[Illustration: _After the battle at Kollin_]
_Life Stories for Young People_
FREDERICK THE GREAT
AND
THE SEVEN YEARS’ WAR
_Translated from the German of
Ferdinand Schrader_
BY
GEORGE P. UPTON
_Translator of “Memories,” author of “Upton Handbooks on Music,” editor
“Autobiography of Theodore Thomas,” etc., etc._
WITH FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS
[Illustration: A·C·M^cCLURG]
CHICAGO
A. C. McCLURG & CO.
1905
Copyright
A. C. McClurg & Co.
1905
Published September 16, 1905
THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.
Translator’s Preface
This little volume deals only with seven years in the life of Frederick
the Great, but they were seven of the most memorable years in the
history of Austria and Prussia—the period of the Seven Years’ War, which
confirmed to Frederick the possession of Silesia, and elevated Prussia
to the first rank among European states. Three times Frederick waged war
for its possession: the first time, in 1740-42, with Saxony, Bavaria,
and France for allies against Austria and Great Britain; the second
time, in 1744-45, when Austria was aided by Saxony; and the third time,
in 1756-63, when Prussia, aided by some of the small German states and
British subsidies, fought Austria, France, Russia, Sweden, and Saxony.
The Seven Years’ War was one of the greatest and most destructive wars
of the eighteenth century, both to victors and vanquished. Frederick and
his allies met with but five defeats in this war,—Kollin, Hastenbeck,
Grossjägerndorf, Hochkirch, and Kunersdorf,—the last a most crushing
defeat; but they won ten great victories, Lobositz, Prague, Rossbach,
Leuthen, Zorndorf, Minden, Liegnitz, Torgau, Burkersdorf, and Freiberg;
and in eight of these Frederick commanded in person, and in every case
with a much smaller force than that of his enemies. Peace was finally
made with Maria Theresa in 1763, and by a clear violation of ancient
faith and treaty rights Silesia was taken from her. The various
campaigns are described briefly and yet in such a manner that the
interest of the narrative is kept up to the last, and the author, by the
introduction of anecdotes, conversations, and fragments of letters,
brings out very clearly the peculiar traits of the great king—his
courage at one time, his despondent moods at others, his obstinacy and
self-conceit, which more than once involved him in disaster, his humor
and satire, his cruelty at times to his own troops, and again his
fatherly relations to them. It is also a thrilling period of history
with which the author deals, and replete with national as well as
individual interest. Of the close of this great and sanguinary war,
Macaulay says,—and he was not an admirer of Frederick,—“The proud and
revengeful spirit of the Empress-Queen at length gave way; and in
February, 1763, the peace of Hubertsburg put an end to the conflict
which had during seven years devastated Germany. The king ceded nothing.
The whole Continent in arms had proved unable to tear Silesia from that
iron grasp. The war was over. Frederick was safe. His glory was beyond
the reach of envy. If he had not made conquests as vast as those of
Alexander, of Cæsar, and of Napoleon,—if he had not, on field of battle,
enjoyed the constant success of Marlborough and Wellington,—he had yet
given an example unrivalled in history, of what capacity and resolution
can effect against the greatest superiority of power and the utmost
spite of fortune.”
G. P. U.
Chicago, 1905
Contents
I The First Battle of the War 13
II The Battle of Prague 18
III Frederick’s Defeat and Seydlitz’s Surprise 24
IV The Brilliant Victory at Rossbach 35
V Frederick at Leuthen and Lissa 39
VI The Siege of Olmütz 48
VII Seydlitz saves the Day at Zorndorf 60
VIII Frederick’s Defeat at Hochkirch 68
IX The Most Dreadful Day in Frederick’s Life 78
X The Battle of Liegnitz 92
XI The Victory at Torgau surprises Frederick 98
XII The Camp at Bunzelwiltz 117
XIII The Dawn of Peace 128
XIV End of the Seven Years’ War 136
Appendix 145
List of Illustrations
After the battle at Kollin _Frontispiece_
_Facing page_
“Good-evening, gentlemen, evidently you were not expecting me” 46
“Frederick stood on the bloody field like one dazed” 84
Frederick at the watch fire before the battle of Liegnitz 96
Frederick the Great
and the Seven Years’ War
Chapter I
The First Battle of the War
What a glorious period of peace Germany enjoyed after the furious storms
of war had devastated its flourishing provinces and brought ruin and
death into so many homes! Prussia at this time had to stand the brunt of
the storm, and had it not been for the indomitable spirit and great
military skill of Frederick the Great, nothing could have saved the
young kingdom from being forced back within the limits of its original
territory. It was not the fault of its enemies that the effort failed.
