History of Friedrich II of Prussia - Frederick the Great Chapter II. - Friedrich Besieges Dresden.
by Thomas Carlyle
From and after the Evening of Wednesday, July 9th, it is upon a
Siege of Dresden that Friedrich goes;--turning the whole war-
theatre topsy-turvy; throwing Daun, Loudon, Lacy, everybody OUT, in
this strange and sudden manner. One of the finest military feats
ever done, thinks Tempelhof. Undoubtedly a notable result so far,
and notably done; as the impartial reader (if Tempelhof be a little
inconsistent) sees for himself. These truly are a wonderful series
of marches, opulent in continual promptitudes, audacities,
contrivances;--done with shining talent, certainly; and also with
result shining, for the moment. And in a Fabulous Epic I think
Dresden would certainly have fallen to Friedrich, and his crowd of
enemies been left in a tumbled condition.
But the Epic of Reality cares nothing for such considerations;
and the time allowable for capture of Dresden is very brief.
Had Daun, on getting warning, been as prompt to return as he was to
go, frankly fronting at once the chances of the road, he might have
been at Dresden again perhaps within a week,--no Siege possible for
Friedrich, hardly the big guns got up from Magdeburg. But Friedrich
calculated there would be very considerable fettling and haggling
on Daun's part; say a good Fortnight of Siege allowed;--and that,
by dead-lift effort of all hands, the thing was feasible within
that limit. On Friedrich's part, as we can fancy, there was no want
of effort; nor on his people's part,--in spite of his complainings,
say Retzow and the Opposition party; who insinuate their own
private belief of impossibility from the first. Which is not
confirmed by impartial judgments,--that of Archenholtz, and others
better. The truth is, Friedrich was within an inch of taking
Dresden by the first assault,--they say he actually could have
taken it by storm the first day; but shuddered at the thought of
exposing poor Dresden to sack and plunder; and hoped to get it
by capitulation.
One of the rapidest and most furious Sieges anywhere on record.
Filled Europe with astonishment, expectancy, admiration, horror:--
must be very briefly recited here. The main chronological epochs,
salient points of crisis and successive phases of occurrence, will
sufficiently indicate it to the reader's fancy.
"It was Thursday Evening, 10th July, when Lacy got to his
Reichsfolk, and took breath behind Plauen Chasm. Maguire is
Governor of Dresden. The consternation of garrison and population
was extreme. To Lacy himself it did not seem conceivable that
Friedrich could mean a Siege of Dresden. Friedrich, that night, is
beyond the River, in Daun's old impregnability of Reichenberg:
'He has no siege-artillery,' thinks Lacy; 'no means, no time.'
"Nevertheless, Saturday, next day after to-morrow,--behold, there
is Hulsen, come from Schlettau to our neighborhood, on our Austrian
side of the River. And at Kaditz yonder, a mile below Dresden, are
not the King's people building their Pontoons; in march since 2 in
the morning,-- evidently coming across, if not to besiege Dresden,
then to attack us; which is perhaps worse! We outnumber them,--but
as to trying fight in any form? Zweibruck leaves Maguire an
additional 10,000;--every help and encouragement to Maguire;
whose garrison is now 14,000: 'Be of courage, Excellenz Maguire!
Nobody is better skilled in siege-matters. Feldmarschall and relief
will be here with despatch!'--and withdraws, Lacy and he, to the
edge of the Pirna Country, there to be well out of harm's way.
Lacy and he, it is thought, would perhaps have got beaten, trying
to save Dresden from its misery. Lacy's orders were, Not, on any
terms, to get into fighting with Friedrich, but only to cover
Dresden. Dresden, without fighting, has proved impossible to cover,
and Lacy leaves it bare." [Tempelhof, iv. 65.]
"At Kaditz," says Mitchell, "where the second bridge of boats took
a great deal of time, I was standing by his Majesty, when news to
the above effect came across from General Hulsen. The King was
highly pleased; and, turning to me, said: 'Just what I wished!
They have saved me a very long march [round by Dippoldiswalde or
so, in upon the rear of them] by going of will.' And immediately
the King got on horseback; ordering the Army to follow as fast as
it could." [Mitchell, ii. 168.] "Through Preisnitz, Plauen-ward,
goes the Army; circling round the Western and the Southern side of
Dresden; [a dread spectacle from the walls]; across Weistritz Brook
and the Plauen Chasm [comfortably left vacant]; and encamps on the
Southeastern side of Dresden, at Gruna, behind the GREAT GARDEN;
ready to begin business on the morrow. Gruna, about a mile to
southeast of Dresden Walls, is head-quarter during this Siege.
"Through the night, the Prussians proceed to build batteries, the
best they can;--there is no right siege-artillery yet; a few
accidental howitzers and 25-pounders, the rest mere field-guns;--
but to-morrow morning, be as it may, business shall begin.
