CONQUESTS AGAINST PRICE KARL.
One may fancy what were Friedrich's reflections when he heard that
Prince Karl had, prosperously and unmolested, got across, by those
Passes from the Ober-Pfalz, into Bohmen and the Circle of Pilsen, into
junction with Bathyani and his magazines; ["At Mirotitz, October 2d"
(Ranke, iii. 194); Orlich, ii. 49.] heard, moreover, that the Saxons,
20,000 strong, under Weissenfels, crossing the Metal Mountains, coming
on by Eger and Karlsbad regions, were about uniting with him (bound by
Treaty to assist the Hungarian Majesty when invaded);--and had finally,
what confirms everything, that the said Prince Karl in person (making
for Budweis, "just seen his advanced guard," said rumor under mistake)
was but few miles off. Few miles off, on the other side of the
Moldau;--of unknown strength, hidden in the circumambient clouds of
Pandours.
Suppressing all the rages and natural reflections but those needful for
the moment, Friedrich (October 4th, by Moldau-Tein) dashes across the
Moldau, to seek Prince Karl, at the place indicated, and at once smite
him down if possible;--that will be a remedy for all things. Prince Karl
is not there, nor was; the indication had been false; Friedrich searches
about, for four days, to no purpose. Prince Karl, he then learns for
certain, has crossed the Moldau farther down, farther northward, between
Prag and us. Means to cut us off from Prag, then, which is our fountain
of life in these circumstances? That is his intention:--"Old Traun, who
is with him, understands his trade!" thinks Friedrich. Traun, or the
Prince, is diligently forming magazines, all the Country carrying to
him, in the Town of Beneschau, hither side of the Sazawa, some seventy
miles north of us, an important Town where roads meet:--unless we can
get hold of Beneschau, it will be ill with us here! Across the River
again, at any rate; and let us hasten thither. That is an affair which
must be looked to; and speed is necessary!
OCTOBER 8th, After four days' search ending in this manner, Friedrich
swiftly crosses towards Tabor again, to Bechin (over on the Luschnitz,
one march), there to collect himself for Beneschau and the other
intricacies. Towards Tabor again, by his Bridge of Moldau-Tein;--clouds
of Pandour people, larger clouds than usual, hanging round; hidden by
the woods till Friedrich is gone. Friedrich being gone, there occurs the
AFFAIR OF MOLDAU-TEIN, much talked of in Prussian Books. Of which, in
extreme condensation, this is the essence:--
"OCTOBER 9th. Friedrich once off to Bechin, the Pandour clouds gather
on his rearguard next day at Tein Bridge here, to the number of about
10,000 [rumor counts 14,000]; and with desperate intent, and more
regularity than usual, attack the Tein-Bridge Party, which consists
of perhaps 2,000 grenadiers and hussars, the whole under Ziethen's
charge,--obliged to wait for a cargo of Bread-wagons here. 'Defend your
Bridge, with cannon, with case-shot:' that is what the grenadiers do.
The Pandour cloud, with horrid lanes cut in it, draws back out of this;
then plunges at the River itself, which can be ridden above or below;
rides it, furious, by the thousand: 'Off with your infantry; quit the
Bridge!' cries Ziethen to his Captain there: 'Retire you, Parthian-like;
thrice-steady,' orders Ziethen: 'It is to be hoped our hussars can deal
with this mad-doggery!' And they do it; cutting in with iron discipline,
with fierceness not undrilled; a wedge of iron hussars, with ditto
grenadiers continually wheeling, like so many reapers steady among
wind-tossed grain; and gradually give the Pandours enough. Seven hours
of it, in all: 'of their sixty cartridges the grenadiers had fired
fifty-four,' when it ended, about 7 P.M. The coming Bread-wagons,
getting word, had to cast their loaves into the River (sad to think of);
and make for Bechin at their swiftest. But the rearguard got off with
its guns, in this victorious manner: thanks to Major-General Ziethen,
Colonel Reusch and the others concerned. [_Feldzuge der Preussen,_ i.
268; Orlich, ii. 55.]
"Ziethen handsels his Major-Generalcy in this fine way: [Patent given
him "3d October, 1744," only a week ago, "and ordered to be dated eight
months back" (Rodenbeck, i. 109).] a man who has had promotion, and also
has had none, and may again come to have none;--and is able to do either
way. Never mind, my excellent tacit friend! Ziethen is five-and-forty
gone; has a face which is beautiful to me, though one of the coarsest.
Face thrice-honest, intricately ploughed with thoughts which are well
kept silent (the thoughts, indeed, being themselves mostly inarticulate;
thoughts of a simple-hearted, much-enduring, hot-tempered son of
iron and oatmeal);--decidedly rather likable, with its lazily hanging
under-lip, and respectable bearskin cylinder atop."
