History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 18
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It is Friedrich's old plan. Long since, in 1744, we saw a march of
this kind, Three Columns rushing with simultaneous rapidity on
Prag; and need not repeat the particulars on this occasion.
Here are some Notes on the subject, which will sufficiently bring
it home to readers:--
"The Three Columns were, for a part of the way, Four; the King's
being, at first, in two branches, till they united again, on the
other side of the Hills. For the King," what is to be noted, "had
shot out, three weeks before, a small preliminary branch, under
Moritz of Dessau; who marched, well westward, by Eger (starting
from Chemnitz in Saxony); and had some tussling with our poor old
friend Duke d'Ahremberg, Browne's subordinate in those parts.
D'Ahremberg, having 20,000 under him, would not quit Eger for
Moritz; but pushed out Croats upon him, and sat still. This, it was
afterwards surmised, had been a feint on Friedrich's part; to give
the Austrians pleasant thoughts: 'Invading us, is he? Would fain
invade us, but cannot!' Moritz fell back from Eger; and was ready
to join the King's march, (at Linay, April 23d' (third day from
Lockwitz, on the King's part). Onwards from which point the Columns
are specifically Three; in strength, and on routes, somewhat
as follows:--
1. "The FIRST Column, or King's,--which is 60,000 after this
junction, 45,000 foot, 15,000 horse,--quitted Lockwitz (head-
quarter for a month past), WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20TH. They go by the
Pascopol and other roads; through Pirna, for one place:
through Karbitz, Aussig, are at Linay on the 23d; where Moritz
joins: 24th, in the united state, forward again (leave Lobositz two
miles to left); to Trebnitz, 25th, and rest there one day.
"At Aussig an unfortunate thing befell. Zastrow, respectable old
General Zastrow, was to drive the Austrians out of Aussig:
Zastrow does it, April 22d-23d, drives them well over the heights;
April 25th, however, marching forward towards Lobositz, Zastrow is
shot through both temples (Pandour hid among the bushes and cliffs,
OTHER side of Elbe), and falls dead on the spot. Buried in
GOTTLEUBE Kirk, 1st May."
In these Aussig affairs, especially in recapturing the Castle of
Tetschen near by, Colonel Mayer, father of the new "Free-Corps,"
did shining service;--and was approved of, he and they. And, a day
or two after, was detached with a Fifteen Hundred of that kind, on
more important business: First, to pick up one or two Bohemian
Magazines lying handy; after which, to pay a visit to the Reich and
its bluster about Execution-Army, and teach certain persons who it
is they are thundering against in that awkwardly truculent manner!
Errand shiningly done by Mayer, as perhaps we may hear,--and
certainly as all the Newspapers loudly heard,--in the course of the
next two months.
At crossing of the Eger, Friedrich's Column had some chasing of
poor D'Ahremberg; attempting to cut him off from his Bridges,
Bridge of Koschlitz, Bridge of Budin; but he made good despatch,
Browne and he; and, except a few prisoners of Ziethen's gathering,
and most of his Magazines unburnt, they did him no damage.
The chase was close enough; more than once, the Austrian head-
quarter of to-night was that of the Prussians to-morrow.
Monday, May 2d, Friedrich's Column was on the Weissenberg of Prag;
Browne, D'Ahremberg, and Prince Karl, who is now come up to take
command, having hastily filed through the City, leaving a fit
garrison, the day before. Except his Magazines, nothing the least
essential went wrong with Browne; but Konigseck, who had not a
Friedrich on his heels,--Konigseck, trying more, as his opportunities
were more,--was not quite so lucky.
