History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 18Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 18
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
Seidlitz meanwhile, with his cavalry (thirty-eight squadrons, about
4,000 horse), is rapidly doing the order he has had. Seidlitz at a sharp
military trot, and the infantry at doublequick to keep up near him,
which they cannot quite do, are, as we have said, making right across
for the Polzen-Hill and Janus-Hill quarter; their route the string,
French route the bow; and are invisible to the French, owing to the
heights between. Seidlitz, when he gets to the proper point eastward,
will wheel about, front to southward, and be our left wing; infantry, as
centre and right, will appear in like manner; and--we shall see!
The exultant Dauphiness, or Soubise-Hildburghausen Army (let us call it,
for brevity's sake, Dauphiness or French, which it mainly was), on that
rapid disappearance of the Prussians, never doubted but the Prussians
were off on flight for Merseburg, to get across by the Bridge there.
Whereat Dauphiness, doubly exultant, mended her own pace, cavalry at
a sharp trot, infantry double-quick, but unable to keep up,--for the
purpose of capturing or intercepting the runaway Prussians. Speed,
my friends,--if you would do a stroke upon Friedrich, and show the
Versailles people a King at last! Thus they, hurrying on, in two
parallel columns,--infantry, long floods of it, coming double-quick but
somewhat fallen behind; cavalry 7,000 or so, as vanguard,--faster and
faster; sweeping forward on their southern side of the Janus-and-Polzen
slope, and now rather climbing the same.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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