Sixteen years ago, we have seen
these Heights in other tenantcy: Austrian field-music
and displayed banners coming down; a thousand and a
thousand Austrian watch-fires blazing out yonder, in
the silent June night, eve of such a Day!
these Heights in other tenantcy: Austrian field-music
and displayed banners coming down; a thousand and a
thousand Austrian watch-fires blazing out yonder, in
the silent June night, eve of such a Day!
Thomas Carlyle
" Never were the Vienna people so cer-
tain before. Daun is to do nothing "rash" in Saxony
(a Daun not given that way, they can calculate), but is
to guard Loudon's game; carefully to reinforce, comfort,
and protect the brave Loudon and his Russians till they
win; -- after which, Saxony as rash as you like. This
is the Program of the Season: -- readers feel what an
immensity of preliminary higglings, hitchings and man-
oeuverings will now demand to be suppressed by us!
Read these essential Fractions, chiefly chronological; --
and then, at once, To Bunzelwitz, and the time of close
grips in Silesia here.
"Last Year," says a loose Note, which we may as well
take with us, "Tottleben did not go home with the rest, but
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? chAP. vii. ] sixth campaign: bunzelwitz. 187
ad May 1761.
"kept hovering about, in eastern Pommern, with a 10,000, all
"Winter; attempting several kinds of mischief in those Coun-
"tries, especially attempting to do something on Colberg;
"which the Russians mean to besiege next Summer, with
"more intensity than ever, for the Third, and, if possible, the
"last time. 'Storm their outposts there,' thinks Tottleben,
"'especially Belgard, the chief outpost; girdle tighter and
"tighter the obstinate little crow's-nest of a Colberg, and
"have it ready for besieging in good time. ' Tottleben did
"try upon the outposts, especially Belgard the chief one
"(January 18th, 1761), but without the least success atBel-
"gard; with a severe reproof instead, Werner's people being
"broad awake:* upon which Tottleben and they made a
"truce, 'Peacable till May 12th;' till June 1st, it proved,
"about which time" (which time, or afterwards, as the
Silesian crisis may admit! ) "we will look in on them again. "
May 3d, as above intimated, Friedrich hastened off for
Silesia, quitted Meissen that day, with an Army of some
50,000; pressingly intent to relieve Goltz from his dangerous
predicament there. This is one of Friedrich's famed marches,
done in a minimum of time and with a maximum of ingenuity;
concerning which I will remember only that, one night, "he "lodged again at Rodewitz, near Hochkirch, in the same
"house as on that Occasion" (what a thirty months to look
back upon, as you sink to sleep! ) -- "and that no accident
"anywhere befel the March, though Daun's people, all
"through Saxony and theLausitz, were hovering on the flank,
"--apprehensive chiefly lest it might mean a plunge into
"Bohemia, for relief of Goltz, instead of what it did. " For six
weeks after that hard March, the King's people got Canton-
ments again, and rested.
Prince Henri is left in Saxony, with Daun in huge force
against him, Daun and the Reich; between whom and Henri,
-- Seidlitz being in the field again with Henri, Seidlitz and
others of mark, -- there fell out a great deal of exquisite
manceuvering, rapid detaching, and occasional sharp cutting
on the small scale; but nothing of moment to detain us here,
or afterwards. We shall say only that Henri, to a wonderful
extent, maintained himself against the heavy overwhelming
* Account of it, llelden-Geschichle, v:. 670.
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? 188 FRIEDEICH NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XX.
30th June 1761.
Daun and his Austrian andReichs masses; and thatNapoleon,
I know not after what degree of study, pronounced this Cam-
paign of 1761 to be the masterpiece of Henri, and really a
considerable thing, "La campagne de 1161 est celle oil cePrince
"a vraiment montre des talents superieurs; the Battle of Frey-
"berg" (wait till next Year) "nothing in comparison. "*
Which may well detain soldier-people upon it; but must not
us, in any measure. The result of Henri being what we said,
-- a drawn game, or nearly so, -- we will, without inter-
ference from him, follow Friedrich and Goltz.
Friedrich and Goltz, -- or, alas, it is very soon Friedrich
alone; the valiant Goltz soon perishing from his hand! After
brief junction in Schweidnitz Country, Friedrich detached
Goltz to his old fortified Camp at Glogau, there to be on
watch. Goltz watching there, lynx-eyed, skilful, volunteered
a Proposal (June 22d); "Reinforce me to 20,000, your
Majesty; I will attack so and so of those advancing Rus-
sians! ' Which his Majesty straightway approved of, and set
going. ** Goltz thereupon tasked all his energies, perhaps
overmuch; and it was thought might at last really have done
something for the King, in this matter of the Russians still in
separate Divisions, -- a thing feasible if you have energy and
velocity; always unfeasible otherwise. But, alas, poor Goltz,
just when ready to march, was taken with sudden violent
fever, the fruit probably of overwork; and, in that sad flame,
blazed away his valiant existence in three or four days: --
gone forever, June 30th, 1761; to the regret of Friedrich and
of many.
Old Ziethen was at once pushed on, from Glogau over the
frontier, to replace Goltz; but, I doubt, had not now the re-
quisite velocity: Ziethen merely manoeuvered about, and
came home "attending the Russians," as Henri, Dohna and
others had done. The Russians entered Silesia, from the
north-east or Polish side, without difficulty; and (July 15th-
20th) were within reach of Breslau and of an open road to
southward, and to junction with Loudon', who is astir for them
there. About Breslau, they linger and higgle, at their leisure,
for three weeks longer: and if their junction with the
* Montholon, Memoires de Napole'on, vn. 324.
** Goltz's Letter to the King, "Glogau 22d June 1761is in Tempel-
hof (v. 88-90), who thinks the plan good.
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? CHAP. vII. ] SIXTH CAMrAIGN: BUNZELWITZ. 189
22d July -- 12th Aug. 1761.
Austrians "in Neisse neighbourhood" is to be prevented or
impeded, it is Friedrich, not Ziethen, that will have to do it.
Junction in Neisse neighbourhood (Oppeln, where it
should have been, which is some 35 miles from Neisse), Fried-
rich did, by velocity and dexterity, contrive to prevent; but
junction somewhere he probably knows to be inevitable.
These are among Friedrich's famed marches and manoeuver-
ings, these against the swift Loudon and his slow Russians;
but we will not dwell on them. My readers know the King's
manner in such cases; have already been on two Marches with
him, and even in these same routes and countries. We will
say only, that the Russians were and had been very dilatory;
Loudon much the reverse; and their and Loudon's Adversary
still more. That, for five days, the Russians, at length close
to Breslau (August 6th-llth), kept vaguely cannonading and
belching noise and apprehension upon the poor City, but
without real damage to it, and as if merely to pass the time;
and had gradually pushed out fore-posts, as far as Oppeln,
towards Loudon, up their safe right bank of Oder. That
Loudon, on the first glimpse of these, had made his best speed
Neisse-ward; and did a march or two with good hope; but at
Miinsterberg (July 22d), on the morning of the third or fourth
day's march, was astonished to see Friedrich ahead of him,
nearer Neisse than he; and that in Neisse Country there was
nothing to be done, no Russian junction possible there.
