheKingofPrussia,"
orderedshe;"takeyourwinter—quartersinSilesia!"——andTraun,inspiteoftheadvancedseason,andpriorlaborsandhardships,hadtotry,fromthesouthwesternBohemianside,whathecoulddo;
whileanewInsurrection,comingthroughtheJablunka,spreaditselfoverthesoutheastandeast。Seriouslyinvasivemultitudes;
whichwereanunpleasantsurprisetoFriedrich;anddid,asweshallsee,requiretobesmittenbackagain,andre—smitten;
makingaverytroublesomewintertothePrussiansandthemselves;
butbynomeansgettingwinter—quarters,astheyoncehoped。
Inalikesense,MariaTheresahadalready(December2d)sentforthherManifestoorPatent,solemnlyapprisingherever—faithfulSilesianPopulations,"ThattheTreatyofBreslau,notbyherfault,isbroken;palpablyaTreatynolonger。Thatthey,accordingly,areabsolvedfromalloathsandallegiancetotheKingofPrussia;andshallholdthemselvesinreadinesstoswearanewtoherMajesty,whichwillbeagreatcomforttosuchfaithfulcreatures;suffering,asherMajestyexplainstothemthattheyhavedone,underPrussiantyrannyforthesetwoyearspast。
Immediatedead—lifteffortthereshallbe;thatiscertain:
and’theAlmightyGodassisting,whodoesnotleavesuchinjusticesunpunished,WehavethefixedChristianhope,Omnipotenceblessingourarms,ofalmostimmediately(EHESTENS)deliveringyoufromthistemporaryBondage(BISHERIGENJOCH)。’Youcanpray,inthemeanwhile,forthesuccessofherMajesty’sarms;goodfighting,aidedbyprayer,inaCauseclearlyHeaven’s,willnow,toappearance,bringmattersswiftlyroundagain,totheastonishmentandconfusionofbadmen。"[InHelden—Geschichte,
ii。1194—1198;Ib。1201—1206,isFriedrich’sAnswer,"19thDecember,1744。"]
TheseareherMajesty’sviews;intenselytrue,Idoubtnot,toherdevoutheart。RobinsonandtheEnglishseemnottobeenthusiasticinthatdirection;asindeedhowcanthey?TheywouldfainbetenderofSilesia,whichtheyhaveguaranteed;fain,nowandafterwards,restrainherMajestyfromdrivingatsuchapacedownhill:butthedeclivityissoencouraging,herMajestyisnottoberestrained,andgoesfasterandfasterforthetimebeing。
Andindeed,underlessdevoutforms,thegeneralimpression,amongPragmaticpeople,Saxon,Austrian,Britisheven,was,ThatFriedrichhadprettymuchruinedhimself,anddeservedtodoso;
thatthisofhisbeingmere"Auxiliary"toaKaiserindistresswasanuntenablepretext,nowjustlyfallenbankruptuponhim。
Theevidentfact,Thathehadbyhis"FrankfurtUnion,"andstrugglesabout"union,"reopenedthedoorforFrenchtribulationsandrough—ridingsintheReich,wasuniversallydistasteful;
allchanceofa"generalunionofGermanPrinces,inaidoftheirKaiser,"wasextinctforthepresent。
Friedrich’srapidityhadservedhimillwiththePublic,inthisasinsomeotherinstances!Friedrich,contemplatinghissituation,notself—delusively,butwiththecandorofrealremorse,wasbynomeansyetawarehowverybaditwas。Forsixmonthscoming,partlyasexistingfactsbetterdisclosedthemselves,asFrance,Saxonyandothersshowedwhatspirittheywereof;partlyasnewsinistereventsandfactsarrivedoneaftertheother,——hisoutlookcontinuedtodarkenanddarken,tillithadbecomeverydarkindeed。Thereisperenniallythegreatcomfort,immenseifyoucanmanageit,ofmakingfrontagainstmisfortune;oflookingitfranklyintheface,anddoingwitharesolution,hourbyhour,yourownutmostagainstit。Friedrichneverlackedthatcomfort;
andwasnotheardcomplaining。ButfromDecember13th,1744,whenhehastenedhometoBerlin,undersuchaspects,tillJune4th,1745,whenaspectssuddenlychanged,areprobablytheworstsixmonthsFriedrichhadyethadintheworld。Duringwhich,hisaffairsallthreateningtobreakdownabouthim,hehimself,behoovingtostandfirmiftheworstwasnottorealizeitself,hadtodrawlargelyonwhatsilentcourage,orprivateinexpugnabilityofmind,wasinhim,——alargerinstalmentofthatroyalquality(asIcompute)thantheFateshadeverhithertodemandedofhim。
Everhitherto;thoughperhapsnothinglikethelargestofall,whichtheyhadupontheirBooksforhim,atafartherstage!
