fatally more peculiar to him, a chance for
unfolding
it; -- any
blockhead has an ambition capable, if you encourage it suffi-
ciently, of running to the infinite.
blockhead has an ambition capable, if you encourage it suffi-
ciently, of running to the infinite.
Thomas Carlyle
That is their outlook, and Ferdinand
"knows it is, -- and manoeuvres accordingly. Military men
"admire much, not his movements only, but his clear insight
"into Contades's and Broglio's temper of mind, and by what
"methods they were to be handled, they and his own affairs
"together, and brought whither he wanted them. *
"This attempt on Gohfeld was a serious mischief to Con-
"tades, if it succeeded. But the detaching of the Prince of
"Brunswick on it, and weakening one's too weak Army,
"'What a rashness, what an oversight! ' thinks Contades (as
"Ferdinand wished him to do): 'Is our skilful enemy, in this
"extreme embarrassment, losing head, then? Look at his left
"wing yonder' -- (General Wangenheim, sitting behind
"batteries, in his Village of Todtenhausen, looking into
"Mindenfrom the north): -- 'Wangenheim's left leans on the
"Weser, yes; but Wangenheim's right, observe, has no sup-
port within three miles of it: tear Wangenheim out, Ferdi-
"nand's flank is bare! ' These things seemed to Contades the
"very chance he had been waiting for; and brought him
"triumphantly out of his rabbit-hole, into the Heath of Min-
"den, as Ferdinand hoped they would do.
"And so, Tuesday Evening, July 31st, things being now all
"ripe upwards of 50,000 French are industriously in motion.
"Contades has nineteen bridges ready on the Bastau Brook,
* In Mauvillon (n. 4144) minute account of all that.
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? 144 FRIEDR1CH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
1st Aug. 1759.
"in front of him; tattoo this night, in Contades's Camp, is to
"mean general-march,'March, all ofyou, across these nineteen
"Bridges, to your stations on the Plain or Heath of Minden
"yonder, -- and be punctual, like the clock! ' Broglio crosses
"Weser by the Town Bridge, ranks himself opposite Todten-
"hausen; and through the livelong night there is, on the part
"of the 50,000 French, a very great marching and deploying.
"Contades and Broglio together are 51,400 foot and horse.
"Ferdinand's entire force will be near 46,000; but on the day
"of Battle he is only 36,000, -- having detached the Here-
"ditary Prince on Grohfeld, in what view we know. -- The
"Battle of Minden, called also of Tonhausen (meaning Todten-
"hausen), which hereupon fell out, has still its fame in the
"world; and, I perceive, is well worth study by the soldier
"mind: though nothing but the rough outline of it is possible
"here.
"Ferdinand's posts extend from the Weser river and
"Todtenhausen round by Stemmern, Holzhausen, to Hartum
"and theBog ofBastau(the chief part of him towardsBastau),
"-- in various Villages, and woody patches and favourable
"spots; all looking in upon Minden, from a distance of five or
"seven miles; forming a kind of arc, with Minden for centre.
"He will march up in eight Columns; of course, with wide
"intervals between them, -- wide, but continually narrowing
"as he advances; which will indeed be ruinous gaps, if
"Ferdinand wait to be attacked; but which will coalesce
"close enough, if he be speedy upon Contades. For
"Contades's line is also of arc-like or almost semicircu-
"lar form, behind it Minden as centre; Minden, which is
"at the intersection of Weser and the Brook; his right
"flank is on Weser, Broglio versus Wangenheim the ex-
"treme-right; his left, with infantry and artillery, rests on
"that black Brook of Bastau with its nineteen Bridges. As
"the ground on both wings is rough, not so fit for Cavalry,
"Contades puts his Cavalry wholly in the centre: they are the
"flower of the French Army, about 10,000 horse in all; firm
"open ground ahead of them there, with strong batteries,
"masses of infantry to support on each flank; batteries to ply
"with cross-fire any assailant that may come on. Broglio, we
"said, is right wing; strong in artillery and infantry. Broglio
"is to root out Wangenheim: after which, -- or even before
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? CHAP. III. ] HE ATTEMPTS THE RUSSIAN PROBLEM. 145
it Aug. 1759.
'which, if Wangenheim is kept busy and we are nimble, --
'what becomes of Ferdinand's left flank, with a gap of three
'miles between Wangenheim and him, and 10,000 chosen
horse to take advantage of it! Had the French been of
'Prussian dexterity and nimbleness in marching, it is very
'possible something might have come of this latter circum-
'stance: but Ferdinand knows they are not; and intends to
'take good care of his flank.
"Contades and his people were of willing mind; but had
'no skill 'in marching up:' and, once got across the Bastau
'by their nineteen Bridges, they wasted many hours: -- ' Too
'far, ami? not far enough? Too close; not close enough? '
'--and broiled about, in much hurry and confusion, all night.
'Fight was to have begun at 5 in the morning. Broglio was
'in his place, silently looking into Wangenheim, by 5 o'clock;
'but unfortunately did nothing upon Wangenheim ('Not
'ready you, I see! '), except cannonade a little; -- and
'indeed, all through, did nothing ('Still not ready you
othe'rs! '); which surely was questionable conduct, though
not reckoned so at Versailles, when the case came to be
argued there. As to the Contades people, across those nine-
teen Bridges, they had a baffling confused night j and were
'by no means correctly on their ground at sunrise, not at
7 o'clock, not at 8; and were still mending themselves when
'the shock came, and time was done.
"The morning is very misty; but Ferdinand has himself
'been out examining since the earliest daybreak: his orders
'last night were, 'Cavalry be saddled at 1 in the morning,' --
'having a guess that there would be work, as he now finds
'there will. From 5 A. m. Ferdinand is issuing from his Camp,
'flowing down eastward, beautifully concentric, closing on
Contades; horse not in centre, but English Infantry in
centre (Six Battalions, or Six Regiments by English reckon-
ing); right opposite those 10,000 Horse of Contades's, the
sight of whom seems to be very animating to them. The
'English Cavalry stand on the right wing, at the Village of
'Hartum: Lord George Sackville nad rlotbeen very punctual
in saddling at 1 o'clock; but he is there, ranked on the fround, at 8, -- in what humour nobody knows; sulky and
abby, I should rather guess. English Tourists, idle other- Carlyle, Frederick the Great. XI. 10
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? 146 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book xix.
1st Aug. 1759.
"wise, may take a look atHartum on the south side, as the
"spot where a very ugly thing occurred that day.
"Soon after 8, the Fight begins: attack, by certain
"Hessians, on Hahlen and its batteries; attempt to drive the
"French out of Hahlen, as the first thing, -- which does not
"succeed at once (indeed took three attacks in all); and per-
"haps looks rather tedious to those Six English Battalions.
