No More Learning

,
hitherto) "which Heaven has granted your Majesty. "
"Had it not been for him," said Friedrich, -- "Had
it not been for him, things would have had a bad look by this time! " and turned his sun-eyes upon Seidlitz,
with a fine expression in them. * To which Seidlitz's
reply, I find, was an embarrassed blush, and of articu-
late only, "Hm, no, ha, it was your Majesty's Cavalry
that did their duty, -- but Wakenitz" (my second)
"does deserve promotion! " -- which Wakenitz, not in
a too overflowing measure, got.
Termor, during the night-watches, having cobbled
himself into some kind of ranks or rows, moves down
well westward of Zabern Hollow; to the Drewitz Heath,
where he once before lay, and there makes his bivouac
in the wood, safe under the fir-trees, with the Zabern-
ground to front of him. By the above reckoning, 28
or 29,000 still hang to Fermor, or float vaporously
round him; with Friedrich, in his two lines, are some
18,000: -- in whole, 46,000 tired mortals sleeping
thereabouts; near 12,000 others have fallen into a
deeper sleep, not liable to be disturbed; -- and of the
wounded on the field, one shudders to imagine.
Next day, Saturday 26th, Fermor, again brought
into some kind of rank, and safe beyond the quaggy
Zabern ground, sent out a proposal, "That there be
Truce of Three Days for burying the dead! " -- Dohna,
who happened to be General in command there, an-
swers, "That it is customary for the Victor to take
charge of burying the slain; that such proposal is sur-
prising, and quite inadmissible, in present circum-
stances. " Fermor, in the mean while, had drawn him-
? Preuss, ii. 153. Mitchell (u. 432) mentions the Interview, nothing of
Seidlitz.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 28 SEVEN-TEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book XVIII.
26th Aug. -- 2d Sept. 1758.
self out, fronting his late battlefield and the morning
sun; and began cannonading across the Zabern ground;
too far off for hitting, but as if still intending fight: to
which the Prussians replied with cannon, and drew out
before their tents in fighting order. In both armies
there was question, or talk, of attacking anew; but in
both "there was want of ammunition," want of real
likelihood. On Fermor's side, that of "attacking,"
could be talk only, and on Friedrich's, besides the
scarcity of ammunition, all creatures, foot and espe-
cially horse, were so worn out with yesterday's work,
it was not judged practically expedient. A while be-
fore noon, the Prussians retired to their Camp again;
leaving only the artillery to respond, so far as needful,
and bow-wow across the Zabern-ground, till the Rus-
sians lay down again.
Friedrich's Hussars knew of the Russian Wagen-
burg, or general Baggage reservoirs, at Klein Kamin,
by this time. The Hussars had been in it, last night;
rummaging extensively, at discretion for some time;
and had brought away much money and portable
plunder. Why Friedrich, who lay direct between
Fermor and his Wagenburg, did not, this day, extin-
guish said Wagenburg, I do not know; but guess it
may have been a fault of omission, in the great welter
this was now grown to be to the weary mind. Beyond
question, if one had blown up Fermor's remaining
gunpowder, and carried off or burnt his meal-sacks, he
must have cowered away all the faster towards Lands-
berg to seek more. Or perhaps Friedrich now judged
it immaterial, and a question only of hours?
About midnight of Saturday-Sunday, there again
rose bow-wowing, bellowing of Russian cannon; not from
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. Xin. ] BATTLE OP ZOHNDORF. 29
26th Aug. --2d Sept. 1758.
