' And there is Armistice again:--
"and the Siege, as turns out, has fired its last shot; and is
"painfully expiring in paroxysms of negotiation, which con-
"tinue a good many hours.
"and the Siege, as turns out, has fired its last shot; and is
"painfully expiring in paroxysms of negotiation, which con-
"tinue a good many hours.
Thomas Carlyle
XI.
14
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? 210 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHlfLMED. [book XIX.
26th Aug. --4th Sept. 1759.
Schmettau in Dresden sees clearly what mischief is at
hand.
To Daun this Siege of Dresden is the alpha to
whatever omegas there may be: he and his Soltikof
are to sit waiting this; and can attempt nothing but
eating of provender, till this be achieved. As the Siege
was really important, though not quite the alpha to all
omegas, and has in it curious points and physiognomic
traits, we will invite readers to some transient inspection
of it, -- the rather as there exist ample contemporary
Narratives, Diariums, and authentic records to render
that possible and easy*
"Ever since the rumour of Kunersdorf," says one Diarium,
compiled out of many, "in the last two weeks of August,
"Schmettau's need of vigilance and diligence has been on the
"increase, his outlooks becoming grimmer and grimmer. He
"has a poorishGarrison for number (3,700 in all**), and not of
"the best quality; deserters a good few of them: willing
"enough for strokes; fighting fellows all, and of adventurous
'' turn, but uncertain as to loyalty in a case of pinch. He has
"endless stores in the place; for one item, almost a million
"sterling of ready money. Poor Schmettau, if he knew it,
"has suddenly become the Leonidas of this Campaign, Dres-
"den its Thermopylae; and" -- But readers can conceive the
situation.
"August 20th, Schmettau quits the Neustadt, or northern
"part of Dresden, which lies beyond the River: unim-
"portant that, and indefensible with garrison not adequate;
"Schmettau will strengthen the River bank, blow up the
"Stone Bridge if necessary, and restrict himself to Dresden
"Proper. The Court is here; Schmettau does not hope that
"the Court can avert a Siege from him; but he fails not to try,
"in that way too, and may at least gain time.
* In Tempelhof (in. 210-216-222)', complete and careful Narrative; in
Anonymous of Hamburg (in. 871-377), express "Day-book" by some Eye-
witness in Dresden.
** Schmettau's Leben (by his Son), p. 408.
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? CHAP. V. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 211
26th Aug. --4th Sept. 1759.
"August 25th, He has a Mine put under the main arch of
"the Bridge: 'mine ill-made, uncertain of effect,' reports the
"Officer whom he sent to inspect it. But it was never tried,
"the mere rumour of it kept off attacks on that side. Same
"day, August 25th, Schmettau receives that unfortunate
"Royal Missive* written in the dark days of Reitwein,
"morrow of Kunersdorf (14th or 13th August)" which we read
above. "That there is another Letter on the road for him,
"indicating 'Relief shall be tried,' is unknown to Schmettau,
"and fatally continues unknown. While Schmettau is
"reading this (August 25th), General Wunsch has been on
"the road four days: Wunsch and Wolfersdorf with about
"8,000, at their quickest pace, and in a fine winged frame of
"mind withal, are speeding on: will cross Elbe at Meissen to-
"morrow night, -- did Schmettau only know. People say he
"did, in the way of rumour, understand that Kunersdorf had
"not been the fatal thing it was thought; and that efforts
"would be made by a King like his. In his place, one might
"have, at least, shot out a spy or two? But he did not, then
"or afterwards.
"Already, ever since the arrival of Wehla andBrentano
"in those parts, he has been labouring under many uncer-
"tainties; too many for aLeonidas! Hanging between Yes
"and No, even about that of quitting the Neustadt, for ex-
"ample: carrying over portions of his goods, but never
"heartily the whole; unable to resolve; now lifting visibly
"the Bridge pavement, then again visibly restoring it; --
"and, I think, though the contrary is asserted, he had at last
"to leave in the Neustadt a great deal of stores, horse-
"provender and other, not needful to him at present, orim-
"possible to carry, when dubiety got ended. He has put a
"mine under the Bridge; but knows it will not go off.
"Schmettau has been in many wars, but this is a case that
"tries his soldier qualities as none other has ever done. A
"case of endless intricacy, -- if he be quite equal to it; which
"perhaps he was not altogether. Nobody ever doubted
"Schmettau's high qualities as a man and captain; but here
"are requisite the very highest, and these Schmettau has not.
"The result was very tragical; I suppose, a pain to Friedrich
"all his life after; and certainly to Schmettau all his. This
* Tempelhof, m. 208; Schmettau's Lebcn (p. 421) has "August 27th. "
14*
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? 212 fRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
26th Aug. --4th Sept. 1759.
"is Saturday night 25th August: before Wednesday week
"(September 4th) there will have sad things arrived, irreme-
"diable to Sehmettau. Had Schmettau decided to defend
"himself, Dresden had not been taken. What a pity Schmet-
"tau had not been spared this Missive, calculated to produce
"mere doubt! Whether he could not, and should not, after a
"ten days of inquiry and new discernment, have been able to
"read the King's true meaning, as well as the King's mo-
"mentary humour, in this fatal Document, there is no de-
ciding. Sure enough, he did not read the King's true
". meaning in it, but only the King's momentary humour; did
"not frankly set about defending himself to the death, -- or
"'seeing' in that way 'whether he could not defend him-
"self,' -- with a good capitulation lying in the rear, after
"he had.
"Sunday August 26th, Trumpet at the gates. Messenger
"from Zweibruck is introduced blindfold; brings formal Sum-
"monsto Schmettau. Summons duly truculent: 'Resistance
"' vain; the more you resist, the worse it will be, -- and there
"'is a worst' (that of being delivered to the Croats, and
"massacred every man), 'of which why should I speak?
"'Especially if in anything you fail of your duty to the Kur-
"'Prinz'" (ElectoralPrince and Heir-Apparent, poor crook-
backed young Gentleman, who has an excellent sprightly
Wife, a friend of Friedrich's, and daughter of the late Kaiser
Karl VII. , whom we used so beautifully), 'imagine what your
'fate will be! ' -- "To which Schmettau answers: 'Can
"'Durchlaucht think us ignorant of the common rules of be-
"'haviour to Persons of that Rank? For the rest, Durchlaucht
"' knows what our duties here are, and would despise us if we
"'did not do them;' -- and, in short, our answer again is, in
"polite forms, 'Pooh, pooh; you may go your way! ' Upon
"which the Messenger is blindfolded again; and Schmettau
"sets himself in hot earnest to clearing out his goods from the
"Neustadt; building with huge intertwisted cross-beams and
"stone and earthmasses, a Battery at his own end of the
"Bridge, batteries on each side of it below and above; -- locks
"the Gates; and is passionately busy all Sunday, --though
"divine service goes on as usual.
"Hardly were the Prussian guns got away, when Croat
"people in quantity came in, and began building a Battery at
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? CHAP. V. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 213
26th Aug. --4th Sept. 1759.
"their end of the Bridge, the main defence-work being old
"Prussian meal-barrels, handily filled with earth. 'If you fire
"'one cannon-ball across on us,' said Schmettau, 'I will bom-
"'bard the Neustadt into flame in few minutes' (I have only
"to aim at our Hay Magazine yonder):'be warned 1' Nor did
"they once fire from that side; Electoral Highness withal and
"Royal Palace being quite contiguous behind the Prussian
"Bridge-Battery. Electoral Highness and Household are
"politely treated, make polite answer to everything; intend
"going down into the 'Apotheke' (Kitchen suite), or vaulted
"part of the Palace, and will lodge there when the cannonade
"begins.