"Try it in Schweidnitz Country, then! " said Loudon.
The Russians leave off cannonading Breslau; cross Oder,
about Auras or Leubus (August 11th-12th); and Loudon, after
some finessing, marches back Schweidnitz-way, cautiously,
skilfully; followed by Friedrich, anxious to prevent a junction
here too, or at lowest to do some stroke before it occur. A
great deal of cunning marching, shifting and manoeuvering there is, for days round Schweidnitz on all sides; encampings
by Friedrich, now Liegnitz headquarter, now Wahlstadt, now
Schonbrunn, Striegau; --without the least essential harm to
Loudon, or likelihood increasing that the junction can be
hindered. No offer of battle either; Loudon is not so easy to
beat as some. The Russians come on at a snail's pace, so
Loudon thinks it, who is extremely impatient; but makes no
mistakes in consequence, keeps himself safe (Kunzendorf, on
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? 190 FRIEDRICH NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XX.
19th Aug. 1761.
the edge of the Glatz Hills, his main post), and the roads open
for his heavy-footed friends.
"In Nicolstadt, a march from Wahlstadt, 16th August,
there are 60,000 Russians in front of Friedrich, 72,000
Austrians in rear: what can he, with at the very utmost57,000,
do against them? Now was the time to have fallen upon the
King, and have consumed him between two fires, as it is
thought might have been possible, had they been simul-
taneous, and both of them done it with a will. But simul-
taneity was difficult, and the will itself was wanting, or existed
only on Loudon's side. Nothing of the kind was attempted
on the confederate part, still less onFriedrich's, -- who stands
on his guard, and, from the Heights about, has at last to wit-
ness what he cannot hinder. Sees both Armies on march;
Austrians from the south-east or Kunzendorf-Freyberg side,
Russians from the north-east or Kleinerwitz side, wending in
many columns by the back of Jauer and the back of Liegnitz
respectively; till (August 18th) they "join hands," as it is
termed, or touch mutually by their light troops; and on the
19th (Friedrich now off on another scheme, and not witness-
ing) , fall into one another's arms, ranked all in one line of
posts. * "Can the Reichshofrath say our junction is not
complete? " And so ends what we called the Prefatory part;
and the time of Close Gripes seems to be come! --
Friedrich has now nothing for it but to try if he
cannot possibly get hold of Kunzendorf (readers may
look in their Map), and cut off Loudon's staff of bread;
Loudon's, and Butturlin's as well; for the whole 130,000
are now to be fed by Loudon, and no slight task he
will find it. By rushing direct on Kunzendorf with
such a velocity as Friedrich is capable of, it is thought
he might have managed Kunzendorf; but he had to
mask his design, and march by the rear or east side of
Schweidnitz, not by the west side: "They will think I
"am making off in despair, intending for the strong
"post of Pilzen there, with Schweidnitz to shelter me
* Tempelhof, v. 58-150.
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? CHAP. vII. ] SIXTH CAMPAIGX: BUNZELWITZ. 191
20th Aug. -- 9tU Sept. 1761.
"in front! " hoped Friedrich (morning of the 19th), as
he marched off on that errand. Bat on approaching in
that manner, by the bow, he found that Loudon had
been quite sceptical of such despair, and at any rate
had, by the string, made sure of Kunzendorf and the
food-sources. August 20th, at break of day, scouts
report the Kunzendorf ground thoroughly beset again,
and Loudon in his place there. No use marching
thitherward farther: -- whither now, therefore?
Friedrich knows Pilzen, what an admirable post it
really is; except only that Schweidnitz will be between
the enemy and him, and liable to be besieged by them;
which will never do! Friedrich, on the moment of that
news from Kunzendorf, gets on march, not by the east
side (as intended till the scouts came in), but by the
west or exposed side of Schweidnitz: -- he stood
waiting, ready for either route, and lost not a moment
on his scouts coming in. All upon the road by 3 a. m. , August 20th; and encamps, still at an early hour, mid-
way between Schweidnitz and Striegau: right wing of
him at Zedlitz (if the reader look on his Map), left
wing at Jauernik; headquarters, Bunzelwitz, a poor
Village, celebrated ever since in War-annals. And
begins (that same evening, the earlier or rested part of
him begins) digging and trenching at a most extra-
ordinary rate, according to plan formed; no enemy
taking heed of him, or giving the least molestation.
This is the world-famous Camp of Bunzelwitz, upon
which it is worth while to dwell for a little.
To common eyes, the ground hereabouts has no
peculiar military strength: a wavy champaign, with
nothing of abrupt or high, much of it actual plain, ex-
cellent for cavalry and their work; -- this latter, too,
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? 192 FRIEDEICH NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [l)OOK XX.
20th Aug. --9th Sept. 1781.
is an advantage, which Friedrich has well marked, and
turns to use in his scheme. The area he takes in is
perhaps some seven or eight miles long, by as many
broad. On the west side runs the still-young Striegau
Water, defensive more or less; and on the farther bank
of it green little Hills, their steepest side stream-ward.
Inexpugnable Schweidnitz, with its stores of every
kind, especially with its store of cannon and of bread,
is on the left or east part of the circuit; in the inter-
vening space are peaceable farm-villages, spots of bog;
knolls, some of them with wood. Not a village, bog,
knoll, but Friedrich has caught up, and is busy profit-
ing by. "Swift, Bursche, dig ourselves in here, and be
ready for any quotity and quantity of them, if they
dare attack! "
And 25,000 spades and picks are at work, under
such a Field-Engineer as there is not in the world when
he takes to that employment. At all hours, night and
day, 25,000 of them: half the Army asleep, other half
digging, wheeling, shovelling; plying their utmost, and
constant as Time himself: these, in three days, will do
a great deal of spade-work. Batteries, redoubts, big
and little; spare not for digging. Here is ground for
Cavalry, too; post them here, there, to bivouac in
readiness, should our Batteries be unfortunate. Long
Trenches there are, and also short; Batteries command-
ing every in-gate, and under them are Mines: "We
will blow you and our Batteries both into the air, in
case of capture! " think the Prussians, the common men
at least, if Friedrich do not. "Mines, and that of being
"blown into the air," says Tempelhof, "are always
"very terrible to the common man. " In places there
are "Trenches 16 feet broad, by 16 deep," says an
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? chAP. vii. ] sixth campaign: bunzklwitz. 193
20th Aug. -- 9th Sept. 1761.
admiring Archenholtz, who was in it: "and we have
"two of those Flatterminen (scatter-mines," blowing-up
apparatuses) "to each battery. "*
"Bunzelwitz, Jauernik, Tschechen, and Peterwitz,
"all fortified," continues Archenholtz; "Wiirben, in
"the centre, is like a citadel, looking down upon Strie-
"gau Water. Heavy cannon, plenty of them, we have
"brought from Schweidnitz: we have 460 pieces of
"cannon in all, and 182 mines. Wiirben, our citadel
"and centre, is about five miles from Schweidnitz. Our
"entrenchments" -- You already heard what gulfs some
of them were! "Before the lines are palisades, storm-
"posts, the things we call Spanish Horse {chevaux-de-
uf'rise); -- woods we have in abundance in our Cir-
"cuit, and axes busy for carpentries of that kind. There
"are four entrenched knolls; 24 big batteries, capable
"of playing beautifully, all like pieces in a concert. "
Four knolls elaborately entrenched, clothed with cannon;
founded upon flatter-mines: try where you will to enter,
such torrents of death-shot will converge on you, and
a concert of 24 big batteries begin their music! --
On the third day, Loudon, looking into this thing,
which he has not minded hitherto, finds it such a thing
as he never dreamt of before. A thing strong as Gibral-
tar, in a manner; -- which it will be terribly difficult
to attack with success! For eight days more Friedrich
did not rest from his spade-work; made many changes
and improvements, till he had artificially made a very
Stolpen of it, a Plauen, or more. Cogniazo, the Aus-
trian Veteran, says: "Plauen, and Daun's often-ridi-
"culed precautions there, were nothing to it. Not as
"if Bunzelwitz had been so inaccessible, as our sheer
* Archenholtz, n. 262, &c.
