Much is to be looked after, in this
River controversy of thirty miles.
River controversy of thirty miles.
Thomas Carlyle
"**
* (Euvres de Frederic, m. 61.
"(Ebwes de Frederic, m. 62-64.
Carlyle, Frederick the Great, fill. 4
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? 50 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
22d Oct. 1744.
That is Friedrich's wish; but it is by no means
Traun's, who sees that hunger and wet weather will
of themselves suffice for Friedrich. There ensues
accordingly, for three weeks to come, in that confused
Country, a series of swift shufflings, checkings, and
manoeuverings between these two, which is gratifying
and instructive to the strategic mind, but cannot be
inflicted upon common readers. Two considerable
chess-players, an old and a young; their chess-board a
bushy, rocky, marshy parallelogram, running fifty miles
straight east from Prag, and twenty or fewer south, of
which Prag is the north-west angle, and Beneschau, or
the impregnable Konopischt the south-east: the reader
must conceive it; and how Traun will not fight
Friedrich, yet makes him skip hither and thither,
chiefly by threatening his victuals. Friedrich's main
magazine is now at Pardubitz, the extreme north-east
angle of the parallelogram. Parallelogram has one
river in it, with the innumerable rocks and brooks and
quagmires, the river Sazawa; and on the north side,
where are Kuttenberg, Czaslau, Chotusitz, places again
become important in this business, it is bounded by
another river, the Elbe. Intricate manceuvering there
is here, for three weeks following: "old Traun an
admirable man! " thinks Friedrich, who ever after
recognised Traun as his Schoolmaster in the art of
War. We mark here and there a date, and leave it
to readers.
"Radicz, October 21st-22d. AtRadicz, a march to south-
"west of us, and on our side of the Moldau, the Saxons, under
"Weissenfels, 20,000 effective, join Prince. Karl-; which raises
"his force to 69,514 men, some 10,000more than Friedrich is
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? CHAP. IV. ^ MOLDAU CONQUESTS NOT MAINTAINABLE. 51
24th Oct. 1744.
"master of. * Prospect of wintering between the Luschnitz
"and the Sazawa there is now little; unless they will fight us,
"and be beaten. Friedrich, from his inaccessible Camp of
"Konopischt, manoeuvres, reconnoitres, in all directions, to
"produce this result; but to no purpose. An Austrian Detach-
"ment did come, to look after Beneschau and the Magazines
"there; but rapidly drew back again, finding Konopischt on
"their road, and how matters were. Friedrich will guard the
"door of this Sazawa-Elbe tract of Country; hope of the Sazawa-
"Luschnitz tract has, in few days, fallen extinct. Here is
"news come to Konopischt: our Three poor Garrisons, Bud-
"weis, Tabor, Frauenberg, already all lost; guns and men,
"after defence to the last cartridge, -- in Frauenberg their
"water was cut off, it was eight-and-forty hours of thirst at
"Frauenberg: -- one way or other, they are all Three gone;
"eight couriers galloping with message, 'Come away,' were
"allpicked up by the Pandours; so they stood, and were lost.
"' Three thousand fighting men gone, for the weak chance of
"'saving three hundred who were in hospital! ' thinks Fried-
"rich: War is not a school of the weak pities. For the chance
"of ten, you lose a hundred and the ten too. Sazawa-Elbe
"tract of country, let us vigilantly keep the door of that!
"Saturday, October 24th, Friedrich out reconnoitering from
"Konopischt, discovers of a certainty that the whole Austrian-
"Saxon force is now advancing towards Beneschau, and will,
"this night, encamp at Marschowitz, to south-west, only one
"march from us! On the instant Friedrich hurries back; gets
"his Army on march thitherward, though the late October sun
"is now past noon; off instantly; a stroke yonder will perhaps
"be the cure of all. Such roads we had, says Friedrich, as
"never Army travelled before: long after nightfall, we arrive
"near the Austrian camp, bivouac as we can till daylight re-
"turn. At the first streak of day, Friedrich and his chief
"generals are on the heights with their spyglasses: Austrian
"Army sure enough; and there they have altered theirpos-
"ture over night (for Traun too has been awake); they lie now
"opposite our right flank; 'on a scarped height, at the foot of
"'which, through 'swamps and quagmires, runs a muddy
"'stream. ' Unattackable on this side: their right flank and
"foot are safe enough. Creep round and see their left: --
* Orlich, ii. 66.
4*
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? 52 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. "(book XV.
26th Oct. --1st Nov. 1744.
"Nothing but copses, swampy intricacies! We may shoulder
"arms again, and go back to Konopischt: no fight here! *
"Speaking of defensive Campaigns, says Friedrich didacti-
"cally, years afterwards, 'If such situations are to answer the
"'purpose intended, the front and flanks must be equally
"' strong, but the rear entirely open. Such, for instance, are
"'those heights which have an extensive front, and whose
"'flanks are covered by morasses: -- as was Prince Karl's
"' Camp atMarschowitz in the year1744, with its front covered
"'by a stream, and the wings by deep hollows; or that which
"'we ourselves then occupied at Konopischt,' -- as you well
"remember. **
"October '26th--November 1st. The Sazawa-Luschnitz tract
"of Country is quite lost, then; lost with damages: theques-
"tion now is, Can we keep the Sazawa-Elbe tract? For about
"three weeks more, Friedrich struggles for that object;
"cannot compass that either. Want of horse provender is
"very great: -- country entirely eaten, say the peasants, and
"not a truss remaining. October 26th, Friedrich has to cross
"the Sazawa; we must quit the door of that tract (hunger
"driving us), and fight for the interior in detail. Traungets
"to Beneschau in that cheap way; and now, in behalf of
"Traun, the peasants find forage enough, being zealous for
"Queen and creed. Pandours spread themselves all over this
"Sazawa-Elbe country; endanger our subsistences, make our
"lives miserable. It is the old story: Friedrich, famine and
"mud and misery of Pandours compelling, has to retire north-
"ward, Elbe-ward, inch by inch; whither the Austrians follow
"at a safe distance, and, inspiteofallmanoeuvering, cannot
"be got to fight.
"Brave General Nassau, who much distinguishes himself
"in these businesses, has (though Friedrich does not yet know
"it) dexterously seizedKolin, westward in those Elbe parts, --
"ground that will be notable in years coming. Important
"little feat of Nassau's; of which anon. On the other hand,
"our Magazine at Pardubitz, eastward on the Elbe, is not out
"of danger: Pandours and regulars 2,000 and odd, 'sixty of
"'thePandour kind disguised as peasants leadinghaycarts,'
"made an attempt there lately; but were detected by the
* (Enures de Frederic, m. 63, 64; Orlich, n. 69.
** Military Instructions (above cited), p. 44.
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? CHAP. IV. ] MOLDAU CONQUESTS NOT MAINTAINABLE. 53
26th Oct. --1st,Nov. 1744.
