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
a good spell more to do,--dragging "2,000 heavy wagons" with him, and
across such impediments within and without. Readers that care to study
him, especially for the next few days, will find it worth their while.
Tempelhof gives, as usual, a most clear Account, minute to a degree;
which, supplemented by Mitchell and a Reimann Map, enables us as it were
to accompany, and to witness with our eyes. Hitherto a March toilsome in
the extreme, in spite of everything done to help it; starting at 3 or
at 2 in the morning; resting to breakfast in some shady place, while
the sun is high, frugally cooking under the shady woods,--"BURSCHEN
ABZUKOCHEN here," as the Order pleasantly bears. All encamped now, at
Bunzlau in Silesia, on Thursday evening, with a very eminent week's work
behind them. "In the last five days, above 100 miles of road, and such
road; five considerable rivers in it"--Bober, Queiss, Neisse, Spree,
Elbe; and with such a wagon-train of 2,000 teams. [Tempelhof, iv.
123-150.]
Proper that we rest a day here; in view of the still swifter marchings
and sudden dashings about, which lie ahead. It will be by extremely
nimble use of all the limbs we have,--hands as well as feet,--if any
good is to come of us now! Friedrich is aware that Daun already holds
Striegau "as an outpost [Loudon thereabouts, unknown to Friedrich],
these several days;" and that Daun personally is at Schmottseifen, in
our own old Camp there, twenty or thirty miles to south of us, and has
his Lacy to leftward of him, partly even to rearward: rather in advance
of US, both of them,--if we were for Landshut; which we are not. "Be
swift enough, may not we cut through to Jauer, and get ahead of Daun?"
counts Friedrich: "To Jauer, southeast of us, from Bunzlau here, is 40
miles; and to Jauer it is above 30 east for Daun: possible to be
there before Daun! Jauer ours, thence to the Heights of Striegau
and Hohenfriedberg Country, within wind of Schweidnitz, of Breslau:
magazines, union with Prince Henri, all secure thereby?" So reckons the
sanguine Friedrich; unaware that Loudon, with his corps of 35,000, has
been summoned hitherward; which will make important differences! Loudon,
Beck with a smaller Satellite Corps, both these, unknown to Friedrich,
lie ready on the east of him: Loudon's Army on the east; Daun's,
Lacy's on the south and west; three big Armies, with their Satellites,
gathering in upon this King: here is a Three-headed Dog, in the Tartarus
of a world he now has! On the fourth side of him is Oder, and
the Russians, who are also perhaps building Bridges, by way of a
supplementary or fourth head.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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