Carlyle, Fredericli the Great. XII. 13
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? 194 FEIEDRICH NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XJ.
25th Aug. 1761.
"rocks there; but because it is a masterpiece of Art, in
"which the principles of tactics are combined with those
"of field-fortification, as never before. " Tielke grows
quite eloquent on it: "A masterpiece of judgment in
"ground," says he; "and the treatment of it a model
"of sound, true, and consummate field engineering. "*
Ziethen, appointed to that function, watches on the
Heights of Wiirben, the citadel of the place: keeps a
sharp eye to the south-west. All round, in huge half-
moon on the edge of the Hills over there, six or more
miles from Ziethen, lie the angry Enemies; Austrians
south and nearest, about Kunzendorf and Freyberg.
Russians are on the top of Striegau Hills, which are
well known to some of us; Russian headquarter is
Hohenfriedberg, -- who would have thought it, Herr
General von Ziethen?
Sixteen years ago, we have seen
these Heights in other tenantcy: Austrian field-music
and displayed banners coming down; a thousand and a
thousand Austrian watch-fires blazing out yonder, in
the silent June night, eve of such a Day! Bayreuth
Dragoons and their No. 67; -- you will find the Bay-
reuth Dragoons still here in a sense, but also in a sense
not. Their fencing Chasot is gone to Liibeck long
since; will perhaps pay Friedrich a visit by and by:
their fiery Gessler is gone much farther, and will never
visit anybody more! Many were the reapers then, and
they are mostly gone to rest. Here is a new harvest;
the old sickles are still here; but the hands that wielded
them -- ! -- "Steady! " answers the Herr General;
profoundly aware of all that, but averse to words
upon it.
* Tielke, in. ? Bunzclwitz (which is praised as attractive Piece)
Oeslerreichischer Veteran, iv. 79: cited in Preuss, u. 285.
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? CHAP. TO. ] SIXTH CAMPAIGN: BUNZELWITZ. 195
25th Aug. 1761.
Fancy Loudon's astonishment, on the third day:
"While we have sat consulting how to attack him,
there is he, --? unattackahle, shall we say? " Unattack-
able, Loudon will not consent to think him, though
Butturlin has quite consented. "Difficult, murderous,"
thinks Loudon; "but possible, certain, could Butturlin
but be persuaded! " And tries all his rhetoric on But-
turlin: "Shame onus! " urges the ardent Loudon: "Im-
perial and Czarish Majesties; Kriegshofrath, Russian
Senate; Vienna, Petersburg, Versailles, and all the
world, -- what are they expecting of us? To ourselves
it seemed certain, and here we sit helplessly gazing! "
Loudon is very diligent upon Butturlin; "Do but be-
lieve that it is possible. A plan can be made; many
plans: the problem is solved, if only your Excellency
will believe. " Which Butturlin never quite will.
Nobody knows better than Friedrich in what peril-
ous crisis he now stands: beaten here, what army or
resource has he left? Silesia is gone from him; by
every likelihood, the game is gone. This of Bunzel witz is his last card; this is now his one stronghold in
the world: -- we need not say if he is vigilant in re-
gard to this. From about the fourth day, when his
engineering was only complete in outline, he particu-
larly expects to be attacked. On the fifth night he con-
cludes it will be; knowing Loudon's way. Towards
sunset, that evening (August 25th), all the tents are
struck: tents, cookeries, every article of baggage, his
own among the rest, are sent to Wiirben Heights (to
Schweidnitz, Archenholtz says; buthas misremembered):
the ground cleared for action. And horse and foot,
every man marches out, and stands ready under
arms.
13*
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? 196 FRIEDRICH HOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XX.
20th Aug. -- 9th Sept. 1761.
Contrary to everybody's expectation, not a shot
was heard, that night. Nor the next night, nor the
next: but the practice of vigilance was continued.
Punctual as mathematics: at a given hour of the after-
noon, tents are all struck; tents and furnitures, field
swept clear; and the 50,000 in their places wait under arms. Next morning, nothing having fallen out, the
tents come back; the Army (half of it at once, or almost
the whole of it, according to aspects) rests, goes to
sleep if it can. By night there is vigilance, is work, and
no sleep. It is felt to be a hard life, but a necessary.
Nor in these labours of detail is the King wanting;
far from it; the King is there, as ear and eye of the
whole. For the King alone there is, near the chief
Battery, "on the Pfarrberg, namely, in the clump of
trees there," a small Tent, and a bundle of straw where
he can lie down, if satisfied to do so. If all is safe, he
will do so; perhaps even still he soon awakens again;
and strolls about among his guard-parties, or warms
himself by their fires. One evening, among the orders,
is heard this item: "And remember, a lock of straw,
will you, -- that I may not have to sleep on the ground,
as last night! "* Many anecdotes are current to this
day, about his pleasant homely ways and affabilities
with the sentry people, and the rugged hospitalities they
would show him at their watchfires. "Good evening,
children. " "The same to thee, Fritz. " "What is that
you are cooking? " -- and would try a spoonful of it,
in such company; while the rough fellows would forbid
smoking, "Don't you know he dislikes it? " "No,
smoke away! " the King would insist.
Mythical mainly, these stories; but the dialect of
* Seyfarth, in. 16n.
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? CHAP. VII. ] SIXTH campaign: bunzelwitz. 197
20th Aug. --9th Sept. 1761.
them true; and very strange to us. Like that of an
Arab Sheik among his tribesmen; like that of a man
whose authority needs no keeping up, but is a Law of
Nature to himself and everybody. He permits a little
bantering even; a rough joke against himself, if it
spring sincerely from the complexion of the fact. The
poor men are terribly tired of this work: such bivouack-
ing, packing, unpacking; and continual waiting for the
tug of battle, which never comes. Biscuits, meal are
abundant enough; but flesh-meat wearing low; above
all, no right sleep to be had. Friedrich's own table, I
should think, is very sparingly beset ("A cup of choco-
late is my dinner on marching-days," wrote he once,
this Season); certainly his Lodging, -- damp ground,
and the straw sometimes forgotten, -- is none of the
best. And thus it has to last, night after night and
day after day. On September 8th, General Biilow went
out for a little butcher's-meat; did bring home "200
head of neat cattle" (I fear, not very fat) "and 300
sheep. "*
Loudon, all this while, is labouring, as man seldom
did, to bring Butturlin to the striking place; -- who
continues flaccid, Loudon screwing and rescrewing,
altogether in vain. Loudon does not deny the diffi-
culty; but insists on the possibility, the necessity:
Councils of War are held, remonstrances, encourage-
ments. "We will lend you a Corps," answers Butturlin;
"but as to our Army cooperating, -- except in that far-
off way, it is too dangerous! " Meanwhile provisions
are running low; the time presses. A formal Plan,
presented by the ardent Loudon, -- Loudon himself to
take the deadlier part, -- "Mark it, noble Russian
* Tempelhof, v. 172.
