Book: History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 20

T >> Thomas Carlyle >> History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 20




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.

AUGUST 9th (BUNZLAU TO GOLDBERG), Friedrich, with his Three Columns
and perfect arrangements, makes a long march: from Bunzlau at 3 in
the morning; and at 5 afternoon arrives in sight of the Katzbach
Valley, with the little Town of Goldberg some miles to right.
Katzbach River is here; and Jauer, for to-morrow, still fifteen
miles ahead. But on reconnoitring here, all is locked and bolted:
Lacy strong on the Hills of Goldberg; Daun visible across the
Katzbach; Daun, and behind him Loudon, inexpugnably posted:
Jauer an impossibility! We have bread only for eight days;
our Magazines are at Schweidnitz and Breslau: what is to be done?
Get through, one way or other, we needs must! Friedrich encamps for
the night; expecting an attack. If not attacked, he will make for
Liegnitz leftward; cross the Katzbach there, or farther down at
Parchwitz:--Parchwitz, Neumarkt, LEUTHEN, we have been in that
country before now:--Courage!

AUGUST 10th-11th (TO LIEGNITZ AND BACK). At 5 A.M., Sunday, August
10th, Friedrich, nothing of attack having come, got on march again:
down his own left bank of the Katzbach, straight for Liegnitz;
unopposed altogether; not even a Pandour having attacked him
overnight. But no sooner is he under way, than Daun too rises;
Daun, Loudon, close by, on the other side of Katzbach, and keep
step with us, on our right; Lacy's light people hovering on our
rear:--three truculent fellows in buckram; fancy the feelings of
the way-worn solitary fourth, whom they are gloomily dogging in
this way! The solitary fourth does his fifteen miles to Liegnitz,
unmolested by them; encamps on the Heights which look down on
Liegnitz over the south; finds, however, that the Loudon-Daun
people have likewise been diligent; that they now lie stretched out
on their right bank, three or four miles up-stream or to rearward,
and what is far worse, seven miles downwards, or ahead: that, in
fact, they are a march nearer Parchwitz than he;--and that there is
again no possibility. "Perhaps by Jauer, then, still? Out of this,
and at lowest, into some vicinity of bread, it does behoove us to
be!" At 11 that night Friedrich gets on march again; returns the
way he came. And,

AUGUST 11th, At daybreak, is back to his old ground; nothing now to
oppose him but Lacy, who is gone across from Goldberg, to linger as
rear of the Daun-Loudon march. Friedrich steps across on Lacy,
thirsting to have a stroke at Lacy; who vanishes fast enough,
leaving the ground clear. Could but our baggage have come as fast
as we! But our baggage, Quintus guarding and urging, has to groan
on for five hours yet; and without it, there is no stirring.
Five mortal hours;--by which time, Daun, Lacy, Loudon are all up
again; between us and Jauer, between us and everything helpful;--
and Friedrich has to encamp in Seichau,--"a very poor Village in
the Mountains," writes Mitchell, who was painfully present there,
"surrounded on all sides by Heights; on several of which, in the
evening, the Austrians took camp, separated from us by a deep
ravine only." [Mitchell, ii. 194.]

Outlooks are growing very questionable to Mitchell and everybody.
"Only four days' provisions" (in reality six), whisper the Prussian
Generals gloomily to Mitchell and to one another: "Shall we have to
make for Glogau, then, and leave Breslau to its fate? Or perhaps it
will be a second Maxen to his Majesty and us, who was so indignant
with poor Finck?" My friends, no; a Maxen like Finck's it will
never be: a very different Maxen, if any! But we hope
better things.

