History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 19Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 19
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
All this was prior to the loss of Dresden. During the crisis of that,
when everybody was bestirring himself, Prince Henri made extraordinary
exertions: "Much depends on me; all on me!" sighed Henri. A cautious
little man; but not incapable of risking, in the crisis of a game for
life and death. Friedrich and he are wedged asunder by that dike of
Russians and Austrians, which goes from Bober river eastward, post
after post, to Hoyerswerda westward, eighty miles along the
Lausitz-Brandenburg Frontier, rooting itself through the Lausitz
into Bohemia, and the sources of its meal. Friedrich and he cannot
communicate except by spies ("the first JAGER," or regular express "from
the King, arrived September 13th" [Ib. iii. 207.]): but both are of one
mind; both are on one problem, "What is to be done with that impassable
dike?"--and co-operate sympathetically without communicating. What
follows bears date AFTER the loss of Dresden, but while Henri still knew
only of the siege,--that JAGER of the 13th first brought him news of the
loss.
"A day or two after Ziethen's adventure, Henri quits Sagan, to move
southward for a stroke at the Bohemian-Lausitz magazines; a stroke, and
series of strokes. SEPTEMBER 8th, Ziethen and (in Fouquet's absence at
Landshut) Stutterheim are pushed forward into the Zittau Country; first
of all upon Friedland,--the Zittau Friedland, for there are Friedlands
many! SEPTEMBER 9th, Stutterheim summons Friedland, gets it; gets the
bit of magazine there; and next day hastens on to Zittau. Is refused
surrender of Zittau; learns, however, that the magazine has been mostly
set on wheels again, and is a stage forward on the road to Bohemia;
whitherward Stutterheim, quitting Zittau as too tedious, hastens after
it, and next day catches it, or the unburnt remains of it. A successful
Stutterheim. Nor is Ziethen idle in the mean while; Ziethen and others;
whom no Deville or Austrian Party thinks itself strong enough to meddle
with, Prince Henri being so near.
"Here is a pretty tempest in the heart of our Bohemian meal-conduit!
Continue that, and what becomes of Soltikof and me? Daun is off from
Triebel Country to this dangerous scene; indignantly cashiers Deville,
'Why did not you attack these Ziethen people? Had not you 10,000, Sir?'
Cashiers poor Deville for not attacking;--does not himself attack: but
carts away the important Gorlitz magazine, to Bautzen, which is the
still more important one; sits down on the lid of that (according to
wont); shoots out O'Donnell (an Irish gentleman, Deville's successor),
and takes every precaution. Prince Henri, in presence of O'Donnell,
coalesces again; walks into Gorlitz; encamps there, on the Landskron
and other Heights (Moys Hill one of them, poor Winterfeld's Hill!),--and
watches a little how matters will turn, and whether Daun, severely
vigilant from Bautzen, seated on the lid of his magazine, will not
perhaps rise."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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