FRIEDRICH TRIES TO HAVE BATTLE FROM PRINCE KARL, IN THE MOLDAU
COUNTRIES; CANNOT, OWING TO THE SKILL OF PRINCE KARL OR OF OLD
FELDMARSCHALL TRAUN;--HAS TO RETIRE BEHIND THE SAZAWA, AND ULTIMATELY
BEHIND THE ELBE, WITH MUCH LABOR IN VAIN.
OCTOBER 14th-18th: RETREAT FROM BECHIN-TABOR COUNTRY TO BENESCHAU. ...
"These Pandours give us trouble enough; no Magazine here, no living to
be had in this Country beside them. Unfortunate Colonel Jahnus went out
from Tabor lately, to look after requisitioned grains: infinite Pandours
set upon him [Muhlhausen is the memorable place]; Jahnus was obstinate
(too obstinate, thinks Friedrich), and perished on the ground, he and
200 of his. [ _OEuvres de Frederic,_ iii. 61.] Nay, next, a swarm of
them came to Tabor itself, Nadasti at their head; to try whether Tabor,
with its small garrison, could not be escaladed, and perhaps Prince
Henri, who lies sick there, be taken? Tabor taught them another lesson;
sent them home with heads broken;--which Friedrich thinks was an
extremely suitable thing. But so it stands: Here by the thousand and the
ten thousand they hang round us; and Prince Karl--It is of all things
necessary we get hold of that Beneschau, and the Magazine he is
gathering there!
"Rapidity is indispensable,--and yet how quit Tabor? We have detachments
out at Neuhaus, at Budweis, and in Tabor 300 men in hospital, whom there
are no means of carrying. To leave them to the Tolpaches? Friedrich
confesses he was weak on this occasion; he could not leave these 300
men, as was his clear duty, in this extremity of War. He ordered in his
Neuhaus Detachment; not yet any of the others. He despatched Schmerin
towards Beneschau with all his speed; Schwerin was lucky enough to
take Beneschau and its provender,--a most blessed fortune,--and fences
himself there. Hearing which, Friedrich, having now got the Neuhaus
Detachment in hand, orders the other Three, the Budweis, the Tabor here,
and the Frauenberg across the River, to maintain themselves; and
then, leaving those southern regions to their chance, hastens towards
Beneschau and Schwerin; encamps (October 18th) near Beneschau,--'Camp of
Konopischt,' unattackable Camp, celebrated in the Prussian Books;--and
there, for eight days, still on the south side of Sazawa, tries every
shift to mend the bad posture of affairs in that Luschnitz-Sazawa
Country. His Three Garrisons (3,000 men in them, besides the 300 sick)
he now sees will not be able to maintain themselves; and he sends in
succession 'eight messengers,' not one messenger of whom could get
through, to bid them come away. His own hope now is for a Battle
with Prince Karl; which might remedy all things. [_OEuvres de
Frederic,_ iii. 62-64.]"
That is Friedrich's wish; but it is by no means Traun's, who sees that
hunger and wet weather will of themselves suffice for Friedrich. There
ensues accordingly, for three weeks to come, in that confused Country,
a series of swift shufflings, checkings and manoeuvrings between these
two, which is gratifying and instructive to the strategic mind, but
cannot be inflicted upon common readers. Two considerable chess-players,
an old and a young; their chess-board a bushy, rocky, marshy
parallelogram, running fifty miles straight east from Prag, and twenty
or fewer south, of which Prag is the northwest angle, and Beneschau, or
the impregnable Konopischt the southwest: the reader must conceive it;
and how Traun will not fight Friedrich, yet makes him skip hither and
thither, chiefly by threatening his victuals. Friedrich's main magazine
is now at Pardubitz, the extreme northeast angle of the parallelogram.
Parallelogram has one river in it, with the innumerable rocks and
brooks and quagmires, the river Sazawa; and on the north side, where are
Kuttenberg, Czaslau, Chotusitz, places again become important in
this business, it is bounded by another river, the Elbe. Intricate
manoeuvring there is here, for three weeks following: "old Traun an
admirable man!" thinks Friedrich, who ever after recognized Traun as his
Schoolmaster in the art of War. We mark here and there a date, and leave
it to readers.