"Ferdinand's order to them was, 'You shall march up to
"attack, you Six, on sound of drum;' but, it seems, they read
"it, 'by sound of drum:' 'Beating our own drums; yes, of
"course! ' -- and, being weary of this Hahlen work, or fancy-
"ing they had no concern with it, strode on, double-quick,
"without waiting for Hahlen at all! To the horror of their
"Hanoverian comrades, who nevertheless determined to
"follow as second line. The Contades cross-fire of artillery,
"battery of 30 guns on one flank, of 36 on the other, doesits
"best upon this forward-minded Infantry, but they seem to
"heed it little; walk right forward; and, to the astonishment
"of those French Horse and of all the world, entirely break
"and ruin the charge made on them, and tramp forward in
"chase of the same. The 10,000 Horse feel astonished, in-
"suited; and rush out again, furiously charging; theEng-
"lish halt and serry themselves: 'No fire till they are within
"forty paces;' and then such pouring torrents of it as no
"horse or man can endure. Rally after rally there is, on the
"part of those 10,000; mass after mass of them indignantly
"plunges on, -- again, ever again, about six charges in all; --
"but do not break the English lines: one of them (regiment
"Mestre-de-Camp, raised to a paroxysm) does once get
"through, across the first line, but is blown back in dreadful
"circumstances by the second. After which they give it up,
"as a thing that cannot be done. And rush rearward, hither,
"thither, the whole seventy-five squadrons of them; and'be-
"tween their two wings of infantry, are seen boiling in com-
"plete disorder. '
"This has lasted about an hour; this is essentially the
"soul of the Fight, -- though there wanted not other activities,
"to right of it and to left, on both sides; artilleries going at a
"mighty rate on both wings; and counter-artilleries (super-
"lative practice 'by Captain Phillips' on our right wing);
"Broglio cannonading Wangenheim very loudly, but with
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? CHAP. m. ]' HE ATTEMPTS THE BUSSIAN PROBLEM. , 147
1st Aug. 1759.
"little harm done or suffered, on their right wing. Wangen-
"heim is watchful of that gap between Ferdinand and him,
"till it close itself sufficiently. Their rightwing Infantry did
"once make some attempt there; but the Prussian Horse --
"(always a small body of Prussians serve in this Allied Army)
"-- shot out,
"and in a bril-
"liant manner
"swept them
"home again.
"Artillery, and
"that pretty
"charge ofPrus-
"sian Horse,
"are all one re-
"members, ex-
"ceptthisof the
"English and
"Hanover Foot
"in the centre:
"'anunsurpass- "able thing,'
"says Tempel-
"hof (though it
"so easily might oa_ Contades's Camp. bb. Broglio's Camp,
'nave been ace. Ferdinand's position, night of July 31st.
"fatal! )--which <* ^ Wangenheim's position, night of July 31st.
"lion '. ot Pnn ""? Ferdinand's Line of Battle.
nas set i_,on- ff. Frenclt Wne of Battle.
tadess Centre g. French Cavalry. h. English Infantry,
"boiling and '? English and Hanoverian Cavalry, under Sackville.
"reduced Contades altogether to water, as it were. Contades
"said bitterly: 'I have seen what I never thought to be pos-
"'sible, -- a single line of infantry break through three lines
"'of cavalry, ranked in order of battle, and tumble them to
"'ruin! '*
"This was the feat, this hour's work in the centre, the
"essential soul of the Fight: -- and had Lord George Sack-
"ville, General of the Horse, come on when galloped for and
"bidden, here had been such a ruin, say all judges, as seldom
"came upon an Army. Lord George, -- everlasting disgrace
Stenzel, v. 204.
10*
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? 148 FRIEDRlCH LIKE TO BE O VeRWHELMEO. [book XIX.
1st Aug. 1759.
"and sorrow on the name of him, -- could not see his way to
"coming on; delayed, haggled; would not even let Granby,
"his lieutenant, come; not for a second Adjutant, not for a
"third; never came on at all; but rode to the Prince, asking,
'"How am I to come on? ' Who, with a politeness I can
"never enough admire, did not instantly kill kim, but an-
"swered, in mild tone, 'Milord, the opportunity is now past! '
"Whereby Contades escaped ruin, and was only beaten. By
"about 10 in the morning, all was over. When a man's centre
"is gone to water, no part of him is far from the fluid state.
"Contades retreated into his rabbit-hole by those nineteen
"bridges, -- well tormented, they say, by Captain Phillips's
"artillery, till he got beyond the knolls again. Broglio, who
"had never been in musket-fire at all, but had merely barked
"on Wangenheim all morning, instead of biting, covered the
"retreat, and withdrew into Minden. And we are a beaten
"Army, -- thanks to Lord George, not an annihilated one.
"Our loss being only 7,086 (with heavy guns, colours, cavalry
"flags and the like); theirs being2,822, --full half of it falling
"on those rash Six Battalions. *
"And what is this one hears from Gohfeld in the evening?
"The Hereditary Prince, busy there on us during the very
"hours of Minden, has blown our rearguard division to the
"winds there; -- and we must move southward, one and all of
"us, without a moment's delay! Out of this rabbit-hole the
"retreat by rearward is through a difficult country, the West-
"phalian Gates so-called; fatal to Varus's Legions long ago.
"Contades got under way that very night; lost most of his
"baggage, all his conquests, that shadow-conquest of
"Hanover, and more than all his glories (Versailles shrieking
"on him, 'Resign you; let Broglio be chief'); -- and, on the
"whole, jumbled homeward hither and thither, gravitating
"towards the Rhine, nothing but Wesel to depend on in those
"parts, as heretofore. Broglio retreated Frankfurt-way, also
"as usual, though not quite so far; and at Versailles had
* Mauvillon, n. 44-60; Tempelhof, m. 154-179, &c. &c. : and Proceed-
ings of a Court-Martial, held at the Horse-Guards, 1lh-2ilh March, and 25lh
Murch--blh April 1760, in Trial of Lord George Sackville (London, 1760). In
Knesebeck, Ferdinand wShreml des Sieben-jAhrigen Krieges (i. 395), Ferdi-
nand's Letter to Friedrich of "July 31st;" and (ib. 398-418 and n. 33-36)
many special details about Sackville, and "August 1st. "
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? CHAP, in. ] HE ATTEMPTS THE RUSSIAN PROBLEM. 149
1st Aug. 1759.
"clearly the victory. Zealous Belleisle could not protect his
"Contades; it is not known whether he privately blamed
"Contades or blamed Broglio for loss of Minden. Zealous
"old man, what a loss to himself withal had Minden been!
"That shadow-conquest of Hanover is quite vanished: and
"worse, in Ferdinand's spoil were certain Letters from
"Belleisle to Contades, inculcating strange things; -- for
"example, '. Ilfaut faire un desert du Pays' (all Hessen, I think,
"lest Ferdinand advance on you) 'devant TArme'e,' and the
"like. Which Ferdinand saw good to publish, and which
"resounded rather hideously through the general mind. "*
Ignominious Sackville was tried by Court-martial;
cashiered, declared incapable of again serving his Majesty
"in any military capacity;" -- perhaps a mild way of signify-
ing that he wanted the common courage of a soldier? Zealous
Majesty, always particular in soldier matters, proclaimed it
officially to be "a sentence worse than death;" and further-
more, with his own royal hand, taking the pen himself, struck
out Sackville from the List of Privy Councillors. Proper
surely, and indispensable; -- and should have been persisted
in, like Fate; which in a new Reign, it was not! For the rest,
there was always, and is, something of enigma in Sackville's
palpably bad case. It is difficult to think that a Sackville
wanted common courage. This Sackville fought duels with
propriety; in private life, he was a surly, domineering kind
of fellow, and had no appearance of wanting spirit. It is
known, he did not love Duke Ferdinand; far from it! May
not he have been of peculiarly sour humour, that morning, the
luckless fool; sulky against Ferdinand, and his "saddling at
one o'clock;" sulky against himself, against the world and
mankind; and flabbily disinclined to heroic practices for the
moment? And the moment came; and the man was not there,
except in that foggy flabby and forever ruinous condition!