"vigilant Colonel, and blown to pieces, in the nick of time,
"some of them actually within the gate. * Nay, a body of
"Austrian regulars were in full march for Kolin lately,
"intending to get hold of the Elbe itself at that point (midway
"between Prag and Pardubitz): but the prompt General
"Nassau, as we remarked, had struck in before them; and
"now holdsKolin; -- though, for several days,Friedrich could
"not tell what had become of Nassau, owing to the swarms of
"Pandours.
"Friedrich, standing with his back to Prag, which is fifty
"miles from him, and rather in need of his support than able
"to give him any; and drawing his meal from the uncertain
"distance, with Pandours hovering round, -- is in difficult
"case. While old Traun is kept luminous as midday; the
"circumambient atmosphere of Pandours is tenebrific to
"Friedrich, keeps him in perpetual midnight. He has to read
"his position as with flashes of lightning, for most part. A
"heavy-laden, sorely exasperated man; and must keep his
"haggard miseries strictly secret; which I believe he does.
"Were Valori here, it is very possible he might find the coun-
"tenance farouche again; eyes gloomy, on damp November
"mornings! Schwerin, in a huff, has gone home: Since your
"Majesty is pleased to prefer his young Durchlaucht of An-
"halt's advice, what can an elderly servant (not without rheu-
"matisms) do other? -- 'Well! ' answers Friedrich, not with
"eyes cheered by the phenomenon. The Elbe-Sazawa tract,
"even this looks as if it would be hard to keep. A world very
"dark for Friedrich, enveloped so by the ill chances and the
"Pandours. But what help i
"From the French Camp far away, there comes, dated
"17th October (third week of their Siege of Freyburg), by
"way of help to Friedrich, magnanimous promise: 'So soon
"'as this Siege is done, which will be speedily, though it is
"' difficult, we propose to send fifty battalions and a hundred
"' squadrons,' -- say only 60,000 horse and foot (not a hoof or
toe of which ever got that length, on actually trying it), --
'towards Westphalia, to bring the Elector of Koln to reason'
(poor Kaiser's lanky Brother, who cannot stand the French
procedures, and has lately sold himself, that is sold his troops,
to England), 'and keep the King of England and the Dutch
* (Enures de Frederic, ui. 65.
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? 54 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
lst-9th Nov. 1744.
in check,' -- by way of solacement to your Majesty. Will
you indeed, you magnanimous Allies? -- This was picked up
by the Pandours; and I know not but Friedrich was spared
the useless pain of reading it. *
"November lst-. 9th: Friedrich loses Sazawa-Elbe Country
"too. On the first day of November, here is a lightning-flash
"which reveals strange things to Friedrich. Trauns late
"manceuverings, which have been so enigmatic, to right and
"to left, uponPrag and other points, issue now in an attempt
"towards Pardubitz; which reveals to Friedrich the intention
"Traun has formed, of forcing him to choose one of those two
"places, and let go the other. Formidable, fatal, thinks
"Friedrich; and yet admirable on the part of Traun: 'a
"'design beautiful and worthy of admiration. ' If we stay
"near Prag, what becomes of our Communication withSilesia;
"what becomes of Silesia itself? If we go towards Pardubitz,
"Pragand Bohmen are lost! What to do? 'Despatch rein-
"'forcement to Pardubitz; thanks to Nassau, the Kolin-
"'Pardubitz road is ours! ' That is done, Pardubitz saved
"for the moment. Could we now get to Kuttenberg before
"the old Marshal, his design were overset altogether. Alas,
"we cannot march at once, have to wait a day for the bread.
"Forward, nevertheless; and again forward, and again; three
"heavy marches in November weather: let us make a fourth
"forced march, start tomorrow before dawn, -- Kuttenberg
"above all things! In vain; tomorrow, 4th November, there
"is such a fog, dark as London itself, from six in the morning
"onwards, no starting till noon: and then impossible, with all
"our efforts, to reach Kuttenberg. We have to halt an eight
"miles short of it, in front of Kolin; and pitch tents there.
"On the morrow, 5th November, Traun is found encamped,
"unattackable, between us and our object; sits there, athis
"ease in a friendly Country, with Pandour whirlpools flowing
"out and in; an irreducible case to Friedrich. November
"5th, and for three days more, Friedrich, to no purpose, tries
"his utmost; -- finds he will have to give up the Elbe-Sazawa
"region, like the others. Monday, November 9th, Friedrich
"gathers himself at Kolin; crosses the Elbe by Kolin Bridge,
"that day. Point after point of the game going against
* Orlioh, n. 73.
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? CHAP. IV. ] MOLDATJ CONQUESTS NOT MAINTAINABLE. 55
lst-9th Nov. 1744.
Kolin was, of course, attacked, that Monday even-
ing, so soon as the main Army crossed: but, so soon
as the Army left, General Nassau had taken his
measures; and, with his great guns and his small,
handled the Pandours in a way that pleased us. *
Thursday night following, they came back, with re-
gular grenadiers to support; under cloud of night, in
great force, ruffian Trenck at the head of them: a
frightful phenomenon to weak nerves. But this also
Nassau treated in such a fiery fashion that it vanished
without return; three hundred dead left on the ground,
and ruffian Trenck riding off with his own crown
broken, -- beautiful indigo face streaking itself into
gingham-Tpattern, for the moment!
Except Pardubitz, where also the due battalions
are left, Friedrich now holds no post south of the Elbe
in this quarter; Elbe-Sazawa Tract is gone like the
others, to all appearance. And we must now say,
Silesia or Prag? Prince Leopold, Council-of-War
being held on the matter, is for keeping hold of Prag:
"Pity to lose all the excellent siege-artillery we brought
thither," says he. True, too true; an ill-managed busi-
ness that of Prag! thinks Friedrich sadly to himself:
but what is Prag and artillery, compared to Silesia?
Parthian retreat into Silesia; and let Prag and the
artillery go: that, to Friedrich, is clearly the sure
course. Or perhaps the fatal alternative will not ac-
tually arrive? So long as Pardubitz and Kolin hold;
and we have the Elbe for barrier? Truth is, Prince
Karl has himself written to Court that, having now
pushed his Enemy fairly over the Elbe, and Winter
being come with its sleets and slushes, ruinous to
* (Enures de Friieric, m. 68.
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? 56 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
9ti- 19th Nov. 1744.
troops that have been so marched about, the Campaign
ought to end; -- nay, his own young Wife is in
perilous interesting circumstances, and the poor Prince
wishes to be home. To which, however, it is again
understood, Maria Theresa has emphatically answered,
"No, -- finish first! "
November ,9th-l,9th: We defend the Elbe River. Friedrich
has posted himself on the north shore of the Elbe, from Par-
dubitz to the other side of Kolin; means to defend that side of
the River, where go the Silesian roads. At Bohdenetz, short
way across from Pardubitz, he himself is; Prince Leopold is
near Kolin: thirty miles of river-bank to dispute. The con-
troversy lasts ten days; ends in Elbe-Teinitz, a celebrated
"passage," in Books and otherwise. Friedrich is in shaggy,
intricate country; no want of dingles, woods and quagmires;
now and then pleasant places too, -- here is Kladrup for
example, where our Father came three hundred miles to dine
with the Kaiser once. The grooms and colts are all off at
present; Father and Kaiser are off; and much is changed
since then. Grim tussle of War now; sleety winter, and the
Giant Mountains in the distance getting on their white hoods!
