Book: History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 20

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

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And TO D'ARGENS, in the same bad days: "Yes, yes, I escaped a great
danger there [at Liegnitz]. In a common War it would have signified
something; but in this it is a mere skirmish; my position little
improved by it. I will not sing Jeremiads to you; nor speak of my
fears and anxieties, but can assure you they are great. The crisis
I am in has taken another shape; but as yet nothing decides it, nor
can the development of it be foreseen. I am getting consumed by
slow fever; I am like a living body losing limb after limb.
Heaven stand by us: we need it much. [ OEuvres de Frederic,
xix. 193 ("Dittmannsdorf, 18th September," day after,
or day of finishing, that cannonade).] ... You talk always of my
person, of my dangers. Need I tell you, it is not necessary that I
live; but it is that I do my duty, and fight for my Country to save
it if possible. In many LITTLE things I have had luck: I think of
taking for my motto, MAXIMUS IN MINIMIS, ET MINIMUS IN MAXIMIS.
A worse Campaign than any of the others: I know not sometimes what
will become of it. But why weary you with such details of my labors
and my sorrows? My spirits have forsaken me. All gayety is buried
with the Loved Noble Ones whom my heart was bound to. Adieu."

Or, again, TO HENRI: Berlin? Yes; I am trying something in bar of
that. Have a bad time of it, in the interim." Our means, my dear
Brother, are so eaten away; far too short for opposing the
prodigious number of our enemies set against us:--if we must fall,
let us date our destruction from the infamous Day of Maxen!"

Is in such health, too, all the while: "Am a little better, thank
you; yet have still the"--what shall we say (dreadful biliary
affair)?--"HEMORRHOIDES AVEUGLES: nothing that, were it not for the
disquietudes I feel: but all ends in this world, and so will these.
... I flatter myself your health is recovering. For these three
days in continuance I have had so terrible a cramp, I thought it
would choke me;--it is now a little gone. No wonder the chagrins
and continual disquietudes I live in should undermine and at length
overturn the robustest constitution." [Schoning, ii. 419:
"2d October." Ib. ii. 410: "16th September." Ib. ii. 408.]

Friedrich, we observe, has heard of certain Russian-Austrian
intentions on Berlin; but, after intense consideration, resolves
that it will behoove him to continue here, and try to dislodge
Daun, or help Hunger to dislodge him; which will be the remedy for
Berlin and all things else. There are news from Colberg of welcome
tenor: could Daun be sent packing, Soltikof, it is probable, will
not be in much alacrity for Berlin!--September 18th, at
Dittmannsdorf, was the first day of Daun's dead-lock: ever since,
he has had to sit, more and more hampered, pinned to the Hills,
eating sour herbs; nothing but Hunger ahead, and a retreat (battle
we will not dream of), likely to be very ruinous, with a Friedrich
sticking to the wings of it. Here is the Note on Colberg:--

SEPTEMBER 18th, COLHERG SIEGE RAISED. "The same September 18th,
what a day at Colberg too! it is the twenty-fourth day of the
continual bombardment there. Colberg is black ashes, most of its
houses ruins, not a house in it uninjured. But Heyde and his poor
Garrison, busy day and night, walk about in it as if fire-proof;
with a great deal of battle still left in them. The King, I know
not whether Heyde is aware, has contrived something of relief;
General Werner coming:--the fittest of men, if there be
possibility. When, see, September 18th, uneasy motion in the
Russian intrenchments (for the Russians too are intrenched against
attack): Something that has surprised the Russians yonder.
Climb, some of you, to the highest surviving steeple, highest
chimney-top if no steeple survive:--Yonder IS Werner come to our
relief, O God the Merciful!"

