16th Aug. 1760. to Breslau, also to Glogau,-to Breslau, if it be humanly possible! Friedrich has but two-days bread left: on the Breslau road, at Auras, there is Czernichef with 24,000; there are, or there may be, the Loudon Remnants rallied again, the Lacy Corps untouched, all Daun's Force, had Daun made any despatch at all. Which Daun seldom did. A man slow to resolve, and seeking his luck in leisure. All judges say, Daun ought now to have marched, on this enterprise of still intercepting Friedrich, without loss of a moment. But he calculated Friedrich would probably spend the day in Te-Deum-ing on the Field (as is the manner of some); and that, by tomorrow, things would be clearer to one's own mind. Daun was in no haste; gave no orders,-did not so much as send Czernichef a Letter. Czernichef got one, however. Friedrich sent him one; that is to say, sent him one to intercept. Friedrich, namely, writes a Note addressed to his Brother Henri: "Austrians totally beaten this day; now "for the Russians, dear Brother; and swift, do what we "have agreed on!"19 Friedrich hands this to a Peasant, with instructions to let himself be taken by the Russians, and give it up to save his life. Czernichef, it is thought, got this Letter; and perhaps rumour itself, and the delays of Daun, would, at any rate, have sent him across. Across he at once went, with his 24,000, and burnt his Bridge. A vanished Czernichef;-though Friedrich is not yet sure of it: and as for the wandering Austrian Divisions, the Loudons, Lacys, all is dark to him. So that, at Parchwitz, next morning (August 16th), the question, "To Glogau? To Breslau ?" must have been a kind of sphinx-enigma to Friedrich; dark as that, and, in case of error, fatal. After some brief paroxysm of consideration, Friedrich's reading was, "To Breslau, 19 Euvres de Frédéric, v. 67. เ 17th-27th Aug. 1760. then!" And, for hours, as the march went on, he was noticed riding much about,' his anxieties visibly great. Till at Neumarkt (not far from the Field of Leuthen), getting on the Heights there,-towards noon, I will guess,—what a sight! Before this, he had come upon Austrian Out-parties, Beck's or somebody's, who did not wait his attack: he saw, at one point, 'the whole Aus'trian Army on march (the tops of its columns visible among the knolls, three miles off, impossible to say 'whitherward);' and fared on all the faster, I suppose, such a bet depending; and, in fine, galloped to the Heights of Neumarkt for a view: "Dare we believe it? Not an Austrian there!" And might be, for the moment, the gladdest of Kings. Secure now of Breslau, of junction with Henri: fairly winner of the bet;-and can at last pause, and take breath, very needful to his poor Army, if not to himself, after such a mortal spasm of sixteen days! Daun had taken the Liegnitz accident without remark; usually a stoical man, especially in other people's misfortunes; but could not conceal his painful astonishment on this new occasion, astonishment at unjust fortune, or at his own sluggardly cunctations, is not said. Next day (August 17th), Friedrich encamps at Hermannsdorf, headquarter the Schloss of Hermannsdorf, within seven miles of Breslau; continues a fortnight there, resting his wearied people, himself not resting much, watching the dismal miscellany of entanglements that yet remain, how these will settle into groups,-especially what Daun and his Soltikof will decide on. In about a fortnight, Daun's decision did become visible; Soltikof's not in a fortnight, nor ever clearly at all. Unless it were To keep a whole skin, and gradually edge 17th-27th Aug. 1760. home to his victuals. As essentially it was, and continued to be; creating endless negotiations, and futile overtures and messagings from Daun to his barbarous Friend, endless suasions and trouble from poor Montalembert, of which it would weary every reader to hear mention, except of the result only. Friedrich, for his own part, is little elated with these bits of successes at Liegnitz or since; and does not deceive himself as to the difficulties, almost the impossibilities, that still lie ahead. In answer to D'Argens, who has written ('at midnight,' starting out of bed, 'the instant the news came'), in zealous congratulation on Liegnitz, here is a Letter of Friedrich's: well worth reading, though it has been oftener read than almost any other of his. A Letter which D'Argens never saw in the original form; which was captured by the Austrians or Cossacks ;20 which got copied everywhere, soon stole into print, and is ever since extensively known. Friedrich to Marquis D'Argens (at Berlin). "Hermannsdorf, near Breslau, 27th August 1760. "In other times, my dear Marquis, the Affair of the 15th "would have settled the Campaign; at present it is but a scratch. "There will be needed a great Battle to decide our fate: such, by "all appearance, we shall soon have; and then you may rejoice, "if the event is favourable to us. Thank you, meanwhile, for all your sympathy. It has cost a deal of scheming, striving, and "much address to bring matters to this point. Don't speak to me "of dangers; the last Action costs me only a Coat" (torn useless, only one skirt left, by some rebounding cannon-ball?) “and a "Horse" (shot under me): "that is not paying dear for a victory. 