Archenholtz, alone of Writers, judges that he expressly
wanted to spoil the Battle of Minden and Ferdinand's reputa-
tion, and to get appointed Commander in his stead. Wonder-
ful; but may have some vestige of basis, too! True, this
Sackville was as fit to lead the courses of the stars as to lead
armies. But such a Sackville has ambition, and, what is
* Were taken at Detmold (Tempelhof, m. 883); Old Newspapers full
of Excerpts from them, in the weeks following.
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? 150 PRIBDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
29th July--6th Aug. 1759.
fatally more peculiar to him, a chance for unfolding it; -- any
blockhead has an ambition capable, if you encourage it suffi-
ciently, of running to the infinite. Enough of this par-
ticular blockhead; and may it be long before we see his like
again! --
The English Cavalry was in a rage with Sackville. Of the
English Infantry, Historians say, what is not now much heard
of in this Country, "That these unsurpassable Six" (in in-
dustrious valour unsurpassable, though they mistook orders,
and might have fared badly! ) "are ever since called the Min-
"den Regiments; that they are the 12th, 20th, 23d, 25th, 37th
"and 51st of the British line; and carry 'Minden' on their
"colours," * -- with silent profit, I hope!
Fancy how Pitt's public, lately gloomy and dubious,
blazed aloft into joyful certainty again! Pitt's out-
looks have been really gloomy all this season; nor are
the difficulties yet ended, though we hope they will
end. Let us add this other bit of Synchronism, which
is still of adverse aspect, over Seas; and will be pun-
gently interesting to Pitt and England, when they
come to hear of it.
"Before Quebec, July 31st, 1759. This same Evening, at
"Quebec, on the other side of the Atlantic, --evening at
"Quebec, 9 or 10 at night for Contades and his nineteen
"Bridges, -- there is a difficult affair going on. Above and
"below the Falls ofMontmorenci, and their outflow into the
"St. Lawrence: attempt on General Wolfe's part to penetrate
"through upon the French, under Marquis de Montcalm,
"French Commander-in-chief, and to get a stroke at Quebec
"and him. From the south side of the St. Lawrence, nothing
"can be done upon Quebec, such the distance over. From
"Isle d'Orleans and the north side, it is also impossible
"hitherto. Easy enough to batter the Lower Town, from
"your ships and redoubts: but the High Town towers aloft on
"its sheer pinnacles, inaccessible even to cannon; looks down
? Kaualer, Schlachlcn, &c. p. 587.
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? CHAP. in. ] HE ATTEMPTS THE RUSSIAN PROBLEM. 151
29lh July --6th Aug. 1759.
"on the skilfullest British Admiral andFleetj as if with an
"air of indifference, -- trying him on dark nights withfire-
"ships, fire-rafts, the cunningest kinds of pyrotechny, which
"he skilfully tows aside.
"A strenuous thing, this of Wolfe's; though an unsuccess-
ful. Towards evening, the end of it; all Quebec assembled
"on the southern ramparts, witnessing with intense interest;
"the sublime Falls of Montmorenci gushing on, totally in-
"different. For about a month past, General Wolfe, with the
"proper equipments, and about 10,000 men, naval and mili-
"tary? who was expressly selected by Pitt to besiege Quebec,
"and is dying to succeed, has been trying every scheme to get
"into contact with it:--to no purpose, so lofty, chasmy, rocky
"is the ground, cut by mountainous precipices and torrent
"streams, branches of the grand St. Lawrence River; so skil-
"fully taken advantage of by Montcalm and his people, who
"are at home here, and in regulars nearly equal Wolfe, not to
"speak of Savages and Canadians. Wolfe's plan of the 31st
"was not ill laid; and the execution has been zealous, seamen
"and landsmen alike of willing mind; -- but it met with acci-
dents. Accidents in boating; then a still worse accident on
"landing; the regiment of grenadiers, which crossed below
"the Falls, having, so soon as landed, rushed off on the
"redoubt there on their own score, without waiting for the
"two brigades that were to cross and cooperate above the
"Falls! Which cut Wolfe to the heart; and induced him,
"especially as the tide was making again, to give up the
"enterprise altogether, and recal everybody, while it was yet
"time. * Wolfe is strict in discipline; loves the willing
"mind, none more, and can kindle it among those about him;
"but he loves discipline withal, and knows how fatal the too
"willing may be. For six weeks more, there is toil on the
"back of toil everywhere for poor Wolfe. He falls into fevers,
"into miseries, almost into broken heart; -- nothing sure to
"him but that of doing his own poor utmost to the very death.
"After six weeks, we shall perhaps hear of him again. Glid- "ing swiftly towards death; but also towards victory and the
"goal of all his wishes. "
* Gentleman's Magazine for 1759, pp. 470-3; Thackeray, i. 438.
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? 162 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
8th Aug. 1759.
And now, after this flight half round the world, it
is time we returned to Oder Country, and a Friedrich
on the edge of formidable things there. Next day
after Beeskow, where we left him, he duly arrived at
Miillrose; was joined by Wedell there, August 6th;
and is now at Wulkow, -- "encamped between Lebus
and Wulkow," as we hear elsewhere; -- quite in the
environs of Frankfurt, and of great events.
friedrich to Graf von Finckenstein (Second Note).
Wulkow, 8th Augustl759. "If you hear of firing tomorrow, don't be surprised; it is
"our rejoicing for the Battle of Minden. I believe I shall have
"to keep you in suspense some days yet. I have many ar-
rangements to make; I find great difficulties to surmount,
"--and it is required to save our Country, not to lose it: I
"ought both to be more prudent and more enterprising than
"ever. In a word, I will do and undertake whatever I find
"feasible and possible. With all that, I see myself in the
"necessity of making haste, to check the designs Haddick
"may have on Berlin. Adieu, mon cher. In a little, you will
"have either a De Profundus or a Te Deum. -- P. "*
* (Enures de FrMeric, xxv. 305, 306.
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? CHAP. IV. ] BATTLE OF KUNERSDORF. 153
aotb July--12th Aug. 1759.
CHAPTER IV.
BATTLE OF KUNERSDORF.
SundAy July 29th, at Frankfurt-on-Oder divine
worship was broken in upon, and the poor City thrown
into consternation, by actual advent, or as good as ad-
vent, of the Russians: "On the Crossen road, close by;
coming, come! " And they did undeniably appear,
next morning, in force; on the opposite, eastern or
Kunersdorf side of the River, on the top of the Oder-
Dam there; and demanded instant admission, under
penalty of general death by fire.
Within the Town stood Major Arnim, a Veteran of
those parts, with 400 militia; these, with their muskets
and with two cannon, are the only defence of Frankfurt.