Friedrich's situation, grasped in the Three-lipped Pincers in this
manner, is conceivable to readers. Soltikof, on the other side of
Oder, as supplementary or fourth lip, is very impatient with these
three. "Why all this dodging, and fidgeting to and fro? You are
above three to one of your enemy. Why don't you close on him at
once, if you mean it at all? The end is, He will be across Oder;
and it is I that shall have the brunt to bear: Henri and he will
enclose me between two fires!" And in fact, Henri, as we know,
though Friedrich does not or only half does, has gone across Oder,
to watch Soltikof, and guard Breslau from any attempts of his,--
which are far from HIS thoughts at this moment;--a Soltikof fuming
violently at the thought of such cunctations, and of being made
cat's-paw again. "Know, however, that I understand you," violently
fumes Soltikof, "and that I won't. I fall back into the Trebnitz
Bog-Country, on my own right bank here, and look out for my own
safety."--"Patience, your noble Excellenz," answer they always;
"oh, patience yet a little! Only yesterday (Sunday, 10th) the day
after his arrival in this region), we had decided to attack and
crush him; Sunday very early: [Tempelhof, iv. 137, 148-150.] but he
skipped away to Liegnitz. Oh, be patient yet a day or two: he skips
about at such a rate!" Montalembert has to be suasive as the Muses
and the Sirens. Soltikof gloomily consents to another day or two.
And even, such his anxiety lest this swift King skip over upon HIM,
pushes out a considerable Russian Division, 24,000 ultimately,
under Czernichef, towards the King's side of things, towards Auras
on Oder, namely,--there to watch for oneself these interesting
Royal movements; or even to join with Loudon out there, if that
seem the safer course, against them. Of Czernichef at Auras we
shall hear farther on,--were these Royal movements once got
completed a little.

MORNING OF AUGUST 12th, Friedrich has, in his bad lodging at
Seichau, laid a new plan of route: "Towards Schweidnitz let it be;
round by Pombsen and the southeast, by the Hill-roads, make a sweep
flankward of the enemy!"--and has people out reconnoitring the
Hill-roads. Hears, however, about 8 o'clock, That Austrians in
strength are coming between us and Goldberg! "Intending to enclose
us in this bad pot of a Seichau; no crossing of the Katzbach, or
other retreat to be left us at all?" Friedrich strikes his tents;
ranks himself; is speedily in readiness for dispute of such
extremity;--sends out new patrols, however, to ascertain.
"Austrians in strength" there are NOT on the side indicated;--
whereupon he draws in again. But, on the other hand, the Hill-roads
are reported absolutely impassable for baggage; Pombsen an
impossibility, as the other places have been. So Friedrich sits
down again in Seichau to consider; does not stir all day.
To Mitchell's horror, who, "with great labor," burns all the
legationary ciphers and papers ("impossible to save the baggage if
we be attacked in this hollow pot of a camp"), and feels much
relieved on finishing. [Mitchell, ii. 144; Tempelhof, iv. 144.]

Towards sunset, General Bulow, with the Second Line (second column
of march), is sent out Goldberg-way, to take hold of the passage of
the Katzbach: and at 8 that night we all march, recrossing there
about 1 in the morning; thence down our left bank to Liegnitz for
the second time,--sixteen hours of it in all, or till noon of the
13th. Mitchell had been put with the Cavalry part; and "cannot but
observe to your Lordship what a chief comfort it was in this long,
dangerous and painful March," to have burnt one's ciphers and dread
secrets quite out of the way.

And thus, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13th, about noon, we are in our old
Camp; Head-quarter in the southern suburb of Liegnitz (a wretched
little Tavern, which they still show there, on mythical terms):
main part of the Camp, I should think, is on that range of Heights,
which reaches two miles southward, and is now called "SIEGESBERG
(Victory Hill)," from a modern Monument built on it, after nearly
100 years. Here Friedrich stays one day,--more exactly, 30 hours;--
and his shifting, next time, is extremely memorable.


BATTLE, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF LIEGNITZ, DOES ENSUE
(Friday morning, 15th August, 1760).

