THE FIFTEENTH OF AUGUST AT INNSPRUCK.
God is with those who fight for the rights and liberty of Germany.
He had granted another victory to the Tyrolese.
Animated by their brilliant successes, the patriots no longer stood
on the defensive, but, flocking from all quarters to the standard of
Hofer, assembled in great multitudes on Mount Isel, the scene of
their former triumphs, and destined to be immortalized by a still
more extraordinary victory. Lefebvre had collected his whole force,
consisting of twenty-six thousand men, of whom two thousand were
horse, with forty pieces of cannon, on the little plain which lies
between Innspruck and the foot of the mountains on the southern side
of the Inn. They were far from being animated, however, by their
wonted spirit; the repeated defeats they had experienced had
inspired them with that mysterious dread of the mountaineers with
which regular troops are so often seized, when, contrary to
expectation, they have been worsted by undisciplined bodies of men;
and a secret feeling of the injustice of their cause, and the
heroism with which they had been resisted, paralyzed many an arm
which had never trembled before a regular army.
The Tyrolese consisted of eighteen thousand men, three hundred of
whom were Austrian soldiers who had refused to follow their
officers, and remained to share the fate of the inhabitants. They
were tolerably supplied with ammunition, but had little provisions,
in consequence of which several hundred peasants had already gone
back to their homes.
Joseph Speckbacher commanded the right wing, whose line extended
from the heights of Passberg to the bridges of Hall and Volders;
Hofer was with the centre, and had his headquarters at the inn of
Spade, on the Schoenberg; Haspinger directed the left, and advanced
by Mutters.
At four in the morning, the brave Capuchin roused Hofer from sleep,
and, having first united with him in fervent prayer, hurried out to
communicate his orders to the outposts.
The battle commenced at six, and continued without intermission till
midnight, the Bavarians constantly endeavoring to drive the Tyrolese
from their position on Mount Isel, and they, in their turn, to force
the enemy back into the town of Innspruck.
For a long time the contest was undecided, the superior discipline
and admirable artillery of the enemy prevailing over the impetuous
but disorderly assaults and deadly aim of the mountaineers; but
toward nightfall the bridge of the Sill was carried after a
desperate struggle, and their left flank being thus turned, the
French and Bavarians gave way on all sides, and were pursued with
great slaughter into the city. They lost six thousand men, of whom
seventeen hundred wounded fell into the hands of the Tyrolese, while
on the side of the latter not more than nine hundred had fallen.
Lefebvre had to retreat hastily toward Salzburg, where his whole
army was collected on the 20th.
This great victory was immediately followed by the liberation of the
whole Tyrol; and when, on the morning of the 15th of August, the sun
rose over Innspruck, Andreas Hofer and his victorious host stood on
Mount Isel, gazing with profound emotion on the reeking, gory
battle-field, on which, two days ago, war had raged with all its
horrors, and on the city of Innspruck, whose smoking and burning
houses betokened the last outburst of the rage of the fugitive
French marshal. [Footnote: "Gallery of Heroes: Andreas Hofer," p.
126.]
"See how much blood it has cost, and how many wrongs had to be
committed, that we might obtain our rights!" sighed Andreas Hofer,
pointing to the battle-field. "My heart overflows with pity on
seeing these horrors, and I implore you all to be merciful with the
wounded and to treat the prisoners leniently. Among these prisoners
are about one thousand Bavarians and Saxons. See, they are standing
down yonder in dense groups, and our men surround them, mocking and
abusing them. Go down to them, dear Secretary Doeninger; tell them
to be merciful and compassionate, and to bear always in mind that
the prisoners are no longer their enemies, but their German
brethren; that they are Saxons and Bavarians, speak one and the same
language with us, and are our countrymen. Repeat this to our men,
Doeninger, and say to them in my name, 'Do not injure the prisoners;
they are Saxons and Bavarians, and good and brave men!'" [Footnote:
Andreas Hofer's own words.--Ibid., p. 125.]
"They are not exactly good men," said Speckbacher, who was standing
on the right side of Andreas Hofer; "no, they are not exactly good
men, Andy; otherwise they would not have fought against us, who are
assuredly good men and have done nothing but defend our dear
country."