Prince von Holstein [nephew of the Holstein Beck, or "Holstein
SILVER-PLATE," whom we lost long ago], from beyond the River,
encamped at the White Hart yonder, is to play upon the
Neustadt simultaneously.
MONDAY 14th, "At 6 A.M., cannonade began; diligent on Holstein's
part and ours; but of inconsiderable effect. Maguire has been
summoned: 'Will [with such a garrison, in spite of such
trepidations from the Court and others] defend himself to the last
man.' Free-Corps people [not Quintus's, who is on the other side of
the River], [Tempelhof, v. 67.] with regulars to rear, advance on
the Pirna Gate; hurl in Maguire's Out-parties; and had near got in
along with them,--might have done so, they and their supports, it
is thought by some, had storm seemed the recommendable method.
"For four days there is livelier and livelier cannonading;
new batteries getting opened in the Moschinska Garden and other
points; on the Prussian part, great longing that the Magdeburg
artillery were here. The Prussians are making diligently ready for
it, in the mean while (refitting the old Trenches, 'old Envelope'
dug by Maguire himself in the Anti-Schmettau time; these will do
well enough):--the Prussians reinforce Holstein at the Weisse,
Hirsch, throw a new bridge across to him; and are busy day and
night. Maguire, too, is most industrious, resisting and preparing:
Thursday shuts up the Weistritz Brook (a dam being ready this long
while back, needing only to be closed), and lays the whole South
side of Dresden under water. Many rumors about Daun: coming, not
coming;--must for certain come, but will possibly be slowish."
FRIDAY 18th. "Joy to every Prussian soul: here are the heavy guns
from Magdeburg. These, at any rate, are come; beds for them all
ready; and now the cannonading can begin in right earnest. As it
does with a vengeance. To Mitchell, and perhaps others, 'the King
of Prussia says He will now be master of the Town in a few days.
And the disposition he has made of his troops on the other side of
the River is intended not only to attack Dresden on that side [and
defend himself from Daun], but also to prevent the Garrison from
retiring. ... This morning, Friday, 18th, the Suburb of Pirna, the
one street left of it, was set fire to, by Maguire; and burnt out
of the way, as the others had been. Many of the wretched
inhabitants had fled to our camp: "Let them lodge in Plauen, no
fighting there, quiet artificial water expanses there instead."
Many think the Town will not be taken; or that, if it should, it
will cost very dear,--so determined seems Maguire. [Mitchell, iii.
170, 171.] And, in effect, from this day onwards, the Siege became
altogether fierce, and not only so, but fiery as well; and, though
lasting in that violent form only four, or at the very utmost
seven, days more, had near ruined Dresden from the face of
the world."
SATURDAY, 19th, "Maguire, touched to the quick by these new
artilleries of the Prussians this morning, found good to mount a
gun or two on the leads of the Kreuz-Kirche [Protestant High
Church, where, before now, we have noticed Friedrich attending
quasi-divine service more than once];--that is to say, on the crown
of Dresden; from which there is view into the bottom of Friedrich's
trenches and operations. Others say, it was only two or three old
Saxon cannon, which stand there, for firing on gala-days; and that
they hardly fired on Friedrich more than once. For certain, this is
one of the desirablest battery-stations,--if only Friedrich will
leave it alone. Which he will not for a moment; but brings terrific
howitzers to bear on it; cannon-balls, grenadoes; tears it to
destruction, and the poor Kreuz-Kirche along with it.
Kirche speedily all in flames, street after street blazing up round
it, again and again for eight-and-forty hours coming;
hapless Dresden, during two days and nights, a mere volcano
henceforth." "By mistake all that, and without order of mine," says
Friedrich once;--meaning, I think, all that of the Kreuz-Kirche:
and perhaps wishing he could mean the bombardment altogether,
[Schoning, ii. 361 "To Prince Henri, at Giessen [Frankfurt
Country], 23d July, 1760."]--who nevertheless got, and gets, most
of the credit of the thing from a shocked outside world.
"This morning," same Saturday, 19th, "Daun is reported to have
arrived; vanguard of him said to be at Schonfeld, over in THIRSTY-
SWEETHEART Country yonder which Friedrich, going to reconnoitre,
finds tragically indisputable: 'There, for certain; only five miles
from Holstein's post at the WHITE HART, and no River between;--as
the crow flies, hardly five from our own Camp. Perhaps it will be
some days yet before he do anything?' So that Friedrich persists in
his bombardment, only the more: 'By fire-torture, then! Let the
bombarded Royalties assail Maguire, and Maguire give in;--it is our
one chance left; and succeed we will and must!' Cruel, say you?--
Ah, yes, cruel enough, not merciful at all. The soul of Friedrich,
I perceive, is not in a bright mood at this time, but in a black
and wrathful, worn almost desperate against the slings and arrows
of unjust Fate: 'Ahead, I say! If everybody will do miracles,
cannot we perhaps still manage it, in spite of Fate?'" Mitchell is
very sorry; but will forget and forgive those inexorable passages
of war.