66 "In my life, I was never in so bad a posture as in this Cam"paign. Believe me, miracles are still needed if I am to over 20 See Œuvres de Frédéric, xix. 198 (D'Argens himself, '19th October' following), and ib. 191n.; Rödenbeck, ii. 31, 36;-mention of it, in Voltaire, Montalembert, &c. 66 66 17th-27th Aug. 1760. come all the difficulties which I still see ahead. And one is growing weak withal. 'Herculean' labours to accomplish at "an age when my powers are forsaking me, my weaknesses increasing, and, to speak candidly, even hope, the one comfort of "the unhappy, begins to be wanting. You are not enough acquainted with the posture of things, to know all the dangers "that threaten the State: I know them, and conceal them; I keep "all the fears to myself, and communicate to the Public only the "hopes, and the trifle of good news I may now and then have. "If the stroke I am meditating succeed" (stroke on Daun's Anti-Schweidnitz strategies, of which anon), "then, my dear "Marquis, it will be time to expand one's joy; but till then, let "us not flatter ourselves, lest some unexpected bit of bad news depress us too much. "I live here" (Schloss of Hermannsdorf, a 7 miles west of Breslau) "like a Military Monk of La Trappe: endless busi"nesses, and these done, a little consolation from my Books. I "know not if I shall outlive this War: but should it so happen, "I am firmly resolved to pass the remainder of my life in soli❝tude, in the bosom of Philosophy and Friendship. When the "roads are surer, perhaps you will write me oftener. I know "not where our winter-quarters this time are to be! My House "in Breslau is burnt down in the Bombardment" (Loudon's, three weeks ago). "Our enemies grudge us everything, even "daylight, and air to breathe: some nook, however, they must "leave us; and if it be a safe one, it will be a true pleasure to "have you again with me. "Well, my dear Marquis, what has become of the Peace with "France" (English Peace)! "Your Nation, you see, is blinder "than you thought: those fools will lose their Canada and Pondichery, to please the Queen of Hungary and the Czarina. "Heaven grant Prince Ferdinand may pay them for their zeal! "And it will be the innocent that suffer, the poor officers and "soldiers, not the Choiseuls and"- * "But here is business come on me. Adieu, dear Marquis; I embrace you.-F."21 * Two Events, of opposite complexion, a Russian and a Saxon, Friedrich had heard of while at Hermannsdorf, 21 Euvres de Frédéric, xix. 191. 17th-27th Aug. 1760. before writing as above. The Saxon Event is the pleasant one, and comes first: Hülsen on the Dürrenberg, August 20th. August 20th, at 'Strehla, in that Schlettau-Meissen Country, the Reichsfolk ' and Austrians made attack on Hülsen's Posts, principal Post ' of them the Dürrenberg (Dry-Hill) there,-in a most exten'sive manner; filling the whole region with vague artillerythunder, and endless charges, here, there, of foot and horse; 'which all issued in zero and minus quantities; Hülsen standing beautifully to his work, and Hussar Kleist especially, at one 'point, cutting in with masterly execution, which proved general ' overthrow to the Reichs Project; and left Hülsen master of 'the field and of his Dürrenberg, plus 1,217 prisoners and one < Prince among them, and one cannon: a Hülsen who has ' actually given a kind of beating to the Reichsfolk and Aus'trians, though they were 30,000 to his 10,000, and had counted ' on making a new Maxen of it."22 Friedrich writes a glad laudatory Letter to Hülsen: "Right, so; give them more of that when they apply next!"23 This is a bit of sunshine to the Royal mind, dark enough otherwise. Had Friedrich got done here, right fast would he fly to the relief of Hülsen, and recovery of Saxony. Hope, in good moments, says, "Hülsen will be able to hold out till then!" Fear answers, "No, he cannot, unless you get done here extremely soon!"-The Russian Event, full of painful anxiety to Friedrich, was a new Siege of Colberg. That is the sad fact; which, since the middle of August, has been becoming visibly certain. Second Siege of Colberg, August 26th. 'Under siege again, 'that poor Place; and this time the Russians seem to have made a vow that take it they will. Siege by land and by sea; land'troops direct from Petersburg, 15,000 in all (8,000 of them came by ship), with endless artillery; and near 40 Russian and Archenholtz, ii. 114; Bericht von der am 20 August 1760 bey Strehla vorgefallenen Action (Seyfarth, Beylagen, ii. 703-719). ་ "Letter in Schöning, ii. 396, Hermsdorf' (Hermannsdorf), 27th August 1760.' |