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
Truly a memorable bit of work; no finer done for a hundred years, or for
hundreds of years; and the results of it manifold, immediate and remote.
About 10,000 Austrians are left on the field, 3,000 of them slain;
prisoners already 12,000, in a short time 21,000; flags 51, cannon
116;--"Conquest of Silesia" gone to water; Prince Karl and Austria
fallen from their high hopes in one day. The Prussians lost in killed
1,141, in wounded 5,118; 85 had been taken prisoners about Sagschutz and
Gohlau, in the first struggle there. [Kutzen, pp. 118, 125.] There and
at Leuthen Village had been the two tough passages; about an hour each;
in three hours the Battle was done. "MEINE HERREN," said Friedrich that
night at parole, "after such a spell of work, you deserve rest. This day
will bring the renown of your name, and of the Nation's, to the latest
posterity."
High and low had shone this day; especially these four: Ziethen,
Driesen, Retzow,--and above all Moritz of Dessau. Riding up the line, as
night fell, Friedrich, in passing Moritz and the right wing, drew bridle
for an instant: "I congratulate you on the Victory, Herr Feldmarschall!"
cried he cheerily, and with emphasis on the last word. Moritz, still
very busy, answered slightly; and Friedrich repeated louder, "Don't
you hear that I congratulate you, Herr FELDMARSCHALL!"--a glad sound to
Moritz, who ever since Kolin had stood rather in the shadow. "You have
helped me, and performed every order, as none ever did before in any
battle," added the grateful King.
Riding up the line, all now grown dusky, Friedrich asks, "Any battalion
a mind to follow me to Lissa?" Three battalions volunteering, follow
him; three are plenty. At Saara, on the Great Road, things are fallen
utterly dark. "Landlord, bring a lantern, and escort." Landlord of the
poor Tavern at Saara escorts obediently; lantern in his right hand,
left hand holding by the King's stirrup-leather,--King (Excellency or
General, as the Landlord thinks him) wishing to speak with the man. Will
the reader consent to their Dialogue, which is dullish, but singular to
have in an authentic form, with Nicolai as voucher? [_Anekdoten_, iii.
231-235.] Like some poor old horse-shoe, ploughed up on the field. Two
farthings worth of rusty old iron; now little other than a curve
of brown rust: but it galloped at the Battle of Leuthen; that is
something!--
KING. "Come near; catch me by the stirrup-leather [Landlord with lantern
does so]. We are on the Breslau Great Road, that goes through Lissa, are
n't we?"
LANDLORD. "Yea, Excellenz."
KING. "Who are you?"
LANDLORD. "Your Excellenz, I am the KRATSCHMER [Silesian for Landlord]
at Saara."
KING. "You have had a great deal to suffer, I suppose."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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