"I cannot think of the bombardment of Dresden without horror," says
he; "nor of many other things I have seen. Misfortunes naturally
sour men's temper [even royal men's]; and long continued, without
interval, at last extinguish humanity." "We are now in a most
critical and dangerous situation, which cannot long last: one lucky
event, approaching to a miracle, may still save all: but the
extreme caution and circumspection of Marshal Daun--!" [Mitchell,
ii. 184, 185.]
If Daun could be swift, and end the miseries of Dresden, surely
Dresden would be much obliged to him. It was ten days yet, after
that of the Kreuz-Kirche, before Dresden quite got rid of its
Siege: Daun never was a sudden man. By a kind of accident, he got
Holstein hustled across the River that first night (July 19th),--
not annihilated, as was very feasible, but pushed home, out of his
way. Whereby the North side of Dresden is now open; and Daun has
free communication with Maguire.
Maguire rose thereupon to a fine pitch of spirits; tried several
things, and wished Daun to try; but with next to no result. For two
days after Holstein's departure, Daun sat still, on his safe
Northern shore; stirring nothing but his own cunctations and
investigations, leaving the bombardment, or cannonade, to take its
own course. One attempt he did make in concert with Maguire (night
of Monday 21st), and one attempt only, of a serious nature;
which, like the rest, was unsuccessful. And would not be worth
mentioning,--except for the poor Regiment BERNBURG'S sake;
Bernburg having got into strange case in consequence of it.
"This Attempt [night of 21st-22d July] was a combined sally and
assault--Sally by Maguire's people, a General Nugent heading them,
from the South or Plauen side of Dresden, and Assault by 4,000 of
Daun's from the North side--upon Friedrich's Trenches. Which are to
be burst in upon in this double way, and swept well clear, as may
be expected. Friedrich, however, was aware of the symptoms, and had
people ready waiting,--especially, had Regiment BERNBURG,
Battalions 1st and 2d; a Regiment hitherto without stain.
"Bernburg accordingly, on General Nugent's entering their trenches
from the south side, falls altogether heartily on General Nugent;
tumbles him back, takes 200 prisoners, Nudent himself one of them
[who is considered to have been the eye of the enterprise, worth
many hundreds this night] all this Bernburg, in its usually
creditable manner, does, as expected of it. But after, or during
all this, when the Dann people from the north come streaming in,
say four to one, both south and north, Bernburg looked round for
support; and seeing none, had, after more or less of struggle, to
retire as a defeated Bernburg,--Austrians taking the battery, and
ruling supreme there for some time. Till Wedell, or somebody with
fresh Battalions, came up; and, rallying Bernburg to him, retook
their Battery, and drove out the Austrians, with a heavy loss
of prisoners. [Tempelhof, iv. 79.]
"I did not hear that Bernburg's conduct was liable to the least
fair censure. But Friedrich's soul is severe at this time;
demanding miracles from everybody: 'You runaway Bernburg, shame on
you!'--and actually takes the swords from them, and cuts off their
Hat-tresses: 'There!' Which excited such an astonishment in the
Prussian Army as was seldom seen before. And affected Bernburg to
the length almost of despair, and breaking of heart,--in a way that
is not ridiculous to me at all, but beautiful and pathetic.
Of which there is much talk, now and long afterwards, in military
circles. 'The sorrows of these poor Bernburgers, their desperate
efforts to wash out this stigma, their actual washing of it out,
not many weeks hence, and their magnificent joy on the occasion,--
these are the one distinguishing point in Daun's relief of Dresden,
which was otherwise quite a cunctatory, sedentary matter."
Daun built three Bridges,--he had a broad stone one already,--but
did little or nothing with them; and never himself came across at
all. Merely shot out nocturnal Pandour Parties, and ordered up Lacy
and the Reichsfolk to do the like, and break the night's rest of
his Enemy. He made minatory movements, one at least, down the
River, by his own shore, on Friedrich's Ammunition-Boats from
Torgau, and actually intercepted certain of them, which was
something; but, except this, and vague flourishings of the Pandour
kind, left Friedrich to his own course.
Friedrich bombarded for a day or two farther; cannonaded, out of
more or fewer batteries, for eight, or I think ten days more.
Attacks from Daun there were to be, now on this side, now on that;
many rumors of attack, but, except once only (midnight Pandours
attempting the King's lodging, "a Farm-house near Gruna," but to
their astonishment rousing the whole Prussian Army "in the course
of three minutes" [Archenholtz, ii. 81 (who is very vivid, but does
not date); Rodenbeck, ii. 24 (quotes similar account by another
Eye-witness, and guesses it to be "night of July 22d-23d").]),
rumor was mainly all. For guarding his siege-lines, Friedrich has
to alter his position; to shift slightly, now fronting this way,
now the other way; is "called always at midnight" (against these
nocturnal disturbances), and "never has his clothes off."