Instead of replying to him, Andreas Hofer turned smilingly to the
Capuchin, who was standing on his left side. "Brother Joachim," he
said gently, "you ought to exhort our Joseph here a little, that he
may comply with the Redeemer's precept and forgive his enemies. He
is a very good, but very stubborn fellow; a brave and excellent
soldier, but it would do him no harm if he were a better Christian."
"If we had been good Christians latterly we should never have
defeated the enemy," growled the Capuchin, shaking his head. "If we
were good Christians, we should have to love our enemies, do good to
them that hate us, and pray for those who despitefully use us and
persecute us. So long as we are soldiers, Andy, we cannot be good
Christians; and I thank God for it that we fought like downright
brave heathens. But after the enemy has been expelled from the
country, and peace prevails again everywhere, and I have returned to
my tedious convent at Seeben, I will become again a pious Capuchin,
and exhort our dear brave Joseph Speckbacher to become as good a
Christian as our Andreas Hofer."
"No, no, brother Joachim, we will not wait until then to show to the
world that we are good Christians," exclaimed Andreas. "God stood by
us in the battle of Mount Isel and made us victorious over our
enemies. Let us thank Him, therefore, for His surpassing goodness
and mercy; let us pray Him to bless our victory and grant a glorious
resurrection to those who had to sacrifice their lives for it."
He drew his large rosary from his bosom, and, lifting his eyes
devoutly to heaven, sank down on his knees.
"Yes, let us pray God to bless our victory," said Father Haspinger,
bending his knees like Andreas Hofer; and Joseph Speckbacher
followed his example.
And the pious Tyrolese, seeing their leaders kneeling on the height
above, were filled with devout emotion; they knelt likewise; their
cheers and Jodlers, their shouts and laughter died away; only
prayers were heard from their lips, and, as an accompaniment to
them, the melodious peals of the bells, with which the people of
Innspruck were celebrating the departure of the French marshals, and
the approach of the defenders of the country.
At this moment the sun burst forth from the clouds, and shed a
radiant lustre on this whole sublime scene--the three kneeling
heroes on the height above, and all around the Tyrolese, clad in
their picturesque national costume, kneeling and thanking God, with
tears in their eyes, for the victory He had vouchsafed to them.
The Bavarian and Saxon prisoners, carried away by this spectacle,
knelt down like the Tyrolese, and prayed to God, like their enemies-
-not thanking Him, as the latter did, for the victory, but for
having made them prisoners, of good and pious victors. [Footnote:
Mayer's "Joseph Speckbacher," p. 196.]
All at once this pious scene was interrupted by loud cheers, shouts,
and Jodlers, and a long, imposing procession of singing, jubilant
men ascended the mountain. The new-comers were the students of
Innspruck, who came to congratulate Andreas Hofer on his brilliant
victory, and accompany him on his triumphal entry into the city.
Many persons followed them, and all shouted exultingly, "Where is
Andreas Hofer, the savior of the country? Where is Andreas Hofer,
the liberator?"
The band heading the procession of the students, struck up a ringing
flourish on beholding Andrews, who had risen from his knees at their
approach. But he raised his arm imperatively; the band ceased
playing immediately, and the cheers died away on the lips of the
students, who bowed respectfully to the tall, imposing form of the
Barbone.
"Hush, hush," said Andreas, gravely; "pray! No cheers, no music!
Neither I nor any of us did it; all the glory is due to Him above!"
[Footnote: Andreas Hofer's own words, Ibid., p. 197.]
"But you helped the good God a little," said the speaker of the
students, "and therefore you must submit to accept the thanks of the
whole Tyrol, and to being called the savior and liberator of the
country. We come to you as messengers of the capital of the Tyrol,
and are instructed to request you to tarry no longer, but make your
triumphal entry into the city."
"Yes, I will come," exclaimed Andreas, joyfully; "what I implored of
the Lord as the highest boon has been realized now: we shall make
our triumphal entry into the city, where the mean enemy behaved so
shamefully. Return to Innspruck, my friends, and say to the
inhabitants that we shall be in the city in the course of an hour--
old Red-beard, Speckbacher, and I--and that we shall be glad to meet
all our excellent friends there again."