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? 198 FRIEDEICH NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XX.
9th-10tU aept. 1761.
gentlemen; and you to have the easier! " -- surely that
is loyal, and not in the old cat's-paw way? But in
that, too, there is an offence. Butturlin and the Russians grumble to themselves: "And you to take all the
credit, as you did at Kunersdorf? A mere adjunct,
or auxiliary, we: -- and we are a Feldmarschall; and
you, what is your rank and seniority? " In short, they
will not do it; and in the end coldly answer: "A Corps,
if you like; but the whole Army, positively no. " Upon
which Loudon goes home half mad; and has a colic
for eight-and-forty hours. This was September 2d; the
final sour refusal; -- nearly heart-breaking to Loudon.
Provisions are run so low withal; the Campaign season
all but done; result, nothing: not even an attempt at a
result.
No Prussian, from Friedrich downwards, had doubted
but the attack would be: the grand upshot and fiery
consummation of these dark continual hardships and
nocturnal watchings. Thrice over, on different nights,
the Prussians imagined Loudon to have drawn out,
intending actual business; and thrice over to have
drawn in again, -- instead of once only, as was the
fact, and then taken colic* Friedrich's own notion,
that "over dinner, glass in hand," the two Generals
had, in the enthusiasm of such a moment, agreed to do
it, but on sober inspection found it too dubious,** ap-
pears to be ungrounded. Whether they could in reality
have stormed him, had they all been willing, is still a
question; and must continue one. Wednesday evening,
9th September, there was much movement noticeable
in the Russian camp; also among the Austrian, there
are regiments, foot and horse, coming down hither-
* Tempelhof, v. 170. (Emrei de Frederic, v. 125.
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? chAP. to. ] sixth cAmpAign: bunzelwitz. 199
10th Sept. 1761.
ward: "Meaning to try it, then? " thought Friedrich,
and got at once under arms. Suppositions were various;
but about 10 at night, the whole Russian Camp went
up in flame; and, next morning, the Russians were not
there.
Russian main Army clean gone; already got to
Jauer, as we hear; and Beck with a Division to see
them safe across the Oder; -- only Czernichef and
20,000 being left, as a Corps of Loudon's. Who, with
all Austrians, are quiet in their Heights of Kunzendorf
again. And thus, on the twentieth morning, Septem-
ber 10th, this strange Business terminated. Shot of
those batteries is drawn again; powder of those mines
lifted out again: no firing of your heavy Artillery at
all, nor even of your light, after such elaborate charging
and shoving of it hither and thither for the last three
weeks. The Prussians cease their bivouacking, nightly
striking of tents; and encamp henceforth in a merely
human manner; their "Spanish Riders" (Frisian Horse,
C/ievaux-de-Frise, others of us call them), their Storm-
pales and elaborate wooden Engineerings, they gradually
burn as fuel in the cold nights; finding Loudon abso-
lutely quiescent, and that the thing is over, for the
present. One huge peril handsomely staved away,
though so many others impend.
By way of accelerating Butturlin, Friedrich, next
day, September 11th, despatched General Platen with
some 8,000 (so I will guess them from Tempelhofs
enumeration by battalions), to get round the flank of
Butturlin, and burn his Magazines. Platen, a valiant
skilful person, did this business, as he was apt to do,
in a shining style; shot dextrously forward by the
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? 200 FRIEDRICH NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XX.
10th-25th Sept. 1761.
skirts of Butturlin; heard of a big Wagenburg or Tra-
velling Magazine of his, at Gostyn over the Polish
Frontier; in fact, his travelling breadbasket, arranged
as "Wagon-fortress" in and round some Convent there,
with trenches, brick-walls, cannon, and defence con-
sidered strong enough for so important a necessary of
the road. September 15th, Platen, before cock-crow,
burst out suddenly on this Wagon-fortress, with its
cannons, trenches, brick-walls and defensive Russians;
stormed into it with extraordinary fury: "Fixed bay-
onets," ordered he, at the main point of their defence,
"not a shot till they are tumbled out! " -- tumbled
them out accordingly, into flight and ruin; took of
prisoners 1,845, seven cannon, and burnt the 5,000
provender wagons, which was the soul of the ad-
venture; and directly got upon the road again. *
Detachments of him then fell on Posen, on Posen and
other small Russian repositories in those parts, -- hay-
magazines, biscuit-stores, soldiers' uniforms; distributed
or burnt the same; -- completely destroying the tra-
velling haversack or general road-bag of Butturlin: a
Butturlin that will have to hasten forward or starve.
Which done, Platen (not waiting the King's new
orders but anticipating them, to the King's great con-
tentment) marched instantly, with his best speed and
skilfullest contrivance of routes and methods, not back
to the King, but onward towards Colberg, -- (which
he knows, as readers shall anon, to be much in need
of him at present); -- and without injury, though
begirt all the way by a hurricane of Cossacks and light
people doing their utmost upon him, arrived there,
September 25th; victoriously cutting in across the
* Tempelhof, v. 231-293; Hclden-Geschichte, vI. 643-619.
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? chAP. vii. ] sixth campAign: bunzelwitz. 201
10th-25th Supt. 1761.
Besieging Party: and will again be visible enough when
we arrive there. Indignant Butturlin chased violently,
eager to punish Platen; but could get no hold: found
Platen was clear off, to Pommern, -- on what errand
Butturlin knew well, if not so well what to do in con-
sequence. "Reinforce our poor Besiegers there, and
again reinforce" (to enormous amounts, 40,000, of
them in the end); -- "get bread from them withal: --
and before long, flow bodily thitherward, for bread to
ourselves and for their poor sake! " That, on the
whole, was what Butturlin did.
Friedrich stayed at Bunzelwitz above a fortnight
after Butturlin. "Why did not Friedrich stay alto-
gether, and wait here? " said some, triumphantly soon
after. That was not well possible. His Schweidnitz
Magazine is worn low; not above a month's provision
now left for so many of us. The rate of sickness, too,
gets heavier and heavier in this Bunzelwitz Circuit.
In fine, it is greatly desirable that Loudon, who has
nothing but Bohemia for outlook, should be got to start
thither as soon as possible, and be quickened home-
ward. September 25th-26th, Friedrich will be under
way again.