Friedrich doubtless has his thoughts as he rides up and
down, in sight of Kladrup, among other places, settling many
things; but what his thoughts were, he is careful not to say
except where necessary.
Much is to be looked after, in this
River controversy of thirty miles. Detachments lie, at inter-
vals, all the way; and mounted sentries, a sentry every five
miles, patrol the River-bank; vigilant, we hope, as lynxes.
Nothing can cross but alarm will be given, and by degrees
the whole Prussian force be upon it. This is the Circle of
Konigsgratz, this that now lies to rear; and happily there
are a few Hussites in it, not utterly indisposed to do a little
spying for us, and bring a glimmering of intelligence, now
and then.
It is now the second week that Friedrich has lain so, with
his mounted patrols in motion, with his Hussite spies; guard-
ing Argus-like this thirty miles of River; and ,the Austrians
attempt nothing, or nothing with effect. If the Austrians go
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? CHAP. IV. ] moldatj conquests not maintainable. 57
19th Nov. 1744.
home to their winter-quarters, he hopes to issue from Kolin
again before Spring, and to sweep the Elbe-Sazawa Tract
clear of them, after all. Maria Theresa having answered No,
it is likely the Austrians will try to get across: Be vigilant,
therefore, ye mounted sentries. Or will they perhaps make
an attempt on Prag? Einsiedel, who has no garrison of the
least adequacy, apprises us, That "in all the villages round
Prag, people are busy making ladders," -- what can that
mean? Friedrich has learned, by intercepted letters, that
something great is to be done on Wednesday 18th: he sends
Rothenburg with reinforcement to Einsiedel, lest a scalade of
Prag should be on the cards. Rothenburg is right welcome
in the lines of Prag, though with reinforcement still inef-
fectual; but it is not Prag that is meant, nor is Wednesday
the day. Through Wednesday, Friedrich, all eye and ear,
could observe nothing: much marching to and fro on the Aus-
trian side of the River; but apparently it comes to nothing?
The mounted patrols had better be vigilant, however.
On the morrow, 5 A. m. , what is this that is going on?
Audible booming of cannon, of musketry and battle, echoing
through the woods, penetrates to Friedrich's quarters at
Bohdenetz in the Pardubitz region: Attack upon Kolin,
Nassau defending himself there? Out swift scouts, and see!
Many scouts gallop out; but none comes back. Friedrich,
for hours, has to remain uncertain; can only hopeNassau will
defend himself. Boom, go the distant volleyings; no scout
comes back. And it is not Nassau or Kolin; it is something
worse: very glorious for Prussian valour, but ruinous to this
Campaign.
The Austrians, at two o'clock this morning, Austrians and
Saxons, came in great force, in dead silence, to the south
brink of the River, opposite a place called Teinitz (Elbe-
Teinitz), ten miles east of Kolin; that was the fruit of their
marching yesterday. They sat there forbidden to speak, to
smoke tobacco or do anything but breathe, till all was ready;
till pontoons, cannons had come up, and some gleam of dawn
had broken. At the first gleam of dawn, as they are shoving
down their pontoon boats, there comes a "Wer-da, Who
goes? " from our Prussian patrol across the River. Receiving
no answer, he fires; and is himself shot down. OneWedell,
Wedell and Ziethen, who keep wateh in this part, start in-
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? 58 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
19th Nov. 1744.
stantly at sound of these shots; and make a dreadful day of
it for these invasive Saxon and Austrian multitudes. Natural-
ly, too, they send off scouts, galloping for more help, to the
right and to the left. But that avails not. Wild doggery of
Pandours, it would seem, have already swum or waded the
River, above Teinitz and below: -- "Want of vigilance! "
barks Friedrich impatiently: but such a doggery is difficult
to watch with effect. At any rate, to the right and to the
left, the woods are already beset with Pandours; every scout
sent out is killed: and to east or to west there comes no news
but an echoing of musketry, a boom of distant cannon. *
Saxon-Austrian battalions, four or five, with unlimited artil-
lery going, versus Wedell's one battalion, with musketry and
Ziethen's hussars: it is fearful odds. The Prussians stand to
it like heroes; doggedly, for four hours, continue the dispute,
-- till it is fairly desperate; "two bridges of the enemy's now
finished;" -- whereupon they manoeuvre off, with Parthian
or Prussian countenance, into the woods, safe, towardsKolin;
"despatching definite news to Friedrich, which does arrive
"about 11 A. m. , and sets him at once on new measures. "
This is a great feat in the Prussian military annals;
for which, sad as the news was, Wedell got the name
of Leonidas attached to him by Friedrich himself.
And indeed it is a gallant passage of war; "Forcing
of the Elbe at Teinitz;" of which I could give two
Narratives, one from the Prussian, and one from the
Saxon side;** didactic, admonitory to the military mind, nay to the civic reader that has sympathy with
heroisms, with work done manfully, and terror and
danger and difficulty well trampled under foot. Leo-
nidas Wedell has an admirable silence, too; and
Ziethen's lazily-hanging under-lip is in its old attitude
again, now that the spasm is over. "Was thuts?
They are across, without a doubt. We would have
helped it, and could not. Steady! " --
* Orlich, n. 82-85.
*? Seyfartb, Beylage, i. 595-98; Helden-Geschichte, n. 1175-81.
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? CHAP. Iv. ] MOLDAU CONQUESTS NOT MAINTAINABLE. 59
19th-23d Nov. 1744.
FriedricKs Retreat; especially EinsiedeVs from Prag.
Seeing, then, that they are fairly over, Friedrich,
with a creditable veracity of mind, sees also that the
game is done; and, that same night, he begins
manoeuvering towards Silesia, lest far more be lost by
continuing the play. One column, under Leopold the
Young Dessauer, goes through Glatz, takes the Magazine
of Pardubitz along with it; -- good to go in several
columns, the enemy will less know which to chase.
Friedrich, with another column, will wait for Nassau
about Konigsgratz, then go by the more westerly road,
through Nachod and the Pass of Braunau. Nassau,
who is to get across from Kolin, and join us north-
wards, has due rendezvous appointed him in the
Konigsgratz region. Einsiedel, in Prag, is to spike
his guns, since he cannot carry them; blow up his
bastions, and the like; and get away with all discre-
tion and all diligence, -- north-westward first, to
Leitmeritz, where our magazines are; there to leave
his heavier goods, and make eastward towards Fried-
land, and across the "Silesian Combs," by what Passes
he can. Will have a difficult operation; but must
stand to it. And speed; steady, simultaneous, regular,
unresting velocity; that is the word for all.
And so it is done, -- though with difficulty, on
the part of poor Einsiedel for one. It was Thursday
19th November, when the Austrians got across the
Elbe: on Monday 23d, the Prussian rendezvousings are
completed; and Friedrich's column, and the Glatz one
under Leopold, are both on march; infinite baggage-
wagons groaning orderly along ('sick-wagons well
ahead,' and the like precautions and arrangements), on
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? 60 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
26th Nov. --16th Dec. 1744.
both these highways for Silesia: and before the week
ends, Thursday 26th, even Einsiedel is under way.