"This same Sunday, August 26th, Maguire arrived; and set
"instantly to building his bridge atPillnitz, a little way above
"Dresden: at Uebigau, a little belowDresden, the Reichsfolk
"have another. Reichsfolk, Zweibruck in person, come all in
"on Wednesday; post themselves there, to north and west of
"the City. What is more important, the siege-guns, a superb
"stock, are steadily floating, through the Pirna regions,
"hitherward; get to hand on Friday next, the fifth day hence. *
"Korbitz (halfway out toKesselsdorf) is Durchlaucht's head-
"quarter: -- Chief General is Durchlaucht, conspicuously he,
"at least in theory, and shall have all the glory; though
"Maguire, glancing on these cannon, were it nothing more,
"has probably a good deal to say. Maguire too, I ODserve,
"takes post on that north or Kesselsdorf side; contiguous for
"the Head General. Wehla and Brentano post themselves on
"thesouthorup-stream side; it is they that hand-in the siege-
"guns: batteries are already everywhere marked out, 13
"cannon batteries and 5 ho wifzer. In short, from the morrow
"of that truculent Summons, Monday morning to Thursday,
"there is hot stir of multifarious preparation on Schmettau's
"part; and continual pouring in of the hostile force, who are
"also preparing at the utmost. Thursday, the Siege, if it can
"be called a Siege, begins. Gradually, and as follows --
"Thursday Morning (August 30th), Schmettau, who is,
"night and day, 'palisadingthe River,' and much else, -- dis-
closes (that is, Break of Day discloses on his part) to the
"Dresden public a huge Gallows, black, huge, of impressive
"aspect; labelled 'For Plunderers, Mutineers and their Hel- * Tempelhof, p. 210.
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? 214 FR1BDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
26th Aug. -- 4th Sept. 1759.
pers. ' * The Austrian heavy guns are not yet in battery; but
'multitudes of loose Croat people go swarming about every-
'where, and there is plentiful firing from such artilleries as
'they have. This same Thursday morning, two or three
'battalions of them rush into the Pirna Suburb; attack the
'Prussian Guard-parties there. Schmettau instantly des-
'patches Captain Kollas and a Trumpet:-- 'Durchlaucht,
"have the goodness to recal these Croat Parties; otherwise
''the Suburb goes into flame! And directly on arrival of this
"Messenger, may it please Durchlaucht. For we havecom-
"puted the time; and will not wait beyond what is reason-
'' able for his return! ' Zweibruck is mere indignation and
'astonishment; 'will burn Halle,'burn Quedlinburg, Berlin
'itself, and utterly ruin the King of Prussia's Dominion in
'general: -- the rejoinder to which is, burning of Pirna
'Suburb, as predicted; seventy houses of it, this evening, at
'six o'clock.
"Onward from which timethere is on both sides, especially
'on Schmettau's, diligent artillery practice; cannonade kept
'up wherever Schmettau can see the enemy busy; enemy
'responding with what artillery he has: -- not much damage
'done, I should think, though a great deal of noise; and tor
'one day (Saturday September 1st), our Diarist notes, 'Not
'' safe to walk the streets this day. ' But, in effect, the Siege,
'as they call it, -- which fell dead on the fifth day, and was
'never well alive, -- consists mainly of menace and counter-
'menace, in the way of bargain-making and negotiation; --
'and, so far as I can gather, that superb Park of Austrian
'Artillery, though built into batteries, and talked about in a
'bullying manner, was not fired from at all.
"Schmettau affects towards the enemy (and towards him-
'self, I dare say) an air of iron firmness; but internally has
'no such feeling, 'calls a Council of War,' and the like.
'Council of War, on sight of that King's Missive, confirms
'him with one voice: 'Surely, surely, Excellenz; no defence
"possible! ' Which is a prophecy and a fulfilment, both in
'one. Why Schmettau did not shoot forth a spy or two, to
'ascertain for him What, or whether Nothing whatever, was
'passing outside Dresden? I never understand! Beyond his
* Anonymous of Hamburg, in. 873.
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? CHAP, V. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 215
26th Aug. -- 4th Sept. 1759.
"own Walls, the world is a vacancy and blank to Schmettau,
"and he seems content it should be so.
"Sunday September 2d. Though Schmettau's cannonade
"was very loud, and had been so all night, Divine Service was
"held as usual, streets safe again, --Austrians, I suppose, not
"firing with cannon. About 4 p. m. , after a great deal of
"powder spent, General Maguire, stepping out on Elbe
"Bridge, blows or beats Appeal, three times; 'wishes a
"'moment's conversation with his Excellency. ' Granted at
"once; witnesses attending on both sides. 'Defence is im-
"'possiblejin the name of humanity, consider! 'urges Maguire.
"' Defence to the lastman of us is certain,'answers Schmettau,
"from the teeth outwards; -- but, in the end, engages to put
"on paper, in case he, by extremity of ill-luck, have at any
"time to accept terms, what his terms will inflexibly be. Upon
"which there is 'Armistice till Tomorrow:' and Maguire, I
"doubt not, reports joyfully on this feeling of the enemy's
"pulse. Zweibriick and Maguire are very well aware of what
"is passing in these neighbourhoods (General Wunsch back
"at Wittenberg by forced marches; blew it open in an hour);
"and are growing highly anxious that Dresden on any terms
"were theirs.
"Monday September 3d, The death-day of the Siege; an
"uncommonly busy day, -- though Armistice lasted perfect
"till 3 p. m. , and soon came back more perfect than ever. A
"Siege not killed by cannon, but by medical industry. Let
"us note with brevitythe successive symptoms and appliances.
"About seven in the morning, Maguire had his Messenger in
"Dresden, 'Your Excellency s Paper ready? ' 'Nearly ready,'
"answers Schmettau; 'we will send it by a Messenger of our
"' own. ' And about eleven of the day, Maguire does get it; --
"the same Captain Kollas (whose name we recollect) handing
"it in; and statue-like waiting Answer. 'Pshaw, this will
'"never do,' ejaculates Maguire; 'terms irrationally high! '
"Captain Kollas 'knows nothing of what is in the Paper; and
'"is charged only to bring a Written Answer from Excellenz. '
"Excellenz, before writing, 'will have to consult with Durch-
"'laucht;' can, however, as if confidentially and from feelings
"of friendship, 'can assure you, Sir, onmy honour, Thatthe
"' Garrison will be delivered to the Croats, and every man of
"'itput to the sword. ' 'The Garrison will expect that (wird
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? 216 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED, [book XIX.
26th Aug. -- 4th Sept. 1759.
"'Das erwarten),' said Kollas, statue-like; and withdrew, with
"the proper bow. * Something interesting to us in these Mili-
"tary diplomatic passages, with their square-elbowed fashions,
"and politeness stiff as iron!
"Not till three of the afternoon does the Written Answer
"reach Schmettau: 'Such Terms never could be accepted. ' -<<-
"'Good,' answers Schmettau: 'To our last breath no others
"'will be offered. ' And commences cannonading again, not
"very violently, but with the order, 'Go on, then, night and
"'day! '
"About 10 at night, General Guasco, a truculent kind of
"man, whom I have met with up and down, but not admitted
"to memory, beats Appeal on the Bridge: 'Inform theCom-
"'mandant that there will now straightway 13 batteries of
"'cannon, and 5 ditto of howitzers open on him, unless he
"'bethinks himself! ' Which dreadful message is taken to
"Schmettau. 'Wish the gentleman good evening,' orders
"Schmettau;'and say, we will answer with 100 guns. ' Upon
"which Guasco vanishes; -- but returns in not many minutes,
"milder in tone; requests 'a sight of that Written Paper of
"' Terms again. ' 'There it still is,' answers Schmettau, 'not
"' altered, nor ever shall be.