beyond the Zabern-ground this time, nor stationary any-
where, but from the south some transient part of it, and
not far off; -- a ball struck a carriage near the King's
tent, and shattered it. Thick mist mantles everything,
and it is difficult to know what the Russians have on
hand in their sylvan seclusions. After a time, it be-
comes manifest the Russians are on retreat; winding
round, through the southern woods, behind Zorndorf
and the charred Villages, to Klein Kamin, Landsberg
way. Friedrich, following now on the heel of them,
finds all got to Klein Kamin, to breakfast there in their
Wagenburg refectory, -- sharply vigilant, many flechea
(little arrow-shaped redoubts, so called) and much ar-
tillery round them. Nothing considerable to be done
upon them, now or afterwards, except pick up strag-
glers, and distress their rear a little. The King him-
self, in the first movement, was thought to be in alarm-
ing peril, such a blaze of caseshot rose upon him, as
he went reconnoitring foremost of all. *
And this was, at last, the end of Zorndorf Battle;
on the third day this. Was there ever seen such a fight
of Theseus and the Minotaur! Theseus, rapid, dextrous,
with Heaven's lightning in his eyes, seizing the Mino-
taur; lassoing him by the hinder foot, then by the right
horn; pouring steel and destruction into him, the very
dust darkening all the air. Minotaur refusing to die
when killed; tumbling to and fro upon its Theseus; the
two lugging and tugging, flinging one another about,
and describing figures of 8 round each other, for three
* Tempelhof, n. 216-238; Tielcke, n. 79-154; Archenholtz, i. 253-264 j
Helden-Geschichte, v. 156-179 (with many Lists, private Letters and the like
details); &c.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 30 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book Xvm.
26th Aug. --2d Sept. 1758.
days before it ended. Minotaur walking off on his own
feet, after all. It was the bloodiest battle of the Seven-
Years War; one of the most furious ever fought; such
rage possessing the individual elements; rage unusual
in modern wars. Must have altered Friedrich's notion
of the Russians, when he next comes to speak with
Keith. It was not till the fourth day hence (August 31st),
so unattackably strong was this position at Klein Kamin,
that the Russian Minotaur would fairly get to its feet a
second time, and slowly stagger off, in real earnest,
Landsberg way, and Konigsberg way; -- Friedrich
right glad to leave Dohna in attendance on it; and
hasten off (September 2d) towards Saxony and Prince
Henri, where his presence is now become very needful.
Fermor, walking off in this manner, -- not till the
third day, nay not conclusively till the seventh day,
after Zorndorf, -- strove at first to consider himself
victorious. "I passed the night on the field of battle"
(or not far from it, for good reasons, Miitzel being
bridgeless): "may not I, in the language of enthusiasm,
be considered conqueror? Here are 26 of their cannon,
got* when I cried 'Arab! ' prematurely. (Where the
103 pieces of my own are, and my 27 flags, and my
Army-chest and sundries? Dropped somewhere; they
will probably turn up again! )" thinks Fermor, -- or
strives'to think, and says. So that, at Petersburg, at
Paris and Vienna, in the next three weeks, there were
Te Deums, Ambrosian chantings, fires-of-joy; and con-
siderable arguing among the Gazetteers on both parts,
. -- till the dust settled, and facts appeared as they were.
To the effect: "Te Deum HON laudamus; alas no, we
must retract; and it was good gunpowder thrown after
bad! "
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. Xin. ] BATTLE Or ZORNDORF. 31
26th Aug. --2d Sept. 1758.
On always homewards, but at its own pace, waited
on byDohna, goes the Russian Monster; violently case-
shotting if you prick into its rearward parts. One Palm-
bach, with a Detachment of 15,000, which was thought
sufficient for the object, did try to make a dash on Col-
berg, -- how happy had we any port on the Baltic, to
feed us in this Country! But though Colberg is the
paltriest crow's-nest (bicoque), according to all engineers,
and is defended only by 700 militia (the Colonel of
them, one Heiden, a gray old Halfpay, not yet re-
nowned in the soldier world, as he here came to be),
Palmbach, with his best diligence, could make nothing
of it; but, after battering, bombarding, even scalading,
and in all ways blurting and blazing at a mighty rate for
four weeks, and wasting a great deal of gunpowder
and 2,000Russian lives, withdrew on those remarkable
terms. * And did then, as tail of Fermor, what Fermor
and the Russian Monster was universally doing, make
off at a good pace, -- having nothing to live upon
farther, -- and vanish from those Countries, to the re-
lief of Dohna and mankind.
September 2d, Friedrich, leaving all that, had
marched for Saxony; his presence urgently required
there. Daun ought to be far on with the conquest of
that Country? Might have had it, say judges, if he
had been as swift as some. -- At Zorndorf, among
the Russian Prisoners were certain Generals, Soltikof,
Czernichef, Sulkowski the Pole, proud people in their
own eyes: no lodging for them but the cellars of Ciistrin.
* In Helden-Geschichte, v. 349-365 ("3d-31st October 1758"), a complete
and minute Journal of this First Siege of Colberg, which is interesting to
read of, as all the Three of them are.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 32 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book XVIII.