Let us give something of poor Einsiedel, whose dis-
asters made considerable noise in the world, that Win-
ter and afterwards.
"The two main columns were not much molested; that
"which went by Glatz, under Leopold, was not pursued at
"all. On the rear of Friedrich's own column, going towards
"Braunau, all the way to Nachod or beyond, there hung the
"usual doggery of Pandours, which required whipping off
'' from time to time; but in the defiles and difficult places due
"precaution was taken, and they did little real damage.
"Truchsess von Waldburg" (our old friend of the Spartan
feat near Austerlitz in the Moravian-Foray time, whom we
have known in London society as Prussian Envoy in bygone
years) "was in one of the divisions of this column; and one
"day, at a village where there was a little river to cross
"(river Mietau, Konigsgratz branch of the Elbe), got pro-
"voked injudiciously into fighting with a body of these
"people. Intent not on whipping them merely, but on whip-
ping them to death, Truchsess had already lost some forty
"men, and the business with such crowds of them was getting
"hot; when, all at once a loud squeaking of pigs was heard
"in the village," -- apprehensive swineherd nastily penning
his pigs belike, and some pig refractory; -- "at sound of "which, the Pandourmultitude suddenly pauses, quits fight-
"ing, and, struck by a new enthusiasm, rushes wholly into
"the village; leaving Truchsess, in a tragi-comic humour,
"victorious, but half ashamed of himself. * In the beginning
"of December, Friedrich's column reached home, by Braunau
"through the Mountains, the same way part of it had come in
"August; not quite so brilliant in equipment now as then.
"It was upon Einsiedel's poor Garrison, leaving Prag in
"such haste, that the real stress of the retreat fell; its diffi-
"culties great indeed, and its losses great. Einsiedel did
"what was possible; but all things are not possible on a
* (Euvres de Frederic, in. 73.
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? CHAP. IV. ] MOLDAU CONQUESTS NOT MAINTAINABLE. 61
26th Nov. -- 10th Dec. 1744.
"week's warning. He spiked great guns, shook endless
"hundredweights of powder, and 10,000 stand of arms, into
"the River; he requisitioned horses, oxen, without number;
"put mines under the bastions, almost none of which went off
"with effect. He kept Prag accurately shut', the Praguers
"accurately in the dark; took his measures prudently; and
"laboured night and day. One measure I note of him:
"stringent Proclamation to the inhabitants of Prag, 'Pro-
"'vision yourselves for three months; nothing but starvation
'"ahead otherwise. ' Alas, we are to stand a fourth siege,
"then? say the Praguers. But where are provisions to De
"had? At such and such places; from the Royal Magazines
"only, if you bring a certificate and ready money! Whereby
"Einsiedel got delivered of his meal-magazine, for one thing.
"But his difficulties otherwise were immense.
"On the Thursday morning, 26th November 1744, he
"marched. His wagons had begun the night before; and
"went all night, rumbling continuous (Anonymous of Prag*
"hearing them well), through the Karl-thor, north-west gate
"of Prag, across the MoldauBridge. All night across that
"bridge, -- Leitmeritz road, great road to the north-west: --
"followed finally by the march of horse and foot. But news
"had already fled abroad. Five hundred Pandours were in
"the City, backed by the Butchers' lads and other riotous
"Gesindel, before the rearguard got away. Sad tugging and
"wriggling in consequence, much firing from windows, and
"uproarious chaos; -- so that Rothenburg had at last to
"remount a couple of guns, and blow it off with case-shot.
"A drilled Prussian rearguard struggling, with stern com-
"posure, through a real bit of burning chaos. With effect,
"though not without difficulty. Here is the scene on the
"Moldau Bridge, and past that high Hradschin** mass of
"buildings; all Prag, not the Hradschin only, struggling to
"give us fatal farewell if it durst. River is covered with
"Pandours firing out of boats; Bridge encumbered to im-
"passability by forsaken wagons, the drivers of which had
"cut traces and run; shot comes overhead from the Hradschin
* Second "Letter from a Citizen &c. " (date, 27th November, see supra,
p. 24), in Helden-Geschichte, n. 1181-88.
** Old Palace of the Bohemian Kings (pronounce Radsheen); one of the
steepest Royal Sites in the world.
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? SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
26th Nov. --16th Dec. 1744.
"on our left, much shot, infinite tumult all round, thorough-
"fare impossible for two-wheeled vehicle, or men in rank.
"' Halt! ' cries Colonel Brandes, who has charge of the thing;
"divides them in three: 'First one party, deal with these
"'river-boats, that Pandour doggery; second party, pull
"' these stray wagons to right and left, making the way clear;
"'third party, drag our own wagons forward, shoulderto shaft,
"'and yoke them out of shot-range; ? --? you, Captain Carlo-
"' witz,' and calls twenty volunteers to go with Carlowitz, and
"drag their own cannon, 'step you forward, keep the gate of
'"that Hradschin till we all pass! ' In this manner, rapid,
"hard of stroke, clear-headed and with stern regularity,
"drilled talent gets the burning Nessus'-shirt wriggled off;
"and tramps successfully forth with its baggages. About
"eleven A. m. , this rearguard of Brandes's did; should have
"been at seven, -- right well that it could be at all.
"Einsiedel, after this, got tolerably well to Leitmeritz;
"left his heavy baggage there; then turned at an acute angle
"right eastward, towards the Silesian Combs, as ordered:
"still a good seventy miles to do, and the weather getting
"snowy and the days towards their shortest. Worse still;
"old Weissenfels, now in Prag with his Saxons, is aware that
"Einsiedel, before ending, will touch on a wild high-lying
"corner of theLausitz which is Saxon Country; andthither-
"ward Weissenfels has despatched Chevalier de Saxe (in
"plenty of time, November 29th), with horse and foot, to
"waylay Einsiedel, and block the entrance of the Silesian
"Mountains for him. Whereupon, in the latter end of his
"long march, and almost within sight of home, ensues the
"hardest brush of all for Einsiedel. And, in the desolation
"of that rugged Hill country of the Lausitz, '? Hochwald
"' (Upper Wold),' twenty or more miles from BohemianFried-
"land, from his entrance on the Mountain Barrier and Silesian
"Combs, there are scenes -- which gave rise to a Court-
"Martial before long. For unexpectedly, on the winter after-
"noon (December 9th), Einsiedel, struggling among the
"snows and pathless Hills, comes upon Chevalier de Saxe
"and his Saxon Detachment, -- entrenched with trees, snow-
"redoubts, and a hollow bog dividing us; plainly unas-
sailable; -- and stands there, without covering, without
"'food, fire, or salt,' says one Eye-witness, 'for the space of
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? CHAP. IV. ] MOLDAU CONQUESTS NOT MAINTAINABLE. 63
26th Nov. -- 16th Dec. 1744.
"'fourteen hours. ' Gazing gloomily into it, exchanging a
"few shots, uncertain what more to do; the much-dubitating
"Einsiedel.
