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
Readers had, some while ago, a flying Note, which we promised to take
up again; about Tottleben's procedures, and a Third Siege of Colberg
coming. Siege, we have chanced to see, there accordingly is, and
a Platen gone to help against it. Siege, after infinite delays and
haggles, has at length come,--uncommonly vivid during the final days
of Bunzelwitz;--and is, and has been, and continues to be, much in the
King's thoughts. Probably a matter of more concernment to him, before,
during and after Bunzelwitz (though the Pitt Catastrophe, going on
simultaneously, is still more important, if he knew it), than
anything else befalling in the distance. Let us now give a few farther
indications on that matter.
Truce between Werner and Tottleben expired May 12th; but for five
weeks more nothing practical followed; except diligent reinforcing,
revictualling and extraordinary fortifying of Colberg and its environs,
on the Prussian part,--Eugen of Wurtemberg, direct from Restock and his
Anti-Swede business, Eugen 12,000 strong, with a Werner and other such
among them, taking head charge outside the walls; old Heyde again as
Commandant within: while on the Russian part, under General Romanzow,
there is a most tortoise-like advance,--except that the tortoise carries
all his resources with him, and Romanzow's, multifarious and enormous,
are scattered over seas and lands, and need endless waiting for, in the
intervals of crawling.
This is the Romanzow who failed at Colherg once already (on the heel
of Zorndorf in 1758, if readers recollect); and is the more bound to be
successful now. From sea and from land, for five weeks, there is rumor
of a Romanzow in overwhelming force, and with intentions very furious
upon Colberg,--upon the outposts, under Werner, as first point. Five
weeks went, before anything of Romanzow was visible even to Werner (22d
June, at Coslin, forty miles to eastward); after which his advance (such
waiting for the ships, for the artilleries, the this and the that)
was slower than ever; and for about eight weeks more, he haggles along
through Coslin, through Corlin, Belgard again, flowing slowly forward
upon Werner's outposts, like a summer glacier with its rubbishes; or
like a slow lava-tide,--a great deal of smoke on each side of him (owing
to the Cossacks), as usual. Romanzow's progress is of the slowest;
and it is not till August 19th that he practically gets possession of
Corlin, Belgard and those outposts on the Persante River, and comes
within sight of Colberg and his problem. By which time, he finds Eugen
of Wurtemberg encamped and intrenched still ahead of him, still nearer
Colberg, and likely to give him what they call "DE LA TABLATURE," or
extremely difficult music to play.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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