Daun, Soltikof and Company again have a Colloquy
(Bautzen, September 15th); after which everybody
starts on his special Course of Action.
(Bautzen, September 15th); after which everybody
starts on his special Course of Action.
Thomas Carlyle
hathitrust.
org/access_use#pd-google
? 230 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XiX.
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
CHAPTER VI.
PRINCE HENRI MAKES A MARCH OF FIFTY HOURS; THE
RUSSIANS CANNOT FIND LODGING IN SILESIA.
The eyes of all had been bent on Dresden latterly;
and there had occurred a great deal of detaching
thitherward, and of marching there and thence, as we
have partly seen. And the end is, Dresden, and to
appearance Saxony along with it, is Daun's. Has not
Daun good reason now to be proud of the cunctatory
method? Never did his game stand better; and all has
been gained at other people's expense. Daun has not
played one trump card; it is those obliging Russians
that have played all the trumps, and reduced the Enemy
to nothing. Only continue that wise course; -- and cart
meal, with your whole strength, for the Russians^! --
Safe behind the pools of Lieberose, Friedrich between
them and Berlin, lie those dear Russians; extending,
Daun and they, like an impassable military dike, with
spurs of Outposts and cunningly-devised Detachments,
far and wide, -- from beyond Bober or utmost Crossen
on the east, to Hoyerswerda in Elbe Country on the
west; -- dike of eighty miles long, and, in some eastern
parts, of almost eighty broad; so elaborate is Daun's
detaching quality, in cases of moment. "The King's
broken Army on one side of us," calculates Daun;
"Prince Henri's on the other; incommunicative they;
reduced to isolation, powerless either or both of them
against such odds. They shall wait there, please
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? CHAP. VI. ] HENRl's MARCH OF FIFTY HOURS. 231
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
Heaven, till Saxony be quite finished. Zweibrtick,
and our Detachments and Maguires, let them finish
Saxony, while Soltikof keeps the King busy. Saxony
finished, how will either Prince or King attempt to
recover it! After which, Silesia for us; --. and we
shall then be near our Magazines withal, and this
severe stress of carting will abate or cease. " In fact,
these seem sound calculations: Friedrich is 24,000;
Henri, 38,000; the military dike is, of Austrians
75,000, of Russians and Austrians together 120,000.
Daun may fairly calculate on succeeding beautifully,
this Year: Saxony his altogether; and in Silesia some
Glogau or strong Town taken, and Russians and
Austrians wintering together in that Country.
If only Daun do not too much spare his trump
cards! But there is such a thing as excess on that
side too: and perhaps it is even the more ruinous kind,
-- and is certainly the more despised by good judges,
though the multitude of bad may notice it less.
Daun is unwearied in his vigilances, in his infinite
cartings of provision for self and Soltikof, -- long
chains of Magazines, big and little, at Guben, at Gorlitz,
at Bautzen, Zittau, Friedland; -- and does, aided by
French Montalembert, all that man can to keep those
dear stupid Russians in tune.
Daun's problem of carting provisions, and guarding
his multifarious posts, and sources of meal and defence,
is not without its difficulties. Especially with a Prince
Henri opposite; who has a superlative manoeuvering
talent of his own, and an industry not inferior to Daun's
in that way. Accordingly, ever since August 11th-
13th, when Daun moved northward to Triebel, and
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? 232 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
Henri shot out detachments parallel to him, "to secure
the Bober and our right flank, and try to regain com-
munication with the King," -- still more, ever since
August 22d, when Daun undertook that onerous cartage
of meal for Soltikof as well as self, the manoeuvering
and mutual fencing and parrying, between Henri and
him, has been getting livelier and livelier. Fain would
Daun secure his numerous Roads and Magazines; as-
siduously does Henri threaten him in these points, and
try all means to regain communication with his Brother.
Daun has Magazines and interests everywhere; Henri
is everywhere diligent to act of them.
Daun in person, ever since Kunersdorf time, has
been at Triebel; Henri moved to Sagan after him, but
has left a lieutenant at Schmottseifen, as Daun has at
Mark-Lissa: -- here are still new planets, and secondary
ditto, with revolving moons. In short, it is two inter-
penetrating solar-systems, gyrating, osculating and col-
liding, over a space of several thousand square miles,
with an intricacy, with an embroiled abstruseness Ptolemean or more! Which indeed the soldier who would
know his business, -- (and not knowing it, is not he
of all solecisms in this world the most flagrant? ), --
ought to study, out of Tempelhof and the Books; but
which, except in its results, no other reader could
endure. The result we will make a point of gathering:
carefully riddled down, there are withal in the details
five or six little passages which have some shadow of
interest to us; these let us note, and carefully omit the
rest:
OfFouquet at Landshut. "Fouquet was twice attacked at
"Landshut; but made a lucky figure both times. Attack first
"was by Deville; attack second by Harsch. Early in July,
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? CHAP. VI. l HENRl's MARCH OF FIFTY HOURS. - 233
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
"not long after Friedrich had left for Schmottseifen, rash
"Deville (a rash creature, and then again a laggard, swift
"where he should be slow, and vice versa) again made trial on
"Landshut and Fouquet; but was beautifully dealt with;
"taken in rear, in flank, or I forget how taken, but sent
"galloping through the Passes again, with a loss of many
"Prisoners, most of his furnitures, and all his presence of
"mind: whom Daun thereupon summoned out of those parts,
"Hitherward toMark-Lissa with your Corps; leave Fouquet
"alone! "*
"After which, Fouquet, things being altogether quiet
"round him was summoned, with most part of his force, to
"Schmottseifen; left General Goltz (a man we have met
"before) to guard Landshut; and was in fair hopes of proving
"helpful to Prince Henri,--whenHarsch" (Harsch by himself
this time, not Harsch and Deville as usual) "thought here was
"his opportunity; and came with a great apparatus, as if to
"swallow Landshut whole. So thatFouquet had to hurry off
"reinforcements thither; and at length to go himself, leaving
"Stutterheim in his stead at Schmottseifen. Goltz, however,
"with his small handful, stood well to his work. And there
"fell out sharp fencings at Landshut: -- especially one violent
"attack on our outposts; the Austrians quite triumphant;
"till'a couple of cannon open on them from the next Hill,' --
"till some violent Werner or other charge in upon them with
"Prussian Hussars; -- a desperate tussle, that special one of
"Werner's; not only sabres flashing furiously on both sides,
"but butts of pistols and blows on the face:** till, in short,
"Harsch finds he can make nothing of it, and has taken him-
"self away, before Fouquet come. This Goltz, here playing
Anti-Harsch, is the Goltz who, with Winterfeld, Schmettau and
others, was in that melancholy Zittau march, of the Prince of
Prussia's, in 1757: it was Goltz by whom the King sent his
finishing compliment, "you deserve, all of you, to be tried by
"Court-Martial, and to lose your heads! Goltz is mainly
concerned with Fouquet and Silesia, in late times; and we
shall hear of him once again. Fouquet did not return to
Schmottseifen; nor was molested again in Landshut this
* Hofbericht von den Unternehmungen tics Fouquctschen Corps, im Julius
1759: in Seyfarth, Beylagen, n. 582-586. ** Tempelhof, in. 238: August 3lst.