And, in the mean while, may not we employ this
fortnight of quiescence in noting certain other things
of interest to him and us, which have occurred, or are
occurring, in other parts of the Field of War? Of
Henri in Saxony we undertook to say nothing; and
indeed hitherto, -- big Daun with his Lacys and Reichs-
folk, lying so quiescent, tethered by considerations
(Daun continually detaching, watching, for support of
his Loudon and Russians and their thrice-important
? ?
tain before. Daun is to do nothing "rash" in Saxony
(a Daun not given that way, they can calculate), but is
to guard Loudon's game; carefully to reinforce, comfort,
and protect the brave Loudon and his Russians till they
win; -- after which, Saxony as rash as you like. This
is the Program of the Season: -- readers feel what an
immensity of preliminary higglings, hitchings and man-
oeuverings will now demand to be suppressed by us!
Read these essential Fractions, chiefly chronological; --
and then, at once, To Bunzelwitz, and the time of close
grips in Silesia here.
"Last Year," says a loose Note, which we may as well
take with us, "Tottleben did not go home with the rest, but
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? chAP. vii. ] sixth campaign: bunzelwitz. 187
ad May 1761.
"kept hovering about, in eastern Pommern, with a 10,000, all
"Winter; attempting several kinds of mischief in those Coun-
"tries, especially attempting to do something on Colberg;
"which the Russians mean to besiege next Summer, with
"more intensity than ever, for the Third, and, if possible, the
"last time. 'Storm their outposts there,' thinks Tottleben,
"'especially Belgard, the chief outpost; girdle tighter and
"tighter the obstinate little crow's-nest of a Colberg, and
"have it ready for besieging in good time. ' Tottleben did
"try upon the outposts, especially Belgard the chief one
"(January 18th, 1761), but without the least success atBel-
"gard; with a severe reproof instead, Werner's people being
"broad awake:* upon which Tottleben and they made a
"truce, 'Peacable till May 12th;' till June 1st, it proved,
"about which time" (which time, or afterwards, as the
Silesian crisis may admit! ) "we will look in on them again. "
May 3d, as above intimated, Friedrich hastened off for
Silesia, quitted Meissen that day, with an Army of some
50,000; pressingly intent to relieve Goltz from his dangerous
predicament there. This is one of Friedrich's famed marches,
done in a minimum of time and with a maximum of ingenuity;
concerning which I will remember only that, one night, "he "lodged again at Rodewitz, near Hochkirch, in the same
"house as on that Occasion" (what a thirty months to look
back upon, as you sink to sleep! ) -- "and that no accident
"anywhere befel the March, though Daun's people, all
"through Saxony and theLausitz, were hovering on the flank,
"--apprehensive chiefly lest it might mean a plunge into
"Bohemia, for relief of Goltz, instead of what it did. " For six
weeks after that hard March, the King's people got Canton-
ments again, and rested.
Prince Henri is left in Saxony, with Daun in huge force
against him, Daun and the Reich; between whom and Henri,
-- Seidlitz being in the field again with Henri, Seidlitz and
others of mark, -- there fell out a great deal of exquisite
manceuvering, rapid detaching, and occasional sharp cutting
on the small scale; but nothing of moment to detain us here,
or afterwards. We shall say only that Henri, to a wonderful
extent, maintained himself against the heavy overwhelming
* Account of it, llelden-Geschichle, v:. 670.
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? 188 FRIEDEICH NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XX.
30th June 1761.
Daun and his Austrian andReichs masses; and thatNapoleon,
I know not after what degree of study, pronounced this Cam-
paign of 1761 to be the masterpiece of Henri, and really a
considerable thing, "La campagne de 1161 est celle oil cePrince
"a vraiment montre des talents superieurs; the Battle of Frey-
"berg" (wait till next Year) "nothing in comparison. "*
Which may well detain soldier-people upon it; but must not
us, in any measure. The result of Henri being what we said,
-- a drawn game, or nearly so, -- we will, without inter-
ference from him, follow Friedrich and Goltz.
Friedrich and Goltz, -- or, alas, it is very soon Friedrich
alone; the valiant Goltz soon perishing from his hand! After
brief junction in Schweidnitz Country, Friedrich detached
Goltz to his old fortified Camp at Glogau, there to be on
watch. Goltz watching there, lynx-eyed, skilful, volunteered
a Proposal (June 22d); "Reinforce me to 20,000, your
Majesty; I will attack so and so of those advancing Rus-
sians! ' Which his Majesty straightway approved of, and set
going. ** Goltz thereupon tasked all his energies, perhaps
overmuch; and it was thought might at last really have done
something for the King, in this matter of the Russians still in
separate Divisions, -- a thing feasible if you have energy and
velocity; always unfeasible otherwise. But, alas, poor Goltz,
just when ready to march, was taken with sudden violent
fever, the fruit probably of overwork; and, in that sad flame,
blazed away his valiant existence in three or four days: --
gone forever, June 30th, 1761; to the regret of Friedrich and
of many.
Old Ziethen was at once pushed on, from Glogau over the
frontier, to replace Goltz; but, I doubt, had not now the re-
quisite velocity: Ziethen merely manoeuvered about, and
came home "attending the Russians," as Henri, Dohna and
others had done. The Russians entered Silesia, from the
north-east or Polish side, without difficulty; and (July 15th-
20th) were within reach of Breslau and of an open road to
southward, and to junction with Loudon', who is astir for them
there. About Breslau, they linger and higgle, at their leisure,
for three weeks longer: and if their junction with the
* Montholon, Memoires de Napole'on, vn. 324.
** Goltz's Letter to the King, "Glogau 22d June 1761is in Tempel-
hof (v. 88-90), who thinks the plan good.
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? CHAP. vII. ] SIXTH CAMrAIGN: BUNZELWITZ. 189
22d July -- 12th Aug. 1761.
Austrians "in Neisse neighbourhood" is to be prevented or
impeded, it is Friedrich, not Ziethen, that will have to do it.
Junction in Neisse neighbourhood (Oppeln, where it
should have been, which is some 35 miles from Neisse), Fried-
rich did, by velocity and dexterity, contrive to prevent; but
junction somewhere he probably knows to be inevitable.
These are among Friedrich's famed marches and manoeuver-
ings, these against the swift Loudon and his slow Russians;
but we will not dwell on them. My readers know the King's
manner in such cases; have already been on two Marches with
him, and even in these same routes and countries. We will
say only, that the Russians were and had been very dilatory;
Loudon much the reverse; and their and Loudon's Adversary
still more. That, for five days, the Russians, at length close
to Breslau (August 6th-llth), kept vaguely cannonading and
belching noise and apprehension upon the poor City, but
without real damage to it, and as if merely to pass the time;
and had gradually pushed out fore-posts, as far as Oppeln,
towards Loudon, up their safe right bank of Oder. That
Loudon, on the first glimpse of these, had made his best speed
Neisse-ward; and did a march or two with good hope; but at
Miinsterberg (July 22d), on the morning of the third or fourth
day's march, was astonished to see Friedrich ahead of him,
nearer Neisse than he; and that in Neisse Country there was
nothing to be done, no Russian junction possible there.
"Try it in Schweidnitz Country, then! " said Loudon.