The Town has Gates; but its walls, I doubt, are mainly
garden-walls and house-walls. On the eastern side, the
River, especially if you have cannon on the Bridge,
gives it something of protection; but on the western
and all other sides, it is overhung by heights. This
Frankfurt, like its bigger Namesake on the Mayn, is
known as a busy trading place, its Fairs much frequented
in those Eastern parts; and is believed by the Russians
to be far richer than it is. The reader, as there hap-
pens to be ocular testimony extant,* may like to see a
little how they behaved there:
* Johann LudwigKriele, Schlacht beiKunersdorf, mil &c. (Berlin, 1801).
Kriele was subsequent Pastor in the Parish, an excellent intelligent man
has compiled in brief form, with an elaborate Chart too, a clear account of
everything, in the Battle and before and after it.
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? 154 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED, [book XIX.
80th July--12th Aug. 1759.
"Arnim, taking survey of the Russian Party, values it,
"or what he can see of it, atl,000" (they really were 6,000);
"keeps his Drawbridge up; and answers stoutly enough,
"'No. ' Upon which, from the Oder-Dam, there flies off
"one fiery grenado: one and no more, -- which alighted in
"the house of 'Mrs. Thielicke, a Baker's Widow, who was
"standing at the door;'-- killed poor Mrs. Thielicke, blew
"the house considerably to wreck, but did not set fire to it.
"Arnim, all the Magistrates intreating him for the love of
"Heaven to leave them, is secretly shoving off his two cannon
"to the Northern Gate; and in fact, is making his packages
"with full speed: 'Push for Ciistrin,' thinks Arnim, 'and
"save selves and cannon, since no good is to be done
"here! '
"It was about 11 A. m. when the Thielicke grenado fell:
"obstinate Arnim would by no means go; only packed all
"the faster. A second summons came: still, No. For the
"third and last time the Russians then summon: 'Grenadoes,
"a hundred more of them lie ready, unless--! ' 'We will,
"we will; O merciful servant of Czarish Majesty! ' pas-
"sionately signify the Magistrates. But Arnim is still ne-
gative, still keeps the Bridge up. One of the hundred does
"go, by way of foretaste: this lighted 'near the Ober Kirche,
"in the chimney of the Town-Musikus;' brought the chimney
"crashing down on him" (fancy a man with some fineness of
ear); "tore the house a good deal to pieces, but again did
"not set it on fire. 'Your obstinate Town can be bombarded,
"then, -- cannot it? ' observed the Russian Messenger. --
"'Give us Free Withdrawal! ' proposes Arnim. 'No; you
"to be Prisoners of War; Town at Czarish Majesty's dis-
cretion. ' 'Never,' answers Arnim (to the outward ear). --
"'Go; oh, for the love of Heaven, go! ' cry all Official
"people.
"Arnim, deaf to clamour, but steadily diligent in getting
"ready, does at last go; through theLebusSuburb, quick
"march; steady, yet at his best step; -- taking the Town-
"keys in his pocket, and leaving the Drawbridge up. One
"is sorry for poor Arnim and his 400 Militia; whose conduct
"was perfect, under difficulties and alarms; but proved un-
"successful. The terrified Magistrates, finding their Keys
"gone, and the conflagrative Russians at their gates, got
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? CHAP. IV. ] BATTLE OP KUNERSDORP. 155
3(Hb July-- 12th Aug. 1759.
"blacksmiths on the instant; smote down, by chisel and
"mallet, the locked Drawbridge, smote open the Gates:
'"Enter, 0 gracious Sirs; and may Czarish Majesty have
"mercy on us! ' So that Arnim had small start for marchers
"on foot; and was overtaken about half-way. Would not
"yield still, though the odds were overwhelming; drew him-
"self out on the best ground discoverable; made hot re-
sistance; hot and skilful; but in vain. About six in the
"evening, Arnim and Party were brought back, Prisoners,
"to Frankfurt again, -- self, surviving men, cannons and
"all (self in a wounded state); -- and 'were locked in various
"Brewhouses;' little of careful surgery, I should fear. Poor
"Arnim; man could do no more; and he has been unfor-
"tunate. "
It is by no means our intention to describe the
Iliad of miseries, the agitations, terrors and disquietudes,
the tribulation and utter harrowing to despair, which
poor Frankfurt underwent, incessantly from that day
forward, for about five weeks to come. "The furnish-
"ings of victual" (Eussian stock quite out) "were to
"an inconceivable amount; surrender of arms, of linens,
"cloths, of everything useful to a hungry Army; above
"all things, of horses, so that at last there were but four
"horses left in all Frankfurt; and" -- But we must
not go into details.
"On the second day, besides all this," what will be signi-
ficant of it all, "there was exacted'ransom of 600,000 thalers
"(90. 000/. ), or you shall be delivered to the Cossacks! '
"Frankfurt has not above 12,000 inhabitants within its
"bounds; here is a sudden poll-tax of 11. 10s. per head.
"Frankfurt has not such a sum; the most rigorous collection
"did not yield above the tenth part of it. And more than
"once those sanguinary vagabonds were openly drawn out,
"pitch-link in hand: 'The 90,000/. or --! ' Civic-Presidency
"Office in Frankfurt was not a bed of roses. The poor Magis-
'"trates rushed distractedly about; wrung out moneys to the
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? 156 FRIEDEICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
30th July--12th Aug. 1759.
"last drop; moneys, and in the end plate from those that
"had it; went in tearful deputation to General Soltikof, -- a
"severe proud kind of man, capable perhaps of being flat-
"tered, -- who usually locked them up instead. Magistrates
"were locked in Russian ward, at one time, for almost a
"week; sat in the blazing sun; if you try for the shade of a
"tree, the sentry handles arms upon you; -- and were like
"to die. To me, Kriele, it is a miracle how the most of us
"lived; nay we never really wanted food, so kind was
"Providence, so generous our poor neighbours out of all the
"Towns round. The utmost of money that could be raised
"was 6,0001. ; nothing but some little of plate, and our Bill
"for the remainder. Soltikof, a high kind of gentleman,
"saw at last how it stood; let the Magistrates out of ward;
"sent back the plate -- 'Nothing of that! ' -- nay Czarish
"Majesty was herself generous; and forgave the Bill, on our
"petition, next Year. Cossacks, indeed, were a plunderous
"wild crew; but the Russians kept them mostly without the
"gates. The regular Russians were civil and orderly, officers
"and men, -- greatly beyond the Austrians in behaviour. "*
By these few traits conceive Frankfurt: this, now forgotten
in most books, is a background on which things were trans-
acted still memorable to everybody.
"Friday, August 3d, General Loudon came to hand:
"arrived early, in the Guben' (or Western) "Suburb, his
"18,000 and he. In high spirits, naturally, and somewhat
"exultant to have evaded Friedrich; but found a reception
"that surprised him. The Russians had been living in the
"hope of junction; but still more vividly in that of meal.
"'Auxiliaries; humph, -- only 18,000 of them; how much
"welcomer had been as many hundredweights of meal! '
"Loudon had pushed his baggage direct into Frankfurt; and
"likewise a requisition of such and such proviants, weights
"of meal and the like, in exuberant amount, to be furnished
"straightway by the City; neither of which procedures would
"theRussians hear of for a moment. 'Out with you! ' said
"they roughly to the baggage-people: 'quarter in the Guben
"Suburb, or where you like; not here! ' And with regard
"to the requisition of proviant, they answered in a scornful
"angry key,'Proviant? You too without it? You have not
* Kriele, Schlacht bei Kunersdorf, pp. 1-15 (in compressed state).