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? 234 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book HX.
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
year, though he soon had to detach, for the King's use, part of
his Landshut force, and had other Silesian business which fell
to him.
Fortress of Peitz. "The poor Fortress of Peitz was taken
'again; -- do readers remember it, 'on the day of Zorndorf,'
'last year? This year, a fortnight after Kunersdorf, the same
'old Half-pay Gentleman with his Five-and-forty Invalids
'have again been set adrift, 'with the honours of war,' poor
'old creatures; lest by possibility they afflict the dear Bus-
'sians and our meal-carts up yonder. * I will forget who
'took Peitz: perhaps Haddick, of whom we have lately heard
'so much? He was captor of Berlin in 1757, did the Inroad on
'Berlin that year, --and producedKossbach shortly after.
'Peitz, if he did Peitz, was Haddick's last success in the
world. Haddick has been most industrious, 'guarding the
Russian flank,' -- standing between the King and it, during
'that Soltikof march to Miillrose, to Lieberose;-- but that
'once done, and the King settled at Waldau, Haddick was
'ordered to Saxony, against Wunsch and Finck: -- and
'readers know already what he made of these Two in the
'' Action at Korbitz, September 21st,' -- and shall hear soon
'what befel Haddick himself in consequence. "
Colonel Hordt is captured. "It was in that final marching of
'Soltikof to Lieberose that a distinguished Ex-Swede, Colo-
'nel Hordt, of the Free Corps Hordt, was taken prisoner. At
'Trebatsch; hanging on Soltikof s right flank, on that oc-
'casion. It was not Haddick, it was a swarm of Cossacks
'who laid Hordt fast; his horse having gone to the girths in
'a bog. ** Hordt, an Ex-Swede of distinction, -- a Royalist
'Exile, on whose head the Swedes have set a price (had gone
'into 'Brahe'sPlot,' years since, Plot on behalf of the poor
'Swedish King, which cost Brahe his life), -- Hordt now
'might have fared ill, had not Friedrich been emphatic,
'' Touch a hair of him, retaliation follows on the instant! ' He
'was carried to Petersburg; 'lay twenty-six months and
'three days' in solitary durance there; and we may hear a
'word from him again.
* Tempelhof, in. 281: 27th August.
** Memoires du Comte de Hordt (a Berlin, 1789), n. 53-68 (not dated or
intelligible there): in Tempelhof (m. 235, 6) clear account, "Trebatsch, September 4th. "
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? CHAP. VI. ] HENRI'S MARCH OP FIFTY HOURS. 235
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
Ziethen almost captured. "Prince Henri, in the last days
"of August, marched to Sagan in person;* Ziethen along
"with him; multifariously manoeuvering 'to regain com-
"munication with the King. ' Of course, with no want of
"counter-manoeuvering, of vigilant outposts, cunningly
"devised detachments, and assiduous small measures, on the
"part of Daun. Who, one day, had determined on a more
"considerable thing; that of cutting-out Ziethen from the
"Sagan neighbourhood. And would have done it, they say,
"-- had nothe been too cunctatory. September 2d, Ziethen,
"who is posted in the little town of Sorau, had very nearly
"been cutoff. In Sorau, westward, Daun-ward, of Sagan a
"short day's march: there sat Ziethen, conscious of nothing
"particular, -- with Daun secretly marching on him; Daun
"in person, from the west, and two others from the north and
"from the south, who are to be simultaneous on Sorau and
"the Zitheners. A well-laid scheme; likely to have finished
"Ziethen satisfactorily, who sat there aware of nothing. But
"it all miswent: Daun, on the road, noticed some trifling
"phenomenon (Prussian party of horse, or the like), which
"convinced his cautious mind that all was found out; that
"probably a whole Prussian Army, instead of a Ziethen only,
"was waiting at Sorau; upon whichDaun turned home again,
"sorry that he could not turn the other two as well. The other
"two were stronger than Ziethen, could they have come upon
"him by surprise; or have caught him before he got through
"a certain Pass, or bit of bad ground, with his baggage. But
"Ziethen, by some accident, or by his own patrols, got notice;
"loaded his baggage instantly; and was through the Pass, or
"half through it, and in a condition to give stroke for stroke
"with interest, when his enemies came up. Nothing could be
"done upon Ziethen; who marched on, he and all his proper-
"ties, safe to Sagan that night, -- owing to Daun's over-cau-
"tion, and to Ziethen's own activity and luck. "**
All this was prior to the loss of Dresden. During
the crisis of that, when everybody was bestirring
himself, Prince Henri made extraordinary exertions:
"Much depends on me; all on me! " sighed Henri.
* Tempelhof, m. 231: 29th August. ? >> Ibid. m. 233.
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? 236 PRIBDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. . [book XIX.
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
A cautious little man; but not incapable of risking, in
the crisis of a game for life and death. Friedrich and
he are wedged asunder by that dike of Russians and
Austrians, which goes from Bober river eastward, post
after post, to Hoyerswerda westward, eighty miles
along the Lausitz-Brandenburg Frontier, rooting itself
through the Lausitz into Bohemia, and the sources of
its meal. Friedrich and he cannot communicate except
by spies ("the first Jager," or regular express "from
the King, arrived September 13th"*): but both are of
one mind; both are on one problem, "What is to be
done with that impassable dike? " -- and cooperate
sympathetically without communicating. What follows
bears date after the loss of Dresden, but while Henri
still knew only of the siege, -- that Jager of the 13th
first brought him news of the loss. -
"A day or two after Ziethen's adventure, Henri quits
"Sagan, to move southward for a stroke at the Bohemian-
"Lausitz magazines; a stroke, and series of strokes. Sep-
"tember 8th, Ziethen and (in Fouquet's absence at Landshut)
"Stutterheim are pushed forward into the Zittau Country;
"first of all upon Friedland, -- the Zittau Friedland, for there
"are Friedlands many! September 9th, Stutterheim summons
"Friedland, gets it; gets the bit of magazine there; and next
"day, hastens on to Zittau. Is refused surrender of Zittau;
"learns, however, that the magazine has been mostly set on
"wheels again, and is a stage forward on the road to Bohemia;
"whitherward Stutterheim, quitting Zittau as too tedious,
"hastens after it, and next day catches it, or the unburnt
"remains of it. A successful Stutterheim. Nor is Ziethen
"idle in the mean while; Ziethen and others; whomnoDeville
"or Austrian Party thinks itself strong enough to meddle
"with, Prince Henri being so near.
