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History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 19

T >> Thomas Carlyle >> History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 19




On the back of Kunersdorf, accordingly, there was not only no
finishing stroke upon Friedrich, but for two months no stroke or
serious attempt whatever in those neighborhoods where Friedrich is.
There are four Armies hereabouts: The Grand Russian, hanging by
Frankfurt; Friedrich at Furstenwalde (whitherward he marched from
Reitwein August 16th), at Furstenwalde or farther south, guarding
Berlin;--then, unhurt yet by battle of any kind, there are the
Grand Daunish or Mark-Lissa Army, and Prince Henri's of
Schmottseifen. Of which latter Two the hitchings and manoeuvrings
from time to time become vivid, and never altogether cease; but in
no case come to anything. Above two months' scientific flourishing
of weapons, strategic counter-dancing; but no stroke struck, or
result achieved, except on Daun's part irreparable waste of time:--
all readers would feel it inhuman to be burdened with any notice of
such things. One march of Prince Henri's, which was of a famous and
decisive character, we will attend to, when it comes, that is, were
the end of September at hand; the rest must be imagined as a
general strategic dance in those frontier parts,--Silesia to
rearward on one side, the Lausitz and Frankfurt on the other,--and
must go on, silently for most part, in the background of the
reader's fancy. Indeed, Saxony is the scene of action;
Friedrich, Henri, Soltikof, Daun, comparatively inactive for the
next six weeks and more.

Some days before Kunersdorf, Daun personally, with I will forget
how many thousands, had made a move to northward from Mark-Lissa,
60 miles or so, through Sagan Country; and lies about Priebus,
waiting there ever since. Priebus is some 40 miles north of
Gorlitz, about 60 west of Glogau, south of Frankfurt 80. This is
where the Master-Smith, having various irons in the fire, may be
handiest for clutching them out, and forging at them, as they
become successively hot. Daun, as Master-Smith, has at least three
objects in view. The FIRST is, as always, Reconquest of Silesia:
this is obstructed by Prince Henri, who sits, watchful on the
threshold, at Schmottseifen yonder. The SECOND is, as last year,
Capture of Dresden: which is much the more feasible at present,--
there being, except the Garrisons, no Prussian force whatever in
Saxony; and a Reichs Army now actually there at last, after its
long haggling about its Magazines; and above all, a Friedrich with
his hands full elsewhere. To keep Friedrich's hands full,--in other
words, to keep the Russians sticking to him,--that is the THIRD
object: or indeed we may call it the first, second and third;
for Daun is well aware that unless Soltikof can manage to keep
Friedrich busy, Silesia, Saxony and all else becomes impossible.

Ever since the fortunate junction of Loudon with Soltikof, Daun has
sat, and still sits, expectant; elaborately calculative, gathering
Magazines in different parts, planting out-parties, this way, that
way, with an eye to these three objects, all or each,--especially
to the third object, which he discerns to be all AND each. Daun was
elaborately calculative with these views: but to try any military
action, upon Prince Henri for example, or bestir himself otherwise
than in driving provender forward, and marching detachments hither
and thither to the potentially fit and fittest posts, was not in
Daun's way,--so much the worse for Daun, in his present course
of enterprise.

Prince Henri had lain quiet at Schmottseifen, waiting his Brother's
adventure; did not hear the least tidings of him till six days
after Kunersdorf, and then only by rumor; hideous, and, though
still dubious, too much of it probable! On the very day of
Kunersdorf, Henri had begun effecting some improvements on his
right flank,--always a sharply strategic, most expert creature,--
and made a great many motions, which would be unintelligible here.
[Detailed, every fibre of them (as is the soul-confusing custom
there), in Tempelhof, iii. 228 et seq.] Henri feels now that upon
him lies a world of duties; and foremost of all, the instant duty
of endeavoring to open communication with his Brother.
Many marches, in consequence; much intricate marching and
manoeuvring between Daun and him: of which, when we come to Henri's
great March (of 25th September), there may be again some hint.