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"knows it is, -- and manoeuvres accordingly. Military men
"admire much, not his movements only, but his clear insight
"into Contades's and Broglio's temper of mind, and by what
"methods they were to be handled, they and his own affairs
"together, and brought whither he wanted them. *
"This attempt on Gohfeld was a serious mischief to Con-
"tades, if it succeeded. But the detaching of the Prince of
"Brunswick on it, and weakening one's too weak Army,
"'What a rashness, what an oversight! ' thinks Contades (as
"Ferdinand wished him to do): 'Is our skilful enemy, in this
"extreme embarrassment, losing head, then? Look at his left
"wing yonder' -- (General Wangenheim, sitting behind
"batteries, in his Village of Todtenhausen, looking into
"Mindenfrom the north): -- 'Wangenheim's left leans on the
"Weser, yes; but Wangenheim's right, observe, has no sup-
port within three miles of it: tear Wangenheim out, Ferdi-
"nand's flank is bare! ' These things seemed to Contades the
"very chance he had been waiting for; and brought him
"triumphantly out of his rabbit-hole, into the Heath of Min-
"den, as Ferdinand hoped they would do.
"And so, Tuesday Evening, July 31st, things being now all
"ripe upwards of 50,000 French are industriously in motion.
"Contades has nineteen bridges ready on the Bastau Brook,
* In Mauvillon (n. 4144) minute account of all that.
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? 144 FRIEDR1CH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
1st Aug. 1759.
"in front of him; tattoo this night, in Contades's Camp, is to
"mean general-march,'March, all ofyou, across these nineteen
"Bridges, to your stations on the Plain or Heath of Minden
"yonder, -- and be punctual, like the clock! ' Broglio crosses
"Weser by the Town Bridge, ranks himself opposite Todten-
"hausen; and through the livelong night there is, on the part
"of the 50,000 French, a very great marching and deploying.
"Contades and Broglio together are 51,400 foot and horse.
"Ferdinand's entire force will be near 46,000; but on the day
"of Battle he is only 36,000, -- having detached the Here-
"ditary Prince on Grohfeld, in what view we know. -- The
"Battle of Minden, called also of Tonhausen (meaning Todten-
"hausen), which hereupon fell out, has still its fame in the
"world; and, I perceive, is well worth study by the soldier
"mind: though nothing but the rough outline of it is possible
"here.
"Ferdinand's posts extend from the Weser river and
"Todtenhausen round by Stemmern, Holzhausen, to Hartum
"and theBog ofBastau(the chief part of him towardsBastau),
"-- in various Villages, and woody patches and favourable
"spots; all looking in upon Minden, from a distance of five or
"seven miles; forming a kind of arc, with Minden for centre.
"He will march up in eight Columns; of course, with wide
"intervals between them, -- wide, but continually narrowing
"as he advances; which will indeed be ruinous gaps, if
"Ferdinand wait to be attacked; but which will coalesce
"close enough, if he be speedy upon Contades. For
"Contades's line is also of arc-like or almost semicircu-
"lar form, behind it Minden as centre; Minden, which is
"at the intersection of Weser and the Brook; his right
"flank is on Weser, Broglio versus Wangenheim the ex-
"treme-right; his left, with infantry and artillery, rests on
"that black Brook of Bastau with its nineteen Bridges. As
"the ground on both wings is rough, not so fit for Cavalry,
"Contades puts his Cavalry wholly in the centre: they are the
"flower of the French Army, about 10,000 horse in all; firm
"open ground ahead of them there, with strong batteries,
"masses of infantry to support on each flank; batteries to ply
"with cross-fire any assailant that may come on. Broglio, we
"said, is right wing; strong in artillery and infantry. Broglio
"is to root out Wangenheim: after which, -- or even before
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? CHAP. III. ] HE ATTEMPTS THE RUSSIAN PROBLEM. 145
it Aug. 1759.
'which, if Wangenheim is kept busy and we are nimble, --
'what becomes of Ferdinand's left flank, with a gap of three
'miles between Wangenheim and him, and 10,000 chosen
horse to take advantage of it! Had the French been of
'Prussian dexterity and nimbleness in marching, it is very
'possible something might have come of this latter circum-
'stance: but Ferdinand knows they are not; and intends to
'take good care of his flank.
"Contades and his people were of willing mind; but had
'no skill 'in marching up:' and, once got across the Bastau
'by their nineteen Bridges, they wasted many hours: -- ' Too
'far, ami? not far enough? Too close; not close enough? '
'--and broiled about, in much hurry and confusion, all night.
'Fight was to have begun at 5 in the morning. Broglio was
'in his place, silently looking into Wangenheim, by 5 o'clock;
'but unfortunately did nothing upon Wangenheim ('Not
'ready you, I see! '), except cannonade a little; -- and
'indeed, all through, did nothing ('Still not ready you
othe'rs! '); which surely was questionable conduct, though
not reckoned so at Versailles, when the case came to be
argued there. As to the Contades people, across those nine-
teen Bridges, they had a baffling confused night j and were
'by no means correctly on their ground at sunrise, not at
7 o'clock, not at 8; and were still mending themselves when
'the shock came, and time was done.
"The morning is very misty; but Ferdinand has himself
'been out examining since the earliest daybreak: his orders
'last night were, 'Cavalry be saddled at 1 in the morning,' --
'having a guess that there would be work, as he now finds
'there will. From 5 A. m. Ferdinand is issuing from his Camp,
'flowing down eastward, beautifully concentric, closing on
Contades; horse not in centre, but English Infantry in
centre (Six Battalions, or Six Regiments by English reckon-
ing); right opposite those 10,000 Horse of Contades's, the
sight of whom seems to be very animating to them. The
'English Cavalry stand on the right wing, at the Village of
'Hartum: Lord George Sackville nad rlotbeen very punctual
in saddling at 1 o'clock; but he is there, ranked on the fround, at 8, -- in what humour nobody knows; sulky and
abby, I should rather guess. English Tourists, idle other- Carlyle, Frederick the Great. XI. 10
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? 146 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book xix.
1st Aug. 1759.
"wise, may take a look atHartum on the south side, as the
"spot where a very ugly thing occurred that day.
"Soon after 8, the Fight begins: attack, by certain
"Hessians, on Hahlen and its batteries; attempt to drive the
"French out of Hahlen, as the first thing, -- which does not
"succeed at once (indeed took three attacks in all); and per-
"haps looks rather tedious to those Six English Battalions.
