HumanitiesWeb.org - History of Friedrich II of Prussia - Frederick the Great (Chapter VIII. - Friedrich Starts for Moravia, on a New Scheme He Has.) by Thomas Carlyle
History of Friedrich II of Prussia - Frederick the Great Chapter VIII. - Friedrich Starts for Moravia, on a New Scheme He Has.
by Thomas Carlyle
The Austrian Court had not kept Friedrich's secret of Klein-
Schnellendorf, hardly even for a day. It was whispered to the
Dowager Empress, or Empresses; who whispered it, or wrote it, to
some other high party; by whom again as usual:--in fact, the
Austrian Court, having once got their Neipperg safe to hand, took
no pains to keep the secret; but had probably an interest rather in
letting it filter out, to set Friedrich and his Allies at variance.
At all events, in the space of a few weeks, as we have seen, the
rumor of a Treaty between Austria and Friedrich was everywhere
rife; Friedrich, as he had engaged, everywhere denying it, and
indeed clearly perceiving that there was like to be no ground for
acknowledging it. The Austrian Court, instead of "completing the
Treaty before Newyear's-day," had broken the previous bargain;
evidently not meaning to complete; intent rather to wait upon their
Hungarian Insurrection, and the luck of War.
There is now, therefore, a new turn in the game. And for this also
Friedrich has been getting the fit card ready; and is not slow to
play it. Some time ago, November 4th,--properly November 1st,
hardly three weeks since that of Klein-Schnellendorf,--finding the
secret already out ("whispered of at Breslau, 28th October,"
casually testifies Hyndford), he had tightened his bands with
France; had, on November 4th, formally acceded to Karl Albert's
Treaty with France. [Accession agreed to, "Frankfurt, Nov. 1st,"
1741; ratified "Nov. 4th."] Glatz to be his: he will not hear of
wanting Glatz; nor of wanting elsewhere the proper Boundary for
Schlesien, "Neisse River both banks" (which Neipperg had agreed to,
in his late Sham-Bargain);--quite strict on these preliminaries.
And furthermore, Kur-Sachsen being now a Partner in that French-
Bavarian Treaty,--and a highly active one (with 21,000 in the field
for him), who is "King of Moravia" withal, and has some
considerable northern Paring of Bohemia thrown in, by way of "Road
to Moravia,"--Friedrich made, at the same time, special Treaty with
Kur-Sachsen, on the points specially mutual to them; on the
Boundary point, first of all. Which latter treaty is dated also
November 1st, and was "ratified November 8th."
Treaty otherwise not worth reading; except perhaps as it shows us
Friedrich putting, in his brief direct way, Kur-Sachsen at once
into Austria's place, in regard to Ober-Schlesien. "Boundary
between your Polish Majesty and me to be the River Neisse PLUS a
full German mile;"--which (to Belleisle's surprise) the Polish
Majesty is willing to accept; and consents, farther, Friedrich
being of succinct turn, That Commissioners go directly and put down
the boundary-stones, and so an end. "Let the Silesian matter stand
where it stood," thinks Friedrich: "since Austria will not, will
you? Put down the boundary-pillars, then!"--an interesting little
glance into Friedrich's inner man. And a Prussian Boundary
Commissioner, our friend Nussler the man, did duly appear;--whom
perhaps we shall meet,--though no Saxon one quite did. [Busching,
Beitrage, i. 339 (? NUSSLER).] It is this
boundary clause, it is Friedrich's little decision, "Put down the
pillars, then," that alone can now interest any mortal in this
Saxon Bargain; the clause itself, and the bargain itself, having
quite broken down on the Saxon side, and proved imaginary as a
covenant made in dreams. Could not be helped, in the sequel!--
Meanwhile, the preliminary diplomacies being done in this manner,
Friedrich had ordered certain of his own Forces to get in motion a
little; ordered Leopold, who has had endless nicety of management,
since the French and Saxons came into those Bohemian Circles of
his, to go upon Glatz; to lay fast hold of Glatz, for one thing.
