History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 12Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 12
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
Money somewhere her Hungarian Majesty has got; that is one thing
evident. She has an actual Army on foot, "drawn out of Italy," or whence
she could; formidable Army, says rumor, and getting well equipped;--and
here are the Pandour Precursors of it, coming down like storm-clouds
through the Glatz valleys;--nearly finishing the War for her at
a stroke, the other day, had accident favored;--and have thrown
reinforcement of 600 into Neisse. Friedrich is not insensible to these
things; and amid such alarms from far and from near, is becoming eager
to have, at least, Glogau in his hand. Glogau, he is of opinion, could
now, and should, straightway be done.
Glogau is not a strong place; after all the repairing, it could stand
little siege, were we careless of hurting it. But Wallis is obstinate;
refuses Free Withdrawal; will hold out to the uttermost, though his meal
is running low. He pretends there is relief coming; relief just at hand;
and once, in midnight time, "lets off a rocket and fires six guns,"
alarming Prince Leopold as if relief were just in the neighborhood. A
tough industrious military man; stiff to his purpose, and not without
shift.
Friedrich thinks the place might be had by assault: "Open trenches; set
your batteries going, which need not injure the Town; need only alarm
Wallis, and TERRIFY it; then, under cover of this noise and feint
of cannonading, storm with vigor." Leopold, the Young Dessauer, is
cautious; wants petards if he must storm, wants two new battalions if he
must open trenches;--he gets these requisites, and is still cunctatory.
Friedrich has himself got the notion, "from clear intelligence," true
or not, that relief to Glogau is actually on way; and under such
imminences, Russian and other, in so ticklish a state of the world, he
becomes more and more impatient that this thing were done. In the first
week of March, still hurrying about on inspection-business, he writes,
from four or five different places ("Mollwitz near Brieg" is one of
them, a Village we shall soon know better), Note after Note to Leopold;
who still makes difficulties, and is not yet perfect to the last finish
in his preparations. "Preparations!" answers Friedrich impatiently (date
MOLLWITZ, 5th MARCH, the third or fourth impatient Note he has sent);
and adds, just while quitting Mollwitz for Ohlau, this Postscript in his
own hand:--
P.S. "I am sorry you have not understood me! They have, in Bohmen, a
regular enterprise on hand for the rescue of Glogau. I have Infantry
enough to meet them; but Cavalry is quite wanting. You must therefore,
without delay, begin the siege. Let us finish there, I pray you!"
[Orlich, i. 70.]
And next day, Monday 6th, to cut the matter short, he despatches his
General-Adjutant Goltz in person (the distance is above seventy miles),
with this Note wholly in autograph, which nothing vocal on Leopold's
part will answer:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account