"Werner, with 5,000, was detached from Glogau (September 5th), from
Goltz's small Corps there; has come as on wings, 200 miles in
thirteen days. And attacks now, as with wings, the astonished
Russian 15,000, who were looking for nothing like him,--with wings,
with claws, and with beak; and in a highly aquiline manner, fierce,
swift, skilful, storms these intrenched Russians straightway,
scatters them to pieces,--and next day is in Colberg, the Siege
raising itself with great precipitation; leaving all its
artilleries and furnitures, rushing on shipboard all of it that can
get,--the very ships-of-war, says Archenholtz, hurrying dangerously
out to sea, as if the Prussian Hussars might possibly take THEM.
A glorious Werner! A beautiful defence, and ditto rescue; which has
drawn the world's attention." [Seyfarth, ii. 634; Archenholtz, ii.
116: in Helden-Geschichte, (vi. 73-83),
TAGEBUCH of Siege.]

Heyde's defence of Colberg, Werner's swift rescue of it, are very
celebrated this Autumn. Medals were struck in honor of them at
Berlin, not at Friedrich's expense, but under Friedrich's
patronage; who purchased silver or gold copies, and gave them
about. Veteran Heyde had a Letter from his Majesty, and one of
these gold Medals;--what an honor! I do not hear that Heyde got any
other reward, or that he needed any. A beautiful old Hero,
voiceless in History; though very visible in that remote sphere, if
you care to look.

That is the news from Colberg; comfortable to Friedrich; not likely
to inspire Soltikof with new alacrity in behalf of Daun. It remains
to us only to add, that Friedrich, with a view to quicken Daun,
shot out (September 24th, after nightfall, and with due mystery) a
Detachment towards Neisse,--4,000 or so, who call themselves
15,000, and affect to be for Mahren ultimately. "For Mahren, and my
bit of daily bread!" Daun may well think; and did for some time
think, or partly did. Pushed off one small detachment really
thither, to look after Mahren; and (September 29th) pushed off
another bigger; Lacy namely, with 15,000, pretending to be
thither,--but who, the instant they were out of Friedrich's sight,
have whirled, at a rapid pace, quite into the opposite direction:
as will shortly be seen! Daun has now other irons in the fire.
Daun, ever since this fatal Dead-lock in the Hills, has been
shrieking hoarsely to the Russians, day and night; who at last take
pity on him,--or find something feasible in his proposals.

THE RUSSIANS MAKE A RAID ON BERLIN, FOR RELIEF OF DAUN
AND THEIR OWN BEHOOF (October 3d-12th, 1760).

Powerful entreaties, influences are exercised at Petersburg, and
here in the Russian Camp: "Noble Russian Excellencies, for the love
of Heaven, take this man off my windpipe! A sally into Brandenburg:
oh, could not you? Lacy shall accompany; seizure of Berlin, were it
only for one day!" Soltikof has falleu sick,--and, indeed,
practically vanishes from our affairs at this point;--Fermor, who
has command in the interim, finally consents: "Our poor siege of
Colberg, what an end is come to it! What an end is the whole
Campaign like to have! Let us at least try this of Berlin, since
our hands are empty." The joy of Daun, of Montalembert, and of
everybody in Austrian Court and Camp may be conceived.

Russians to the amount of 20,000, Czernichef Commander; Tottleben
Second in command, a clever soldier, who knows Berlin: these are to
start from Sagan Country, on this fine Expedition, and to push on
at the very top of their speed. September 20th, Tottleben, with
3,000 of them as Vanguard, does accordingly cross Oder, at Beuthen
in Sagan Country; and strides forward direct upon Berlin:
Lacy, with 15,000, has started from Silesia, we saw how, above a
week later (September 29th), but at a still more furious rate of
speed. Soltikof,--theoretically Soltikof, but practically Fermor,
should the dim German Books be ambiguous to any studious creature,
--with the Main Army (which by itself is still a 20,000 odd), moves
to Frankfurt, to support the swift Expedition, and be within two
marches of it. Here surely is a feasibility! Berlin, for defence,
has nothing but weak palisades; and of effective garrison
1,200 men.

And feasible, in a sort, this thing did prove; indisputably
delivering Daun from strangulation in the Silesian Mountains;
filling the Gazetteer mind with loud emotion of an empty nature;
and very much affecting many poor people in Berlin and
neighborhood. Making a big Chapter in Berlin Local History;
though compressible to small bulk for strangers, who have no
specific sympathies in that locality.