* (Euvres de Frederic, m. 61.
"(Ebwes de Frederic, m. 62-64.
Carlyle, Frederick the Great, fill. 4
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? 50 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
22d Oct. 1744.
That is Friedrich's wish; but it is by no means
Traun's, who sees that hunger and wet weather will
of themselves suffice for Friedrich. There ensues
accordingly, for three weeks to come, in that confused
Country, a series of swift shufflings, checkings, and
manoeuverings between these two, which is gratifying
and instructive to the strategic mind, but cannot be
inflicted upon common readers. Two considerable
chess-players, an old and a young; their chess-board a
bushy, rocky, marshy parallelogram, running fifty miles
straight east from Prag, and twenty or fewer south, of
which Prag is the north-west angle, and Beneschau, or
the impregnable Konopischt the south-east: the reader
must conceive it; and how Traun will not fight
Friedrich, yet makes him skip hither and thither,
chiefly by threatening his victuals. Friedrich's main
magazine is now at Pardubitz, the extreme north-east
angle of the parallelogram. Parallelogram has one
river in it, with the innumerable rocks and brooks and
quagmires, the river Sazawa; and on the north side,
where are Kuttenberg, Czaslau, Chotusitz, places again
become important in this business, it is bounded by
another river, the Elbe. Intricate manceuvering there
is here, for three weeks following: "old Traun an
admirable man! " thinks Friedrich, who ever after
recognised Traun as his Schoolmaster in the art of
War. We mark here and there a date, and leave it
to readers.
"Radicz, October 21st-22d. AtRadicz, a march to south-
"west of us, and on our side of the Moldau, the Saxons, under
"Weissenfels, 20,000 effective, join Prince. Karl-; which raises
"his force to 69,514 men, some 10,000more than Friedrich is
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? CHAP. IV. ^ MOLDAU CONQUESTS NOT MAINTAINABLE. 51
24th Oct. 1744.
"master of. * Prospect of wintering between the Luschnitz
"and the Sazawa there is now little; unless they will fight us,
"and be beaten. Friedrich, from his inaccessible Camp of
"Konopischt, manoeuvres, reconnoitres, in all directions, to
"produce this result; but to no purpose. An Austrian Detach-
"ment did come, to look after Beneschau and the Magazines
"there; but rapidly drew back again, finding Konopischt on
"their road, and how matters were. Friedrich will guard the
"door of this Sazawa-Elbe tract of Country; hope of the Sazawa-
"Luschnitz tract has, in few days, fallen extinct. Here is
"news come to Konopischt: our Three poor Garrisons, Bud-
"weis, Tabor, Frauenberg, already all lost; guns and men,
"after defence to the last cartridge, -- in Frauenberg their
"water was cut off, it was eight-and-forty hours of thirst at
"Frauenberg: -- one way or other, they are all Three gone;
"eight couriers galloping with message, 'Come away,' were
"allpicked up by the Pandours; so they stood, and were lost.
"' Three thousand fighting men gone, for the weak chance of
"'saving three hundred who were in hospital! ' thinks Fried-
"rich: War is not a school of the weak pities. For the chance
"of ten, you lose a hundred and the ten too. Sazawa-Elbe
"tract of country, let us vigilantly keep the door of that!
"Saturday, October 24th, Friedrich out reconnoitering from
"Konopischt, discovers of a certainty that the whole Austrian-
"Saxon force is now advancing towards Beneschau, and will,
"this night, encamp at Marschowitz, to south-west, only one
"march from us! On the instant Friedrich hurries back; gets
"his Army on march thitherward, though the late October sun
"is now past noon; off instantly; a stroke yonder will perhaps
"be the cure of all. Such roads we had, says Friedrich, as
"never Army travelled before: long after nightfall, we arrive
"near the Austrian camp, bivouac as we can till daylight re-
"turn. At the first streak of day, Friedrich and his chief
"generals are on the heights with their spyglasses: Austrian
"Army sure enough; and there they have altered theirpos-
"ture over night (for Traun too has been awake); they lie now
"opposite our right flank; 'on a scarped height, at the foot of
"'which, through 'swamps and quagmires, runs a muddy
"'stream. ' Unattackable on this side: their right flank and
"foot are safe enough. Creep round and see their left: --
* Orlich, ii. 66.
4*
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? 52 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. "(book XV.
26th Oct. --1st Nov. 1744.
"Nothing but copses, swampy intricacies! We may shoulder
"arms again, and go back to Konopischt: no fight here! *
"Speaking of defensive Campaigns, says Friedrich didacti-
"cally, years afterwards, 'If such situations are to answer the
"'purpose intended, the front and flanks must be equally
"' strong, but the rear entirely open. Such, for instance, are
"'those heights which have an extensive front, and whose
"'flanks are covered by morasses: -- as was Prince Karl's
"' Camp atMarschowitz in the year1744, with its front covered
"'by a stream, and the wings by deep hollows; or that which
"'we ourselves then occupied at Konopischt,' -- as you well
"remember. **
"October '26th--November 1st. The Sazawa-Luschnitz tract
"of Country is quite lost, then; lost with damages: theques-
"tion now is, Can we keep the Sazawa-Elbe tract? For about
"three weeks more, Friedrich struggles for that object;
"cannot compass that either. Want of horse provender is
"very great: -- country entirely eaten, say the peasants, and
"not a truss remaining. October 26th, Friedrich has to cross
"the Sazawa; we must quit the door of that tract (hunger
"driving us), and fight for the interior in detail. Traungets
"to Beneschau in that cheap way; and now, in behalf of
"Traun, the peasants find forage enough, being zealous for
"Queen and creed. Pandours spread themselves all over this
"Sazawa-Elbe country; endanger our subsistences, make our
"lives miserable. It is the old story: Friedrich, famine and
"mud and misery of Pandours compelling, has to retire north-
"ward, Elbe-ward, inch by inch; whither the Austrians follow
"at a safe distance, and, inspiteofallmanoeuvering, cannot
"be got to fight.
"Brave General Nassau, who much distinguishes himself
"in these businesses, has (though Friedrich does not yet know
"it) dexterously seizedKolin, westward in those Elbe parts, --
"ground that will be notable in years coming. Important
"little feat of Nassau's; of which anon. On the other hand,
"our Magazine at Pardubitz, eastward on the Elbe, is not out
"of danger: Pandours and regulars 2,000 and odd, 'sixty of
"'thePandour kind disguised as peasants leadinghaycarts,'
"made an attempt there lately; but were detected by the
* (Enures de Frederic, m. 63, 64; Orlich, n. 69.
** Military Instructions (above cited), p. 44.
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? CHAP. IV. ] MOLDAU CONQUESTS NOT MAINTAINABLE. 53
26th Oct. --1st,Nov. 1744.
"vigilant Colonel, and blown to pieces, in the nick of time,
"some of them actually within the gate. * Nay, a body of
"Austrian regulars were in full march for Kolin lately,
"intending to get hold of the Elbe itself at that point (midway
"between Prag and Pardubitz): but the prompt General
"Nassau, as we remarked, had struck in before them; and
"now holdsKolin; -- though, for several days,Friedrich could
"not tell what had become of Nassau, owing to the swarms of
"Pandours.