2. "Column SECOND, to the King's left, comes from the Lausitz under
Brunswick-Bevern,--18,000 foot, 5,000 horse. This is the Bevern who
so distinguished himself at Lobositz last year; and he is now to
culminate into a still brighter exploit,--the last of his very
bright ones, as it proved. Bevern set out from about Zittau (from
Grottau, few miles south of Zittau), the same day with Friedrich,
that is April 20th;--and had not well started till he came upon
formidable obstacles. Came upon General Konigseck, namely:
a Konigseck manoeuvring ahead, in superior force; a Maguire, Irish
subordinate of Konigseck's, coming from the right to cut off our
baggage (against whom Bevern has to detach); a Lacy, coming from
the left;--or indeed, Konigseck and Lacy in concert, intending to
offer battle. Battle of Reichenberg, which accordingly ensued,
April 21st,"--of which, though it was very famous for so small a
Battle, there can be no account given here.
The short truth is, Konigseck falling back, Parthian-like, with a
force of 30,000 or more, has in front of him nothing but Bevern;
who, as he issues from the Lausitz, and till he can unite with
Schwerin farther southward, is but some 20,000 odd:
cannot Konigseck call halt, and bid Bevern return, or do worse?
Konigseck, a diligent enough soldier, determines to try; chooses an
excellent position,--at or round Reichenberg, which is the first
Bohemian Town, one march from Zittau in the Lausitz, and then one
from Liebenau, which latter would be Bevern's SECOND Bohemian stage
on the Prag road, if he continued prosperous. Reichenberg, standing
nestled among hills in the Neisse Valley (one of those Four Neisses
known to us, the Neisse where Prince Karl got exploded, in that
signal manner, Winter, 1745, by a certain King), offers fine
capabilities; which Konigseck has laid hold of. There is especially
one excellent Hollow (on the left or western bank of Neisse River,
that is, ACROSS from Reichenberg), backed by woody hills, nothing
but hills, brooks, woods all round; Hollow scooped out as if for
the purpose; and altogether of inviting character to Konigseck.
There, "Wednesday, April 20th," Konigseck posts himself, plants
batteries, fells abatis; plenty of cannon, of horse and foot, and,
say all soldiers, one of the best positions possible.
So that Bevern, approaching Reichenberg at evening, evening of his
first march, Wednesday, April 20th, finds his way barred; and that
the difficulties may be considerable. "Nothing to be made of it
to-night," thinks Bevern; "but we must try to-morrow!" and has to
take camp, "with a marshy brook in front of him," some way on the
hither side of Reichenberg; and study overnight what method of
unbarring there may be. Thursday morning early, Bevern, having well
reconnoitred and studied, was at work unbarring. Bevern crossed his
own marshy brook; courageously assaulted Konigseck's position, left
wing of Konigseck; stormed the abatis, the batteries, plunged in
upon Konigseck, man to man, horse to horse, and after some fierce
enough but brief dispute, tumbled Konigseck out of the ground.
Konigseck made some attempt to rally; attempted twice, but in vain;
had fairly to roll away, and at length to run, leaving 1,000 dead
upon the field, about 500 prisoners; one or two guns, and I forget
how many standards, or whether any kettle-drums. This was thought
to be a decidedly bright feat on Bevern's part (rather mismanaged
latterly on Konigseck's); [Tempelhof, i. 100; Helden-
Geschichte, iii. 1077 (Friedrich's own Account, "Linay in Bohmen, 24th April, 1757"); &c. &c. There is, in Busching's
italic> Magazin (xvi. 139 et seq.), an intelligible
sketch of this Action of Reichenherg, with satirical criticisms,
which have some basis, on Lacy, Maguire and others, by an Anonymous
Military Cynic,--who gives many such in BUSCHING (that of Fontenoy,
for example), not without force of judgment, and signs of wide
study and experience in his trade.]--much approved by Friedrich, as
he hears of it, at Linay, on his own prosperous march Prag-ward.
A comfortable omen, were there nothing more.
