30th Sept.-1st Oct. 1761.

"RICH." And in Autograph this Postscript: "You may, in this occurrence, say what Francis I., after "the Battle of Pavia, wrote to his Mother: All is lost

66

except honour.' As I do not yet completely under"stand the affair, I forbear to judge of it; for it is "altogether extraordinary.-F."9

And never meddled farther with Zastrow; only left him well alone for the future. "Grant me a CourtMartial, then!" said Zastrow, finding himself fallen so neglected, after the Peace. "No use," answered Friedrich: "I impute nothing of crime to you; but after such a mishap, it would be dangerous to trust you with any "post or command;"-and in 1766, granted him, on demand, his demission instead. The poor man then retired to Cassel, where he lived twenty years longer, and was no more heard of. He was half-brother of the General Zastrow who got killed by a Pandour of long range (bullet through both temples, from brushwood, across the Elbe), in the first year of this War.

• Militair-Lexikon, iv. 305, 306 (Letter undated there; date probably, 'Gross-Nossen, October 3d').

CHAPTER IX.

TRAITOR WARKOTSCH.

FRIEDRICH'S Army was to have cantoned itself round Neisse, October 3d: but on the instant of this fatal Schweidnitz news, proceeded (3d-6th October) towards Strehlen instead,-Friedrich personally on the 5th;and took quarters there and in the villages round. General cantonment at Strehlen, in guard of Breslau and of Neisse both; Loudon, still immovable at Kunzendorf, attempting nothing on either of those places, and carefully declining the risk of a Battle, which would have been Friedrich's game: all this continued till the beginning of December, when both parties took Winterquarters;1 cantoned themselves in the neighbouring localities, Czernichef, with his Russians, in Glatz Country; Friedrich in Breslau as headquarter;—and the Campaign had ended. Ended in this part, without farther event of the least notability;-except the following only, which a poor man of the name of Kappel has recorded for us. Of which, and the astounding Sequel to which, we must now say something.

Kappel is a Gentleman's Groom of those Strehlen parts; and shall, in his own words, bring us face to face with Friedrich in that neighbourhood, directly after Schweidnitz was lost. It is October 5th, day, or rather night of the day, of Friedrich's arrival thereabouts;

1 Tempelhof, v. 349.

5th Oct. 30th Nov. 1761.

most of his Army ahead of him, and the remainder all under way. Friedrich and the rearward part of his Army are filing about, in that new Strehlen-ward movement of theirs, under cloud of night, in the intricate Hill-and-Dale Country; to post themselves to the best advantage for their double object, of covering Breslau and Neisse both. Kappel loquitur; abridged by Küster, whom we abridge:

'Monday Night, October 5th, 1761, The King, with two or 'three attendants, still ahead of his Army, appeared at Schönbrunn, a Schloss and Village, five or six miles south from 'Strehlen; and did the owner, Baron von Warkotsch, an ac'quaintance of his, the honour of lodging there. Before bed' time,—if indeed the King intended bed at all, meaning to be off in four hours hence,-Friedrich inquired of Warkotsch for "a trusty man, well acquainted with the roads in this Country." "Warkotsch mentioned Kappel, his own Groom; one who un'doubtedly knew every road of the Country; and who had 'always behaved as a trusty fellow in the seven years he had 'been with him. "Let me see him," said the King. Kappel 6 was sent up, about midnight, King still dressed; sitting on a 'sofa, by the fire: Kappel's look was satisfactory; Kappel 'knows several roads to Strehlen, in the darkest night: "It is the footpath which goes so-and-so that I want" (for Friedrich 'knows this Country intimately: readers remember his world'famous Camp of Strehlen, with all the diplomacies of Europe gathered there, through summer, in the train of Möllwitz). "Ja, Ihro Majestät, I know it!" "Be ready, then, at 4.”