' And there is Armistice again:--
"and the Siege, as turns out, has fired its last shot; and is
"painfully expiring in paroxysms of negotiation, which con-
"tinue a good many hours. Schmettau strives to understand
"clearly that his terms (of the King's own suggesting, as
"Schmettau flatters himself) are accepted: nor does Durch-
"laucht take upon him to refuse in any point; but he is
"strangely slow to sign, still hoping to mend matters.
"Much hithering and thithering there was, till 4 next
"morning (Durchlaucht has important news from Torgau, at
"that moment); till 11 next day; till4 in the afternoon and
"later, -- Guasco and others coming with message after
"message, hasty and conciliatory: 'Durchlaucht at such a
"'distance, his signature not yet come; but be patient; all is
"'right, upon my honour! ' Very great hurry evident on the
"part of Guasco and Company; but nothing suspected by
"Schmettau. Till, dusk or darkness threatening now to super-
"vene, Maguire and Schmettau with respective suites have a
"Conference on the Bridge, -- 'rain falling very heavy. ' * Tempelhof, hi. 211.
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? CHAp, V. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 217
4th Sept. 1759.
"Durchlaucht's signature, Maguire is astonished to say, has
"not yet come; but Maguire pledges his honour 'that all shall
"'be kept without chicane; and adds (what to some of us
"seemed not superfluous afterwards), 'I am incapable of
"' acting falsely or with chicane. ' In fact, till 9 in the evening
"there was no signature by Durchlaucht; but about 6, on such
"pledge by Maguire of his hand and his honour, the Siege
"entirely gave up theghost; andDresden belonged to Austria
"TuesdayEvening, 4th September 1759; Sun just setting,
"could anybody see him for the rain.
"Schmettau had been over-hasty ;whatneed had Schmettau
"of haste? The terms had not yet got signature, perfection
"of settlement on every point; nor were they at all well kept,
"when they did! Considerable flurry, temporary blindness,
"needless hurry, and neglect of symptoms and precautions,
"must be imputed to poor Schmettau; whose troubles began
"from this moment, and went on increasing. The Austrians
"are already besetting Elbe Bridge, rooting up theherring-
"bone balks; and approaching our Blockhouse, -- sooner
"than was expected. But that is nothing. On opening the
"PirnaGate, to share it with the Austrians, Friedrich's Spy
"(sooner had not been possible to the man) was waiting;
"who handed Schmettau that Second Letter of Friedriclrs,
"'Courage; there is relief on the road! ' Poor Schmettau! "
What Captain Kollas and the Prussian Garrison
thought of all this, they were perhaps shy of saying,
and we at such distance are not informed, -- except
by one symptom: that of Colonel Hoffman, Schmettau's
Second, whose indignation does become tragically evi-
dent. Hoffman, a rugged Prussian veteran, is indignant
at the Capitulation itself; doubly and trebly indignant
to find the Austrians on Elbe Bridge, busy raising our
Balks and Battery: "How is this, Sir? " inquires he of
Captain Sydow, who is on guard at the Prussian end;
"How dared you make this change, without acquainting
the Second in Command? Order out your men, and
come along with me to clear the Bridge again! " Sydow
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? 218 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
4th Sept. 1759.
hesitates, haggles; indignant Hoffman, growing loud as
thunder, pulls out a pistol, fatal-looking to disobedient
Sydow; who calls to his men, or whose men spring out
uncalled; and shoot Hoffman down, -- send two balls
through him, so that he died at 8 that night. With
noise enough, then and afterwards. Was drunk, said
Schmettau's people. Friedrich answered, on report of
it: "I think as Hoffman did. If he was 'drunk,' it is
"pity the Governor and all the Garrison had not been
"so, to have come to the same judgment as he. "*
Friedrich's unbearable feelings, of grief and indigna-
tion, in regard to all this Dresden matter, -- which
are not expressed except coldly in business form, --
can be fancied by all readers. One of the most tragical
bits of ill-luck that ever befel him. A very sore stroke,
in his present condition; a signal loss and affront. And
most of all, unbearable to think how narrowly it has
missed being a signal triumph; -- missed actually by a
single hair's-breadth, which is as good as by a mile, or
by a thousand miles!
Soon after 9 o'clock that evening, Durchlaucht in
person came rolling through our battery and the herring-
bone balks, to visit Electoral Highness, -- which was
not quite the legal time either. Durchlaucht had not
been half an hour with Electoral Highness, when a
breathless Courier came in: "General Wunsch within
ten miles" (tookTorgau in no-time, as Durchlaucht well
knows, for a week past); "and will be here, before
we sleep! " Durchlaucht plunged out, over the herring-
bone balks again (which many carpenters are busy
lifting); and the Electoral Highnesses, in like manner,
* P. S. in Autograph of Letter to Schmettau, "Waldau, 11th September
1759" (Preaes, n. : Urkundonbuch, p. 45).
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? CHAP, v. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 219
4th Sept. 1759.
hurry off to Toplitz that same night, about an hour
after. What a Tuesday Night! Poor Hoffman is dead
at 8 o'clock; the Saxon Royalties, since 11, are gallop-
ing for Pirna, for Toplitz; Durchlaucht of Zweibriick we saw hurry off an hour before them, -- Capitulation
signature not yet dry, and terms of it beginning to be broken; and Wunsch reported to be within ten miles!
TheWunsch report is perfectly correct. Wunsch is
at Grossenhayn, this evening; all in a fiery mood of
swiftness, his people and he; -- and indeed it is, by
chance, one of Wolfersdorf's impetuosities that has
sent the news so fast. Wunsch had been as swift with
Torgau as he was with Wittenberg: he blew out the
poor Reiehs - Garrison there, by instant storm, and
packed it off to Leipzig, under charge of "an Officer
and Trumpet:" -- he had, greatly against his will, to
rest two days there for a few indispensable cannon from
Magdeburg. Cannon once come, Wunsch, burning for
deliverance of Dresden, had again started at his swiftest,
"Monday 3d September" (death-day of the Siege), "very
early. "
"He is under 8,000; but he is determined to doit; -- and
"would have done it, think judges, half-thinks Zweibriick "himself: such a fire in that Wunsch and his Corps as is very
"dangerous indeed. At 4 this morning, Zweibriick heard of
"his being on march: 'numbers uncertain' -- (numbers
"seemingly not the important point, -- blows any number of
"us about our business! ) -- and since that moment, Zweibriick "has driven the capitulation at such a pace; though the
"flurried Schmettau suspected nothing.
"Afternoon of Tuesday 4th, Wunsch, approaching Grossen-
"hayn, had detached Wolfersdorf with 100 light horse right-
"wards to Grrodel, a boating Village on Elbe shore, To seek
"news of Dresden; also to see if boats are procurable for
"carrying our artillery up thither. At Grodel, Wolfersdorf
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? 220 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
4th Sept. 1759.
"finds no boats that will avail: but certain boat-people, new
"fromDresden, report that no capitulation had been published
"when they left, but that it was understood to be going on.
"New spur to Wolfersdorf and Wunsch. Wolfersdorf hears
"farther in this Village, That there are some 30 Austrian
"horse in Grossenhayn:-- 'Possible these may escape General
"'Wunsch! ' thinks Wolfersdorf; and decides to have them.
"Takes 30 men of his own j orders the other 70 to holdright-
"ward, gather what intelligence is going, and follow more
"leisurely; and breaks off for the Grossenhayn-Dresden
"Highway, to intercept those fellows.