26th Aug. --2d Sept. 1758.
Russian Generals complained, "Is this a lodging for
Field Officers of rank! " Friedrich was not used to
profane swearing, or vituperative outbursts; but he an-
swered to the effect: "Silence, ye incendiary individuals:
Is there a choice left of lodgings, and for you above
others! " Upon which they lay silent for some days,
till better suited; in fact, till exchanged, -- and perhaps
will soon turn up on us again.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. XIV. ] BATTLE OF HOCHKIRCH. 33
17th Aug. -- 12th Sept. 1758.
CHAPTER XIV.
BATTLE OP HOCHKIRCH.
So soon as Friedrich quitted Bohemia and Silesia
for his Russian Enterprise, there rose high question at
Vienna, "To what shall our Daun now turn himself? "
A Daun, a Reichs Army, free for new employment;
in Saxony not much to oppose them, in Silesia almost
nothing in comparison. "Recapture of Silesia? " Yes
truly, that is the steady pole-star at Vienna. But they
have no Magazines in Silesia, no Siege-furnitures; and
the season is far spent. They decide that there shall
be a stroke upon Dresden, and recovery of Saxony,
in Friedrich's absence. Nothing there at present but a
Prince Henri, weak in numbers, say one to two of the
Eeichs Army by itself. Let the Reichs Army rise now,
and advance through the Metal Mountains from south-
east on Prince Henri; let Daun circle round on him,
through the Lausitz from north-east: cannot they ex-
tinguish Henri between them; snatch Dresden, a weak
ill-fortified place, by sudden onslaught, and recapture
Saxony? That will be magnanimous to our august
Allies; -- and that will be an excellent scaffolding
for recapture of Silesia next year. And cannot Daun
leave a Force in the Silesian vicinities, -- Deville
with so many thousands, Harsch with so many, -- to
besiege one of their Frontier Places; Neisse, for
example? Siege-furnitures to come from Mahren:
Carlyle, Frederick the Great. XI. 3
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 34 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT. [BOOKXVm.
17th Aug. -- 12th Sept. 1758.
Neisse is not farther from Olmutz than Olmiitz was
from it.
That was the scheme fallen upon; now getting
executed while Friedrich is at Zorndorf well away.
And that, if readers fix it intelligently in their memory,
will suffice to introduce to them the few words more
that can be allowed us here upon it. A very few words,
compressed to the utmost, -- merely as preface to
Hochkirch, whither we must hasten; Hochkirch being
the one incident which, except to studious soldiers, has
now and here any interest, out of the very many incidents
which, then and there, were so intensely interesting to
all mankind. To readers who are curious, and will take
with them any poorest authentic Outline of the Localities
concerned, the following condensed Note will not be
unintelligible.
Daun and the Reichs Army invade Saxony, in Friedrich's
Absence.
"Daun, pushing out with his best speed, along the Bohe-
"mian-Silesian border, had got to Zittau, August 17lh; which
"poor City is to be his basis and storehouse; the greatest
"activity and wagoning now visible there," -- among the
burnt walls getting rebuilt. "And in the same days, Zwei-
"briick and hisReichsArmy are vigorously afoot; Zweibruck
"pushing across the Metal Mountains, the fastest he can; in-
"tending to plant himself in Pirna Country. Not to mention
"General Dombale. Zweibriick's Austrian Second; who has
"the Austrian 15,000 with him; and, byway of preface, has
"emerged to westward, in Zwickau-Tschopau Country; cal-
"culating that Prince Henri will not be able to attend to him
"just now. And in effect Prince Henri, intent upon Zwei-
"briick and the Pirna Country, takes position in the old
"Prussian ground there ('head-quarter Gross Seidlitz,' as in
"1756); and can only leave a Detachment in Tschopau
"Country to wait upon Dombale; who does at least shoot out
"Croat parties, 'quite across Saxony, to Halle all the way,'
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. XIV. ] BATTLE OF HOCHKIRCH. 35
17th Aug. -- 12th Sept. 1758.
"and entertain the Gazetteers, if he can do little real mis-
"chief.