Daun, Lacy and Loudon, the Three-lipped Pincers, have of course
followed, and are again agape for Friedrich, all in scientific
postures: Daun in the Jauer region, seven or eight miles south;
Lacy about Goldberg, as far to southwest; Loudon "between
Jeschkendorf and Koischwitz," northeastward, somewhat closer on
Friedrich, with the Katzbach intervening. That Czernichef, with an
additional 24,000, to rear of Loudon, is actually crossing Oder at
Auras, with an eye to junction, Friedrich does not hear till
to-morrow. [Tempelhof, iv. 148-151; Mitchell, ii. 197.]

The scene is rather pretty, if one admired scenes. Liegnitz, a
square, handsome, brick-built Town, of old standing, in good repair
(population then, say 7,000), with fine old castellated edifices
and aspects: pleasant meeting, in level circumstances, of the
Katzbach valley with the Schwartz-wasser (BLACK-WATER) ditto, which
forms the north rim of Liegnitz; pleasant mixture of green poplars
and brick towers,--as seen from that "Victory Hill" (more likely to
be "Immediate-Ruin Hill!") where the King now is. Beyond Liegnitz
and the Schwartzwasser, northwestward, right opposite to the
King's, rise other Heights called of Pfaffendorf, which guard the
two streams AFTER their uniting. Kloster Wahlstatt, a famed place,
lies visible to southeast, few miles off. Readers recollect one
Blucher "Prince of Wahlstatt," so named from one of his Anti-
Napoleon victories gained there? Wahlstatt was the scene of an
older Fight, almost six centuries older, [April 9th, 1241 (Kohler,
REICHS-HISTORIE).]--a then Prince of Liegnitz VERSUS hideous Tartar
multitudes, who rather beat him; and has been a CLOISTER Wahlstatt
ever since. Till Thursday, 14th, about 8 in the evening, Friedrich
continued in his Camp of Liegnitz. We are now within reach of a
notable Passage of War.

Friedrich's Camp extends from the Village of Schimmelwitz, fronting
the Katzbach for about two miles, northeastward, to his Head-
quarter in Liegnitz Suburb: Daun is on his right and rearward, now
come within four or five miles; Loudon to his left and frontward,
four or five, the Katzbach separating Friedrich and him; Lacy lies
from Goldberg northeastward, to within perhaps a like distance
rearward: that is the position on Thursday, 14th. Provisions being
all but run out; and three Armies, 90,000 (not to count Czernichef
and his 24,000 as a fourth) watching round our 30,000, within a few
miles; there is no staying here, beyond this day. If even this day
it be allowed us? This day, Friedrich had to draw out, and stand to
arms for some hours; while the Austrians appeared extensively on
the Heights about, apparently intending an attack; till it proved
to be nothing: only an elaborate reconnoitring by Daun; and we
returned to our tents again.

Friedrich understands well enough that Daun, with the facts now
before him, will gradually form his plan, and also, from the lie of
matters, what his plan will be: many are the times Daun has
elaborately reconnoitred, elaborately laid his plan; but found, on
coming to execute, that his Friedrich was off in the interim, and
the plan gone to air. Friedrich has about 2,000 wagons to drag with
him in these swift marches: Glogau Magazine, his one resource,
should Breslau and Schweidnitz prove unattainable, is forty-five
long miles northwestward. "Let us lean upon Glogau withal," thinks
Friedrich; "and let us be out of this straightway! March to-night;
towards Parchwitz, which is towards Glogau too. Army rest till
daybreak on the Heights of Pfaffendorf yonder, to examine, to wait
its luck: let the empty meal-wagons jingle on to Glogau;
load themselves there, and jingle back to us in Parchwitz
neighborhood, should Parchwitz not have proved impossible to our
manoeuvrings,--let us hope it may not!"--Daun and the Austrians
having ceased reconnoitring, and gone home, Friedrich rides with
his Generals, through Liegnitz, across the Schwartzwasser, to the
Pfaffendorf Heights. "Here, Messieurs, is our first halting-place
to be: here we shall halt till daybreak, while the meal-wagons
jingle on!" And explains to them orally where each is to take post,
and how to behave. Which done, he too returns home, no doubt a
wearied individual; and at 4 of the afternoon lies down to try for
an hour or two of sleep, while all hands are busy packing,
according to the Orders given.