And farther eastward, Schwerin, by order, has lately gone across
the Mountains; seized Troppau, Friedenthal; nay Olmutz itself, the
Capital of Mahren,--in one day (December 27th), garrison of Olmutz
being too weak to resist, and the works in disrepair. "In Heaven's
name, what are your intentions, then?" asked the Austrians there.
"Peaceable in the extreme," answered Schwerin, "if only yours are.
And if they are NOT--!" There sits Schwerin ever since, busy
strengthening himself, and maintains the best discipline;
waiting farther orders.
"The Austrians will not complete their bargain of Klein-
Schnellendorf?" thinks this young King; "Very well; we will not
press them to completion. We will not ourselves complete, should
they now press. We will try another method, and that without loss
of time."--It was a pungent reflection with Friedrich that Karl
Albert had not pushed forward on Vienna, from Linz that time, but
had blindly turned off to the left, and thrown away his one chance.
"Cannot one still mend it; cannot one still do something of the
like?" thinks Friedrich now: "Schwerin in Olmutz; Prussian Troops
cantoned in the Highlands of Silesia, or over in Bohemia itself,
near the scene of action; the Saxons eastward as far as
Teutschbrod, still nearer; the French triumphant at Prag, and
reinforcement on the road for them: a combined movement on Vienna,
done instantly and with an impetus!" That is the thing Friedrich is
now bent upon; nor will he, like Karl Albert, be apt to neglect the
hour of tide, which is so inexorable in such operations.
At Berlin, accordingly, he has been hurrying on his work,
inspection, preparation of many kinds,--Marriage of his Brother
August Wilhelm, for one business; [6th January, 1742 (in Bielfeld,
ii. 55-69, exuberant account of the Ceremony, and of B.'s part in
it).]--and (Jannary 18th), after a stay of two months, is off
fieldward again, on this new project. To Dresden, first of all;
Saxony being an essential element; and Valori being appointed to
meet him there on the French side. It is January 20th, 1742, when
Friedrich arrives; due Opera festivities, "triple salute of all the
guns," fail not at Dresden; but his object was not these at all.
Polish Majesty is here, and certain of the warlike Bastard Brothers
home from Winter-quarters, Comte de Saxe for one; Valori also,
punctually as due; and little Graf von Bruhl, highest-dressed of
human creatures, who is factotum in this Court.
"Your Polish Majesty, by treaty and title you are King of Moravia
withal: now is the time, now or never, to become so in fact!
Forward with your Saxons:" urges Friedrich: "The Austrians and
their Lobkowitz are weak in that Country: at Iglau, just over the
Moravian border, they have formed a Magazine; seize that, snatch it
from Lobkowitz: that gives us footing and basis there. Forward with
your Saxons; Valori gives us so-many French; I myself will join
with 20,000: swift, steady, all at once; we can seize Moravia, who
knows if not Vienna itself, and for certain drive a stroke right
home into the very bowels of the Enemy!" That is Friedrich's theme
from the first hour of his arrival, and during all the four-and-
twenty that he stayed.
In one hour, Polish Majesty, who is fonder of tobacco and pastimes
than of business, declared himself convinced;--and declared also
that the time of Opera was come; whither the two Majesties had to
proceed together, and suspend business for a while. Polish Majesty
himself was very easily satisfied; but with the others, as Valori
reports it, the argument was various, long and difficult.
"Winter time; so dangerous, so precarious," answer Bruhl and Comte
de Saxe: There is this danger, this uncertainty, and then that
other;--which the King and Valori, with all their eloquence,
confute. "Impossible, for want of victual," answers Maurice at
last, driven into a corner: "Iglau, suppose we get it, will soon be
eaten; then where is our provision?"--"Provision?" answers Valori:
"There is M. de Sechelles, Head of our Commissariat in Prag; such a
Commissary never was before." "And you consent, if I take that in
hand?" urges Friedrich upon them. They are obliged to consent, on
that proviso. Friedrich undertakes Sechelles: the Enterprise cannot
now be refused. [ OEuvres de Frederic, ii. 170; Valori, i.
