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? CHAP. vI. 1 DEATH OP WtNTEEPELD. 147
7th Sept. 1757.
that come. Maria Theresa and her Kriegs-Hofrath at
length despatch their supreme Kaunitz, Graf Kaunitz
in person, to stir up Prince Karl, and look into the
matter with his own wise eyes and great heart. Prince
Karl, by way of treat to this high gentleman, deter-
mines on doing something striking upon Bevern.
Bevern lies with his main body about Gbrlitz, in
and to westward of Gorlitz, a pleasant Town on the
left bank of the Neisse (readers know there are Four
Neisses, and which of them this is), with fine hilly
country all round, bulky solitary Heights and Mountains
rising out of fruitful plains, -- two Hochkirchs {High- Kirks), for example, are in this region, one of which
will become extremely notable next year: -- Bevern
has a strong camp leaning on the due Heights here,
with Gorlitz in its lap; and beyond Gorlitz, on the
right bank of the Neisse, united to him by a Bridge,
he has placed Winterfeld with 10,000, who lies with
his back to Gorlitz, proper brooks and fencible places
flanking him, has a Dorf (Thorp) called Moys in his
lap; and, some short furlong beyond Moys, a 2,000 of
his grenadiers planted on the top of a Hill called the
Moysberg, called also the Holzberg (Woodhill) and
Jakelsberg, of which the reader is to take notice.
Fine outpost, with proper batteries atop, with hussar
squadrons and hussar pickets sprinkled about; which
commands a far outlook towards Silesia, and in marching
thither, or in continuing here, is useful to have in hand,
-- were it not a little too distant from the main body.
It is this Jakelsberg, capable of being snatched if one
is sudden enough, that Prince Karl decides on: it may
be good for much or for little to Prince Karl; and, if
even for nothing, it will be a brilliant affront upon
10*
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? 148 SEVEN-YEARS WAE EISES TO A HEIGHT, [book XvIII.
7th Sept. 1757.
Winterfeld and Bevern, and more or less charming to
Kaunitz.
Winterfeld, the ardent enterprising man, King's
other self, is thought to be the mainspring of affairs
here (small thanks to him privately from Bevern, add
some): and is stationed in the extreme van, as we see;
Winterfeld is engaged in many things besides the care
of this post; and indeed where a critical thing is to be
done, we can imagine Winterfeld goes upon it. "We
must try to stay here till the King has finished in
Saxony! " says Winterfeld always. To which Bevern
replies, "Excellent, truly; but how? " Bevern has his
provender at Dresden, sadly far off; has to hold Bautzen
garrisoned, and gets much trouble with his convoys.
Better in Silesia, with our magazines at hand, thinks
Bevern, less mindful of other considerations.
Tuesday, September 6th, Prince Karl sends Nadasti
to the right bank of the River, forward upon Moys, to
do the Jakelsberg before day tomorrow: only some
2,000 grenadiers on it; Nadasti has with him 15,000,
some count 20,000 of all arms, artillery in plenty;
surely sufficient for the Jakelsberg; and Daun advances,
with the main body, on the other side of the River, to
be within reach, should Moys lead to more serious con-
sequences. Nadasti diligently marches all day; posts
himself at night within few miles of Moys; gets his
cannon to the proper Hills (Gallows Hill and others),
his Croats to the proper Woods; and, before daylight
on the morrow, means to begin upon the Moys Hill
and its 2,000 grenadiers.
Wednesday morning, at the set hour, Nadasti, with
artillery bursting out and quivering battle-lines, is at
work accordingly; hurls up 1,000 Croats, for one item,
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? CHAP. VI. l DEATH OF WINTERFELD. 149
7th Sept. 1757.
and regulars to the amount of "forty companies in three
lines. " The grenadiers, somewhat astonished, for the
morning was misty and their hussar-posts had come
hastily in, stood upon their guard, like Prussian men;
hurled back the 1,000 Croats fast enough; stubbornly
repulsed the regulars too, and tumbled them down hill
with bullet-storm for accompaniment; gallantly foiling
this first attempt of Nadasti's. Of course Nadasti will
make another, will make ever others: capture of the
Jakelsberg can hardly be doubtful to Nadasti.