"Friedrich, standing with his back to Prag, which is fifty
"miles from him, and rather in need of his support than able
"to give him any; and drawing his meal from the uncertain
"distance, with Pandours hovering round, -- is in difficult
"case. While old Traun is kept luminous as midday; the
"circumambient atmosphere of Pandours is tenebrific to
"Friedrich, keeps him in perpetual midnight. He has to read
"his position as with flashes of lightning, for most part. A
"heavy-laden, sorely exasperated man; and must keep his
"haggard miseries strictly secret; which I believe he does.
"Were Valori here, it is very possible he might find the coun-
"tenance farouche again; eyes gloomy, on damp November
"mornings! Schwerin, in a huff, has gone home: Since your
"Majesty is pleased to prefer his young Durchlaucht of An-
"halt's advice, what can an elderly servant (not without rheu-
"matisms) do other? -- 'Well! ' answers Friedrich, not with
"eyes cheered by the phenomenon. The Elbe-Sazawa tract,
"even this looks as if it would be hard to keep. A world very
"dark for Friedrich, enveloped so by the ill chances and the
"Pandours. But what help i
"From the French Camp far away, there comes, dated
"17th October (third week of their Siege of Freyburg), by
"way of help to Friedrich, magnanimous promise: 'So soon
"'as this Siege is done, which will be speedily, though it is
"' difficult, we propose to send fifty battalions and a hundred
"' squadrons,' -- say only 60,000 horse and foot (not a hoof or
toe of which ever got that length, on actually trying it), --
'towards Westphalia, to bring the Elector of Koln to reason'
(poor Kaiser's lanky Brother, who cannot stand the French
procedures, and has lately sold himself, that is sold his troops,
to England), 'and keep the King of England and the Dutch
* (Enures de Frederic, ui. 65.
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? 54 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
lst-9th Nov. 1744.
in check,' -- by way of solacement to your Majesty. Will
you indeed, you magnanimous Allies? -- This was picked up
by the Pandours; and I know not but Friedrich was spared
the useless pain of reading it. *
"November lst-. 9th: Friedrich loses Sazawa-Elbe Country
"too. On the first day of November, here is a lightning-flash
"which reveals strange things to Friedrich. Trauns late
"manceuverings, which have been so enigmatic, to right and
"to left, uponPrag and other points, issue now in an attempt
"towards Pardubitz; which reveals to Friedrich the intention
"Traun has formed, of forcing him to choose one of those two
"places, and let go the other. Formidable, fatal, thinks
"Friedrich; and yet admirable on the part of Traun: 'a
"'design beautiful and worthy of admiration. ' If we stay
"near Prag, what becomes of our Communication withSilesia;
"what becomes of Silesia itself? If we go towards Pardubitz,
"Pragand Bohmen are lost! What to do? 'Despatch rein-
"'forcement to Pardubitz; thanks to Nassau, the Kolin-
"'Pardubitz road is ours! ' That is done, Pardubitz saved
"for the moment. Could we now get to Kuttenberg before
"the old Marshal, his design were overset altogether. Alas,
"we cannot march at once, have to wait a day for the bread.
"Forward, nevertheless; and again forward, and again; three
"heavy marches in November weather: let us make a fourth
"forced march, start tomorrow before dawn, -- Kuttenberg
"above all things! In vain; tomorrow, 4th November, there
"is such a fog, dark as London itself, from six in the morning
"onwards, no starting till noon: and then impossible, with all
"our efforts, to reach Kuttenberg. We have to halt an eight
"miles short of it, in front of Kolin; and pitch tents there.
"On the morrow, 5th November, Traun is found encamped,
"unattackable, between us and our object; sits there, athis
"ease in a friendly Country, with Pandour whirlpools flowing
"out and in; an irreducible case to Friedrich. November
"5th, and for three days more, Friedrich, to no purpose, tries
"his utmost; -- finds he will have to give up the Elbe-Sazawa
"region, like the others. Monday, November 9th, Friedrich
"gathers himself at Kolin; crosses the Elbe by Kolin Bridge,
"that day. Point after point of the game going against
* Orlioh, n. 73.
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? CHAP. IV. ] MOLDATJ CONQUESTS NOT MAINTAINABLE. 55
lst-9th Nov. 1744.
Kolin was, of course, attacked, that Monday even-
ing, so soon as the main Army crossed: but, so soon
as the Army left, General Nassau had taken his
measures; and, with his great guns and his small,
handled the Pandours in a way that pleased us. *
Thursday night following, they came back, with re-
gular grenadiers to support; under cloud of night, in
great force, ruffian Trenck at the head of them: a
frightful phenomenon to weak nerves. But this also
Nassau treated in such a fiery fashion that it vanished
without return; three hundred dead left on the ground,
and ruffian Trenck riding off with his own crown
broken, -- beautiful indigo face streaking itself into
gingham-Tpattern, for the moment!
Except Pardubitz, where also the due battalions
are left, Friedrich now holds no post south of the Elbe
in this quarter; Elbe-Sazawa Tract is gone like the
others, to all appearance. And we must now say,
Silesia or Prag? Prince Leopold, Council-of-War
being held on the matter, is for keeping hold of Prag:
"Pity to lose all the excellent siege-artillery we brought
thither," says he. True, too true; an ill-managed busi-
ness that of Prag! thinks Friedrich sadly to himself:
but what is Prag and artillery, compared to Silesia?
Parthian retreat into Silesia; and let Prag and the
artillery go: that, to Friedrich, is clearly the sure
course. Or perhaps the fatal alternative will not ac-
tually arrive? So long as Pardubitz and Kolin hold;
and we have the Elbe for barrier? Truth is, Prince
Karl has himself written to Court that, having now
pushed his Enemy fairly over the Elbe, and Winter
being come with its sleets and slushes, ruinous to
* (Enures de Friieric, m. 68.
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? 56 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
9ti- 19th Nov. 1744.
troops that have been so marched about, the Campaign
ought to end; -- nay, his own young Wife is in
perilous interesting circumstances, and the poor Prince
wishes to be home. To which, however, it is again
understood, Maria Theresa has emphatically answered,
"No, -- finish first! "
November ,9th-l,9th: We defend the Elbe River. Friedrich
has posted himself on the north shore of the Elbe, from Par-
dubitz to the other side of Kolin; means to defend that side of
the River, where go the Silesian roads. At Bohdenetz, short
way across from Pardubitz, he himself is; Prince Leopold is
near Kolin: thirty miles of river-bank to dispute. The con-
troversy lasts ten days; ends in Elbe-Teinitz, a celebrated
"passage," in Books and otherwise. Friedrich is in shaggy,
intricate country; no want of dingles, woods and quagmires;
now and then pleasant places too, -- here is Kladrup for
example, where our Father came three hundred miles to dine
with the Kaiser once. The grooms and colts are all off at
present; Father and Kaiser are off; and much is changed
since then. Grim tussle of War now; sleety winter, and the
Giant Mountains in the distance getting on their white hoods!