"FRIDAY, 3d OCTOBER, 1760, Tottleben, with his hasty Vanguard of
3,000, preceded by hastier rumor, comes circling round Berlin
environs; takes post at the Halle Gate [West side of the City];
summons Rochow [the same old Commandant of Haddick's time];--
requires instant admittance; ransom of Four million Thalers, and
other impossible things. Berlin has been putting itself in some
posture; repairing its palisades, throwing up bits of redoubts in
front of the gates, and, though sounding with alarms and
uncertainties, shows a fine spirit of readiness for the emergency.
Rochow is still Commandant, the same old Rochow who shrunk so
questionably in Haddick's time: but Rochow has no Court to tremble
for at present; Queen and Royal Family, Archives, Principal
Ministries, Directorium in a body, went all to Magdeburg again, on
the Kunersdorf Disaster last year, and are safe from such insults.
The spirit of the population, it appears, even of the rich classes,
some of whom are very rich, is extraordinary. Besides Rochow,
moreover, there are, by accident, certain Generals in Berlin:
Seidlitz and two others, recovering from their Kunersdorf hurts,
who step into the breach with heart admirably willing, if with
limbs still lame. Then there is old Field-marshal Lehwald [Anti-
Russian at Gross Jagersdorf, but dismissed as too old], who is
official Governor of Berlin, who succeeded poor Keith in that
honorable office: all these were strong for defence;--and do not
now grudge, great men as they are, to take each his Gate of Berlin,
his small redoubt thrown up there, and pass the night and the day
in doing his utmost with it.

"Rochow refuses the surrender, and the Four Millions pure specie;
and Tottleben, about 3 P.M. in an intermittent way, and about 5 in
a constant, begins bombarding--grenadoes, red-hot balls, what he
can;--and continues the s&me till 3 next morning. Without result to
speak of; Seidlitz and Consorts making good counter-play; the poor
old 1,200 of Garrison growing almost young again with energy, under
their Seidlitzes; and the population zealously co-operating,
especially quenching all fires that rose. What greatly contributed
withal was the arrival of Prince Eugen overnight. Eugen of
Wurtemberg [cadet of that bad Duke] had been engaged driving home
the Swedes, but instantly quitted that with a 5,000 he had; and has
marched this day,--his Vanguard has, mostly Horse, whom the Foot
will follow to-morrow,--a distance of forty miles, on this fine
errand. Delicate manoeuvring, by these wearied horsemen, to enter
Berlin amid uncertain jostlings, under the shine of Russian
bombardment; ecstatic welcome to them, when they did get in,--
instant subscription for fat oxen to them; a just abundance of beef
to them, of generous beer I hope not more than an abundance:
phenomena which, with others of the like, could be dwelt on, had
we room. [Tempelhof, iv. 266-290; Archenholtz, ii. 122-148;
Helden-Geschichte, vi. 103-149, 350-352;
&c. &c.]'

"Tottleben, under these omens, found it would not do; wended off
towards his Czernichef next morning; eastward again as far as
Copenik, Prince Eugen attending him in a minatory manner: and, in
Berlin for the moment, the bad ten hours were over. For four days
more, the fate of things hung dubious; hope soon fading again, but
not quite going out till the fifth day. And this, in fact, was
mainly all of bombardment that the City had to suffer; though its
fate of capture was not to be averted. Is not Tottleben gone?
Yes; but Lacy, marching at a rate he never did before (except from
Bischofswerda), is arrived in the environs this same evening,
cautious but furious. The King is far away; what are Eugen's 5,000
against these?

"On the other hand, Hulsen, leaving his Saxon affairs to their
chance,--which, alas, are about extinct, at any rate;
except Wittenberg, all Saxony gone from us!--Hulsen is on winged
march hitherward with about 9,000. 'How would the King come on
wings, like an eagle from the Blue, if he were but aware!' thought
everybody, and said. Hulsen did arrive on the 8th; so that there
are now 14,000 of us. Hulsen did;--but no King could; the King is
just starting (October 4th, the King, on these bad rumors about
Saxony, about Berlin, quitted the attempt on Daun; October 7th, got
on march hitherward; has finished his first march hitherward,--Daun
gradually preparing to attend him in the distance),--when Hulsen
arrives. And here are all their Lacys, Czernichefs fairly
assembled; five to two of us,--35,000 of them against our 14,000.