Winterfeld was not at Moys, he was at Gorlitz,
just got in from escorting an important meal-convoy
hither out of Bautzen; and was in conference with
Bevern, when rumour of these Croat attacks came in
at the gallop from Moys. Winterfeld made little of
the rumours: he had heard of some attack intended,
but it was to have been overnight, and has not been.
"Mere foraging of Croat rabble, like yesterday's! "
said Winterfeld, and continued his present business.
In few minutes the sound of heavy cannonading con-
vinced him. "Haha, there are my guests," said he;
"we must see if we cannot entertain them right! "
sprang to horseback, ordered on, double-quick, the
three regiments nearest him, and was off at the gallop,
-- too late; or, alas, too early we might rather say!
Arriving at the gallop, Winterfeld found his grenadiers
and their insufficient reinforcements rolling back, the
Hill lost; Winterfeld "sprang to a fresh horse," shot
his lightning glances and energies to this hand and
that; stormfully rallied the matter, recovered the Hill;
and stormfully defended it, for, I should guess, an
hour or more; and might still have done one knows
not what, had not a bullet struck him through the
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? 150 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book XVIII.
7th Sept. 1757.
breast, and suddenly ended all his doings in this
world.
Three other reasons the Prussians give for loss of
their Hill, which are of no consequence to them or to
us in comparison. First, that Bevern, on message
after message, sent no reinforcement; that Winterfeld
was left to his own 10,000, and what he and they
could make of it. Bevern is jealous of Winterfeld,
hint they, and willing to see his impetuous audacity
checked. Perhaps only cautious of getting into a
general action for what was intrinsically nothing?
Second, that two regiments of Infantry, whom Winter-
feld detached double-quick to seize a couple of villages
(Leopoldshayn, Hermsdorf) on his right, and there-
from fusillade Nadasti on flank, found the villages
already occupied by thousands of Croats, with regular
foot and cannon-batteries, and could in no wise seize
them. This was a great reverse of advantage. Third,
that an Aide-de-Camp made a small misnomer, mis-
report of one word, which was terribly important!
"Bring me hither Regiment Manteuffel! " Winterfeld
had ordered. The Aide-de-Camp reported it "Grenadiers
Manteuffel:" upon which, the grenadiers, who were
posted in a walled garden, an important point to Winter-
feld's right, came instantly to order; and Austrians
instantly rushed in to the vacant post, and galled
Winterfeld's other flank by their fire. *
Enough, Winterfeld lay bleeding to death, the Hill
was lost, Prussians drawing off slowly and back-
foremost, about two in the afternoon; upon which the
* Abundant Accounts in Seyfarth, n. IBeylagen), 162-183; Helden-Ge-
tehichte, iv. 615-633; Retzow, i. 216-221.
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? CHAP. VI. ] DEATH OP WINTERFELD. 151
7th Sept. 1757.
Austrians also drew off, leaving only a small party on
the Hill, who voluntarily quitted it next morning.
Next morning, likewise, Winterfeld had died. The
Hill was, except as bravado, and by way of comfort to
Kaunitz, nothing for the Austrians; but the death of
Winterfeld, which had come by chance to them in the
business, was probably a great thing. Better than two
pitched battles gained: who shall say? He was a
shining figure, this Winterfeld; dangerous to the
Austrians. The most shining figure in the Prussian
Army, except its Chief; and had great thoughts in his
head. Prussia is not skilful to celebrate her Heroes,
-- the Prussian Muse of History, choked with dry
military pipeclay, or with husky cobwebbery and aca-
demic pedantry, how can she? -- but if Prussia can
produce heroes worth celebrating, that is the one im-
portant point. Apart from soldiership, and the outward
features which are widely different, there is traceable
in Winterfeld some kinship in soul to English Chatham
his contemporary; though he has not had the fame of
Chatham.
Winterfeld was by no means universally liked; as
what brave man is or can be? Too susceptible to
flattery; too this, too that. He is, one feels always,
except Friedrich only, the most shining figure in the
Prussian Army; and it was not unnatural he should be
Friedrich's one friend, -- as seems to have been the
case. Friedrich, when this Job's-message reached him
(in Erfurt Country, eight days hence), was deeply
affected by it. To tears, or beyond tears, as we can
fancy. "Against my multitude of enemies, I may
"contrive resources," he was heard to say; "but I shall
find no Winterfeld again! " Adieu, my one friend,
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? 152 SEVEN- YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT. [BOOK XVIII.