"Getting to the highway, Wolfersdorf does seethe fellows;
"sees also, with what degree of horror I do not know, thatthere are at least 100 of them against his 30! Horror will do
"nothing for Wolfersdorf, nor are his other 70 now withinreach. Putting a bold face on the matter, he commands,Stentor-like, as if it were all a fact: 'Grenadiers, march;
"'Dragoons, to right forwards, wheel; Hussars, forward:
"MArch! ' -- and does terrifically dash forward with the 30
"Hussars, or last item of the invoice; leaving the others to
"follow. The Austrians draw bridle with amazement; fire offtheir carbines; take to their heels, and do not stop for more.
"Wolfersdorf captures 68 of them, for behoof of Grossenhayn;
"and sends the remaining 32 galloping home. * Who bring
"above news to Durchlaucht of Zweibriick: '12,000 of them,
"may it please your Durchlaucht; such the accounts we had! '
"-- Fancy poor Schmettau's feelings!
"On the morrow, Dresden was roused from its sleep by
"loud firing and battle, audible on the north side of the River:
"before daybreak, and all day. ' It is Wunsch impetuously
"busy in the woody countries there. Durchlaucht had shot
"out Generals and Divisions, Brentano, Wehla, this General
"and then that, to intercept Wunsch: these the fiery Wunsch,
"-- almost as if they had been combustible material coming
"to quench fire, -- repels and dashes back, in a wonderful
"manner, General after General of them. And is lord of the
"field all day: -- but cannot hear the least word from Dres-
"den; which is a surprising circumstance.
"In the afternoon, Wunsch summons Maguire in the
"Neustadt: 'Will answer you in two hours,' said Maguire.
* Tempelhof, in. 214.
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? CHIP. V. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 221
4th Sept. 1759.
"Wunsch thereupon is for attacking their two Pontoon Elbe-
"Bridges; still resolute for Dresden, -- and orders Wolfers-
"dorf on one of them, the Uebigau Bridge, who finds the
"enemy lifting it at any rate, and makes them do it faster.
"But night is now sinking; from Schmettau not a word or
"sign. 'Silence over there, all day; not a single cannon
"'to or from,'say Wunsch and Wolfersdorf to one another.
'"Schmettau must have capitulated! ' conclude they, and
"withdraw in the night-time, still thunderous if molested;
"bivouack at Grossenhayn, after twenty-four hours of con-
"tinual march and battle, not time even for a snatch of food. *
"Resting at Grossenhayn, express reaches Wunsch from
"his Commandant at Torgau: 'Kleefeld is come on me from
"' Leipzig with 14,000; I cannot long hold out, unless relieved. '
"Wunsch takes the road again; two marches, each of twenty
"miles. Reaches Torgau Tate; takespost in the ruins of the
"North Suburb, finds he must fight Kleefeld. Refreshes his
"men 'with a keg of wine per Company,' surely a judicious
"step; and sends to Wolfersdorf, who has the rearguard, 'Be
'"here with me tomorrow at 10. ' Wolfersdorf starts at4, is
"here at 10: and Wunsch, having scanned Kleefeld and his
"Position" (a Position strong if you are dexterous to man-
oeuvre in it; capable of being ruinous if you are not, -- part
of the Position of a bigger Battle of Torgau, which is coming),
-- "flies at Kleefeld and his 14,000, like a cat-o'-mountain;
"takes him on the left flank: -- Kleefeld and such overplus
"of thousands are standing, a little to west-and-south of
"Torgau, with the Entefang" (a desolate big reedy mere, or
Place of Ducks, still offering the idle Torgauer a melancholy
sport there) "as a protection to their right; but with no evolu-
"tion-talent, or none in comparison to Wunsch's -- and ac-
cordingly are cut to pieces by Wunsch, and blown to the
"winds, as their fellows have all been. "**
Wunsch, absolute Fate forbidding, could not save
Dresden: but he is here lord of the Northern regions
again, -- nothing but Leipzig now in the enemy's hand;
* Berichl von der Action des General-Majors von Wunsch, bey Reichen-
berg, den 5. September 1759: in Seyfarth, Beylagen, n. 606-608.
** Hofbericht von der am 8. September 1759 bey Torgau vorgefallenen
Action: in Seyfarth, beylagen, u. 609, 610. Tempelhof, in. 219-222.
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? 222 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
5th-8th Sept. 1759.
-- and can await Finck, who is on march with a stronger
party to begin business here. It is reckoned, there are
few more brilliant little bits of Soldiering than this of
Wunsch's. All the more, as his men, for most part,
were not Prussian, but miscellaneous Foreign spirits of
uncertain fealty: roving fellows, of a fighting turn, at-
tracted by Friedrich's fame, and under a Captain who
had the art of keeping them in tune. Wunsch has
been soldiering, in a diligent though dim miscellaneous
way, these five-and-twenty years; fought in the old
Turk Wars, under disastrous Seckendorf, -- Wunsch a
poor young Wiirtemberg ensign, visibly busy there (1737-
1739), as was this same Schmettau, in the character of
staff-officer, far enough apart from Wunsch, at that time!
-- fought afterwards, in the Bavarian service, in the
Dutch, at Roucoux, at Lauffeld, again under disastrous
people. Could never, under such, find anything but
subaltern work, all this while; was glad to serve, under
the eye of Friedrich, as Colonel of a Free Corps; which
he has done with much diligence and growing distinc-
tion: till now, at the long last, his chance does come;
and he shows himself as a real General. Possibly a
high career lying ahead; -- a man that may be very
valuable to Friedrich, who has now so few such left?
Fate had again decided otherwise for Wunsch; in what
way will be seen before this Campaign ends: "an in-
fernal Campaign," according to Friedrich, "cette Cam-
pagne infernale. "
Finck, whom Friedrich had just detached from Wal-
dau (September 6th), with a new 8 or 6,000, to com-
mand in chief in those parts, and, along with Wunsch,
put Dresden out of risk, as it were, -- Finck does at
least join Wunsch, as we shall mention in a little. And
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? CHAP. V. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 223
5th-8th Sept. 1759.
these Two, with such Wolfersdorfs and people under
them, did prove capable of making front against Reichs- folk in great overplus of number. Nor are farther sieges
of those Northern Garrisons, but recaptures of them, the
news one hears from Saxony henceforth; -- only that
Dresden is fatally gone. Irrecoverably, as turned out,
and in that unbearable manner. Here is the concluding
scene:
Dresden, Saturday September 8th; Exit Schmettau. "A
'thousand times over, Schmettau must have asked himself,
"Why was I in such a hurry? Without cause for it I, only
"Maguire having cause! ' --The Capitulation had been ended
"in a huddle, without signature: an unwise Capitulation;
"and it was scandalously ill kept. Schmettau was not to
"have marched till Monday 10th, -- six clear days for packing
'and preparing; -- but, practically, he has to make three
"serve him; and to go half-packed, or not packed at all. End-
"less chicanes do arise, 'upon my honour! ' -- not even the
"800 wagons are ready for us; 'Can't your baggages go in
"boats, then? ' 'No, nor shall! ' answers Schmettau, with
"blazing eyes, and heart ready to burst; a Schmettau living
"all this while as in Purgatory, or worse. Such bullyings
"from truculent Guasco, who is now without muzzle. Capitu-
"lation, most imperfect in itself, is avowedly infringed:
"King's artillery, -- which we had haggled for, and ended by
"'hoping for,' to Maguire that rainy evening: why were we
"in such a hurry, too, and blind to Maguire's hurry! -- King's
'Artillery, according to Durchlaucht of Zweibruck, when he
'actually signed within the walls, is '. Nicht accordirt (Not
"granted), except the Field part. ' King's regimental fur-
"nishings, all and sundry, were 'accordirt, and without visita-
"tion,' --but on second thoughts,the Austrian Officials are of
"opinion there must really be visitation, must be inspection.