"RADICZ, OCTOBER 21st-22d. At Radicz, a march to southwest of us, and on
our side of the Moldau, the Saxons, under Weissenfels, 20,000 effective,
join Prince Karl; which raises his force to 69,514 men, some 10,000 more
than Friedrich is master of. [Orlich, ii. 66.] Prospect of wintering
between the Luschnitz and the Sazawa there is now little; unless they
will fight us, and be beaten. Friedrich, from his inaccessible Camp of
Konopischt, manoeuvres, reconnoitres, in all directions, to produce
this result; but to no purpose. An Austrian Detachment did come, to look
after Beneschau and the Magazines there; but rapidly drew back again,
finding Konopischt on their road, and how matters were. Friedrich
will guard the door of this Sazawa-Elbe tract of Country; hope of the
Sazawa-Luschnitz tract has, in few days, fallen extinct. Here is
news come to Konopischt: our Three poor Garrisons, Budweis, Tabor,
Frauenberg, already all lost; guns and men, after defence to the
last cartridge,--in Frauenberg their water was cut off, it was
eight-and-forty hours of thirst at Frauenberg:--one way or other, they
are all Three gone; eight couriers galloping with message, 'Come away,'
were all picked up by the Pandours; so they stood, and were lost. 'Three
thousand fighting men gone, for the weak chance of saving three hundred
who were in hospital!' thinks Friedrich: War is not a school of the
weak pities. For the chance of ten, you lose a hundred and the ten too.
Sazawa-Elbe tract of country, let us vigilantly keep the door of that!
"SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24th, Friedrich out reconnoitring from Konopischt
discovers of a certainty that the whole Austrian-Saxon force is
now advaucing towards Beneschau, and will, this night, encamp at
Marschowitz, to southwest, only one march from us! On the instant
Friedrich hurries back; gets his Army on march thitherward, though the
late October sun is now past noon; off instantly; a stroke yonder will
perhaps be the cure of all. Such roads we had, says Friedrich, as never
Army travelled before: long after nightfall, we arrive near the Austrian
camp, bivouac as we can till daylight return. At the first streak of
day, Friedrich and his chief generals are on the heights with their
spy-glasses: Austrian Army sure enough; and there they have altered
their posture overnight (for Traun too has been awake); they lie now
opposite our RIGHT flank; 'on a scarped height, at the foot of which,
through swamps and quagmires, runs a muddy stream.' Unattackable on this
side: their right flank and foot are safe enough. Creep round and see
their left:--Nothing but copses, swampy intricacies! We may shoulder
arms again, and go back to Konopischt: no fight here! [_OEuvres
de Frederic,_ iii. 63, 64; Orlich, ii. 69.] Speaking of defensive
Campaigns, says Friedrich didactically, years afterwards, 'If such
situations are to answer the purpose intended, the front and flanks must
be equally strong, but the rear entirely open. Such, for instance,
are those heights which have an extensive front, and whose flanks are
covered by morasses:--as was Prince Karl's Camp at Marschowitz in the
year 1744, with its front covered by a stream, and the wings by deep
hollows; or that which we ourselves then occupied at Konopischt,--as you
well remember. [_Military Instructions_ (above cited), p. 44.]
"OCTOBER 26th-NOVEMBER 1st. The Sazawa-Luschnitz tract of Country is
quite lost, then; lost with damages: the question now is, Can we keep
the Sazawa-Elbe tract? For about three weeks more, Friedrich struggles
for that object; cannot compass that either. Want of horse-provender is
very great:--country entirely eaten, say the peasants, and not a truss
remaining. October 26th, Friedrich has to cross the Sazawa; we must quit
the door of that tract (hunger driving us), and fight for the interior
in detail. Traun gets to Beneschau in that cheap way; and now, in behalf
of Traun, the peasants find forage enough, being zealous for Queen and
creed. Pandours spread themselves all over this Sazawa-Elbe country;
endanger our subsistences, make our lives miserable. It is the old
story: Friedrich, famine and mud and misery of Pandours compelling,
has to retire northward, Elbe-ward, inch by inch; whither the Austrians
follow at a safe distance, and, in spite of all manoeuvring, cannot be
got to fight.
"Brave General Nassau, who much distinguishes himself in these
businesses, has (though Friedrich does not yet know it) dexterously
seized Kolin, westward in those Elbe parts,--ground that will be notable
in years coming. Important little feat of Nassau's; of which anon. On
the other hand, our Magazine at Pardubitz, eastward on the Elbe, is
not out of danger: Pandours and regulars 2,000 and odd, 'sixty of the
Pandour kind disguised as peasants leading hay-carts,' made an attempt
there lately; but were detected by the vigilant Colonel, and blown to
pieces, in the nick of time, some of them actually within the gate.
[ _OEuvres de Frederic,_ iii. 65.] Nay, a body of Austrian regulars were
in full march for Kolin lately, intending to get hold of the Elbe
itself at that point (midway between Prag and Pardubitz): but the prompt
General Nassau, as we remarked, had struck in before them; and now holds
Kolin;--though, for several days, Friedrich could not tell what had
become of Nassau, owing to the swarms of Pandours.