The Russians leave off cannonading Breslau; cross Oder,
about Auras or Leubus (August 11th-12th); and Loudon, after
some finessing, marches back Schweidnitz-way, cautiously,
skilfully; followed by Friedrich, anxious to prevent a junction
here too, or at lowest to do some stroke before it occur. A
great deal of cunning marching, shifting and manoeuvering there is, for days round Schweidnitz on all sides; encampings
by Friedrich, now Liegnitz headquarter, now Wahlstadt, now
Schonbrunn, Striegau; --without the least essential harm to
Loudon, or likelihood increasing that the junction can be
hindered. No offer of battle either; Loudon is not so easy to
beat as some. The Russians come on at a snail's pace, so
Loudon thinks it, who is extremely impatient; but makes no
mistakes in consequence, keeps himself safe (Kunzendorf, on
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? 190 FRIEDRICH NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XX.
19th Aug. 1761.
the edge of the Glatz Hills, his main post), and the roads open
for his heavy-footed friends.
"In Nicolstadt, a march from Wahlstadt, 16th August,
there are 60,000 Russians in front of Friedrich, 72,000
Austrians in rear: what can he, with at the very utmost57,000,
do against them? Now was the time to have fallen upon the
King, and have consumed him between two fires, as it is
thought might have been possible, had they been simul-
taneous, and both of them done it with a will. But simul-
taneity was difficult, and the will itself was wanting, or existed
only on Loudon's side. Nothing of the kind was attempted
on the confederate part, still less onFriedrich's, -- who stands
on his guard, and, from the Heights about, has at last to wit-
ness what he cannot hinder. Sees both Armies on march;
Austrians from the south-east or Kunzendorf-Freyberg side,
Russians from the north-east or Kleinerwitz side, wending in
many columns by the back of Jauer and the back of Liegnitz
respectively; till (August 18th) they "join hands," as it is
termed, or touch mutually by their light troops; and on the
19th (Friedrich now off on another scheme, and not witness-
ing) , fall into one another's arms, ranked all in one line of
posts. * "Can the Reichshofrath say our junction is not
complete? " And so ends what we called the Prefatory part;
and the time of Close Gripes seems to be come! --
Friedrich has now nothing for it but to try if he
cannot possibly get hold of Kunzendorf (readers may
look in their Map), and cut off Loudon's staff of bread;
Loudon's, and Butturlin's as well; for the whole 130,000
are now to be fed by Loudon, and no slight task he
will find it. By rushing direct on Kunzendorf with
such a velocity as Friedrich is capable of, it is thought
he might have managed Kunzendorf; but he had to
mask his design, and march by the rear or east side of
Schweidnitz, not by the west side: "They will think I
"am making off in despair, intending for the strong
"post of Pilzen there, with Schweidnitz to shelter me
* Tempelhof, v. 58-150.
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? CHAP. vII. ] SIXTH CAMPAIGX: BUNZELWITZ. 191
20th Aug. -- 9tU Sept. 1761.
"in front! " hoped Friedrich (morning of the 19th), as
he marched off on that errand. Bat on approaching in
that manner, by the bow, he found that Loudon had
been quite sceptical of such despair, and at any rate
had, by the string, made sure of Kunzendorf and the
food-sources. August 20th, at break of day, scouts
report the Kunzendorf ground thoroughly beset again,
and Loudon in his place there. No use marching
thitherward farther: -- whither now, therefore?
Friedrich knows Pilzen, what an admirable post it
really is; except only that Schweidnitz will be between
the enemy and him, and liable to be besieged by them;
which will never do! Friedrich, on the moment of that
news from Kunzendorf, gets on march, not by the east
side (as intended till the scouts came in), but by the
west or exposed side of Schweidnitz: -- he stood
waiting, ready for either route, and lost not a moment
on his scouts coming in. All upon the road by 3 a. m. , August 20th; and encamps, still at an early hour, mid-
way between Schweidnitz and Striegau: right wing of
him at Zedlitz (if the reader look on his Map), left
wing at Jauernik; headquarters, Bunzelwitz, a poor
Village, celebrated ever since in War-annals. And
begins (that same evening, the earlier or rested part of
him begins) digging and trenching at a most extra-
ordinary rate, according to plan formed; no enemy
taking heed of him, or giving the least molestation.
This is the world-famous Camp of Bunzelwitz, upon
which it is worth while to dwell for a little.
To common eyes, the ground hereabouts has no
peculiar military strength: a wavy champaign, with
nothing of abrupt or high, much of it actual plain, ex-
cellent for cavalry and their work; -- this latter, too,
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? 192 FRIEDEICH NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [l)OOK XX.
20th Aug. --9th Sept. 1781.
is an advantage, which Friedrich has well marked, and
turns to use in his scheme. The area he takes in is
perhaps some seven or eight miles long, by as many
broad. On the west side runs the still-young Striegau
Water, defensive more or less; and on the farther bank
of it green little Hills, their steepest side stream-ward.
Inexpugnable Schweidnitz, with its stores of every
kind, especially with its store of cannon and of bread,
is on the left or east part of the circuit; in the inter-
vening space are peaceable farm-villages, spots of bog;
knolls, some of them with wood. Not a village, bog,
knoll, but Friedrich has caught up, and is busy profit-
ing by. "Swift, Bursche, dig ourselves in here, and be
ready for any quotity and quantity of them, if they
dare attack! "
And 25,000 spades and picks are at work, under
such a Field-Engineer as there is not in the world when
he takes to that employment. At all hours, night and
day, 25,000 of them: half the Army asleep, other half
digging, wheeling, shovelling; plying their utmost, and
constant as Time himself: these, in three days, will do
a great deal of spade-work. Batteries, redoubts, big
and little; spare not for digging. Here is ground for
Cavalry, too; post them here, there, to bivouac in
readiness, should our Batteries be unfortunate. Long
Trenches there are, and also short; Batteries command-
ing every in-gate, and under them are Mines: "We
will blow you and our Batteries both into the air, in
case of capture! " think the Prussians, the common men
at least, if Friedrich do not. "Mines, and that of being
"blown into the air," says Tempelhof, "are always
"very terrible to the common man. " In places there
are "Trenches 16 feet broad, by 16 deep," says an
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? chAP. vii. ] sixth campaign: bunzklwitz. 193
20th Aug. -- 9th Sept. 1761.
admiring Archenholtz, who was in it: "and we have
"two of those Flatterminen (scatter-mines," blowing-up
apparatuses) "to each battery. "*
"Bunzelwitz, Jauernik, Tschechen, and Peterwitz,
"all fortified," continues Archenholtz; "Wiirben, in
"the centre, is like a citadel, looking down upon Strie-
"gau Water. Heavy cannon, plenty of them, we have
"brought from Schweidnitz: we have 460 pieces of
"cannon in all, and 182 mines. Wiirben, our citadel
"and centre, is about five miles from Schweidnitz. Our
"entrenchments" -- You already heard what gulfs some
of them were! "Before the lines are palisades, storm-
"posts, the things we call Spanish Horse {chevaux-de-
uf'rise); -- woods we have in abundance in our Cir-
"cuit, and axes busy for carpentries of that kind. There
"are four entrenched knolls; 24 big batteries, capable
"of playing beautifully, all like pieces in a concert. "
Four knolls elaborately entrenched, clothed with cannon;
founded upon flatter-mines: try where you will to enter,
such torrents of death-shot will converge on you, and
a concert of 24 big batteries begin their music! --
On the third day, Loudon, looking into this thing,
which he has not minded hitherto, finds it such a thing
as he never dreamt of before. A thing strong as Gibral-
tar, in a manner; -- which it will be terribly difficult
to attack with success! For eight days more Friedrich
did not rest from his spade-work; made many changes
and improvements, till he had artificially made a very
Stolpen of it, a Plauen, or more. Cogniazo, the Aus-
trian Veteran, says: "Plauen, and Daun's often-ridi-
"culed precautions there, were nothing to it. Not as
"if Bunzelwitz had been so inaccessible, as our sheer
* Archenholtz, n. 262, &c.