"Here is a pretty tempest in the heart of our Bohemian
"meal-conduit f Continue that, and what becomes of Soltikof
* Tempelbof,m. 207.
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? CHAP. IV. 1 HENRl's MARCH OP FIFTY HOURS. 237
15th Sept. 1759.
"and me? Daun is off from Triebel Country to this dangerous
"scene; indignantly cashiers Deville, 'Why did not you
"'attack these Ziethen people? Had not you 10,000, Sir? '
"Cashiers poor Deville for not attacking; -- does not himself
"attack: but carts away the important Gorlitz magazine, to
''Bautzen, which is the still more important one; sits down on
"the lid of that (according to wont); shoots out O'Donnell (an
"Irish gentleman, Deville's successor), and takes every pre-
"caution. Prince Henri, in presence of O'Donnell, coalesces
"again; walks into Gorlitz; encamps there, on the Lands-
"kron and other Heights (Moys Hill one of them,poor Winter-
"feld's Hill! ), -- and watches a little how matters will turn,
"and whether Daun, severely vigilant from Bautzen, seated
"on the lid of his magazine, will not perhaps rise. "
First and last, Daun in this business has tried
several things; but there was pretty much always, and
emphatically there now is, only one thing that could
be effectual: To attack Prince Henri, and abolish him
from those countries; -- as surely might have been
possible, with twice his strength at your disposal? --
This, though sometimes he seemed to be thinking of
such a thing, Daun never would try: for which the
subsequent Facts, and all good judges, were and are
inexorably severe on Daun. Certain it is, no rashness
could have better spilt Daun's game than did this ex-
treme caution.
Daun, Soltikof and Company again have a Colloquy
(Bautzen, September 15th); after which everybody
starts on his special Course of Action.
Soltikof s disgust at this new movement of Daun's
was great and indignant. "Instead of going at the
King, and getting some victory for himself, he has
gone to Bautzen, and sat down on his meal-bags!
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? 238 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
15th Sept. 1759.
Meal? Is it to be a mere fighting for meal? I will
march tomorrow for Poland, for Preussen, and find
plenty of meal! " And would have gone, they say,
had not Mercury, in the shape of Montalembert with
his most zealous rhetoric, intervened; and prevailed
with difficulty. "One hour of personal interview with
Excellency Daun," urges Montalembert; "one more! "
"No," answers Soltikof. -- "Alas, then, send your
messenger! " To which last expedient Soltikof does
assent, and despatches Romanzof on the errand.
September 15th, at Bautzen, at an early hour, there
is meeting accordingly; not Romanzof, Soltikofs mes-
senger, alone, butZweibriick in person, Daun in person;
and most earnest counsel is held. "A noble Russian
gentleman sees how my hands are bound," pleads Daun.
"Will not Excellency Soltikof, who disdains idleness,
go himself upon Silesia, upon Glogau for instance, and
grant me a few days? " "No," answers Romanzof;
"Excellency Soltikof by himself will not. Let Austria
furnish Siege-Artillery; daily meal I need not speak of;
10,000 fresh Auxiliaries beyond those we have: on
these terms Excellency Soltikof will perhaps try it;
on lower terms, positively not. " "Well then, yes! "
answers Daun, not without qualms of mind. Daun has
a horror at weakening himself to that extent; but what
can he do? "General Campitelli, with the 10,000, let
him march this night, then; join with General Loudon
where you please to order: Excellency Soltikof shall
see that in every point I conform. " * -- An important
meeting to us, this at Bautzen; and breaks up the dead-
lock into three or more divergent courses of activity;
which it will now behove us to follow, with the best
* Tempelhof, m. 247-249.
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? chAp, vi. ] HenrI's march of fIfty hours. 239
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
brevity attainable. "Bautzen, Saturday 15thSeptember,
early in the morning," that is the date of the important
Colloquy. And precisely eight-and-forty hours before,
"on Thursday 13th, about 10 A. m. ," in the western
Environs of Quebec, there has fallen out an Event,
quite otherwise important in the History of Mankind!
Of which readers shall have some notice, at a time
more convenient. --
Romanzof returning with such answer, Soltikof
straightway gathers himself, September 15th-16th, and
gets on march. To Friedrich's joy; who hopes it may
be homeward; waits two days at Waldau, for the Yes
or No. On the second day, alas, it is No: "Going for
Silesia, I perceive thither, by a wide sweep northward,
which they think will be safer! " Upon whichFriedrich
also rises; follows, with another kind of speed than
Soltikof s; and, by one of his swift clutchings, lays hold
of Sagan, which he, if Soltikof has not, sees to be a key-
point in this operation. Easy for Soltikof to have seized
this key-point, key of the real road to Glogau; easy for
Loudon and the new 10,000 to have rendezvoused there:
but nobody has thought of doing it. A few Croats were
in the place, who could make no debate.
From Sagan Friedrich and Henri are at length in
free communication; Sagan to the Landskron at Gorlitz
is some fifty miles of country, now fallen vacant. From
Henri, from Fouquet (the dangers of Landshut being
over), Friedrich is getting what reinforcement they can
spare (September 20th-24th); will then push forward
again, industriously sticking to the flanks of Soltikof,
thrusting out stumbling-blocks, making his march very
uncomfortable.
Strange to say, from Sagan, while waiting two days
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? 240 PRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
for these reinforcements, there starts suddenly to view,
suddenly for Friedrich and us, an incipient Negotiation
about Peace! Actual Proposal that way (or as good
as actual, so Voltaire thinks it), on the part of Choiseul
and France; but as yet in Voltaire's name only, by a
sure though a backstairs channel, of his discovering.
Of which, and of the much farther corresponding that
did actually follow on it, we purpose to say something
elsewhere, at a better time. Meanwhile Voltaire's
announcement of it to the King has just come in,
through a fair and high Hand: how Friedrich receives
it, what Friedrich's inner feeling is, and has been
for a fortnight past -- Here are some private utter-
ances of his, throwing a straggle of light on those
points:
Four Letters of Friedrich's (10th-24th September).
No. 1. "To Prince Ferdinand (at Berlin). " Poor little
Ferdinand, the King's Brother, fallen into bad health, has
retired from the Wars, and gone to Berlin; much an object
of anxiety to the King, who diligently corresponds with the
dear little man, -- giving earnest medical advices, and
getting Berlin news in return.
"Waldau, 10th September 1759.
"Since my last Letter, Dresden has capitulated, -- the
"very day while Wunsch was beating Maguire at The Barns" (north side of Dresden, September 5th, day after the capitula-
tion). "Wunsch went back to Torgau, which St. Andre, with
"14,000 Reichs-people under him, was for retaking; him too
"Wunsch beat, took all his tents, kettles, haversacks and
"utensils, 300 prisoners, six cannon, and some standards.