And an hour afterward Andreas Hofer and his friends made their entry
into Innspruck. He sat in a gorgeous carriage, drawn by four
splendid white horses, which he himself had taken from a French
colonel during his flight across the Brenner. By the side of the
Sandwirth sat Joachim Haspinger, the Capuchin, and beside the
carriage rode Joseph Speckbacher, with a radiant face, and his dark,
fiery eyes beaming with triumphant joy, he was mounted on the proud
magnificently-caparisoned charger that had borne the haughty Duke of
Dantsic two days ago.
The carriage was preceded by a crowd of rejoicing peasants, and a
band of fifers and fiddlers; carpets and banners hung from all the
windows and balconies; ladies in beautiful attire greeted the
conquering hero with waving handkerchiefs; and the people in the
streets, the ladies on the balconies, and the boys on the roofs and
in the trees, shouted enthusiastically, "Long live Andreas Hofer!
Long live the commander-in-chief of the Tyrol!" And the bells
pealed, the cannon posted on the market-place thundered, and the
fifers and fiddlers made as much noise as possible.
"Listen, brother Haspinger," said Andreas Hofer, turning to the
Capuchin, while the carriage was moving on slowly, "I should really
dislike to enter the city always amid such fuss and noise; and I
believe it is heavy work for princes always to look well pleased and
cheerful when they are so much molested by the enthusiasm of the
people. I looked forward with a great deal of joy to the day when we
should make our entry into the city, and I thought it would be much
more beautiful; but now I am greatly tired of the whole thing; I
should be glad if they would cease fiddling, and clear a passage for
the carriage to move on more rapidly. I am hungry, and I would I
were already at the tavern of my dear friend Niederkircher."
"Well, you must learn to put on a pleasant face when the people
cheer you," said Haspinger, laughing. "You have now become a prince
too, and I think your people will love you dearly."
"What nonsense is that, brother?" asked Hofer, angrily.
"It is no nonsense at all, Andy; on the contrary, it is quite true.
Just listen to their acclamations."
"Long live Andreas Hofer!" shouted the crowd, which was dancing and
singing around the carriage. "Long live the commander-in-chief of
the Tyrol!"
"They call me commander-in-chief of the Tyrol," said Andreas,
musingly. "Tell me, Joachim, is it necessary for me to assume that
title?"
"Yes, it is. There must be a head of the state, a man to whom the
people may look up as its star, and to whom it may apply as its
comfort, support, and judge. And as the people have confidence in
you and love you, you must be the man to hold the whole together,
lest it should fall asunder. You shall be the head, and we others
will be your hands and thoughts, and will work and fight, and think
for you and the Tyrol. We must have a leader, a commander-in-chief
of the Tyrol, and you are the man, Andy."
"If you say so, it must be so," said Andreas, nodding his head
gently. "Well, then, I shall be commander-in-chief of the Tyrol
until order and peace are restored, and until the enemy has been
expelled from the country for evermore. But see, we have arrived in
front of Niederkircher's tavern, and there is Niederkircher himself
with his dear round face. God bless you, Niederkircher, why do you
look at me so solemnly, and why have you dressed up so nicely? Why,
you wear your holiday clothes, and yet I think this is neither
Sunday nor a holiday."
"It is a great holiday," exclaimed Niederkircher, "the commander-in-
chief of the Tyrol, the great Andreas Hofer, is making his triumphal
entry into the city. That is why I have put on my Sunday clothes and
look so solemn; for it would not be becoming for me to embrace the
distinguished commander-in-chief of the Tyrol, as I should like to
do under other circumstances."
"You are a fool, old fellow!" said Andreas, encircling his friend's
neck with his arm; "if I am commander-in-chief before the world, I
am, before my friends, always Andreas Hofer, the Sandwirth and
humble peasant. Let us go into the house, my dear friend; and you
Joachim, come with us. There! Take me to the small back room which I
always occupy during my stay in the city."
"God forbid!" exclaimed the innkeeper; "you never must occupy the
back room again; that would not be becoming for the commander-in-
chief of the Tyrol. You must take my best room with the balcony
opening on the street; besides, all is there in readiness for your
reception."