Carlyle, Fredericli the Great. XII. 13
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? 194 FEIEDRICH NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XJ.
25th Aug. 1761.
"rocks there; but because it is a masterpiece of Art, in
"which the principles of tactics are combined with those
"of field-fortification, as never before. " Tielke grows
quite eloquent on it: "A masterpiece of judgment in
"ground," says he; "and the treatment of it a model
"of sound, true, and consummate field engineering. "*
Ziethen, appointed to that function, watches on the
Heights of Wiirben, the citadel of the place: keeps a
sharp eye to the south-west. All round, in huge half-
moon on the edge of the Hills over there, six or more
miles from Ziethen, lie the angry Enemies; Austrians
south and nearest, about Kunzendorf and Freyberg.
Russians are on the top of Striegau Hills, which are
well known to some of us; Russian headquarter is
Hohenfriedberg, -- who would have thought it, Herr
General von Ziethen?
Sixteen years ago, we have seen
these Heights in other tenantcy: Austrian field-music
and displayed banners coming down; a thousand and a
thousand Austrian watch-fires blazing out yonder, in
the silent June night, eve of such a Day! Bayreuth
Dragoons and their No. 67; -- you will find the Bay-
reuth Dragoons still here in a sense, but also in a sense
not. Their fencing Chasot is gone to Liibeck long
since; will perhaps pay Friedrich a visit by and by:
their fiery Gessler is gone much farther, and will never
visit anybody more! Many were the reapers then, and
they are mostly gone to rest. Here is a new harvest;
the old sickles are still here; but the hands that wielded
them -- ! -- "Steady! " answers the Herr General;
profoundly aware of all that, but averse to words
upon it.
* Tielke, in. ? Bunzclwitz (which is praised as attractive Piece)
Oeslerreichischer Veteran, iv. 79: cited in Preuss, u. 285.
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? CHAP. TO. ] SIXTH CAMPAIGN: BUNZELWITZ. 195
25th Aug. 1761.
Fancy Loudon's astonishment, on the third day:
"While we have sat consulting how to attack him,
there is he, --? unattackahle, shall we say? " Unattack-
able, Loudon will not consent to think him, though
Butturlin has quite consented. "Difficult, murderous,"
thinks Loudon; "but possible, certain, could Butturlin
but be persuaded! " And tries all his rhetoric on But-
turlin: "Shame onus! " urges the ardent Loudon: "Im-
perial and Czarish Majesties; Kriegshofrath, Russian
Senate; Vienna, Petersburg, Versailles, and all the
world, -- what are they expecting of us? To ourselves
it seemed certain, and here we sit helplessly gazing! "
Loudon is very diligent upon Butturlin; "Do but be-
lieve that it is possible. A plan can be made; many
plans: the problem is solved, if only your Excellency
will believe. " Which Butturlin never quite will.
Nobody knows better than Friedrich in what peril-
ous crisis he now stands: beaten here, what army or
resource has he left? Silesia is gone from him; by
every likelihood, the game is gone. This of Bunzel witz is his last card; this is now his one stronghold in
the world: -- we need not say if he is vigilant in re-
gard to this. From about the fourth day, when his
engineering was only complete in outline, he particu-
larly expects to be attacked. On the fifth night he con-
cludes it will be; knowing Loudon's way. Towards
sunset, that evening (August 25th), all the tents are
struck: tents, cookeries, every article of baggage, his
own among the rest, are sent to Wiirben Heights (to
Schweidnitz, Archenholtz says; buthas misremembered):
the ground cleared for action. And horse and foot,
every man marches out, and stands ready under
arms.
13*
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? 196 FRIEDRICH HOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XX.
20th Aug. -- 9th Sept. 1761.
Contrary to everybody's expectation, not a shot
was heard, that night. Nor the next night, nor the
next: but the practice of vigilance was continued.
Punctual as mathematics: at a given hour of the after-
noon, tents are all struck; tents and furnitures, field
swept clear; and the 50,000 in their places wait under arms. Next morning, nothing having fallen out, the
tents come back; the Army (half of it at once, or almost
the whole of it, according to aspects) rests, goes to
sleep if it can. By night there is vigilance, is work, and
no sleep. It is felt to be a hard life, but a necessary.
Nor in these labours of detail is the King wanting;
far from it; the King is there, as ear and eye of the
whole. For the King alone there is, near the chief
Battery, "on the Pfarrberg, namely, in the clump of
trees there," a small Tent, and a bundle of straw where
he can lie down, if satisfied to do so. If all is safe, he
will do so; perhaps even still he soon awakens again;
and strolls about among his guard-parties, or warms
himself by their fires. One evening, among the orders,
is heard this item: "And remember, a lock of straw,
will you, -- that I may not have to sleep on the ground,
as last night! "* Many anecdotes are current to this
day, about his pleasant homely ways and affabilities
with the sentry people, and the rugged hospitalities they
would show him at their watchfires. "Good evening,
children. " "The same to thee, Fritz. " "What is that
you are cooking? " -- and would try a spoonful of it,
in such company; while the rough fellows would forbid
smoking, "Don't you know he dislikes it? " "No,
smoke away! " the King would insist.
Mythical mainly, these stories; but the dialect of
* Seyfarth, in. 16n.
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? CHAP. VII. ] SIXTH campaign: bunzelwitz. 197
20th Aug. --9th Sept. 1761.
them true; and very strange to us. Like that of an
Arab Sheik among his tribesmen; like that of a man
whose authority needs no keeping up, but is a Law of
Nature to himself and everybody. He permits a little
bantering even; a rough joke against himself, if it
spring sincerely from the complexion of the fact. The
poor men are terribly tired of this work: such bivouack-
ing, packing, unpacking; and continual waiting for the
tug of battle, which never comes. Biscuits, meal are
abundant enough; but flesh-meat wearing low; above
all, no right sleep to be had. Friedrich's own table, I
should think, is very sparingly beset ("A cup of choco-
late is my dinner on marching-days," wrote he once,
this Season); certainly his Lodging, -- damp ground,
and the straw sometimes forgotten, -- is none of the
best. And thus it has to last, night after night and
day after day. On September 8th, General Biilow went
out for a little butcher's-meat; did bring home "200
head of neat cattle" (I fear, not very fat) "and 300
sheep. "*
Loudon, all this while, is labouring, as man seldom
did, to bring Butturlin to the striking place; -- who
continues flaccid, Loudon screwing and rescrewing,
altogether in vain. Loudon does not deny the diffi-
culty; but insists on the possibility, the necessity:
Councils of War are held, remonstrances, encourage-
ments. "We will lend you a Corps," answers Butturlin;
"but as to our Army cooperating, -- except in that far-
off way, it is too dangerous! " Meanwhile provisions
are running low; the time presses. A formal Plan,
presented by the ardent Loudon, -- Loudon himself to
take the deadlier part, -- "Mark it, noble Russian
* Tempelhof, v. 172.
