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FEEDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
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FEEDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 BY 
 
 COL. C. B. BEACKENBURY, E.A. 
 
 
 LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 
 
 Limited. 
 
 1884. 
 

 /^o-'< 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 R. CLAY, SONS, AND TAYLOR, PRINTERS, 
 
 BREAD STREET HILL. 
 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAOB 
 
 Frederick's ancestry 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE HOHENZOLLERNS ARE KINGS. — BIRTH AND TRAINING OF 
 
 FREDERICK THE GREAT 13 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE STATE OF EUROPE 39 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 FREDERICK ON THE THRONE. — LIBERAL MEASURES. — INCREASE 
 OF THE ARMY. — ^VISIT TO STRASBURG. — AFFAIR OF HERSTAL. 
 — DEATH OF THE KAISER. — PRAGMATIC SANCTION BREAKS 
 DOWN. — DECISION TO OCCUPY SILESIA 47 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE SILESIA N STRUGGLE BEGINS.— BATTLE OF M0LLWIT2 ... 54 
 
 253609 
 
vi CONTENTS, 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 PACK 
 SILESIA IS WON. — MARIA THERESA ROUSES HUNGARY. — FRENCH 
 
 INTERFERENCE.— BATTLE OF CHOTUSITZ.— PEACE OF BRESLAU 68 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 giLEsiA IS PRUSSIANISED.— Frederick's habits.— diplomatic 
 
 COMPLICATIONS. — PRUSSIAN ARMY AGAIN STRENGTHENED. — 
 VOLTAIRE AT BERLIN. — FRENCH INVADE THE NETHERLANDS. 
 — PRINCE CHARLES CROSSES THE RHINE INTO ALSACE. — 
 FREDERICK STRIKES IN. — AUSTRIANS INVADE SILESIA ... 85 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 SILESIA PULLED OUT OF THE FIRE. — BATTLES OF HOHENFRIED- 
 
 EURG AND SOHR 100 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE TEN YEARS* PEACE. — REFORMS. — BARBERINA. — ^VOLTAIRE 
 AND MAUPERTUIS. — LEAGUE AGAINST PRUSSIA. — THE MENT- 
 ZEL DOCUMENTS. — FREDERICK MARCHES FOR DRESDEN . , . 116 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE SEVEN YEARS* WAR BEGINS. — CAMPAIGN OF 1756. — BATTLE 
 OF LOBOSITZ. —CAPITULATION OF PIRNA. — SAXON ARMY 
 ABSORBED 125 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1757. — BATTLE AND SIEGE OF PRAGUE 132 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1757 {continued).— BATTLE OF KOLIN. — SIEGE OF 
 
 PRAGUE RAISED 142 
 
CONTENTS, vU 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 PAaa 
 CAMPAIGN OP 1757 (continued). — ill fortune pursues Frede- 
 rick. — THE disaster OP THE PRINCE OF PRUSSIA AT ZITTAU. 
 — THE KING MARCHES AGAINST THE DAUPHINESS ARMY, 
 WHICH AVOIDS HIM. — RETREAT OP SEVERN. — CORRESPOND- 
 ENCE WITH WILHELMINA. — RAID ON BERLIN. — RUSSIANS GO 
 HOME 152 
 
 CHAPTER Xiy. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OP 1757 [continued). — battle of rossbach. — march 
 
 TO SILESIA. — BATTLE OF LEUTHEN 166 
 
 CHAPTER Xy, 
 
 CAMPAIGN OP 1758.— SIEGE OF OLMUTZ.— CAPTURE OF THE 
 CONVOY.— FREDERICK'S MARCH TO KONIGGRATZ — HE GOES 
 AGAINST FERMOR. — BATTLE OF ZORNDORF. — DAUN ENTERS 
 
 SAXONY.— Frederick's return to Dresden. — marches 
 
 TO relieve NEISSE. — DAUN INTERCEPTS HIM. — BATTLE OP 
 HOCHKIRCH 182 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1759.— BATTLE OF KUNERSDORF.— PALL OF DRES- 
 DEN. — PRINCE henry's GREAT MARCH. — CAPTURE OF FINCK 
 AT MAXEN ♦, 207 
 
 . CHAPTER XYII. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1760. — FREDERICK'S DOUBLE PLAN. — SIEGE OP 
 DRESDEN. — MARCH TO SILESIA. — MANOEUVRES AGAINST 
 THREE ARMIES. — BATTLE OF LIEGNITZ. — RAID ON BERLIN. — 
 FREDERICK MARCHES FOR SAXONY. — BATTLE OF TORGAU . . 217 
 
viu CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIIl. 
 
 { PACE 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1761. — GROWING EXHAUSTION OF THE ARMIES. — 
 
 CAMP OF BUNZELWITZ.— LOUDON CAPTURES SCHWEIDNITZ. — 
 DEATH OF THE CZARINA. — PEACE WITH RUSSIA. — CAMPAIGN 
 OF 1762. — DAUN FORTIFIES HIMSELF TO COVER SCHWEIDNITZ. 
 — FREDERICK TURNS HIM OUT.— SCHWEIDNITZ RECAPTURED. 
 — PEACE OF HUBERTSBURG. — RESTORATION OF RUINED 
 PRUSSIA. — PARTITION OF POLAND. — AMBITION OF KAISER 
 JOSEPH LEADS TO QUASI-CAMPAIGN OF 1778-9 240 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 DEATH OF MARIA THERESA IN 1780. — FREDERICK'S SHARP 
 
 CRITICISM OF HIS GENERALS AT AUTUMN MAN(EUVRES. 
 
 INSPECTION OF SILESIAN ARMY. — CATCHES A CHILL. — LAST 
 ILLNESS.— DEATH IN 1786.— HIS CHARACTER AS A KING, A 
 SOLDIER, A MAN 256 
 
FEEDEEICK THE GEEAT. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A.D. 928—1686. 
 
 The story of a warrior king like Frederick the Great 
 cannot be rightly understood without taking into con- 
 sideration the times in which he lived and the events 
 which, during a series of ages, combined to place him in 
 the position which he occupied at the beginning of his 
 reign. And the rise of the Hohenzollern family is 
 peculiarly interesting. Springing from obscurity more 
 than four centuries and a half ago, it has had vitality 
 enough to retain its existence among storms which have 
 overthrown many a royal house, and, fixing its roots 
 deeper and firmer in the soil of central Europe, to gain 
 at last the highest possible European distinction — the 
 Imperial Crown of Germany. Judged by the theoretical 
 morality of the nineteenth century, the diplomatic subtle- 
 ties and the wars of the Hohenzollerns, especially the 
 seizure of Silesia by Frederick the Great, may appear 
 wanting in honesty and humanity 7j but if we take into 
 
2 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 928. 
 
 account the conditions under which society existed before 
 nations asserted the right to have the chief voice in their 
 own government, it will appear that no family more than 
 another had the monopoly of virtue or vice, and that if 
 in the stream of history the Hohenzollerns have gradually 
 destroyed their early companions on the voyage, it is 
 because they were iron pots among earthen pipkins. 
 
 The tendency of modern historians is to reject the old 
 hero-worship of kings and to throw the light of their 
 researches upon the growth of nations rather than upon 
 the genius of rulers, generals, and ministers. No doubt 
 there is need of a change from the old method of writing 
 history, by which the masters were glorified at the expense 
 of the people. But the new process may be carried too 
 far. It is possible that, in a not far distant future, the 
 progress of trade and manufactures will be pushed by 
 co-operative societies of workmen ; but the historians of 
 that time will be unjust if they forget the services ren- 
 dered in the past by capitalists and inventors. Politically, 
 the world is travelling in the direction of constitutional 
 government or even republicanism, which are both forms 
 of co-operation ; yet the power now known as the Empire 
 of Germany was founded and built up by other means, 
 prominent among which have been the character and 
 actions of various members of the House of Hohenzollern. 
 The Electors of Brandenburg raised themselves and their 
 family by their own exert ious at a time when Princes 
 regarded their countries much as landed proprietors now 
 do their estates. Territories with their whole populations 
 were bought and sold without consulting other interests 
 than those of the proprietors, and a Kaiser was not 
 ashamed to wring a post obit for an important district out 
 of the necessities of a young hereditary Prince, whose 
 
FREDERICK'S ANCESTRY. 3 
 
 928. 
 
 father was at the same time bargaining away the rights 
 of his son. The people were passed over like cattle to 
 the new possessors, and asked for even less than the 
 protection given to the beasts on a farm. Thus, while it 
 is true that rulers and ministers were the products of 
 their time, we may say with equal justice that the people 
 were often mere tools in the hands of their sovereign ; 
 who used their very aspirations towards heaven as means 
 of strengthening his dynasty on earth and adding to his 
 worldly possessions. )The bargainings for treaties between 
 royal and princely houses resembled the sharp practice of 
 a horse fair, and there was even more certainty that the 
 agreements would be disavowed if either party saw its 
 advantage in repudiating the transaction^ Such being 
 the usual conditions, those countries may be esteemed 
 fortunate whose proprietors were clever in seizing the 
 advantage when it offered, and whose interests were not 
 disassociated from those of their masters. 
 
 In the year 928 Brannibor, now Brandenburg, first 
 emerged from the chaos of northern heathendom and 
 took its place in history. Henry the Fowler marched 
 across the frozen bogs, captured Brannibor, and set up 
 there a Margrave, or Warden of the Marches, to keep 
 order among the barbarous Wends. His business was, 
 like that of English and Bussian pro-consuls in Asia, to 
 guard the borders of Christendom and save it from inva- 
 sion. Under such circumstances there can be but one 
 result. The weaker and less civilised nations bring about 
 quarrels which end in their subjection. The Margraves, 
 however, had many vicissitudes, and the final victory was 
 not achieved till two centuries later, when Albert tho 
 Bear crushed and half exterminated the Wends with one 
 hand, and thrust upon them, with the other, Christianity 
 
 B 2 
 
4 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1170-1415. 
 
 and 'colonists from Holland. In consideration of his 
 talents and various achievements Albert became a Kur- 
 furst (Choosing Prince) or Elector of the Empire, and 
 henceforth the Margraves of Brandenburg had the right to 
 one voice in the election of Kaisers. This small seed of 
 territory and power has gradually grown into the kingdom 
 of Prussia, the headship of the German Empire. 
 
 About the time of Albert's death in 1170, or a little 
 earlier, began the rise of the Hohenzollern family, which 
 had, however, not yet any connection with Brandenburg. 
 Conrad, a cadet of the House, left his home in Suabia to 
 seek his fortune with the Emperor Barbarossa, and suc- 
 ceeded so well that he shortly became Burgrave of 
 Nuremburg. His descendants grew in power by the 
 same qualities which they have displayed to the present 
 day — the qualities mainly of men of business — and were 
 ever ready to seize and make the most of the opportunities 
 which came under their hands. They acquired larger 
 territories, and became in time Margraves of Culmbach, 
 which included Anspach and Baireuth. Though not 
 Electors of the Empire, their power was such as to give 
 them much influence over the choice of Kaisers, and they 
 stood well for higher honours. Meanwhile Brandenburg 
 had, after a series of troubles, fallen into the hands of 
 the Kaisers, who thus became voters for their own elec- 
 tion. In 1415 Sigismund, after having pawned Branden- 
 burg for small sums more than once, sold it with the 
 power which it conferred to Frederick of Hohenzollern 
 for 400,000 golden gulden, and henceforth the talents 
 which had made the family were devoted to the aggran- 
 disement of the northern Principality. 
 
 It was time that a strong hand should take the reins, 
 for Brandenburg had fallen into a state of perilous anarchy. 
 
FREDERICK'S ANCESTRY, 5 
 
 1415. 
 
 The towns received Frederick with joy, but the robber 
 barons, who lived by highway plunder or black-mail, had 
 no stomach for regular government. Persuasion and hos- 
 pitality were tried with no effect, but the louder voice of 
 cannon — novelties to the barons — especially the balls from 
 a heavy twenty-four pounder called Faule Crete, or Lazy 
 Peg, brought the walls of the castles to ruin and the barons 
 to a better sense of their duties. Brandenburg was saved 
 and strengthened, and so prominent were the services of 
 Frederick to Germany that he was offered the Kaisership 
 in his old age. He declined that crown of thorns, and it 
 has been the aim of his family ever since rather to add to 
 the power of their own house and country than to grasp 
 at imperial greatness. Even in our days it was not by 
 his own will that William of Prussia became Emperor of 
 Germany. 
 
 From the first acquisition of the Electorate to the 
 time of the Great Elector in 1640, near the end of the 
 Thirty Years' War, the lives of the Hohenzollern house 
 may be passed over in silence, except with regard to 
 certain events which bear upon the history of Frederick 
 the Great and his father. The family continued to hold 
 Culmbach and Brandenburg. The practice was for the 
 head of the house to be Elector of Brandenburg, while 
 Culmbach, or sometimes Baireuth and Anspach separated, 
 were governed by younger branches. This arrangement, 
 at first informal, was made definite by the '' Gera 
 Bond " in 1598. The bond provided that the younger 
 branch should have Culmbach, which might be split into 
 Baireuth and Anspach on occasion, but if either branch 
 failed the other would take both the Electorship and 
 Margraviate until they should be divided again for the 
 benefit of the younger scions. On the whole the various 
 
6 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1511-1568. 
 
 members of the family were hard-headed, rather grasping 
 men, with a keen eye for the main chance, but withal 
 good rulers considering the times in which they lived. 
 
 Another important point is the acquisition of Prussia. 
 One of the Culmbach line, named Albert, was chosen 
 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order of Knighthood, then 
 in a state of decay, in 1511. The Teutonic knights had 
 taken possession of all East and "West Prussia, and con- 
 verted — that is, nearly exterminated — the heathen owners 
 of the land. Like the Templars, they acquired much 
 property in various directions, became rich, luxurious, 
 and degenerate. The King of Poland forced them to 
 yield West Prussia and to do homage for East Prussia. 
 Albert was elected on the understanding, confirmed by an 
 oath, that he would refuse this homage. He endeavoured 
 to keep his word, but found that neither the empire nor 
 the knights would give him any help at all. After seven 
 years, Albert at last got 8,000 troops together to fight 
 Poland, but was worsted at once, and made truce for four 
 years, during which he besieged the Reich and the Ritters 
 with requests for help, if indeed they cared for the point 
 they had pressed upon him. His prayers were in vain, 
 and with practical sense he consulted Luther, put down 
 the order, and made himself Duke of Prussia, for which 
 he consented to do homage to the King of Poland, his 
 mother's brother. Ripe fruit will fall into the mouth of 
 the capable, whether they shake the tree or not. Thus 
 Prussia came under the government of the Hohenzollerns, 
 and an example of Protestantism was set to' the family. 
 The incapable knights disappeared, to be heard of no more, 
 and in 1568 the dukedom was made hereditary by consent 
 of the Reich, the Brandenburg Hohenzollerns to take it 
 if the Culmbach line failed, which it eventually did. Thus 
 
FREDERICK'S ANCESTRY. 7 
 
 Prussia was gathered into the possessions of the Northern 
 Hohenzollerns, who became Dukes of Prussia as well as 
 Electors of Brandenburg. 
 
 The same Elector Joachim II. who obtained the heritor- 
 ship of the Dukedom of Prussia made another arrange- 
 ment, which, aiming at possible future advantages, was 
 in its issue the occasion of the first military adventures of 
 Frederick the Great. This was the famous ''Erbverbrii- 
 • derung" — Heritage Brotherhood — a covenant with the 
 Duke of Liegnitz, by which it was agreed that if either the 
 Brandenburg or Liegnitz lines failed, the other line should 
 take possession, and combine the two countries, or we may 
 say the two properties. The duchy which might thus fall 
 to the Hohenzollerns included Liegnitz, Brieg, and Wohlau, 
 parts of that Silesia which became so memorable in history. 
 The feofs of Brandenburg to be given up did not include 
 the whole of it, and need not be mentioned, because, as 
 usual, the Hohenzollerns survived the other contracting 
 line. The compact was sealed by a double marriage, and 
 bound fast by all the red-tape which lawyers could wind 
 round it. It is true that Ferdinand, who was then King 
 of Bohemia and afterwards Emperor of Germany, objected 
 to the arrangement and forced Liegnitz to give up his 
 portion of the bond. But what a Hohenzollern grasps he 
 keeps if he can, and neither then nor ever afterwards 
 could kings or emperors extract that piece of parchment 
 out of the strong box of combined Brandenburg and 
 Prussia. Probably the question, if argued to-day, might 
 make a Chancery suit enduring for many years. Instead 
 of a suit, the Silesian succession became a burning question, 
 and for arguments Frederick the Great substituted the 
 sword. There was another Silesian claim on the part of 
 the Hohenzollerns, with which, however, we need not 
 
8 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 1537-1630. 
 
 now concern ourselves. The Erbverbriiderung, and its 
 rejection by the Kaiser when it should have been fulfilled, 
 was a pretty quarrel enough. 
 
 One more important circumstance remains to be noticed, 
 as upon it turned much of the action of the Hohenzollerns 
 when they came to be kings. Albert Frederick, the first 
 hereditary duke by consent, married Maria Eleanora, 
 daughter of Duke William of Cleve, who was the brother 
 of Anne of Cleves, known in history as the rejected of- 
 Harry VIII. of England. Duke William settled Cleve, 
 which included Julich and Berg, on Maria and her de- 
 scendants, male or female, in case he should die without 
 male issue. Only if Maria died childless was Cleve to 
 pass to her sisters. Duke William left no heir, while 
 Maria had daughters, one of whom married an Elector of 
 Brandenburg. The settlement had been confirmed by the 
 Kaiser and seemed all in order, but at Maria's death in 
 1608, the succession was claimed by the Count Palatine 
 of Neuberg, who had married a younger sister of Maria 
 Eleanora. Forthwith other claimants started up, and it 
 was not till long afterwards that the matter was settled 
 by a division between Neuberg and Brandenburg, with 
 the proviso that if either line failed in male issue the 
 other was to take the whole. The Hohenzollerns were 
 rich in children, but the line of the Neubergs was visibly 
 failing in the boyhood of Frederick the Great — we shall 
 presently see with what result to him and to the whole 
 of Europe. 
 
