History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 14Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 14
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
"A blessed change indeed. No enemy here,--perhaps some Festititz, with
his canaille of Tolpatches, still lingering about,--no enemy worth
mention. Parties go out freely to investigate:--but as to forage? Alas,
a Country burnt, Villages black and silent for ten miles round;--you
pick up here and there a lean steer, welcome amid boiled horse-flesh;
you bundle a load or two of neglected grass together, for what cavalry
remains. The genius of Sechelles, and help from the Saxon side, will be
much useful!
"Perhaps the undeniablest advantage of any is this, That Broglio,
not now so proud of the situation Prag is in, or led by the rule of
contraries, willingly quits Prag: Belleisle will not have to do
his function by the medium of pig-driving, but in the direct manner
henceforth. 'Give me 6 or 8,000 foot, and what of the cavalry have
horses still uneaten,' proposes Broglio; 'I will push obliquely towards
Eger,--which is towards Saxony withal, and opens our food-communications
there:--I will stretch out a hand to Maillebois, across the Mountain
Passes; and thus bring a victorious issue!' [Espagnac, i. 170.]
Belleisle consents: 'Well, since my Broglio will have it so!'--glad to
part with my Broglio at any rate,--'Adieu, then, M. le Marechal (and,'
SOTTO VOCE, 'may it be long before we meet again in partnership)!'
Broglio marches accordingly ('hand' beautifully held out to Maillebois,
but NOT within grasping distance); gets northwestward some 60 miles, as
far as Toplitz [sadly oblique for Eger],--never farther on that errand."
THE MAILLEBOIS ARMY OF REDEMPTION CANNOT REDEEM AT ALL;--HAS TO STAGGER
SOUTHWARD AGAIN; AND BECOMES AN "ARMY OF BAVARIA," UNDER BROGLIO.
"SEPTEMBER 19th-OCTOBER 10th,,'--Scene is, the Eger-VohenStrauss
Country, in and about that Bohemian Forest of seventy miles.--"For three
weeks, Maillebois and the Comte de Saxe, trying their utmost, cannot,
or cannot to purpose, get through that Bohemian Wood. Only Three
practicable Passes in it; difficult each, and each conducting you
towards more new difficulties, on the farther side;--not surmountable
except by the determined mind. A gloomy business: a gloomy difficult
region, solitary, hungry; nothing in it but shaggy chasms (and perhaps
Tolpatchery lurking), wastes, mountain woodlands, dumb trees, damp brown
leaves. Maillebois and Saxe, after survey, shoot leftwards to Eger; draw
food and reinforcement from the Garrison there. They do get through the
Forest, at one Pass, the Pass nearest Eger;--but find Prince Karl and
the Grand-Duke ranked to receive them on the other side. 'Plunge home
upon Prince Karl and the Grand-Duke; beat them, with your Broglio to
help in the rear?' That possibly was Friedrich's thought as he watched
[now home at Berlin again] the contemporaneous Theatre of War.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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