Nevertheless, continues his bombardment, and then his cannonading,
till his own good time, which I think is till the 26th.
His "ricochet-battery," which is good against Maguire's people,
innocent to Dresden, he continued for three days more;--while
gathering his furnitures about Plauen Country, making his
arrangements at Meissen;--did not march till the night of June
29th. Altogether calmly; no Daun or Austrian molesting him in the
least; his very sentries walking their rounds in the trenches till
daylight; after which they also marched, unmolested, Meissen-ward.
Unfortunate Friedrich has made nothing of Dresden, then. After such
a June and July of it, since he left the Meissen Country; after all
these intricate manoeuvrings, hot fierce marchings and superhuman
exertions, here is he returning to Meissen Country poorer than if
he had stayed. Fouquet lost, Glatz unrelieved--Nay, just before
marching off, what is this new phenomenon? Is this by way of "Happy
journey to you!" Towards sunset of the 29th, exuberant joy-firing
rises far and wide from the usually quiet Austrian lines,--"Meaning
what, once more?" Meaning that Glatz is lost, your Majesty; that,
instead of a siege of many weeks (as might have been expected with
Fouquet for Commandant), it has held out, under Fouquet's Second,
only a few hours; and is gone without remedy! Certain, though
incredible. Imbecile Commandant, treacherous Garrison (Austrian
deserters mainly), with stealthy Jesuits acting on them: no use
asking what. Here is the sad Narrative, in succinct form.
CAPTURE OF GLATZ (26th July, 1760).
"Loudon is a swift man, when he can get bridle; but the curb-hand
of Daun is often heavy on him. Loudon has had Glatz blockaded since
June 7th; since June 23d he has had Fouquet rooted away, and the
ground clear for a Siege of Glatz. But had to abstain altogether,
in the mean time; to take camp at Landshut, to march and manoeuvre
about, in support of Daun, and that heavy-footed gallop of Daun's
which then followed: on the whole, it was not till Friedrich went
for Dresden that the Siege-Artillery, from Olmutz, could be ordered
forward upon Glatz; not for a fortnight more that the Artillery
could come; and, in spite of Loudon's utmost despatch, not till
break of day, July 26th, that the batteries could open.
After which, such was Loudon's speed and fortune,--and so diligent
had the Jesuits been in those seven weeks,--the 'Siege,' as they
call it, was over in less than seven hours.
"One Colonel D'O [Piedmontese by nation, an incompetent person,
known to loud Trenck during his detention here] was Commandant of
Glatz, and had the principal Fortress,--for there are two, one on
each side the Neisse River;--his Second was a Colonel Quadt, by
birth Prussian, seemingly not very competent he either, who had
command of the Old Fortress, round which lies the Town of Glatz:
a little Town, abounding in Jesuits;--to whose Virgin, if readers
remember, Friedrich once gave a new gown; with small effect on her,
as would appear. The Quadt-D'O garrison was 2,400,--and, if tales
are true, it had been well bejesuited during those seven weeks.
[ OEuvres de Frederic, v. 55.] At four in the
morning, July 26th) the battering began on Quadt; Quadt, I will
believe, responding what he could,--especially from a certain
Arrowhead Redoubt (or FLECHE) he has, which ought to have been
important to him. After four or five hours of this, there was
mutual pause,--as if both parties had decided upon breakfast before
going farther.
"Quadt's Fortress is very strong, mostly hewn in the rock; and he
has that important outwork of a FLECHE; which is excellent for
enfilading, as it extends well beyond the glacis; and, being of
rock like the rest, is also abundantly defensible. Loudon's people,
looking over into this FLECHE, find it negligently guarded;
Quadt at breakfast, as would seem:--and directly send for Harsch,
Captain of the Siege, and even for Loudon, the General-in-Chief.
Negligently guarded, sure enough; nothing in the FLECHE but a few
sentries, and these in the horizontal position, taking their
unlawful rest there, after such a morning's work. 'Seize me that,'
eagerly orders Loudon; 'hold that with firm grip!' Which is done;
only to step in softly, two battalions of you, and lay hard hold.
Incompetent Quadt, figure in what a flurry, rushing out to
recapture his FLECHE,--explodes instead into mere anarchy, whole
Companies of him flinging down their arms at their Officers' feet,
and the like. So that Quadt is totally driven in again, Austrians
along with him; and is obliged to beat chamade;--D'O following the
example, about an hour after, without even a capitulation.
Was there ever seen such a defence! Major Unruh, one of a small
minority, was Prussian, and stanch; here is Unruh's personal
experience,--testimony on D'O's Trial, I suppose,--and now pretty
much the one thing worth reading on this subject.
