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
The Attack, supported by a few more Horse (though Column Three still
fatally lingers), and, I should hope, by some practicable weight of
Field-batteries, is spurred by a grimmer kind of indignation, and is of
fiercer spirit than ever. Think how Manteuffel of Foot will blaze out;
and what is the humor of those once overwhelmed Remnants, now getting
air again! Daun's line is actually broken in this point, his artillery
surmounted and become useless; Daun's potence and north front are
reeling backwards, Prussians in possession of their ground. "The field
to be ours!" thinks Friedrich, for some time. If indeed Ziethen had
been seriously busy on the southern side of things, instead of vaguely
cannonading in that manner! But resolute Daun, with promptitude, calls
in his Reserve from Grosswig, calls in whatsoever of disposable force he
can gather; Daun rallies, rushes again on the Prussians in overpowering
number; and, in spite of their most desperate resistance, drives them
back, ever back; and recovers his ground.
A very desperate bout, this Second one; probably the toughest of the
Battle: but the result again is Daun's; the Prussians palpably
obliged to draw back. Friedrich himself got wounded here;--poor young
Archenholtz too, ONLY wounded, not killed, as so many were:--Friedrich's
wound was a contusion on the breast; came of some spent bit of
case-shot, deadened farther by a famed pelisse he wore,--"which saved my
life," he said afterwards to Henri. The King himself little regarded
it (mentioning it only to Brother Henri, on inquiry and solicitation),
during the few weeks it still hung about him. The Books intimate that
it struck him to the earth, void of consciousness for some time, to
the terror of those about him; and that he started up, disregarding
it altogether in this press of business, and almost as if ashamed of
himself, which imposed silence on people's tongues. In military circles
there is still, on this latter point, an Anecdote; which I cannot
confirm or deny, but will give for the sake of Berenhorst and his famed
Book on the ART OF WAR. Berenhorst--a natural son of the Old Dessauer's,
and evidently enough a chip of the old block, only gone into the
articulate-speaking or intellectual form--was, for the present, an
Adjutant or Aide-de-camp of Friedrich's; and at this juncture was seen
bending over the swooned Friedrich, perhaps with an over-pathos or
elaborate something in his expression of countenance: when Friedrich
reopened his indignant eyes: "WAS MACHT ER HIER?" cried Friedrich: "ER
SAMMLE FUYARDS! What have you to do here? Go and gather runaways" (be
of some real use, can't you)!--which unkind cut struck deep into
Berenhorst, they say; and could never after be eradicated from his
gloomy heart. It is certain he became Prince Henri's Adjutant soon
after, and that in his KRIEGSKUNST, amidst the clearest orthodox
admiration, he manifests, by little touches up and down, a feeling
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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