Andreas Hofer: An Historical NovelMühlbach, L. (Luise)
History
Andreas Hofer: An Historical Novel
Mühlbach, L. (Luise)
Hofer, Andreas, 1767-1810 -- Fiction; Tyrol (Austria) -- History -- Uprising of 1809 -- Fiction
"For all that, I have remained an honest mountaineer; and as for my
studies, I will not think of them until we have delivered the Tyrol
from the Bavarian yoke. I shall keep only my pen, and act as Andreas
Hofer's obedient secretary." [Footnote: Joseph Ennemoser, son of
John Ennemoser, the tailor and Seewirth of the Passeyrthal, was a
shepherd in his boyhood. His father sent him to the gymnasium of
Innsbruck, and afterward to the university of the same city, where
he studied medicine. In 1809 he was Hofer's secretary. Afterward he
became a celebrated professor of medicine at the University of
Bonn.]
"Sit down, then, my boy, and write. You will find pen and ink in
the drawer of yonder table. Take them, and I will dictate to you."
And amidst the respectful silence of the men, walking up and down
slowly, and stroking his long beard with his right hand, Andreas
Hofer commenced dictating his "open order," which was as follows:
"Early in the morning of the 9th of April General Hiller will march
from Salzburg to the Lower Inn valley, and General yon Chasteler
from Carinthia to the Puster valley. On the 11th or 12th of April
the former will arrive at Innsbruck, and the latter at Brixen. The
Archduke John orders that the Muhlbach pass be occupied by peasants
from the Puster valley, and the Kuntersweg by mounted men. They are
to allow all forces of the enemy marching from Botzen to Brixen to
pass, and will cut off all communications only so soon as they
discover that the Bavarian civilians and soldiers are trying to
escape from Brixen to Botzen. Not a man must be allowed to pass
then."
While Andreas Hofer was dictating his "open order" with a firm and
thoughtful air, the peasants stood dumfounded with admiration,
staring at him with a feeling of awe, and delighted with his
sagacity and understanding. That Hofer cast from time to time a
searching glance at Hormayr's letter did not disturb the admiration
they felt for their chosen leader, and they were silent and stared
at him long after he was through.
"So," said Andreas when the writing was finished, "now Martin Teimer
and I will affix our names to this open order; Ennemoser will then
copy it half a dozen times, and six of you will carry the copies to
the other leaders who are already waiting for them, and who will
give the signal to their friends in the lower valley. You, George
Lanthaler, will carry the order to Joseph Speckbacher at Kufstein;
you, Joseph Gufler, will take it to the farmer at the Schildhof;
you, George Steinhauferle, will go to Anthony Wallner, the
Aichberger at Windisch-Matrey. Quick, quick, my friends, we have no
time to lose; you must walk night and day; you cannot rest on the
road, for we must strike the blow with lightning speed, and it must
be done at the same time all over the country."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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