 One Hohenzollern, and one only, during the whole of 
 the electoral period deserves nothing but blame at 
 the hands of historians : and he lived precisely at the 
 time when a man of good parts might have done great 
 things. This was George William, who existed, we cannot 
 
FREDERICK'S ANCESTRY. 9 
 
 1630. 
 
 say flourished, in the time of the Thirty Years' War. His 
 sole endeavour appears to have been to keep himself out 
 of danger ; and the result was, as happens on continents 
 in such cases, that his country became, in great part, the 
 battlefield of Europe. Considering his opportunities, he 
 might have placed himself at the head of the Protestants 
 and changed the whole character of the war. But instead 
 of this, he tried to shake hands with the Kaiser on one 
 side and the League of Protestant chiefs on the other. 
 Even if he may be forgiven for hesitating at first, there 
 came a time when his duty and his interests were so clearly 
 at one that none but a weak ruler could possibly have 
 doubted. The greatest captain of the age) Gustavus 
 Adolphus, landed in the island of Usedom in 1630, seized 
 Pomeraniajand cleared it of the Kaiser's army, which had 
 been occupying it in defiance of all George William's 
 claims. The degenerate Hohenzollern was not to be moved ; 
 and when, at last, he was absolutely driven by circum- 
 stances to join the side of Gustavus, he sent a poor 3,000 
 men into Bohemia, who did no single worthy action and 
 soon vanished. The result to himself of this weakness was 
 a miserable and shame-faced life, while his country was 
 almost turned into a desert by the armies which fought on 
 its soil. In the latter part of the war the contending 
 forces strove to starve each other by wasting the districts 
 where they fought. The misery was greater than can be 
 conceived. There was not a peasant who could count his 
 life safe from day to day ; and in some places famine 
 reached such terrible dimensions that men hungered for 
 human flesh — fathers and mothers ate their own children. 
 Such was the result of [George William's policy of peace at 
 any pricejjand besides bringing about this misery among 
 the people,^e lost Pomerania^hich had fallen in to him, 
 
10 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1610-1685. 
 
 but was occupied by the Swedes ; and lost the duchy of 
 Jiigerndorf in Silesia^^hat province being seized by the 
 Kaiser and his generals unrighteously, and, as it turned 
 out afterwards, unfortunately for Austria. 
 
 It is impossible to say how low the HohenzoUerns in 
 1640 might have fallen had not George William been suc- 
 ceeded by his son Frederick William, the Great Elector some 
 eight years before the close of the Thirty Years' War. He 
 was only twenty years old at the time of his succession, but 
 had watched the disgrace of his country with eager mind 
 longing to retrieve it. As a political factor in Europe, 
 Brandenburg had disappeared. Its actual ruler had been 
 the minister Schwarzenberg, the paid agent of the Kaiser* 
 a Catholic directing Protestant actions in the midst of a 
 religious war. The Great Elector governed for forty-eight 
 years, during which he restored his country, made it richer 
 than it had ever been, got rid of Schwarzenberg from the 
 Cabinet, and the Swedes from a large part of Pomerania, 
 rearranged the whole system of taxation, and brought much 
 waste land into a fertile condition. At the same time he 
 began to form a standing army. His subjects, like the 
 Prussians before 1866, objected to the military measures 
 of their ruler, but were pacified and pleased by the honour 
 gained in many fights, all undertaken in the cause of Pro- 
 testantism and German freedom. Philosophers may teach 
 and mercantile pursuits may hamper the sword arm of a 
 nation, but there has never yet been found in the history of 
 the world a living people insensible to military glory, 
 r The Great Elector, like smaller men, grew old and weary 
 of struggles. For all his good work he had neither got 
 Pomerania from the Swedes nor Silesia from the Kaisef/1 
 who would listen to no solicitations on this head. Bu6"^in 
 1685, when the Great Elector was sixty-five years old, the 
 
FilEDEEICK'S ANCESTRY. 11 
 
 16S3. 
 
 Kaiser had need of his help against the Turks, and made a 
 proposal that the Silesian claims should be settled by giving 
 him the **' Circle of Schwiebus " — a tract of country lying 
 close to the Elector's dominions north-west of Silesia. 
 While negotiations were in progress, Baron Freytag, the 
 Austrian Ambassador at Berlin, secretly entered upon 
 another bargain. The young Prince Frederick, son and 
 heir of the Elector, had quarrelled with his stepmother and 
 run away from Court, believing himself in danger of poison 
 His father permitted him to live apart, but tightened the 
 strings of the purse, and gave him hardly enough to exist 
 upon. The wily Freytag crept into the presence of the young 
 man, and told him that all his wants should be supplied if he 
 would give a post obit for Schwiebus, which his father was 
 in the act of acquiring. Thus, with one hand the Kaiser, 
 holding Silesia by force, traded with the father to exchange 
 his rights over it for a paltry province, and with the other 
 lent money to the son at usurer's interest, no less than the 
 resignation of his future claims on Schwiebus. Both the 
 old and the young man fell into the snare, and the Austrian 
 rights to Silesia became based upon a transaction which 
 was shameful to the Austrian Court and galling to the 
 pride of the coming HohenzoUerns. The double transaction 
 was closed in 1686, and two years afterwards the Elector 
 died. When Frederick succeeded him, he at first refused to 
 give up Schwiebus, and even held possession of it for seven 
 years. He declared that he had been swindled while an 
 ignorant youth, and asserted that when he signed the post 
 obit he had no power to bind Brandenburg. Only on the 
 threat of actual force did he consent to yield Schwiebus to 
 the Emperor, against the advice of his counsellors. His 
 answer to them is recorded in history. He must keep his 
 
12 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1686. 
 
 own word, but, having been thus abused, he retained his 
 claim to Silesia, and left it for his posterity to prosecute 
 when the opportunity should come. Perhaps if the Kaiser 
 had known what manner of man was to prosecute this 
 claim hereafter, he might have hesitated to leave a wound 
 to the Hohenzollern spirit so imperfectly closed. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE HOHENZOLLERNS ARE KINGS. BIRTH AND TRAINING OF 
 
 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 A.D. 1712—1740. 
 
 1712. 
 
 Though the great elector did not succeed in obtaining 
 the territory he sought, he left his people so enriched, and 
 his standing army so strong, that no potentate in Europe 
 could make war without questioning himself what would be 
 said and done at Berlin. His son Frederick, though of 
 weaker mould, was strong in the possession of the power 
 built up by his father. Once more the Kaiser wanted help 
 for his war of the Spanish Succession, and got it from 
 Frederick, but only after paying well for it. Frederick 
 demanded and obtained, not without suspicion of bribery 
 at the time, the title of King of Prussia. The Hohen- 
 zollerns had sped well in their climb upwards. From a 
 wandering fortune-hunter to Burgraves of Nuremburg, 
 Electors of Brandenburg, Dukes of Prussia, and now at 
 last Kings — of Prussia, because that state did not form part 
 of the German Reich. The new king was a lover of 
 magnificence and ceremonials, for which historians have 
 blamed him. But there were no achievements ready to his 
 
14 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 iri2-17]3. 
 
 hand beyond good administration, which he faithfully gave ; 
 and the people seem to have been content with his coro- 
 nations and his progresses. His queen, Sophia Charlotte, 
 was so little elated by the new dignity, that in the midst of 
 the ceremony of coronation she was discovered conveying 
 to her nose a sly pinch of snuff in fine irony of the pro- 
 ceedings. She has been called the Republican Queen, and 
 a touch of her nature is to be seen afterwards in her 
 grandson, Frederick the Great. Her discourses with 
 Leibnitz on *' The Infinitely Little," of which she writes, 
 " Mon Dieu, as if I did not know enough of that ! " seem" 
 to foreshadow the philosophic speculations of the great 
 king, and his passion for talk with Voltaire and the 
 like, while her contempt for the forms of courts passed 
 downwards for at least two generations. 
 
 \ The accession of the next king, Frederick William, 
 marks a turning-point in the history of Prussia, j Dis- 
 gusted with the pomp and display of his father, he set 
 himself at once to cut down expenditure in every depart- 
 ment except in that of the army. In his childhood he had 
 shown clear proofs of the direction given to his mind by his 
 mother's blood and influence. Once there was brought to 
 him a grand embroidered dressing-gown, heavy with gold, 
 but no sooner had the boy examined it than he made up 
 his mind to have none of such useless and uncomfortable 
 finery, and without more ado put it in the fire. When his 
 father lay dying in 1713, the poor mortal frame heaving 
 its last sighs amid a forest of gold sticks and other para- 
 phernalia of a court, and in an air thick with powder from 
 periwigs, the young man made up his mind. Death came, 
 and the natural grief of Frederick William was driven 
 in by the chilling ceremonies and antic homage of the 
 
FREDERICK WILLIAM, 15 
 
 171S. 
 
 courtiers. He dashed the tears from his eyes, went straight 
 to his room, and sent in less than half an hour for the 
 Ober-Hofmarschall. To him he signified his will that 
 though things might go on as they were till his father's 
 funeral, when he would allow himself to be bedizened 
 for the last time in foolish trappings, the waste and the 
 absurdity must cease from that moment, and the whole 
 apparatus disappear, to be succeeded by the simplicity of an 
 English country gentleman. Right through the list of all 
 expenditure did Frederick William go in like manner, 
 discharging and reducing until his court was the cheapest 
 in Europe— perhaps more suitable for a petty noble than a 
 great king. Instead of an army of gold sticks, silver 
 sticks, and the rest, he would only have eight lackeys at 
 six shillings a week, and three pages. For a thousand 
 saddle-horses, many of them imaginary quadrupeds, the 
 money for whose food went into idle men's pockets, 
 Frederick William would have only thirty, which he kept 
 in good condition with right hard work. His pension-list 
 was reduced from 276,000 thalers to 55,000. These are 
 but samples of the work done throughout the whole of his 
 dominions. The dreams of socialists were realised by this 
 heavy-handed king, to whom it seemed an abominable 
 offence that any man should eat bread without working 
 hard for it. His reforms were real and valuable, but, as 
 he grew older, his tendency towards parsimony and the 
 personal management of his people grew into a mania, 
 which brought at last much unhappiness to himself and 
 his family. __ 
 
 But with all his economy in court and country, Frederick 
 William never spared the money required for his army, 
 which he increased from 38,000 at his father's death to 
 
16 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 1713. 
 84,000 in his own time. Nor were these 84,000 men 
 mere show soldiers ; they were trained with a constant 
 supervision and severity of discipline which, though pro- 
 bably never since equalled, have left their traces on the 
 Prussian army of to-day. No other country in Europe has 
 ever succeeded in arriving at the reality of such discipline, 
 though with ape-like fidelity some of them have imitated 
 the Prussian manias, forgetting that the laws of disci- 
 pline must, like any other laws, be adapted to the 
 circumstances of time and place ; and that one race of 
 men will bear with equanimity punishments which would 
 drive freer people to distraction and perhaps mutiny. 
 Blows of the stick administered on the spot are no doubt, 
 like the birch-rod in schools, short, sharp, and effective 
 punishments for those who will endure them without losing 
 soldierly pride and self-esteem. No one objected to them 
 in the north and east of Europe at that time. Nor, in 
 spite of regulations and assertions to the contrary, have 
 they entirely disappeared to this day. To the French and 
 English armies such personal chastisement has long been 
 mere torture. 
 
 ^Frederick William's love of the stick was not confined 
 to the treatment of soldiers alone. He used to carry a 
 rattan with him in his walks, and woe to the unhappy 
 wight who seemed to be doing evil or even idling. Nay, 
 in his palace the stick was active, and no one dare resist 
 him. Servants, pages, and even lady visitors were chastised 
 in this remarkable manner. In fact, Frederick William 
 set himself deliberately to thrash his kingdom, hjs house- 
 hold, and his .family into obedience and good order/ Now 
 if we remember how strong used to be the tendency of 
 schoolmasters only a few years ago to flog their boys 
 
i. 
 
 THE GIANT GUARDS. 17 
 
 '1718. 
 
 instead of leading them, and if we consider for a moment 
 that the King of Prussia had constituted himself a school- 
 master on a large scale, with no public opinion to criticise 
 or control him, the apparent madness of his conduct as he 
 grew older will but appear to be the natural development 
 of the spirit of discipline in a direction where it must 
 ever go if once acknowledged as of more importance than 
 individual liberty properly trained and directed. 
 
 In like manner his determination to increase and perfect 
 he army became a mania with him. /' He did what he 
 undertook, and did it well. The infantry of the young 
 Prussian monarchy became the first in Europe, and, by its 
 excellence, carried Frederick the Great through his first 
 campaign, the success of which was certainly not due to 
 any military genius on his part. Frederick William's 
 mania for big, well set-up soldiers, led him to commit 
 certain follies, which, however, had at the bottom of them 
 a root of common sense. He had agents throughout the 
 whole of Eurc^e cajoling or kidnapping the tallest men that 
 could be found to swell the ranks of his regiment of giant 
 guards at Potsdam. All Europe rang with the scandalous 
 transactions of these agents. Priests were dragged from the 
 altar, and monks from the convent. One fine man, the 
 Abbe Bastiani, was kidnapped in the very act of celebrating 
 mass in an Italian church. The monk, who is known as 
 the Great Joseph, was given the sum of 5,000 florins for 
 his own enlistment, besides a large sum to the monastery. 
 So far as is known, Ireland had the credit of producing 
 the recruit who extracted the greatest amount of money 
 from Frederick William's pocket. The man himself, James 
 Kirkland, received £1,000, which represented much more 
 value than it would at present, and the rest of the expenses 
 of securing him and bringing him over to Berlin amounted 
 
 c 
 
18 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1713. 
 
 to £200 IO5. Od. In the bill occur some curious items. 
 
 For instance : — 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 For the sending of two spies 18 18 
 
 To some of his acquaintance in London who helped to per- 
 suade him 18 18 
 
 To two soldiers of the guard (query English or Irish) who 
 
 assisted 15 15 
 
 To some persons for secrecy ... 12 12 
 
 To a man who accompanied and watched him constantly ... 3 3 
 
 On one occasion the Austrian ambassador, Herr von 
 Bentenrieder, a tall and handsome diplomatist, was tra- 
 velling as an envoy to or from the Congress of Cambray. 
 Near Halberstadt his carriage broke down, and he walked 
 on while it was mending. Arrived at a small guard house 
 he found a Prussian officer, who forthwith seized him as a 
 promising recruit for the Potsdam giants. Rich merchants 
 and burgomasters were actually carried off, and could 
 hardly, if ever, get their freedom again. A thousand 
 curious stories are told of this spider king whose web 
 extended over the whole of Europe to catch every hu nan 
 fly who happened to be of greater stature than his fellows. 
 Nay, more, Frederick William not only caught his peculiar 
 pets, but bred from them also. He used to catch gigantic 
 girls when he could, and marry them to his tall grenadiers. 
 Take this story as a sample of his transactions in matri- 
 monial management. Going one day from Potsdam to 
 Berlin, he saw coming towards him in the opposite direction 
 a magnificent girl, young, handsome, and of good figure, 
 superb in number of inches. He was at once struck with 
 admiration for her; stopped to talk, and found that she 
 was unmarried, and was on her way from Berlin to her 
 Saxon home. " Then," said Frederick William, " you will 
 be passing the gate of Potsdam, and will no doubt give 
 
BIRTH OF FREDERICK. 19 
 
 24th Jan. 1712. 
 
 this note to the commandant, receiving a dollar for your 
 trouble." But women, even when tall, are not so easily 
 outwitted as Kirklands, Josephs, and the like. The girl 
 knew the king by sight and reputation, and knowing that 
 to refuse the note would probably bring her a shower of 
 blows from the rattan, accepted the commission. Arrived 
 near the gate of Potsdam, she found there a little wizened 
 old hag, to whom she intrusted the delivery of the letter, 
 honestly handing over the dollar with it. Then forthwith 
 she sped away towards home. The commandant opened 
 the note, and found himself ordered to marry the bearer 
 to a certain gigantic Irish grenadier named Macdoll 
 (?McDowall). He rubbed his eyes, but there could be 
 no doubt about the clearness of the command. The 
 grenadier was sent for, and then began a curious scene. 
 The man was in absolute despair. Such a mate for one 
 of his thews and sinews seemed a horrible mockery. The 
 proposed wife, on the contrary, was quite ready to submit 
 herself to the orders of the king. There was no escape ; 
 to refuse further would be flat mutiny, and the soldier was 
 actually obliged to obey. The mistake was not discovered 
 till the next morning, when Frederick, finding himself 
 thwarted in his designs for the development of giants in 
 Germany, consented to the divorce of the ill-matched 
 couple. 
 
 To this strange historical figure of good intention but 
 vastly exaggerated performance, and to his wife, Sophie 
 Dorothee of Hanover, waswjorn on the 24th of January, 
 1712,"" a boy, who was christened Karl Frederick, and is 
 know:^ in history as Friedrich II. of Prussia, or, more 
 commonly, Frederick the Great. The father was still 
 Crown Prince, and twenty-four years old, a rugged, hard- 
 tempered soldier, who had seen fierce fighting under 
 
 c 2 
 
20 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1712-1717. 
 
 Marlborough and Eugene during the Netherlands episode 
 of the War of Succession. The child was the fourth-born. 
 Two princes had preceded him, but died in infancy ; the 
 first it is said, having fallen a victim to ceremony in the 
 shape of a crown which compressed his soft skull ; the 
 second frightened to death by the firing of the cannon which 
 announced his arrival in a world of display. Between 
 these two baby princes came the princess, Frederika Sophie 
 Wilhelmina, Frederick's dear companion in childhood and 
 friend in after life. After Frederick came ten other 
 children, two of whom died in infancy. The survivors of 
 the family to manhood and womanhood were — 
 
 Frederika Sophie Wilhelmina, born 3rd July, 1709. 
 Frederick the Great, „ 24th January, 1712. 
 