"Must I take it, Joachim?" said Andreas to the Capuchin, almost
anxiously.
"Yes, Andy, you must," replied the friar. "You must do honor to your
new dignity, and to us all."
"It is a pity that I must do so," sighed Andreas. "I was so glad
that I should soon be in the old back room, where it is so cozy and
quiet, and where you do not hear any thing of the noise and shouting
outside. But, if it cannot be helped, let us go to the best room;
but pray, if it is possible, give us something to eat there. Some
sound dumplings and a glass of native wine, friend Niederkircher."
"No, no, Andreas Hofer, that will not do today," replied the
innkeeper; "I have had all my servants at work in the kitchen ever
since sunrise, and you will have a dinner suitable for the
commander-in-chief of the Tyrol."
"I should have preferred dumplings and native wine in the small back
room," said Andreas Hofer, dolefully, while he ascended with the
innkeeper and the Capuchin to the best room on the first floor.
This was a very fine room indeed, and even though it was not as cozy
as the back room for which Hofer bad longed, it was at all events
very agreeable to him to be once more under a hospitable roof, and
enjoy a little rest and tranquillity. In the middle of the room
stood a table handsomely festooned with flowers, and covered with
bottles of wine, cake, and all sorts of fruit.
"Now, my distinguished friends, make yourselves as comfortable as
possible," said Niederkircher, cheerfully; "lie down awhile on the
silken divan and repose. Meanwhile I will go to the kitchen and
order dinner to be served to the commander-in-chief and his two
generals, Haspinger and Speckbacher."
"I shall comply with your request," growled the Capuchin, "and make
myself as comfortable as possible."
He burled his heavy, dusty leathern shoes quickly from his feet into
a corner of the room; he then lay down on the carpet in front of the
divan, and stretching his limbs, exclaimed, "Forsooth, I have not
been able for a long while to make myself as comfortable as to-day!"
"But you, commander-in-chief," said Niederkircher, beseechingly, "I
hope, will not disdain my divan? Rest there a little, Andy, until
the waiters bring you your dinner."
"God forbid! I must first attend to my horses," exclaimed Andreas.
"I suppose, Niederkircher, you saw my four splendid white horses?
They are honest war-spoils; I will keep them forever and never sell
them, although I could get a round sum for them, for they are fine
animals; only the first horse on the right-hand side, I believe, is
a little weak in the chest, and ought not to be overworked. Before
going to dinner and making myself comfortable, I must go and feed
the horses and see if they are comfortable. You know, Niederkircher,
I have always fed my horses myself, and will do so to-day also."
And he hastened toward the door; but Niederkircher ran after him and
kept him back.
"For God's sake. Hofer," he cried in dismay, "what are you going to
do? Why, you are not a horse-trader nor the Sandwirth to-day, but
commander-in-chief of the Tyrol."
"It is true, I forgot it," sighed Andreas. "Go, then, dear friend,
get us our dinner, and have a large bundle of hay put into the
manger of the horses.--But, great God! what dreadful noise is that
in the street? Why, those men are shouting so loudly that the walls
are shaking and the windows rattling! What do they want? Why do they
always repeat my name? Look out, Niederkircher, and see what is the
matter."
Niederkircher hastened to the window and drew the curtain aside in
order to look out into the street. A dense crowd was assembled in
front of the tavern; it was incessantly cheering and shouting:
"Andreas Hofer! Come out! Long live the commander-in-chief of the
Tyrol, the liberator! We want to see him, we must thank him for
delivering us from the enemy. Andreas Hofer! Andreas Hofer!"
"You cannot get around it, Andy; you must step out on the balcony,"
said Niederkircher, stepping back from the window. "The people are
perfectly beside themselves with love and enthusiasm, and will not
keep quiet until you come out and make a speech to them. Do, my
friend, step out on the balcony!"
"Must I do it?" asked Andreas, dolefully, turning to the Capuchin,
who was stretching himself comfortably on the carpet.
"You must, brother," said Haspinger, gravely. "The people wish to
see their beloved leader, and it would be ungrateful not to accept
their love."
Andreas Hofer sighed, but he yielded and approached the balcony, the
doors of which were thrown open by the innkeeper.