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? 198 FRIEDEICH NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XX.
9th-10tU aept. 1761.
gentlemen; and you to have the easier! " -- surely that
is loyal, and not in the old cat's-paw way? But in
that, too, there is an offence. Butturlin and the Russians grumble to themselves: "And you to take all the
credit, as you did at Kunersdorf? A mere adjunct,
or auxiliary, we: -- and we are a Feldmarschall; and
you, what is your rank and seniority? " In short, they
will not do it; and in the end coldly answer: "A Corps,
if you like; but the whole Army, positively no. " Upon
which Loudon goes home half mad; and has a colic
for eight-and-forty hours. This was September 2d; the
final sour refusal; -- nearly heart-breaking to Loudon.
Provisions are run so low withal; the Campaign season
all but done; result, nothing: not even an attempt at a
result.
No Prussian, from Friedrich downwards, had doubted
but the attack would be: the grand upshot and fiery
consummation of these dark continual hardships and
nocturnal watchings. Thrice over, on different nights,
the Prussians imagined Loudon to have drawn out,
intending actual business; and thrice over to have
drawn in again, -- instead of once only, as was the
fact, and then taken colic* Friedrich's own notion,
that "over dinner, glass in hand," the two Generals
had, in the enthusiasm of such a moment, agreed to do
it, but on sober inspection found it too dubious,** ap-
pears to be ungrounded. Whether they could in reality
have stormed him, had they all been willing, is still a
question; and must continue one. Wednesday evening,
9th September, there was much movement noticeable
in the Russian camp; also among the Austrian, there
are regiments, foot and horse, coming down hither-
* Tempelhof, v. 170. (Emrei de Frederic, v. 125.
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? chAP. to. ] sixth cAmpAign: bunzelwitz. 199
10th Sept. 1761.
ward: "Meaning to try it, then? " thought Friedrich,
and got at once under arms. Suppositions were various;
but about 10 at night, the whole Russian Camp went
up in flame; and, next morning, the Russians were not
there.
Russian main Army clean gone; already got to
Jauer, as we hear; and Beck with a Division to see
them safe across the Oder; -- only Czernichef and
20,000 being left, as a Corps of Loudon's. Who, with
all Austrians, are quiet in their Heights of Kunzendorf
again. And thus, on the twentieth morning, Septem-
ber 10th, this strange Business terminated. Shot of
those batteries is drawn again; powder of those mines
lifted out again: no firing of your heavy Artillery at
all, nor even of your light, after such elaborate charging
and shoving of it hither and thither for the last three
weeks. The Prussians cease their bivouacking, nightly
striking of tents; and encamp henceforth in a merely
human manner; their "Spanish Riders" (Frisian Horse,
C/ievaux-de-Frise, others of us call them), their Storm-
pales and elaborate wooden Engineerings, they gradually
burn as fuel in the cold nights; finding Loudon abso-
lutely quiescent, and that the thing is over, for the
present. One huge peril handsomely staved away,
though so many others impend.
By way of accelerating Butturlin, Friedrich, next
day, September 11th, despatched General Platen with
some 8,000 (so I will guess them from Tempelhofs
enumeration by battalions), to get round the flank of
Butturlin, and burn his Magazines. Platen, a valiant
skilful person, did this business, as he was apt to do,
in a shining style; shot dextrously forward by the
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? 200 FRIEDRICH NOT TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XX.
10th-25th Sept. 1761.
skirts of Butturlin; heard of a big Wagenburg or Tra-
velling Magazine of his, at Gostyn over the Polish
Frontier; in fact, his travelling breadbasket, arranged
as "Wagon-fortress" in and round some Convent there,
with trenches, brick-walls, cannon, and defence con-
sidered strong enough for so important a necessary of
the road. September 15th, Platen, before cock-crow,
burst out suddenly on this Wagon-fortress, with its
cannons, trenches, brick-walls and defensive Russians;
stormed into it with extraordinary fury: "Fixed bay-
onets," ordered he, at the main point of their defence,
"not a shot till they are tumbled out! " -- tumbled
them out accordingly, into flight and ruin; took of
prisoners 1,845, seven cannon, and burnt the 5,000
provender wagons, which was the soul of the ad-
venture; and directly got upon the road again. *
Detachments of him then fell on Posen, on Posen and
other small Russian repositories in those parts, -- hay-
magazines, biscuit-stores, soldiers' uniforms; distributed
or burnt the same; -- completely destroying the tra-
velling haversack or general road-bag of Butturlin: a
Butturlin that will have to hasten forward or starve.
Which done, Platen (not waiting the King's new
orders but anticipating them, to the King's great con-
tentment) marched instantly, with his best speed and
skilfullest contrivance of routes and methods, not back
to the King, but onward towards Colberg, -- (which
he knows, as readers shall anon, to be much in need
of him at present); -- and without injury, though
begirt all the way by a hurricane of Cossacks and light
people doing their utmost upon him, arrived there,
September 25th; victoriously cutting in across the
* Tempelhof, v. 231-293; Hclden-Geschichte, vI. 643-619.
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? chAP. vii. ] sixth campAign: bunzelwitz. 201
10th-25th Supt. 1761.
Besieging Party: and will again be visible enough when
we arrive there. Indignant Butturlin chased violently,
eager to punish Platen; but could get no hold: found
Platen was clear off, to Pommern, -- on what errand
Butturlin knew well, if not so well what to do in con-
sequence. "Reinforce our poor Besiegers there, and
again reinforce" (to enormous amounts, 40,000, of
them in the end); -- "get bread from them withal: --
and before long, flow bodily thitherward, for bread to
ourselves and for their poor sake! " That, on the
whole, was what Butturlin did.
Friedrich stayed at Bunzelwitz above a fortnight
after Butturlin. "Why did not Friedrich stay alto-
gether, and wait here? " said some, triumphantly soon
after. That was not well possible. His Schweidnitz
Magazine is worn low; not above a month's provision
now left for so many of us. The rate of sickness, too,
gets heavier and heavier in this Bunzelwitz Circuit.
In fine, it is greatly desirable that Loudon, who has
nothing but Bohemia for outlook, should be got to start
thither as soon as possible, and be quickened home-
ward. September 25th-26th, Friedrich will be under
way again.
And, in the mean while, may not we employ this
fortnight of quiescence in noting certain other things
of interest to him and us, which have occurred, or are
occurring, in other parts of the Field of War? Of
Henri in Saxony we undertook to say nothing; and
indeed hitherto, -- big Daun with his Lacys and Reichs-
folk, lying so quiescent, tethered by considerations
(Daun continually detaching, watching, for support of
his Loudon and Russians and their thrice-important
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