 Frederika Louisa, ,, 28th .September, 1714. 
 
 PhiUipina Charlotte, „ 13th March, 1716. 
 
 Sophie Dorothee Maria, ,, 25th January, 1719. 
 
 Louisa Ulrique, „ 24th July, 1720. 
 
 August Wilhelm, „ 9th August, 1722. 
 
 Aunna Amelia, „ 9th November, 1723. 
 
 Friedrich Heinrich Ludwig „ 18th January, 1726. 
 August Ferdinand, „ 23rd May, 1730. 
 
 Altogether a family of ten surviving out of fourteen born. 
 
 The young Frederick was a boy of great vivacity, but 
 inclined to be delicate, and it is not easy to understand how 
 he escaped with life under the treatment of his hard father, 
 whose more than Spartan discipline — beer soup for food, 
 and scanty allowance of sleep — would have killed any young 
 thing which had not a more than ordinary amount of 
 vitality. Perhaps one element in his training saved him — 
 the strictest regularity in meals, studies, and exercise. He 
 was first under charge of a French Protestant governess, 
 Madame de Poucoulles, for whom he retained ever after- 
 wards a lively affection. In his seventh year he was placed 
 
EDUCATION. 21 
 
 1712-1717. 
 
 in the hands of tutors, men of real experience of life, and 
 his father laid down for his benefit a system of instruction 
 which was adhered to with more or less accuracy. First of 
 all, he was to be impressed with a proper love and fear of 
 God, no false religions or heresies being so much as named 
 in his hearing. To this day, the basis of all Prussian 
 schooling is "God and the king." Reference was to be 
 made to Papistry alone, but only to point out to him its 
 baselessness and absurdity ( Ungrund und Ahsurditat). Latin 
 was strictly forbidden, no time for antique learning in the 
 scheme of the Bear of Berlin. Economy to be studied " to 
 the very bottom," arithmetic, mathematics, artillery, 
 modern history thoroughly ; but little ancient ; the jus 
 naturale and jus gentium, the latter a new study in those 
 days, to be completely known. With increase of years he 
 was to become versed in fortification and all the details of 
 the military art, and have "stamped into him" a true 
 love for soldiership, so that he might be fully persuaded 
 that " as there is nothing in the world which can bring a 
 prince renown and honour like the sword, so he would be 
 a despised creature before all men if he did not love it and 
 seek his sole glory therein." This is the main thought of 
 the father, who considered himself cheated out of Silesia, 
 and whose father had solemnly declared that he left to his 
 successors the task of prosecuting the claim. A little 
 later, when the young prince was in his tenth year, the 
 king drew up a long memorandum, apportioning rigorously 
 the tasks and duties for every hour of the week. Carlyle 
 gives us from Preuss the general features of the scheme, 
 which shall be quoted here, as it serves better than much 
 description to show what Frederick's mental training was. 
 
 Sunday. — " On Sunday he is to rise at 7 ; and as soon as 
 he has got his slippers on, shall kneel down at his bedside, and 
 
22 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1712-1717. 
 pray to God, so as all in the room may hear it " (that there be no 
 deception or short measure palmed upon us) " in these words : 
 ' Lord God, blessed Father, I thank Thee from my heart that 
 Thou hast so graciously preserved me through this night. Fit 
 me for what Thy holy will is ; and grant that I do nothing this 
 day, nor all the days of my life, which can divide me from Thee. 
 For the Lord Jesus my Redeemer's sake. Amen.' After which 
 the Lord's Prayer, Then rapidly and vigorously (geschwinde und 
 hurtig) wash himself clean, dress, and powder and comb himself ; 
 we forget to say that while they are combing and queuing him, 
 he breakfasts, with brevity, on tea. Prayer, with washing, break- 
 fast and the rest, to be done pointedly within fifteen minutes — 
 that is, at a quarter-past 7. 
 
 "This finished, all his Domestics and Duhan shall come in, 
 and do family worship {das grosse Gebet zu halten). Prayer on 
 their knees, Duhan withal to read a chapter of the Bible, and 
 sing some proper Psalm or Hymn " (as practised in well-regulated 
 families), " It will then be a quarter to 8. All the Domestics 
 then withdraw again ; and Duhan now reads with my Son the 
 Gospel of the Sunday ; expounds it a little, adducing the main 
 points of Christianity ; — questioning from Noltenius's Catechism " 
 (which Fritz knows by heart) : — " it will then be 9 o'clock. 
 
 " At 9 he brings my Son down to me ; who goes to Church, 
 and dines along witli me " (dinner at the stroke of noon) : " the 
 rest of the day is then his own " (Fritz's and Duhan's). '• At 
 half-past 9 in the evening, he shall come and bid me good-night. 
 Shall then directly go to his room ; very rapidly (sehr geschwind) 
 get off his clothes, wash his hands " (get into some tiny dressing- 
 gown or cassaquin, no doubt) ; " and as soon as that is done, 
 Duhan makes a prayer on his knees, and sings a hymn ; all the 
 Servants being again there. Instantly after which, my Son shall 
 get into bed ; shall be in bed at half-past 10 " ; — and fall asleep 
 how soon, your Majesty ! This is very strict work. 
 
 Monday. — " On Monday as on all weekdays, he is to be called 
 at 6 ; and so soon as called he is to rise ; you are to stand to him 
 (anhalten) that he do not loiter or turn in bed, but briskly and at 
 once get up ; and say his prayers, the same as on Sunday morning. 
 This done, he shall as rapidly as possible get on his shoes and 
 spatterdashes ; also wash his face and hands, but not with soap. 
 
SCHEME OF CHILD'S TRAINING. 23 
 
 1712-1717. 
 
 Farther sliall put on Ms cassaquin" (short dressing-gown), "have 
 his hair combed out and queued, but not powdered. While getting 
 combed and queued, he shall at the same time take breakfast of 
 tea, so that both jobs go on at once, and all this shall be ended 
 before half-past 6." Then enter Duhan and the Domestics, with 
 worship, Bible, Hymn, all as on Sunday ; this is done by 7, 
 and the Servants go again. 
 
 " From 7 till 9 Duhan takes him on History ; at 9 comes 
 Noltenius " (a sublime clerical gentleman from Berlin) " with the 
 Christian Religion, till a quarter to 11. Then Fritz rapidly 
 {geschwind) washes his face with water, hands with soap and 
 water ; clean shirt ; powders, and puts on his coat ; — about 11 
 comes to the King. Stays with the King till 2," — perhaps 
 promenading a little ; dining always at noon ; after which 
 Majesty is apt to be slumbrous, and light amusements are 
 over. 
 
 " Directly at 2, he goes back to his room. Duhan is there 
 ready ; takes him upon the maps and geography, from 2 to 3, 
 giving account " (gradually !) " of all the European Kingdoms ; 
 their strength and weakness ; size, riches and poverty of their 
 towns. From 3 to 4, Duhan treats of morality {soil die Moral 
 tradiren). From 4 to 5, Puhan shall write German letters with 
 him, and see that he gets a good 'stylum' " (which he never in the 
 least did). " About 5, Fritz shall wash his hands, and go to the 
 King ; — ride out ; divert himself in the air and not in his room ; 
 and do what he likes, if it is not against God." 
 
 There then is a Sunday, and there is one weekday ; which 
 latter may serve for all the other five ; though they are strictly 
 specified in the royal monograph, and every hour of them marked 
 out. How, and at what points of time, besides this of History, of 
 Morality, and Writing in German, of Maps and Geography and 
 the strength and weakness of Kingdoms, you are to take up 
 Arithmetic more than once ; Writing of French Letters, so as to 
 acquire a good stylum : in what nook you may intercalate " a 
 little getting by heart of something, in order to strengthen the 
 memory " ; how instead of Noltenius, Panzendorf (another sublime 
 reverend gentleman from Berlin, who comes out express) gives 
 the clerical drill on Tuesday morning ; with which two onslaughts, 
 of an hour-and-half each, the clerical gentlemen seem to withdraw 
 
24 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1712-1717. 
 
 for the week, and we hear no more of them till Monday and 
 Tuesday come round again. 
 
 On Wednesday we are happy to observe a liberal slice of 
 holiday come in. At half-past 9, having done his History, and 
 " got something by heart to strengthen the memory " (very little, 
 it is to be feared), " Fritz shall rapidly dress himself and come to 
 the King. And the rest of the day belongs to little Fritz {gehort 
 vor FritzcJien)." On Saturday, too, there is some fair chance of 
 half-holiday. 
 
 " Saturday forenoon till half-past 10 come History, Writing, 
 and Ciphering ; especially repetition of what was done through 
 the week, and in morality as well" (adds the rapid Majesty), "to 
 see whether he has profited. And General Graf von Finkenstein, 
 with Colonel von Kalkstein, shall be present during this. If 
 Fritz has profited, the afternoon shall be his own. If he has not 
 profited, he shall, from 2 to 6, repeat and learn rightly what he 
 has forgotten on the past days." And so the labouring week 
 winds itself up. Here, however, is one general rule which cannot 
 be too much impressed upon you, with which we conclude : 
 
 " In undressing and dressing, you must accustom him to get 
 out of, and into, his clothes as fast as is humanly possible {hurtig 
 so viel als menschenmoglich ist). You will also look that he learn 
 to put on and put off his clothes himself, without help from 
 others ; and that he be clean and neat, and not so dirty {nicht so 
 schmutzig). Not so dirty, that is my last word, and here is my 
 sign manual, 
 
 "Frederick Wilhelm." 
 
 But with all the training, military and otherwise, the 
 young prince could not be forced into an early love of 
 soldiering. A miniature soldier company of boys was 
 formed from the sons of noble families, to enable him to 
 learn his exercises while he was still a child, but he was 
 indifferent to the joys of drill. Neither could he be induced 
 to take pleasure in the shooting parties and boar hunts in 
 which he accompanied his father. The warrior king of 
 the future would slip away and hold musical concerts in 
 the woods with some of his young companions, or join his 
 
CZAR PETER AT BERLIN, 25 
 
 1712-1717. 
 
 mother and her ladies when they were present at the 
 hunts. Music and philosophy, with the society of the 
 queen and his sister Wilhelmina, were more delightful 
 to him than the parade-ground or the sports in the field. 
 Even Latin was studied by him in secret, probably because 
 his father had attempted to deprive him of a liberal 
 education. Once the king caught him and one of the 
 minor tutors at work on Latin, having before them 
 among other books the Aurea Bulla, or Golden Bull of 
 Kaiser Karl IV. The trembling preceptor assured the 
 king that he was only explaining the Golden Bull to 
 his pupil. Up rose the rattan in the air over the tutor's 
 head, as his master roared, " Bog, I will Golden Bull 
 you ! " The young Frederick was inclined to foppishness, 
 combed his long hair in the French fashion of the day, like 
 a cockatoo, till his father ordered it to be cropped and pig- 
 tailed, and stood by while the operation was performed. In 
 short, the father was harsh and unsympathetic ; the son 
 inclined to contradiction. The king acted like a gross 
 sergeant-major even in mental exercises; the prince re- 
 torted by aiming at becoming a fop and a speculative 
 philosopher. The elder tried to break his family in by 
 starvation and the cane ; the family, queen, Wilhelmina, 
 and the young Fritz worked to get their own way by 
 deceiving the tyrant. 
 
 Wilhelmina, in her Memoire, tells some strange stories 
 of this and later times, and they are valuable as showing 
 the influences brought to bear on her brother. In 1717, 
 when the girl was eight years old, and the boy five, Peter 
 the Great passed through Berlin, on his way from France 
 to Bussia. The Czarina Catherine was attended by a bevy 
 of women, many of whom carried babies in their arms. 
 When asked if the children were theirs, each one replied, 
 
26 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 1717 1730. 
 
 " The Czar m^afaitVhonneur de me /aire cet-enfant.^^ When 
 a German official waited on the Russian majesty to present 
 a complimentary address, the czar stood to receive it be- 
 tween two of these curious creatures, with his arms round 
 their necks. Even worse things than these are related of 
 his morality, tales which would be incredible but for the 
 consent of numerous witnesses. Wilhelmina and her 
 brother knew of all. And as a pendant to the brutality 
 of the czar, we have the miserish order of Frederick 
 William, who allowed the authorities on the line of the 
 Russian progress, only 6,000 thalers for expenses, but 
 ordered them to declare that it had cost the king thirty 
 or forty thousand. Truly a strange court for the training 
 of a boy. 
 
 Under these conditions of life, it is not wonderful that as 
 the young Frederick grew in years and stature, his dislike 
 to his father and the training which that father gave him 
 steadily increased. The breach between them widened, and 
 every taste of the king was outraged by opposite desires and 
 actions on the part of the prince. In those days force was 
 the only remedy for every difficulty which could not be over- 
 come by craft, and parents followed the advice of Solomon 
 in the treatment of their children, if in naught else. A king 
 who drove his subjects with the stick was not likely to 
 treat his family with gentleness; and the scenes in the 
 palace, as told by Wilhelmina and others, show that the self 
 will of Frederick William was exaggerated to the extent 
 of madness. On one occasion he attempted to strangle his 
 son with the cord of a curtain, and the mother and her 
 children existed in daily terror of their lives. Young 
 Frederick fell into a state of mental depression, and 
 sought relief from the misery he endured in scenes 
 of dissipation and debauchery. The V3ry elements of 
 
A UG UST THE STRONG. 27 
 
 1717-1730. 
 
 morality were at this time almost unknown in courts. 
 Public opinion had no power ; the will of the sovereign 
 over-rode all laws, human and divine. One scene related by 
 Wilhelmina may serve to show the strange possibilities 
 which existed. When Frederick was sixteen years old he 
 accompanied his father to Saxony, then governed by August 
 the Strong, who was also King of Poland. King August 
 followed the example of Solomon in one respect, though 
 perhaps one only. He had by his concubines no less 
 than three hundred and fifty-four children, who had no 
 means of knowing that they owed their birth to the same 
 father. With him Frederick William feasted and drank 
 heavily. The episode which follows must be given in the 
 words of Wilhelmina's Memoires. Its truth is confirmed 
 by other writers. 
 
 One evening, when they had well sacrificed to Bacchus, the 
 King of Poland conducted the king (Frederick William) into a 
 room very richly ornamented, the furniture and arrangements of 
 which were in exquisite taste. The king, charmed with what he 
 saw, paused to look round him, when, suddenly, a curtain was 
 drawn up and displayed to him a most extraordinary sight — a 
 young girl in the condition of our first parents lying negligently 
 on a bed. She was ij^ore beautiful than Venus and the Graces are 
 painted, and displayed to view a form of ivory, whiter than snow 
 and shaped more beautifully than the Venus de Medici at 
 Florence. The cabinet which contained this treasure was lighted 
 by so many wax candles that their brilliancy was dazzling, and 
 gave additional splendour to the beauties of the goddess. The 
 authors of this comedy were in hopes that the object would make 
 an impression on the king's heart, but it turned out quite other_ 
 wise. No sooner had he cast eyes on this beauty, than he turned 
 sharply round with indignation ; and seeing my brother behind 
 him pushed him roughly out of the room, and at once followed 
 him in great anger at the scene he had witnessed. He spoke of 
 it the same evening to Grumkow in strong terms, and declared 
 
23 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1717-1730. 
 
 that, if the like happened again, he would leave Dresden imme- 
 diately. With my brother the result was different. In spite of 
 the king's care he had a full view of the Cabinet Venus, and the 
 eight of her did not inspire in him so much horror as in his 
 father. 
 
 In short, the Prince " obtained her from the King of 
 Poland in a manner curious enough." Yes, curious enough ! 
 The bargain was that young Frederick should resign a 
 pursuit, in which he was engaged, of the Countess Or- 
 zelska, one of the three hundred and fifty four, who had 
 already been mistress to Count Rutofski, another of the 
 same band, and was now receiving the warm attentions of 
 August himself. If at this time the morals of young 
 Frederick were loose, his father's friends set him a bad 
 example. 
 
 The authors of Frederick's temptation at the Saxon 
 court were Grumkow, prime minister of Prussia, and 
 Count Seckendorf, secretly envoy of the kaiser, and 
 ostensibly Frederick William's friend and adviser. It was 
 but one of their schemes for breaking off a project of a 
 double marriage with the English royal family, concerning 
 which there had been long negotiations. Frederick was to 
 marry the Princess Amelia of Englandi^ and Wilhelmina, 
 the Duke of Gloucester, afterwards known as Frederick, 
 Prince of Wales. For political reasons it did not please 
 the Kaiser that Prussia should draw close to the sea 
 powers, and Seckendorf was the instrument selected, not 
 only to spoil this match, but to make a tool of the Prussian 
 monarch. Seckendorf visited Berlin, pretending a mission 
 to Denmark on urgent business for the Kaiser, too press- 
 ing even to brook the delay of presentation to the king. 
 Frederick William, looking out of the window of his 
 tobacco-parliament room, with Grumkow at his elbow, 
 
ADVENT OF SECKENDORF. 20 
 
 "inM730. 
 
 saw Seckendorf crossing the parade. Rapid presentation 
 ensued, and invitation to remain for a while. Seckendorf 
 was coy, and a promise could hardly be drawn from him 
 that he would return after his visit to Denmark. Within 
 a few days he was at Potsdam again, and, thenceforth, 
 attended the King of Prussia, like an evil genius, separat- 
 . ing Frederick William from his natural Protestant allies, 
 and fomenting discord between him and his family. The 
 smoking room where the king used to sit and booze with 
 his boon companions, holding rough " parliament " there, 
 did him this evil turn. From it he first espied the man, 
 >who more than any other, brought misery to the royal 
 house of Prussia. 
 
