History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 17Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 17
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
... "The High-road from the Lausitz parts crosses Elbe at Pirna; falls
into the Dresden-Prag High-road there; and from Pirna towards Toplitz,
for the first few miles, this latter runs through the Prussian Posts;
but we may guess it is not much travelled at present. North of Elbe,
too, the Prussians have batteries on the fit points; detachments of due
force, from Gross-Sedlitz Bridge-of-Pontoons all round to Schandau,
or beyond; could fire upon the Konigstein, across the River: they
have plugged up the Saxon position everywhere. They have a Battery
especially, and strong post, to cannonade the Bridge at Pirna, should
the Saxons think of trying there. It is now the one Saxon or even
Half-Saxon Bridge; Sonnenstein and Pirna command the Saxon end of it,
a strong battery the Prussian end: a Bridge lying mainly idle, like the
general Highway to Toplitz at this time. Beyond the Konigstein, again,
at a place called Wendisch-Fahre (WENDS'-FERRY), the Prussians have,
by means of boats swinging wide at anchor on the swift current, what is
called a Flying-bridge, with which the north side can communicate with
the south. They have a post at Nieder-Raden (OBER Raden, railway station
in our time, is on the south side): Nether Raden is an interesting
little Hamlet, mostly invisible to mankind (built in the THROAT of the
stone chasms there), from which you begin mounting to the BASTEI far
aloft. A Raden to be noted, by the Tourist and us."
Little, or even nothing, of fighting there is: why should there be?
The military operations are a dead-lock, and require no word. Thirty
thousand, half of the Prussian Force, lie, vigilant as lynxes,
blockading here; other half, 32,000, under Marshal Keith, have marched
forward to Aussig, to Nollendorf on the Bohemian frontier, to clear the
ways, and look into any Austrian motion thereabouts,--with whom, with
some Pandour detachment of whom, Duke Ferdinand, leading the vanguard,
has had a little brush among the Hills; smiting them home again, in his
usual creditable way (September 13th); and taking Camp at Peterswalde,
he and others of the Force, that night. [_OEuvres de Frederic,_ iv. 85;
ANONYMOUS OF HAMBURG, i. 19.] It is with this Keith Army, with this if
with any, that adventures are to be looked for at present.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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