Ah Sept. 1757.
real Peer, sole companion to my lonely pilgrimage in
these perilous high regions.
"The Prince of Prussia, contrariwise" (says a miserable
littleNote, which must not be withheld) "brightened up at the
"news: 'I shall now die much more content, knowing that
"' there is one so bad and dangerous man fewer in the Army! '
"And, six months after, in his actual death-moments, he ex-
"claimed: 'I end my life, the last period of which has cost me
"so much sorrow; but Winterfeld is he who shortened my
"days! "' * -- Very bitter Opposition humours circulating, in
their fashion, there as elsewhere in this world!
Bevern, the millstone of Winterfeld being off his
neck, has become a more responsible, though he feels
himself a much-delivered man. Had not liked Winter-
feld, they say; or had even hated him, since those bad
Zittau times. Can now, at any rate, make for Schlesien
and the meal-magazines, when he sees good. He will
find meal readier there; may he find other things
corresponding! Nobody now to keep him painfully
manoeuvering in these parts; with the King's Army
nearer to him, but meal not
.
On the third day after (September 10th), Bevern,
having finished packing, took the road for Schlesien;
Daun and Karl attending him; nothing left of Daun
and Karl in those Saxon Countries, -- except, at
Stolpen, out Dresden-wards, some Reserve-post or
Rearguard of 15,000, should we chance to hear of
that again. And from the end of September onwards,
Bevern's star, once somewhat bright at Reichenberg,
shot rapidly downwards, under the horizon altogether;
and there came, post after post, such news out of
Schlesien, -- to say nothing of that Stolpen Party, --
as Friedrich had never heard before.
* Preuss, n. 78; citing Retzow.
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? CHAP. VH. ] PRIBDRICH IN THttRINGEN.
81st Aug. -- 13th Sept. 1757.
CHAPTER VII.
FRIEDRICH IN THflEINGEN, HIS WORLD OP ENEMIES ALL
COME.
The Soubise-Hildburghausen people had got rendez-
voused at Erfurt about August 25th; 50,000 by account,
and no Enemy within 200 miles of them; and in the
Versailles circles it had been expected they would pro-
ceed to the "Deliverance of Saxony" straightway.
What is to hinder? -- Friedrich, haggling with the
Austrians at Bernstadt, could muster but a poor 23,000,
when he did march towards Erfurt. In those same
neighbourhoods, within reach of Soubise, is the Riche-
lieu, late D'Estr^es, Army; elated with Hastenbeck,
comfortably pushing Royal Highness of Cumberland,
who makes no resistance, step by step, into the sea;
victoriously plundering, far and wide, in those countries,
Hanover itself the Headquarter. In the Versailles
circles, it is farther expected that Richelieu, "Conqueror
of Minorca," will shortly besiege and conquer Magde-
burg, and so crown his glories. Why not; were the
"Deliverance of Saxony" complete?
The whole of which turned out greatly otherwise,
and to the sad disappointment of Versailles. The Con-
queror of Minorca is probably aware that the con-
quering of Magdeburg, against one whose platforms
are not rotten, and who does not "lie always in his bed,"
as poor old Blakeney did, will be a very different
matter. And the private truth is, Marechal de Riche-
lieu never turned his thoughts upon Magdeburg at all,
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? 154 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book Xvm.
31st Aug. -- 13th Sept. 1757.
nor upon any point of war that had difficulties, but
solely upon collecting plunder for himself in those
Countries. One of the most magnificent marauders on
record; in no danger, he, of becoming monitory and a
pendulum, like the 1,000 that already swing in that
capacity to rear of him! And he did manage, in this
Campaign, which was the last of his military services,
so as to pay off at Paris "above 50,000/. of debts;
"and to build for himself a beautiful Garden Mansion
"there, which the mocking populations called 'Hanover
"Pavilion (Pavilion d'JJanovre);''" a name still sticking
to it, I believe,* Of the Richelieu Campaign we are
happily delivered from saying almost anything: and
the main interest for us turns now on that Soubise-
Hildburghausen wing of it, -- which also is a suf-
ficiently contemptible affair; not to be spoken of,
beyond the strictly unavoidable.