"May not some of them belong to PolishMajesty? ' In which
"sad process of inspection there was incredible waste,
"Schmettau protesting; and above half of the new uniforms
"were lost to us. Our 80 pontoons, which were expressly
"bargained for, are brazenly denied us: '20 of them are
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? 210 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHlfLMED. [book XIX.
26th Aug. --4th Sept. 1759.
Schmettau in Dresden sees clearly what mischief is at
hand.
To Daun this Siege of Dresden is the alpha to
whatever omegas there may be: he and his Soltikof
are to sit waiting this; and can attempt nothing but
eating of provender, till this be achieved. As the Siege
was really important, though not quite the alpha to all
omegas, and has in it curious points and physiognomic
traits, we will invite readers to some transient inspection
of it, -- the rather as there exist ample contemporary
Narratives, Diariums, and authentic records to render
that possible and easy*
"Ever since the rumour of Kunersdorf," says one Diarium,
compiled out of many, "in the last two weeks of August,
"Schmettau's need of vigilance and diligence has been on the
"increase, his outlooks becoming grimmer and grimmer. He
"has a poorishGarrison for number (3,700 in all**), and not of
"the best quality; deserters a good few of them: willing
"enough for strokes; fighting fellows all, and of adventurous
'' turn, but uncertain as to loyalty in a case of pinch. He has
"endless stores in the place; for one item, almost a million
"sterling of ready money. Poor Schmettau, if he knew it,
"has suddenly become the Leonidas of this Campaign, Dres-
"den its Thermopylae; and" -- But readers can conceive the
situation.
"August 20th, Schmettau quits the Neustadt, or northern
"part of Dresden, which lies beyond the River: unim-
"portant that, and indefensible with garrison not adequate;
"Schmettau will strengthen the River bank, blow up the
"Stone Bridge if necessary, and restrict himself to Dresden
"Proper. The Court is here; Schmettau does not hope that
"the Court can avert a Siege from him; but he fails not to try,
"in that way too, and may at least gain time.
* In Tempelhof (in. 210-216-222)', complete and careful Narrative; in
Anonymous of Hamburg (in. 871-377), express "Day-book" by some Eye-
witness in Dresden.
** Schmettau's Leben (by his Son), p. 408.
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? CHAP. V. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 211
26th Aug. --4th Sept. 1759.
"August 25th, He has a Mine put under the main arch of
"the Bridge: 'mine ill-made, uncertain of effect,' reports the
"Officer whom he sent to inspect it. But it was never tried,
"the mere rumour of it kept off attacks on that side. Same
"day, August 25th, Schmettau receives that unfortunate
"Royal Missive* written in the dark days of Reitwein,
"morrow of Kunersdorf (14th or 13th August)" which we read
above. "That there is another Letter on the road for him,
"indicating 'Relief shall be tried,' is unknown to Schmettau,
"and fatally continues unknown. While Schmettau is
"reading this (August 25th), General Wunsch has been on
"the road four days: Wunsch and Wolfersdorf with about
"8,000, at their quickest pace, and in a fine winged frame of
"mind withal, are speeding on: will cross Elbe at Meissen to-
"morrow night, -- did Schmettau only know. People say he
"did, in the way of rumour, understand that Kunersdorf had
"not been the fatal thing it was thought; and that efforts
"would be made by a King like his. In his place, one might
"have, at least, shot out a spy or two? But he did not, then
"or afterwards.
"Already, ever since the arrival of Wehla andBrentano
"in those parts, he has been labouring under many uncer-
"tainties; too many for aLeonidas! Hanging between Yes
"and No, even about that of quitting the Neustadt, for ex-
"ample: carrying over portions of his goods, but never
"heartily the whole; unable to resolve; now lifting visibly
"the Bridge pavement, then again visibly restoring it; --
"and, I think, though the contrary is asserted, he had at last
"to leave in the Neustadt a great deal of stores, horse-
"provender and other, not needful to him at present, orim-
"possible to carry, when dubiety got ended. He has put a
"mine under the Bridge; but knows it will not go off.
"Schmettau has been in many wars, but this is a case that
"tries his soldier qualities as none other has ever done. A
"case of endless intricacy, -- if he be quite equal to it; which
"perhaps he was not altogether. Nobody ever doubted
"Schmettau's high qualities as a man and captain; but here
"are requisite the very highest, and these Schmettau has not.
"The result was very tragical; I suppose, a pain to Friedrich
"all his life after; and certainly to Schmettau all his. This
* Tempelhof, m. 208; Schmettau's Lebcn (p. 421) has "August 27th. "
14*
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? 212 fRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
26th Aug. --4th Sept. 1759.
"is Saturday night 25th August: before Wednesday week
"(September 4th) there will have sad things arrived, irreme-
"diable to Sehmettau. Had Schmettau decided to defend
"himself, Dresden had not been taken. What a pity Schmet-
"tau had not been spared this Missive, calculated to produce
"mere doubt! Whether he could not, and should not, after a
"ten days of inquiry and new discernment, have been able to
"read the King's true meaning, as well as the King's mo-
"mentary humour, in this fatal Document, there is no de-
ciding. Sure enough, he did not read the King's true
". meaning in it, but only the King's momentary humour; did
"not frankly set about defending himself to the death, -- or
"'seeing' in that way 'whether he could not defend him-
"self,' -- with a good capitulation lying in the rear, after
"he had.
"Sunday August 26th, Trumpet at the gates. Messenger
"from Zweibruck is introduced blindfold; brings formal Sum-
"monsto Schmettau. Summons duly truculent: 'Resistance
"' vain; the more you resist, the worse it will be, -- and there
"'is a worst' (that of being delivered to the Croats, and
"massacred every man), 'of which why should I speak?
"'Especially if in anything you fail of your duty to the Kur-
"'Prinz'" (ElectoralPrince and Heir-Apparent, poor crook-
backed young Gentleman, who has an excellent sprightly
Wife, a friend of Friedrich's, and daughter of the late Kaiser
Karl VII. , whom we used so beautifully), 'imagine what your
'fate will be! ' -- "To which Schmettau answers: 'Can
"'Durchlaucht think us ignorant of the common rules of be-
"'haviour to Persons of that Rank? For the rest, Durchlaucht
"' knows what our duties here are, and would despise us if we
"'did not do them;' -- and, in short, our answer again is, in
"polite forms, 'Pooh, pooh; you may go your way! ' Upon
"which the Messenger is blindfolded again; and Schmettau
"sets himself in hot earnest to clearing out his goods from the
"Neustadt; building with huge intertwisted cross-beams and
"stone and earthmasses, a Battery at his own end of the
"Bridge, batteries on each side of it below and above; -- locks
"the Gates; and is passionately busy all Sunday, --though
"divine service goes on as usual.
"Hardly were the Prussian guns got away, when Croat
"people in quantity came in, and began building a Battery at
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? CHAP. V. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 213
26th Aug. --4th Sept. 1759.
"their end of the Bridge, the main defence-work being old
"Prussian meal-barrels, handily filled with earth. 'If you fire
"'one cannon-ball across on us,' said Schmettau, 'I will bom-
"'bard the Neustadt into flame in few minutes' (I have only
"to aim at our Hay Magazine yonder):'be warned 1' Nor did
"they once fire from that side; Electoral Highness withal and
"Royal Palace being quite contiguous behind the Prussian
"Bridge-Battery. Electoral Highness and Household are
"politely treated, make polite answer to everything; intend
"going down into the 'Apotheke' (Kitchen suite), or vaulted
"part of the Palace, and will lodge there when the cannonade
"begins.