 From the time of Seckendorf s appearance, the palace 
 witnessed strange and sad scenes. The royal children, 
 oppressed, ill-treated and threatened, did what lay in them 
 to deceive their hard father, and snatch by stealth the 
 natural pleasures which he denied to them. We do not 
 hear that young Fritz actually neglected his military 
 duties (he was now a major in the regiment of giants), 
 but they were, at least, distasteful to him, and his own 
 favourite pursuits — music and speculative philosophy — 
 were to his father as the red rag to a bull. Add to this 
 the daily struggles between the queen, who never ceased to 
 strive for the double marriage, with Seckendorf who fought 
 against it, and a growing irritability in the king, aggra- 
 vated by fits of gout ; and the result becomes a Prince's 
 Progress which must clearly end in catastrophe of some sort. 
 *' God grant he do not end on the gallows," said Frederick 
 William once to the serpent Grumkow. Meanwhile their 
 father supplied them with food hardly eatable, and Spat 
 in the dish to prevent their having enough. The king, 
 pushed by Seckendorf, had come to hate the English, and 
 
80 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 ' 15th July 1730. 
 
 Dubourgay relates that when Fritz once said in his father's 
 presence that he respected the English because he knew 
 that they loved him, Frederick William seized him by the 
 collar and struck him fiercely with his cane. In a letter to 
 his mother, Fritz speaks of a " shower of cruel blows " on 
 this occasion, says that he is in the uttermost despair, and 
 resolved to put an end to it in one way or another. The 
 double marriage project came to the ground with a crash 
 when the king, in a fit of passion, dashed down a docu- 
 ment presented to him by the English envoy, shouting, 
 "Messieurs, j'ai eu assez de ces choses la," and young 
 Frederick began to lay plans for escape by flight from a 
 life, the misery of which had become unendurable. It was 
 about this -period, in 1730, that the father attempted to 
 strangle his son with the cord of a curtain, and not with- 
 out reason did the Prince say that he feared for his life. 
 He was asked to resign his position of heir apparent, but 
 answered firmly " No ! unless your majesty is prepared to 
 deny the honour of my mother." 
 
 Two of Frederick's familiars. Lieutenant Katte, and 
 Keith, a page of the court, were made confidants of his 
 intentions, and helped to devise plans of escape. They 
 were unwise counsellors, careless and loose in their conduct, 
 but withal devoted to Fritz, who indeed sorely lacked sup- 
 port and sympathy from those who were older, and ought 
 to have been wiser. More than once Frederick formed 
 plans of escape, but they came to nothing, and on the 15th of 
 July, 1730, he set Qut with his father on a journey through 
 the Reich. His -designs were suspected, and he was placed 
 in charge of three oflicials. Seckendorf joined the party, 
 which proceeded as far as Augsburg without any incident 
 worth relating, then turned homewards by another way 
 intending to strike the Rhine at Mayence. Frederick was 
 
BAFFLED FLIGHT OF FREDERICK. 81 
 
 4th Ang. 1730. 
 
 determined to escape during this journey, and foolishly 
 corresponded with Katte who remained at Berlin, Keith 
 travelling with the royal party. The place fixed for the 
 elopement was Sinzheim, where Keith was to procure post 
 horses, and ride with Frederick to Speyer, crossing the 
 Rhine there, and going on to Paris. Unfortunately for 
 the prince's designs, a sudden decision was taken to spend 
 the night at the village of Steinfurth, some five or six 
 miles short of Sinzheim. In the gray of the dawn, the 4th 
 of August, 1730, Frederick rose and left the barn where he 
 had slept in company with his guardian trio, went out and 
 found Keith ready with two horses. But before Frederick 
 could mount, his watchers were called by vigilant servants," 
 and the project of flight was baffled. The same day an 
 intercepted letter of the prince's to Katte was brought to 
 Frederick William, and Keith confessed the plot. The 
 king was furious, and charged the guardians on their lives 
 to bring his son " living or dead " to Berlin. As soon as 
 the Rhine was reached, Frederick was placed, a prisoner, 
 on board a royal yacht. At Wesel he was brought on shore, 
 and had a terrible interview with the king, who drew sword 
 upon him, and would have thrust him through but for the 
 interference of the commandant, old General Mosel. They 
 were parted, and did not look on each other's faces again 
 for more than a year. Keith escaped, and his evasion 
 quickened the king's wrath against his son. Katte was 
 arrested at Berlin. 
 
 Courts of inquiry were held, the king insisting upon it 
 that Frederick was a deserter from the army. The rage of 
 the king knew no bounds. Every familiar friend of the 
 prince came under the royal fierce anger, which vented 
 itself in the very madness of cruelty. A Frenchman, 
 Count Montholieu, was nailed to the gallows in effigy, after 
 
S2 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1717-1730. 
 
 flight, for having lent the prince money. Doris E-itter, an 
 honest girl, with whom Frederick had practised music, was 
 whipped through the streets by the beadle, and clapped in 
 prison for three years. Finally a court-martial was assem, 
 bled to try the prince, and the associates of his attempted 
 flight. Grumkow was a member. They condemned 
 Frederick to death, two members dissenting ; Keith, who 
 had escaped, to be nailed to the gallows in effigy ; and 
 Katte, who had only been cognisant of the flight, to per- 
 petual imprisonment in a fortress. This one morsel of 
 mercy was denied by the king, who ordered that Katte 
 should be beheaded, saying that " it is better that he should 
 die than that justice should depart out of the world." 
 Forthwith the king's counsellors, including even Seckendorf , 
 implored mercy for the prince. The Kaiser and foreign 
 courts interposed to stay the hand of the madman, and 
 Frederick William at last consented to a milder punish- 
 ment. But Katte at least must die, and die, ordered 
 Frederick, before the eyes of his son. Some writers say 
 that this devilish sentence was actually carried out ; others, 
 that by the connivance of attendants, the prince was only 
 forced to see his friend on his way to the block. Certain 
 it is, that Frederick saw Katte pass his window close by, 
 and implored his pardon. " Death is sweet for so lovable 
 a prince," replied the unhappy youth. Nature was more 
 merciful than the king. Frederick fainted, and saw his 
 friend no more. 
 
 When Frederick awoke to life and captivity, Miiller, the 
 chaplain of the gens d'armes, was with him, and c^ered 
 cooling drinks, which the unhappy prince refused, suspect- 
 ing poison, till Miiller swallowed a portion, when the poor 
 lad drank with avidity. Muller's business was to wean 
 him from what his father considered as Calvinistic heresy. 
 
SUBMISSION. 33 
 
 1717—1730. 
 
 It is evident that at this time the burning soul of Frederick 
 was struggling for spiritual light. But for such purpose 
 there should be liberty to think freely, not the compulsion 
 of prison walls. Miiller, on receiving back a Concordance 
 which he had lent to the prince, found sketched on the 
 fly-leaf the figure of a man on his knees, with two swords 
 hanging crossed over his head. Below were written the 
 words of the Psalmist : " Whom have I in heaven but Thee, 
 and there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee. 
 My flesh and my heart fainteth and faileth; but God is 
 the strength of my heart and my portion for ever." 
 Miiller had also to deliver to Frederick, Katte's last words 
 of advice to him, that he should submit to his father. 
 Submission soon came. What with the nervous shock he 
 had received on seeing Katte led out to die, and the ghostly 
 ministrations of the chaplain, perhaps also the absence of 
 his father's irritating ways, the will of the youth yielded. 
 He took and signed an oath of submission on the 19th 
 of November, Katte having died on the 6th. Frederick 
 William prayed that **his godless heart may be beaten 
 till it is softened and changed, and so he be snatched from 
 the claws of Satan." Thus the imagination of men con- 
 ceives a god like themselves, and the Bear of Berlin places 
 a rattan in the hands of Omnipotence. 
 
 Frederick was released from confinement, but placed 
 under surveillance, and not allowed to leave Ciistrin without 
 permission. He was deprived of military uniform, put 
 into a pike-grey frock, with narrow silver cord for orna- 
 ment, and made a member of the Board for Managing 
 Domain Lands, there to learn practically the economics 
 which had been instilled into him theoretically as a boy. 
 His further treatment was to depend on his diligence 
 and good behaviour. Meanwhile Wilhelmina was almost 
 
 D 
 
34 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 20th Nov. 1731— 12th June 1733. 
 
 starved. " Soup of salt and water, and ragout of old bones 
 full of hairs and slopperies," thus she describes the food 
 grudgingly dealt out to her. The French Protestant colony 
 in Berlin, hearing of her case, left baskets of eatables for 
 her and her governess in out-of-the-way places where they 
 could be picked up. At last the tide began to turn. There 
 was talk of marriage for her with the Margrave of Baireuth, 
 then betrothal, a visit of the king to his son, who fell at 
 his feet and kissed the royal shoes ; the marriage of Wil- 
 helmina on the 20th of November, 1731, and on the 23rd 
 her much -loved brother returned to her. But not the old 
 brother of her love. A changed, cold man, with a touch 
 of the father's critical ways, and, worst of all to the 
 feminine mind, with reasons for what he did. His reasons 
 were good. Next day he appeared once more in uniform 
 on parade with his regiment, of which he was made colonel 
 commandant in February of the following year. One slight 
 struggle more he had against betrothal to the Princess of 
 Brunswick Bevern, a lady whose qualities were opposed to 
 all he had dreamed of in a wife ; but he submitted to what 
 he called his hard fate, was betrothed on the 10th of March, 
 1732, and married on the 12th of June, 1733. It was far 
 from being a love match, and there were no children. The 
 pair can hardly be said to have lived together at all, and 
 the princess need not be mentioned again, as she exercised 
 no influence over the events of Frederick's life. 
 
 About six months before the marriage, and during the 
 time of betrothal, Frederick "William was startled by a 
 proposal from the Kaiser, through Seckendorf, to throw 
 away his plighted word, get rid also, it appears, of Wilhel- 
 mina's husband, and bring about the double marriage with 
 England after all. The king was struck to the heart by 
 this proof that the emperor, to whom he had been devotedly 
 
BASE ACTS OF THE KAISER. 35 
 
 1733—1734. 
 
 loyal all his life, should tempt him to do what he considered 
 as the act of a scoundrel. Throughout his reign the influ- 
 ence of Austria had been promised to him in securing the 
 succession to Berg and Jiilich,^ and this was the main lever 
 of Seckendorf to move the power of Prussia. But, with 
 the absolute faithlessness which was the tone of courts in 
 that day, the Kaiser had promised his influence for the 
 same succession to two other different candidates, and this 
 seemed to dawn upon Frederick William when, after some 
 negotiation through Grumkow, Seckendorf actually spoke 
 to the king. Seckendorf s words are not known, nor the 
 exact nature of the shock which he administered to 
 Frederick William ; enough that it uprooted his faith in 
 the Kaiser and his own self-esteem. Speaking of it after- 
 wards he said, " It was as if you had turned a dagger 
 about in my heart. That man was he that killed me. 
 Then and there I got my death." He spoke of it often in 
 years to come, and would say, with tears running down his 
 cheeks in grief and rage, " Da steht einer der mich rachen 
 wird." ** There stands one (Fritz) who will avenge me." 
 So the legacy to Austria was growing. The first king 
 says, '* My rights on Silesia I leave intact for my posterity 
 to prosecute." The second, "There stands one who will 
 avenge me." 
 
 In 1734 Frederick accompanied, as a volunteer, his 
 father's contingent of 10,000 men to the Kaiser's cam- 
 paign on the Bhine. Prince Eugene was in command of 
 the Beich's army. But time had dimmed the brightness of 
 the old general's faculty for war, and there was no fighting 
 worthy of attention. The young prince showed uncommon 
 coolness, riding at a foot's pace between the two armies 
 under a hot fire, and conversing tranquilly with the 
 ^ See chap. i. p. 8. 
 
 D 2 
 
36 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1734. 
 
 generals who accompanied him. This is to be remem- 
 bered when we come to remark his conduct on a later 
 occasion. A light is thrown on his opinions of the inces- 
 sant machine-like drill of the Prussian army by a letter of 
 his to Lieutenant Groben, written on the 17th of August, 
 wherein he says : — " The drill-demon has now got into the 
 Kaiser's people too ; Prince Eugene has grown heavier 
 with his drill than we ourselves. He is often three hours at 
 it, and the Kaiser's people curse us for the saipe." Yet these 
 '* Kaiser's people " were *' left seven days without bread/' 
 and generally were seen to want many things more than 
 drill. At this time his father fell ill, nearly to death, and 
 Frederick saw close to him the liberty and power he 
 desired. The old king recovered, but was never himself 
 again. In the years of weakness which followed he was 
 often represented by his son, whom he began to recognise 
 as a worthy successor, while that son learnt to appreciate 
 the finer qualities in the rough taskmaster who had trained 
 him with so stern a hand. This period was marked by 
 increasing coldness between Frederick William and the 
 Kaiser, by a correspondence of Fritz with Voltaire, and 
 the writing by the prince of a book called the Anti- 
 Macchiavel, a work intended as a refutation of Macchiavelli's 
 Prince, and full of advanced ideas and noble thoughts as to 
 the duties of a king, who, wrote Frederick, should practise 
 truth and be " the born servant of his people." He meant 
 what he said at the time, but who could be faithful to such 
 an ideal amid the lying, corruption, and chicanery which 
 was the daily life of European courts at that era ? More 
 than one of them supplied money for Frederick's necessities, 
 hoping by that means to bind him in golden chains. 
 
 As the king found himself gradually failing he drew 
 closer to his son, and many acts of human kindness passed 
 
DEATH OF THE OLD KING. 37 
 
 1740. 
 
 between them. The shadow of the coming fate began to 
 creep over the broken man, and softened the rugged out- 
 lines of his character. He had put faith in the goodwill of 
 the Kaiser, and found himself betrayed in the matter of 
 Jiilich and Berg. He had thought his son a reprobate, 
 and that son was growing all that he could desire. There 
 were strange bear-like hugs between them, not altogether 
 without scratches. In April, 1740, Fritz entered the 
 tobacco parliament when his father was there. The party, 
 contrary to rule, rose on seeing him, in homage to the 
 rising sun. Frederick "William was so offended that he 
 had his chair wheeled out at once, exclaiming, *' You shall 
 know that I am not yet dead." It was long before ♦he 
 would forgive the courtiers. In May he was disputing 
 with his chaplain as to the light in which some phases of 
 his life would be regarded by the Great Judge before 
 whom he had no doubt that he would soon appear. One 
 point in his favour he clung to ; he had never been an 
 unfaithful husband. On the 26th of May he sent for his 
 son, and at sight of him held out his arms. Fritz knelt, 
 and the strange pair wept in each other's arms. The 
 same day the dying king dictated exact instructions for 
 his funeral, ordering that the volleys over his grave should 
 be fired with attention to accuracy of time. His coffin he 
 had long had ready in the palace, made exactly according to 
 his instructions. When they were singing a German hymn 
 to him which contained the well-known words, ''Naked 
 came I into the world and naked shall I go," he said, " No, 
 not quite naked ; I shall have my uniform on." He picked 
 out good horses as gifts to his friends, saw a last parade 
 from his window, abdicated in favour of his son, inspected 
 his servants in their new liveries, faintly saying, " O 
 vanity ! O vanity ! " regarded his face in a mirror to see 
 
38 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 31st May 1740. 
 
 how it looked in the agonies of death, and spoke for his 
 last words, " Lord Jesus, to Thee I live ; Lord Jesus, to 
 Thee I die ; in life and death Thou art my gain/' He died 
 on the 31st of May, 1740, and the destinies of Prussia were 
 henceforth confided to the hands of his son, who,- next 
 morning, broke into a passion of tears on seeing a regiment 
 swearing fealty to him ; and seven years after concluded 
 a history of Frederick William in these words : ** We have 
 left under silence the domestic chagrins of this great 
 prince : readers must have some indulgence for the faults 
 of the children in consideration of the virtues of such a 
 father.'* 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE STATE OF EUEOPE. 
 
 18th century. 
 
 The eighteenth century has been said, on one hand, to 
 have no history, and, on the other, to be the father of 
 modern history. "Whatever truth there may be in either 
 of these phrases it is certain that the period was one of 
 transition not only in the power of states, but in the 
 political ideas of mankind. The eighteenth century began 
 with the dynastic war of the Spanish Succession, it ended 
 with the French Revolution and the birth of those republi- 
 can institutions which have since modified profoundly the 
 thoughts and actions of civilised men even in countries 
 which still remain monarchical. In its opening years courts 
 and aristocracy were powerful and corrupt to a degree now 
 almost incredible. In old established monarchies such as 
 France and Spain, the contempt of the rich and high born 
 for the poor, who but lived to minister to their pleasures, 
 had already begotten a savage desire for resistance to daily 
 oppression. The working classes were dogs to their 
 masters, but dogs no longer licking the hands which 
 threw occasional scraps to them. Luxury in the upper 
 classes and the growing hatred of the pdor, had sapped 
 the strength of nations formerly all-powerful. 
 
40 FREDERICK THE GREA T. 
 
 18th Centmy. 
 But tli& decay was imperceptible at the beginning of the 
 century, especially in France — the worst offender and most 
 dangerous mine of explosive materials in Europe. France 
 was apparently rising as a monarchy, and by means of the 
 very cynicism which afterwards led to the destruction of 
 the royal house. In the Thirty Years' War, while Europe 
 was being torn by religious struggles, the last that have 
 occurred ; Richelieu had strengthened the army in order to 
 assert the supremacy of the Bourbon over the Hapsburg 
 dynasty. While persecuting the Huguenots at home 
 he prepared to support the Protestants abroad. His 
 ambition was to cut off Spain from the Netherlands, and 
 the Kaiser from the northern states of Europe. He had 
 succeeded in both endeavours. The Bhine, both at its 
 source and mouth, was wrested from the hands of the 
 Hapsburgs. The United Provinces and Switzerland were 
 declared legally independent ; and France, fairly seated in 
 the towns and fortresses guarding the course of the river, 
 had become little less than the arbiter of Europe. War 
 followed war, the religious question dropping more and more 
 out of sight, and the idea of " the balance of power " rising 
 in its stead. Each court was struggling for its own advan- 
 tage, and the intrigues which took place round the sick 
 couch of Old Spain were no grander, though their scale was 
 larger, than those of grasping relatives round the death 
 bed of a childless millionaire. No one of the intriguers 
 gave a single thought for the slaughter which must take 
 place, or dreamt of consulting the wishes of the people 
 who would have to die for the furtherance or opponence of 
 schemes concerning which they were absolutely ignorant. 
 Treaties might be called " felonious " or " highway robbery " 
 in the English House of Commons, but there was not a 
 crowned head in Europe into whose brain the idea of 
 
KINGS INTRIGUING. PEOPLE STARVING. 41 
 
 18th Century. 
 
 justice entered for a moment. Within and without the 
 borders of their kingdoms justice only meant the assertion 
 of their will by the strong. 
 