"August 19th, fromZittau, Daun, after short pause, again
"pushes forward, -- nothing but Ziethen attending him in the
"distance, till we see whitherward; -- Margraf Karl waiting
"impatient, at Griissau, till Ziethen see. * Daun, soon after
"Zittau, shoots out Loudon, Brandenburg way, as if mag-
"nanimously intending 'cooperation with the Russians;'
"which would give Daun pleasure, could it be done without
"cost. Loudon does despatch a 500 hussars to Frankfurt"
(Friedrich now gone for Custrin), "who, I think, carry a Letter
"for Fermor there; but lose it by the way," -- for the benefit
of readers, if they will wait. "Loudon captures a poor little
"place in Brandenburg itself; bullies it into surrender, after
"a day (the very day of Zorndorf Battle, 'August 55th'): --
"place called Peitz, garrisoned by forty-five invalids; who
"go on 'free withdrawal,' poor old souls, and leave their
"exiguous stock of salt-victual and military furnitures to
"Loudon. ** Upon which Loudon whirls back out of those
"Countries; finding his skirts trodden on by Ziethen, -- who
"now sees what Daun and he are at; and warns Margraf
"Karl" (properly Keith, who has now joined again, as real
president or chief)" That hither is the way.
Margraf Karl, on
"the slip for some time past, starts from Griissau instantly (I
"should guess, not above 25,000 of all arms); leavingFouquet
"with perhaps 10,000to do his utmost,when Generals Harsch
"and Deville with their 20 or 30,000 come upon Silesia and
"him, -- as indeed they are already doing; already blockad-
"ing Neisse, more or less, with an eye to besieging it so soon
"as possible.
"Meanwhile, Serene Highness of Zweibriick, the Reichs-
"folk and some Austrians with him, prefaced by Dombale
"more to westward, is wending into Pirna Country; and, in
"spite of what Prince Henri can do (Mayer and the Free
"Corps shiningly diligent, and Henri one of the watchfullest
"of men), Zweibruck does get in; setsMaguire with Austrians
"upon besieging Pirna, that is to say, the Sonnenstein of
"Pirna; 3d-3th September, gets the Sonnenstein, a thought
1 Tempelhof, n. 258, 260 et seq.
'In Helden-Geschichte, v. 229-232, the "Capitulation" in extenso.
3*
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 36 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book XVIII.
17th Aug. -- 12tn Sept. 1758.
"sooner than was counted on;* and roots himself there,--
"'headquarters inStruppen' again, 'bridge at Ober-Raden'
"again, all as in 1756; which, if nothing else can well do it,
"may give his Highness a momentary interest with some
"readers, here. Prince Henri is at Gross Seidlitz, alive every
"fibre of him: but with Daun circling round to northward on
"his left, intending evidently to take him in flank or rear;
"withDombale already to rear, in the above circumstances,
"on his right; and Zweibriick himself lying here in front free
"to act, and impregnable if acted upon: what is Prince Henri
"to do? It is for Henri's rear, not his flank, that Daun aims:
"August 26th, Daun, who had got to Gorlitz, a march or two
"from Zittau, started again at his best step by the Bautzen
"Highway towards Meissen Bridge, a 70 or 80 miles down the
"Elbe: there Daun intends to cross, and to double back upon
"Dresden and Prince Henri; who will thus find himself
"enclosed between three fires,--if two were not enough, or
"even if one (the Daun one itself, or the Zweibriick itselfj
"not to count the Dombale), in such strength as Prince Henri
"has!
"A lost Prince Henri, -- if there be not shift in him, if
"there be not help coming to him! Prince Henri, seeing how
"it was, drew back from Gross Seidlitz; with beautiful sud-
"denness, one night; unmolested: in the morning, Zweibriick's
"hussars find him posted inexpugnable on the Heights of
"Gahmig, -- which is nearer Dresden a good step; nearer
"Dombale; and not so ready to be enclosed by Daun, without
''enclosure of Dresden too. Prince Henri's manoeuvering, in
"this difficult situation, is the admiration of military men:
"how he stuck by Gahmig; but threw out, in the vital points,
"little camps, -- 'camp of Kesselsdorf' (aplace memorable),
"on the west of Dresden; and on the east, in the north Suburb
"of Dresden itself, across the River (should we have to go
"across the River for Daun's sake), a 'strong abatis;' and
"neglected nothing; self, and everybody under him, lively as
"eagles to make themselves dangerous, Mayer in particular
"distinguishing himself much. Prince Henri would have
"been a hard morsel for Daun. But beyond that, there is help
"on the road. "
* In IIMen-Ce&chiehtr, v. 223-228, account of this poor Siege, and of
the movements before and after.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. XIV. ] BATTLE OF HOCHKIRCH. 37
17th Aug. -- 12th Sept. 1758.