"This same Sunday, August 26th, Maguire arrived; and set
"instantly to building his bridge atPillnitz, a little way above
"Dresden: at Uebigau, a little belowDresden, the Reichsfolk
"have another. Reichsfolk, Zweibruck in person, come all in
"on Wednesday; post themselves there, to north and west of
"the City. What is more important, the siege-guns, a superb
"stock, are steadily floating, through the Pirna regions,
"hitherward; get to hand on Friday next, the fifth day hence. *
"Korbitz (halfway out toKesselsdorf) is Durchlaucht's head-
"quarter: -- Chief General is Durchlaucht, conspicuously he,
"at least in theory, and shall have all the glory; though
"Maguire, glancing on these cannon, were it nothing more,
"has probably a good deal to say. Maguire too, I ODserve,
"takes post on that north or Kesselsdorf side; contiguous for
"the Head General. Wehla and Brentano post themselves on
"thesouthorup-stream side; it is they that hand-in the siege-
"guns: batteries are already everywhere marked out, 13
"cannon batteries and 5 ho wifzer. In short, from the morrow
"of that truculent Summons, Monday morning to Thursday,
"there is hot stir of multifarious preparation on Schmettau's
"part; and continual pouring in of the hostile force, who are
"also preparing at the utmost. Thursday, the Siege, if it can
"be called a Siege, begins. Gradually, and as follows --
"Thursday Morning (August 30th), Schmettau, who is,
"night and day, 'palisadingthe River,' and much else, -- dis-
closes (that is, Break of Day discloses on his part) to the
"Dresden public a huge Gallows, black, huge, of impressive
"aspect; labelled 'For Plunderers, Mutineers and their Hel- * Tempelhof, p. 210.
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? 214 FR1BDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
26th Aug. -- 4th Sept. 1759.
pers. ' * The Austrian heavy guns are not yet in battery; but
'multitudes of loose Croat people go swarming about every-
'where, and there is plentiful firing from such artilleries as
'they have. This same Thursday morning, two or three
'battalions of them rush into the Pirna Suburb; attack the
'Prussian Guard-parties there. Schmettau instantly des-
'patches Captain Kollas and a Trumpet:-- 'Durchlaucht,
"have the goodness to recal these Croat Parties; otherwise
''the Suburb goes into flame! And directly on arrival of this
"Messenger, may it please Durchlaucht. For we havecom-
"puted the time; and will not wait beyond what is reason-
'' able for his return! ' Zweibruck is mere indignation and
'astonishment; 'will burn Halle,'burn Quedlinburg, Berlin
'itself, and utterly ruin the King of Prussia's Dominion in
'general: -- the rejoinder to which is, burning of Pirna
'Suburb, as predicted; seventy houses of it, this evening, at
'six o'clock.
"Onward from which timethere is on both sides, especially
'on Schmettau's, diligent artillery practice; cannonade kept
'up wherever Schmettau can see the enemy busy; enemy
'responding with what artillery he has: -- not much damage
'done, I should think, though a great deal of noise; and tor
'one day (Saturday September 1st), our Diarist notes, 'Not
'' safe to walk the streets this day. ' But, in effect, the Siege,
'as they call it, -- which fell dead on the fifth day, and was
'never well alive, -- consists mainly of menace and counter-
'menace, in the way of bargain-making and negotiation; --
'and, so far as I can gather, that superb Park of Austrian
'Artillery, though built into batteries, and talked about in a
'bullying manner, was not fired from at all.
"Schmettau affects towards the enemy (and towards him-
'self, I dare say) an air of iron firmness; but internally has
'no such feeling, 'calls a Council of War,' and the like.
'Council of War, on sight of that King's Missive, confirms
'him with one voice: 'Surely, surely, Excellenz; no defence
"possible! ' Which is a prophecy and a fulfilment, both in
'one. Why Schmettau did not shoot forth a spy or two, to
'ascertain for him What, or whether Nothing whatever, was
'passing outside Dresden? I never understand! Beyond his
* Anonymous of Hamburg, in. 873.
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? CHAP, V. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 215
26th Aug. -- 4th Sept. 1759.
"own Walls, the world is a vacancy and blank to Schmettau,
"and he seems content it should be so.
"Sunday September 2d. Though Schmettau's cannonade
"was very loud, and had been so all night, Divine Service was
"held as usual, streets safe again, --Austrians, I suppose, not
"firing with cannon. About 4 p. m. , after a great deal of
"powder spent, General Maguire, stepping out on Elbe
"Bridge, blows or beats Appeal, three times; 'wishes a
"'moment's conversation with his Excellency. ' Granted at
"once; witnesses attending on both sides. 'Defence is im-
"'possiblejin the name of humanity, consider! 'urges Maguire.
"' Defence to the lastman of us is certain,'answers Schmettau,
"from the teeth outwards; -- but, in the end, engages to put
"on paper, in case he, by extremity of ill-luck, have at any
"time to accept terms, what his terms will inflexibly be. Upon
"which there is 'Armistice till Tomorrow:' and Maguire, I
"doubt not, reports joyfully on this feeling of the enemy's
"pulse. Zweibriick and Maguire are very well aware of what
"is passing in these neighbourhoods (General Wunsch back
"at Wittenberg by forced marches; blew it open in an hour);
"and are growing highly anxious that Dresden on any terms
"were theirs.
"Monday September 3d, The death-day of the Siege; an
"uncommonly busy day, -- though Armistice lasted perfect
"till 3 p. m. , and soon came back more perfect than ever. A
"Siege not killed by cannon, but by medical industry. Let
"us note with brevitythe successive symptoms and appliances.
"About seven in the morning, Maguire had his Messenger in
"Dresden, 'Your Excellency s Paper ready? ' 'Nearly ready,'
"answers Schmettau; 'we will send it by a Messenger of our
"' own. ' And about eleven of the day, Maguire does get it; --
"the same Captain Kollas (whose name we recollect) handing
"it in; and statue-like waiting Answer. 'Pshaw, this will
'"never do,' ejaculates Maguire; 'terms irrationally high! '
"Captain Kollas 'knows nothing of what is in the Paper; and
'"is charged only to bring a Written Answer from Excellenz. '
"Excellenz, before writing, 'will have to consult with Durch-
"'laucht;' can, however, as if confidentially and from feelings
"of friendship, 'can assure you, Sir, onmy honour, Thatthe
"' Garrison will be delivered to the Croats, and every man of
"'itput to the sword. ' 'The Garrison will expect that (wird
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? 216 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED, [book XIX.
26th Aug. -- 4th Sept. 1759.
"'Das erwarten),' said Kollas, statue-like; and withdrew, with
"the proper bow. * Something interesting to us in these Mili-
"tary diplomatic passages, with their square-elbowed fashions,
"and politeness stiff as iron!
"Not till three of the afternoon does the Written Answer
"reach Schmettau: 'Such Terms never could be accepted. ' -<<-
"'Good,' answers Schmettau: 'To our last breath no others
"'will be offered. ' And commences cannonading again, not
"very violently, but with the order, 'Go on, then, night and
"'day! '
"About 10 at night, General Guasco, a truculent kind of
"man, whom I have met with up and down, but not admitted
"to memory, beats Appeal on the Bridge: 'Inform theCom-
"'mandant that there will now straightway 13 batteries of
"'cannon, and 5 ditto of howitzers open on him, unless he
"'bethinks himself! ' Which dreadful message is taken to
"Schmettau. 'Wish the gentleman good evening,' orders
"Schmettau;'and say, we will answer with 100 guns. ' Upon
"which Guasco vanishes; -- but returns in not many minutes,
"milder in tone; requests 'a sight of that Written Paper of
"' Terms again. ' 'There it still is,' answers Schmettau, 'not
"' altered, nor ever shall be.
' And there is Armistice again:--
"and the Siege, as turns out, has fired its last shot; and is
"painfully expiring in paroxysms of negotiation, which con-
"tinue a good many hours. Schmettau strives to understand
"clearly that his terms (of the King's own suggesting, as
"Schmettau flatters himself) are accepted: nor does Durch-
"laucht take upon him to refuse in any point; but he is
"strangely slow to sign, still hoping to mend matters.