"Friedrich, standing with his back to Prag, which is fifty miles from
him, and rather in need of his support than able to give him any; and
drawing his meal from the uncertain distance, with Pandours hovering
round,--is in difficult case. While old Traun is kept luminous as
mid-day; the circumambient atmosphere of Pandours is tenebrific to
Friedrich, keeps him in perpetual midnight. He has to read his position
as with flashes of lightning, for most part. A heavy-laden, sorely
exasperated man; and must keep his haggard miseries strictly secret;
which I believe he does. Were Valori here, it is very possible he might
find the countenance FAROUCHE again; eyes gloomy, on damp November
mornings! Schwerin, in a huff, has gone home: Since your Majesty is
pleased to prefer his young Durchlaucht of Anhalt's advice, what can
an elderly servant (not without rheumatisms) do other?--'Well!' answers
Friedrich, not with eyes cheered by the phenomenon. The Elbe-Sazawa
tract, even this looks as if it would be hard to keep. A world very dark
for Friedrich, enveloped so by the ill chances and the Pandours. But
what help?
"From the French Camp far away, there comes, dated 17th October
(third week of their Siege of Freyburg), by way of help to Friedrich,
magnanimous promise: 'So soon as this Siege is done, which will be
speedily, though it is difficult, we propose to send fifty battalions
and a hundred squadrons,'"--say only 60,000 horse and foot (not a hoof
or toe of which ever got that length, on actually trying it),--"towards
Westphalia, to bring the Elector of Koln to reason [poor Kaiser's lanky
Brother, who cannot stand the French procedures, and has lately sold
himself, that is sold his troops, to England], and keep the King of
England and the Dutch in check,"--by way of solacement to your Majesty.
Will you indeed, you magnanimous Allies?--This was picked up by the
Pandours; and I know not but Friedrich was spared the useless pain of
reading it. [Orlich, ii. 73.]
"NOVEMBER 1st-9th: FRIEDRICH LOSES SAZAWA-ELBE COUNTRY TOO. On the first
day of November, here is a lightning-flash which reveals strange things
to Friedrich. Traun's late manoeuvrings, which have been so enigmatic,
to right and to left, upon Prag and other points, issue now in an
attempt towards Pardubitz; which reveals to Friedrich the intention
Traun has formed, of forcing him to choose one of those two places, and
let go the other. Formidable, fatal, thinks Friedrich; and yet admirable
on the part of Traun: 'a design beautiful and worthy of admiration.' If
we stay near Prag, what becomes of our communication with Silesia; what
becomes of Silesia itself? If we go towards Pardubitz, Prag and Bohmen
are lost! What to do? 'Despatch reinforcement to Pardubitz; thanks to
Nassau, the Kolin-Pardubitz road is ours!' That is done, Pardubitz saved
for the moment. Could we now get to Kuttenberg before the old Marshal,
his design were overset altogether. Alas, we cannot march at once, have
to wait a day for the bread. Forward, nevertheless; and again forward,
and again; three heavy marches in November weather: let us make a fourth
forced march, start to-morrow before dawn,--Kuttenberg above all things!
In vain; to-morrow, 4th November, there is such a fog, dark as London
itself, from six in the morning onwards, no starting till noon: and then
impossible, with all our efforts, to reach Kuttenberg. We have to halt
an eight miles short of it, in front of Kolin; and pitch tents there. On
the morrow, 5th November, Traun is found encamped, unattackable, between
us and our object; sits there, at his ease in a friendly Country, with
Pandour whirlpools flowing out and in; an irreducible case to Friedrich.
November 5th, and for three days more, Friedrich, to no purpose, tries
his utmost;--finds he will have to give up the Elbe-Sazawa region, like
the others. Monday, November 9th, Friedrich gathers himself at Kolin;
crosses the Elbe by Kolin Bridge, that day. Point after point of the
game going against him."
Kolin was, of course, attacked, that Monday evening, so soon as the main
Army crossed: but, so soon as the Army left, General Nassau had taken
his measures; and, with his great guns and his small, handled the
Pandours in a way that pleased us. [ _OEuvres de Frederic,_ iii. 68.]
Thursday night following, they came back, with regular grenadiers to
support; under cloud of night, in great force, ruffian Trenck at the
head of them: a frightful phenomenon to weak nerves. But this also
Nassau treated in such a fiery fashion that it vanished without return;
three hundred dead left on the ground, and ruffian Trenck riding off
with his own crown broken,--beautiful indigo face streaking itself into
GINGHAM-pattern, for the moment!
Except Pardubitz, where also the due battalions are left, Friedrich now
holds no post south of the Elbe in this quarter; Elbe-Sazawa Tract is
gone like the others, to all appearance. And we must now say, Silesia
or Prag? Prince Leopold, Council-of-War being held on the matter, is for
keeping hold of Prag: "Pity to lose all the excellent siege-artillery we
brought thither," says he. True, too true; an ill-managed business
that of Prag! thinks Friedrich sadly to himself: but what is Prag and
artillery, compared to Silesia? Parthian retreat into Silesia; and
let Prag and the artillery go: that, to Friedrich, is clearly the sure
course. Or perhaps the fatal alternative will not actually arrive? So
long as Pardubitz and Kolin hold; and we have the Elbe for barrier?