It is a fact recorded by Friedrich himself, and by many other
people, That, at this interesting juncture, there appeared at the
King's Gate, King hardly yet asleep, a staggering Austrian Officer,
Irish by nation, who had suddenly found good to desert the Austrian
Service for the Prussian--("Sorrow on them: a pack of"--what shall
I say?)--Irish gentleman, bursting with intelligence of some kind,
but evidently deep in liquor withal. "Impossible; the King is
asleep," said the Adjutant on duty; but produced only louder
insistence from the drunk Irish gentleman. "As much as all your
heads are worth; the King's own safety, and not a moment to lose!"
What is to be done? They awaken the King: "The man is drunk, but
dreadfully in earnest, your Majesty." "Give him quantities of weak
tea [Tempelhof calls it tea, but Friedrich merely warm water];
then examine him, and report if it is anything." Something it was:
"Your Majesty to be attacked, for certain, this night!" what his
Majesty already guessed:--something, most likely little; but nobody
to this day knows. Visible only, that his Majesty, before sunset,
rode out reconnoitring with this questionable Irish gentleman, now
in a very flaccid state; and altered nothing whatever in prior
arrangements;--and that the flaccid Irish gentleman staggers out of
sight, into dusk, into rest and darkness, after this one appearance
on the stage of history. [ OEuvres de Frederic, italic> v. 63; Tempelhof, iv. 154.]

From about 8 in the evening, Friedrich's people got on march, in
their several columns, and fared punctually on; one column through
the streets of Liegnitz, others to left and to right of that;
to left mainly, as remoter from the Austrians and their listening
outposts from beyond the Katzbach River;--where the camp-fires are
burning extremely distinct to-night. The Prussian camp-fires, they
too are all burning uncommonly vivid; country people employed to
feed them; and a few hussar sentries and drummers to make the
customary sounds for Daun's instruction, till a certain hour.
Friedrich's people are clearing the North Suburb of Liegnitz,
crossing the Schwartzwasser: artillery and heavy wagons all go by
the Stone-Bridge at Topferberg (POTTER-HILL) there; the lighter
people by a few pontoons farther down that stream, in the
Pfaffendorf vicinity. About one in the morning, all, even the right
wing from Schimmelwitz, are safely across.

Schwartzwasser, a River of many tails (boggy most of them, Sohnelle
or SWIFT Deichsel hardly an exception), gathering itself from the
southward for twenty or more miles, attains its maximum of north at
a place called Waldau, not far northwest of Topferberg. Towards
this Waldau, Lacy is aiming all night; thence to pounce on our
"left wing,"--which he will find to consist of those empty watch-
fires merely. Down from Waldau, past Topferberg and Pfaffendorf
(PRIEST-town, or as we should call it, "Preston"), which are all on
its northern or left bank, Schwartzwasser's course is in the form
of an irregular horse-shoe; high ground to its northern side,
Liegnitz and hollows to its southern; till in an angular way it do
join Katzbach, and go with that, northward for Oder the rest of its
course. On the brow of these horse-shoe Heights,--which run
parallel to Schwartzwasser one part of them, and nearly parallel to
Katzbach another (though above a mile distant, these latter, from
IT),--Friedrich plants himself: in Order of Battle;
slightly altering some points of the afternoon's program, and
correcting his Generals, "Front rather so and so; see where their
fires are, yonder!" Daun's fires, Loudon's fires; vividly visible
both:--and, singular to say, there is nothing yonder either but a
few sentries and deceptive drums! All empty yonder too, even as our
own Camp is; all gone forth, even as we are; we resting here, and
our meal-wagons jingling on Glogau way!

