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
Lehwald was just finishing with the Swedes,--had got them all bottled up
in Stralsund again, about New-Year's time, when these Russians crossed
into Preussen. We said nothing of the Swedish so-called Campaign of last
Year;--and indeed are bound to be nearly silent of that and of all
the others. Five Campaigns of them, or at least Four and a half; such
Campaigns as were never made before or since. Of Campaign 1757, the
memorable feature is, that of the whole "Swedish Division," as the
laughing Newspapers called it, which was "put to flight by five Berlin
Postilions;"--substantially a truth, as follows:--
"Night of September 12th-13th, 1757, the Swedes, 22,000 strong, did at
last begin business; crossed Peene River, the boundary between their
Pommern and ours; and, having nothing but some fractions of Militia
to oppose them, soon captured the Redoubts there; spread over Prussian
Pommern, and on into the Uckermark; diligently raising contributions,
to a heavy amount. No less than 90,000 pounds in all for this poor
Province; though, by a strange accident, 60,000 pounds proved to be the
actual sum.
"Towards the end of October they had got as much as 60,000 pounds from
the northern parts of Uckermark, Prentzlow being their head-quarter
during that operation; and they now sent out a Detachment of 200
grenadiers and 100 dragoons towards Zehdenick, another little Town, some
forty miles farther south, there to wring out the remaining sum. The
Detachment marched by night, not courting notice; but people had heard
of its coming; and five Prussian Postilions,--shifty fellows, old
hussars it may be, at any rate skilful on the trumpet, and furnished
with hussar jackets and an old pistol each, determined to do something
for their Country. The Swedish Detachment had not marched many miles,
when,--after or before some flourishes of martial trumpeting,--there
verily fell on the Swedish flank, out of a clump of dark wood, five
shots, and wounded one man. To the astonishment and panic of the other
two hundred and ninety-nine; who made instant retreat, under new shots
and trumpet-tones, as if it were from five whole hussar regiments;
retreat double-quick, to Prentzlow; alarm waxing by the speed; alarm
spreading at Prentzlow itself: so that the whole Division got to its
feet, recrossed the Peene; and Uckermark had nothing more to pay, for
that bout! This is not a fable, such as go in the Newspapers," adds my
Authority, "but an accurate fact:" [_ Helden-Geschichte,_ iv. 764, 807;
Archenholtz, i. 160.]--probably, in our day, the alone memorable one of
that "Swedish War."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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