For the present, let readers take their Map, and endeavor to fix
the following dates and localities in their mind. Here, in summary,
are the King's various Marches, and Two successive Encampments, two
only, during those Six Weeks of forced inaction, while he is
obliged to stand watching the Russians, and to witness so many
complicacies and disasters in the distance; which he struggles much
and fruitlessly to hinder or help:--

ENCAMPMENT 1st (Furstenwalde, August 18th-30th). Friedrich left
Reitwein AUGUST 16th; 17th, he is at Madlitz [Note to Wunsch
written there, which we read]; 18th, to Furstenwalde, and encamp.
Furstenwalde is on the Spree, straight between Frankfurt and
Berlin; 25 miles from the former, 35 from the latter. Here for near
a fortnight. At first, much in alarm about the Russians and Berlin;
but gradually ascertaining that the Russians intend nothing.

"In effect, all this while Soltikof lay at Lossow, 10 miles south
of Frankfurt, with his right on Oder; totally motionless, inactive,
except listening, often rather gloomily, to Daun's and
Montalembert's suasive eloquences and advices,--and once, August
22d, in the little Town of Guben, holding Conference with Daun [of
which by and by]. In consequence of which, AUGUST 28th, Soltikof
and his Russians and Austrians got under way again; southward, but
only a few marches: first to Mullrose, then to Lieberose:--whom,
the instant he heard of their movements, Friedrich, August 30th,
hastened to follow; but had not to follow very far.
Whereupon ensues

"ENCAMPMENT SECOND (Waldau, till September 15th). AUGUST 30th,
Friedrich, we say, rose from Furstenwalde; hastened to follow this
Russian movement, and keep within wind of it: up the valley of the
Spree; first to Mullrose neighborhood [where the Russians,
loitering some time, spoiled the canal-locks of the Friedrich-
Wilhelm Canal, if nothing more],--thence to Lieberose neighborhood;
Waldau, the King's new place of encampment,--Waldau, with Spree
Forest to rear of it: silent both parties till September 15th, when
Soltikof did fairly march, not towards Berlin, but quite in the
opposite direction."

By the middle of September, when the Russians did get on foot, and
moved eastward; especially on and after September 25th, when Henri
made his famous March westward; then it will behoove us to return
to Friedrich and these localities. For the present we must turn to
Saxony, where, and not here, the scene of action is. Take, farther,
only the following bits of Note, which will now be readable.
First, these Utterances to D'Argens; direct glimpses into the
heavy-laden, indeed hag-ridden and nearly desperate inner man of
Friedrich, during the first three weeks after his defeat
at Kunersdorf:--


THE KING TO MARQUIS D'ARGENS (at Berlin): Six Notes.

1. "MADLITZ [road from Reitwein to Furstenwalde], 16th AUGUST,
1759. We have been unfortunate, my dear Marquis; but not, by my
fault. The victory was ours, and would even have been a complete
one, when our infantry lost patience, and at the wrong moment
abandoned the field of battle. The enemy to-day is on march to
Mullrose, to unite with Haddick [not to Mullrose for ten days yet;
Haddick had already got united with THEM]. The Russian infantry is
almost totally destroyed. Of my own wrecks, all that I have been
able to assemble amounts to 32,000 men; with these I am pushing on
to throw myself across the enemy's road, and either perish or save
the Capital. That is not what you [you Berliners] will call a
deficiency of resolution.

"For the event I cannot answer. If I had more lives than one, I
would sacrifice them all to my Country. But if this stroke fail, I
think I am clear-scores with her, and that it will be permissible
to look a little to myself. There are limits to everything.
I support my misfortune; courage not abated by it: but I am well
resolved, after this stroke, if it fail, to open an outgate for
myself [that small glass tube which never quits me], and no longer
be the sport of any chance."

2. Furstenwalde, 20th AUGUST. ... "Remain at Berlin, or retire to
Potsdam; in a little while there will come some catastrophe: it is
not fit that you suffer by it. If things take a good turn, you can
be back to Berlin [from Potsdam] in four hours. If ill-luck still
pursue us, go to Hanover or to Zelle, where you can provide for
your safety.

"I protest to you, that in this late Action I did what was humanly
possible to conquer; but my people"--Oh, your Majesty!