"Ferdinand's order to them was, 'You shall march up to
"attack, you Six, on sound of drum;' but, it seems, they read
"it, 'by sound of drum:' 'Beating our own drums; yes, of
"course! ' -- and, being weary of this Hahlen work, or fancy-
"ing they had no concern with it, strode on, double-quick,
"without waiting for Hahlen at all! To the horror of their
"Hanoverian comrades, who nevertheless determined to
"follow as second line. The Contades cross-fire of artillery,
"battery of 30 guns on one flank, of 36 on the other, doesits
"best upon this forward-minded Infantry, but they seem to
"heed it little; walk right forward; and, to the astonishment
"of those French Horse and of all the world, entirely break
"and ruin the charge made on them, and tramp forward in
"chase of the same. The 10,000 Horse feel astonished, in-
"suited; and rush out again, furiously charging; theEng-
"lish halt and serry themselves: 'No fire till they are within
"forty paces;' and then such pouring torrents of it as no
"horse or man can endure. Rally after rally there is, on the
"part of those 10,000; mass after mass of them indignantly
"plunges on, -- again, ever again, about six charges in all; --
"but do not break the English lines: one of them (regiment
"Mestre-de-Camp, raised to a paroxysm) does once get
"through, across the first line, but is blown back in dreadful
"circumstances by the second. After which they give it up,
"as a thing that cannot be done. And rush rearward, hither,
"thither, the whole seventy-five squadrons of them; and'be-
"tween their two wings of infantry, are seen boiling in com-
"plete disorder. '
"This has lasted about an hour; this is essentially the
"soul of the Fight, -- though there wanted not other activities,
"to right of it and to left, on both sides; artilleries going at a
"mighty rate on both wings; and counter-artilleries (super-
"lative practice 'by Captain Phillips' on our right wing);
"Broglio cannonading Wangenheim very loudly, but with
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? CHAP. m. ]' HE ATTEMPTS THE BUSSIAN PROBLEM. , 147
1st Aug. 1759.
"little harm done or suffered, on their right wing. Wangen-
"heim is watchful of that gap between Ferdinand and him,
"till it close itself sufficiently. Their rightwing Infantry did
"once make some attempt there; but the Prussian Horse --
"(always a small body of Prussians serve in this Allied Army)
"-- shot out,
"and in a bril-
"liant manner
"swept them
"home again.
"Artillery, and
"that pretty
"charge ofPrus-
"sian Horse,
"are all one re-
"members, ex-
"ceptthisof the
"English and
"Hanover Foot
"in the centre:
"'anunsurpass- "able thing,'
"says Tempel-
"hof (though it
"so easily might oa_ Contades's Camp. bb. Broglio's Camp,
'nave been ace. Ferdinand's position, night of July 31st.
"fatal! )--which <* ^ Wangenheim's position, night of July 31st.
"lion '. ot Pnn ""? Ferdinand's Line of Battle.
nas set i_,on- ff. Frenclt Wne of Battle.
tadess Centre g. French Cavalry. h. English Infantry,
"boiling and '? English and Hanoverian Cavalry, under Sackville.
"reduced Contades altogether to water, as it were. Contades
"said bitterly: 'I have seen what I never thought to be pos-
"'sible, -- a single line of infantry break through three lines
"'of cavalry, ranked in order of battle, and tumble them to
"'ruin! '*
"This was the feat, this hour's work in the centre, the
"essential soul of the Fight: -- and had Lord George Sack-
"ville, General of the Horse, come on when galloped for and
"bidden, here had been such a ruin, say all judges, as seldom
"came upon an Army. Lord George, -- everlasting disgrace
Stenzel, v. 204.
10*
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? 148 FRIEDRlCH LIKE TO BE O VeRWHELMEO. [book XIX.
1st Aug. 1759.
"and sorrow on the name of him, -- could not see his way to
"coming on; delayed, haggled; would not even let Granby,
"his lieutenant, come; not for a second Adjutant, not for a
"third; never came on at all; but rode to the Prince, asking,
'"How am I to come on? ' Who, with a politeness I can
"never enough admire, did not instantly kill kim, but an-
"swered, in mild tone, 'Milord, the opportunity is now past! '
"Whereby Contades escaped ruin, and was only beaten. By
"about 10 in the morning, all was over. When a man's centre
"is gone to water, no part of him is far from the fluid state.
"Contades retreated into his rabbit-hole by those nineteen
"bridges, -- well tormented, they say, by Captain Phillips's
"artillery, till he got beyond the knolls again. Broglio, who
"had never been in musket-fire at all, but had merely barked
"on Wangenheim all morning, instead of biting, covered the
"retreat, and withdrew into Minden. And we are a beaten
"Army, -- thanks to Lord George, not an annihilated one.
"Our loss being only 7,086 (with heavy guns, colours, cavalry
"flags and the like); theirs being2,822, --full half of it falling
"on those rash Six Battalions. *
"And what is this one hears from Gohfeld in the evening?
"The Hereditary Prince, busy there on us during the very
"hours of Minden, has blown our rearguard division to the
"winds there; -- and we must move southward, one and all of
"us, without a moment's delay! Out of this rabbit-hole the
"retreat by rearward is through a difficult country, the West-
"phalian Gates so-called; fatal to Varus's Legions long ago.
"Contades got under way that very night; lost most of his
"baggage, all his conquests, that shadow-conquest of
"Hanover, and more than all his glories (Versailles shrieking
"on him, 'Resign you; let Broglio be chief'); -- and, on the
"whole, jumbled homeward hither and thither, gravitating
"towards the Rhine, nothing but Wesel to depend on in those
"parts, as heretofore. Broglio retreated Frankfurt-way, also
"as usual, though not quite so far; and at Versailles had
* Mauvillon, n. 44-60; Tempelhof, m. 154-179, &c. &c. : and Proceed-
ings of a Court-Martial, held at the Horse-Guards, 1lh-2ilh March, and 25lh
Murch--blh April 1760, in Trial of Lord George Sackville (London, 1760). In
Knesebeck, Ferdinand wShreml des Sieben-jAhrigen Krieges (i. 395), Ferdi-
nand's Letter to Friedrich of "July 31st;" and (ib. 398-418 and n. 33-36)
many special details about Sackville, and "August 1st. "
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? CHAP, in. ] HE ATTEMPTS THE RUSSIAN PROBLEM. 149
1st Aug. 1759.
"clearly the victory. Zealous Belleisle could not protect his
"Contades; it is not known whether he privately blamed
"Contades or blamed Broglio for loss of Minden. Zealous
"old man, what a loss to himself withal had Minden been!
"That shadow-conquest of Hanover is quite vanished: and
"worse, in Ferdinand's spoil were certain Letters from
"Belleisle to Contades, inculcating strange things; -- for
"example, '. Ilfaut faire un desert du Pays' (all Hessen, I think,
"lest Ferdinand advance on you) 'devant TArme'e,' and the
"like. Which Ferdinand saw good to publish, and which
"resounded rather hideously through the general mind. "*
Ignominious Sackville was tried by Court-martial;
cashiered, declared incapable of again serving his Majesty
"in any military capacity;" -- perhaps a mild way of signify-
ing that he wanted the common courage of a soldier? Zealous
Majesty, always particular in soldier matters, proclaimed it
officially to be "a sentence worse than death;" and further-
more, with his own royal hand, taking the pen himself, struck
out Sackville from the List of Privy Councillors. Proper
surely, and indispensable; -- and should have been persisted
in, like Fate; which in a new Reign, it was not! For the rest,
there was always, and is, something of enigma in Sackville's
palpably bad case. It is difficult to think that a Sackville
wanted common courage. This Sackville fought duels with
propriety; in private life, he was a surly, domineering kind
of fellow, and had no appearance of wanting spirit. It is
known, he did not love Duke Ferdinand; far from it! May
not he have been of peculiarly sour humour, that morning, the
luckless fool; sulky against Ferdinand, and his "saddling at
one o'clock;" sulky against himself, against the world and
mankind; and flabbily disinclined to heroic practices for the
moment? And the moment came; and the man was not there,
except in that foggy flabby and forever ruinous condition!