Friedrich doubtless has his thoughts as he rides up and
down, in sight of Kladrup, among other places, settling many
things; but what his thoughts were, he is careful not to say
except where necessary.
Much is to be looked after, in this
River controversy of thirty miles. Detachments lie, at inter-
vals, all the way; and mounted sentries, a sentry every five
miles, patrol the River-bank; vigilant, we hope, as lynxes.
Nothing can cross but alarm will be given, and by degrees
the whole Prussian force be upon it. This is the Circle of
Konigsgratz, this that now lies to rear; and happily there
are a few Hussites in it, not utterly indisposed to do a little
spying for us, and bring a glimmering of intelligence, now
and then.
It is now the second week that Friedrich has lain so, with
his mounted patrols in motion, with his Hussite spies; guard-
ing Argus-like this thirty miles of River; and ,the Austrians
attempt nothing, or nothing with effect. If the Austrians go
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? CHAP. IV. ] moldatj conquests not maintainable. 57
19th Nov. 1744.
home to their winter-quarters, he hopes to issue from Kolin
again before Spring, and to sweep the Elbe-Sazawa Tract
clear of them, after all. Maria Theresa having answered No,
it is likely the Austrians will try to get across: Be vigilant,
therefore, ye mounted sentries. Or will they perhaps make
an attempt on Prag? Einsiedel, who has no garrison of the
least adequacy, apprises us, That "in all the villages round
Prag, people are busy making ladders," -- what can that
mean? Friedrich has learned, by intercepted letters, that
something great is to be done on Wednesday 18th: he sends
Rothenburg with reinforcement to Einsiedel, lest a scalade of
Prag should be on the cards. Rothenburg is right welcome
in the lines of Prag, though with reinforcement still inef-
fectual; but it is not Prag that is meant, nor is Wednesday
the day. Through Wednesday, Friedrich, all eye and ear,
could observe nothing: much marching to and fro on the Aus-
trian side of the River; but apparently it comes to nothing?
The mounted patrols had better be vigilant, however.
On the morrow, 5 A. m. , what is this that is going on?
Audible booming of cannon, of musketry and battle, echoing
through the woods, penetrates to Friedrich's quarters at
Bohdenetz in the Pardubitz region: Attack upon Kolin,
Nassau defending himself there? Out swift scouts, and see!
Many scouts gallop out; but none comes back. Friedrich,
for hours, has to remain uncertain; can only hopeNassau will
defend himself. Boom, go the distant volleyings; no scout
comes back. And it is not Nassau or Kolin; it is something
worse: very glorious for Prussian valour, but ruinous to this
Campaign.
The Austrians, at two o'clock this morning, Austrians and
Saxons, came in great force, in dead silence, to the south
brink of the River, opposite a place called Teinitz (Elbe-
Teinitz), ten miles east of Kolin; that was the fruit of their
marching yesterday. They sat there forbidden to speak, to
smoke tobacco or do anything but breathe, till all was ready;
till pontoons, cannons had come up, and some gleam of dawn
had broken. At the first gleam of dawn, as they are shoving
down their pontoon boats, there comes a "Wer-da, Who
goes? " from our Prussian patrol across the River. Receiving
no answer, he fires; and is himself shot down. OneWedell,
Wedell and Ziethen, who keep wateh in this part, start in-
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? 58 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
19th Nov. 1744.
stantly at sound of these shots; and make a dreadful day of
it for these invasive Saxon and Austrian multitudes. Natural-
ly, too, they send off scouts, galloping for more help, to the
right and to the left. But that avails not. Wild doggery of
Pandours, it would seem, have already swum or waded the
River, above Teinitz and below: -- "Want of vigilance! "
barks Friedrich impatiently: but such a doggery is difficult
to watch with effect. At any rate, to the right and to the
left, the woods are already beset with Pandours; every scout
sent out is killed: and to east or to west there comes no news
but an echoing of musketry, a boom of distant cannon. *
Saxon-Austrian battalions, four or five, with unlimited artil-
lery going, versus Wedell's one battalion, with musketry and
Ziethen's hussars: it is fearful odds. The Prussians stand to
it like heroes; doggedly, for four hours, continue the dispute,
-- till it is fairly desperate; "two bridges of the enemy's now
finished;" -- whereupon they manoeuvre off, with Parthian
or Prussian countenance, into the woods, safe, towardsKolin;
"despatching definite news to Friedrich, which does arrive
"about 11 A. m. , and sets him at once on new measures. "
This is a great feat in the Prussian military annals;
for which, sad as the news was, Wedell got the name
of Leonidas attached to him by Friedrich himself.
And indeed it is a gallant passage of war; "Forcing
of the Elbe at Teinitz;" of which I could give two
Narratives, one from the Prussian, and one from the
Saxon side;** didactic, admonitory to the military mind, nay to the civic reader that has sympathy with
heroisms, with work done manfully, and terror and
danger and difficulty well trampled under foot. Leo-
nidas Wedell has an admirable silence, too; and
Ziethen's lazily-hanging under-lip is in its old attitude
again, now that the spasm is over. "Was thuts?
They are across, without a doubt. We would have
helped it, and could not. Steady! " --
* Orlich, n. 82-85.
*? Seyfartb, Beylage, i. 595-98; Helden-Geschichte, n. 1175-81.
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? CHAP. Iv. ] MOLDAU CONQUESTS NOT MAINTAINABLE. 59
19th-23d Nov. 1744.
FriedricKs Retreat; especially EinsiedeVs from Prag.
Seeing, then, that they are fairly over, Friedrich,
with a creditable veracity of mind, sees also that the
game is done; and, that same night, he begins
manoeuvering towards Silesia, lest far more be lost by
continuing the play. One column, under Leopold the
Young Dessauer, goes through Glatz, takes the Magazine
of Pardubitz along with it; -- good to go in several
columns, the enemy will less know which to chase.
Friedrich, with another column, will wait for Nassau
about Konigsgratz, then go by the more westerly road,
through Nachod and the Pass of Braunau. Nassau,
who is to get across from Kolin, and join us north-
wards, has due rendezvous appointed him in the
Konigsgratz region. Einsiedel, in Prag, is to spike
his guns, since he cannot carry them; blow up his
bastions, and the like; and get away with all discre-
tion and all diligence, -- north-westward first, to
Leitmeritz, where our magazines are; there to leave
his heavier goods, and make eastward towards Fried-
land, and across the "Silesian Combs," by what Passes
he can. Will have a difficult operation; but must
stand to it. And speed; steady, simultaneous, regular,
unresting velocity; that is the word for all.
And so it is done, -- though with difficulty, on
the part of poor Einsiedel for one. It was Thursday
19th November, when the Austrians got across the
Elbe: on Monday 23d, the Prussian rendezvousings are
completed; and Friedrich's column, and the Glatz one
under Leopold, are both on march; infinite baggage-
wagons groaning orderly along ('sick-wagons well
ahead,' and the like precautions and arrangements), on
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? 60 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
26th Nov. --16th Dec. 1744.
both these highways for Silesia: and before the week
ends, Thursday 26th, even Einsiedel is under way.