139; &c. &c.] "Alert, then; not a moment to be lost! Good-night;
AU REVOIR, my noble friends!"--and to-morrow many hours before
daybreak, Friedrich is off for Prag, leaving Dresden to awaken when
it can.
At Prag he renews acquaintance with his old maladroit Strasburg
friend, Marechal de Broglio, not with increase of admiration, as
would seem; declines the demonstrations and civilities of Broglio,
business being urgent: finds M. de Sechelles to be in truth the
supreme of living Commissaries (ready, in words which Friedrich
calls golden, "to make the impossible possible"): "Only march,
then, noble Saxons: swift!"--and dashes off again, next morning, to
northeastward, through Leopold's Bohemian cantonments, Glatz-ward
by degrees, to be ready with his own share of the affair; no delay
in him, for one. January 24th, after Konigsgratz and other Prussian
posts,--January 24th, which is elsewhere so notable a day,--his
route goes northeast, to Glatz, a hundred miles away, among the
intricacies of the Giant Mountains, hither side of the Silesian
Highlands; wild route for winter season, if the young King feared
any route. From Berlin, hither and farther, he may have gone well-
nigh his seven hundred miles within the week; rushing on
continually (starts, at say four in the winter morning);
doing endless business, of the ordering sort, as he speeds along.
Glatz, a southwestern mountainous Appendage to Silesia, abutting on
Moravia and Bohemia, is a small strong Country; upon which, ever
since the first Friedrich times, we have seen him fixed; claiming
it too, as expenses from the Austrians, since they will not
bargain. For he rises Sibyl-like: a year ago, you might have had
him with his 100,000 to boot, for the one Duchy of Glogau;
and now--! At Glatz or in these adjacent Bohemian parts, the Young
Dessauer has been on duty, busy enough, ever since the late Siege
of Neisse: Glatz Town the Young Dessauer soon got, when ordered;
Town, Population, Territory, all is his,--all but the high mountain
Fortress (centre of the Town of Glatzj, with its stiff-necked
Austrian Garrison shut up there, which he is wearing out by hunger.
We remember the little Note from Valori's waistcoat-pocket, "Don't
give him Glatz, if you can possibly help it!" In his latest
treaties with the French and their Allies, Friedrich has very
expressly bargained for the Country (will even pay money for it);
[ OEuvres de Frederic, ii. 85.] and is
determined to have it, when the Austrians next take to bargaining.
Of Glatz Fortress, now getting hungered out by Leopold's Prussian
Detachment, I will say farther, though Friedrich heeds these
circumstances little at present, that it stands on a scarped rock,
girt by the grim intricate Hills; and that in the Arsenal, in dusty
fabulous condition, lies a certain Drum, which readers may have
heard of. Drum is not a fable, but an antique reality fallen
flaccid; made, by express bequest, as is mythically said, from the
skin of Zisca, above 300 years ago: altogether mythic that latter
clause. Drum, Fortress, Town, Villages and Territory, all shall be
Friedrich's, had hunger done its work. [Town already, after short
scuffle, 14th January, 1742; Fortress, by hunger (no firing nor
being fired on, in the interim), 25th April following,--when the
once 2,000 of garrison, worn to about 200, pale as shadows, marched
away to Brunn; "only ten of them able for duty on arriving."
(Orlich, i. 174.)]
Friedrich, while at Glatz this time, gave a new Dress to the
Virgin, say all the Biographers; of which the story is this.
Holy Virgin stood in the main Convent of Glatz, in rather a
threadbare condition, when the Prussians first approached;
the Jesuits, and ardently Orthodox of both sexes, flagitating
Heaven and her with their prayers, that she would vouchsafe to keep
the Prussians out. In which case pious Madame Something, wife of
the Austrian Commandant, vowed her a new suit of clothes.