3. FURSTENWALDE, 21st AUGUST. ... "The enemy is intrenching himself
near Frankfurt; a sign he intends no attempt. If you will do me the
pleasure to come out hither, you can in all safety. Bring your bed
with you; bring my Cook Noel; and I will have you a little chamber
ready. You will be my consolation and my hope."--

This day,--let readers mark the circumstance,--Friedrich, in better
spirits, detaches Wunsch with some poor 6,000, to try if he can be
of help in Saxony; where the Reichs Army, now arrived in force, and
with nothing whatever in the field against them, is taking all the
Northward Garrison-Towns, and otherwise proceeding at a high rate.
Too possibly with an eye towards Dresden itself! Wunsch sets out
August 21st. [Tempelhof, iii. 211.] And we shall hear of him in
those Saxon Countries before long.

4. FURSTENWALDE, 22d AUGUST. "Yesterday I wrote to you to come;
but to-day I forbid it. Daun is at Kotbus; he is marching on Luben
and Berlin [nothing like so rash!].--Fly these unhappy Countries!--
This news obliges me again to attack the Russians between here and
Frankfurt. You may imagine if this is a desperate resolution. It is
the sole hope that remains to me, of not being cut off from Berlin
on the one side or the other. I will give the discouraged troops
some brandy"--alas!--"but I promise myself nothing of success.
My one consolation is, that I shall die sword in hand."

5. SAME PLACE AND DAY (after a Letter FROM D'Argens). "You make the
panegyric, MON CHER, of an Army that does not deserve any.
The soldiers had good limbs to run with, none to attack the enemy.
[Alas, your Majesty; after fifteen hours of such marching
and fighting!]

"For certain I will fight; but don't flatter yourself about the
event. A happy chance alone can help us. Go, in God's name, to
Tangermunde [since the Royal Family went, D'Argens and many
Berliners are thinking of flight], to Tangermunde, where you will
be well; and wait there how Destiny shall have disposed of us.
I will go to reconnoitre the enemy to-morrow. Next day, if there is
anything to do, we will try it. But if the enemy still holds to the
Wine-Hills of Frankfurt, I shall never dare to attack him.

"No, the torment of Tantalus, the pains of Prometheus, the doom of
Sisyphus, were nothing like what I suffer for the last ten days
[from Kunersdorf till now, when destruction has to be warded off
again, and the force wanting]. Death is sweet in comparison to such
a life. Have compassion on me and it; and believe that I still keep
to myself a great many evil things, not wishing to afflict or
disquiet anybody with them; and that I would not counsel you to fly
these unlucky Countries, if I had any ray of hope.
Adieu, MON CHER."

Four days after, AUGUST 25th, from this same Furstenwalde, the
Russians still continuing stagnant, Friedrich despatches to
Schmettau, Commandant of Dresden (by some industrious hand, for the
roads are all blocked), a Second Letter, "That Dresden is of the
highest moment; that in case of Siege there, relief [Wunsch,
namely, and perhaps more that may follow] is on the road; and that
Schmettau must defend himself to the utmost." Let us hope this
Second Missive may counteract the too despondent First, which we
read above, should that have produced discouragement in Schmettau!
[Second Letter is given in Schmettau's Leben,
pp. 436, 437.]--D'Argens does run to Wolfenbuttel; stays there till
September 9th. Nothing more from Friedrich till 4th September, when
matters are well cooled again.

6. WALDAU, 4th SEPTEMBER. "I think Berlin is now in safety; you may
return thither. The Barbarians [Russians] are in the Lausitz;
I keep by the side of them, between them and Berlin, so that there
is nothing to fear for the Capital. The imminency of danger is
past; but there will still be many bad moments to get through,
before reaching the end of the Campaign. These, however, only
regard myself; never mind these. My martyrdom will last two months
yet; then the snows and the ices will end it." [ OEuvres de
Frederic, xix. 78, 82, 83, 85, 86.]