Truth is, Prince Karl has himself written to Court that, having now
pushed his Enemy fairly over the Elbe, and winter being come with its
sleets and slushes, ruinous to troops that have been so marched about,
the Campaign ought to end;--nay, his own young Wife is in perilous
interesting circumstances, and the poor Prince wishes to be home. To
which, however, it is again understood, Maria Theresa has emphatically
answered, "No,--finish first!"
NOVEMBER 9th-19th: WE DEFEND THE ELBE RIVER. Friedrich has posted
himself on the north shore of the Elbe, from Pardubitz to the other side
of Kolin; means to defend that side of the River, where go the Silesian
roads. At Bohdenetz, short way across from Pardubitz, he himself is;
Prince Leopold is near Kolin: thirty miles of river-bank to dispute.
The controversy lasts ten days; ends in ELBE-TEINITZ, a celebrated
"passage," in Books and otherwise. Friedrich is in shaggy, intricate
country; no want of dingles, woods and quagmires; now and then pleasant
places too,--here is Kladrup for example, where our Father came three
hundred miles to dine with the Kaiser once. The grooms and colts are
all off at present; Father and Kaiser are off; and much is changed since
then. Grim tussle of War now; sleety winter, and the Giant Mountains in
the distance getting on their white hoods! Friedrich doubtless has
his thoughts as he rides up and down, in sight of Kladrup, among other
places, settling many things; but what his thoughts were, he is careful
not to say except where necessary. Much is to be looked after, in this
River controversy of thirty miles. Detachments lie, at intervals, all
the way; and mounted sentries, a sentry every five miles, patrol the
River-bank; vigilant, we hope, as lynxes. Nothing can cross but alarm
will be given, and by degrees the whole Prussian force be upon it. This
is the Circle of Konigsgratz, this that now lies to rear; and happily
there are a few Hussites in it, not utterly indisposed to do a little
spying for us, and bring a glimmering of intelligence, now and then.
It is now the second week that Frietrich has lain so, with his mounted
patrols in motion, with his Hussite spies; guarding Argus-like this
thirty miles of River; and the Austrians attempt nothing, or nothing
with effect. If the Austrians go home to their winter-quarters, he hopes
to issue from Kolin again before Spring, and to sweep the Elbe-Sazawa
Tract clear of them, after all. Maria Theresa having answered No, it is
likely the Austrians will try to get across: Be vigilant therefore,
ye mounted sentries. Or will they perhaps make an attempt on Prag?
Einsiedel, who has no garrison of the least adequacy, apprises us That
"in all the villages round Prag people are busy making ladders,"--what
can that mean? Friedrich has learned, by intercepted letters, that
something great is to be done on Wednesday, 18th: he sends Rothenburg
with reinforcement to Einsiedel, lest a scalade of Prag should be on
the cards. Rothenburg is right welcome in the lines of Prag, though with
reinforcement still ineffectual; but it is not Prag that is meant, nor
is Wednesday the day. Through Wednesday, Friedrich, all eye and ear,
could observe nothing: much marching to and fro on the Austrian side of
the River; but apparently it comes to nothing? The mounted patrols had
better be vigilant, however.
On the morrow, 5 A.M., what is this that is going on? Audible booming of
cannon, of musketry and battle, echoing through the woods, penetrates to
Friedrich's quarters at Bohdenetz in the Pardubitz region: Attack upon
Kolin, Nassau defending himself there? Out swift scouts, and see! Many
scouts gallop out; but none comes back. Friedrich, for hours, has to
remain uncertain; can only hope Nassau will defend himself. Boom go the
distant volleyings; no scout comes back. And it is not Nassau or Kolin;
it is something worse: very glorious for Prussian valor, but ruinous to
this Campaign.
The Austrians, at 2 o'clock this morning, Austrians and Saxons, came in
great force, in dead silence, to the south brink of the River, opposite
a place called Teinitz (Elbe-Teinitz), ten miles east of Kolin; that
was the fruit of their marching yesterday. They sat there forbidden to
speak, to smoke tobacco or do anything but breathe, till all was ready;
till pontoons, cannons had come up, and some gleam of dawn had broken.