Konigseck and Company, torn out of Reichenberg, and set running,
could not fairly halt again and face about till at Liebenau, twenty
miles off, where they found some defile or difficult bit of ground
fit for them; and this too proved capable of yielding pause for a
few hours only. For Schwerin, with his Silesian Column, was coming
up from the northeast, threatening Konigseck on flank and rear:
Konigseck could only tighten his straps a little at this Liebenau,
and again get under way; and making vain attempts to hinder the
junction of Schwerin and Bevern, to defend the Jung-Bunzlau
Magazine, or do any good in those parts, except to detain the
Schwerin-Bevern people certain hours (I think, one day in all), had
nothing for it but to gird himself together, and retreat on Prag
and the Ziscaberg, where his friends now were.
The Austrian force at Reichenberg was 20,000; would have been 30
and odd thousands, had Maguire come up (as he might have done, had
not the appearances alarmed him too much); Bevern, minus the
Detachment sent against Maguire, was but 15,000 in fight; and he
has quite burst the Austrians away, who had plugged his road for
him in such force: is it not a comfortable little victory, glorious
in its sort; and a good omen for the bigger things that are coming?
Bevern marched composedly on, after this inspiriting tussle,
through Liebenau and what defiles there were; April 24th, at
Turnau, he falls into the Schwerin Column; incorporates himself
therewith, and, as subordinate constituent part, accompanies
Schwerin thenceforth.
3. "Column THIRD was Schwerin's, out of Schlesien; counted to be
32,000 foot, 12,000 horse. Schwerin, gathering himself, from Glatz
and the northerly country, at Landshut,--very careless, he, of the
pleasant Hills, and fine scattered peaks of the Giant Mountains
thereabouts,--was completely gathered foremost of all the Columns,
having farthest to go. And on Monday, 18th April, started from
Landshut, Winterfeld leading one division. In our days, it is the
finest of roads; high level Pass, of good width, across the Giant
Range; pleasant painted hamlets sprinkling it, fine mountain ridges
and distant peaks looking on; Schneekoppe (SNOWfell, its head
bright-white till July come) attends you, far to the right, all the
way:--probably Sprite Rubezahl inhabits there; and no doubt River
Elbe begins his long journey there, trickling down in little
threads over yonder, intending to float navies by and by:
considerations infinitely indifferent to Schwerin. 'The road,' says
my Tourist, (is not Alpine; it reminds you of Derbyshire-Peak
country; more like the road from Castletown to Sheffield than any I
could name;'--we have been in it before, my reader and I, about
Schatzlar and other places. Trautenau, well down the Hills, with
swift streams, more like torrents, bound Elbe-wards, watering it,
is a considerable Austrian Town, and the Bohemian end of the Pass,
--Sohr only a few miles from it: heartily indifferent to Schwerin
at this moment; who was home from the Army, in a kind of disfavor,
or mutual pet, at the time Sohr was done. Schwerin's March we shall
not give; his junction with Bevern (at Turnau, on the Iser, April
24th), then their capture of Jung-Bunzlau Magazine, and crossing of
the Elbe at Melnick, these were the important points; and, in spite
of Konigseck's tusslings, these all went well, and nothing was lost
except one day of time."
The Austrians, some days ago, as we observed, filed THROUGH Prag,--
Sunday, May 1st, not a pleasant holiday-spectacle to the
populations;--and are all encamped on the Ziscaberg high ground, on
the other side of the City. Had they been alert, now was the time
to attack Friedrich, who is weaker than they, while nobody has yet
joined him. They did not think of it, under Prince Karl; and Browne
and the Prince are said to be in bad agreement.
Chapter II.
BATTLE OF PRAG.
Monday morning, 2d May, 1757, the Vanguard, or advanced troops of
Friedrich's Column, had appeared upon the Weissenberg, northwest
corner of Prag (ground known to them in 1744, and to the poor
Winter-King in 1620): Vanguard in the morning; followed shortly by
Friedrich himself; and, hour after hour, by all the others,
marching in. So that, before sunset, the whole force lay posted
there; and had the romantic City of Prag full in view at their
feet. A most romantic, high-piled, many-towered, most unlevel old
City; its skylights and gilt steeple-cocks glittering in the
western sun,--Austrian Camp very visible close beyond it, spread
out miles in extent on the Ziscaberg Heights, or eastern side;--
Prag, no doubt, and the Austrian Garrison of Prag, taking intense
survey of this Prussian phenomenon, with commentaries, with
emotions, hidden now in eternal silence, as is fit enough.
