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
At this stage, it appears, Finck and many Generals, Seidlitz among the
others, were of opinion that, in present circumstances, with troops so
tired, and the enemy nearly certain to draw off, if permitted, here
had been enough for one day, and that there ought to be pause till
to-morrow. Friedrich knew well the need of rest; but Friedrich,
impatient of things half-done, especially of Russians half-beaten, would
not listen to this proposal; which was reckoned upon him as a grave and
tragic fault, all the rest of his life; though favorable judges, who
were on the ground, Tempelhof for one, [Tempelhof, iii. 194.] are
willing to prove that pausing here--at the point we had really got to, a
little beyond the Kuhgrund, namely; and not a couple of miles westward,
at the foot of the Jew Hill, where vague rumor puts us--was not feasible
or reasonable. Friedrich considers with himself, "Our left wing has
hardly yet been in fire!" calls out the entire left wing, foot
and horse: these are to emerge from their meshwork of Lakes about
Kunersdorf, and bear a hand along with us on the Russian front
here,--especially to sweep away that raging Battery they have on the Big
Spitzberg, and make us clear of it. The Big Spitzberg lies to south and
ahead of the Russian right as now ranked; fatally covers their right
flank, and half ruins the attack in front. Big Spitzberg is blown
irrecognizable in our time; but it was then an all-important thing.
The left-wing Infantry thread their lake-labyrinth, the soonest
possible; have to rank again on the hither side, under a tearing fire
from that Spitzberg; can then at last, and do, storm onwards, upwards;
but cannot, with their best efforts, take the Spitzberg: and have to
fall back under its floods of tearing case-shot, and retire out of
range. To Friedrich's blank disappointment: "Try it you, then, Seidlitz;
you saved us at Zorndorf!" Seidlitz, though it is an impossible problem
to storm batteries with horse, does charge in for the Russian flank,
in spite of its covering battery: but the torrents of grape-shot are
insufferable; the Seidlitz people, torn in gaps, recoil, whirl round,
and do not rank again till beyond the Lakes of Kunersdorf. Seidlitz
himself has got wounded, and has had to be carried away.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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