 It is also remarkable that a wild spirit of gambling had 
 taken possession of society from top to bottom. Mississippi 
 schemes and South Sea bubbles were but one expression 
 of a recklessness which was universal. If common men 
 gambled in shares, monarchs habitually staked with light 
 hearts their en^)ires on the chances of war. And this they 
 did regardless of the social cancers, luxury, vice, misery, 
 which were eating the hearts of nations. While Louis 
 XIY. was spending vast sums on his wars, his mistresses, 
 and his fortifications, Yauban ^ estimated that every tenth 
 man in ^France was an actual mendicant, five-tenths did not 
 absolutely beg, but were on the verge of starvation ; three- 
 tenths were ill at ease, embarrassed with debts and law 
 suits ; and even of the remaining tenth — the army, the 
 bar, and the clergy, the high noblesse, the distinguished 
 noblesse, the officials, the good tradesmen and burghers 
 having property, perhaps a hundred thousand families in 
 all — not more than one-tenth were really in easy circum- 
 stances. This was the estimate of the great engineer 
 whose business it was to design the fortresses which have 
 descended to our day. The desolation of France was so 
 great that wolves came down out of the hills of Auvergne 
 and ravaged the valley of the Loire. Other countries 
 were equally afflicted, nor was there any hope of justice or 
 mercy for the pbor. The success of suits was obtained by 
 bribing the mistresses of royal personages, and great 
 ministers had to begin every diplomatic attempt at a 
 foreign court by obtaining in one way or another the 
 
 ^ Dixme Royale. 
 
42 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 18th Century. 
 
 favour of the class least capable of appreciating the real 
 condition of the people. 
 
 Yet, in this strange condition of afEairs, France was 
 the rising nation, both Austria and Spain receding before 
 her. Alsace, Lorraine, the Rhine fortresses, were hers, and 
 when Frederick came to the throne her army was the 
 largest and had the greatest reputation in Europe. At 
 that time commerce had revived under the hand of Fleury, 
 and her East India Company was growing rapidly, though 
 the people were no better fed or happier for it. All 
 incoming riches went to swell the expenditure and feed the 
 luxury of the court and its small charmed circle. In 1739 
 D'Argenson^ wrote that "in time of peace, with all 
 appearance of an average, if not an abundant crop, men 
 are dying round us as thick as flies ; they are wretched, 
 eating grass." And in another place he says : " More 
 Frenchmen have died of misery in these two years than 
 were killed in all the wars of Louis XIV." The French 
 court was more ambitious of dictating to the rest of Europe 
 than of saving the lives of the people. 
 
 Austria was even weaker. Equally poor from the results 
 of her late wars, she had not even an army. Her forces at 
 home had almost disappeared ; she was still in terror of 
 Turkey, and all her neighbours awaited the first oppor- 
 tunity to cut slices from her. The Kaiser spent his life in 
 getting signatures to a piece of parchment which would 
 give a theoretical title to his daughter, instead of filling 
 his treasury and preserving his army as* Prince Eugene 
 advised him. 
 
 England was comparatively rich, and her people had 
 already won their liberties. A sea power by necessity, she 
 
 ^ Memoirs du Marquis d'Argenson, 
 
STATE OF THE NATIONS. 43 
 
 18th Century. 
 
 was vaguely yearning for the command of the ocean, and 
 in that pursuit saw as her rivals France and Spain, but 
 chiefly Spain. Commerce and colonies were the direction 
 of her natural development, and the passion aroused by 
 the famous episode of Jenkins's ear, was a natural out- 
 burst of the desire which could not be gratified so long as 
 Spain had the virtual monopoly of the Western trade. But 
 her new royal house had hung Hanover round her neck, and 
 caused an unfounded and unnatural jealousy of the rising 
 Prussia. The struggle with Spain at sea was unceasing, 
 though it only took declared shape in 1739. England may 
 therefore be said to have been divided between her natural 
 instincts on the Spanish Main and her artificial interests in 
 ' Germany, which led her at first to look with disfavour upon 
 Prussia. Her natural allies were the Dutch and Prussia, 
 her artificial the nations with which she at first acted. 
 
 Thus, then, France was strong in military power, with a 
 cancer consuming her vitals ; Spain, much weakened, and 
 coming into natural collision with England ; Austria, weak 
 in her army, and in dissension with Hungary; Italy, a 
 ^ battle-field for all the powers ; Russia making her first 
 steps out of barbarism ; England growing at sea and rich, 
 but almost destitute of an army ; Prussia poor, but strong 
 in her army and in the frugality and discipline impressed 
 upon her by the House of Hohenzollern. But her strength 
 was not appreciated by other powers; the eccentricities 
 of Frederick William had obscured his higher qualities, 
 and no one in Europe knew what was to come out of the 
 stormy youth of the young Frederick. 
 
 The armies of Europe were organised very differently 
 from those of our own time. The soldiers were generally 
 recruited for an indefinite period, and might serve for the 
 whole of their vigorous life, or be dismissed to their 
 
44 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 18th Century. 
 
 homes if the kings did not require their services. The 
 fire-arm of the infantry was a smooth-bore musket, which 
 carried only about two hundred yards, and with very little 
 accuracy, wliile much time was required to load it. In the 
 time of Frederick William, Prince Leopold of Anhalt- 
 Dessau, who was as thorough a drill sergeant as the king 
 himself, introduced the iron ramrod, which quickened the 
 loading ; but it is a mistake to attribute the successes of 
 Frederick the Great to this very trifling development. No 
 division or brigade organisation existed, nor was there any 
 tactical unit between the whole army, or such a part of it 
 as might be broken off for particular purposes, and the 
 battalion of infantry or regiment of cavalry. Artillery 
 was very backward, both in material and organisation. 
 The universal practice was to attach two guns, three 
 pounders or six-pounders, to a battalion of infantry, and 
 there remained besides an indefinite number of pieces, 
 sometimes of heavier calibre, which acted directly under 
 the orders of the commander-in-chief of the army. In 
 many cases there were no artillerymen at all with the 
 battalion guns, and in the heat of the fight the guns were 
 commonly forgotten by the commander of the battalion, 
 falling as a rule into the hands of the victors. 
 
 The general characteristic of armies so organised was 
 extreme slowness of motion and heaviness of manoeuvre. 
 The gi'eat victories of Marlborough could not have been 
 won in the manner they were but for what we should now 
 consider a strange supineness on the part of the enemy. 
 "Wlun a position was once taken up, generally after many 
 hours spent in marches and deployments, the commander 
 of the force was loth to attempt any movement on the field 
 /of battle which might throw his troops into confusion. An 
 army deployed was usually in two lines, each three deep. 
 
STIFF MILITARY MOVEMENnTS. 45 
 
 'sth Century, 
 
 To move to a flank, the whole force was thrown into column, 
 and, seeing that the fight was carried on at very close 
 quarters, it was almost impossible to execute such a 
 manoeuvre after the battle was engaged. That general 
 who, like Marlborough, had the courage to attack, and the 
 military insight to discover the weak point of the enemy, 
 might indeed, as at Blenheim, cease his unavailing efforts 
 at one point, move his troops away, and direct them against 
 a weaker spot in the enemy's formation ; or he might, as 
 at Ramillies, neglect one part of his adversary's line alto- 
 gether if it could not advance, and throw his whole force 
 against another part. But in such a case success depended 
 upon considerable want of insight on the part of the enemy, 
 and was not attained by any special rapidity of manoeuvre 
 on the field of battle. 
 
 It is evident that all movements made in the lumbering 
 manner characteristic of that day depended for their execu- 
 tion on the greatest mechanical precision and steadiness of 
 drill ; for, if an enemy . moving to a flank lost or gained \ 
 ever so little distance between the companies or battalions^ ^ 
 the wheel into line afterwards performed to face the enemy 
 again would present either a huddled crowd or a line torn 
 into tatters. Here, then, we see the very serious advantage 
 possessed by the Prussian army as handed down by 
 Frederick William to his son. The king was himself the 
 great drill sergeant of Europe, and his efforts had been 
 seconded by Prince Leopold, who was equally exact and 
 persevering, while his original faculty was greater. Nor 
 must it be supposed that the training of the Prussian army 
 consisted in barrack-square drills alone ; on the contrary, 
 there had already been instituted the practice of those field 
 operations which, under the title of autumn manoeuvres, 
 have since become a regular military institution in every 
 
46 FREDERICK TEE GREAT. 
 
 18th Century. 
 
 European army. "When the Prussian troops first found 
 themselves in presence of an enemy on the field of battle, 
 there was nothing novel to them in the spectacle. They 
 had been accustomed to face a supposed enemy in their 
 mimic campaigns. The habit of attacking and defending 
 under various circumstances had already been formed, 
 and death itself had few terrors for men whose whole life 
 was for the most part a succession of miseries and petty 
 tyrannies — for the hand of military discipline was terribly 
 heavy, and there was no refuge in the law against the 
 oppression of the hardest of military taskmasters. A cam- 
 paign, with all its privations, was little harder than the 
 daily lot of the Prussian soldier in garrison at home, and 
 actual war brought him at least excitement, praise, and 
 even rewards in money. He probably lived better on the 
 spoils of an enemy's country than on his usual rations; 
 and the interest of the march and the combat was a 
 pleasant alleviation to the fearful monotony of constant 
 drill. We shall see that, in the course of the Seven Years 
 "War, the old Prussian infantry became almost extinguished, 
 but by that time the genius of Frederick the Great had 
 given him so great a moral ascendancy, and he knew so 
 well how to handle the material which he possessed, that 
 up to the very last he continued to win battles when all 
 the odds were against him. By a happy combination of 
 wiliness and audacity he deceived his enemy, and attacked 
 him at a disadvantage. 
 
CHAPTER lY. 
 
 FREDERICK ON THE THRONE. LIBERAL MEASURES. INCREASE 
 
 OF THE ARMY. VISIT TO STRASBURG. AFFAIR OF HERSTAL. 
 
 DEATH OF THE KAISER. — PRAGMATIC SANCTION BREAKS 
 
 DOWN. DECISION TO OCCUPY SILESIA. 
 
 1740. 
 
 1740. 
 
 Ko authentic portraits of Frederick as king exist any- 
 where. Pesne, a French refugee, and an artist of consider- 
 able power, painted him twice — as a Child beating a drum, 
 with Wilhelmina looking on, and as Crown Prince. From 
 these and other sources it is known that he was below the 
 middle height, rather handsome, with oval, aquiline face, 
 and blue-grey eyes of extraordinary brilliancy and vivacity 
 — eyes that spoke the thoughts of the vivid brain behind 
 them, and could terrify or enchant as the mood of the 
 young king might turn. Without doubt his mind was full 
 of schemes for the improvement of his people and their 
 preparatibn for higher destinies. In many respects he 
 anticipated the progress in civil and religious liberty which 
 has since become the common property of civilised man- 
 kind. Indeed there are, even now, portions of Europe 
 where religious freedom, however professedly guaranteed, 
 is not so real as that of the Prussians under Frederick. 
 Less than a month after his father's death the Department 
 
48 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 June 1740. 
 
 of Religious Affairs sought his decision on the question 
 what was to be done in the case of the Roman Catholic 
 schools for soldiers' children of that faith, which had been 
 abusing their privileges, and turning themselves into 
 centres of proselytism. The answer rings true in that age 
 of religious prejudice : ** All religions must be tolerated, 
 and the fiscal must watch {das Auge darauf haben) that 
 none of them shall do injury to the others ; for here every 
 one shall be saved (Selig werden) in his own way." The 
 press also was practically set free, and Frederick instituted 
 a Literary and Political Newspaper for the instruction of 
 the people. He abolished legal torture, with which he had 
 himself been threatened during the days which followed 
 his attempt to escape, and made plans for the establish- 
 ment, or rather development, of the Academy of Sciences 
 on a grand scale. All these reforms were commenced in 
 the first week of his reign, and were efforts to carry out 
 the principle which he announced on the second day, " Our 
 great care will be to further the country's well-being, and 
 to make every one of our subjects contented and happy." 
 There had been famine in the land before his father's 
 death, but the old king had hesitated to open the state 
 corn magazines lest he should be cheated. Frederick the 
 Second opened them at once for the benefit of the poor, and 
 established houses wherein a thousand poor old women 
 were comfortably fed and clad ; but, with characteristic 
 economy, he set them to spin. Like Henry V. of England, 
 whom he resembled in many points, Frederick turned 
 away from the companions of his looser pleasures, and 
 to one who tried to be familiar and jocose, said, " I am 
 now king." On the other hand, he sent for all the young 
 men whom he had observed to be steady and capable, and 
 induced them to enter his service. This was the nearest 
 
VISIT TO STUASBURG, 49 
 
 AugTTst 1740. 
 
 approach which he made to his father's enlistment of 
 giants. Frederick William sought for masses of flesh; 
 Frederick the Great for massive brains and clear intellects. 
 The one recruited big men by force, the other, bright men 
 by persuasion and benefits. To his mother he gave love, 
 respect, and comfort. He created a new and charming 
 title for her ; she was not to be the Queen Dowager, but 
 ** Her Majesty the Queen Mother," and he never failed to 
 visit her every day when he was at Berlin, nor spoke to 
 her without hat in hand. He put an end to the shabby 
 style of court so dear to his parsimonious father, and main- 
 tained a moderate number of court functionaries. The 
 ridiculous giants were abolished as soldiers, some of them 
 pensioned, others turned into doorkeepers and the like. 
 Their places were filled by new regiments of well-trained 
 soldiers, and he increased the army by about 16,000 men, 
 so that it now mustered 100,000 — a grand unit in the 
 forces of Europe. 
 
 One trifling incident there was of the nature of an 
 escapade on Frederick's part before the wild leaven was set 
 to work entirely on the soldier's craft. In August he set 
 out on a journey to Cleves, visiting his sister at Baireuth 
 on his way. Wilhelmina found him changed, somewhat 
 stilted and stiff, the kingly robes not yet sitting easily 
 upon him. From Baireuth, instead of going to Cleves, 
 he struck southward to Strasburg, and slipped incognito 
 into France as Count Dufour. He hoped even to visit 
 Paris in this easy fashion, but, being recognised as King of 
 Prussia at Strasburg, gave up the idea, and turned back 
 within forty-eight hours. He caught the philosopher, 
 Maupertuis, at Wesel, and had a visit — longed for during 
 many years — from Voltaire himself, at the castle of 
 Mayland near Cleves. As Yoltaire went in at the gate, 
 
£0 FREDERICK TEE GREAT. 
 
 1740. 
 
 he met Councillor Rambonet on his way out, and Lis 
 mission is the first use of high-handed power which is 
 knowli of the master of 100,000 soldiers. Herstal, a 
 small place, which with other heritages had fallen in to 
 Frederick William, had refused to own his sway. The 
 Bishop of Liege claimed it, and resisted Frederick 
 William's recruiting parties there. The old king offered 
 , to sell it to the bishop, but could arrive at no definite 
 settlement, and let it alone. A week before Voltaire's 
 arrival, Rambonet had paid one visit to the bishop, 
 requiring within two days a distinct answer to the 
 question whether he still intended to abet the rebellious 
 people of Herstal. Still no definite answer could be 
 obtained, and Rambonet had now to deliver to the bishop 
 Frederick's promise of punishment. General Borck was 
 sent with 2,000 men to occupy part of the bishop's proper 
 territory, and lie there at his expense till the prelate 
 should come to a better frame of mind. He occupied 
 Maaseyk, and exacted a contribution of 20,000 thalers 
 besides living at free charges — the requisition system not 
 unknown to the German army in this century. The bishop 
 applied to the Kaiser, who ordered Frederick to withdraw 
 his forces ; but not having 100,000 men ready to march 
 against Prussia, took no steps to enforce the decree. 
 Neither French nor Dutch were in better case to help, 
 and the bishop was at last fain to compromise the dispute 
 by paying 240,000 thalers for Herstal, instead of the 
 100,000 for which he might have had it from Frederick 
 William. The young king retired to Reinsberg, there to 
 spend some time in rest and relaxation. But the Kaiser's 
 interference, unbacked by force, had added one drop more 
 to the cup of bitterness which the HohenzoUerns had held 
 to their lips for many years, and Frederick was soon to 
 
DEATH OF THE KAISER. 61 
 
 20tb Oct.-6th Dec. 1740. 
 
 dash it to the ground. On the 20th of October, 1740, about 
 a fortnight after the date of the demand that Frederick 
 should leave the bishop's territory. Kaiser Karl VI. died, 
 and his daughter, Maria Theresa, was proclaimed inheritress 
 of his power, wheresoever it had extended. 
 
 Now, if ever, the painful efforts made by the late Kaiser 
 must bear fruit in a general recognition of the Pragmatic 
 Sanction. Couriers sped forth to announce the news in all 
 the embassies of Europe, and to the electors of the Reich 
 who had to choose the new Emperor of Germany. Sharply 
 back from Bavaria, the nearest court, came the reply. It 
 was a protest against the Pragmatic Sanction, and the 
 right of Maria Theresa to a great part of the titles and 
 power which she had assumed. Nay more, Bavaria was 
 prepared to make good the claims of its prince to Bohemia 
 and even part of Austria. France was known to be 
 covertly or openly a natural foe to Austria, and endeavour- 
 ing to supplant her in various quarters. She was actually 
 ready to back the Bavarian claims.^ The Saxon and other 
 electors were certainly not warm lovers of the late imperial 
 court. The Czarina of Bussia, who might have helped 
 Austria, died opportunely a few days after the Kaiser. 
 Frederick had now to take his part, and he seems not to 
 have hesitated for an instant. He decided that, for the 
 time at any rate, his chances in a war were good ; that, 
 later, either France or England must be on his side, and 
 that now or never must he discharge the legacies bequeathed 
 by his predecessors, and take possession of Silesia. His 
 ministers arrived at Beinsberg, but found that his resolu- 
 tion was already taken, and that their advice must be 
 
 * For an interesting, though one-sided, picture of these various acts 
 of treachery, see the Due de Broglies book, Frederic II. et Marie 
 Therese. 
 