Friedrich with his 23,000 setting out from Dresden,
August 30th, has a march of about 170 miles towards
Erfurt. He may expect to find, -- counting Richelieu,
if Royal Highness of Cumberland persist in acting zero
as hitherto, -- a confused mass of about 150,000 Ene-
mies, of one sort and other, waiting him ahead; not
to think of those he has just left behind; -- and he
cannot well be in a triumphant humour! Behind,
before, around, it is one gathering of Enemies: one
point only certain, that he must beat them, or else die.
Readers would fain follow him in this forlorn march;
him, the one point of interest now in it: and readers
shall, if we can manage, though it is extremely difficult
.
For, on getting to Erfurt, he finds his Soubise-Hildburg-
* Barbier, ni. 256, 271.
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? CHAP. TO. ] FRIEDRICH IN TFICRINGEN. 155
81st Aug. -- 13th Sept. 1757.
hausen Army off on retreat among the inaccessible Hills
still farther westward; and has to linger painfully there,
and to detach, and even to march personally against
other Enemies; and then, these finished, to march back
towards his Erfurt ones, who are taking heart in the
interim: -- and, in short, from September 1st to November
5th, there are two months of confused manoeuvering and
marching to and fro in that West-Saxon region, which
are very intricate to readers. November 5th is a day
unforgettable: but anterior to that, what can we do?
Here, dated, are the Three grand Epochs of the
thing; which readers had better fix in mind as a pre-
liminary:
1? . September 13th, Friedrich has got to Erfurt
neighbourhood; butSoubise and Company are off west-
ward to the Hills of Eisenach, won't come down;
Friedrich obliged to linger thereabouts, painfully waiting
almost a month, till
2? . October 11th, hearing that "15,000 Austrians"
(that Stolpen Party, left as rearguard atStolpen; Croats
mainly, under a General Haddick) are on march for
Berlin, he rises in haste thitherward, through Leipzig,
Torgau, say 100 miles; hears that Haddick has been
in Berlin (16th-17th October) for one day, and that he
is off again full speed with a ransom of 30,000'.
, which
they have had to pay him: upon which Friedrich calls
halt in the Torgau country; -- and would have been
uncertain what to do, had not
3? . Soubise and Company, extremely elated with
this Haddick Feat, come out from their Hills, intent
to deliver Saxony after all. So that Friedrich has to
turn back (October 26th-30th) through Leipzig again;
towards, -- in fact towards Rossbach and November 5th,
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? 156 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book rrat.
7th Sept. 1757.
in his old Saale Country, which does not prove so
wearisome as formerly!
These are the cardinal dates; these let the reader
recur to, if necessary, and keep steadily in mind: it
will then perhaps be possible to intercalate, in a manner
intelligible to him, what other lucent phenomena there
are; and these dismal wanderings, and miserablest two
months of Friedrich's life, will not be wholly a pro-
voking blotch of enigmatic darkness, but in some sort
a thing with features in the twilight of the Past.
L Friedrich's March to Erfurt from Dresden
(31st August--13th September 1757).
The march to Erfurt was of-twelve days, and with-
out adventure to speak of. Mayer and Free-Battalion
had the vanguard, Friedrich there as usual; main body,
under Keith with Ferdinand and Moritz, following in
several columns: straight towards their goal; with
steady despatch; for twelve days; -- weather often
very wet. * Seidlitz, with cavalry, had gone ahead, in
search of one Turpin, a mighty hunter and Hussar
among the French, who was threatening Leipzig, threat-
ening Halle: but Turpin made off at sound of him,
without trying fight; so that Seidlitz had only to halt,
and rejoin, hoping better luck another time.
A march altogether of the common type, -- the
stages of it not worth marking except for special readers;
-- and of memorable to us offers only this, if even
this: at Rotha, in Leipzig Country, the eighth stage
from Dresden, Friedrich writes, willing to try for Peace
if it be possible,
* Tempelhof, i. 229; ROdenbeck, i. 817 (not very correct): In West-
phalen (n. 20 &c. ) a personal Diary of this March, and of what followed on
Duke Ferdinand's part.
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? CHAP. TO. ] FEIEDfilCH IN THttRINGEN.
7th Sept. 1757.
To the Mardchal Due de Richelieu.