"Much hithering and thithering there was, till 4 next
"morning (Durchlaucht has important news from Torgau, at
"that moment); till 11 next day; till4 in the afternoon and
"later, -- Guasco and others coming with message after
"message, hasty and conciliatory: 'Durchlaucht at such a
"'distance, his signature not yet come; but be patient; all is
"'right, upon my honour! ' Very great hurry evident on the
"part of Guasco and Company; but nothing suspected by
"Schmettau. Till, dusk or darkness threatening now to super-
"vene, Maguire and Schmettau with respective suites have a
"Conference on the Bridge, -- 'rain falling very heavy. ' * Tempelhof, hi. 211.
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? CHAp, V. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 217
4th Sept. 1759.
"Durchlaucht's signature, Maguire is astonished to say, has
"not yet come; but Maguire pledges his honour 'that all shall
"'be kept without chicane; and adds (what to some of us
"seemed not superfluous afterwards), 'I am incapable of
"' acting falsely or with chicane. ' In fact, till 9 in the evening
"there was no signature by Durchlaucht; but about 6, on such
"pledge by Maguire of his hand and his honour, the Siege
"entirely gave up theghost; andDresden belonged to Austria
"TuesdayEvening, 4th September 1759; Sun just setting,
"could anybody see him for the rain.
"Schmettau had been over-hasty ;whatneed had Schmettau
"of haste? The terms had not yet got signature, perfection
"of settlement on every point; nor were they at all well kept,
"when they did! Considerable flurry, temporary blindness,
"needless hurry, and neglect of symptoms and precautions,
"must be imputed to poor Schmettau; whose troubles began
"from this moment, and went on increasing. The Austrians
"are already besetting Elbe Bridge, rooting up theherring-
"bone balks; and approaching our Blockhouse, -- sooner
"than was expected. But that is nothing. On opening the
"PirnaGate, to share it with the Austrians, Friedrich's Spy
"(sooner had not been possible to the man) was waiting;
"who handed Schmettau that Second Letter of Friedriclrs,
"'Courage; there is relief on the road! ' Poor Schmettau! "
What Captain Kollas and the Prussian Garrison
thought of all this, they were perhaps shy of saying,
and we at such distance are not informed, -- except
by one symptom: that of Colonel Hoffman, Schmettau's
Second, whose indignation does become tragically evi-
dent. Hoffman, a rugged Prussian veteran, is indignant
at the Capitulation itself; doubly and trebly indignant
to find the Austrians on Elbe Bridge, busy raising our
Balks and Battery: "How is this, Sir? " inquires he of
Captain Sydow, who is on guard at the Prussian end;
"How dared you make this change, without acquainting
the Second in Command? Order out your men, and
come along with me to clear the Bridge again! " Sydow
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? 218 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
4th Sept. 1759.
hesitates, haggles; indignant Hoffman, growing loud as
thunder, pulls out a pistol, fatal-looking to disobedient
Sydow; who calls to his men, or whose men spring out
uncalled; and shoot Hoffman down, -- send two balls
through him, so that he died at 8 that night. With
noise enough, then and afterwards. Was drunk, said
Schmettau's people. Friedrich answered, on report of
it: "I think as Hoffman did. If he was 'drunk,' it is
"pity the Governor and all the Garrison had not been
"so, to have come to the same judgment as he. "*
Friedrich's unbearable feelings, of grief and indigna-
tion, in regard to all this Dresden matter, -- which
are not expressed except coldly in business form, --
can be fancied by all readers. One of the most tragical
bits of ill-luck that ever befel him. A very sore stroke,
in his present condition; a signal loss and affront. And
most of all, unbearable to think how narrowly it has
missed being a signal triumph; -- missed actually by a
single hair's-breadth, which is as good as by a mile, or
by a thousand miles!
Soon after 9 o'clock that evening, Durchlaucht in
person came rolling through our battery and the herring-
bone balks, to visit Electoral Highness, -- which was
not quite the legal time either. Durchlaucht had not
been half an hour with Electoral Highness, when a
breathless Courier came in: "General Wunsch within
ten miles" (tookTorgau in no-time, as Durchlaucht well
knows, for a week past); "and will be here, before
we sleep! " Durchlaucht plunged out, over the herring-
bone balks again (which many carpenters are busy
lifting); and the Electoral Highnesses, in like manner,
* P. S. in Autograph of Letter to Schmettau, "Waldau, 11th September
1759" (Preaes, n. : Urkundonbuch, p. 45).
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? CHAP, v. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 219
4th Sept. 1759.
hurry off to Toplitz that same night, about an hour
after. What a Tuesday Night! Poor Hoffman is dead
at 8 o'clock; the Saxon Royalties, since 11, are gallop-
ing for Pirna, for Toplitz; Durchlaucht of Zweibriick we saw hurry off an hour before them, -- Capitulation
signature not yet dry, and terms of it beginning to be broken; and Wunsch reported to be within ten miles!
TheWunsch report is perfectly correct. Wunsch is
at Grossenhayn, this evening; all in a fiery mood of
swiftness, his people and he; -- and indeed it is, by
chance, one of Wolfersdorf's impetuosities that has
sent the news so fast. Wunsch had been as swift with
Torgau as he was with Wittenberg: he blew out the
poor Reiehs - Garrison there, by instant storm, and
packed it off to Leipzig, under charge of "an Officer
and Trumpet:" -- he had, greatly against his will, to
rest two days there for a few indispensable cannon from
Magdeburg. Cannon once come, Wunsch, burning for
deliverance of Dresden, had again started at his swiftest,
"Monday 3d September" (death-day of the Siege), "very
early. "
"He is under 8,000; but he is determined to doit; -- and
"would have done it, think judges, half-thinks Zweibriick "himself: such a fire in that Wunsch and his Corps as is very
"dangerous indeed. At 4 this morning, Zweibriick heard of
"his being on march: 'numbers uncertain' -- (numbers
"seemingly not the important point, -- blows any number of
"us about our business! ) -- and since that moment, Zweibriick "has driven the capitulation at such a pace; though the
"flurried Schmettau suspected nothing.
"Afternoon of Tuesday 4th, Wunsch, approaching Grossen-
"hayn, had detached Wolfersdorf with 100 light horse right-
"wards to Grrodel, a boating Village on Elbe shore, To seek
"news of Dresden; also to see if boats are procurable for
"carrying our artillery up thither. At Grodel, Wolfersdorf
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? 220 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
4th Sept. 1759.
"finds no boats that will avail: but certain boat-people, new
"fromDresden, report that no capitulation had been published
"when they left, but that it was understood to be going on.
"New spur to Wolfersdorf and Wunsch. Wolfersdorf hears
"farther in this Village, That there are some 30 Austrian
"horse in Grossenhayn:-- 'Possible these may escape General
"'Wunsch! ' thinks Wolfersdorf; and decides to have them.
"Takes 30 men of his own j orders the other 70 to holdright-
"ward, gather what intelligence is going, and follow more
"leisurely; and breaks off for the Grossenhayn-Dresden
"Highway, to intercept those fellows.
"Getting to the highway, Wolfersdorf does seethe fellows;
"sees also, with what degree of horror I do not know, thatthere are at least 100 of them against his 30! Horror will do
"nothing for Wolfersdorf, nor are his other 70 now withinreach. Putting a bold face on the matter, he commands,Stentor-like, as if it were all a fact: 'Grenadiers, march;
"'Dragoons, to right forwards, wheel; Hussars, forward:
"MArch! ' -- and does terrifically dash forward with the 30
"Hussars, or last item of the invoice; leaving the others to
"follow. The Austrians draw bridle with amazement; fire offtheir carbines; take to their heels, and do not stop for more.