Holy Virgin did not vouchsafe; on the Contrary, here the Prussians
are, and Starvation with them. "Courage, nevertheless, my new
friends!" intimates Friedrich: "The Prussians are not bugaboos, as
you imagined: Holy Virgin shall have a new coat, all the same!" and
was at the expense of the bit of broadcloth with trimmings. He was
in the way of making such investments, in his light sceptical
humor; and found them answer to him. At Glatz, and through those
Bohemian and Silesian Cantonments, he sets his people in motion for
the Moravian Expedition; rapidly stirs up the due Prussian
detachments from their Christmas rest among the Mountains; and has
work enough in these regions, now here now there. Schwerin is
already in Olmutz, for a month past; and towards him, or his
neighborhood, the march is to be.
January 26th, Friedrich, now with considerable retinue about him,
gets from Glatz to Landskron, some fifty miles Olmutz-ward; such a
march as General Stille never saw,--"through the ice and through
the snow, which covered that dreadful Chain of Mountains between
Bohmen and Mahren: we did not arrive till very late; many of our
carriages broken down, and others overturned more than once."
[Stille (Anonymous, Friedrich's Old-Tutor Stille),
Campagnes du Roi de Prusse (English Translation, 12mo,
London, 1763), p. 5. An intelligent, desirable little Volume,--many
misprints in the English form of it.] At Landskron next day,
Friedrich, as appointed, met the Chevalier de Saxe (CHEVALIER,
by no means Comte, but a younger Bastard, General of the Saxon
Horse); and endeavored to concert everything: Prussian rendezvous
to be at Wischau, on the 5th next; thence straightway to meet the
Saxons at Trebitsch (convenient for that Iglau),--if only the
Saxons will keep bargain.
January 28th, past midnight, after another sore march, Friedrich
arrived at Olmutz; a pretty Town,--with an excellent old Bishop,
"a Graf von Lichtenstein, a little gouty man about fifty-two years
of age, with a countenance open and full of candor; [Stille, p. 8.]
in whose fine Palace, most courteously welcomed, the King lodged
till near the day of rendezvousing. We will leave him there, and
look westward a little; before going farther into the Moravian
Expedition. Friedrich himself is evidently much bent on this
Expedition; has set his heart on paying the Austrians for their
trickery at Klein-Schnellendorf, in this handsome way, and still
picking up the chance against them which Karl Albert squandered.
If only the French and Saxons would go well abreast with Friedrich,
and thrust home! But will they? Here is a surprising bit of news;
not of good omen, when it reaches one at Olmutz!
"LINZ, 24th JANUARY, 1742 [day otherwise remarkable]. After the
much barricading, and considerable defiance and bravadoing, by
Comte de Segur and his 10,000, he has lost this City in a
scandalous manner [not quite scandalous, but reckoned so by outside
observers]; and Linz City is not now Segur's, but Khevenhuller's.
To Khevenhuller's first summons M. de Segur had answered, 'I will
hang on the highest gallows the next man that comes to propose such
a thing!'--and within a week [Khevenhuller having seized the Donau
River to rear of Linz, and blasted off the Bavarian party there],
M. de Segur did himself propose it ('Free withdrawal: Not serve
against you for a year'); and is this day beginning to march out of
Linz." [ Campagnes des Trois Marechaux, iii.
280, &c.; Adelung, iii. A, p. 12, and p. 15 (a Paris street-song on
it).] Here is an example of defending Key-Positions! If Segur's be
the pattern followed, those Conquests on the Donau are like to go a
fine road!--
There came to Friedrich, in all privacy, during his stay in Olmutz
at this Bishop's, a Diplomatic emissary from Vienna, one Pfitzner;
charged with apologies, with important offers probably;--important;
but not important enough. Friedrich blames himself for being too
abrupt on the man; might perhaps have learned something from him by
softer treatment. [ OEuvres de Frederic, ii.
109.] After three days, Pfitzner had to go his ways again, having
accomplished nothing of change upon Friedrich.