Aswillbeseen。Forhewasgreatlydrawnuponinthatway,inhistime。Andhepaidalways;nomaninhisCenturysowell;fewmen,inanyCentury,better。Asperhapsreadersmaybeledtoguessoracknowledge,onsurveyingandconsidering。Tosee,andsympatheticallyrecognize,cannotbeexpectedofmodernreaders,inthepresentgreatdistance,andchangedconditionsofmenandthings。
Friedrich,afterdespatchingNassautocutoutEinsiedel,haddeliveredtheSilesianArmytotheOldDessauer,whoistocommandinchiefduringWinter;andhadthenhastenedtoBerlin,——manythingsthereurgentlyrequiringhispresence;preparations,reparations,nottospeakofdiplomacies,andwhatwastheheaviestitemofall,newfinanceforthecomingexertions。InSchweidnitz,onLeopold’sappearance,therehadbeenaninterview,dueconsultings,orderings;whichdone,Friedrichatoncetooktheroad;andwasatBerlin,Monday,December14th,——preciselyinthetimewhileNassauandEinsiedelweremarchingwithtorchlightsinRubezahl’sCountry,andnearendingtheirdifficultenterprisebetterorworse。
Friedrich,fasteningeagerlyonHomebusiness,isastonishedandprovokedtolearnthattheAustrians,notcontentwithpushinghimoutofBohmen,arethemselvespushingintoSchlesien,——soOldLeopoldreports,withincreasingemphasisdaybyday;towhomFriedrichsendsimpatientorder:Hurlthemoutagain;gatherwhatforceyouneed,tenthousand,orwereittwentyorthirtythousand,andbeimmediateaboutit;"Iwillassoonbepitched(HERAUSGESCHMISSEN)outoftheMarkofBrandenburgasoutofSchlesien:"nodelay,Itellyou!AndastheOldDessauerstillexplainsthatthetenorfifteenthousandheneedsareactuallyassembling,andcannotbegotonmarchquiteinamoment,FriedrichdashesawayhisincipientBerlinOperations;willgohimselfanddoit。Hagglenomore,youtediousOldDessauer:——
BERLIN,"19thDECEMBER,"1744。"Onthe21st[Monday,oneweekaftermyarriving],IleaveBerlin,andmeantobeatNeisseonthe24thatlatest。YourSerenitywillintheinterimmakeouttheOrder—of—
Battle[whichisalsoOrder—of—March]forwhatregimentsarecomein。ForIwill,onthe25th,withoutdelay,crosstheNeisse,andattackthosepeople,costwhatitmay,——tochasethemoutofSchlesienandGlatz,andfollowthemsofaraspossible。
YourSerenitywillthereforetakeyourmeasures,andprovideeverything,sofarasinthisshorttimeyoucan,thattheprojectmaybeexecutablethemomentIarrive。"[FriedrichtotheOldDessauer(Orlich,ii。356)。]
Andrushedoffaccordingly,inasomewhatflamyhumor;butatSchweidnitz,wheretheOldDessauermethimagain,becameconvincedthatthematterwasweightierthanhethought;notoneofTolpatcheryalone,buthadTraunhimselfinit。UponwhichFriedrichcandidlydrewbridle;hastenedback,and,withalossoffourdays,wasathisPotsdamAffairsagain。Towhichhestuckhenceforth,ardently,andIthinkratherwithincreaseofgloom,thoughwithoutspurtofimpatiencefarther,forthreemonthstocome。Beforehisreturn,——nay,hadheknown,itwasthenightbeforehewentaway,——astrangelittlethinghadhappenedintheoppositeorWesternparts:surprisingaccidenttoMarechaldeBelleisle;whichnowlieswaitinghisimmediateconsideration。
ButletusfinishSilesiafirst。
OLDDESSAUERREPELSTHESILESIANINVASION(Winter,1744—45)。