 £ 2 
 
52 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 20th Oct.-6th Dec. 1740. 
 
 limited to the " how " and the " when," for the " whether " 
 was as fixed as if action had already been taken. It was 
 clear to his mind that the old political system had expired 
 with the Kaiser, and that they who would hold a good 
 place in the new must bestir themselves. He was for 
 taking Silesia at once, openly, with the strong hand in 
 assertion of his rights ; but his ministers advised him to 
 leave an opening for agreement with Maria Theresa by 
 declaring only that he was about to' take charge of Silesia 
 and keep it for the rightful owner. A flimsy pretext this, 
 but worthy of the diplomacy of the eighteenth century. 
 A.11 the world knew that the Hohenzollerns claimed Silesia, 
 and for whom else were they likely to hold it % Clearly, 
 Frederick put no trust in this shabby device, for he first 
 veiled his intentions in impenetrable silence, and when tho 
 moment came for movement declared openly that he was 
 going to war. Though international law was then estab- 
 lished and codified in learned volumes, it had not yet made 
 much impression on the minds of the many, nor was 
 there, except to some extent in England, a public opinion 
 capable of resisting the desire of monarchs for more 
 territory and military glory. Even in England the 
 apocryphal story of Jenkins's ears and other fictitious 
 tales had been sufficient to create a war with Spain. With- 
 out asserting that Frederick was morally right— for who 
 can ever be right in making war lightly 1 — it may be fairly 
 said that he acted in consonance with the spirit of his time, 
 and had as much justice on his side then as could be urged 
 in favour of some wars in our own generation. Granted 
 that he let slip the dogs of war on Europe, it is none the 
 less true that they were straining at the leash, and it was 
 only a question of time when the frail restraint should be 
 worn through. 
 
FREDERICK ENTERS SILESIA. 53 
 
 «th-13th Dec. 1740. 
 
 The intentions of Frederick were unknown, though it 
 soon began to be evident that military preparations were 
 on foot. Wily diplomatists sought to penetrate the veil. 
 Even Voltaire under literary pretexts went to Berlin, was 
 received graciously, and took part in a series of gaieties, 
 but failed to discover the secret. At last on the 6th of 
 December it was announced to the foreign ambassadors 
 at Berlin that the king was about to move a body of troops 
 into Silesia, the pretext being that sketched by his ministers 
 at Reinsberg. On the morning of the 13th, after a ball at 
 the palace, Frederick stepped into a carriage and started 
 for Frankfurt on the Oder, having a day or two before 
 addressed his generals in a short speech commencing with 
 these words: — "Gentlemen, I am undertaking a war in 
 which I have no allies but your valour and goodwill." 
 
 He had already sent to Yienna an offer ^ to accept a 
 part of Silesia in settlement of his claims, but had little 
 doubt of the answer. On the 13th of December, 1740, 
 the Eubicon was passed, and the philosopher and musician 
 commenced that military career which was destined to 
 place him in the front rank of generals for all time. 
 
 ^ The proposal was : To ally himself and liis army with Maria 
 Theresa and defend her rights against other claimants ; to resign the 
 claims of the Hohenzollerns to Jiilich and Berg ; to help the Grand 
 Duke of Tuscany, Maria Theresa's husband, to obtain the imperial 
 crown ; and to pay a large sum of money into the Austrian exchequer, 
 then sorely in need of it. In return for these services he demanded 
 the four duchies of Silesia, hut was prepared to accept instead Savan 
 and Glogau, which were on his frontier. 
 
CHAPTER y. 
 
 THE SILESIAN STRU(?GLE BEGINS. — BATTLE OF MOLLWITZ. 
 
 A.D. ] 740— 1741. 
 
 14th-2Sth Dec. 1740. 
 
 On the 14th of December, Frederick was at Crossen, the 
 place of concentration for his army. The force was about 
 28,000 strong, one-fourth being cavahy, and thirty-two 
 pieces of artillery, of which twenty were three-pounders, 
 four twelve-pounders, four howitzers, and four fifty-pound 
 mortars. The number of artillerymen was only 166. 
 About 10,000 were to follow from Berhn in two days. At 
 Crossen the king received and put aside a protest from the 
 authorities at Griinberg on the other side of the frontier 
 against his entering Silesia. This was all in proper order, 
 but could have no effect. While the king was at Crossen, 
 the old bell held up by rotten supports, came thundering 
 down. " This is a good omen," said Frederick ; "the high 
 are to be brought low." On the 16th of December the march 
 began. The usual proclamations of invaders were issued. 
 " The troops come as friends. There is to be strict discipline ; 
 no plunder, and the best treatment for all who submit." At 
 Griinberg, the burgermaster would not actually give the 
 key of the town, but allowed it to lie on the table and be 
 taken up by a Prussian officer without resistance. This 
 
occur A TION OF SILESIA. 65 
 
 14th-2Sth Dec. 1740. 
 
 diplomatic action may be taken as the type of Silesia's 
 yielding at first. The country made no pretence of 
 objection, and the towns, whispering they would ne'er 
 consent, consented. Let us not forget that Silesia was 
 more than half Protestant, and had suffered under Austrian 
 religious intolerance. Chains of mountains divided it 
 from Bohemia and Moravia ; it was fully open to Prussia. 
 The Austrian military governor, Count Wallis, had pro- 
 posed on the first alarm, some time ago, to throw a garrison 
 into Breslau, the capital of the province and a free city, but 
 the citizens would have none of it, saying that they were 
 quite able to defend themselves, and even drilling vigor- 
 ously. They sent provisions however into Glogau, where, 
 strongly fortified. Count Wallis placed himself and a 
 garrison, leaving his second in command. General Browne, 
 to attend to the other two strong places, Brieg and Neisse. 
 The march of the Prussians was slow. The weather, wet 
 and stormy, was against them, and floods impeded their pro- 
 gress ; but it is quite evident that at this time Frederick 
 was a tyro in war, and did not understand, as he afterwards 
 came to do, the value of celerity in movement. His army 
 moved in two columns, not counting the reserve which was 
 coming up from Berlin. The right column under Schwerin 
 moved up the valley of the river Bober towards Liegnitz ; 
 the left, under the king, marched upon Glogau, but reach- 
 irg Herrendorf, five miles from the fortress, and finding 
 Glogau prepared for defence, remained inactive there dur- 
 ing six days — days of great importance, for this and other 
 delays gave General Browne time to organise some sort of 
 defence, to mend the fortifications of Brieg and Neisse, 
 and throw garrisons, each 1,600 strong, and provisions into 
 them. Glogau remained firm in its attitude of resistance. 
 Frederick sent back for a siege train, but finally decided to 
 
56 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 14th Dec. m0-2nd Jan. 1741. 
 
 invest tlie place and leave part of the reserve there under 
 the younger Prince of Dessau, whose father had introduced 
 the iron ramrods, and was now left behind to take charge 
 of the defence of Prussia during Frederick's absence. The 
 army lived chiefly by requisitions with promise to pay at a 
 specified future time. The promise was faithfully kept, and 
 it may be said once for all that Frederick's system of feed- 
 ing his army by forced contributions punctually paid for, 
 was in its nature and essence the same as that practised by 
 the German armies to this day. The country was divided 
 into circles, and the chief men of each circle were made 
 responsible that troops passing through should receive all 
 they required ; the word being passed from circle to circle 
 in advance, what number of troops were coming, and the 
 jirobable date of their arrival. This was the forerunner of 
 the modern etappen system which has been derived from 
 Frederick, and modified to suit the new conditions of rail- 
 ways and telegraphs. The king was already business-like, 
 though as yet not experienced in the great operations of 
 war. 
 
 On the 28th of December, Schwerin occupied Liegnitz in 
 the early morning, and, about the same time, the king's 
 column pushed forward on march to Breslau, yielding the 
 duty of blockading Glogau to young Leopold of Dessau, 
 who had come up the day before. Browne had put all the 
 pressure he could on Breslau to receive an Austrian 
 garrison ; but the people were as firm in denial as they 
 had been to Count Wallis, and all Browne could do was to 
 carry off the archives of the town, transporting them into 
 Moravia. Frederick marched rapidly upon Breslau, seventy 
 miles in three days, and by dint of combined negotiation 
 and pressure of armed parties, had the town opened to him 
 on the 2nd of January. The Austrian authorities were sent 
 
FORTRESSES HOLD OUT. h1 
 
 2nd Jan.-24th Feb. 1741. 
 
 out of the town, and a campaign commissariat was organ- 
 ised, nominally for military purposes. As time went on, 
 the one organisation of the place asserted its power, and 
 virtually became the government, to the contentment of 
 the Protestant majority. 
 
 On the 6th of January Frederick marched southward 
 again, having previously detached General Jeetz to the left, 
 to capture Namslau, a small town and castle on the road to 
 Poland and Hungary, then to sweep round and invest Brieg 
 from the east. Schwerin, with the right column, had also 
 made a detachment to his right into the county of Glatz. 
 So far all had gone well, but now the king began to feel 
 General Browne's retarding efforts. Ohlau fell without 
 difficulty, but Brieg, with its garrison of 1,600 good troops, 
 refused to yield, though summoned by General Kleist, de- 
 tached from the king's force on the south, and General 
 Jeetz on the north. These detachments were left to invest 
 the place, and the king pushed on towards Neisse. Even 
 the little Namslau was stubborn, and Neisse could neither 
 be tempted by good terms nor overawed by the display of 
 the forces of Frederick and Schwerin, who by this time had 
 rejoined the king, after capturing Ottmachau by force. 
 The resistance of such places as Namslau and Ottmachau, 
 though trifling in itself, served to delay the Prussians, who 
 had been already too slow, and gave time for Neisse to pre- 
 pare her defences. Jeetz received siege guns about the 
 24th, and quickly captured Namslau, after which he com- 
 pleted the investment of Brieg. Thus the greater part of 
 Silesia was occupied without resistance ; only the three 
 fortresses, Glogau, Brieg, and Neisse held out in a deter- 
 mined manner, and the slowness of Frederick had given 
 time for Neisse to be well armed and provisioned, its de- 
 fence being in the hands of Colonel von Roth, a good and 
 
^ 68 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 19th Jan.-27th Feb. 1741. 
 determined officer. After some preliminary cannonade, a 
 regular bombardment, partly with red-hot shot, commenced 
 on the 19th, and continued at intervals till the evening of 
 the 22nd, Sunday, but without any serious effect. Neisse 
 would not yield, and the siege was converted into a block- 
 ade like those of Glogau and Brieg. General Browne hung 
 watching about the mountains, but was driven back by 
 Schwerin as soon as the bombardment ceased, and, shortly 
 afterwards, was supervseded by General Neipperg. The 
 Prussian army scattered into winter quarters, only main- 
 taining the three blockades ; and Frederick, who had shown 
 no special generalship yet, went back to Berlin. In the 
 seven weeks or so which were spent in over-running Silesia, 
 a change had come over his spirit, as shown in his corre- 
 spondence. He had begun by talking much of military 
 glory, but from this time forth care sat behind him wher- 
 ever he went. Silesia was his, except the fortresses, but 
 without glory, and a storm was brewing in Europe, which 
 might perhaps, sweep him away in its course. He spent 
 three weeks in Berlin, and returned to his army full of 
 grave thoughts. For he saw that all Europe was aroused, 
 and that dangerous enmities to himself had awoke. True, 
 his envoy to Russia had been successful, and returned with 
 a treaty of friendship in his pocket ; but Austria refused 
 altogether to come to any terms of compromise, and began 
 to arm. His two near neighbours, George of Hanover 
 (George TI., of England) and the Elector of Saxony, who 
 was also King of Poland, were determined to support 
 Austria and the Pragmatic Sanction, and Frederick, suc- 
 cessful in Silesia, had reason to fear for his safety at home. 
 He left the old Prince of Anhalt Dessau to take certain 
 measures which we shall hear of later, and passed again to 
 Silesia on the 19th of February. 
 
TREATY TO PARTITION PRUSSIA. 59 
 
 27th Feb. -5th Mar. 1741. 
 
 By this time Austri,a had begun to work with her ir- 
 regular troops, masking graver designs in rear, and incur- 
 sions into Silesia began to be made by Hungarian hussars. 
 On the 27th of February, Frederick, still young in war, set 
 out to visit two of the Prussian posts in the head waters of 
 the Neisse river, due west of the besieged town. The 
 hussars heard daily of his movements, and determined to 
 capture him if possible. Visiting Silberberg first, he next 
 went to Wartha, where, fortunately for him, he halted to 
 dine, sending forward a major with a squadron of Schulen- 
 burg dragoons. The hussars, thinking that Frederick was 
 with this party, attacked it from ambush, and defeated it 
 with loss, then made off, as their wont was, leaving the way 
 clear for the king, who thus by good luck escaped the 
 results of his carelessness. At this time he seems to have 
 fallen into a fault common among good soldiers. He often 
 did himself what he should have left to subordinates. The 
 excuse for him and for others, who to this day fall into the 
 same error, is that he was learning his work, and was keen 
 in studying every trifling detail. There was enough for 
 Frederick to attend to in the keeping of the blockade, for 
 on the 5th of March an Austrian detachment, 300 foot and 
 300 horse, succeeded in eluding his vigilance, and slipped 
 into Neisse as a reinforcement of the garrison. The king 
 for his part was strengthening his army by enlistments in 
 Silesia, 600 men' coming from Breslau alone in February 
 and March. 
 
 At the beginning of March startling news reached 
 Frederick. The draft of a treaty to partition Prussia 
 was lying at St. Petersburg, and only awaiting the signa- 
 tures of England, Russia, and Saxony. It is clear that the 
 English nation would have acted more wisely if it had 
 buttoned its pockets and rested quietly in an observant 
 
to FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 March-2nd April 1741. 
 
 posture. But England was at that time hampered by 
 Hanover, that very inconvenient appendage of her royal 
 house. George II. cared more for Hanover than for Eng- 
 land, and was terribly anxious lest the unimportant German 
 state should be eaten up by Frederick, who, however, had 
 quite enough on his hands without meddling with Hanover. 
 So then Russia, after signing a treaty of friendship with 
 Prussia, was intriguing behind her back against her very 
 life. Check to the king. Frederick's counter move was 
 to direct the elder Prince Leopold of Dessau to place some 
 36,000 Prussian soldiers in camp at Gbttin, near Magde- 
 burg, ostensibly for purposes of manoeuvre. This force was 
 in a position to march at a moment's notice, either against 
 Saxony or Hanover. The would-be allies who had dreamed 
 of partitioning Prussia were rudely awakened, and no more 
 was heard of the idea for a long time to come. The camp 
 began to be formed on the 2nd of April. 
 
 About the same time as the news of the proposed 
 partition reached Frederick, early in March, he heard also 
 that Austria, having found money at last, probably from 
 England, was sending General Neipperg through Moravia 
 with a considerable force to attack Frederick in Silesia. 
 It was not known exactly where Neipperg was, but the 
 king, anxious to concentrate his forces, pressed the younger 
 Leopold to complete the capture of Glogau, which was 
 accordingly stormed during the night of the 8th-9th of 
 March. The action was important as showing the excellent 
 discipline of the Prussian troops, the clockwork regularity 
 of design and movements, and the steady courage of the 
 men. The Austrian garrison was about 1,000 strong, but 
 so well was the operation conducted that the Prussians 
 only lost fifty-eight men killed and wounded. There was no 
 plundering. The feat attracted much notice in Europe, 
 
NEIPPERG ADVANCING, 61 
 
 2nd April 1741. 
 
 and greatly raised the credit of the Prussian army. The 
 king was quick with praise and prize-money ; he gave 
 Prince Leopold about £2,000., and to the soldiers gifts 
 rising from about IO5. to £20. Prince Leopold quickly 
 joined the king at Schweidnitz, helping to threaten Neisse 
 and resist Neipperg if he should advance through the 
 mountains. 
 
