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
is, the Pragmatic Army had come across again, at Aschaffenburg,
Sunday, June 16th; and was found there by his Majesty on the Wednesday
following, with its two internecine plans fallen into mutual death; a
Pragmatic Army in truly dangerous circumstances.
"The English who were in and round Aschaffenburg itself, Hanoverians
and Austrians encamping farther down, had put a battery on the Bridge of
Aschaffenburg; hoping to be able to forage thereby on the other side of
the Mayn. Whereupon Noailles had instantly clapt a redoubt, under
due cover of a Wood, at his end of the Bridge, 'No passage this way,
gentlemen, except into the cannon's throat!'--so that Marshal Stair,
reconnoitring that way, 'had his hat shot off,' and rapidly drew back
again. Nay, before long, Noailles, at the Village of Seligenstadt, some
eight miles farther down, throws two wooden or pontoon bridges
over; [Sketch of Plan at p. 257.] can bring his whole Army across at
Seligenstadt; prohibits all manner of supply to us from Hanau or our
Magazines by his arrangement there:"--(Notable little Seligenstadt,
"City of the Blessed;" where Eginhart and Emma, ever since Charlemagne's
time, lie waiting the Resurrection; that is the place of these Noailles
contrivances!)--"Furthermore, we learn, Noailles has seized a post
twenty miles farther up the river (Miltenberg the name of it); and will
prevent supplies from coming down to us out of Branken or the Neckar
Country. We had forgotten, or our COLLAPSE of plans had done it, that
'an army moves on its stomach' (as the King of Prussia says), and that
we have nothing to live upon in these parts!
"Such has the unfortunate fact turned out to be, when Britannic Majesty
arrives; and it can now be discovered clearly, by any eyes, however flat
to the head. And a terrible fact it is. Discordant Generals accuse one
another; hungry soldiers cannot be kept from plundering: for the horses
there is unripe rye in quantity; but what is there for the men? My poor
traditionary friends, of the Grey Dragoons, were wont (I have heard)
to be heart-rending on this point, in after years! Famine being urgent,
discipline is not possible, nor existence itself. For a week longer,
George, rather in obstinate hope than with any reasonable plan or
exertion, still tries it; finds, after repeated Councils of War, that
he will have to give it up, and go back to Hanau where his living
is. Wednesday night, 26th June, 1743, that is the final resolution,
inevitably come upon, without argument: and about one on Thursday
morning, the Army (in two columns, Austrians to vanward well away from
the River, English as rear-guard close on it) gets in motion to execute
said resolution,--if the Army can.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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