Friedrich intervening, Daun draws back; entrenches him-
self, in Neighbourhood to Dresden and Pirna; Friedrich
following him. Four Armies standing there, in dead Lock,
for a Month; with Issue, a Flank March on the Part of
Friedrich's Army, -- which halts at Hochkirch (September
12th -- October 10th, 1758).
Daun, since August 26th, is striding towards Meissen
Bridge; without rest, day after day, at the very top of
his speed, -- which I find is "nine miles a day;"*
Bos being of heavy foot, at his best. September 1st,
Daun has got within ten miles of Meissen Bridge,
when -- Here is news, my friends: King of Prussia
has beaten our poor Russians; will soon be in full
march this way! King of Prussia and Markgraf Karl
both bending hitherward; at the rate, say of "nineteen
miles a day," instead of nine: Meissen Bridge is
not the thing we shall want! Daun instantly calls halt,
at this news; waits, entrenches; and, in a day or two,
finding the news true, hurries to rearward all he can.
From the Eussian side too, Daun has heard of Zorndorf,
and the grand "Victory" of Fermor there; but knows
well, by this sudden reemergence of the Anti-Fermor,
what kind of Victory it is.
Was it here while waiting about Meissen, or where
was it, that Daun got his Letter to Fermor answered
in that singular way? The letter of two weeks ago,
-- carried by Loudon's Hussars or by whomsoever, -*--
for certain, it was retorted, or returned upon Daun;
not as if from the Dead-Letter Office, but with an
Answer he little expected! Here is what record I have;
very vague for a well-known little fact of sparkling
nature:
* Tempelhof, n. 261.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 38 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book XVIII.
9th-12th. Sept. 1758.
"A curious Letter fell into Friedrich's hands" (Bearer, I
always guess, the Loudon Hussar-Captain with his 500, pre-
tending to form junction with Fermor), "Pussian Hussars
"picking it up somewhere, -- date, place, circumstances,
"blurred into oblivion in those poor Books; Letter itself in-
disputable enough, and Answer following on it; Letter and
"Answer substantially to this effect:
"Dawn to Fermor" (Probably from Zittau, by Loudon's
Hussars).
"Your Excellenz does not know that wily Enemy as I do.
"By no means get into battle with such a one. Cautiously
"manoeuvre about; detain him there, till I have got my stroke
"in Saxony done: don't try fighting him. -- DAun. "
"Answer as from Fermor (Zorndorf once done, Daun, by the
"first opportunity got his Answer, duly signed'Fermor,'
"but evidently in acertain King's handwriting):
"Your Excellenz was in the right to warn me against a
"cunning Enemy, whom you knew better than I. Here have
"I tried fighting him, and got beaten. Your unfortunate --
"Fermor. '? *
September 9th, Friedrich and Margraf Karl, cor-
rect to their appointment, meet at Grossenhayn, some
miles north of Meissen and its Bridge; by which time
Daun is clean gone again, back well above Dresden
again, strongly posted at Stolpen (a place we once
heard of, in General Haddick's time, last Year), well
in contact with Daun's Pirna friends across the River, and out of dangerous neighbourhoods. Friedrich and
the Margraf have followed Daun at quick step; but
* Miillcr, Kurzgefasste Beschreibung der drei Schlesiachen Kriege (Ber-
lin, 1755); in whom, alone, of all the reporters, is the story given in an
intelligible form. This MUller's Book is a meritoriously brief Summary,
incorrect in no essential particular, and with all the Battle-Plans on one
copper-plate: Lieutenant Wilier, this one; not Professor Wilier aftas Schott-
mtiller by any means t
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. XIV. ] BATTLE OP HOCHKIRCH. 39
12th Sept. -- 10th Oct. 1758.
Daun would pause nowhere, till he got to Stolpen,
among the bushy gullets and chasms. September 12th,
Friedrich had speech of Henri, and the pleasure of
dining with him in Dresden. Glad to meet again,
under fortunate management on both parts; and with
much to speak and consult about.