Excellency Mitchell, under horse-escort, among the lighter baggage,
is on Kuchelberg Heath, in scrubby country, but well north behind
Friedrich's centre: has had a dreadful march; one comfort only,
that his ciphers are all burnt. The rest of us lie down on the
grass;--among others, young Herr von Archenholtz, ensign or
lieutenant in Regiment FORCADE: who testifies that it is one of the
beautifulest nights, the lamps of Heaven shining down in an
uncommonly tranquil manner; and that almost nobody slept.
The soldier-ranks all lay horizontal, musket under arm;
chatting pleasantly in an undertone, or each in silence revolving
such thoughts as he had. The Generals amble like observant spirits,
hoarsely imperative. [Archenholtz, ii. 100-111.] Friedrich's line,
we observed, is in the horse-shoe shape (or PARABOLIC, straighter
than horse-shoe), fronting the waters. Ziethen commands in that
smaller Schwartzwasser part of the line, Friedrich in the Katzbach
part, which is more in risk. And now, things being moderately in
order, Friedrich has himself sat down--I think, towards the middle
or convex part of his lines--by a watch-fire he has found there;
and, wrapt in his cloak, his many thoughts melting into haze, has
sunk ito a kind of sleep. Seated on a drum, some say; half asleep
by the watch-fire, time half-past 2,--when a Hussar Major, who has
been out by the Bienowitz, the Pohlschildern way, northward,
reconnoitring, comes dashing up full speed: "The King? where is the
King?" "What is it, then?" answers the King for himself.
"Your Majesty, the Enemy in force, from Bienowitz, from
Pohlschildern, coming on our Left Wing yonder; has flung back all
my vedettes: is within 500 yards by this time!"

Friedrich springs to horse; has already an Order speeding forth,
"General Schenkendorf and his Battalion, their cannon, to the crown
of the Wolfsberg, on our left yonder; swift!" How excellent that
every battalion (as by Order that we read) "has its own share of
the heavy cannon always at hand!" ejaculate the military critics.
Schenkendorf, being nimble, was able to astonish the Enemy with
volumes of case-shot from the Wolfsberg, which were very deadly at
that close distance. Other arrangements, too minute for recital
here, are rapidly done; and our Left Wing is in condition to
receive its early visitors,--Loudon or whoever they may be. It is
still dubious to the History-Books whether Friedrich was in clear
expectation of Loudon here; though of course he would now guess it
was Loudon. But there is no doubt Loudon had not the least
expectation of Friedrich; and his surprise must have been intense,
when, instead of vacant darkness (and some chance of Prussian
baggage, which he had heard of), Prussian musketries and case-shot
opened on him.

Loudon had, as per order, quitted his Camp at Jeschkendorf, about
the time Friedrich did his at Schimmelwitz; and, leaving the lights
all burning, had set forward on his errand; which was (also
identical with Friedrich's), to seize the Heights of Pfaffendorf,
and be ready there when day broke. scouts having informed him that
the Prussian Baggage was certainly gone through to Topferberg,--
more his scouts did not know, nor could Loudon guess,--"We will
snatch that Baggage!" thought Loudon; and with such view has been
speeding all he could; no vanguard ahead, lest he alarm the Baggage
escort: Loudon in person, with the Infantry of the Reserve,
striding on ahead, to devour any Baggage-escort there may be.
Friedrich's reconnoitring Hussar parties had confirmed this belief:
"Yes, yes!" thought Loudon. And now suddenly, instead of Baggage to
capture, here, out of the vacant darkness, is Friedrich in person,
on the brow of the Heights where we intended to form!--