"RStha. 7th September 1757.
"I feel, M. le Due, that you have not been put in the post
"where you are for the purpose of Negotiating. I am per-
suaded, however, that the Nephew of the great Cardinal
"Richelieu is made for signing treaties no less than for
"gaining battles. I address myself to you from an effect of
"the esteem with which you inspire even those who do not
"intimately know you.
"'Tis a small matter, Monsieur (II s'agit Sune bagatelle):
"only to make Peace, if people are pleased to wish it! I know
"not what your Instructions are: but, in the supposition that
"the King your Master, now assured by your successes, will
"have put it in your power to labour in the pacification of
"Germany, I address to you the Sieur d'Elcheset" (Sieur
Balbi is the real name of him, an Italian Engineer of mine,
who once served with you in the Fontenoy times, -- and some
say he has privately a 15,00CM. for your Grace's acceptance, --
"the Sieur d'Elcheset), in whom you may place complete con-
"fidence.
"Though the events of this Year afford no hope that your
"Court still entertains a favourable disposition for my in-
"terests, I cannot persuade myself that a union which has
"lasted between us for sixteen years may not have left some
"trace in the mind. Perhaps I judge others by myself. But,
"however that may be, I, in short, prefer putting my interests
"into the King your Master's hands rather than into any
"other's. If you have not, Monsieur, any Instructions as to
"the Proposal hereby made, I beg of you to ask such, and to
"inform me what the tenor of them is.
"He who has merited statues at Genoa" (ten years ago, in
those Anti-Austrian times, when Genoa burst up in revolt,
and the French and Richelieu beautifully intervened against
the oppressors); "he who conquered Minorca in spite of im-
"mense obstacles; he who is on the point of subjugating
"Lower Saxony, -- can do nothing more glorious than to
"restore Peace to Europe. Of all your laurels, that will be
"the fairest. Work in this Cause, with the activity which has
"secured you such rapid progress otherwise; and be per-
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? 168 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book XVIII.
9th Sept. 1757.
"suaded that nobody will feel more grateful to you than,
"Monsieur le Due, -- Your faithful Friend, -- Fb? d? bio. "*
Richelieu, it appears by any evidence there is, went
willingly into this scheme; and applied at Versailles,
as desired; with a peremptory negative for result.
Nothing came of the Richelieu attempt there; nor of
"ce M. de Mirabeau" if he ever went; nor of any other
on that errand. Needless to apply for Peace at Ver-
sailles (and a mere waste of your "sum of 15,000Z. ,"
which one hopes is fabulous in the present scarcity of
money): -- nor should we perhaps have mentioned the
thing at all, except for the sake of Wilhelmina, whose
fond scheme it is in this extremity of fate; scheme
which she tries in still other directions, as we shall see;
her Brother willing too, but probably with much less
hope. If a civil Letter and a bribe of Money will do
it, these need not be spared.
This at Rotha is the day while Winterfeld, on Moys
Hill, is meeting his death. Today at Pegau, in this
neighbourhood, Seidlitz, who could not fall in with
Turpin, has given the Hussars of Loudon a beautiful
slap; the first enemy we have seen on this march; and
the last, -- nothing but Loudon and Hussars visibly
about, the rest of those Soubise-Reichs people dormant,
as would seem. "D'Elcheset," Balbi, or whoever he
was, would not find Richelieu at Hanover; but at a
place called Kloster-Zeven, in Bremen Country, fifty
or sixty miles farther on. There, this day, are Richelieu
with one Sporcken a Hanoverian, and Lynar a Dane,
* Given in Rodenbeck, I. 313 (doubtless from Metnoiren de Richelieu,
Paris, 1793, ix. 175, the one fountain-head in regard to this small affair):
for "the 15,000 i. " and other rumoured particulars, see Retzow, I. 197;
Preuss, n. 84j (Enures de Frederic, rv. 145.
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? chAP, vn. ] feiedeich in thOringen. 159
Mh Sept. 1757.
rapidly finishing a thing they were pleased to call
"Convention of Kloster-Zeven;" which Friedrich re-
garded as another huge misfortune fallen on him, --
though it proved to have been far the reverse a while
after. Concerning which take this brief Note; cannot
be too brief on such a topic:
"Never was there a more futile Convention than that of Klos-
"ter-Zeven; which filled all Europe with lamentable noises,in-
"dignations and anxieties, during the remainder of that Year;
"and is now reduced, for Europe and the Universe, to a silent
"mathematical point, or mere mark of position, requiring
"still to be attended to in that character, though itself zero
"in any other. Here are the main particulars, in their
"sequence.