"Hulsen and Eugen, drawn out in their skilfulest way, manoeuvred
about, all this Wednesday, 8th; attempted, did not attempt;
found on candid examination, That 14,000 VERSUS 35,000 ran a great
risk of being worsted; that, in such case, the fate of the City
might be still more frightful; and that, on the whole, their one
course was that of withdrawing to Spandau, and leaving poor Berlin
to capitulate as it could. Capitulation starts again with Tottleben
that same night; Gotzkowsky, a magnanimous Citizen and Merchant-
Prince, stepping forth with beautiful courageous furtherances of
every kind; and it ends better than one could have hoped: Ransom--
not of Four Millions pure specie (which would have been 600,000
pounds): 'Gracious Sir, it is beyond our utmost possibility!'--but
of One and a Half Million in modern Ephraim coin; with a 30,000
pounds of douceur-money to the common man, Russian and Austrian,
for his forbearance;--'for the rest, we are at your Excellency's
mercy, in a manner!' And so,

"THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9th, about 7 in the morning, Tottleben marches
in; exactly six days since he first came circling to the Halle Gate
and began bombarding. Tottleben, knowing Friedrich, knew the value
of despatch; and, they say, was privately no enemy to Berlin,
remembering old grateful days here. For Tottleben has himself been
in difficulties; indeed, was never long out of them, during the
long stormy life he had. Not a Russian at all; though I suppose
Father of the now Russian Tottlebens whom one hears of: this one
was a poor Saxon Gentleman, Page once to poor old drunken
Weissenfels, whom, for a certain fair soul's sake, we sigh to
remember! Weissenfels dying, Tottleben became a soldier of Polish
Majesty's;--acceptable soldier, but disagreed with Bruhl, for which
nobody will like him worse. Disagreed with Bruhl; went into the
Dutch service (may have been in Fontenoy for what I know);
was there till Aix-la-Chapelle, till after Aix-la-Chapelle;
kindly treated, and promoted in the Dutch Army; but with outlooks,
I can fancy, rather dull. Outlooks probably dull in such an
element,--when, being a handsome fellow in epaulettes (Major-
General, in fact, though poor), he, diligently endeavoring, caught
the eye of a Dutch West-Indian Heiress; soft creature with no end
of money; whom he privately wedded, and ran away with. To the
horror of her appointed Dutch Lover and Friends; who prosecuted the
poor Major-General with the utmost rigor, not of Law only. And were
like to be the ruin of his fair West-Indian and him;
when Friedrich, about 1754 as I guess, gave him shelter in Berlin;
finding no insupportable objection in what the man had done.
The rather, as his Heiress and he were rich. Tottleben gained
general favor in Berlin society; wished, in 1756, to take service
with Friedrich on the breaking out of this War. 'A Colonel with me,
yes,' said Friedrich. But Tottleben had been Major-General among
the Dutch, and could not consent to sink; had to go among the
Russians for a Major-Generalcy; and there and elsewhere, for many
years coming, had many adventures, mostly troublesome, which shall
not be memorable to us here. [Sketch of Tottleben's Life; in
RODENBECK, ii. 69-72.]