Archenholtz, alone of Writers, judges that he expressly
wanted to spoil the Battle of Minden and Ferdinand's reputa-
tion, and to get appointed Commander in his stead. Wonder-
ful; but may have some vestige of basis, too! True, this
Sackville was as fit to lead the courses of the stars as to lead
armies. But such a Sackville has ambition, and, what is
* Were taken at Detmold (Tempelhof, m. 883); Old Newspapers full
of Excerpts from them, in the weeks following.
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? 150 PRIBDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
29th July--6th Aug. 1759.
fatally more peculiar to him, a chance for unfolding it; -- any
blockhead has an ambition capable, if you encourage it suffi-
ciently, of running to the infinite. Enough of this par-
ticular blockhead; and may it be long before we see his like
again! --
The English Cavalry was in a rage with Sackville. Of the
English Infantry, Historians say, what is not now much heard
of in this Country, "That these unsurpassable Six" (in in-
dustrious valour unsurpassable, though they mistook orders,
and might have fared badly! ) "are ever since called the Min-
"den Regiments; that they are the 12th, 20th, 23d, 25th, 37th
"and 51st of the British line; and carry 'Minden' on their
"colours," * -- with silent profit, I hope!
Fancy how Pitt's public, lately gloomy and dubious,
blazed aloft into joyful certainty again! Pitt's out-
looks have been really gloomy all this season; nor are
the difficulties yet ended, though we hope they will
end. Let us add this other bit of Synchronism, which
is still of adverse aspect, over Seas; and will be pun-
gently interesting to Pitt and England, when they
come to hear of it.
"Before Quebec, July 31st, 1759. This same Evening, at
"Quebec, on the other side of the Atlantic, --evening at
"Quebec, 9 or 10 at night for Contades and his nineteen
"Bridges, -- there is a difficult affair going on. Above and
"below the Falls ofMontmorenci, and their outflow into the
"St. Lawrence: attempt on General Wolfe's part to penetrate
"through upon the French, under Marquis de Montcalm,
"French Commander-in-chief, and to get a stroke at Quebec
"and him. From the south side of the St. Lawrence, nothing
"can be done upon Quebec, such the distance over. From
"Isle d'Orleans and the north side, it is also impossible
"hitherto. Easy enough to batter the Lower Town, from
"your ships and redoubts: but the High Town towers aloft on
"its sheer pinnacles, inaccessible even to cannon; looks down
? Kaualer, Schlachlcn, &c. p. 587.
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? CHAP. in. ] HE ATTEMPTS THE RUSSIAN PROBLEM. 151
29lh July --6th Aug. 1759.
"on the skilfullest British Admiral andFleetj as if with an
"air of indifference, -- trying him on dark nights withfire-
"ships, fire-rafts, the cunningest kinds of pyrotechny, which
"he skilfully tows aside.
"A strenuous thing, this of Wolfe's; though an unsuccess-
ful. Towards evening, the end of it; all Quebec assembled
"on the southern ramparts, witnessing with intense interest;
"the sublime Falls of Montmorenci gushing on, totally in-
"different. For about a month past, General Wolfe, with the
"proper equipments, and about 10,000 men, naval and mili-
"tary? who was expressly selected by Pitt to besiege Quebec,
"and is dying to succeed, has been trying every scheme to get
"into contact with it:--to no purpose, so lofty, chasmy, rocky
"is the ground, cut by mountainous precipices and torrent
"streams, branches of the grand St. Lawrence River; so skil-
"fully taken advantage of by Montcalm and his people, who
"are at home here, and in regulars nearly equal Wolfe, not to
"speak of Savages and Canadians. Wolfe's plan of the 31st
"was not ill laid; and the execution has been zealous, seamen
"and landsmen alike of willing mind; -- but it met with acci-
dents. Accidents in boating; then a still worse accident on
"landing; the regiment of grenadiers, which crossed below
"the Falls, having, so soon as landed, rushed off on the
"redoubt there on their own score, without waiting for the
"two brigades that were to cross and cooperate above the
"Falls! Which cut Wolfe to the heart; and induced him,
"especially as the tide was making again, to give up the
"enterprise altogether, and recal everybody, while it was yet
"time. * Wolfe is strict in discipline; loves the willing
"mind, none more, and can kindle it among those about him;
"but he loves discipline withal, and knows how fatal the too
"willing may be. For six weeks more, there is toil on the
"back of toil everywhere for poor Wolfe. He falls into fevers,
"into miseries, almost into broken heart; -- nothing sure to
"him but that of doing his own poor utmost to the very death.
"After six weeks, we shall perhaps hear of him again. Glid- "ing swiftly towards death; but also towards victory and the
"goal of all his wishes. "
* Gentleman's Magazine for 1759, pp. 470-3; Thackeray, i. 438.
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? 162 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
8th Aug. 1759.
And now, after this flight half round the world, it
is time we returned to Oder Country, and a Friedrich
on the edge of formidable things there. Next day
after Beeskow, where we left him, he duly arrived at
Miillrose; was joined by Wedell there, August 6th;
and is now at Wulkow, -- "encamped between Lebus
and Wulkow," as we hear elsewhere; -- quite in the
environs of Frankfurt, and of great events.
friedrich to Graf von Finckenstein (Second Note).
Wulkow, 8th Augustl759. "If you hear of firing tomorrow, don't be surprised; it is
"our rejoicing for the Battle of Minden. I believe I shall have
"to keep you in suspense some days yet. I have many ar-
rangements to make; I find great difficulties to surmount,
"--and it is required to save our Country, not to lose it: I
"ought both to be more prudent and more enterprising than
"ever. In a word, I will do and undertake whatever I find
"feasible and possible. With all that, I see myself in the
"necessity of making haste, to check the designs Haddick
"may have on Berlin. Adieu, mon cher. In a little, you will
"have either a De Profundus or a Te Deum. -- P. "*
* (Enures de FrMeric, xxv. 305, 306.
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? CHAP. IV. ] BATTLE OF KUNERSDORF. 153
aotb July--12th Aug. 1759.
CHAPTER IV.
BATTLE OF KUNERSDORF.
SundAy July 29th, at Frankfurt-on-Oder divine
worship was broken in upon, and the poor City thrown
into consternation, by actual advent, or as good as ad-
vent, of the Russians: "On the Crossen road, close by;
coming, come! " And they did undeniably appear,
next morning, in force; on the opposite, eastern or
Kunersdorf side of the River, on the top of the Oder-
Dam there; and demanded instant admission, under
penalty of general death by fire.
Within the Town stood Major Arnim, a Veteran of
those parts, with 400 militia; these, with their muskets
and with two cannon, are the only defence of Frankfurt.
The Town has Gates; but its walls, I doubt, are mainly
garden-walls and house-walls. On the eastern side, the
River, especially if you have cannon on the Bridge,
gives it something of protection; but on the western
and all other sides, it is overhung by heights. This
Frankfurt, like its bigger Namesake on the Mayn, is
known as a busy trading place, its Fairs much frequented
in those Eastern parts; and is believed by the Russians
to be far richer than it is. The reader, as there hap-
pens to be ocular testimony extant,* may like to see a
little how they behaved there:
* Johann LudwigKriele, Schlacht beiKunersdorf, mil &c. (Berlin, 1801).