Thus at Furstenwalde, then at Waldau, keeping guard, forlorn but
resolute, against the intrusive Russian-Austrian deluges, Friedrich
stands painfully vigilant and expectant,--still for about a
fortnight more. With bad news coming to him latterly, as we shall
hear. He is in those old moorland Wusterhausen Countries, once so
well known under far other circumstances. Thirty years ago, in fine
afternoons, we used to gallop with poor Duhan de Jandun, after
school-tasks done, towards Mittenwalde, Furstenwalde and the furzy
environs, far and wide; at home, our Sister and Mother waiting with
many troubles and many loves, and Papa sleeping, Pan-like, under
the shadow of his big tree:--Thirty years ago, ah me, gone like a
dream is all that; and there is solitude and desolation and the
Russian-Austrian death-deluges instead! These, I suppose, were
Friedrich's occasional remembrances; silent always, in this
locality and time. The Sorrows of WERTER, of the GIAOUR, of the
Dyspeptic Tailor in multifarious forms, are recorded in a copious
heart-rending manner, and have had their meed of weeping from a
sympathetic Public: but there are still a good few Sorrows which
lie wrapt in silence, and have never applied there for an idle
tear!--Let us look now into Daun's side of things.

DAUM, AFTER NEGOTIATION, HAS AN INTERVIEW WITH SOLTIKOF (at Guben,
August 22d).--"Daun, who had moved to Priebus, with a view to be
nearer Soltikof, had scarcely got his tent pitched there {August
13th), when a breathless horseman rode in, with a Note from Loudon,
dated the night before: 'King of Prussia beaten, to the very bone,
beyond mistake this time,--utterly ruined, if one may judge!'
What a vision of the Promised Land! Delighted Daun moves forward,
one march, to Triebel on the morrow; to be one march nearer the
scene of glory, and endeavor to forge this biggest of the hot irons
to advantage.

"At Triebel Soltikof's own account, elucidated by oral messengers,
eye-witnesses, and, in short, complete conspectus of this ever
memorable Victory, await the delighted Daun. Who despatches
messengers, one and another; Lacy, the first, not succeeding quite:
To congratulate with enthusiasm the most illustrious of Generals;
who has beaten King Friedrich as none else ever did or could;
beaten to the edge of extinction;--especially to urge him upon
trampling out this nearly extinct King, before he gleam up again.
Soltikof understands the congratulations very well; but as to that
of trampling out, snorts an indignant negative: 'Nay, you, why
don't you try it? Surely it is more your business than my Imperial
Mistress's or mine. We have wrenched two victories from him this
season. Kay and Kunersdorf have killed near the half of us: go you
in, and wrench something!' This is Soltikof's logic; which no
messenger of Daun's, Lacy or another, aided by never such melodies
and suasions from Montalembert and Loudon, who are permanently
diligent that way, can shake.

"And truly it is irrefragable. How can Daun, if himself merely
speculative, calculative, hope that Soltikof will continue acting?
Men who have come to help you in a heavy job of work need example.
If you wish me to weep, be grieved yourself first of all.
Soltikof angrily wipes his countenance at this point, and insists
on a few tears from Daun. Without metaphor, Soltikof has shot away
all his present ammunition, his staff of bread is quite precarious
in these parts; and Soltikof thinks always, 'Is it my business,
then, or is it yours?'

"Soltikof has intrenched himself on the Wine-Hills at Lossow,
comfortably out of Friedrich's way, and contiguous to Oder and the
provision-routes; sits there, angrily deaf to the voice of the
charmer; nothing to be charmed out of him, but gusts of
indignation, instead of consent. A proud, high-going, indignant
kind of man, with a will of his own. And sees well enough what is
what, in all this symphony of the Lacys, the Montalemberts and
surrounding adorers. Montalembert, who is here this season, our
French best man (unprofitable Swedes must put up with an inferior
hand), is extremely persuasive, tries all the arts of French
rhetoric, but effects nothing. 'To let the Austrians come in for
the finishing stroke,---Excellence, it will be to let them gain, in
History, a glory which is of your earning. Daun and Austria, not
Soltikof and Russia, will be said to have extinguished this
pestilent King; whom History will have to remember!' [Choiseul's
Letter (not DUC de Choiseul, but COMTE, now Minister at Vienna) to
Montalembert, "Vienna, 16th August;" and Montalembert's Answer,
"Lieberhausen [means LIEBEROSE], 31st August, 1759:" in
Montalembert, Correspondance, ii. 58-65.]
'With all my heart,' answers Soltikof; 'I make the Austrians and
History perfectly welcome! Monsieur, my ammunition is in Posen;
my bread is fallen scarce; in Frankfurt can you find me one horse
more?' Indignant Soltikof is not to be taken by chaff; growls now
and then, if you stir him to the bottom: 'Why should we, who are
volunteer assistants, take all the burden of the work? I will fall
back to Posen, and home to Poland and East Preussen, if this last
much longer.'