One thing we know, "Head-quarter was in Welleslawin:" there, in
that small Hamlet, nearly to north, lodged Friedrich, the then
busiest man of Europe; whom Posterity is still striving for a view
of, as something memorable.
Prince Karl, our old friend, is now in chief command yonder;
Browne also is there, who was in chief command; their scheme of
Campaign gone all awry. And to Friedrich, last night, at his
quarters "in the Monastery of Tuchomirsitz," where these two
Gentlemen had lodged the night before, it was reported that they
had been heard in violent altercation; [ Helden-Geschichte,
iv. 11 (exact "Diary of the march" given there).]--
both of them, naturally, in ill-humor at the surprising turn things
had taken; and Feldmarschall Browne firing up, belike, at some
platitude past or coming, at some advice of his rejected, some
imputation cast on him, or we know not what. Prince Karl is now
chief; and indignant Browne, as may well be the case, dissents a
good deal,--as he has often had to do. Patience, my friend, it is
near ending now! Prince Karl means to lie quiet on the Ziscaberg,
and hold Prag; does not think of molesting Friedrich in his
solitary state; and will undertake nothing, "till Konigseck, from
Jung-Bunzlau, come in," victorious or not; or till perhaps even
Daun arrive (who is, rather slowly, gathering reinforcement in
Maren): "What can the enemy attempt on us, in a Post of this
strength?" thinks Prince Karl. And Browne, whatever his insight or
convictions be, has to keep silence.
"Weissenberg," let readers be reminded, "is on the hither or
western side of Prag: the Hradschin [pronounce RadSHEEN, with
accent on the last syllable, as in "SchwerIN" and other such
cases], the Hradschin, which is the topmost summit of the City and
of the Fashionable Quarter,--old Bohemian Palace, still
occasionally habitable as such, and in constant use as a DOWNING
STREET,--lies on the slope or shoulder of the Weissenberg, a good
way from the top; and has a web of streets rushing down from it,
steepest streets in the world; till they reach the Bridge, and
broad-flowing Moldau (broad as Thames at half-flood, but nothing
like so deep); after which the streets become level, and spread out
in intricate plenty to right and to left, and ahead eastward,
across the River, till the Ziscaberg, with frowning precipitous
brow, suddenly puts a stop to them in that particular direction.
From Ziscaberg top to Weissenberg top may be about five English
miles; from the Hradschin to the foot of Ziscaberg, northwest to
southeast, will be half that distance, the greatest length of Prag
City. Which is rather rhomboidal in shape, its longer diagonal this
that we mention. The shorter diagonal, from northmost base of
Ziscaberg to southmost of Hradschin, is perhaps a couple of miles.
Prag stands nestled in the lap of mountains; and is not in itself a
strong place in war: but the country round it, Moldau ploughing his
rugged chasm of a passage through the piled table-land, is
difficult to manoeuvre in.
"Moldau Valley comes straight from the south, crosses Prag;
and--making, on its outgate at the northern end of Prag (end of
'shortest diagonal' just spoken of), one big loop, or bend and
counter-bend, of horse-shoe shape," which will be notable to us
anon--"again proceeds straight northward and Elbe-ward. It is
narrow everywhere, especially when once got fairly north of Prag;
and runs along like a Quasi-Highland Strath, amid rocks and hills.
Big Hill-ranges, not to be called barren, yet with rock enough on
each hand, and fine side valleys opening here and there: the bottom
of your Strath, which is green and fertile, with pleasant busy
Villages (much intent on water-power and cotton-spinning in our
time), is generally of few furlongs in breadth. And so it lasts,
this pleasant Moldau Valley, mile after mile, on the northern or
Lower Moldau, generally straight north, though with one big bend
eastward just before ending; and not till near Melnick, or the
mouth of Moldau, do we emerge on that grand Elbe Valley,--glanced
at once already, from Pascopol or other Height, in the
Lobositz times."