At the first gleam of dawn, as they are shoving down their pontoon
boats, there comes a "WER-DA, Who goes?" from our Prussian patrol across
the River. Receiving no answer, he fires; and is himself shot down. One
Wedell, Wedell and Ziethen, who keep watch in this part, start instantly
at sound of these shots; and make a dreadful day of it for these
invasive Saxon and Austrian multitudes. Naturally, too, they send off
scouts, galloping for more help, to the right and to the left. But that
avails not. Wild doggery of Pandours, it would seem, have already swum
or waded the River, above Teinitz and below:--"Want of vigilance!" barks
Friedrich impatiently: but such a doggery is difficult to watch with
effect. At any rate, to the right and to the left, the woods are already
beset with Pandours; every scout sent out is killed: and to east or to
west there comes no news but an echoing of musketry, a boom of distant
cannon. [Orlich, ii. 82-85.] Saxon-Austrian battalions, four or five,
with unlimited artillery going, VERSUS Wedell's one battalion, with
musketry and Ziethen's hussars: it is fearful odds. The Prussians stand
to it like heroes; doggedly, for four hours, continue the
dispute,--till it is fairly desperate; "two bridges of the enemy's now
finished;"--whereupon they manoeuvre off, with Parthian or Prussian
countenance, into the woods, safe, towards Kolin; "despatching definite
news to Friedrich, which does arrive about 11 A.M., and sets him at once
on new measures."
This is a great feat in the Prussian military annals; for which, sad
as the news was, Wedell got the name of Leonidas attached to him by
Friedrich himself. And indeed it is a gallant passage of war; "Forcing
of the Elbe at Teinitz;" of which I could give two Narratives, one from
the Prussian, and one from the Saxon side; [Seyfarth, _Beylage,_ i.
595-598; _Helden-Geschichte,_ ii. 1175-1181.] didactic, admonitory
to the military mind, nay to the civic reader that has sympathy with
heroisms, with work done manfully, and terror and danger and difficulty
well trampled under foot. Leonidas Wedell has an admirable silence, too;
and Ziethen's lazily hanging under-lip is in its old attitude again, now
that the spasm is over. "WAS THUTS? They are across, without a doubt. We
would have helped it, and could not. Steady!"--
FRIEDRICH'S RETREAT; ESPECIALLY EINSIEDEL'S FROM PRAG.
Seeing, then, that they are fairly over, Friedrich, with a creditable
veracity of mind, sees also that the game is done; and that same
night he begins manoeuvring towards Silesia, lest far more be lost by
continuing the play. One column, under Leopold the Young Dessauer, goes
through Glatz, takes the Magazine of Pardubitz along with it: good to go
in several columns, the enemy will less know which to chase. Friedrich,
with another column, will wait for Nassau about Konigsgratz, then go by
the more westerly road, through Nachod and the Pass of Braunau. Nassau,
who is to get across from Kolin, and join us northwards, has due
rendezvous appointed him in the Konigsgratz region. Einsiedel, in Prag,
is to spike his guns, since he cannot carry them; blow up his
bastions, and the like; and get away with all discretion and all
diligence,--northwestward first, to Leitmeritz, where our magazines are;
there to leave his heavier goods, and make eastward towards Friedland,
and across the "Silesian Combs" by what Passes he can. Will have
a difficult operation; but must stand to it. And speed; steady,
simultaneous, regular, unresting velocity; that is the word for all. And
so it is done,--though with difficulty, on the part of poor Einsiedel
for one. It was Thursday, 19th November, when the Austrians got across
the Elbe: on Monday, 23d, the Prussian rendezvousings are completed; and
Friedrich's column, and the Glatz one under Leopold, are both on march;
infinite baggage-wagons groaning orderly along ("sick-wagons well
ahead," and the like precautions and arrangements), on both these
highways for Silesia: and before the week ends, Thursday, 26th, even
Einsiedel is under way. Let us give something of poor Einsiedel,
whose disasters made considerable noise in the world, that Winter and
afterwards.
"The two main columns were not much molested; that which went by Glatz,
under Leopold, was not pursued at all. On the rear of Friedrich's own
column, going towards Braunau, all the way to Nachod or beyond, there
hung the usual doggery of Pandours, which required whipping off from
time to time; but in the defiles and difficult places due precaution was
taken, and they did little real damage. Truchsess von Waldburg [our old
friend of the Spartan feat near Austerlitz in the MORAVIAN-FORAY time,
whom we have known in London society as Prussian Envoy in bygone years]
was in one of the divisions of this column; and one day, at a village
where there was a little river to cross (river Mietau, Konigsgratz
branch of the Elbe), got provoked injudiciously into fighting with
a body of these people. Intent not on whipping them merely, but on
whipping them to death, Truchsess had already lost some forty men, and
the business with such crowds of them was getting hot; when, all at
once a loud squeaking of pigs was heard in the village,"--apprehensive
swineherd hastily penning his pigs belike, and some pig refractory;--"at
sound of which, the Pandour multitude suddenly pauses, quits fighting,
and, struck by a new enthusiasm, rushes wholly into the village; leaving
Truchsess, in a tragi-comic humor, victorious, but half ashamed
of himself. [ _OEuvres de Frederic,_ iii. 73.] In the beginning of
December, Friedrich's column reached home, by Braunau through the
Mountains, the same way part of it had come in August; not quite so
brilliant in equipment now as then.