They left nothing undone to humiliate and subdue Prussia.
Maria Theresa was never reconciled to the loss of Silesia, which had
been taken from her by Frederick in the preceding war with Austria. They
said that she shed tears whenever she saw a Silesian. Cherishing such a
strong attachment, it is not remarkable that the high-spirited Empress
busied herself with schemes for the recovery of her lost province. With
this purpose in view, she made secret treaties with Russia, France, and
Sweden, and was also assured of the help of Saxony and many of the
German imperial princes. Thus united, the plan was made to seize Prussia
and reduce it to its old limits of the Mark of Brandenburg,[1] at the
same time allotting Silesia to Austria, Westphalia to France, the
bishopric of Magdeburg to Saxony, Pomerania to Sweden, and Prussia to
Russia; but Frederick’s sharp eyes discovered the designs of his enemies
at an early stage in the game. Two traitors assisted him. Wenzel, a
secretary in Dresden, and Weingarten, an _attaché_ of the Austrian
embassy in Berlin, were paid for warning him of the impending danger.
Frederick quietly and speedily formed his counterplans. He strengthened
his army, concluded a subsidy agreement with England—which at that time
was under the Hanoverian dynasty—and also secured promise of help from
some of the German princes, particularly the dukes of Brunswick and
Gotha and the Elector of Hesse-Cassel. With this comparatively small
array he boldly prepared to oppose his powerful enemies. His motto was
“Nothing venture, nothing have.” He quietly placed his army upon a war
footing, concentrated it at a given point, and then gave the order to
march into Saxony.[2]
Frederick’s army invaded that beautiful and fruitful country in three
divisions, while Field-Marshal Schwerin, with a fourth, occupied
Bohemia. In a few days its most important cities were in his possession.
The invasion was effected with such startling quickness that the Elector
and his family barely escaped being taken prisoners, but they were all
treated with proper respect. The unexpected occupation caused great
alarm all over Saxony, and the news of it created consternation at the
Austrian court. Frederick was charged with bad faith and disturbance of
the country’s peace. The Emperor went so far as to characterize the bold
intruders as outlaws. Frederick, however, was not disturbed. All that he
cared for was the rupture of the alliance between the Elector and
Austria. Not succeeding in this at the outset, he treated that province
as an enemy.
The Saxon army, in the meantime, had camped at Pirna,[3] so as to be in
easy communication with the Austrian forces, but Frederick shut them in
so closely that they were soon in desperate straits. The Elector
despatched messenger after messenger to Maria Theresa, praying for help.
Alarmed at last by the bold operations of the King, she granted his
requests and sent Field-Marshal Browne with seventy thousand men to the
relief of Saxony, not doubting that he would crush Frederick at the
first blow. Frederick, however, did not wait for the arrival of his
enemy, but, dividing his force, boldly went out to meet him with about
twenty-four thousand men, leaving the other half to watch the Saxons at
Pirna.
The two armies met at Lobositz on the Elbe, October 1, 1756. The battle
raged fiercely for six hours with little prospect of success for the
Prussians, considering the superior strength of the enemy. Indeed,
defeat at one time seemed inevitable, for their ammunition was
exhausted. The brave Duke of Bevern, however, saved the army from its
first defeat. When told that they were out of powder and shot, he coolly
exclaimed: “Comrades, be of good courage. Charge with fixed bayonets!”
His gallant troops obeyed, and hurled themselves upon the Austrians with
such impetuosity that they were soon masters of the field. This was the
first victory in the Seven Years’ War. Frederick was delighted, and on
that same day wrote to Field-Marshal Schwerin:
“I hardly need say anything to you about the troops. You know them. But
never since I have had the honor to command them, cavalry as well as
infantry, have they fought more bravely. It is easy to see by these
brilliant achievements what they will do hereafter.”
The news of the victory fell like a thunderbolt in the ranks of the
Prussian King’s enemies. The Saxon troops at Pirna, fourteen thousand
strong, forced by bitter necessity and half starved, laid down their
arms. The officers were released, after pledging themselves not to
engage again in hostilities against Prussia. The common soldiers were
placed at once in the Prussian army; but they were of no service, as
they deserted at the earliest opportunity. The victory was followed by
important results. It was the majestic prelude to the later battles of
the Seven Years’ War.