Let us give something of poor Einsiedel, whose dis-
asters made considerable noise in the world, that Win-
ter and afterwards.
"The two main columns were not much molested; that
"which went by Glatz, under Leopold, was not pursued at
"all. On the rear of Friedrich's own column, going towards
"Braunau, all the way to Nachod or beyond, there hung the
"usual doggery of Pandours, which required whipping off
'' from time to time; but in the defiles and difficult places due
"precaution was taken, and they did little real damage.
"Truchsess von Waldburg" (our old friend of the Spartan
feat near Austerlitz in the Moravian-Foray time, whom we
have known in London society as Prussian Envoy in bygone
years) "was in one of the divisions of this column; and one
"day, at a village where there was a little river to cross
"(river Mietau, Konigsgratz branch of the Elbe), got pro-
"voked injudiciously into fighting with a body of these
"people. Intent not on whipping them merely, but on whip-
ping them to death, Truchsess had already lost some forty
"men, and the business with such crowds of them was getting
"hot; when, all at once a loud squeaking of pigs was heard
"in the village," -- apprehensive swineherd nastily penning
his pigs belike, and some pig refractory; -- "at sound of "which, the Pandourmultitude suddenly pauses, quits fight-
"ing, and, struck by a new enthusiasm, rushes wholly into
"the village; leaving Truchsess, in a tragi-comic humour,
"victorious, but half ashamed of himself. * In the beginning
"of December, Friedrich's column reached home, by Braunau
"through the Mountains, the same way part of it had come in
"August; not quite so brilliant in equipment now as then.
"It was upon Einsiedel's poor Garrison, leaving Prag in
"such haste, that the real stress of the retreat fell; its diffi-
"culties great indeed, and its losses great. Einsiedel did
"what was possible; but all things are not possible on a
* (Euvres de Frederic, in. 73.
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? CHAP. IV. ] MOLDAU CONQUESTS NOT MAINTAINABLE. 61
26th Nov. -- 10th Dec. 1744.
"week's warning. He spiked great guns, shook endless
"hundredweights of powder, and 10,000 stand of arms, into
"the River; he requisitioned horses, oxen, without number;
"put mines under the bastions, almost none of which went off
"with effect. He kept Prag accurately shut', the Praguers
"accurately in the dark; took his measures prudently; and
"laboured night and day. One measure I note of him:
"stringent Proclamation to the inhabitants of Prag, 'Pro-
"'vision yourselves for three months; nothing but starvation
'"ahead otherwise. ' Alas, we are to stand a fourth siege,
"then? say the Praguers. But where are provisions to De
"had? At such and such places; from the Royal Magazines
"only, if you bring a certificate and ready money! Whereby
"Einsiedel got delivered of his meal-magazine, for one thing.
"But his difficulties otherwise were immense.
"On the Thursday morning, 26th November 1744, he
"marched. His wagons had begun the night before; and
"went all night, rumbling continuous (Anonymous of Prag*
"hearing them well), through the Karl-thor, north-west gate
"of Prag, across the MoldauBridge. All night across that
"bridge, -- Leitmeritz road, great road to the north-west: --
"followed finally by the march of horse and foot. But news
"had already fled abroad. Five hundred Pandours were in
"the City, backed by the Butchers' lads and other riotous
"Gesindel, before the rearguard got away. Sad tugging and
"wriggling in consequence, much firing from windows, and
"uproarious chaos; -- so that Rothenburg had at last to
"remount a couple of guns, and blow it off with case-shot.
"A drilled Prussian rearguard struggling, with stern com-
"posure, through a real bit of burning chaos. With effect,
"though not without difficulty. Here is the scene on the
"Moldau Bridge, and past that high Hradschin** mass of
"buildings; all Prag, not the Hradschin only, struggling to
"give us fatal farewell if it durst. River is covered with
"Pandours firing out of boats; Bridge encumbered to im-
"passability by forsaken wagons, the drivers of which had
"cut traces and run; shot comes overhead from the Hradschin
* Second "Letter from a Citizen &c. " (date, 27th November, see supra,
p. 24), in Helden-Geschichte, n. 1181-88.
** Old Palace of the Bohemian Kings (pronounce Radsheen); one of the
steepest Royal Sites in the world.
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? SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
26th Nov. --16th Dec. 1744.
"on our left, much shot, infinite tumult all round, thorough-
"fare impossible for two-wheeled vehicle, or men in rank.
"' Halt! ' cries Colonel Brandes, who has charge of the thing;
"divides them in three: 'First one party, deal with these
"'river-boats, that Pandour doggery; second party, pull
"' these stray wagons to right and left, making the way clear;
"'third party, drag our own wagons forward, shoulderto shaft,
"'and yoke them out of shot-range; ? --? you, Captain Carlo-
"' witz,' and calls twenty volunteers to go with Carlowitz, and
"drag their own cannon, 'step you forward, keep the gate of
'"that Hradschin till we all pass! ' In this manner, rapid,
"hard of stroke, clear-headed and with stern regularity,
"drilled talent gets the burning Nessus'-shirt wriggled off;
"and tramps successfully forth with its baggages. About
"eleven A. m. , this rearguard of Brandes's did; should have
"been at seven, -- right well that it could be at all.
"Einsiedel, after this, got tolerably well to Leitmeritz;
"left his heavy baggage there; then turned at an acute angle
"right eastward, towards the Silesian Combs, as ordered:
"still a good seventy miles to do, and the weather getting
"snowy and the days towards their shortest. Worse still;
"old Weissenfels, now in Prag with his Saxons, is aware that
"Einsiedel, before ending, will touch on a wild high-lying
"corner of theLausitz which is Saxon Country; andthither-
"ward Weissenfels has despatched Chevalier de Saxe (in
"plenty of time, November 29th), with horse and foot, to
"waylay Einsiedel, and block the entrance of the Silesian
"Mountains for him. Whereupon, in the latter end of his
"long march, and almost within sight of home, ensues the
"hardest brush of all for Einsiedel. And, in the desolation
"of that rugged Hill country of the Lausitz, '? Hochwald
"' (Upper Wold),' twenty or more miles from BohemianFried-
"land, from his entrance on the Mountain Barrier and Silesian
"Combs, there are scenes -- which gave rise to a Court-
"Martial before long. For unexpectedly, on the winter after-
"noon (December 9th), Einsiedel, struggling among the
"snows and pathless Hills, comes upon Chevalier de Saxe
"and his Saxon Detachment, -- entrenched with trees, snow-
"redoubts, and a hollow bog dividing us; plainly unas-
sailable; -- and stands there, without covering, without
"'food, fire, or salt,' says one Eye-witness, 'for the space of
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? CHAP. IV. ] MOLDAU CONQUESTS NOT MAINTAINABLE. 63
26th Nov. -- 16th Dec. 1744.
"'fourteen hours. ' Gazing gloomily into it, exchanging a
"few shots, uncertain what more to do; the much-dubitating
"Einsiedel.