"It was upon Einsiedel's poor Garrison, leaving Prag in such haste, that
the real stress of the retreat fell; its difficulties great indeed, and
its losses great. Einsiedel did what was possible; but all things are
not possible on a week's warning. He spiked great guns, shook endless
hundredweights of powder, and 10,000 stand of arms, into the River;
he requisitioned horses, oxen, without number; put mines under the
bastions, almost none of which went off with effect. He kept Prag
accurately shut, the Praguers accurately in the dark; took his measures
prudently; and labored night and day. One measure I note of him:
stringent Proclamation to the inhabitants of Prag, 'Provision yourselves
for three months; nothing but starvation ahead otherwise.' Alas, we
are to stand a fourth siege, then? say the Praguers. But where are
provisions to be had? At such and such places; from the Royal Magazines
only, if you bring a certificate and ready money! Whereby Einsiedel
got delivered of his meal-magazine, for one thing. But his difficulties
otherwise were immense.
"On the Thursday morning, 26th November, 1744, he marched. His wagons
had begun the night before; and went all night, rumbling continuous
(Anonymous of Prag [Second "LETTER from a Citizen, &c." (date, 27th
November, see supra, p. 348), in _Helden-Geschichte,_ ii. 1181-1188.]
hearing them well), through the Karlthor, northwest gate of Prag, across
the Moldau Rridge. All night across that bridge,--Leitmeritz road, great
road to the northwest:--followed finally by the march of horse and foot.
But news had already fled abroad. Five hundred Pandours were in the
City, backed by the Butchers' lads and other riotous GESINDEL, before
the rear-guard got away. Sad tugging and wriggling in consequence, much
firing from windows, and uproarious chaos;--so that Rothenburg had at
last to remount a couple of guns, and blow it off with case-shot. A
drilled Prussian rear-guard struggling, with stern composure, through a
real bit of burning chaos. With effect, though not without difficulty.
Here is the scene on the Noldau Bridge, and past that high Hradschin
[Old Palace of the Bohemian Kings (pronounce RADsheen); one of the
steepest Royal Sites in the world.] mass of buildings; all Prag, not the
Hradschin only, struggling to give us fatal farewell if it durst. River
is covered with Pandours firing out of boats; Bridge encumbered to
impassability by forsaken wagons, the drivers of which had cut traces
and run; shot comes overhead from the Hradschin on our left, much shot,
infinite tumult all round; thoroughfare impossible for two-wheeled
vehicle, or men in rank. 'Halt!' cries Colonel Brandes, who has charge
of the thing; divides them in three: 'First one party, deal with these
river-boats, that Pandour doggery; second party, pull these stray wagons
to right and left, making the way clear; third party, drag our
own wagons forward, shoulder to shaft, and yoke them out of
shot-range;--you, Captain Carlowitz,' and calls twenty volunteers to go
with Carlowitz, and drag their own cannon, 'step you forward, keep the
gate of that Hradschin till we all pass!' In this manner, rapid, hard of
stroke, clear-headed and with stern regularity, drilled talent gets the
burning Nessus'-shirt wriggled off; and tramps successfully forth with
its baggages. About 11 A.M., this rearguard of Brandes's did; should
have been at seven,--right well that it could be at all.
"Einsiedel, after this, got tolerably well to Leitmeritz; left his heavy
baggage there; then turned at an acute angle right eastward, towards the
Silesian Combs, as ordered: still a good seventy miles to do, and the
weather getting snowy and the days towards their shortest. Worse still;
old Weissenfels, now in Prag with his Saxons, is aware that Einsiedel,
before ending, will touch on a wild high-lying corner of the Lausitz
which is Saxon Country; and thitherward Weissenfels has despatched
Chevalier de Saxe (in plenty of time, November 29th), with horse and
foot, to waylay Einsiedel, and block the entrance of the Silesian
Mountains for him. Whereupon, in the latter end of his long march,
and almost within sight of home, ensues the hardest brush of all for
Einsiedel. And, in the desolation of that rugged Hill country of the
Lausitz, 'HOCHWALD (Upper Weld),' twenty or more miles from Bohemian
Friedland, from his entrance on the Mountain Barrier and Silesian Combs,
there are scenes--which gave rise to a Court-Martial before long.