'' Finck is uniting with Wunsch; they will march on the Prince
"of Zweibriick, and retake Dresden" (hopes always, for a
year and more, to have Dresden back very soon), "ltrust
"before long to get all these people gathered round Dresden,
"and our own Country rid of them; that, I take it, will be the
"end of the Campaign.
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? CHAP. V. ] HENRI'S MARCH OF FIFTY HOURS. 241
15th-25th Sept. 17;')! ).
"Many compliments to the Prince of WUrtemberg"
wounded at Kunersdorf), "and to all our wounded Generals:
"I hope Seidlitz is now out of danger: that bleeding fit
"(ebullition de sang) will cure him of the cramp in his jaw, and
"of his colics; and as he is in bed, he won't take cold. I hope
"the viper-broth will do you infinite good; be assiduous in
"patching your constitution, while there is yet some fine
"weather left: I dread the winter for you; take a great deal
"of care against cold. I have still a couple of cruel months
"ahead of me before ending this Campaign. Within that
"time, there will be, God knows what upshot. "* -- This is
"September 10th:" the day of Captain Kollas's arrival with
his bad Dresden news; Daun and Soltikof profoundly quiet
for three days more.
No. 2. "To the Duchess of Sachsen-Gotha" (at Gotha).
Voltaire has enclosed his Peace-Proposal to that Serene
Lady, always a friend of Friedrich's and his; to whom Fried-
rich, directly on receipt of it, makes answer:
"Sagan, 22d September 1759.
"Madame, -- I receive on all occasions proofs of your
"goodness, to which 1 am as sensible as a chivalrous man can
"be. Certainly it is not through your hands, Madame, that
"my Correspondence with V. ' (with Voltaire, if one durst
"write it in full) "ought to be made to pass! Nevertheless, in
"present circumstances, I will presume to beg that you would
"forward to him the Answer here enclosed, on which 1 put no
"Address. The difficulty of transmitting Letters has made
"me choose my Brother," Ferdinand, at Berlin, "to have this
"conveyed to your hand.
"If I gave bridle to my feelings, now would be the mo-
"ment for developing them; but in these critical times, I
"judge it betternot; and willrestriet myself to simple assur-
ances of --" F.
No. 3. "To Voltaire, at the Delices" (so her Serene High-
ness will address it). Here is part of the enclosure to "V. "
Friedrich is all for Peace; but keeps on his guard with such
an Ambassador, and writes in a proud, light, only half-believ-
ing style:
? (Enires de Fridiric, xxvr. 541.
Carlyle, Frederick the Great. XI. 16
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? 242 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
15lh-25th Sept. 1759.
"Sagan, 22d September 1759.
"The Duchess of Sachsen-Groth a sends me your Letter. I
"never received your 'packet of the 29th:' communications
"all interrupted here; with much trouble I get this passed
"on to you, if it is happy enough to pass.
"My position is not so desperate as my enemies give out.
"I expect to finish my Campaign tolerably; my courage is
"not sunk: -- it appears, however, there is talk of Peace. All
"I can say of positive on this article is, That I have honour
"for ten; and that, whatever misfortune befal me, Ifeelmy-
"self incapable of doing anything to wound, the least in the
"world, this principle, -- which is so sensitive and delicate
"for one who thinks like a gentleman (pense en preux cfte-
"vatier); and so little regarded by rascally politicians, who
"think like tradesmen.
"I know nothing of what you have been telling me about"
Cyour backstairs channels, your Due de Choiseul and his
humours): "but for making Peace there are two conditions
"which I never will depart from: 1? . To make it conjointly
"with my faithful Allies" (Hessen and England; I have no
other); "2? . to make it honourable and glorious. Observe
"you, I have still honour remaining; I will preserve that, at
"the price of my blood.
"If your people want Peace, let them propose nothing to
"me which contradicts the delicacy of my sentiments. I am
"in the convulsions of military operations; I do as the
"gamblers who are in ill-luck, and obstinately set themselves
"against Fortune. 1 have forced her to return to me, more
"than once, likeafickle mistress, when she had run away.
"My opponents are such foolish people, in the end I bid fair
"to catch some advantage over them: but, happen what-
"soever his Sacred Majesty Chance may please, I don't
"disturb myself about it. Up to this point, I have aclear con"science in regard to the misfortunes that have come to me.
"As to you, the Battle of Minden, that of Cadiz " (Boscawen
versus De la Clue; Toulon Fleet running out, and caught by
the English, as we saw), these things perhaps, "and the loss
"of Canada, are arguments capable of restoring reason to the
"French, who had got confused by the Austrian hellebore.
"This is my way of thinking. You do not find me made
"of rosewater: but Henri Quatre, Louis Quatorze, -- my
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? chap. vi. l henrI's march of fIfty hours. 243
15th-2olh Sept. 1759.
"present enemies even, whom I could cite" (Maria Theresa,
twenty years ago, when your Belleisle set out to cut her in
Four), -- "were of no softer temper either. Had I been born
"a private man, I would yield everything for the love of
"Peace; but one has to take the tone of one s position. This
"is all I can tell you at present. In three or four weeks the
"ways of correspondence will be freer. -- F. "*
No. 4. "To Prince Ferdinand. " Two days later: has got
on foot again, -- end of his first march upon Soltikof again:
"Baunau, 24th September 1759.
"Thank you for the news you send of the wounded
"Officers," Wiirtemberg, Seidlitz and the others. "You may
"well suppose that in the pass things are at, I am not without
"cares, inquietudes, anxieties; it is the frightfullest crisis I
"have had in my life. This is the moment for dying unless
"one conquer. Daun and my Brother Henri are marching
"side by side" (not exactly! ). "It is possible enough all
"these Armies may assemble hereabouts, and that a general
"Battle may decide our fortune and the Peace. Take care of
"your health, dear Brother. -- F. "**
Baunau is on Silesian ground, as indeed Sagan itself is; at
Baunau, Friedrich already, just on arriving, hasdonea fine
move on Soltikof, and surprisingly flung the toll-gate in
Soltikof s face. As we shall see by and by; --and likewise
that Prince Henri, who emerges tomorrow morning (Septem-
ber 25th), has not been "marching side by side with Daun,"
but at a pretty distance from that gentleman! --
Soltikof is a man of his word; otherwise one sus-
pects he already saw his Siege of Glogau to be im-
possible. Russians are not very skilful at the War-
minuet: fancy what it will be dancing to such a
partner! Friedrich, finding they are for Glogau, whisks
across the Oder, gets there before them: "No Glogau
for you! " They stand agape for some time; then
think, "Well then, Breslau! " Friedrich again whisks
* (Euvrcs de Frederic, xzin. 60, 61. ** Ibid. xxvi. 545.