Loudon's behavior, on being hurled back with his Reserve in this
manner, everybody says, was magnificent. Judging at once what the
business was, and that retreat would be impossible without ruin, he
hastened instantly to form himself, on such ground as he had,--
highly unfavorable ground, uphill in part, and room in it only for
Five Battalions (5,000) of front;--and came on again, with a great
deal of impetuosity and good skill; again and ever again, three
times in all. Had partial successes; edged always to the right to
get the flank of Friedrich; but could not, Friedrich edging
conformably. From his right-hand, or northeast part, Loudon poured
in, once and again, very furious charges of Cavalry; on every
repulse, drew out new Battalions from his left and centre, and
again stormed forward: but found it always impossible. Had his
subordinates all been Loudons, it is said, there was once a fine
chance for him. By this edging always to the northeastward on his
part and Friedrich's, there had at last a considerable gap in
Friedrich's Line established itself,--not only Ziethen's Line and
Friedrich's Line now fairly fallen asunder, but, at the Village of
Panten, in Friedrich's own Line, a gap where anybody might get in.
One of the Austrian Columns was just entering Panten when the Fight
began: in Panten that Column has stood cogitative ever since;
well to left of Loudon and his struggles; but does not, till the
eleventh hour, resolve to push through. At the eleventh hour;--and
lo, in the nick of time, Mollendorf (our Leuthen-and-Hochkirch
friend) got his eye on it; rushed up with infantry and cavalry;
set Panten on fire, and blocked out that possibility and the too
cogitative Column.

Loudon had no other real chance: his furious horse-charges and
attempts were met everywhere by corresponding counter-fury.
Bernburg, poor Regiment Bernburg, see what a figure it is making!
Left almost alone, at one time, among those horse-charges;
spending its blood like water, bayonet-charging, platooning as
never before; and on the whole, stemming invincibly that horse-
torrent,--not unseen by Majesty, it may be hoped; who is here where
the hottest pinch is. On the third repulse, which was worse than
any before, Loudon found he had enough; and tried it no farther.
Rolled over the Katzbach, better or worse; Prussians catching 6,000
of him, but not following farther: threw up a tine battery at
Bienowitz, which sheltered his retreat from horse:--and went his
ways, sorely but not dishonorably beaten, after an hour and half of
uncommonly stiff fighting, which had been very murderous to Loudon.
Loss of 10,000 to him: 4,000 killed and wounded; prisoners 6,000;
82 cannon, 28 flags, and other items; the Prussian loss being 1,800
in whole. [Tempelhof, iv. 159.] By 5 o'clock, the Battle, this
Loudon part of it, was quite over; Loudon (35,000) wrecking himself
against Friedrich's Left Wing (say half of his Army, some 15,000)
in such conclusive manner. Friedrich's Left Wing alone has been
engaged hitherto. And now it will be Ziethen's turn, if Daun and
Lacy still come on.

By 11 last night, Daun's Pandours, creeping stealthily on, across
the Katzbach, about Schimmelwitz, had discerned with amazement that
Friedrich's Camp appeared to consist only of watch-fires; and had
shot off their speediest rider to Daun, accordingly; but it was one
in the morning before Daun, busy marching and marshalling, to be
ready at the Katzbach by daylight, heard of this strange news;
which probably he could not entirely believe till seen with his own
eyes. What a spectacle! One's beautiful Plan exploded into mere
imbroglio of distraction; become one knows not what! Daun's watch-
fires too had all been left burning; universal stratagem, on both
sides, going on; producing--tragically for some of us--a TRAGEDY of
Errors, or the Mistakes of a Night! Daun sallied out again, in his
collapsed, upset condition, as soon as possible: pushed on, in the
track of Friedrich; warning Lacy to push on. Daun, though within
five miles all the while, had heard nothing of the furious Fight
and cannonade; "southwest wind having risen," so Daun said, and is
believed by candid persons,--not by the angry Vienna people, who
counted it impossible: "Nonsense; you were not deaf; but you
loitered and haggled, in your usual way; perhaps not sorry that,
the brilliant Loudon should get a rebuff!"

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