"August 3d, towards midnight, '11P. m. ' say the Books,
"Mare'cnal de Richelieu arrives in the D'Estre'es Camp
"(' Camp of Oldendorf,' still only one march west of Hasten-
"beck); to whom D'Estre'es on the instant, loftily, delivers up
"his Army; explains with loyalty, for a few days more, all
"things needful to the new Commander; declines tobehim-
"self Second; and loftily withdraws to the Baths of Aachen
'"for his health. '
"Royal Highness of Cumberland is, by this time, well on
"Elbe-ward, Ocean-ward. Till August 1st, for one week,
"Royal Highness of Cumberland layatMinden, some thirty
"odd miles from Hastenbeck; deploring that sad mistake;
"but unpersuadable to stand, and try amendment of it: "August 1st, the French advancing on him again, he moved
"off northward, sea-ward. By Nienburg, Verden, Rotenburg,
"Zeven, Bremenvorde, Stade;-- arrived at Stade, on the
"tidal Waters of the Elbe, August 5th; and by necessity did
"halt there. From Minden onwards,Richelieu, not D'Estre'es,
"has had the chasing of Royal Highness: one of the simplest
"functions; only that the country is getting muddy, difficult
"for artillery-carriage (thinks Richelieu), with an Army so
"dilapidated, hungry, short of pay; and thatRoyalHighness,
"a very furious person to our former knowledge, might turn
"on us like a boar at bay, endangering everything; and
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? 160 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book XVIII.
9th Sept. 1757.
"finally, that one's desire is not for battle, but for a fair
"chance of plunder to pay one's debts.
"Britannic Majesty, in this awful state of his Hanover
"Armaments, has been applying at the Danish Court;
"Richelieu too sends off an application thither: 'Mediate
"between us, spare useless bloodshed! "* -- Whereupon
"Danish Majesty (Britannic's son-in-law) cheerfully under-
"takes it; bids one Lynar bestir himself upon it. Count
"Lynar, an esteemed Official of his, who lives in those neigh-
bourhoods; Danish Viceroy in Oldenburg, --much con-
cerned with the Scriptures, the Sacred Languages, and
"other seraphic studies, -- and a changed man, since we saw
"him last in the Petersburg regions, making love to Mrs.
"Anton Ulrich long ago! Lynar, feeling the axis of the world
"laid on his shoulder in this manner, loses not a moment;
"invokes the Heavenly Powers; goes on it with an alacrity
"and a despatch beyond praise. Runs to the Duke of Cum-
"berland at Stade; thence to Richelieu at Zeven; back to
"the Duke, back to Zeven: 'Won't you; and won't you! '
"and in four short days has the once world-famed 'Conven-
"tion of Kloster-Zeven' standing on parchment, -- signed,
"ready for ratifying: 'Royal Highness's Army to go home to
"'their countries again'(routes, methods, times: when, how,
"and what next, alFleft unsettled),'and noise of War to cease
'"in those parts. ' Signed cheerfully on both sides, 9th Sep-
tember 1757; and Lynar striking the stars with his sublime
"head. **
"Unaccountable how Lynar had managed such a diffi-
"culty. He says seraphically, in a Letter to a friend, which
"the Prussian hussars got hold of,'The idea of it was inspired
'"by the Holy Ghost:' -- at which the whole world haha'd
"again. For it was a Convention vague, absurd, not capable
"of being executed; ratification of it refused by both Courts,
"by the French Court first, if that was any matter: -- and the
"only thing now memorable of it is, that it was a total Futi-
'' lity; but that there ensued from it a Fact still of importance;
"namely:
* Valfons, p. 291.
M BUsehlng (who alone is exact in the matter), Beitrdge, IT. 167-8,
i Lynar: see SchBll, ra. 49; Valfons, pp. 292-S; (Envies de FrSderic, IT.
143 (with correction of Preuas's Note there).
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? CHAP. vII. ] PRIEDRICH IN THCrINGEN. 161
9th Sept. 1757.