A day or two before, there had lain (or is said to
have lain) a grand scheme in Daun: Zweibruck to
burst out from Pirna, by daybreak, and attack the
Camp of Gahmig in front (35,000 against 20,000);
Daun to cross the River on pontoons, some hours
before, under cloud of night and be ready on rear and
left flank of Gahmig (with as many supplemental
thousands as you like): what can save Prince Henri?
Beautiful plan; on which there were personal meetings
and dinings together by Zweibruck and Daun; but
nothing done* At the eleventh hour, say the Austrian
accounts, Zweibruck sent word, "impossible tomorrow;
cannot get in my Out-Parties in time! " -- and next
day, here is Friedrich come, and a collapse of every-
thing. Or perhaps there never seriously was such a
plan? Certain it is, Daun takes camp at Stolpen, a
place known to him, one of the strongest posts in
Germany; entrenches himself to the teeth, -- good rear-
guard towards Zittau and the Magazines; River and
Pirna on our left flank; Loudon strong and busy on
our right flank, barring the road to Bautzen; -- and
obstinately sits there, a very bad tooth in the jaw of a
certain King; not to be extracted by the best kinds of
forceps and the skilfullest art, for nearly a month to
come. Four Armies, Friedrich's, Henry's, Daun's,
Zweibruck's, all within swords-stroke of each, -- the
* Tempelhof, n. 262-265.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 40 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book Xvm.
12th Sept. -- 10th Oct. 1758.
universal Gazetteer world is on tiptoe. But except
Friedrich's eager shiftings and rubbings upon Stolpen
(west side, north, and at length north-east side), all is
dead-lock, and nothing comes of it.
Friedrich has his food convenient from Dresden;
but a road to Bautzen withal is what he cannot do
without; -- and there lies the sorrow, and the aching,
as this tooth knows well, and this jaw well! Harsch
and Deville are busy upon Neisse, have Neisse under
blockade, perhaps upon Kosel too, for some time past,*
and are carting the siege-stock to begin bombardement:
a road to Silesia, before very long, Friedrich must and
will have. Friedrich's operations on Daun in this post
are patiently artful, and curious to look upon, but
beyond description here: enough to say, that in the
second week he makes his people hut themselves
(weather wet and bad); and in the fourth week, finding
that nothing contrivable would provoke Daun into
fighting, -- he loads at Dresden provisions for I think
nine days; makes, from two or from three sides, a
sudden spurt upon Loudon, who is Daun's northern
outpost; brushes Loudon hastily away; and himself
takes the road for Bautzen, by Daun's right flank,
thrown bare in this manner. **
Road for Bautzen; which is the road for Zittau
withal, for Daun's breadbasket, as well as for Neisse
and Harsh! Nine-days provision; that is our small outfit,
that and our own right hands; and the waste world lies
all ahead. October 1st, Betzow, as vanguard, sweeps
* Neisse "blockaded more and more" since August 4th (Kosel still
earlier, but only by Pandour people); not completely so, till September
30th, or even till October 26th: Helden-Geschichte, v. 268-270.
** Tempelhof, n. 278.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. XIV. ] BATTLE OF HOCHKIRCH. 41
lit-lOth Oct. 1758.
out the few Croats from Bautzen, deposits his meal-
wagons there; occupies Hochkirch, and the hilly en-
virons to east; is to take possession of Weissenberg
especially, and of the Stromberg Hill and other strong
points: which Retzow punctually does, forgetting nothing,
-- exceps perhaps the Stromberg, not quite remembered
in time; a thing of small consequence in Retzow's view,
since all else had gone right.
Hearing of which, Daun, with astonishment, finds
that he must quit those beautifully chasmy fastnesses of
Stolpen, and look to his bread; which is getting to lie
under the enemy's feet, if Zittau road be left yonder
as it is. October bth, after councils of war and delibera-
tion enough, Daun gets under way;* cautiously, favoured
by a night very dark and wet, glides through to right
of Friedrich's people, softly along between Bautzen and
the Pirna Country; nobody molesting him, so dark and
wet: and after one other march in those bosky solitudes,
sits down at Kittlitz, -- ahead or to east of Bautzen,
of Hochkirch, of Retzow and all Friedrich's people; --
and again sets to palisading and entrenching there.
