18th Sept.-4th Oct. 1760. life of it beside this Neighbour. The outer world, especially the Vienna outer world, is naturally a little surprised: "How is this, Feldmarschall Daun? Can you do absolutely nothing with him, then; but sit pinned in the Hills, eating sour herbs!" Soltikof on Glo Soltikof is evi- In the Russians appears no help. gau, we know what that amounts to! dently intending home, and nothing else. trian proposals, and they have been manifold, as poor Montalembert knows too well,-the answer of Soltikof was and is: "Above 90,000 of you circling about, helping one another to do Nothing. Happy were you, not a doubt of it, could we be wiled across to you, to get worried in your stead!" stead!" Daun begins to be extremely ill off; provisions scarce, are far away in Bohemia; and the roads daily more insecure, Friedrich aiming evidently to get command of them altogether. Think of such an issue to our once-flourishing Campaign 1760! Daun is vigilance itself against such fatality; and will do anything, except risk a Fight. Here, however, is the fatal posture: Since September 18th, Daun sees himself considerably cut off from Glatz, his provision-road more and more insecure;-and for fourteen days onward, the King and he have got into a dead-lock, and sit looking into one another's faces; Daun in a more and more distressed mood, his provender becoming so uncertain, and the Winter season drawing nigh. The sentries are in mutual view: each Camp could cannonade the other; but what good were it?. By a tacit understanding they don't. The sentries, outposts, and vedettes forbear musketry; on the contrary, exchange tobaccos sometimes, and have a snatch of conversation. Daun is growing more and more unhappy. To which of the gods, if not to Soltikof again, can he apply? 18th Sept.-4th Oct. 1760. Friedrich himself, successful so far, is abundantly dissatisfied with such a kind of success;-and indeed seems to be less thankful to his stars than in present circumstances he ought. Profoundly wearied we find him, worn down into utter disgust in the Small War of Posts: "Here we still are, nose to nose," exclaims he (see Letters to Henri), "both of us in unattackable 66 camps. This Campaign appears to me more unsupportable than any of the foregoing. Take what trouble "and care I like, I can't advance a step in regard to great interests; I succeed only in trifles." "Oh for good news of your health: I am without all assist"ance here; the Army must divide again before long, " and I have none to intrust it to."4 66 66 66 "In And to D'Argens, in the same bad days: "Yes, yes, "I escaped a great danger there" (at Liegnitz). "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 an"other shape; but as yet nothing decides it, nor can "the development of it be foreseen. I am getting con"sumed by slow fever; I am like a living body losing "limb after limb. Heaven stand by us: we need it "much."5 "You talk always of my person, of 66 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 66 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 Schöning, ii. 416. 5 Euvres de Frédéric, xix. 193 ('Dittmannsdorf, 18th September,' day after, or day of finishing, that cannonade). 18th Sept.-4th Oct. 1760. Campaign than any of the others: I know not some"times what will become of it. But why weary you "with such details of my labours and my sorrows? My spirits have forsaken me. All gaiety 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)?" hémorrhoïdes 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."6 Friedrich, we observe, has heard of certain RussianAustrian intentions on Berlin; but, after intense consideration, resolves that it will behove 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!-Sep • Schöning, ii. 419: 2d October.' ber.' Ibid. ii. 408. Ibid. ii. 410 '16th Septem 18th Sept.-4th Oct. 1760. tember 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, Colberg 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 entrenchments (for the 'Russians too are entrenched against attack): Something that ' has surprised the Russians yonder. Climb, some of you, to the highest surviving steeple, highest chimney-top if no steeple sur'vive :-"Yonder is Werner come to our relief, oh 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 entrenched '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 de'fence, and ditto rescue; which has drawn the world's attention." ' Seyfarth, ii. 634; Archenholtz, ii. 116: in Helden-Geschichte (vi. 7383), Tagebuch of Siege. 3d Oct. 1760. Heyde's defence of Colberg, Werner's swift rescue of it, are very celebrated this Autumn. Medals were struck in honour 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 honour! 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 Mähren ultimately. "For Mähren, 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 Mähren; 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 3d12th, 1760). Powerful entreaties, influences are exercised at Petersburg, and here in the Russian Camp: "Noble Rus |