16*
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? 230 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XiX.
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
CHAPTER VI.
PRINCE HENRI MAKES A MARCH OF FIFTY HOURS; THE
RUSSIANS CANNOT FIND LODGING IN SILESIA.
The eyes of all had been bent on Dresden latterly;
and there had occurred a great deal of detaching
thitherward, and of marching there and thence, as we
have partly seen. And the end is, Dresden, and to
appearance Saxony along with it, is Daun's. Has not
Daun good reason now to be proud of the cunctatory
method? Never did his game stand better; and all has
been gained at other people's expense. Daun has not
played one trump card; it is those obliging Russians
that have played all the trumps, and reduced the Enemy
to nothing. Only continue that wise course; -- and cart
meal, with your whole strength, for the Russians^! --
Safe behind the pools of Lieberose, Friedrich between
them and Berlin, lie those dear Russians; extending,
Daun and they, like an impassable military dike, with
spurs of Outposts and cunningly-devised Detachments,
far and wide, -- from beyond Bober or utmost Crossen
on the east, to Hoyerswerda in Elbe Country on the
west; -- dike of eighty miles long, and, in some eastern
parts, of almost eighty broad; so elaborate is Daun's
detaching quality, in cases of moment. "The King's
broken Army on one side of us," calculates Daun;
"Prince Henri's on the other; incommunicative they;
reduced to isolation, powerless either or both of them
against such odds. They shall wait there, please
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? CHAP. VI. ] HENRl's MARCH OF FIFTY HOURS. 231
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
Heaven, till Saxony be quite finished. Zweibrtick,
and our Detachments and Maguires, let them finish
Saxony, while Soltikof keeps the King busy. Saxony
finished, how will either Prince or King attempt to
recover it! After which, Silesia for us; --. and we
shall then be near our Magazines withal, and this
severe stress of carting will abate or cease. " In fact,
these seem sound calculations: Friedrich is 24,000;
Henri, 38,000; the military dike is, of Austrians
75,000, of Russians and Austrians together 120,000.
Daun may fairly calculate on succeeding beautifully,
this Year: Saxony his altogether; and in Silesia some
Glogau or strong Town taken, and Russians and
Austrians wintering together in that Country.
If only Daun do not too much spare his trump
cards! But there is such a thing as excess on that
side too: and perhaps it is even the more ruinous kind,
-- and is certainly the more despised by good judges,
though the multitude of bad may notice it less.
Daun is unwearied in his vigilances, in his infinite
cartings of provision for self and Soltikof, -- long
chains of Magazines, big and little, at Guben, at Gorlitz,
at Bautzen, Zittau, Friedland; -- and does, aided by
French Montalembert, all that man can to keep those
dear stupid Russians in tune.
Daun's problem of carting provisions, and guarding
his multifarious posts, and sources of meal and defence,
is not without its difficulties. Especially with a Prince
Henri opposite; who has a superlative manoeuvering
talent of his own, and an industry not inferior to Daun's
in that way. Accordingly, ever since August 11th-
13th, when Daun moved northward to Triebel, and
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? 232 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
Henri shot out detachments parallel to him, "to secure
the Bober and our right flank, and try to regain com-
munication with the King," -- still more, ever since
August 22d, when Daun undertook that onerous cartage
of meal for Soltikof as well as self, the manoeuvering
and mutual fencing and parrying, between Henri and
him, has been getting livelier and livelier. Fain would
Daun secure his numerous Roads and Magazines; as-
siduously does Henri threaten him in these points, and
try all means to regain communication with his Brother.
Daun has Magazines and interests everywhere; Henri
is everywhere diligent to act of them.
Daun in person, ever since Kunersdorf time, has
been at Triebel; Henri moved to Sagan after him, but
has left a lieutenant at Schmottseifen, as Daun has at
Mark-Lissa: -- here are still new planets, and secondary
ditto, with revolving moons. In short, it is two inter-
penetrating solar-systems, gyrating, osculating and col-
liding, over a space of several thousand square miles,
with an intricacy, with an embroiled abstruseness Ptolemean or more! Which indeed the soldier who would
know his business, -- (and not knowing it, is not he
of all solecisms in this world the most flagrant? ), --
ought to study, out of Tempelhof and the Books; but
which, except in its results, no other reader could
endure. The result we will make a point of gathering:
carefully riddled down, there are withal in the details
five or six little passages which have some shadow of
interest to us; these let us note, and carefully omit the
rest:
OfFouquet at Landshut. "Fouquet was twice attacked at
"Landshut; but made a lucky figure both times. Attack first
"was by Deville; attack second by Harsch. Early in July,
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? CHAP. VI. l HENRl's MARCH OF FIFTY HOURS. - 233
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
"not long after Friedrich had left for Schmottseifen, rash
"Deville (a rash creature, and then again a laggard, swift
"where he should be slow, and vice versa) again made trial on
"Landshut and Fouquet; but was beautifully dealt with;
"taken in rear, in flank, or I forget how taken, but sent
"galloping through the Passes again, with a loss of many
"Prisoners, most of his furnitures, and all his presence of
"mind: whom Daun thereupon summoned out of those parts,
"Hitherward toMark-Lissa with your Corps; leave Fouquet
"alone! "*
"After which, Fouquet, things being altogether quiet
"round him was summoned, with most part of his force, to
"Schmottseifen; left General Goltz (a man we have met
"before) to guard Landshut; and was in fair hopes of proving
"helpful to Prince Henri,--whenHarsch" (Harsch by himself
this time, not Harsch and Deville as usual) "thought here was
"his opportunity; and came with a great apparatus, as if to
"swallow Landshut whole. So thatFouquet had to hurry off
"reinforcements thither; and at length to go himself, leaving
"Stutterheim in his stead at Schmottseifen. Goltz, however,
"with his small handful, stood well to his work. And there
"fell out sharp fencings at Landshut: -- especially one violent
"attack on our outposts; the Austrians quite triumphant;
"till'a couple of cannon open on them from the next Hill,' --
"till some violent Werner or other charge in upon them with
"Prussian Hussars; -- a desperate tussle, that special one of
"Werner's; not only sabres flashing furiously on both sides,
"but butts of pistols and blows on the face:** till, in short,
"Harsch finds he can make nothing of it, and has taken him-
"self away, before Fouquet come. This Goltz, here playing
Anti-Harsch, is the Goltz who, with Winterfeld, Schmettau and
others, was in that melancholy Zittau march, of the Prince of
Prussia's, in 1757: it was Goltz by whom the King sent his
finishing compliment, "you deserve, all of you, to be tried by
"Court-Martial, and to lose your heads! Goltz is mainly
concerned with Fouquet and Silesia, in late times; and we
shall hear of him once again. Fouquet did not return to
Schmottseifen; nor was molested again in Landshut this
* Hofbericht von den Unternehmungen tics Fouquctschen Corps, im Julius
1759: in Seyfarth, Beylagen, n. 582-586. ** Tempelhof, in. 238: August 3lst.