"ThisSilesianAffairincludesdueinroadofPandours;orindeedtwoinroads,southwestandsoutheast;andinthesouthwest,orTraunquarter,regularsarethemainelementofit。Traun,20,000
strong,PLUSstormy—enoughPandourACCOMPANIMENT,isbythistimethroughintoGlatz;inthreecolumns;——ismasterofallGlatz,excepttheRock—Fortressitself;andhasspreadhimself,rightandleft,alongtheNeisseRiver,andfromthesouthwestnorthwards,inaskilfulanddangerousmanner。Inconcertwithwhom,fartotheeast,arePandourwhirlwindsontheirownfooting(brand—new’Insurrection’ofthem,gotthusfar)startingfromOlmutzandBrunn;scouringthateasterncountry,asfarasNamslaunorthward[aplacewewereatthetakingof,inoldBriegtimes];muchmore,infestingtheMountainsoftheSouth。Aratherseriousthing;
withTraunforgeneralmanagerofit。"
WithTraun,wesay:poorPrinceKarlisoff,weeksago;onthesaddestoferrands。HisbeautifulyoungWife,——HungarianMajesty’soneSister,Vice—RegentsoftheNetherlandsheandshe,conspicuousamongthebrightcouplesoftheworld,——shehadabadlying—in(childstill—born),whilethosegrandMoldauOperationswenton;
hasbeenill,poorlady,eversince;and,atBrussels,onDecember16th,sheherselfliesdead,PrinceKarlweepingoverherandthedaysthatwillnotreturn。PrinceKarl’sfelicities,privateandpublic,hadbeenattheirzenithlately,whichwasveryhighindeed;butgoondecliningfromthisday。NevermoretheHappiestofHusbands(didnotwedagainatall);stilllesstheGreatestofCaptains,equalorsuperiortoCaesarintheGazetteerjudgment,withdistractedEULOGIES,BIOGRAPHIESandsuchlikefillingtheair:beforelong,aWar—Captainofquitemoderaterenown;whichweshallseesinkgraduallyintonorenownatall,andeven(unjustly)
intoMINUSquantities,beforeallend。Amadworld,mymasters!
"BetweenTraunonthesouthwesthand,andhisPandoursonthesoutheast,thesmallPrussianpostshaveallbeendriveninuponTroppau—Jagerndorfregion;moreandmorenarrowedthere;——and,infine(twodaysbeforethisnewInterviewofLeopoldandtheimpatientKingatSchweidnitz),havehadtoquittheTroppau—
Jagerndorfposition;toquittheHillsaltogether,andarenowinfullmarchtowardsBrieg。OfwhichmarchIshouldsaynothing,wereitnotthatMarwitz,FatherofWilhelmina’sgigglingMarmitzes,commanded;——andcamebyhisdeathinthecourseofit;thoughourWilhelminaisnotnowthere,peninhand,totelluswhattheeffectsatBaireuthwere。MarwitzhadbeenleftfordeadontheFieldofMollwitz;laysoallnight,butwasnursedtosomekindofstrengthagainbythosegigglingyoungwomen;andcamebacktoSchlesien,topostsofchieftrust,forthelastyearortwo,——wasguardingtheMountains,andeveninvadingMahren,duringthelateCampaign;——butsawhimselfreducedlatterlytoJagerndorfandTroppau;andhadeventoretreatoutofthese。Andinthewhirlpoolofhurriesthereupon,——howisnotveryclear;byapoplexy,saysome;byaccidentalpistolfromaservantofhisown;inactualskirmishwithPandours,——toocertainly,onewayortheother,onDecember23d(justduringthatsecondInterviewatSchweidnitz),braveoldMarwitzdidsuddenlysinkdead,andisended。
[Helden—Geschichte,ii。1201。]Evenso,yepoorgigglingcreatures,andyourloudweepingwillnotmenditatall!