Friedrich's first problem is the junction with Schwerin: junction
not to be accomplished south of Ziscaberg in the present
circumstances; and which Friedrich knows to be a ticklish
operation, with those Austrians looking on from the high grounds
there. Tuesday, 3d May, in the way of reconnoitring, and decisively
on Wednesday, 4th, Friedrich is off northward, along the western
heights of Lower Moldau, proper force following him, to seek a fit
place for the pontoons, and get across in that northern quarter.
"How dangerous that Schwerin is a day too late!" murmurs he;
but hopes the Austrians will undertake nothing. Keith, with 30,000,
he has left on the Weissenberg, to straiten Prag and the Austrian
Garrison on that side: our wagon-trains arrive from Leitmeritz on
that side, Elbe-boats bring them up to Leitmeritz; very
indispensable to guard that side of Prag. Friedrich's fixed purpose
also is to beat the Austrians, on the other side of it, and send
them packing; but for that, there are steps needful!
Up so far as Lissoley, the first day, Friedrich has found no fit
place; but on the morrow, Thursday, 5th, farther up, at a place
called Seltz, Friedrich finds his side of the Strath to be "a
little higher than the other,"--proper, therefore, for cannonading
the other, if need be;--and orders his pontoons to be built
together there. He knows accurately of the Schwerin Column, of the
comfortable Bevern Victory at Reichenberg, and how they have got
the Jung-Bunzlau Magazine, and are across the Elbe, their bridges
all secured, though with delay of one day; and do now wait only for
the word,--for the three cannon-shot, in fact, which are to signify
that Friedrich is actually crossing to their side of Lower Moldau.
Friedrich's Bridge is speedily built (trained human hands can be no
speedier), his batteries planted, his precautions taken: the three
cannon-shot go off, audible to Schwerin; and Friedrich's troops
stream speedily across, hardly a Pandour to meddle with them.
Nay, before the passage was complete--what light-horse squadrons
are these? Hussars, seen to be Seidlitz's (missioned by Schwerin),
appear on the outskirts: a meeting worthy of three cheers, surely,
after such a march on both sides! Friedrich lies on the eastern
Hill-tops that night (Hamlet of Czimitz his Head-quarter,
discoverable if you wish it, scarcely three miles north of Prag);
and accurate appointment is made with Schwerin as to the
meeting-place to-morrow morning. Meeting-place is to be the
environs of Prossik Village, southeastward over yonder, short way
north of the Prag-Konigsgratz Highway; and rather nearer Prag than
we now are, in Czimitz here: time at Prossik to be 6 A.M. by the
clock; and Winterfeld and Schwerin to come in person and speak with
his Majesty. This is the program for Friday, May 6th, which proves
to be so memorable a day.
Schwerin is on foot by the stroke of midnight; comes along, "over
the heights of Chaber," by half a dozen, or I know not how many
roads; visible in due time to Friedrich's people, who are likewise
punctually on the advance: in a word, the junction is accomplished
with all correctness. And, while the Columns are marching up,
Schwerin and Winterfeld ride about in personal conference with his
Majesty; taking survey, through spy-glasses, of those Austrians
encamped yonder on the broad back of their Zisca Hill, a couple of
miles to southward. "What a set of Austrians," exclaim military
critics, "to permit such junction, without effort to devour the one
half or the other, in good time!" Friedrich himself, it is
probable, might partly be of the same opinion; but he knew his
Austrians, and had made bold to venture. Friedrich, we can observe,
always got to know his man, after fighting him a month or two;
and took liberties with him, or did not take, accordingly. And, for
most part,--not quite always, as one signal exception will Show,--
he does it with perfect accuracy; and often with vital profit to
his measures. "If the Austrian cooking-tents are a-smoke before
eight in the morning," notes he, "you may calculate, in such case,
the Austrians will march that day." [MILITARY INSTRUCTIONS.] With a
surprising vividness of eye and mind (beautiful to rival, if one
could), he watches the signs of the times, of the hours and the
days and the places; and prophesies from them; reads men and their
procedures, as if they were mere handwriting, not too cramp for
him.--The Austrians have, by this time, got their Konigseck home,
very unvictorious, but still on foot, all but a thousand or two:
they are already stronger than the Prussians by count of heads;
and till even Daun come up, what hurry in a Post like this?