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? 234 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book HX.
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
year, though he soon had to detach, for the King's use, part of
his Landshut force, and had other Silesian business which fell
to him.
Fortress of Peitz. "The poor Fortress of Peitz was taken
'again; -- do readers remember it, 'on the day of Zorndorf,'
'last year? This year, a fortnight after Kunersdorf, the same
'old Half-pay Gentleman with his Five-and-forty Invalids
'have again been set adrift, 'with the honours of war,' poor
'old creatures; lest by possibility they afflict the dear Bus-
'sians and our meal-carts up yonder. * I will forget who
'took Peitz: perhaps Haddick, of whom we have lately heard
'so much? He was captor of Berlin in 1757, did the Inroad on
'Berlin that year, --and producedKossbach shortly after.
'Peitz, if he did Peitz, was Haddick's last success in the
world. Haddick has been most industrious, 'guarding the
Russian flank,' -- standing between the King and it, during
'that Soltikof march to Miillrose, to Lieberose;-- but that
'once done, and the King settled at Waldau, Haddick was
'ordered to Saxony, against Wunsch and Finck: -- and
'readers know already what he made of these Two in the
'' Action at Korbitz, September 21st,' -- and shall hear soon
'what befel Haddick himself in consequence. "
Colonel Hordt is captured. "It was in that final marching of
'Soltikof to Lieberose that a distinguished Ex-Swede, Colo-
'nel Hordt, of the Free Corps Hordt, was taken prisoner. At
'Trebatsch; hanging on Soltikof s right flank, on that oc-
'casion. It was not Haddick, it was a swarm of Cossacks
'who laid Hordt fast; his horse having gone to the girths in
'a bog. ** Hordt, an Ex-Swede of distinction, -- a Royalist
'Exile, on whose head the Swedes have set a price (had gone
'into 'Brahe'sPlot,' years since, Plot on behalf of the poor
'Swedish King, which cost Brahe his life), -- Hordt now
'might have fared ill, had not Friedrich been emphatic,
'' Touch a hair of him, retaliation follows on the instant! ' He
'was carried to Petersburg; 'lay twenty-six months and
'three days' in solitary durance there; and we may hear a
'word from him again.
* Tempelhof, in. 281: 27th August.
** Memoires du Comte de Hordt (a Berlin, 1789), n. 53-68 (not dated or
intelligible there): in Tempelhof (m. 235, 6) clear account, "Trebatsch, September 4th. "
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? CHAP. VI. ] HENRI'S MARCH OP FIFTY HOURS. 235
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
Ziethen almost captured. "Prince Henri, in the last days
"of August, marched to Sagan in person;* Ziethen along
"with him; multifariously manoeuvering 'to regain com-
"munication with the King. ' Of course, with no want of
"counter-manoeuvering, of vigilant outposts, cunningly
"devised detachments, and assiduous small measures, on the
"part of Daun. Who, one day, had determined on a more
"considerable thing; that of cutting-out Ziethen from the
"Sagan neighbourhood. And would have done it, they say,
"-- had nothe been too cunctatory. September 2d, Ziethen,
"who is posted in the little town of Sorau, had very nearly
"been cutoff. In Sorau, westward, Daun-ward, of Sagan a
"short day's march: there sat Ziethen, conscious of nothing
"particular, -- with Daun secretly marching on him; Daun
"in person, from the west, and two others from the north and
"from the south, who are to be simultaneous on Sorau and
"the Zitheners. A well-laid scheme; likely to have finished
"Ziethen satisfactorily, who sat there aware of nothing. But
"it all miswent: Daun, on the road, noticed some trifling
"phenomenon (Prussian party of horse, or the like), which
"convinced his cautious mind that all was found out; that
"probably a whole Prussian Army, instead of a Ziethen only,
"was waiting at Sorau; upon whichDaun turned home again,
"sorry that he could not turn the other two as well. The other
"two were stronger than Ziethen, could they have come upon
"him by surprise; or have caught him before he got through
"a certain Pass, or bit of bad ground, with his baggage. But
"Ziethen, by some accident, or by his own patrols, got notice;
"loaded his baggage instantly; and was through the Pass, or
"half through it, and in a condition to give stroke for stroke
"with interest, when his enemies came up. Nothing could be
"done upon Ziethen; who marched on, he and all his proper-
"ties, safe to Sagan that night, -- owing to Daun's over-cau-
"tion, and to Ziethen's own activity and luck. "**
All this was prior to the loss of Dresden. During
the crisis of that, when everybody was bestirring
himself, Prince Henri made extraordinary exertions:
"Much depends on me; all on me! " sighed Henri.
* Tempelhof, m. 231: 29th August. ? >> Ibid. m. 233.
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? 236 PRIBDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. . [book XIX.
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
A cautious little man; but not incapable of risking, in
the crisis of a game for life and death. Friedrich and
he are wedged asunder by that dike of Russians and
Austrians, which goes from Bober river eastward, post
after post, to Hoyerswerda westward, eighty miles
along the Lausitz-Brandenburg Frontier, rooting itself
through the Lausitz into Bohemia, and the sources of
its meal. Friedrich and he cannot communicate except
by spies ("the first Jager," or regular express "from
the King, arrived September 13th"*): but both are of
one mind; both are on one problem, "What is to be
done with that impassable dike? " -- and cooperate
sympathetically without communicating. What follows
bears date after the loss of Dresden, but while Henri
still knew only of the siege, -- that Jager of the 13th
first brought him news of the loss. -
"A day or two after Ziethen's adventure, Henri quits
"Sagan, to move southward for a stroke at the Bohemian-
"Lausitz magazines; a stroke, and series of strokes. Sep-
"tember 8th, Ziethen and (in Fouquet's absence at Landshut)
"Stutterheim are pushed forward into the Zittau Country;
"first of all upon Friedland, -- the Zittau Friedland, for there
"are Friedlands many! September 9th, Stutterheim summons
"Friedland, gets it; gets the bit of magazine there; and next
"day, hastens on to Zittau. Is refused surrender of Zittau;
"learns, however, that the magazine has been mostly set on
"wheels again, and is a stage forward on the road to Bohemia;
"whitherward Stutterheim, quitting Zittau as too tedious,
"hastens after it, and next day catches it, or the unburnt
"remains of it. A successful Stutterheim. Nor is Ziethen
"idle in the mean while; Ziethen and others; whomnoDeville
"or Austrian Party thinks itself strong enough to meddle
"with, Prince Henri being so near.