6

'Before the stroke of 4, Kappel was at the door, on Master's 'best horse; the King's Groom too, and led horse, a nimble 'little gray, were waiting. As 4 struck, Friedrich came down, 'Warkotsch with him, "Unspeakable the honour you have done my poor house!" Besides the King's Groom, there were a

2 This is the Warkotsch Schönbrunn; not the other near Schweidnitz, as Archenholtz believes: see Archenholtz, ii. 287, and the bit of myth he has gone into in consequence.

5th Oct. 30th Nov. 1761.

'Chamberlain, an Adjutant, and two mounted Chasers (reitende Jäger), which latter had each a lighted lantern: in all seven persons, including Kappel and the King. "Go before us on 'foot with your lanterns," said the King. Very dark it was. 'And overnight the Army had arrived all about; some of them 'just coming in, on different roads and paths. The King walked ' above two miles, and looked how the Regiments were, without speaking a word. At last, as the cannons came up, and were ❝ still in full motion, the King said: "Sharp, sharp, Bursche; it ' will be March directly." "March? The Devil it will; we are just coming into Camp!" said a canonier, not knowing it was 'the King.

The King said nothing. Walked on still a little while; then ordered, "Blow out the lanterns; to horseback now!" ' and mounted, as we all did. Me he bade keep five steps ahead, 'five and not more, that he might see me; for it was very dark. 'Not far from the Lordship Casserey, where there is a Water'mill, the King asked me, "Haven't you missed the Bridge 'here?" (a King that does not forget roads and topographies 'which may come to concern him!)—and bade us ride with 'the utmost silence, and make no jingle. As day broke, we 'were in sight of Strehlen, near by the Farm of Treppendorf. "And do you know where the Kallenberg lies?" said the King: "It must be to left of the Town, near the Hills; bring us "thither!"

'When we got on the Kallenberg, it was not quite day; and we had to halt for more light. After some time, the King said to his Groom, "Give me my perspective!" looked slowly all 'round for a good while, and then said, "I see no Austrians!" (ground all at our choice, then; we know where to choose!) "The King then asked me if I knew the road to”—in fact, to several places, which, in a Parish History of those parts, would be abundantly interesting; but must be entirely omitted here. "The King called his Chamberlain; gave some sign, 'which meant "Beer-money to Kappel!"—and I got four eightgroschen pieces' (three shillings odd; a rich reward in those days); and was bid tell my Master, "That the King thanked ' him for the good quarters, and assured him of his favour."

*

*

5th Oct. 30th Nov. 1761.

'Riding back across country, Kappel, some four or five miles 'homeward, came upon the "whole Prussian Army," struggling forward in their various Columns. Two Generals,-one of ' them Krusemark, King's Adjutant (Colonel Krusemark, not General, as Kappel thinks, who came to know him some weeks 'after), had him brought up: to whom he gave account of ' himself, how he had been escorting the King, and where he 'had left his Majesty. "Behind Strehlen, say you? Breslau 'road? Devil knows whither we shall all have to go yet!" ob'served Krusemark, and left Kappel free."3

In those weeks, Colberg Siege, Pitt's Catastrophe, and high things are impending, or completed, elsewhere: but this is the one thing noticeable hereabouts. In regard to Strehlen, and Friedrich's history there, what we have to say turns all upon this Kappel and Warkotsch: and, after mentioning only that Friedrich's lodging is not in Strehlen proper, but in Woiselwitz, a village or suburb almost half a mile off, and very negligently guarded, we have to record an Adventure which then made a great deal of noise in the world.

Warkotsch is a rich lord; Schönbrunn only one of five or six different Estates which he has in those parts; though, not many years ago, being younger brother, he was a Captain in the Austrian service (Regiment Botta, if you are particular); and lay in Olmütz,-with very dull outlooks; not improved, I should judge, by the fact that Silesia and the Warkotsch connexions were become Prussian since this junior entered the Austrian Army. The junior had sown his wild oats, and was already getting gray in the beard, in that dull manner, when, about seven years ago, his Elder Brother, to whom Friedrich had always been kind, fell unwell; and, in the end of

3 Küster, Lebens-Rettungen, pp. 66-76.