 Neipperg had now reached Olmiitz, and detached General 
 Lentulus with a corps to occupy the mountain gorges in 
 the principality of Glatz ; to cover Bohemia, and be ready 
 to assist in the operations upon the Neisse river. Frede- 
 rick drew in many of his posts and concentrated, very 
 rightly, though against the advice of Schwerin. The 
 Austrian movements were concealed by a veil of irregular 
 cavalry, which annoyed the Prussian outposts. Towards 
 the close of March, Neipperg began his movement over the 
 mountains to the relief of Neisse. The king wished 
 Schwerin to come in from Jagerndorf, where he was 
 posted, but, over-persuaded by him, reinforced him, and 
 himself accompanied the reinforcing detachment. He 
 was at Jagerndorf on the 2nd of April, in an open town, 
 with only some three or four thousand men, utterly un- 
 conscious of Neipperg's movements, when some Austrian 
 deserters came in and reported that the whole Austrian 
 army was within a few miles. It was actually at 
 Freudenthal, some fifteen miles in a south-westerly direc- 
 tion, marching upon Neisse, but Neipperg was as ignorant 
 of Frederick's place as Frederick of his. He lost his 
 opportunity, and his slow creeping movements enabled the 
 king to draw in the detachments to Jagerndorf, to send 
 orders to Holstein-Beck at Frankenstein, and to Kalkstein 
 at Grotkau, that they should unite and join him at 
 Steinau, twenty miles east of Neisse, crossing the river 
 
62 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 5tb-10th April 1741. 
 
 by a temporary bridge at Sorgau, which is about twelve 
 miles north by west of Steinau. Kalkstein joined accord- 
 ingly with 10,000 men. Holstein-Beck did not, but took 
 no notice of the Austrian movements, though Lentulus 
 muat have passed very near him. On the 5th head- 
 quarters were at Steinau, and Frederick heard that both 
 Neipperg and Lentulus were at Neisse — actually nearer 
 to Breslau than he himself was. On the 6th he moved 
 northwards to Friedland, intending to work round Neip- 
 perg's flank and get between him and Ohlau, where the 
 great Prussian siege park was. His intention was to 
 cross the bridge at Sorgau, but the Austrian cavalry 
 had occupied the far end of it, and, after trying the 
 passage, the king found himself baJSed. He moved down 
 the river, and crossed on the 8th at Lbwen and Michelau. 
 Nothing yet was heard of Holstein-Beck. The same day 
 the king moved towards Grotkau, heard that the Aus- 
 trians had taken it, marched about seven miles on the 
 road from Lowen to Ohlau, and bivouacked at Pogarell, a 
 small village, during a snowstorm. The force which had 
 been blockading Brieg also joined him. His intention 
 was to attack Neipperg next day, and fight his first great 
 battle, upon which would hang such issues for his kingdom 
 and himself as few young men of twenty nine years old 
 had ever encountered. That night his fevered brain was 
 unvisited by sleep. 
 
 Next day (Sunday) there was wild weather. Frederick 
 made all his dispositions for a battle, but did not move, as 
 nothing could be seen twenty paces distant for the drifting 
 snow. Neipperg, however, made a short march as far as 
 Mollwitz, and was thus between the Prussians and Ohlau. 
 Nothing can be a better proof of the crude state of warfare 
 at that time than the fact that the two armies knew 
 
BATTLE OF MOLLWITZ, 63 
 
 loth April 1741. 
 
 nothing of each other's position, though the Austrian 
 and Prussian head-quarters were only seven miles apart. 
 Neipperg even assigned the mdrrow as a day of rest for 
 his troops ; hut there was to be no rest for him. Next 
 day, 10th of April, the king's army, which had now but 
 one day's provisions, marched towards Mollwitz in four 
 columns, two on each side of the high road, struggling 
 along through the snow. Frederick heard of the Austrian 
 position from a peasant. Neipperg knew nothing of the 
 king's advance till detachments of Austrian and Prussian 
 cavalry encountered two miles from Mollwitz. Here was 
 a chance for a surprise which a little later Frederick would 
 not have missed, but he had not yet drawn himself out of 
 the dull style of war usual in that age. He was still 
 wrapped in the nieshes of the parade-ground and barrack, 
 square, and neither attempted a surprise nor strove to gain 
 any tactical advantage by manoeuvre. Instead of this he 
 solemnly and slowly deployed into two lines, each three 
 deep, and advanced on Mollwitz with bands playing and 
 colours flying, giving time to Neipperg to get himself into 
 'battle trim. Probably in this his first battle he acted 
 under advice from Schwerin. 
 
 Neipperg was at dinner, but gave orders at once to 
 Komer, who commanded his horse, to do what he could to 
 delay the Prussians, who were effecting their deployment 
 about a mile from Mollwitz. His dispositions, like those 
 of Frederick, were to place the army in two parallel lines. 
 The total strength of each army was about the same, 
 namely, 20,000 men ; but Neipperg had about 8,600 cavalry 
 of good quality, Frederick only about 4,000 of inferior 
 stamp. On the other hand, the king had sixty guns, which 
 he advanced well in front of his army, while Neipperg had 
 only eighteen. And now mark the difficulties inherent in 
 
64 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1741. 
 
 these parade battles. For all the drill which the Prussians 
 had absorbed, they blundered in their movement on the right. 
 Schulenburg, who commanded the cavalry, an oflScer of 
 pipeclay and parade, muddled his deployment. His right 
 ought to have rested on the village of Hermsdorf, his left 
 to have touched the right of the infantry, whereas he fell 
 short of reaching Hermsdorf, and crowded upon the infantry, 
 so that there was no room for three battalions, which had 
 to drop back at right-angles to the Prussian line, en potence 
 as it is called in military phrase. We shall see afterwards 
 that the blunder was lucky, but it was none the less a 
 blunder. Following the example of Gustavus Adolphus 
 at Liitzen, Frederick mixed two battalions of grenadiers 
 with his cavalry, which was chiefly on the right, but partly 
 on the left, of his army, interspersing the foot soldiers 
 between the squadrons. The left of the Prussian lines 
 rested on the boggy brook of Laugwitz. The infantry, in 
 two lines, occupied the whole of the centre with the 
 artillery in front of them. Neipperg was getting his army 
 into, position in front of Mollwitz, also in two lines, with 
 its right on the Laugwitz stream, its left on the village 
 of Griiningen. 
 
 Romer, the commander of the Austrian cavalry, arrived 
 first on the ground. Seeing the Prussian right in difficul- 
 ties, and being himself in much suffering from the fire of 
 the Prussian artillery, which opened on the Austrian left 
 at two o'clock, he led thirty squadrons at once to the attack 
 of Schulenburg, whom he caught endeavouring to perfect 
 his parade line by extending to the right in column. The 
 Austrians were thirty squadrons, the Prussians ten ; and 
 Schulenburg, with his pipeclay and his wheelings, was 
 dashed into wild ruin, sweeping away Frederick himself, 
 who had joined this part of the army. Schulenburg fell 
 
BA TTLE OF MOLL WITZ. G5 
 
 1741. 
 
 dead. The Austrian cavalry passed in front and rear of 
 the first infantry line; but the steady discipline of the 
 Prussian foot soldiers, and the strengthening of the flank 
 by the three battalions en 'potence, saved the army. The 
 quick fire of the Prussians, due partly to the iron ramrods 
 and partly to much practice, repulsed the Austrian cavalry, 
 who, however, carried off nine of the Prussian guns. Again 
 and again did Pomer charge the Prussian line, but could 
 make no impression upon it. He even swept round to the 
 rear of the second line and charged them, but Prince 
 Leopold, who commanded it, faced the men to the rear and 
 repulsed the charge. Pbmer himself was killed. The 
 grenadier battalions which had been mixed with the cavalry 
 stood their ground, and even succeeded in attaching them- 
 selves to the main line of the infantry amid the whirl 
 and hurry of the horse. This instance of perfect discipline 
 shows very clearly the excellent quality of Frederick's 
 infantry as bequeathed to him by his father. Saving his 
 first terrible blunder at being surprised, Neipperg seems to 
 have acted vigorously. He supported Pomer with cavalry 
 from his right wing, and endeavoured to improve the advan- 
 tage gained by the cavalry by pushing forward an infantry 
 attack under Goldlein. It was an antique style of fighting, 
 good enough according to the spirit of the day ; but the 
 Austrian infantry could not advance under the terrible fire 
 of the Prussian artillery and infantry. 
 
 The troops fell back, and placing a line of knapsacks for 
 defence, knelt and fired during the afternoon, gradually, 
 however, melting and streaming back. Seeing this, Schwerin, 
 for Frederick was not now present, advanced his whole line, 
 solid as a wall, with military music and display of banners. 
 The demonstration was enough. Neipperg saw that he had 
 lost control over his troops, and gave the order to retreat. The 
 
6G FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 irn. 
 sun had just gone down, and tlie Prussians, much hampered 
 in those days by desire of keeping their ranks trim, did not 
 pursue beyond the village of Laugwitz. The Austrians 
 retreated upon Neisse, passing next day in confusion within 
 two miles of the Duke of Hoist ein, who made no attempt 
 whatever to destroy them. The Austrian loss in killed, 
 wounded, and missing was rather less than the Prussian — 
 4,400 against 4,613, but they lost nine out of thoir eighteen 
 guns, besides eight of the nine Prussian pieces which 
 they had captured. 
 
 But where was Frederick during the latter part of the 
 battle % When the charge of the Austrian cavalry appeared 
 so successful as to threaten the life of the army, Schwerin, 
 doubtless uneasy at the condition of events, pressed the 
 king to retire. He, affected by the wild rout of the cavalry, 
 and unnerved by want of sleep for two nights, followed his 
 general's advice and rode through the night. He endea- 
 voured to cross the Oder at Oppeln, but was fired at there 
 by a party of Austrian hussars, who had taken possession 
 of the town ; thence back to Lowen, where he heard that 
 Mollwitz was a victory, not a defeat, and was again at that 
 place before night. He had not slept for three nights, and 
 had passed through such a turmoil of mind as was perhaps 
 only equalled in his life when he saw poor Katte led out 
 to execution, not knowing but that his own turn might 
 speedily come. 
 
 The philosopher Maupertuis, whom Frederick had at- 
 tracted to his court, was captured by the Austrians, and 
 carried to Yienna. His wish to see a battle led him into 
 a somewhat ridiculous posture. But the same desire has 
 been felt by other great men. It wdll be long ere man 
 ceases to be a fighting animal. 
 
 I have been thus particular in describing the battle of 
 
ZIETHEN'S FIRST EXPLOIT. 67 
 
 1741. 
 
 Mollwitz and the manoeuvres which led to it, because the 
 genius of Frederick the Great as a soldier cannot be appre- 
 ciated without first understanding the kind of strategy 
 and tactics which prevailed before he placed upon them the 
 mark of his spirit. The designs of campaigns were usually 
 feeble, and directed to no definite end. The art of rapid 
 marching was almost extinct ; the intelligent watch of an 
 enemy's movement, which every cadet of to-day under- 
 stands to be so necessary, would then have been considered 
 extraordinary. On the field of battle the two opposing 
 armies drew themselves up and fired and charged till one 
 of them had had enough of it and retired, usually more or 
 less unmolested by the victor. Brieg was left untouched till 
 the 26th, sixteen days after the battle. It yielded on the 
 4th of May, after a heavy bombardment, without assault. 
 The king's army lay inactive for three weeks, in order to 
 allow time to fill up the trenches and revictual the place. 
 Neipperg remained in camp about Neisse, and during the 
 rest of this campaign a series of small outpost and cavalry 
 affairs occurred between his troops and the Prussians, 
 in which the name of the future light cavalry leader, 
 Ziethen, first came into the ears of men. He was made 
 lieutenant-colonel for one of his exploits, being then forty- 
 two years old — a "big-headed, thick-lipped, decidedly ugly 
 little man." ^ 
 
 ^ Carlyle's Frederick the Great. 
 
CHAPTER YI. 
 
 SILESIA IS WON. — MARIA THERESA ROUSES HUNGARY. — FRENCH 
 
 INTERFERENCE. BATTLE OF CHOTUSITZ. PEACE OP 
 
 BRESLAU. 
 
 A.D. 1741—1742. 
 
 loth April 1741. 
 
 The opening of the trenches at Brieg was signalised by 
 the presence of the Comte de Belle-Isle of France, grandson 
 of the famous Fouquet, whose splendour of living cost him 
 ruin and loss of liberty in the early days of Louis XIV. 
 Comte Belle-Isle was fifty-six years old, a clever, grandiose, 
 intriguing soldier and diplomatist, worthy to carry out 
 the meddling designs of Louis XV., in opposition to the 
 cautious counsels of the aged Fleury. He had set out 
 from France at the end of March, on a journey which had 
 for its object to upset the Pragmatic Sanction, though France, 
 among other powers, had guaranteed it ; and to snatch 
 from the House of Austria the Kaisership, which had, from 
 the habit of many years, become, as it were, vested in the 
 Hapsburg family. Though France could not possibly 
 claim the imperial crown for herself, Belle-Isle had 
 determined that it should grace the brows of a German 
 prince, who would be the nominee and the servant of 
 France. He visited the various German courts, and did 
 
DIPLOMACIES. 69 
 
 loth April-5th June 1741. 
 
 in time succeed by diplomatic arts * in causing them all to 
 repudiate the Pragmatic Sanction. Finally, he drew them 
 into an arrangement by whiph Karl Albert of Bavaria 
 was to be elected Kaiser, Frederick to be confirmed in the 
 possession of Silesia, the King of Poland, who was also 
 Elector of Saxony, to take Moravia and part of Bohemia, 
 resigning to the Palatine Elector his claims upon Berg 
 and Jiilich. Under pretence of guarding the freedom of 
 election, France was to send two armies of 40,000 each, 
 with reserves, across the Upper and Lower Rhine. She 
 did actually send these two armies in August. The upper 
 army, which was eventually to be commanded by Belle- 
 Isle, crossed by Strasburg, and was destined to support 
 Karl Albert in attacking Austria along the line of the 
 Danube. The lower army crossed near Diisseldorf under 
 Maillebois, with the object of holding in check the Dutch 
 and the English — or rather the Hanoverians with English 
 help ; for at this time there had come upon the English also 
 a burning desire to meddle in business which by no means 
 concerned them. 
 
 It would seem that Belle-Isle did little with Frederick, 
 but the regular French ambassador, Valori, remained at his 
 camp in a perpetual, though covert, struggle with the 
 English ambassador, Hyndford. The oft'er of France was 
 to guarantee Silesia to the king, but one day Yalori let fall 
 a letter which he had received from home, telling him by 
 no means to allow Frederick to have Glatz county, 
 though that key of Bohemia was one of the points on 
 which he most strongly insisted. The king put his foot 
 on the letter, and, when Valori was dismissed, picked 
 it up and read it. Here then was one power clearly try- 
 ing to cheat him. On the other hand, England, through 
 1 Bribery was freely employed. See Frederic II, et Marie T/Urise. 
 
70 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 loth April-5th June 1741. 
 
 Hyndford, was protesting friendship and goodwill, while actu- , 
 ally voting supplies for the Austrian court. Hyndford was 
 incessant in his pressure upon Frederick to come to terms 
 with Austria, and the king was quite willing, but only on 
 his own terms, which were gradually raised as he perceived 
 himself more and more to be master of the situation. At first 
 England offered him £200,000 to quit Silesia. "When George 
 II. tried pressure of another kind, and persuaded the Dutch 
 to join him in calling upon the King of Prussia to retire 
 from Silesia as a step to negotiations for peace with Austria, 
 Frederick had wind of the Joint Kesolution before it was 
 presented, and, on the 5th of June, signed a contingent 
 treaty with France, not agreeing to all the grand schemes 
 of Belle-Isle, but only to that part of them which would 
 strengthen his own hands by combining France and 
 Bavaria in operations against Austria upon the Danube. 
 But the English diplomatists were still indefatigable in 
 endeavouring to detach Frederick from the combination 
 against Austria. Hyndford at Strehlen, and Eobinson at 
 Vienna, were immensely active in trying to strengthen 
 Austria no"^j just as active as English diplomatists had 
 been a few short years before in trying to weaken her. 
 And they did, in fact, succeed at last in bringing about an 
 arrangement. 
 
 All men of heart must sympathise with the high- 
 spirited young Queen Maria Theresa, whose husband, 
 Francis of Tuscany, was the Austrian candidate for the 
 imperial crown. It was not her fault that the Hohen- 
 zollerns had been cheated out of Silesia, nor had her voice 
 been heard when her father promised JUlich and Berg to 
 Frederick William and to the Elector Palatine at the same 
 time. A woman, young, beautiful, high-souled, and im- 
 petuous, it must have appeared to her that the whole of 
 
OCCUPA TION OF BRESLA U. 71 
 
 6th June-lOth Aug. 1741. 
 
 Europe, except England and the Dutch, were acting vilely 
 by her, and that Frederick's attack on Silesia was the deed 
 of a robber and common enemy of mankind. Arch- 
 Duchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary, she was 
 passionately determined to preserve the integrity of her 
 dominions if she could. She had been received with 
 acclamations by her Hungarian subjects, when, at the 
 ceremony of her coronation, she, a bright young queen, 
 and a mother of three months' standing, galloped to the 
 top of the Konigsberg, and with flashing sabre cut de- 
 fiantly towards the four quarters of the world. Since then 
 there had been differences with the Hungarian Diet ; but 
 she had all the elasticity and faith of youth, and could not 
 believe but that all would go well. It was a hard task for 
 her to compromise with Frederick, nor could the solicita- 
 tions of the English ambassador induce her to do so till she 
 had delivered one more stroke for Silesia. 
 
 Neipperg, therefore, marched from Neisse in the first week 
 of August, about thirty miles westward along the river 
 Neisse, then crossed it, intending by forced marches to 
 surprise and seize Breslau. But Frederick's information 
 was good,, and on the 10th of August he caused Schwerin 
 to occupy that town, free no longer, with 8,000 men. 
 Keipperg fell back, and the king at last began to manoeuvre 
 against his enemy's communications, as he ought to have 
 done long ago if he wished to drive him from the intended 
 camp near ISTeisse. There is nothing worth relating in these 
 movements, which were cut short by diplomatic action. 
 Neipperg's descent upon Breslau having failed, and the two 
 French armies actually crossing the Ehine in August, the 
 unfortunate Maria Theresa yielded at last, and consented to 
 a secret arrangement by which Neipperg was to be allowed 
 to retire in safety, being much needed nearer home. Neisse 
 
72 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 lOth Aug. -I4th Sept. 1741. 
 
 was to be given up to Frederick after a sham siege, and 
 Silesia was to be ceded to the King of Prussia, whose 
 army, instead of acting against Austria, would then go 
 into winter quarters. But Frederick attached to this secret 
 treaty one condition, that if it should be divulged through 
 fault of the Austrian court, it was not to be considered 
 binding, and he should be at liberty to repudiate it. The 
 Austrian court did not keep the secret, and all the facts 
 were blazoned abroad ; upon which, as we shall see hereafter, 
 ^Frederick did repudiate it. It is impossible to defend these 
 transactions from the point of view of morality, or even of 
 common honesty, but it is only fair to Frederick to 
 remember that the whole arrangement was made through 
 the medium of England, whose ambassadors were from 
 first to last busy in the transaction. The fact is that 
 every court was intriguing and deceiving, and the only 
 difference was that Frederick, by his energetic action, had 
 placed himself in a commanding position. They were all 
 trying to cheat him, and he cheated them. To use a 
 familiar illustration they treated the young king like the 
 Heathen Chinee in the American story, and hardly had the 
 right to complain when he was discovered to have the 
 bower ace up his sleeve.^ 
 
 On the 14th of September, Karl Albert, with a Bavarian 
 army, strengthened by two divisions, 15,000 men, of the 
 French upper army, his total force being about 40,000 men, 
 appeared before Linz, and occupied that city. Saxony, 
 anxious to secure her share of the spoil, signed a treaty 
 
 1 The Due de BrogUe is highly indignant with Frederick's actions 
 at this time, mainly because they prevented France from becoming 
 mistress of Europe. But his own book shows how vilely France be- 
 haved on all sides. It was, as the Duke confesses, 
 Frederick's were keener than Fleury's or Belle-Isle's. 
 