"Here is a pretty tempest in the heart of our Bohemian
"meal-conduit f Continue that, and what becomes of Soltikof
* Tempelbof,m. 207.
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? CHAP. IV. 1 HENRl's MARCH OP FIFTY HOURS. 237
15th Sept. 1759.
"and me? Daun is off from Triebel Country to this dangerous
"scene; indignantly cashiers Deville, 'Why did not you
"'attack these Ziethen people? Had not you 10,000, Sir? '
"Cashiers poor Deville for not attacking; -- does not himself
"attack: but carts away the important Gorlitz magazine, to
''Bautzen, which is the still more important one; sits down on
"the lid of that (according to wont); shoots out O'Donnell (an
"Irish gentleman, Deville's successor), and takes every pre-
"caution. Prince Henri, in presence of O'Donnell, coalesces
"again; walks into Gorlitz; encamps there, on the Lands-
"kron and other Heights (Moys Hill one of them,poor Winter-
"feld's Hill! ), -- and watches a little how matters will turn,
"and whether Daun, severely vigilant from Bautzen, seated
"on the lid of his magazine, will not perhaps rise. "
First and last, Daun in this business has tried
several things; but there was pretty much always, and
emphatically there now is, only one thing that could
be effectual: To attack Prince Henri, and abolish him
from those countries; -- as surely might have been
possible, with twice his strength at your disposal? --
This, though sometimes he seemed to be thinking of
such a thing, Daun never would try: for which the
subsequent Facts, and all good judges, were and are
inexorably severe on Daun. Certain it is, no rashness
could have better spilt Daun's game than did this ex-
treme caution.
Daun, Soltikof and Company again have a Colloquy
(Bautzen, September 15th); after which everybody
starts on his special Course of Action.
Soltikof s disgust at this new movement of Daun's
was great and indignant. "Instead of going at the
King, and getting some victory for himself, he has
gone to Bautzen, and sat down on his meal-bags!
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? 238 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
15th Sept. 1759.
Meal? Is it to be a mere fighting for meal? I will
march tomorrow for Poland, for Preussen, and find
plenty of meal! " And would have gone, they say,
had not Mercury, in the shape of Montalembert with
his most zealous rhetoric, intervened; and prevailed
with difficulty. "One hour of personal interview with
Excellency Daun," urges Montalembert; "one more! "
"No," answers Soltikof. -- "Alas, then, send your
messenger! " To which last expedient Soltikof does
assent, and despatches Romanzof on the errand.
September 15th, at Bautzen, at an early hour, there
is meeting accordingly; not Romanzof, Soltikofs mes-
senger, alone, butZweibriick in person, Daun in person;
and most earnest counsel is held. "A noble Russian
gentleman sees how my hands are bound," pleads Daun.
"Will not Excellency Soltikof, who disdains idleness,
go himself upon Silesia, upon Glogau for instance, and
grant me a few days? " "No," answers Romanzof;
"Excellency Soltikof by himself will not. Let Austria
furnish Siege-Artillery; daily meal I need not speak of;
10,000 fresh Auxiliaries beyond those we have: on
these terms Excellency Soltikof will perhaps try it;
on lower terms, positively not. " "Well then, yes! "
answers Daun, not without qualms of mind. Daun has
a horror at weakening himself to that extent; but what
can he do? "General Campitelli, with the 10,000, let
him march this night, then; join with General Loudon
where you please to order: Excellency Soltikof shall
see that in every point I conform. " * -- An important
meeting to us, this at Bautzen; and breaks up the dead-
lock into three or more divergent courses of activity;
which it will now behove us to follow, with the best
* Tempelhof, m. 247-249.
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? chAp, vi. ] HenrI's march of fIfty hours. 239
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
brevity attainable. "Bautzen, Saturday 15thSeptember,
early in the morning," that is the date of the important
Colloquy. And precisely eight-and-forty hours before,
"on Thursday 13th, about 10 A. m. ," in the western
Environs of Quebec, there has fallen out an Event,
quite otherwise important in the History of Mankind!
Of which readers shall have some notice, at a time
more convenient. --
Romanzof returning with such answer, Soltikof
straightway gathers himself, September 15th-16th, and
gets on march. To Friedrich's joy; who hopes it may
be homeward; waits two days at Waldau, for the Yes
or No. On the second day, alas, it is No: "Going for
Silesia, I perceive thither, by a wide sweep northward,
which they think will be safer! " Upon whichFriedrich
also rises; follows, with another kind of speed than
Soltikof s; and, by one of his swift clutchings, lays hold
of Sagan, which he, if Soltikof has not, sees to be a key-
point in this operation. Easy for Soltikof to have seized
this key-point, key of the real road to Glogau; easy for
Loudon and the new 10,000 to have rendezvoused there:
but nobody has thought of doing it. A few Croats were
in the place, who could make no debate.
From Sagan Friedrich and Henri are at length in
free communication; Sagan to the Landskron at Gorlitz
is some fifty miles of country, now fallen vacant. From
Henri, from Fouquet (the dangers of Landshut being
over), Friedrich is getting what reinforcement they can
spare (September 20th-24th); will then push forward
again, industriously sticking to the flanks of Soltikof,
thrusting out stumbling-blocks, making his march very
uncomfortable.
Strange to say, from Sagan, while waiting two days
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? 240 PRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
15th-25th Sept. 1759.
for these reinforcements, there starts suddenly to view,
suddenly for Friedrich and us, an incipient Negotiation
about Peace! Actual Proposal that way (or as good
as actual, so Voltaire thinks it), on the part of Choiseul
and France; but as yet in Voltaire's name only, by a
sure though a backstairs channel, of his discovering.
Of which, and of the much farther corresponding that
did actually follow on it, we purpose to say something
elsewhere, at a better time. Meanwhile Voltaire's
announcement of it to the King has just come in,
through a fair and high Hand: how Friedrich receives
it, what Friedrich's inner feeling is, and has been
for a fortnight past -- Here are some private utter-
ances of his, throwing a straggle of light on those
points:
Four Letters of Friedrich's (10th-24th September).
No. 1. "To Prince Ferdinand (at Berlin). " Poor little
Ferdinand, the King's Brother, fallen into bad health, has
retired from the Wars, and gone to Berlin; much an object
of anxiety to the King, who diligently corresponds with the
dear little man, -- giving earnest medical advices, and
getting Berlin news in return.
"Waldau, 10th September 1759.
"Since my last Letter, Dresden has capitulated, -- the
"very day while Wunsch was beating Maguire at The Barns" (north side of Dresden, September 5th, day after the capitula-
tion). "Wunsch went back to Torgau, which St. Andre, with
"14,000 Reichs-people under him, was for retaking; him too
"Wunsch beat, took all his tents, kettles, haversacks and
"utensils, 300 prisoners, six cannon, and some standards.
