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
"LOUISBURG (North America), JULY 8th. Landing of General Amherst's
people at Louisburg in Cape Breton; with a view of besieging that
important place. Which has now become extremely difficult; the garrison,
and their defences, military, naval, being in full readiness for such an
event. Landing was done by Brigadier Wolfe; under the eye of Amherst and
Admiral Boscawen from rearward, and under abundant fire of batteries and
musketries playing on it ahead: in one of the surfiest seas (but we have
waited four days, and it hardly mends), tossing us about like corks;--so
that 'many of the boats were broken;' and Wolfe and people 'had to leap
out, breast-deep,' and make fight for themselves, the faster the better,
under very intricate circumstances! Which was victoriously done, by
Wolfe and his people; really in a rather handsome manner, that morning.
As were all the subsequent Siege-operations, on land and on water, by
them and the others:--till (August 8th) the Siege ended: in complete
surrender,--positively for the last time (Pitt fully intends); no
Austrian Netherlands now to put one on revoking it! [General Amherst's
DIARY OF THE SIEGE (in _Gentleman's Magazine,_ xxviii. 384-389).]
"These are pretty victories, cheering to Pitt and Friedrich; but the
difficult point still is that of Fermor. Whose Cossacks, and their
devil-like ravagings, are hideous to think of:--unrestrainable by Dohna,
unless he could cut the root of them; which he cannot. JUNE 27th [while
Colonel Mosel, with his 3,000 wagons, still only one stage from Troppau,
was so busy], slow Fermor rose from Konitz; began hitching southward,
southward gradually to Posen,--a considerably stronger Polish Town;
on the edge both of Brandenburg and of Silesia;--and has been sitting
there, almost ever since our entrance into Bohemia; his Cossacks burning
and wasting to great distances in both Countries; no deciding which of
them he meant to invade with his main Army. Sits there almost a month,
enigmatic to Dohna, enigmatic to Friedrich: till Friedrich decides at
last that he cannot be suffered longer, whichever of them he mean; and
rises for Silesia (August 2d). Precisely about which day Fermor had
decided for Brandenburg, and rolled over thither, towards Custrin and
the Frankfurt-on-Oder Country, heralded by fire and murder, as usual."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account