"Friedrich,lookingcandidlyintothesephenomena,couldnotbutseethat:whatwithTolpatcheries,whatwithTraun’s20,000
regulars,andthewholeArmyattheirback,hisSilesianBorderisgirtinbyaveryconsiderableinroadofAustrians,——hugeChainofthem,inhorse—shoeform,300mileslong,pressingin;frombeyondGlatzandLandshut,roundbythesouthernMountains,andupeastwardagainasfarasNamslau,nothingbutwarwhirlwindsinregularorirregularform,inthecentreofthemTraun;——andthattheOldDessauerreallymusthavetimetogirdhimselffordealingwithTraunandthem。
"ItwasnottillJanuary9ththatOldLeopold,25,000strong,equippedtohismind,whichwasadifficultmatter,crossedtheNeisseRiver;andmarcheddirectuponTraun,withZiethenchargingahead。Actuallymarched;afterwhichthemainwrestlewasdoneinaweek。January16th,OldLeopoldgottoJagerndorf;foundtheactualTraunconcentratedatJagerndorf;anddrewup,tobereadyforassaultto—morrowmorning,——hadnotTraun,candidlycomputing,judgeditbettertoglidewhollyawayinthenight—time,diligentlytowardsMahren,breakingthebridgesbehindhim。Andso,ineffect,togiveuptheSilesianInvasionforthistime。Afterwhich,thoughthereremainedagooddealofroughtusslingwithPandourdetails,andsomeruggedexploitsoffight,thereis——exceptthatofLehwaldinclearingofGlatz——nothingfartherthatwecanaffordtospeakof。Lehwald’sexploit,LehwaldVERSUSWallis(sameWalliswhodefendedGlogaulongsince),whichcametobetalkedof,andgotnameanddate,’ActionofHabelschwert,February14th,’somethingalmostlikeapitchedfightonthesmallscale,istothefollowingeffect:——
"PLOMNITZ,NEARHABELSCHWERT,14thFEBRUARY,1745。OldGeneralLehwald,marchinginthehollowgroundnearHabelschwert(hollowoftheyoungNeisseRiver,twentymilessouthofGlatz),withintenttocutthatCountryfree;theEnemy,whomheisinsearchof,appearsingreatforce,——postedontheuphillgroundahead,half—
frozendifficultstreaminfrontofthem,cannononflank,Pandourmultitudeinwoods;allthingsbetokeninginexpugnabilityonthepartoftheEnemy。SothatLehwaldhastotakehismeasures;studywellwherethevitalpointis,therootofthatextensiveAustrianjunglery,andcutinuponthesame。Byconsiderablefireofeffort,theuphillground,half—frozenstream,sylvanPandours,cannon—
batteries,andwhatinexpugnabilitiestheremaybe,aresubdued;
Austrianwidejunglery,therootofitslitasunderrollshomewardsimultaneously,nottoofast:nayithalted,andre—rankeditselftwiceover,findingwoodsandquaggyrunletstoitsmind;butwasalwaysslitoutagain,disrooted,andfinallytumbledhome,havinghadenough。’WenzelWallis,’Friedrichassertswithduescorn,’wasallthiswhileinaChapel;prayingardently,’toSt。Vitus,oroneknowsnotwhom;’withouteffect;tilltheyshoutedtohim,"Beaten,Sir!Off,oryouarelost!"uponwhichhesprangtosaddle,andspurredwithbothheels(PIQUADESDEUX)。’[OEuvresdeFrederic,iii。79。80。]ThatwasthefeatofLehwald,clearingtheGlatzCountrywithonegoodcut:askilfulCaptain;
nowgettingdecidedlyoldish,closeonsixty;whomweshallmeetagainadozenyearshence,stillinharness。
"TheoldSereneHighnesshimself,facethecolorofgun—powder,andbluerinthewinterfrost,wentrushingfarandwideinanopenvehicle,whichhecalledhis’cart;’pushingoutdetachments,supervisingeverything;wheelinghitherandthitherasneedful;