'' Finck is uniting with Wunsch; they will march on the Prince
"of Zweibriick, and retake Dresden" (hopes always, for a
year and more, to have Dresden back very soon), "ltrust
"before long to get all these people gathered round Dresden,
"and our own Country rid of them; that, I take it, will be the
"end of the Campaign.
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? CHAP. V. ] HENRI'S MARCH OF FIFTY HOURS. 241
15th-25th Sept. 17;')! ).
"Many compliments to the Prince of WUrtemberg"
wounded at Kunersdorf), "and to all our wounded Generals:
"I hope Seidlitz is now out of danger: that bleeding fit
"(ebullition de sang) will cure him of the cramp in his jaw, and
"of his colics; and as he is in bed, he won't take cold. I hope
"the viper-broth will do you infinite good; be assiduous in
"patching your constitution, while there is yet some fine
"weather left: I dread the winter for you; take a great deal
"of care against cold. I have still a couple of cruel months
"ahead of me before ending this Campaign. Within that
"time, there will be, God knows what upshot. "* -- This is
"September 10th:" the day of Captain Kollas's arrival with
his bad Dresden news; Daun and Soltikof profoundly quiet
for three days more.
No. 2. "To the Duchess of Sachsen-Gotha" (at Gotha).
Voltaire has enclosed his Peace-Proposal to that Serene
Lady, always a friend of Friedrich's and his; to whom Fried-
rich, directly on receipt of it, makes answer:
"Sagan, 22d September 1759.
"Madame, -- I receive on all occasions proofs of your
"goodness, to which 1 am as sensible as a chivalrous man can
"be. Certainly it is not through your hands, Madame, that
"my Correspondence with V. ' (with Voltaire, if one durst
"write it in full) "ought to be made to pass! Nevertheless, in
"present circumstances, I will presume to beg that you would
"forward to him the Answer here enclosed, on which 1 put no
"Address. The difficulty of transmitting Letters has made
"me choose my Brother," Ferdinand, at Berlin, "to have this
"conveyed to your hand.
"If I gave bridle to my feelings, now would be the mo-
"ment for developing them; but in these critical times, I
"judge it betternot; and willrestriet myself to simple assur-
ances of --" F.
No. 3. "To Voltaire, at the Delices" (so her Serene High-
ness will address it). Here is part of the enclosure to "V. "
Friedrich is all for Peace; but keeps on his guard with such
an Ambassador, and writes in a proud, light, only half-believ-
ing style:
? (Enires de Fridiric, xxvr. 541.
Carlyle, Frederick the Great. XI. 16
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? 242 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
15lh-25th Sept. 1759.
"Sagan, 22d September 1759.
"The Duchess of Sachsen-Groth a sends me your Letter. I
"never received your 'packet of the 29th:' communications
"all interrupted here; with much trouble I get this passed
"on to you, if it is happy enough to pass.
"My position is not so desperate as my enemies give out.
"I expect to finish my Campaign tolerably; my courage is
"not sunk: -- it appears, however, there is talk of Peace. All
"I can say of positive on this article is, That I have honour
"for ten; and that, whatever misfortune befal me, Ifeelmy-
"self incapable of doing anything to wound, the least in the
"world, this principle, -- which is so sensitive and delicate
"for one who thinks like a gentleman (pense en preux cfte-
"vatier); and so little regarded by rascally politicians, who
"think like tradesmen.
"I know nothing of what you have been telling me about"
Cyour backstairs channels, your Due de Choiseul and his
humours): "but for making Peace there are two conditions
"which I never will depart from: 1? . To make it conjointly
"with my faithful Allies" (Hessen and England; I have no
other); "2? . to make it honourable and glorious. Observe
"you, I have still honour remaining; I will preserve that, at
"the price of my blood.
"If your people want Peace, let them propose nothing to
"me which contradicts the delicacy of my sentiments. I am
"in the convulsions of military operations; I do as the
"gamblers who are in ill-luck, and obstinately set themselves
"against Fortune. 1 have forced her to return to me, more
"than once, likeafickle mistress, when she had run away.
"My opponents are such foolish people, in the end I bid fair
"to catch some advantage over them: but, happen what-
"soever his Sacred Majesty Chance may please, I don't
"disturb myself about it. Up to this point, I have aclear con"science in regard to the misfortunes that have come to me.
"As to you, the Battle of Minden, that of Cadiz " (Boscawen
versus De la Clue; Toulon Fleet running out, and caught by
the English, as we saw), these things perhaps, "and the loss
"of Canada, are arguments capable of restoring reason to the
"French, who had got confused by the Austrian hellebore.
"This is my way of thinking. You do not find me made
"of rosewater: but Henri Quatre, Louis Quatorze, -- my
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? chap. vi. l henrI's march of fIfty hours. 243
15th-2olh Sept. 1759.
"present enemies even, whom I could cite" (Maria Theresa,
twenty years ago, when your Belleisle set out to cut her in
Four), -- "were of no softer temper either. Had I been born
"a private man, I would yield everything for the love of
"Peace; but one has to take the tone of one s position. This
"is all I can tell you at present. In three or four weeks the
"ways of correspondence will be freer. -- F. "*
No. 4. "To Prince Ferdinand. " Two days later: has got
on foot again, -- end of his first march upon Soltikof again:
"Baunau, 24th September 1759.
"Thank you for the news you send of the wounded
"Officers," Wiirtemberg, Seidlitz and the others. "You may
"well suppose that in the pass things are at, I am not without
"cares, inquietudes, anxieties; it is the frightfullest crisis I
"have had in my life. This is the moment for dying unless
"one conquer. Daun and my Brother Henri are marching
"side by side" (not exactly! ). "It is possible enough all
"these Armies may assemble hereabouts, and that a general
"Battle may decide our fortune and the Peace. Take care of
"your health, dear Brother. -- F. "**
Baunau is on Silesian ground, as indeed Sagan itself is; at
Baunau, Friedrich already, just on arriving, hasdonea fine
move on Soltikof, and surprisingly flung the toll-gate in
Soltikof s face. As we shall see by and by; --and likewise
that Prince Henri, who emerges tomorrow morning (Septem-
ber 25th), has not been "marching side by side with Daun,"
but at a pretty distance from that gentleman! --
Soltikof is a man of his word; otherwise one sus-
pects he already saw his Siege of Glogau to be im-
possible. Russians are not very skilful at the War-
minuet: fancy what it will be dancing to such a
partner! Friedrich, finding they are for Glogau, whisks
across the Oder, gets there before them: "No Glogau
for you! " They stand agape for some time; then
think, "Well then, Breslau! " Friedrich again whisks
* (Euvrcs de Frederic, xzin. 60, 61. ** Ibid. xxvi. 545.
16*
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