The Austrians are viewing Friedrich, too, this morning; but in the
blankest manner: their outposts fire a cannon-shot or two on his
group of adjutants and him, without effect; and the Head people
send their cavalry out to forage, so little prophecy have they from
signs seen.
Zisca Hill, where the Austrians now are, rises sheer up, of well-
nigh precipitous steepness, though there are trees and grass on it,
from the eastern side of Prag, say five or six hundred feet.
A steep, picturesque, massive green Hill; Moldau River, turning
suddenly to right, strikes the northwest corner of it (has flowed
well to west of it, till then), and winds eastward round its
northern base. As will be noticed presently. The ascent of
Ziscaberg, by roads, is steep and tedious: but once at the top, you
find that it is precipitous on two sides only, the City or westward
side, and the Moldau or northward. Atop it spreads out, far and
wide, into a waving upland level; bare of hedges; ploughable all of
it, studded with littery hamlets and farmsteadings; far and wide, a
kind of Plain, sloping with extreme gentleness, five or six miles
to eastward, and as far to southward, before the level perceptibly
rise again.
Another feature of the Ziscaberg, already hinted at, is very
notable: that of the Moldau skirting its northern base, and
scarping the Hill, on that side too, into a precipitous, or very
steep condition. Moldau having arrived from southward, fairly past
the end of Ziscaberg, had, so to speak, made up his mind to go
right eastward, quarrying his way through the lower uplands there,
And he proceeds accordingly, hugging the northern base of
Ziscaberg, and making it steep enough; but finds, in the course of
a mile or so, that he can no more; upland being still rock-built,
not underminable farther; and so is obliged to wind round again, to
northward, and finally straight westward, the way he came, or
parallel to the way he came; and has effected that great Horse-shoe
Hollow we heard of lately. An extremely pretty Hollow, and curious
to look upon; pretty villas, gardens, and a "Belvedere Park," laid
out in the bottom part; with green mountain-walls rising all round
it, and a silver ring of river at the base of them: length of
Horse-shoe, from heel to toe, or from west to east, is perhaps a
mile; breadth, from heel to heel, perhaps half as much.
Having arrived at his old distance to west, Moldau, like a
repentant prodigal, and as if ashamed of his frolic, just over
against the old point he swerved from, takes straight to northward
again. Straight northward; and quarries out that fine narrow
valley, or Quasi-Highland Strath, with its pleasant busy villages,
where he turns the overshot machinery, and where Friedrich and his
men had their pontoons swimming yesterday.
It is here, on this broad back of the Ziscaberg, that the Austrians
now lie; looking northward over to the King, and trying cannon-
shots upon him. There they have been encamping, and diligently
intrenching themselves for four days past; diligent especially
since yesterday, when they heard of Friedrich's crossing the River.
Their groups of tents, and batteries at all the good points,
stretch from near the crown of Ziscaberg, eastward to the Villages
of Hlaupetin, Kyge, and their Lakes, near four miles; and rearward
into the interior one knows not how far;--Prince Karl, hardly awake
yet, lies at Nussel, near the Moldau, near the Wischerad or
southeastmost point of Prag; six good miles west-by-south of Kyge,
at the other end of the diagonal line. About the same distance,
right east from Nussel, and a mile or more to south of Kyge, over
yonder, is a littery Farmstead named Sterbohol, which is not yet
occupied by the Austrians, but will become very famous in their
War-Annals, this day!--
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