"MAJOR ULZRUH TESTIFIES: 'At four in the morning, 26th July, 1760,
the Enemy began to cannonade the Old Fortress [that of Quadt];
and about nine, I was ordered with 150 men to clear the Envelope
from Austrians. Just when I had got to the Damm-Gate, halt was
called. I asked the Commandant, who was behind me, which way I
should march; to the Crown-work or to the Envelope? Being answered,
To the Envelope, I found on coming out at the Field-Gate nothing
but an Austrian Lieutenant-colonel and some men. He called to me,
"There had been chamade beaten, and I was not to run into
destruction (MICH UNGLUCKLICH MACHEN)!" I offered him Quarter;
and took him in effect prisoner, with 20 of his best men; and sent
him to the Commandant, with request that he would keep my rear
free, or send me reinforcement. I shot the Enemy a great many
people here; chased him from the Field-Gate, and out of both the
Envelope and the Redoubt called the Crane [that is the FLECHE
itself, only that the Austrians are mostly not now there, but gone
THROUGH into the interior there!]--Returning to the Field-Gate, I
found that the Commandant had beaten chamade a second time;
there were marching in, by this Field-Gate, two battalions of the
Austrian Regiment ANDLAU; I had to yield myself prisoner, and was
taken to General Loudon. He asked me, "Don't you know the rules of
war, then; that you fire after chamade is beaten?" I answered in my
heat, "I knew of no chamade; what poltroonery or what treachery had
been going on, I knew not!" Loudon answered, "You might deserve to
have your head laid at your feet, Sir! Am I here to inquire which
of you shows bravery, which poltroonery?"' [Seyfarth, ii. 652.]
A blazing Loudon, when the fire is up!"--
After the Peace, D'O had Court-Martial, which sentenced him to
death, Friedrich making it perpetual imprisonment: "Perhaps not a
traitor, only a blockhead!" thought Friedrich. He had been
recommended to his post by Fouquet. What Trenck writes of him is,
otherwise, mostly lies.
Thus is the southern Key of Silesia (one of the two southern Keys,
Neisse being the other) lost to Friedrich, for the first time;
and Loudon is like to drive a trade there; "Will absolutely nothing
prosper with us, then?" Nothing, seemingly, your Majesty!
Heavier news Friedrich scarcely ever had. But there is no help.
This too he has to carry with him as he can into the Meissen
Country. Unsuccessful altogether; beaten on every hand.
Human talent, diligence, endeavor, is it but as lightning smiting
the Serbonian Bog? Smite to the last, your Majesty, at any rate;
let that be certain. As it is, and has been. That is always
something, that is always a great thing.
Friedrich intends no pause in those Meissen Countries. JULY 30th,
on his march northward, he detaches Hulsen with the old 10,000 to
take Camp at Schlettau as before, and do his best for defence of
Saxony against the Reichsfolk, numerous, but incompetent;
he himself, next day, passes on, leaving Meissen a little on his
right, to Schieritz, some miles farther down,--intending there to
cross Elbe, and make for Silesia without loss of an hour.
Need enough of speed thither; more need than even Friedrich
supposes! Yesterday, July 30th, Loudon's Vanguard came blockading
Breslau, and this day Loudon himself;--though Friedrich heard
nothing, anticipated nothing, of that dangerous fact, for a week
hence or more.
Soltikof's and Loudon's united intentions on Silesia he has well
known this long while; and has been perpetually dunning Prince
Henri on the subject, to no purpose,--only hoping always there
would probably be no great rapidity on the part of these discordant
Allies. Friedrich's feelings, now that the contrary is visible, and
indeed all through the Summer in regard to the Soltikof-Loudon
Business, and the Fouquet-Henri method of dealing with it, have
been painful enough, and are growing ever more so. Cautious Henri
never would make the smallest attack on Soltikof, but merely keep
observing him;--the end of which, what can the end of it be? urges
Friedrich always: "Condense yourselves; go in upon the Russians,
while they are in separate corps;"--and is very ill-satisfied with
the languor of procedures there. As is the Prince with such
reproaches, or implied reproaches, on said languor. Nor is his
humor cheered, when the King's bad predictions prove true. What has
it come to? These Letters of King and Prince are worth reading,--if
indeed you can, in the confusion of Schoning (a somewhat exuberant
man, loud rather than luminous);--so curious is the Private
Dialogue going on there at all times, in the background of the
stage, between the Brothers. One short specimen, extending through
the June and July just over,--specimen distilled faithfully out of
that huge jumbling sea of Schaning, and rendered legible,--the
reader will consent to.
DIALOGUE OF FRIEDRICH AND HENRI
(from their Private Correspondence: June 7th-July 29th, 1760).
FRIEDRICH (June 7th; before his first crossing Elbe: Henri at
Sagan; he at Schlettau, scanning the waste of fatal possibilities).
