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
For about five weeks, Friedrich, eminently practising this style, has
a most complex multifarious Briarean wrestle with big Daun and his
Lacy-Loudon Satellites; who have a troublesome time, running hither,
thither, under danger of slaps, and finding nowhere an available mistake
made. The scene is that intricate Hill-Country between Schweidnitz and
Glatz (kind of GLACIS from Schweidnitz to the Glatz Mountains): Daun,
generally speaking, has his back on Glatz, Friedrich on Schweidnitz;
and we hear of encampings at Kunzendorf, at BUNZELWITZ, at
BURKERSDORF--places which will be more famous in a coming Year. Daun
makes no complaint of his Lacy-Loudon or other satellite people; who are
diligently circumambient all of them, as bidden; but are unable, like
Daun himself, to do the least good; and have perpetually, Daun and they,
a bad life of it beside this Neighbor. The outer world, especially
the Vienna outer world, is naturally a little surprised: "How is this,
Feldmarschall Daun? Can you do absolutely nothing with him, then; but
sit pinned in the Hills, eating sour herbs!"
In the Russians appears no help. Soltikof on Glogau, we know what that
amounts to! Soltikof is evidently intending home, and nothing else.
To all Austrian proposals,--and they have been manifold, as poor
Montalembert knows too well,--the answer of Soltikof was and is: "Above
90,000 of you circling about, helping one another to do Nothing. Happy
were you, not a doubt of it, could WE be wiled across to you, to get
worried in your stead!" Daun begins to be extremely ill-off; provisions
scarce, are far away in Bohemia; and the roads daily more insecure,
Friedrich aiming evidently to get command of them altogether. Think of
such an issue to our once flourishing Campaign 1760! Daun is vigilance
itself against such fatality; and will do anything, except risk a Fight.
Here, however, is the fatal posture: Since September 18th, Daun sees
himself considerably cut off from Glatz, his provision-road more and
more insecure;--and for fourteen days onward, the King and he have got
into a dead-lock, and sit looking into one another's faces; Daun in a
more and more distressed mood, his provender becoming so uncertain, and
the Winter season drawing nigh. The sentries are in mutual view: each
Camp could cannonade the other; but what good were it? By a tacit
understanding they don't. The sentries, outposts and vedettes forbear
musketry; on the contrary, exchange tobaccoes sometimes, and have a
snatch of conversation. Daun is growing more and more unhappy. To which
of the gods, if not to Soltikof again, can he apply?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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