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
thought to be thinking), 'Wants to do it himself, or to get the credit
of doing it, as in former cases; and bring me into disgrace!' Not quite
an insane notion either, on Soubise's part, say some who have looked
into the Broglio-Soubise Controversy;--which far be it from any of us,
at this or at any time, to do. Here are the facts that ensued.
"TUESDAY, JULY 15th, 1761, Broglio reconnoitred with intensity all day,
drove in all Ferdinand's outposts; and about six in the evening,
seeing hope of surprise, or spurred by some notion of doing the feat
by himself, suddenly burst into onslaught on Ferdinand's Position:
'Vellinghausen yonder, and the woody strengths about,--could not we get
hold of that; it would be so convenient to-morrow morning!' Granby and
the English are in camp about Vellinghausen; and are taken quite on the
sudden: but they drew out rapidly, in a state of bottled indignation,
and fought, all of them,--Pembroke's Brigade of Horse, Cavendish's
of Foot, BERG-SCHOTTEN, Maxwell's Brigade and the others, in a highly
satisfactory way,--'MIT UNBESCHREIBLICHER TAPFERKEIT,' says Mauvillon
on this occasion again. Broglio truly has burst out into enormous
cannonade, musketade and cavalry-work, in this part; and struggles at
it, almost four hours,--a furious, and especially a very noisy business,
charging, recharging through the woods there;--but, met in this manner,
finds he can make nothing of it; and about 10 at night, leaves off till
a new morning.
"Next morning, about 4, Broglio, having diligently warned Soubise
overnight, recommenced; again very fiercely, and with loud cannonading;
but with result worse than before. Ferdinand overnight, while Broglio
was warning Soubise, had considerably strengthened his left wing
here,--by detachments from the right or Anti-Soubise wing; judging,
with good foresight, how Soubise would act. And accordingly, while poor
Broglio kept storming forward with his best ability, and got always
hurled back again, Soubise took matters easy; 'had understood the hour
of attack to be' so-and-so, 'had understood' this and that; and on the
whole, except summoning or threatening, in the most languid way, one
outlying redoubt ('redoubt of Scheidingen') on Ferdinand's right wing,
did nothing, or next to nothing, for behoof of his Broglio. Who, hour
after hour, finds himself ever worse bested;--those Granby people
proving 'indescribable' once more [their Wutgenau also with his
Hanoverians NOT being absent, as they rather were last night];--and
about 10 in the morning gives up the bad job; and sets about retiring.
If retiring be now permissible; which it is not altogether. Ferdinand,
watching intently through his glass the now silent Broglio, discerns
'Some confusion in the Marechal yonder!'--and orders a general charge
of the left wing upon Broglio; which considerably quickened his retreat;
and broke it into flight, and distressful wreck and capture, in some
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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