... Embarrassing? Not a doubt, of that! "I own, the circumstances
both of us are in are like to turn my head, three or four times a
day." Loudon aiming for Neisse, don't you think? Fouquet all in the
wrong.--"One has nothing for it but to watch where the likelihood
of the biggest misfortune is, and to run thither with one's
whole strength."
henri ... "I confess I am in great apprehension for Colberg:"--
shall one make thither; think you? Russians, 8,000 as the first
instalment of them, have ARRIVED; got to Posen under Fermor, June
1st:--so the Commandant of Glogau writes me (see enclosed).
FRIEDRICH (June 9th). Commandant of Glogau writes impossibilities:
Russians are not on march yet, nor will be for above a week.
"I cross Elbe, the 15th. I am compelled to undertake something of
decisive nature, and leave the rest to chance. For desperate
disorders desperate remedies. My bed is not one of roses.
Heaven aid us: for human prudence finds itself fall short in
situations so cruel and desperate as ours." [Schoning, ii. 313
("Meissen Camp, 7th June, 1760"); ib. ii. 317 ("9th June").]
HENRI. Hm, hm, ha (Nothing but carefully collected rumors, and
wire-drawn auguries from them, on the part of Henri; very intense
inspection of the chicken-bowels,--hardly ever without a shake of
the head).
FRIEDRICH (June 26th; has heard of the Fouquet disaster). ...
"Yesterday my heart was torn to pieces [news of Landshut, Fouquet's
downfall there], and I felt too sad to be in a state for writing
you a sensible Letter; but to-day, when I have come to myself a
little again, I will send you my reflections. After what has
happened to Fouquet, it is certain Loudon can have no other design
but on Breslau [he designs Glatz first of all]: it will be the
grand point, therefore, especially if the Russians too are bending
thither, to save that Capital of Silesia. Surely the Turks must be
in motion:--if so, we are saved; if not so, we are lost! To-day I
have taken this Camp of Dobritz, in order to be more collected, and
in condition to fight well, should occasion rise,--and in case all
this that is said and written to me about the Turks is TRUE [which
nothing of it was], to be able to profit by it when the time
comes." [Schoning, ii. 341 ("Gross-Dobritz, 26th June, 1760").]
HENRI (simultaneously, June 26th: Henri is forward from Sagan,
through Frankfurt, and got settled at Landsberg, where he remains
through the rest of the Dialogue). ... Tottleben, with his
Cossacks, scouring about, got a check from us,--nothing like
enough. "By all my accounts, Soltikof, with the gross of the
Russians, is marching for Posen. The other rumors and symptoms
agree in indicating a separate Corps, under Fermor, who is to join
Tottleben, and besiege Colberg: if both these Corps, the Colberg
and the Posen one, act, in concert, my embarrassment will be
extreme. ... I have just had news of what has befallen General
Fouquet. Before this stroke, your affairs were desperate enough;
now I see but too well what we have to look for." [Ib. ii. 339
("Landsberg, 26th June, 1760").] (How comforting!)
FRIEDRICH. "Would to God your prayers for the swift capture of
Dresden had been heard; but unfortunately I must tell you, this
stroke has failed me. ... Dresden has been reduced to ashes, third
part of the Altstadt lying burnt;--contrary to my intentions: my
orders were, To spare the City, and play the Artillery against
the works. My Minister Graf von Finck will have told you what
occasioned its being set on fire." [Schoning, ii. 361
("2d-3d July").]
HENRI (July 26th; Dresden Siege gone awry). ... "I am to keep the
Russians from Frankfurt, to cover Glogau, and prevent a besieging
of Breslau! All that forms an overwhelming problem;--which I, with
my whole heart, will give up to somebody abler for it than I am."
[Ib. ii. 369-371 ("Landsherg, 26th July").]
FRIEDRICH (29th July; quits the Trenches of Dresden this night).
... "I have seen with pain that you represent everything to
yourself on the black side. I beg you, in the name of God, my
dearest Brother, don't take things up in their blackest and worst
shape:--it is this that throws your mind into such an indecision,
which is so lamentable. Adopt a resolution rather, what resolution
you like, but stand by it, and execute it with your whole strength.
I conjure you, take a fixed resolution; better a bad than none at
all. ... What is possible to man, I will do; neither care nor
consideration nor effort shall be spared, to secure the result of
my plans. The rest depends on circumstances. Amid such a number of
enemies, one cannot always do what one will, but must let them
prescribe." [Ib. ii. 370-372 ("Leubnitz, before Dresden, 29th
July, 1760").]
An uncomfortable little Gentleman; but full of faculty, if one can
manage to get good of it! Here, what might have preceded all the
above, and been preface to it, is a pretty passage from him;
a glimpse he has had of Sans-Souci, before setting out on those
gloomy marchings and cunctatory hagglings. Henri writes (at Torgau,
April 26th, just back from Berlin and farewell of friends):--
"I mean to march the day after to-morrow. I took arrangements with
General Fouquet [about that long fine-spun Chain of Posts, where we
are to do such service?]--the Black Hussars cannot be here till
to-morrow, otherwise I should have marched a day sooner. My Brother
[poor little invalid Ferdinand] charged me to lay him at your feet.
