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
"Had Neipperg known what was in Jagerndorf--! But he does not know.
He marches on, next morning, at his usual slow rate; wide clouds of
Pandours accompanying and preceding him; skirmishing in upon all places
[upon Jagerndorf, for instance, though fifteen miles wide of their
road], to ascertain if Prussians are there. One can judge whether
Friedrich and Schwerin were thankful when the huge alarm produced
nothing! 'The mountain,' as Friedrich says, 'gave birth to a
mouse;'--nay it was a 'mouse' of essential vital use to Friedrich and
Schwerin; a warning, That they must instantly collect themselves, men
and goods; and begone one and all out of these parts, double-quick
towards Neisse. Not now with the hope of besieging Neisse,--far from
that;--but of getting their wide-scattered posts together thereabouts,
and escaping destruction in detail!
"APRIL 4th, HEAD-QUARTERS NEUSTADT. By violent exertion, with the
sacrifice only of some remote little storehouses, all is rendezvoused at
Jagerndorf, within two days; and this day they march; King and vanguard
reaching Neustadt, some twenty-five miles forward, some twenty still
from Neisse. At Neustadt, the posts that had stood in that neighborhood
are all assembled, and march with the King to-morrow. Of Neipperg,
except by transitory contact with his Pandour clouds, they have seen
nothing: his road is pretty much parallel to theirs, and some fifteen
miles leftward, Glatzward; goes through Zuckmantel, Ziegenhals, straight
upon Neisse. [Zuckmantel, "Twitch-Cloak," occurs more than once as a
Town's name in those regions: name which, says my Dryasdust without
smile visible, it got from robberies done on travellers, "twitchings of
your cloak," with stand-and-deliver, as you cross those wild mountain
spaces. (Zeiller, _Beschreibung des Konigreichs Boheim,_ Frankfurt,
1650;--a rather worthless old Book, like the rest of Zeiller's in that
kind.)] Neipperg's men are wearied with the long climb out of Mahren;
and he struggles towards Neisse as the first object;--holding upon Glatz
and Lentulus with his left. Numerous orders have been speeded from the
King's quarters, at Jagerndorf, and here at Neustadt; order especially
to Holstein-Beck at Frankenstein, and to Kalkstein at Grotkau, How they
are to unite, first with one another; and then to cross Neisse River,
and unite with the King,--to which end there is already a Bridge laid
for them, or about to be laid in good time.
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