"Wolfersdorf captures 68 of them, for behoof of Grossenhayn;
"and sends the remaining 32 galloping home. * Who bring
"above news to Durchlaucht of Zweibriick: '12,000 of them,
"may it please your Durchlaucht; such the accounts we had! '
"-- Fancy poor Schmettau's feelings!
"On the morrow, Dresden was roused from its sleep by
"loud firing and battle, audible on the north side of the River:
"before daybreak, and all day. ' It is Wunsch impetuously
"busy in the woody countries there. Durchlaucht had shot
"out Generals and Divisions, Brentano, Wehla, this General
"and then that, to intercept Wunsch: these the fiery Wunsch,
"-- almost as if they had been combustible material coming
"to quench fire, -- repels and dashes back, in a wonderful
"manner, General after General of them. And is lord of the
"field all day: -- but cannot hear the least word from Dres-
"den; which is a surprising circumstance.
"In the afternoon, Wunsch summons Maguire in the
"Neustadt: 'Will answer you in two hours,' said Maguire.
* Tempelhof, in. 214.
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? CHIP. V. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 221
4th Sept. 1759.
"Wunsch thereupon is for attacking their two Pontoon Elbe-
"Bridges; still resolute for Dresden, -- and orders Wolfers-
"dorf on one of them, the Uebigau Bridge, who finds the
"enemy lifting it at any rate, and makes them do it faster.
"But night is now sinking; from Schmettau not a word or
"sign. 'Silence over there, all day; not a single cannon
"'to or from,'say Wunsch and Wolfersdorf to one another.
'"Schmettau must have capitulated! ' conclude they, and
"withdraw in the night-time, still thunderous if molested;
"bivouack at Grossenhayn, after twenty-four hours of con-
"tinual march and battle, not time even for a snatch of food. *
"Resting at Grossenhayn, express reaches Wunsch from
"his Commandant at Torgau: 'Kleefeld is come on me from
"' Leipzig with 14,000; I cannot long hold out, unless relieved. '
"Wunsch takes the road again; two marches, each of twenty
"miles. Reaches Torgau Tate; takespost in the ruins of the
"North Suburb, finds he must fight Kleefeld. Refreshes his
"men 'with a keg of wine per Company,' surely a judicious
"step; and sends to Wolfersdorf, who has the rearguard, 'Be
'"here with me tomorrow at 10. ' Wolfersdorf starts at4, is
"here at 10: and Wunsch, having scanned Kleefeld and his
"Position" (a Position strong if you are dexterous to man-
oeuvre in it; capable of being ruinous if you are not, -- part
of the Position of a bigger Battle of Torgau, which is coming),
-- "flies at Kleefeld and his 14,000, like a cat-o'-mountain;
"takes him on the left flank: -- Kleefeld and such overplus
"of thousands are standing, a little to west-and-south of
"Torgau, with the Entefang" (a desolate big reedy mere, or
Place of Ducks, still offering the idle Torgauer a melancholy
sport there) "as a protection to their right; but with no evolu-
"tion-talent, or none in comparison to Wunsch's -- and ac-
cordingly are cut to pieces by Wunsch, and blown to the
"winds, as their fellows have all been. "**
Wunsch, absolute Fate forbidding, could not save
Dresden: but he is here lord of the Northern regions
again, -- nothing but Leipzig now in the enemy's hand;
* Berichl von der Action des General-Majors von Wunsch, bey Reichen-
berg, den 5. September 1759: in Seyfarth, Beylagen, n. 606-608.
** Hofbericht von der am 8. September 1759 bey Torgau vorgefallenen
Action: in Seyfarth, beylagen, u. 609, 610. Tempelhof, in. 219-222.
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? 222 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
5th-8th Sept. 1759.
-- and can await Finck, who is on march with a stronger
party to begin business here. It is reckoned, there are
few more brilliant little bits of Soldiering than this of
Wunsch's. All the more, as his men, for most part,
were not Prussian, but miscellaneous Foreign spirits of
uncertain fealty: roving fellows, of a fighting turn, at-
tracted by Friedrich's fame, and under a Captain who
had the art of keeping them in tune. Wunsch has
been soldiering, in a diligent though dim miscellaneous
way, these five-and-twenty years; fought in the old
Turk Wars, under disastrous Seckendorf, -- Wunsch a
poor young Wiirtemberg ensign, visibly busy there (1737-
1739), as was this same Schmettau, in the character of
staff-officer, far enough apart from Wunsch, at that time!
-- fought afterwards, in the Bavarian service, in the
Dutch, at Roucoux, at Lauffeld, again under disastrous
people. Could never, under such, find anything but
subaltern work, all this while; was glad to serve, under
the eye of Friedrich, as Colonel of a Free Corps; which
he has done with much diligence and growing distinc-
tion: till now, at the long last, his chance does come;
and he shows himself as a real General. Possibly a
high career lying ahead; -- a man that may be very
valuable to Friedrich, who has now so few such left?
Fate had again decided otherwise for Wunsch; in what
way will be seen before this Campaign ends: "an in-
fernal Campaign," according to Friedrich, "cette Cam-
pagne infernale. "
Finck, whom Friedrich had just detached from Wal-
dau (September 6th), with a new 8 or 6,000, to com-
mand in chief in those parts, and, along with Wunsch,
put Dresden out of risk, as it were, -- Finck does at
least join Wunsch, as we shall mention in a little. And
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? CHAP. V. ] SCHMETTAU SURRENDERS DRESDEN. 223
5th-8th Sept. 1759.
these Two, with such Wolfersdorfs and people under
them, did prove capable of making front against Reichs- folk in great overplus of number. Nor are farther sieges
of those Northern Garrisons, but recaptures of them, the
news one hears from Saxony henceforth; -- only that
Dresden is fatally gone. Irrecoverably, as turned out,
and in that unbearable manner. Here is the concluding
scene:
Dresden, Saturday September 8th; Exit Schmettau. "A
'thousand times over, Schmettau must have asked himself,
"Why was I in such a hurry? Without cause for it I, only
"Maguire having cause! ' --The Capitulation had been ended
"in a huddle, without signature: an unwise Capitulation;
"and it was scandalously ill kept. Schmettau was not to
"have marched till Monday 10th, -- six clear days for packing
'and preparing; -- but, practically, he has to make three
"serve him; and to go half-packed, or not packed at all. End-
"less chicanes do arise, 'upon my honour! ' -- not even the
"800 wagons are ready for us; 'Can't your baggages go in
"boats, then? ' 'No, nor shall! ' answers Schmettau, with
"blazing eyes, and heart ready to burst; a Schmettau living
"all this while as in Purgatory, or worse. Such bullyings
"from truculent Guasco, who is now without muzzle. Capitu-
"lation, most imperfect in itself, is avowedly infringed:
"King's artillery, -- which we had haggled for, and ended by
"'hoping for,' to Maguire that rainy evening: why were we
"in such a hurry, too, and blind to Maguire's hurry! -- King's
'Artillery, according to Durchlaucht of Zweibruck, when he
'actually signed within the walls, is '. Nicht accordirt (Not
"granted), except the Field part. ' King's regimental fur-
"nishings, all and sundry, were 'accordirt, and without visita-
"tion,' --but on second thoughts,the Austrian Officials are of
"opinion there must really be visitation, must be inspection.
"May not some of them belong to PolishMajesty? ' In which
"sad process of inspection there was incredible waste,
"Schmettau protesting; and above half of the new uniforms
"were lost to us. Our 80 pontoons, which were expressly
"bargained for, are brazenly denied us: '20 of them are
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