I found him weak and thin, more so than formerly. Returning hither,
the day before yesterday, I passed through Potsdam; I went to
Sans-Souci [April 24th, 1760]:--all is green there; the Garden
embellished, and seemed to me excellently kept. Though these
details cannot occupy you at present, I thought it would give you
pleasure to hear of them for a moment." [Schoning, ii. 233
("Torgau, 26th April, 1760").] Ah, yes; all is so green and
blessedly silent there: sight of the lost Paradise, actually IT,
visible for a moment yonder, far away, while one goes whirling in
this manner on the illimitable wracking winds!--
Here finally, from a distant part of the War-Theatre, is another
Note; which we will read while Friedrich is at Schieritz. At no
other place so properly; the very date of it, chief date (July
31st), being by accident synchronous with Schieritz:--
DUKE FERDINAND'S BATTLE OF WARBURG (31st July, 1760).
Duke Ferdinand has opened his difficult Campaign; and especially--
just while that Siege of Dresden blazed and ended--has had three
sharp Fights, which were then very loud in the Gazettes, along with
it. Three once famous Actions; which unexpectedly had little or no
result, and are very much forgotten now. So that bare enumeration
of them is nearly all we are permitted here. Pitt has furnished
7,000 new English, this Campaign,--there are now 20,000 English in
all, and a Duke Ferdinand raised to 70,000 men. Surely, under good
omens, thinks Pitt; and still more think the Gazetteers, judging by
appearances. Yes: but if Broglio have 130,000, what will it come
to? Broglio is two to one; and has, before this, proved himself a
considerable Captain.
Fight FIRST is that of KORBACH (July 10th): of Broglio, namely, who
has got across the River Ohm in Hessen (to Ferdinand's great
disgust with the General Imhof in command there), and is streaming
on to seize the Diemel River, and menace Hanover; of Broglio, in
successive sections, at a certain "Pass of Korbach," VERSUS the
Hereditary Prince (ERBPRINZ of Brunswick), who is waiting for him
there in one good section,--and who beautifully hurls back one and
another of the Broglio sections; but cannot hurl back the whole
Broglio Army, all marching by sections that way; and has to retire,
back foremost, fencing sharply, still in a diligently handsome
manner, though with loss. [Mauvillon, ii. 105.] That is the Battle
of Korbach, fought July 10th,--while Lacy streamed through Dresden,
panting to be at Plauen Chasm, safe at last.
Fight SECOND (July 16th) was a kind of revenge on the Erbprinz's
part: Affair of EMSDORF, six days after, in the same neighborhood;
beautiful too, said the Gazetteers; but of result still more
insignificant. Hearing of a considerable French Brigade posted not
far off, at that Village of Emsdorf, to guard Broglio's meal-carts
there, the indignant Erbprinz shoots off for that; light of
foot,--English horse mainly, and Hill Scots (BERG-SCHOTTEN so
called, who have a fine free stride, in summer weather);--dashes in
upon said Brigade (Dragoons of Bauffremont and other picked men),
who stood firmly on the defensive; but were cut up, in an amazing
manner, root and branch, after a fierce struggle, and as it were
brought home in one's pocket. To the admiration of military
circles,--especially of mess-rooms and the junior sort. "Elliot's
light horse [part of the new 7,000], what a regiment! Unparalleled
for willingness, and audacity of fence; lost 125 killed,"--in fact,
the loss chiefly fell on Elliot. [Ib. ii. 109 (Prisoners got "were
2,661, including General and Officers 179," with all their
furnitures whatsoever, "400 horses, 8 cannon," &c.).] The BERG-
SCHOTTEN too,--I think it was here that these kilted fellows,
who had marched with such a stride, "came home mostly riding:" poor
Beauffremont Dragoons being entirely cut up, or pocketed as
prisoners, and their horses ridden in this unexpected manner!
But we must not linger,--hardly even on WARBURG, which was the
THIRD and greatest; and has still points of memorability, though
now so obliterated.
"Warburg," says my Note on this latter, "is a pleasant little
Hessian Town, some twenty-five miles west of Cassel, standing on
the north or left bank of the Diemel, among fruitful knolls and
hollows. The famous 'BATTLE OF WARBURG,'--if you try to inquire in
the Town itself, from your brief railway-station, it is much if
some intelligent inhabitant, at last, remembers to have heard of
it! The thing went thus: Chevalier du Muy, who is Broglio's Rear-
guard or Reserve, 30,000 foot and horse, with his back to the
Diemel, and eight bridges across it in case of accident, has his
right flank leaning on Warburg, and his left on a Village of
Ossendorf, some two miles to northwest of that. Broglio, Prince
Xavier of Saxony, especially Duke Ferdinand, are all vehemently and
mysteriously moving about, since that Fight of Korbach;
Broglio intent to have Cassel besieged, Du Muy keeping the Diemel
for him; Ferdinand eager to have the Diemel back from Du Muy
and him.