"That on the 5th of October following, Royal Highness
"quitted Stade, and his wrecked Army hanging sorrowful
"there, like a flight of plucked cranes in mid-air;-- arrived at
"Kensington, October 12th; heard the paternal Majesty say,
"that evening, 'Here is my son who has ruined me, anddis-
"'graced himself! ' -- and thereupon indignantly laid down
"his military offices, all and sundry; and ceased altogether
"to command Armies, English or other, in this world. *
"Whereby, in the then and now diagram of things, Kloster-
"Zeven, as a mathematical point, continues memorable in
"History, though shrunk otherwise to zero!
"Pitt's magnanimity to Royal Highness was conspicuous.
"Royal Highness, it is said, had been very badly used in this
"matter by his poor peddling Father and the Hanover
"Ministers; the matter being one puddle of imbecilities from
"beginning to end. He was the soul of honour; brave as a
"Welf lion; but of dim poor head; and had not the faintest
"vestige" (allergeringste, says Mauvillon) "of military skill:
"awful in the extreme to see in command of British Armies!
"Adieu to him, forever and a day. "
Ever since July 29th, three days after Hastenbeck,
Pitt had been in Office again; such the bombardment
by Corporation-Boxes and Events impinging on Britan-
nic Majesty: but not till now, as I fancy, had Pitt's
way, in regard to those German matters, been clear to
him. The question of a German Army, if you must
have a No-General at the top of it, might well be pro-
blematical to Pitt. To equip your strong fighting man,
and send him on your errand, regardless of expense;
and, by way of preliminary, cut the head off him, be-
fore saying "Good-speed to you, strong man! " But
with a General, Pitt sees that it can be different; that
perhaps "America can be conquered in Germany," and
that, with a Britannic Majesty so disposed, there is no
other way of trying it. To this course, Pitt stands
* In Walpole (m. S9-64) the amplest minuteness of detail.
Carlyle, Frederick the Great. I. 11
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? 162 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT. [BOOKXVin.
13th Sept. 1757.
henceforth, heedless of the gazetteer cackle, "Hah, our
Pitt too become German, after all his talking! " -- like
a seventy-four under full sail, with sea, wind, pilot all
of one mind, and only certain waterfowl objecting.
And is King of England, for the next Four Years; the
one King poor England has had, this long while; --
his hand felt shortly at the ends of the Earth. And
proves such a blessing to Friedrich, among others, as
nothing else in this War; pretty much his one blessing,
little as he expected it. Before long, Excellency Mit-
chell begins consulting about a General, -- and Fried-
rich dimly sees better things in the distance, and that
Kloster-Zeven had not been the misfortune he imagined,
but only "The darkest hour," which, it is said, lies
"nearest to the dawn. "
II. The Soubise-Hildburghausen People take into the
Hills; Friedrich in Erfurt Neighbourhood, hanging
on, Week after Week, in an Agony of Inaction
(13th September --10th October).
Friedrich's march has gone by Dobeln, Grimma, to
Pegau and Rotha, Leipzig way, but with Leipzig well
to right: it just brushes Weissenfels to right ward, next
day after Rotha; crosses Saale River near Naumburg,
whence straight through Weimar Country, Weimar
City on your left, to Erfurt on the northern side; --
and,
"Erfurt, Tuesday, 13th September 1757, About 10 in the
"morning" (listen to a faithful Witness), "there appeared
"Hussars on the heights to northward: -- 'Vanguard of his
"Prussian Majesty! ' said Erfurt with alarm, and our French
"guests with alarm. And scarcely were the words uttered,
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? CHAP. vn. ] FRIED RICH IN THttRINOEN. 163
18th Sept. -- 10th Oct. 1757.
"when said Vanguard, and gradually the whole Prussian
"Army" (only some 9,000, though we all thought it the
whole), "came to sight; posting itself in half-moon shape
"round us there; French andReichs folk hurrying off what
"they could from the Cyriaksberg and Petersberg, by the
"opposite gates,"--towards G-otha, and the Hills of Eisenach. "Think what a dilemma for Erfurt, jammed between two
"horns in this way, should one horn enter before the other got
"out! Much parleying and supplicating on the part of Erfurt:
"Till at last, about 4 P. m.