"Austria has a good deal disgusted these Soltikofs and Russian
Chief Officers;--who are not so stupid as Austria supposes.
Austria's steady wish is, 'Let them do their function of cat's-paw
for us; we are here to eat the chestnuts; not, if we can help it,
to burn our own poor fingers for them!' After every Campaign
hitherto, Austria has been in use to raise eager accusations at
Petersburg; and get the Apraxins, Fermors into trouble: this is not
the way to conciliate Russian General Officers. Austria, taught
probably by Daun, now tries the other tack: heaps Soltikof with
eulogies, flatteries, magnificent presents. All which Soltikof
accepts, but with a full sense of what they mean. An unmanageable
Soltikof; his answer always,--'Your turn now to fight a victory!
I will go my ways to Posen again, if you don't.' And, in these
current weeks, in Soltikof's audience-room, if anybody were curious
about it, we could present a very lively solicitation going on,
with answers very gruff and negatory. No suasion of Montalembert,
Lacy, and Daun Embassies, backed by diamond-hilted swords, and
splendor of gifts from Vienna itself, able to prevail on the
barbarous people.

"Daun at length resolves to go in person; solicits an Interview
with the distinguished Russian Conqueror; gets it, meets Soltikof
at Guben, half-way house between Frankfurt and Triebel;
select suite attending both Excellencies (August 22d); and exerts
whatever rhetoric is in him on the barbarous man.



The barbarous man is stiff as brass; but Daun comes into all his
conditions: 'Saxony, Silesia,--Excellenz, we have them both within
clutch; such our exquisite angling and manoeuvring, in concert with
your immortal victory, which truly gives the life-breath to
everything. Oh, suffer us to clutch them: keep that King away from
us; and see if they are not ours, Saxony first, Silesia next!
Provisions of meal? I will myself undertake to furnish bread for
you [though I have to cart it from Bohemia all the way, and am
myself terribly off; but fixed to do the impossible]; ration of
bread shall fail no Russian man, while you escort us as protective
friend. Towards Saxony first, where the Reichs Army is, and not a
Prussian in the field; the very Garrisons mostly gone by this time.
Dresden is to be besieged, within a week; Dresden itself is ours,
if only YOU please! Come into the Lausitz with us, Magazines are
there, loaves in abundance: Saxony done, Dresden ours, cannot we
turn to Silesia together; besiege Glogau together (I am myself
about trying Neisse, by Harsch again); capture Glogau as well as
Neisse; and crown the successfulest campaign that ever was?
Oh, Excellenz--!'"

In a word, Excellenz, strictly fixing that condition of the loaves,
consents. Will get ready to leave those Frankfurt Wine-Hills in
about a week. "But the loaves, you recollect: no Bread, no
Russian!" Daun returns to Triebel a victorious man,--though with an
onerous condition incumbent. Tempelhof, minutely computing, finds
that to cart from Bohemia such a cipher of human rations daily into
these parts, will surpass all the vehiculatory power of Daun.
[Tempelhof, iii. 225.]'


THE "REICHS ARMY" 80 CALLED HAS ENTERED SAXONY, UNDER FINE OMENS;
DOES SOME FEATS OF SIEGING (August 7th-23d),
--WITH AN EYE ON DRESDEN AS THE CROWNING ONE.