For unexpectedly, on the winter afternoon (December 9th), Einsiedel,
struggling among the snows and pathless Hills, comes upon Chevalier de
Saxe and his Saxon Detachment,--intrenched with trees, snow-redoubts,
and a hollow bog dividing us; plainly unassailable;--and stands there,
without covering, without 'food, fire, or salt,' says one Eye-witness,
'for the space of fourteen hours.' Gazing gloomily into it, exchanging a
few shots, uncertain what more to do; the much-dubitating Einsiedel. 'At
which the men were so disgusted and enraged, they deserted [the foreign
part of them, I fancy] in groups at a time,' says the above
Eye-witness. Not to think what became of the equipments, baggage-wagons,
sick-wagons:--too evident Einsiedel's loss, in all kinds, was very
considerable. Nassau, despatched by Leopold out of Glatz, from the other
side of the Combs, is marching to help Einsiedel;--who knows, at this
moment, where or whitherward? For the peasants are all against us;
our very guides desert, and become spies. 'Push to the left, over the
Hochwald top, must not we?' thinks Einsiedel: 'that is Lausitz, a Saxon
Country; and Saxony, though the Saxons stand intrenched here, with the
knife at our throat, are not at war with us, oh no, only allies of her
Majesty of Hungary, and neutral otherwise!' And here, it is too clear,
the Chevalier de Saxe stands intrenched behind his trees and snow; and
it is the fourteenth hour, men deserting by the hundred, without fire
and without salt; and Nassau is coming,--God knows by what road!
"Einsiedel pushes to the left, the Hochwald way; finds, in the Hochwald
too, a Saxon Commandant waiting him, with arms strictly shouldered.
'And we cannot pass through this moor skirt of Lausitz, say you, then?'
'Unarmed, yes; your muskets can come in wagons after you,' replies the
Saxon Commandant of Lausitz. 'Thousand thanks, Herr Commandant; but we
will not give you all that trouble,' answer Einsiedel and his Prussians;
'and march on, overwhelming him with politenesses,' says Friedrich;--the
approach of Nassau, above all, being a stringent civility. Of course,
despatch is very requisite to Einsiedel; the Chevalier, with his force,
being still within hail. The Prussians march all night, with pitch-links
flaring,--nights (I think) of the 13th-15th December, 1744, up among the
highlands there, rugged buttresses of the Silesian Combs: a sight enough
to astonish Rubezahl, if he happened to be out! As good chance would
have it, Nassau and Einsiedel, by preconcert, partly by lucky guess of
their own, were hurrying by the same road: three heaven-rending cheers
(December 16th) when we get sight of Nassau; and find that here is land!
December 16th, we are across,--by Ruckersdorf, not far from Friedland
(Bohmisch Friedland, not the Silesian town of that name, once
Wallenstein's);--and rejoice now to look back on labor done."
[ _Helden-Geschichte,_ ii. 1181-1190, 1191-1194;--Feldzuge,--i.
278-280.]
These were intricate strange scenes, much talked of at the time:
Rothenburg, ugly Walrave, Hacke, and other known figures, concerned in
them. Scenes in which Friedrich is not well informed; who much blames
Einsiedel, as he is apt to do the unsuccessful. Accounts exist, both
from the Prussian and from the Saxon side, decipherable with industry;
not now worth deciphering to English readers. Only that final scene
of the pitch-links, the night before meeting with Nassau, dwells
voluntarily in one's memory. And is the farewell of Einsiedel withal.
Friedrich blames him to the last: though a Court-Martial had sat on his
case, some months after, and honorably acquitted him. Good solid, silent
Einsiedel;--and in some months more, he went to a still higher court,
got still stricter justice: I do not hear expressly that it was the
winter marches, or strain of mind; but he died in 1745; and that
flare of pitch-links in Rubezahl's country is the last scene of him
to us,--and the end of Friedrich's unfortunate First Expedition in the
Second Silesian War.
"Foiled, ultimately, then, on every point; a totally ill-ordered game on
our part! Evidently we, for our part, have been altogether in the wrong,
in various essential particulars. Amendment, that and no other, is the
word now. Let us take the scathe and the scorn candidly home to us;--and
try to prepare for doing better. The world will crow over us. Well, the
world knows little about it; the world, if it did know, would be partly
in the right!"--Wise is he who, when beaten, learns the reasons of it,
and alters these. This wisdom, it must be owned, is Friedrich's; and
much distinguishes him among generals and men. Veracity of mind, as
I say, loyal eyesight superior to sophistries; noble incapacity of
self-delusion, the root of all good qualities in man. His epilogue to
this Campaign is remarkable;--too long for quoting here, except the
first word of it and the last:--
"No General committed more faults than did the King in this Campaign....
The conduct of M. de Traun is a model of perfection, which every soldier
that loves his business ought to study, and try to imitate, if he have
the talent. The king has himself admitted that he regarded this Campaign
as his school in the Art of War, and M. de Traun as his teacher." But
what shall we say? "Bad is often better for Princes than good;--and
instead of intoxicating them with presumption, renders them circumspect
and modest." [_OEuvres,_ iii.76, 77.] Let us still hope!--