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
"This Attempt [night of 21st-22d July] was a combined sally and
assault--Sally by Maguire's people, a General Nugent heading them, from
the South or Plauen side of Dresden, and Assault by 4,000 of Daun's from
the North side--upon Friedrich's Trenches. Which are to be burst in upon
in this double way, and swept well clear, as may be expected.
Friedrich, however, was aware of the symptoms, and had people ready
waiting,--especially, had Regiment BERNBURG, Battalions 1st and 2d; a
Regiment hitherto without stain.
"Bernburg accordingly, on General Nugent's entering their trenches from
the south side, falls altogether heartily on General Nugent; tumbles him
back, takes 200 prisoners, Nudent himself one of them [who is considered
to have been the eye of the enterprise, worth many hundreds this night]
all this Bernburg, in its usually creditable manner, does, as expected
of it. But after, or during all this, when the Dann people from the
north come streaming in, say four to one, both south and north, Bernburg
looked round for support; and seeing none, had, after more or less
of struggle, to retire as a defeated Bernburg,--Austrians taking
the battery, and ruling supreme there for some time. Till Wedell, or
somebody with fresh Battalions, came up; and, rallying Bernburg to him,
retook their Battery, and drove out the Austrians, with a heavy loss of
prisoners. [Tempelhof, iv. 79.]
"I did not hear that Bernburg's conduct was liable to the least fair
censure. But Friedrich's soul is severe at this time; demanding miracles
from everybody: 'You runaway Bernburg, shame on you!'--and actually
takes the swords from them, and cuts off their Hat-tresses: 'There!'
Which excited such an astonishment in the Prussian Army as was seldom
seen before. And affected Bernburg to the length almost of despair, and
breaking of heart,--in a way that is not ridiculous to me at all,
but beautiful and pathetic. Of which there is much talk, now and long
afterwards, in military circles. 'The sorrows of these poor Bernburgers,
their desperate efforts to wash out this stigma, their actual washing
of it out, not many weeks hence, and their magnificent joy on the
occasion,--these are the one distinguishing point in Daun's relief of
Dresden, which was otherwise quite a cunctatory, sedentary matter."
Daun built three Bridges,--he had a broad stone one already,--but did
little or nothing with them; and never himself came across at all.
Merely shot out nocturnal Pandour Parties, and ordered up Lacy and the
Reichsfolk to do the like, and break the night's rest of his Enemy. He
made minatory movements, one at least, down the River, by his own shore,
on Friedrich's Ammunition-Boats from Torgau, and actually intercepted
certain of them, which was something; but, except this, and vague
flourishings of the Pandour kind, left Friedrich to his own course.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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