Kriele was subsequent Pastor in the Parish, an excellent intelligent man
has compiled in brief form, with an elaborate Chart too, a clear account of
everything, in the Battle and before and after it.
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? 154 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED, [book XIX.
80th July--12th Aug. 1759.
"Arnim, taking survey of the Russian Party, values it,
"or what he can see of it, atl,000" (they really were 6,000);
"keeps his Drawbridge up; and answers stoutly enough,
"'No. ' Upon which, from the Oder-Dam, there flies off
"one fiery grenado: one and no more, -- which alighted in
"the house of 'Mrs. Thielicke, a Baker's Widow, who was
"standing at the door;'-- killed poor Mrs. Thielicke, blew
"the house considerably to wreck, but did not set fire to it.
"Arnim, all the Magistrates intreating him for the love of
"Heaven to leave them, is secretly shoving off his two cannon
"to the Northern Gate; and in fact, is making his packages
"with full speed: 'Push for Ciistrin,' thinks Arnim, 'and
"save selves and cannon, since no good is to be done
"here! '
"It was about 11 A. m. when the Thielicke grenado fell:
"obstinate Arnim would by no means go; only packed all
"the faster. A second summons came: still, No. For the
"third and last time the Russians then summon: 'Grenadoes,
"a hundred more of them lie ready, unless--! ' 'We will,
"we will; O merciful servant of Czarish Majesty! ' pas-
"sionately signify the Magistrates. But Arnim is still ne-
gative, still keeps the Bridge up. One of the hundred does
"go, by way of foretaste: this lighted 'near the Ober Kirche,
"in the chimney of the Town-Musikus;' brought the chimney
"crashing down on him" (fancy a man with some fineness of
ear); "tore the house a good deal to pieces, but again did
"not set it on fire. 'Your obstinate Town can be bombarded,
"then, -- cannot it? ' observed the Russian Messenger. --
"'Give us Free Withdrawal! ' proposes Arnim. 'No; you
"to be Prisoners of War; Town at Czarish Majesty's dis-
cretion. ' 'Never,' answers Arnim (to the outward ear). --
"'Go; oh, for the love of Heaven, go! ' cry all Official
"people.
"Arnim, deaf to clamour, but steadily diligent in getting
"ready, does at last go; through theLebusSuburb, quick
"march; steady, yet at his best step; -- taking the Town-
"keys in his pocket, and leaving the Drawbridge up. One
"is sorry for poor Arnim and his 400 Militia; whose conduct
"was perfect, under difficulties and alarms; but proved un-
"successful. The terrified Magistrates, finding their Keys
"gone, and the conflagrative Russians at their gates, got
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? CHAP. IV. ] BATTLE OP KUNERSDORP. 155
3(Hb July-- 12th Aug. 1759.
"blacksmiths on the instant; smote down, by chisel and
"mallet, the locked Drawbridge, smote open the Gates:
'"Enter, 0 gracious Sirs; and may Czarish Majesty have
"mercy on us! ' So that Arnim had small start for marchers
"on foot; and was overtaken about half-way. Would not
"yield still, though the odds were overwhelming; drew him-
"self out on the best ground discoverable; made hot re-
sistance; hot and skilful; but in vain. About six in the
"evening, Arnim and Party were brought back, Prisoners,
"to Frankfurt again, -- self, surviving men, cannons and
"all (self in a wounded state); -- and 'were locked in various
"Brewhouses;' little of careful surgery, I should fear. Poor
"Arnim; man could do no more; and he has been unfor-
"tunate. "
It is by no means our intention to describe the
Iliad of miseries, the agitations, terrors and disquietudes,
the tribulation and utter harrowing to despair, which
poor Frankfurt underwent, incessantly from that day
forward, for about five weeks to come. "The furnish-
"ings of victual" (Eussian stock quite out) "were to
"an inconceivable amount; surrender of arms, of linens,
"cloths, of everything useful to a hungry Army; above
"all things, of horses, so that at last there were but four
"horses left in all Frankfurt; and" -- But we must
not go into details.
"On the second day, besides all this," what will be signi-
ficant of it all, "there was exacted'ransom of 600,000 thalers
"(90. 000/. ), or you shall be delivered to the Cossacks! '
"Frankfurt has not above 12,000 inhabitants within its
"bounds; here is a sudden poll-tax of 11. 10s. per head.
"Frankfurt has not such a sum; the most rigorous collection
"did not yield above the tenth part of it. And more than
"once those sanguinary vagabonds were openly drawn out,
"pitch-link in hand: 'The 90,000/. or --! ' Civic-Presidency
"Office in Frankfurt was not a bed of roses. The poor Magis-
'"trates rushed distractedly about; wrung out moneys to the
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? 156 FRIEDEICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
30th July--12th Aug. 1759.
"last drop; moneys, and in the end plate from those that
"had it; went in tearful deputation to General Soltikof, -- a
"severe proud kind of man, capable perhaps of being flat-
"tered, -- who usually locked them up instead. Magistrates
"were locked in Russian ward, at one time, for almost a
"week; sat in the blazing sun; if you try for the shade of a
"tree, the sentry handles arms upon you; -- and were like
"to die. To me, Kriele, it is a miracle how the most of us
"lived; nay we never really wanted food, so kind was
"Providence, so generous our poor neighbours out of all the
"Towns round. The utmost of money that could be raised
"was 6,0001. ; nothing but some little of plate, and our Bill
"for the remainder. Soltikof, a high kind of gentleman,
"saw at last how it stood; let the Magistrates out of ward;
"sent back the plate -- 'Nothing of that! ' -- nay Czarish
"Majesty was herself generous; and forgave the Bill, on our
"petition, next Year. Cossacks, indeed, were a plunderous
"wild crew; but the Russians kept them mostly without the
"gates. The regular Russians were civil and orderly, officers
"and men, -- greatly beyond the Austrians in behaviour. "*
By these few traits conceive Frankfurt: this, now forgotten
in most books, is a background on which things were trans-
acted still memorable to everybody.
"Friday, August 3d, General Loudon came to hand:
"arrived early, in the Guben' (or Western) "Suburb, his
"18,000 and he. In high spirits, naturally, and somewhat
"exultant to have evaded Friedrich; but found a reception
"that surprised him. The Russians had been living in the
"hope of junction; but still more vividly in that of meal.
"'Auxiliaries; humph, -- only 18,000 of them; how much
"welcomer had been as many hundredweights of meal! '
"Loudon had pushed his baggage direct into Frankfurt; and
"likewise a requisition of such and such proviants, weights
"of meal and the like, in exuberant amount, to be furnished
"straightway by the City; neither of which procedures would
"theRussians hear of for a moment. 'Out with you! ' said
"they roughly to the baggage-people: 'quarter in the Guben
"Suburb, or where you like; not here! ' And with regard
"to the requisition of proviant, they answered in a scornful
"angry key,'Proviant? You too without it? You have not
* Kriele, Schlacht bei Kunersdorf, pp. 1-15 (in compressed state).
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