History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 20Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 20
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
On the third day, Loudon, looking into this thing, which he has not
minded hitherto, finds it such a thing as he never dreamt of before.
A thing strong as Gibraltar, in a manner;--which it will be terribly
difficult to attack with success! For eight days more Friedrich did not
rest from his spadework; made many changes and improvements, till he had
artificially made a very Stolpen of it, a Plauen, or more. Cogniazzo,
the AUSTRIAN VETERAN, says: "Plauen, and Daun's often ridiculed
precautions there, were nothing to it. Not as if Bunzelwitz had been so
inaccessible as our sheer rocks there; but because it is a masterpiece
of Art, in which the principles of tactics are combined with those of
field-fortification, as never before." Tielke grows quite eloquent on
it: "A masterpiece of judgment in ground," says he; "and the treatment
of it a model of sound, true and consummate field-engineering."
[Tielke, iii. BUNZELWITZ (which is praised as an attractive Piece);
OESTERREICHISCHER VETERAN, iv. 79: cited in PREUSS, ii. 285.]
Ziethen, appointed to that function, watches on the Heights of Wurben,
the citadel of the place: keeps a sharp eye to the southwest. All round,
in huge half-moon on the edge of the Hills over there, six or more miles
from Ziethen, lie the angry Enemies; Austrians south and nearest, about
Kunzendorf and Freyberg. Russians are on the top of Striegau
Hills, which are well known to some of us; Russian head-quarter is
Hohenfriedberg,--who would have thought it, Herr General von Ziethen?
Sixteen years ago, we have seen these Heights in other tenancy: Austrian
field-music and displayed banners coming down; a thousand and a thousand
Austrian watch-fires blazing out yonder, in the silent June night, eve
of such a Day! Baireuth Dragoons and their No. 67;--you will find the
Baireuth Dragoons still here in a sense, but also in a sense not. Their
fencing Chasot is gone to Lubeck long since; will perhaps pay Friedrich
a visit by and by: their fiery Gessler is gone much farther, and will
never visit anybody more! Many were the reapers then, and they are
mostly gone to rest. Here is a new harvest; the old SICKLES are still
here; but the hands that wielded them--! "Steady!" answers the Herr
General; profoundly aware of all that, but averse to words upon it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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