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
August 10th, Finck, punctual to time, arrives in the neighborhood of
Reitwein (which is some ten miles down stream from Lebus, from Frankfurt
perhaps fifteen); Friedrich, the same day, is there before him; eager
to complete the Bridges, and get to business. One Bridge is of pontoons;
one of "Oder-boats floated up from Custrin." Bridges are not begun till
nightfall, lest eyes be abroad; are ready in the minimum of time. And
so, during the same night of the 10th, all the Infantry, with their
artilleries and battle-furnitures, pour over in two columns; the
Cavalry, at the due point of time, riding by a ford short way to the
right. And at four, in the gray of the August morning (Saturday, 11th
August, 1759), all persons and things find themselves correctly across;
ranked there, in those barren, much-indented "Pasture-grounds of Goritz"
or of OEtscher; intending towards Kunersdorf; ready for unfolding into
order of battle there. They leave their heavy baggage at Goritz, Wunsch
to guard the Bridges and it; and, in succinct condition, are all under
way. At one in the afternoon we are got to Leissow and Bischofsee;
scrubby hamlets (as the rest all are), not above two miles from
Kunersdorf. The August day is windless, shiny, sultry; man and horse are
weary with the labors, and with the want of sleep: we decide to bivouac
here, and rest on the scrubby surface, heather or whatever it is, till
to-morrow.
Finck is Vanguard, ahead short way, and with his left on a bit of lake
or bog; the Army is in two lines, with its right on Leissow, and has
Cavalry in the kind of wood which there is to rear. Friedrich, having
settled the positions, rides out reconnoitring; hither, thither,
over the Heights of Trettin. "The day being still hot, he suffers
considerably from thirst [it is our one Anecdote] in that arid tract: at
last a Peasant does bring him, direct from the fountain, a jug of pure
cold water; whom, lucky man, the King rewarded with a thaler; and not
only so, but, the man being intelligent of the localities, took with him
to answer questions." Readers too may desire to gain some knowledge of
the important ground now under survey.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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