The Reichs Army, though it had been so tumbled about, in Spring,
with such havoc on its magazines and preparations, could not wait
to refit itself, except superficially; and showed face over the
Mountains almost earlier than usual. The chance was so unique:
a Saxony left to its mere Garrisons,--as it continued to be, for
near two months this Year. On such golden opportunity the Reichs
Army--first, in light mischievous precursor parties, who roamed as
far as Halle or even as Halberstadt; then the Army itself, well or
ill appointed, under Generalissimo the Prince von Zweibruck,--did
come on, winding through Thuringen towards the Northwestern Towns;
various Austrian Auxiliary-Corps making appearance on the Dresden
side. Eight Austrian regiments, as a permanency, are in the Reichs
Army itself. Commander, or part Commander, of the eight is (what
alone I find noteworthy in them) "Herr General Thomas von
Blonquet:" Irish by nation, says a foot-note; [Seyfarth, ii.
831 n.]--sure enough some adventurous "Thomas PLUNKET," visible
this once, soldiering, in those circumstances; never heard of by a
sympathetic reader before or after. It was while the King was
hunting the Haddick-Loudon people in Sagan Country in such vehement
fashion, that Zweibruck came trumpeting into Saxony,--King, Prince
Henri and everybody, well occupied otherwise, far away!

The Reichs Army has a camp at Naumburg (Rossbach neighborhood):
and has light troops out in Halle neighborhood; which have seized
Halle; are very severe upon Halle, and other places thereabouts,
till chased away. August 7th, the Reichs Army begirt Leipzig;
summoned the weak garrison there. It is a Town capable of ruin, but
not of defence: "Free-withdrawal," proposes the Reichs Army,--and
upon these terms gets hold of Leipzig, for the time being.
Leipzig, Torgau, Wittenberg; in a fortnight or less, all the
Prussian posts in those parts fall to the Reichs Army.
Its marchings and siegings, among those Northwestern places, not
one of them capable of standing above a few days' siege, are worth
no mention, except to Parish History: enough that, by little after
the middle of August, Zweibruck had got all these places, "Free-
withdrawal" the terms for all; and that, except it be the following
feature in their Siege of Torgau, feature mainly Biographic, and
belonging to a certain Colonel Wolfersdorf concerned, there is not
one of those Sieges now worth a moment's attention from almost any
mortal. This is the Torgau feature,--feature of human nature,
soldiering under difficulties:--

COLONEL VON WOLFERSDORF BEAUTIFULLY DEFENDS HIMSELF IN TORGAU
(August 9th-14th). Two days after Leipzig was had, there appeared
at Torgau a Body of Pandours, 2,000 and more; who attempted some
kind of scalade on Torgau and its small Garrison (of 700 or so),--
where are a Magazine, a Hospital and other properties: not capable,
by any garrison, of standing regular siege; but important to defend
till you have proper terms offered. The multitudinous Pandours, if
I remember, made a rush into the Suburbs, in their usual vociferous
way; but were met by the 700 silent Prussians,--silent except
through their fire-arms and field-pieces,--in so eloquent a style
as soon convinced the Pandour mind, and sent it travelling again.
And in the evening of the same day (August 9th), Colonel
Wolfersdorf arrives, as new Commandant, and with reinforcements,
small though considerable in the circumstances.

Wolfersdorf, one dimly gathers, had marched from Wittenberg on this
errand; the whole force in Torgau is now of about 3,000, still with
only field-cannon, but with a Captain over them;--who, as is
evident, sets himself in a very earnest manner to do his utmost in
defence of the place. Next morning Reichs General Kleefeld
("Cloverfield"), with 6 or 8,000 Pandour and Regular, summons
Wolfersdorf: "Surrender instantly; or--!" "We will expect you!"
answers Wolfersdorf. Whereupon, same morning (August 10th), general
storm; storm No. 1: beautifully handled by Wolfersdorf; who takes
it in rear (to its astonishment), as well as in front; and sends it
off in haste. On the morrow, Saturday, a second followed; and on
Sunday a third; both likewise beautifully handled. This third
storm, readers see, was "Sunday, August 12th:" a very busy stormful
day at Torgau here,--and also, for some others of us, during the
heats of Kunersdorf, over the horizon far away! Wolfersdorf tumbles
back all storms; furthermore makes mischievous sallies:
a destructive, skilled person; altogether prompt, fertile in
expedients; and evidently is not to be managed by Kleefeld. So that
Prince von Stolberg, Second to supreme Zweibruck himself, has to
take it in hand. And,

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