"Two days ago (July 29th), the Erbprinz crossed over into these
neighborhoods, with a strong Vanguard, nearly equal to Du Muy;
and, after studious reconnoitring and survey had, means, this
morning (July 31st), to knock him over the Diemel again, if he can.
No time to be lost; Broglio near and in such force. Duke Ferdinand
too, quitting Broglio for a moment, is on march this way;
crossed the Diemel, about midnight, some ten miles farther down, or
eastward; will thence bend southward, at his best speed, to support
the Erbprinz, if necessary, and beset the Diemel when got;--
Erbprinz not, however, in any wise, to wait for him; such the
pressure from Broglio and others. A most busy swift-going scene
that morning;--hardly worth such describing at this date of time.
"The Erbprinz, who is still rather to northeastward, that is to
rightward, not directly frontward, of Du Muy's lines; and whose
plan of attack is still dark to Du Muy, commences [about 8 A.M., I
should guess] by launching his British Legion so called,--which is
a composite body, of Free-Corps nature, British some of it
('Colonel Beckwith's people,' for example), not British by much the
most of it, but an aggregate of wild strikers, given to plunder
too:--by launching his British Legion upon Warburg Town, there to
take charge of Du Muy's right wing. Which Legion, 'with great
rapidity, not only pitched the French all out, but clean plundered
the poor Town;' and is a sad sore on Du Muy's right, who cannot
get it attended to, in the ominous aspects elsewhere visible.
For the Erbprinz, who is a strategic creature, comes on, in the
style of Friedrich, not straight towards Du Muy, but sweeps out in
two columns round northward; privately intending upon Du Muy's left
wing and front--left wing, right wing, (by British Legion), and
front, all three;--and is well aided by a mist which now fell, and
which hung on the higher ground, and covered his march, for an hour
or more. This mist had not begun when he saw, on the knoll-tops,
far off on the right, but indisputable as he flattered himself,
--something of Ferdinand emerging! Saw this; and pours along, we
can suppose, with still better step and temper. And bursts, pretty
simultaneously, upon Du Muy's right wing and left wing, coercing
his front the while; squelches both these wings furiously together;
forces the coerced centre, mostly horse, to plunge back into the
Diemel, and swim. Horse could swim; but many of the Foot, who
tried, got drowned. And, on the whole, Du Muy is a good deal
wrecked [1,600 killed, 2,000 prisoners, not to speak of cannon
and flags], and, but for his eight bridges, would have been
totally ruined.
"The fight was uncommonly furious, especially on Du Muy's left;
'Maxwell's Brigade' going at it, with the finest bayonet-practice,
musketry, artillery-practice; obstinate as bears. On Du Muy's
right, the British Legion, left wing, British too by name, had a
much easier job. But the fight generally was of hot and stubborn
kind, for hours, perhaps two or more;--and some say, would not have
ended so triumphantly, had it not been for Duke Ferdinand's
Vanguard, Lord Granby and the English Horse; who, warned by the
noise ahead, pushed on at the top of their speed, and got in before
the death. Granby and the Blues had gone at the high trot, for
above five miles; and, I doubt not, were in keen humor when they
rose to the gallop and slashed in. Mauvillon says, 'It was in this
attack that Lord Granby, at the head of the Blues, his own
regiment, had his hat blown off; a big bald circle in his head
rendering the loss more conspicuous. But he never minded; stormed
still on,' bare bald head among the helmets and sabres; 'and made
it very evident that had he, instead of Sackville, led at Minden,
there had been a different story to tell. The English, by their
valor,' adds he, 'greatly distinguished themselves this day.
And accordingly they suffered by far the most; their loss amounting
to 590 men:' or, as others count,--out of 1,200 killed and wounded,
800 were English." [Mauvillon, ii. 114. Or better, in all these
three cases, as elsewhere, Tempelhof's specific Chapter on
Ferdinand (Tempelhof, iv. 101-122). Ferdinand's Despatch (to King
George), in Knesebeck, ii. 96-98;--or in the
Old Newspapers ( Gentleman's Magazine, xxx.
386, 387), where also is Lord Granby's Despatch.]
This of Granby and the bald head is mainly what now renders Warburg
memorable. For, in a year or two, the excellent Reynolds did a
Portrait of Granby; and by no means forgot this incident; but gives
him bare-headed, bare and bald; the oblivious British connoisseur
not now knowing why, as perhaps he ought. The portrait, I suppose,
may be in Belvoir Castle; the artistic Why of the baldness is this
BATTLE OF WARBURG, as above. An Affair otherwise of no moment.
Ferdinand had soon to quit the Diemel, or to find it useless for
him, and to try other methods,--fencing gallantly, but too weak for
Broglio; and, on the whole, had a difficult Campaign of it, against
that considerable Soldier with forces so superior.