No sooner had the thousands assembled in front of the house beheld
the tall form of their favorite leader, than thundering cheers rent
the air; all waved their hats and shouted, "Long live Andreas Hofer!
Long live the commander-in-chief of the Tyrol!"
And now a feeling of profound emotion overcame the tender, grateful
heart of Andreas Hofer; joy and ecstasy filled his soul in the face
of so much love and enthusiasm, and tears of the most unalloyed
bliss glistened in his eyes, which greeted the jubilant people with
tender, loving glances. He was anxious to thank these kind people
and give utterance to his love; and he lifted up his arm, asking
them to be quiet that he might address them.
The cheers and acclamations ceased immediately, and Hofer spoke
amidst the breathless silence of the crowd in a loud, ringing voice:
"God bless you, dear people of Innspruck! As you wanted me to become
your commander-in-chief, I am now in your midst. But there are many
other Tyrolese who are not inhabitants of Innspruck. All who wish to
be my comrades must fight as brave and honest Tyrolese for God, the
emperor, and our fatherland. Those who are unwilling to do so must
go back to their homes. Those who wish to become my comrades must
never desert me. I shall not desert you either, as sure as my name
is Andreas Hofer! You have seen me now, and heard what I had to say
to you; therefore good-by!" [Footnote: Hofer's own words.--See
"Gallery of Heroes: Andreas Hofer," p.126.]
When Hofer had concluded his speech, thundering cheers rent again
the air; they continued even after he had left the balcony, closed
the door after him, and stepped back into the room.
"That was a very fine speech, Andy," said Niederkircher, shaking
hands with him, and gazing tenderly into his flushed face. "It was
evident that your words were not learned by rote, but came from your
heart, and hence they could not but make a profound impression. But
now, commander-in-chief of the Tyrol, dinner is ready. The soup is
already on the table, and I myself shall have the honor of waiting
on you."
"But Speckbacher is not yet here," said Andreas Hofer, "and we
cannot dine without him. We fought and worked together; now we will
also rest and attend to our comforts together. Do you not think so
too, brother Red-beard?"
But the Capuchin made no reply, or rather he responded only by a
loud and long snore.
"By the Holy Virgin! Haspinger has fallen asleep on the floor
yonder," exclaimed Andreas, smiling.
"Let us waken him, then," said Niederkircher, turning to the
sleeper.
"No, my friend, no, we will not do so," whispered Andreas, drawing
him back. "Our faithful and brave brother Red-beard has been so long
awake and at work that we must let him rest, and it would be very
wrong in us to arouse him from his sleep. Let us defer dinner,
therefore, until Speckbacher is here, and until Haspinger has slept
enough."
"But you said you were hungry, Andreas--Why do you want to wait,
then? Why do you not dine now and let the other two dine afterward?
You are commander-in-chief, the highest officer of all, and they
must do as it suits you, and you must not do as it suits them."
"Do not repeat such nonsense," cried Andreas, vehemently.
"I am commander-in-chief only because it is necessary that there
should be one to hold the whole together lest it should fall
asunder. That is what Father Haspinger said, and it is true. But
even though I am commander-in-chief of the Tyrol, I am not
commander-in-chief of my friends in my intimate intercourse with
them. All three of us have worked to the best of our power for the
fatherland, and I have not done more than Speckbacher or the
Capuchin. It is true, I am hungry, but I shall not go to dinner
without my friends; moreover, it is good that they are not here yet,
and that I have a little time left. The cravings of my stomach made
me almost forget my duty to God, and by the absence of my friends He
reminds me that I owe Him something and must come to Him. Keep your
fine soup, therefore, a little while, Niederkircher; I will, in the
mean time, go to the church of the Franciscans to report there to
the Lord as His faithful servant and soldier."
He took his black Tyrolese hat, descended hastily the staircase, and
went into the street. He had not noticed the dissatisfied air of
Niederkircher, and the fact that the innkeeper had not even thanked
him for his greeting; for all his thoughts were now fixed upon God,
and he reproached himself contritely with almost forgetting God,
owing to the cravings of his stomach.