"Lacy, who, after hovering about in these vicinities for four days,
had now actually come up, so soon as Eugen and Hulsen withdrew,--
was deeply disgusted at the Terms of Capitulation; angry to find
that Tottleben had concluded without him; and, in fact, flew into
open rage at the arrangements Tottleben had made for himself and
for others. 'No admittance, except on order from his Excellency!'
said the Russian Sentry to Lacy's Austrians: upon which, Lacy
forced the Gate, and violently marched in. Took lodging, to his own
mind, in the Friedrichstadt quarter; and was fearfully truculent
upon person and property, during his short stay. A scandal to be
seen, how his Croats and loose hordes went openly ravening about,
bent on mere housebreaking, street-robbery and insolent violence.
So that Tottleben had fairly to fire upon the vagabonds once or
twice; and force on the unwilling Lacy some coercion of them within
limits. For the three days of his continuance,--it was but three
days in all,--Lacy was as the evil genius of Berlin; Tottleben and
his Russians the good. Their discipline was so excellent;
all Cossacks and loose rabble strictly kept out beyond the Walls.
To Bachmann, Russian Commandant, the Berliners, on his departure,
had gratefully got ready a money-gift of handsome amount: 'By no
means,' answered Bachmann: 'your treatment was according to the
mildness of our Sovereign Czarina. For myself, if I have served you
in anything, the fact that for three days I have been Commandant of
the Great Friedrich's Capital is more than a reward to me.'

"Tottleben and Lacy, during those three days of Russian and
Austrian joint dominion, had a stormy time of it together.
'Destroy the LAGER-HAUS,' said Lacy: Lager-Haus, where they
manufacture their soldiers' uniforms; it is the parent of all
cloth-manufacturing in Prussia; set up by Friedrich Wilhelm,--not
on free-trade principles. 'The Lager-Haus, say you? I doubt, it is
now private property; screened by our Capitulation;'--which it
proves to be. 'You shall blow up the Arsenal!' said Lacy, with
vehemence and truculence. A noble edifice, as travellers yet know:
fancy its fragments flying about among the populous streets,
plunging through the roofs of Palaces, and great houses all round.
Lacy was inexorable; Tottleben had to send a Russian Party (one
wishes they had been Croats) on this sad errand. They proceeded to
the Powder-Magazine for explosive material, as preliminary;
they were rash in handling the gunpowder there, which blew up in
their hands; sent itself and all of them into the air; and saved
the poor Arsenal: 'Not powder enough now left for our own artillery
uses,' urged Tottleben.

"Saxon and Austrian Parties were in the Palaces about,--at Potsdam,
at Charlottenburg, Schonhausen (the Queen's), at Friedrichsfeld
(the Margraf Karl's), some of whom behaved well, some horribly ill.
In Charlottenburg, certain Saxon Bruhl-Dragoons, who by their
conduct might have been Dragoons of Attila, smashed the furnitures,
the doors, cutting the Pictures, much maltreating the poor people;
and, what was reckoned still more tragical, overset the poor
Polignac Collection of Antiques and Classicalities; not only
knocking off noses and arms, but beating them small, lest
reparation by cement should be possible. Their Officers, Pirna
people, looking quietly on. A scandalous proceeding, thought
everybody, friend or foe,--especially thought Friedrich;
whose indignation at this ruin of Charlottenburg came out in way of
reprisal by and by. At Potsdam, on the other hand, Prince
Esterhazy, with perhaps Hungarians among his people, behaved like a
very Prince; received from the Castellan an Attestation that he had
scrupulously respected everything; and took, as souvenir, only one
Picture of little value; Prince de Ligne, who was under him,
carrying off, still more daintily, one goose-quill, immortal by
having been a pen of the Great Friedrich's.

"Tottleben, with no feeling other than Official tempered by Human,
was in great contrast with Lacy, and very beneficent to Berlin
during the three days it lay under the TRIBULA, or harrow of War.
But the Tutelary Angel of Berlin, then and afterwards for weeks
and months, till all scores got settled, was the Gotzkowsky
mentioned above." Whom we shall see again helpful at Leipzig;
a man worth marking in these tumults. "If Tottleben was the
temporal Armed King, this Gotzkowsky was the Spiritual King, PAPA
or Universal Father, armed only with charities, pieties, prayers,
ever shiningly attended by self-sacrifices on Gotzkowsky's part;
which averted woes innumerable (Lager-Haus only one of a long
list); and which 'surpassed all belief,' write the Berlin
Magistracy, as if in tears over such heroism. Truly a Prince of
Merchants, this Gotzkowsky, not for his vast enterprises, and the
mere 1,500 workmen he employs, but for the still greater heart that
dwells in him. Had begun as a travelling Pedler; used to call at
Reinsberg, with female haberdasheries exquisitely chosen
('GALLANTERIE wares' the Germans call them), for the then Princess
Royal; not unnoticed by Friedrich, who recognized the broad sense,
solidity and great thoughts of the man. Of all which Friedrich has
known far more since then, in various branches of Prussian commerce
improved by Gotzkowsky's managements. A truly notable Gotzkowsky;
became bankrupt at last, one is sorry to hear; and died in
affliction and neglect,--short of the humblest wages for so much
good work done in the world! [Preuss, ii. 257, &c. &c.;
GESCHICHTE EINES PATRIOTISCHEN KAUFMANNS (Berlin, 1769, by
Gotzkowsky himself).]