Kittlitz, nearLobau, there is Daun's new headquarter;
Lobau Water, with its intricate hollows, his line of
defence: his posts going out a mile to north and to
south of Kittlitz. And so sits; once more blocking
Zittau road, and quietly waiting what Friedrich will do.
Friedrich is at Bautzen since the 7th; impatient
enough to be forward, but must not till a second larger
provision convoy from Dresden come in. Convoy once
in, Friedrich hastens off, Tuesday 10th October, towards
Weissenberg Country, where Retzow is; some ten or
twelve miles to eastward, -- Zittau-ward, if that chance
* Tempelhof, n. 279.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 42 SEVEN-TEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book XVIII.
, lOth-Uih Oct. 1758.
to suit us; Silesia-ward, as is sure to suit. At the "Pass
of Jenkowitz," short short way from Bautzen, Pandours
attempt our baggage; need to be battered off, and again
off: which apprises Friedrich that Daun's whole Army
is ahead in the neighbourhood somewhere. Marching
on, Friedrich, from the knoll of Hochkirch, shoulder
of the southern Hills, gets complete view of Daun, --
stretching north and south, at right angles to the Zittau
roads and to Friedrich, in the way we described; --
and is a little surprised, and I could guess piqued, at
seeing Daun in such a state of forwardness. "Encamp
here, then! " he says, -- here, on this row of Heights
parallel to Daun, within a mile of Daun: just here, I
tell you! under the very nose of Daun, who is above
two to one of us; and see what Daun will do. Marwitz,
his favourite Adjutant, one of those free-spoken Mar-
witzes, loyal, skilful, but liable to stiff fits, takes the
liberty to remonstrate, argue; says at length, He, Mar-
witz, dare not be concerned in marking out such an
encampment; not he, for his poor part! And is put
under arrest; and another Adjutant does it; cannon
playing on his people and him, while engaged in the
operation.
Friedrich's obstinate rashness, this Tuesday Evening,
has not wanted its abundant meed of blame, -- rendered
so emphatic by what befel on Saturday morning next.
His somewhat too authoritative fixity; a certain radiancy
of self-confidence, dangerous to a man; his sovereign
contempt of Daun, as an inert dark mass, who durst
undertake nothing: all this is undeniable, and worth
our recognition in estimating Friedrich. One consider-
ably extenuating circumstance does at last turn up, --
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. HV. J BATTLE OP HOCHKIRCH. 43
10tlt-14th Oct. 1758.
in the shape of a new piece of blame to the erring
Friedrich; his sudden anger, namely, against the meri-
torious General Retzow; his putting Retzow under arrest
that Tuesday Evening: "How, General Retzow? You
have not taken hold of the Stromberg for me! " That
is the secret of Retzow: and on studying the ground
you will find that the Stromberg, a blunt tabular Hill,
of good height, detached, and towering well up over
all that region, might have rendered Friedrich's position
perfectly safe. "Seize me the Stromberg tomorrow
morning, the first thing! " ordered Friedrich. And a
Detachment went accordingly; but found Daun's people
already there, -- indisposed to go; nay determined not
to go, and getting reinforced to unlimited amounts. So
that the Stromberg was left standing, and remained
Daun's; furnished with plenty of cannon by Daun.
Retzow's arrest, Retzow being a steady favourite of
Friedrich's, was only of a few hours: "pardonable that
oversight," thinks Friedrich, though it came to cost him
dear. For the rest, I find, Friedrich's keeping of this
Camp, without the Stromberg, was intended to end, the
third day hence: "Saturday 14th, then, since Friday
proves impossible! " Friedrich had settled. And it did
end, Saturday 14th, though at an earlier hour, and with
other results than had been expected. Keith said, "The
Austrians deserve to be hanged if they don't attack us
here. " "We must hope they are more afraid of us than
even of the gallows," answered Friedrich. A very
dangerous Camp; untenable without the Stromberg. Let us try to understand it, and Daun's position to it, in
some slight degree.
"Hochkirch (Highkiik) is an old Wendish-Saxon Village,
"standingpleasantly onits Hilltop, conspicuous formiles round
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:29 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijf Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 44 SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT, [book xvm.