sweepingoutthePandourworld,andkeepingitout:notmuchoffightingneeded,but’agreatdealofmarching[murmursFriedrich],whichinwinterisasbad,andwearsdowntheforceofthebattalions。’Ofallwhichwegivenodetail:sufficienttofancy,inthismanner,theOldDessauerflappinghiswidemilitarywingsinthefacesofthePandourhordes,withhereandthereahardtwitchfrombeakorclaws;tolerablykeepingdownthePandourinterestallWinter。Hissons,LeopoldandDietrich,wereunderhim,occasionallybesidehim;theJuniorLeopoldsoworndownwithfeverishgouthecouldhardlysitonhorsebackatall,whileoldPapawenttearingaboutinhiscartatthatrate。"
[UnternehmunginOber—Schlesien,unterdemFurstenLeopoldvonAnhalt—Dessau,imJanuarundFebruar,1745
(Seyfarth,Beylage,i。141—152);Stenzel,iv。
232;&c。]
Therewas,onthe21stofFebruary,TE—DEUMsunginthechurchesofBerlin"fortheDeliveranceofSilesiafromInvasion。"NotthatevenyetthePandourswouldbequitequiet,orallowOldLeopoldtoquithiscart;farfromit。Andtheyreturnedinsuchincreasedandtempestuousstate,aswillagainrequiremention,withtheearliestSpring:——precursorstoasecond,farmoreseriousanddeadly"InvasionofSilesia;"forwhichithangsyetonthebalancewhethertherewillbeaTE—DEUMoraMISEREREtosing!
HungarianMajesty,disappointedofSilesia,——which,itseems,isnottobehad"allatonce(EHESTENS),"intheformofmiracle,——
makesamendsbyarushuponSeckendorfandBavaria;attacksSeckendorffuriously("BathyanipressinguptheDonauValley,withBrowneononehand,andBarenklauontheother")inmidwinter;
andmakesaterriblehandofhim;reducinghis"ReconquestofBavaria"tonothingagain,naytoless。Ofwhichinduetime。
THEFRENCHFULLYINTENDTOBEHAVEBETTERNEXTSEASONTOFRIEDRICH
ANDTHEIRGERMANALLIES;——BUTAREPREVENTEDBYVARIOUSACCIDENTS
(November,1744—April,1745;April—August,1745)。
Itisnotdivinemiracle,Friedrichknowswell,thathaslosthimhislateBohemianConquestswithoutbattlefought:itwasrashchoosingofaplaninexecutablewithoutFrenchco—operation,——
culpableblindnesstothechancethatFrancewouldbreakitspromises,andnotco—operate。HadyourMajestyforgottentheJoint—
StockPrinciple,then?HisMajestyhassorrowfulcausetorememberit,fromthistime,onastilllargerscale!
Reflections,indignantorexculpatory,ontheconductoftheFrenchinthisBusinessareuselesstoFriedrich,andtous。Theperformance,ontheirpart,hasbeennearlytheworst;——thoughtheirintentions,whiletheAustrianDragonhadthembythethroat,weredoubtlessenthusiasticallygood!But,thebigAustrianDragonbeingjerkedawayfromElsass,byFriedrich’streadingonhistail,500milesoff,theywerecharmed,quiteintonewenthusiasm,toberidofsaidDragon:and,insteadofchasingHIMaccordingtobargain,tooktodestroyinghisDEN,thathemightbeharmlessthenceforth。FreyburgisacapturedTown,tothejoyandgloryofadmiringFrance;andFriedrich’sCampaignhasgonetheroadwesee!
TheFreyburgIlluminationshavingburntout,theremightrise,inthetriumphantmind,somethoughtofFriedrichagain,——perhapsalmostofaremorsefulnature?Certainitis,theFrenchintentionsarenowagainmagnanimous,moresothanever;couplednowwithsomeattemptsatfulfilment,too;whichobligesustomentionthemhere。
TheywerestillamatterofimportanthopetoFriedrich;hopewhichdidnotquitegoouttillAugustcoming。Though,alas,itdidthengoout,ingustsofindignationonFriedrich’spart!AndasthewholeofthesemagnanimousFrenchintentions,latterlikeformer,againcametozero,weareinterestedonlyinrenderingthemconceivabletoreadersforFriedrich’ssake,——withthemorebrevity,thebetterforeverybody。TwograndFrenchAttemptstherewere;listen,onthethreshold,alittle:——