"Gotzkowsky's House was like a general storeroom for everybody's
preciosities; his time, means, self were the refuge of all the
needy. In Zorndorf time, when this Czernichef [if readers can
remember], who is now so supreme,--Czernichef, Soltikof and
others,--had nothing for it but to lodge in the cellars of burnt
Custrin, Gotzkowsky, with ready money, with advice, with
assuagement, had been their DEUS EX MACHINA: and now Czernichef
remembers it; and Gotzkowsky, as Papa, has to go with continual
prayers, negotiations, counsellings, expedients, and be the refuge
of all unjustly suffering men Berlin has immensities of trade in
war-furnitures: the capitals circulating are astonishing to
Archenholtz; million on the back of million; no such city in
Germany for trade. The desire of the Three-days Lacy Government is
towards any Lager-Haus; any mass of wealth, which can be construed
as Royal or connected with Royalty. Ephraim and Itzig, mint-
masters of that copper-coinage; rolling in foul wealth by the ruin
of their neighbors; ought not these to bleed? Well, yes,--if
anybody; and copiously if you like! I should have said so: but the
generous Gotzkowsky said in his heart, 'No;' and again pleaded and
prevailed. Ephraim and Itzig, foul swollen creatures, were not
broached at all; and their gratitude was, That, at a future day,
Gotzkowsky's day of bankruptcy, they were hardest of any
on Gotzkowsky.

"Archenholtz and the Books are enthusiastically copious upon
Gotzkowsky and his procedures; but we must be silent. This Anecdote
only, in regard to Freedom of the Press,--to the so-called 'air we
breathe, not having which we die!' Would modern Friends of Progress
believe it? Because, in former stages of this War, the Berlin
Newspapers have had offensive expressions (scarcely noticeable to
the microscope in our day, and below calculation for smallness)
upon the Russian and Austrian Sovereigns or Peoples,--the Able
Editors (there are only Two) shall now in person, here in the
market-place of Berlin, actually run the gantlet for it,--'run the
rods (GASSEN-LAUFEN'), as the fashion now is; which is worse than
GANTLET, not to speak of the ignominy. That is the barbaric Russian
notion: 'who are you, ill-formed insolent persons, that give a
loose to your tongue in that manner? Strip to the waistband, swift!
Here is the true career opened for you: on each hand, one hundred
sharp rods ranked waiting you; run your courses there,--no hurry
more than you like!' The alternative of death, I suppose, was open
to these Editors; Roman death at least, and martyrdom for a new
Faith (Faith in the Loose Tongue), very sacred to the Democratic
Ages now at hand. But nobody seems to have thought of it;
Editors and Public took the thing as a 'sorrow incident to this
dangerous Profession of the Tongue Loose (or looser than usual);
which nobody yet knew to be divine. The Editors made passionate
enough lamentation, in the stript state; one of then, with loud
weeping, pulled off his wig, showed ice-gray hair; 'I am in my 68th
year!' But it seems nothing would have steaded them, had not
Gotzkowsky been busy interceding. By virtue of whom there was
pardon privately in readiness: to the ice-gray Editor complete
pardon; to the junior quasi-complete; only a few switches to assert
the principle, and dismissal with admonition." [ Helden-
Geschichte, vi. 103-148; Rodenbeck, ii. 41-54; Archenholtz, ii.
130-147; Preuss, UBI SUPRA: &c. &c.]

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