"Forgive me, my Lord and God," he murmured, on entering the gloomy
nave of the church, "for not coming to Thee at once!"
He walked up the aisle with a noiseless, hurried step, in order not
to disturb the worshippers, to one of the small altars, before which
he knelt down devoutly.
"Here I am, my Lord and God," he murmured, clasping his hands, "to
render homage to Thee and thank Thee for delivering us from the
enemy and granting victory to us. I thank Thee for it from the
bottom of my heart, for Thy mercy was with us, and Thou didst lead
us as a true general. Guide us henceforth likewise, my Lord and God,
and stand by Thy faithful servant, that he may not fail in the
difficult task which he has now taken upon himself. Lord, Thou
knowest that vanity and pride do not prompt me to become more than I
ought to be; Thou knowest that I would rather be quietly at home
with my wife and children, than play the distinguished gentleman
here and assume an aristocratic title. But the Capuchin, who is
wiser than I, says it must be so, and I must be commander-in-chief.
Hence, I submit patiently, and consent to play the ruler here until
Thou, my Lord and God, allowest me again to be Thy humble and simple
servant, and to return to my beloved Anna Gertrude, my three little
daughters, and my dear little boy. O Holy Virgin, watch with
maternal care over my dear ones at home; protect them, and grant
peace to their hearts, that they may not tremble for my safety.
Grant peace to us all, Holy Mother of God, and--"
"Look, look, there he is!" shouted a loud voice behind him,
interrupting him in his prayer. "See, there is the great hero! How
humbly he is kneeling before the altar! Look at Andreas Hofer."
Andreas Hofer turned, indignant at the interruption and the words so
loudly uttered in that sacred place. He saw several hundred persons
thronging the aisle and fixing their eyes upon him. All crowded
forward and raised their heads to see Andreas Hofer, admire his fine
beard, and examine his whole appearance. They bad followed him
quietly, and as the news that Andreas Hofer, commander-in-chief of
the Tyrol, had gone to the church of the Franciscans, spread
rapidly, all had hastened thither to see him and render him homage.
But Andreas Hofer thought this homage decidedly irksome, and he was
angry that the spectators had disturbed his prayer. He, therefore,
made a bitter-sweet face in response to the enthusiastic
demonstrations and affectionate greetings of the people, and elbowed
his way hastily toward the door.
"I thank you for your attachment," he said to those who were close
to him, "but I should have been better pleased if you had allowed me
quietly to pursue my way, and had not interrupted my prayer. But now
pray let me go home alone, and do not follow me. It may be becoming
for aristocratic gentlemen to have a large suite behind them, but I
am only a simple Tyrolese like you all, and do not want to be any
thing else. Moreover, I am a very ordinary-looking man, and there is
no reason whatever why you should stare at me in this manner. Pray,
therefore, do not go with me, but let the return quietly to
Niederkircher's tavern, where I am going to dine."
They obeyed, of course, and opened a passage for him to step out of
the church door. But thereupon they rushed out to look after him and
shout, "Long live Andreas Hofer, the pious commander-in-chief of the
Tyrol!" But no one ventured to follow him; all gazed affectionately
and reverentially after his tall form, as he walked with a slow and
dignified step down the street.
"There are strange people in these cities," murmured Hofer to
himself, while walking along; "they do not even let me pray quietly,
and are as curious as swallows. They follow me everywhere, and stare
at me as though I were a wild beast. If that is being a famous man,
I do not care for fame; and for the whole world I would not be an
aristocratic or famous man all my lifetime. When peace has been
restored to the country, and there is no longer an enemy to fight,
they will forget my humble services, and I shall live again quietly
at my inn in the Passeyr valley. No one will then run after the
Sandwirth when he comes to Innspruck to sell horses; and I shall sit
again in Niederkircher's back room, eat dumplings, and drink native
wine. Ah, Holy Virgin, let it soon be so again, that the commander-
in-chief may be again Sandwirth Andreas Hofer."
"Hurrah, long live the commander-in-chief of the Tyrol!" shouted at
this moment some men who had recognized him, and stood still to do
homage to him as though he were a sovereign prince.
Andreas Hofer accelerated his step, and was very glad on reaching
the tavern soon afterward.