MARIA THERESA AND HUNGARY. 73 
 
 19th-21st Sept. 1741. 
 
 with France and Bavaria on the 19th. She was capable of 
 putting about 20,000 men in the field. Vienna was in 
 great terror. Bavaria was advancing towards her with 
 40,000 men, and all Europe seemed to have determined 
 upon the downfall of Austria. General Khevenhiiller, who 
 was in command of the Austrian garrison, had but a poor 
 6,000 men to defend the place. He showed great energy 
 and considerable ability in preparing the town to resist the 
 attack. Maria Theresa was at Presburg, where she had 
 summoned the Hungarian magnates to her palace on the 
 11th. She told them that they were her only allies in the 
 world, and that she threw herself on their generosity. The 
 rude but chivalrous Magyars were touched, and thereupon 
 voted an " insurrection," that is, a general armament of the 
 country in her favour, and elected her husband co-regent 
 of the kingdom. He arrived on the 20th ; the ceremony 
 of his investiture took place on the 21st, and the charming 
 young mother then and there struck a chord of sympathy, 
 which not only thrilled the hearts of the Hungarians, but 
 vibrated throughout the whole of Europe. While the 
 Magyars were swearing, she had her lusty boy held up to 
 them in the arms of an attendant ; her husband shouted, 
 " Life and blood for our queen and kingdom," and the wild 
 chiefs repeated the sentiment with cheers, being touched to 
 the heart with the beauty, courage, and weakness of the 
 young queen and mother. The Hungarian militia, a very 
 ancient institution, were called out and furnished, through- 
 out the wars which ensued, a large- number of fight troops, 
 very similar in nature and habits of fighting to the 
 Cossacks before they were brought into regular regiments 
 within the last few years. This was the turning point of 
 Maria Theresa's fortunes. At the moment she had almost 
 reason to despair, and nothing could have saved her, if, as 
 
74 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 21st Sept. -24th Oct. 1741 
 
 Frederick advised, the Bavarian army had inarched upon 
 Vienna. But Karl Albert, probably influenced by the 
 French, whose policy would have been endangered if 
 Austria had been completely crushed, remained inactive at 
 Linz, only pushing detachments forward to threaten Vienna 
 from a distance of forty miles. His delay gave time for 
 the Austrians to recruit Khevenhliller's force, and to draw 
 in some of their Italian garrisons to Vienna. On the 16th 
 of October, in accordance with the secret treaty, Neipperg 
 retired unmolested from Silesia, and in three weeks was at 
 Frating, west of Znaim, in the south-west of Moravia, 
 where he awaited orders from Vienna, ready to descend on 
 the flank of any force moving from Linz to the Austrian 
 capital. On the 21st of October, a month after Maria 
 Theresa's successful appeal to the manhood of the Hun- 
 garians, Neisse capitulated after a sham siege but very real 
 bombardment, and Frederick returned to Berlin, where he 
 arrived on the 11th of November, having already heard 
 that the Austrian court had divulged the secret of the 
 treaty, and that he was once more free to act as his interests 
 might dictate. 
 
 On the 24th of October, the Bavarian force which was 
 threatening Vienna from Mautern, instead of attacking that 
 city, marched northwards towards Prague. The French 
 advanced divisions, which were further back, moved in the 
 same direction under Count Maurice de Saxe, one of the 354 
 sons of King August the Strong. We shall hear more of 
 Maurice de Saxe hereafter. He was then forty years old, 
 a clever, reckless soldier, devoid of morality and good faith. 
 Among the utterly untrustworthy, famous men of his time, 
 he was one of those to be trusted least ; but such as he stood 
 he was the life of this expedition. Further back again from 
 Donauworth, came the main body of the French upper 
 
ALL MOVE TOWARDS PRAGUE. 75 
 
 24th Oct.-26th Nov. 1741. 
 
 army under General Polastron. All these forces marched in 
 a northerly direction upon Prague, leaving a garrison 
 detachment of about 10,000 French and Bavarians, under 
 the Comte de Segur, to garrison .Linz and observe Vienna. 
 From the north came down towards Prague the whole of 
 the Saxon army, 21,000 strong. The combined French- 
 Bavarian-Saxon army was some 60,000 strong, and crept 
 slowly, as was the habit of the time, towards the doomed 
 city with its garrison of 3,000 under General Ogilvy. The 
 concentration took place between the 19 th and 21st of 
 November, four weeks from the time of starting. The 
 longest distance marched was about 260 miles, or at the 
 rate of only nine miles per day. 
 
 It is difficult to conceive worse strategy than this. 
 Instead of striking at the enemy's capital, almost within 
 grasp, the whole effort is concentrated upon capturing an 
 unimportant town in Bohemia, which must have fallen 
 afterwards. Munich, the capital of Bavaria, was left 
 insufficiently protected, and a weak force remained at Linz 
 and thereabouts, offering a tempting morsel for Khevenhiiller 
 to swallow when he was strong enough. 
 
 About the same time as the French and Bavarians 
 moved, Maria Theresa's husband, the Grand Duke Franz, 
 marched with about 30,000 men also for Prague, or at 
 any rate to fight the enemy, picked up Neipperg at 
 Frating on the 7th of November, and Lobkowitz at Neuhaus 
 in Bohemia, so that he was at that time actually stronger 
 than the allies. But like them he lingered on the way, and 
 only arrived in the neighbourhood of Prague on the 26th, 
 in time to learn that, the night before, the town had been 
 stormed by a threefold attack, and that Ogilvy and his 
 garrison were pi'isoners. Upon this the Grand Duke Franz 
 fell back into the broken and boggy country near Budweis. 
 
76 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 19th Dec. 1741-18th Jan. 1742. 
 
 Belle-Isle was to have commanded the French army which 
 attacked Prague ; but, when the time drew near, he was 
 sick of rheumatic fever, and Field Marshal Broglio was 
 sent from France to take his place. He arrived at Prague 
 about Christmas time ; Karl Albert having started from 
 Munich on the 19th of December. The Grand Duke Franz 
 also left his army and went southwards towards Vienna. 
 
 Meanwhile Frederick holding himself free from the secret 
 treaty with Vienna because it had been divulged, drew 
 closer the bonds of his alliance with France and Bavaria, 
 signing on the 4th of November the ratification of a definite 
 contract with the allies. On the 8th he signed a separate 
 treaty with Saxony, arranging the boundary between Silesia 
 and the Moravian-Bohemian country, now supposed to be 
 among the dominions of the King of Poland, who called 
 himself also King of Moravia. Frederick had in his mind 
 at this time the design of an expedition which might 
 perhaps undo the mischief wrought by the French and 
 Bavarians when they quited the Danube for Bohemia. His 
 idea was to unite with the French and Saxons and push 
 downwards through Moravia in support of the Comte da 
 Segur, and perhaps arrive even at Vienna itself. It was 
 indeed time to do something, for Khevenhiiller was assem- 
 bling a formidable Austrian force. On the 31st of December 
 Khevenhiiller issued from Vienna with 15,000 men, sending 
 General Biirenklau with 10,000 through the Tyrol by 
 Berchtesgarten to attack Munich itself, now destitute of 
 any proper force to defend it. 
 
 Though Frederick was at this period still inexperienced 
 in war, and therefore not to be counted as a model for 
 imitation, we begin to see in him that burning energy and 
 force of character which afterwards made him the first 
 leader of his time. On the 18th of January he left Berlin 
 
FREDERICK AT GLATZ. 77 
 
 Jan. 1742. 
 
 for Dresden, where, he remained twenty-four hours, succeed- 
 ing during that short period in persuading the unwilling 
 Saxon court and generals to fall into his scheme. Thence 
 in that wild winter weather he rushed into Bohemia, visiting 
 the Prussian outposts there, and arrived at Glatz on the 
 24th of January, having travelled about 700 miles, and done 
 much important business in one week. Another mark of 
 his peculiar spirit also presents itself at this time. He had 
 sent in December the younger Prince Leopold to occupy 
 Glatz, and Schwerin to capture Olmiitz. Both operations 
 were performed with ease and success, the Austrian forces 
 being weak. In the extremity of danger to Glatz, the 
 wife of the commandant vowed a new robe and decorations 
 to an image of the Virgin Mary there, if only by her aid 
 Glatz might succeed in repulsing the invaders. We have 
 seen that the town was not so fortunate, but when Frederick 
 appeared there he said with mixed good nature and con- 
 tempt for the forms of religion which had been forced down 
 his throat as a youth, " Never mind, the Virgin shall have 
 her new coat all the same," and he did accordingly supply 
 her with one at his expense. 
 
 The day of Frederick's arrival at Glatz, 24th of January 
 1742, was memorable for two other occurrences of high 
 fame, the one practical, the other empty of all power in the 
 world. The first was the capture of Linz, and of Segur's 
 10,000 men by Khevenhiiller. The commander and gar- 
 rison were suffered to retire on promise that they would 
 not serve against Austria for a year to come ; the second 
 was the election of Karl Albert of Bavaria to be Kaiser of 
 Holy Beich. Belle-Isle's schemes had arrived at their 
 fulfilment, with what value or want of value to France and 
 Europe we shall presently see. 
 
 It would be vain and wearisome to detail the episodes in 
 
78 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 5th reb.-5tli April 1742. 
 
 the short campaign which followed. Frederick made his 
 rendezvous at Wirchau on the 5th of February, and did push 
 Schwerin forward with an advance guard of about 5,000 
 men as far as Stein, some forty or more miles short of 
 Vienna. The cavalry under Ziethen even pushed within 
 twenty miles of the capital. But Frederick could not drag 
 his allies with him. The French contingent,^ about 5,000 
 men, gave up the game altogether, and the Saxons could 
 not be got to stir out of Moravia. There was a useless 
 siege of Brunn which failed entirely for want of siege 
 artillery, which the so-called King of Moravia refused to 
 send, saying he could not afford it, though he had just spent 
 an immense sum of money upon a single green diamond to 
 embellish his vaults at Dresden. Early in March the 
 effects of the Hungarian " insurrection " began to appear 
 in the shape of clouds of irregulars who swept over the 
 Carpathians, threatening Moravia and even Silesia. 
 
 Worse news soon came to Frederick. By the irony of 
 fate, on the very day, 12th of February, 1742, when Karl 
 Albert, ill with gout and gravel was being crowned Emperor 
 at Frankfurt, the wild irregulars of Biirenklau's force oc- 
 cupied Munich under their cruel leader Mentzel, and on the 
 25th of February it was decided at Vienna to push forward 
 a strong army against the allies. As neither the French 
 nor the Saxons would fulfil their engagements, Frederick 
 relinquished his purpose, and was back at Wirchau on the 
 5th of April, exactly two months after he had started on this 
 futile campaign. But he had in the meantime sent orders 
 home that the elder Prince Leopold should join him with 
 20,000 men, which accordingly Leopold did later, and was 
 sent with part of them to drive back the Hungarian 
 
 ^ The Due de Broglie defends his ancestor, but only makes it clearer 
 that Broglio deliberately spoiled this design of Frederick. 
 
PRINCE CHARLES ADVANCES. 79 
 
 April-llth May 1742. 
 
 irregulars in the direction of Troppau-Jablunka, while the 
 rest of them should reinforce the king and the younger 
 Leopold, whose forces were to go into cantonments at 
 Chrudim and its neighbourhood. Prince Dietrich, of Anhalt, 
 another son of old Leopold, was left at Olmiitz with a small 
 force to waste the country, sweep in all possible provisions, 
 and join his father. He carried out the service in a 
 masterly manner worthy of the stock which had invented 
 most of the drills of Frederick William's army, and intro- 
 duced the iron ramrods. 
 
 Frederick was greatly irritated at the results of this 
 short campaign, and the untrustworthiness of his allies. 
 Writing of it afterwards he said that his want of success 
 was due to the fact that the French acted like fools, and 
 the Saxons like traitors. 
 
 He spoke of winter campaigns generally with aversion, 
 as likely to ruin the best army, and defended himself for 
 having undertaken them on this and other occasions, by 
 saying that each one in which he had engaged was entered 
 upon from necessity, and not from choice. Frederick was 
 now growing in self-confidence, and did not hesitate to pull 
 up sharply old Leopold when he ventured to stray from the 
 orders given him, at which naturally enough the old warrior 
 took some offence, but was even more strict in the per- 
 formance of his duty Schwerin on the contrary, who had 
 been recalled from the front, was offended at the preference 
 given to old Leopold for the Troppau-Jablunka expedition, 
 and retired in dudgeon to Berlin. 
 
 On the 11th of May Frederick found that Prince Charles'b 
 army,^ about 30,000 strong, was advancing upon him, pro- 
 bably with the intention of stealing round his right flank, 
 
 ^ Prince Charles of Loraine had now taken command of the Austrian 
 army, and held it for a long time. 
 
80 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 May 1742. 
 
 cutting him off from communication with his allies at 
 Prague, and capturing his magazines, which were on the 
 other side of the Elbe at Koniggriitz, Nimburg, Podie- 
 brad, and Pardubitz. The concentration of his troops on 
 Chrudin was effected on the 13th, and he then commanded 
 an army about 28,000 men strong. The king sent to 
 Broglio for reinforcements, which the old marshal, who 
 was more than half-paralysed, refused, trembling lest the 
 attack should be directed against him instead of Frederick. 
 On the 15th all indications showed that the Austrians would 
 turn the king's right, and he accordingly marched with a 
 strong advanced guard of cavalry and gi'enadiers towards 
 Kuttenberg, on the road to Prague, leaving orders with the 
 younger Leopold to follow him next day, as soon as bread 
 had arrived from Kbniggratz. The bread did not come, 
 but Leopold was wise enough to march without it, carrying 
 meal instead. Leopold did well in advancing, for although 
 he did not know it, the Austrian advanced guard had been 
 at Chotieborz on the morning of the 15 th, and by the 
 direction of its march, would come into collision with the 
 king. The want of a proper intelligence department in the 
 armies in those days is very apparent. Here were two 
 considerable armies manoeuvring with deadly purpose, 
 within fifteen miles of each other, yet neither knowing 
 the whereabouts of the other. 
 
 On the night of the 15th Frederick encamped at Podhorzan 
 and saw Prince Karl's advanced guard at E-onnow, within 
 three or four miles. Next day Frederick pushed on to 
 Kuttenberg, sending orders to Leopold to march to Czaslau. 
 But Leopold now found himself in presence of the Austrian 
 main force, and only reached Chotusitz with great difficulty 
 in the first half of the night. He sent no less than four 
 messengers to the king, of whom only one arrived (a good 
 
BATTLE OF CHOTUSITZ. 81 
 
 ITth May-llih June 1742. 
 
 lesson here) saying that he expected to be attacked next 
 morning, and desired instructions and reinforcements. At 
 two or three in the morning, the answer came back, order- 
 ing him to take up a position near Chotusitz, and that the 
 king would join him at seven o'clock, bringing bread with 
 him. 
 
 In the grey of the morning, the 17th of May, 1742, 
 Leopold, in accordance with Frederick's instructions, drew 
 up his forces on the flat ground about Chotusitz. His main 
 cavalry force, under Buddenbrock, was on the right, rest- 
 ing its right flank, which was a little advanced, against a 
 small tract of bog and ponds. His left, also supported by 
 cavalry, extended westward of Chotusitz (which he held as 
 his centre) and beyond the Brtlinka brook, after which 
 it ended in the air, having been intended to reach a 
 park wall further on the left, but falling short of it. The 
 Austrians had been marching in the night with the intention 
 of making a night attack, but had failed to arrive in time. 
 Their advance was made in two lines, like the formation of 
 the defending army, with cavalry on both wings. Prince 
 Charles was, as we have seen, rather superior in force to 
 Frederick's power, even when the king joined Leopold, and 
 placed his reinforcements in the second line between seven 
 and eight o'clock. Jomini gives the relative forces as — 
 Austrians, 30,000 ; Frederick, about 24,000 ; but Carlyle, 
 who is very careful as to details, counts the Prussians as 
 28,000. The Austrian centre was divided by the Brtlinka 
 brook, so that their left wing was over-lapped by Frederick's 
 right, that is, by Buddenbrock' s cavalry, while the Austrian 
 right extended further east than the left of the Prussians. 
 Immediately upon Frederick's arrival, his artillery of the 
 right wing, always well in front of the infantry, opened fire 
 upon the cavalry of the Austrian left ; and Buddenbrock, 
 
 6 
 
"^ " 82 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 17th May-llth June 1742. 
 
 who had hitherto been concealed by a slight elevation, was 
 ordered to launch his cavalry against that of the enemy. 
 Bredow led the charge, which struck fiercely on the Aus- 
 trian flank, driving in the first line of the southern horse- 
 men. But now a stroke of ill fortune befell the Prussians. 
 As, in the disorder which always follows a cavalry charge, 
 they came upon the second line of the Austrians, and 
 were checked by it ; the king's advance guard, under 
 Bothenburg, pressed on to support them, having in front 
 of it a regiment of hussars in green uniform. The dress 
 was new to the eyes of some of the Prussian cavalry, who 
 raised a cry of, '^ The enemy is in rear of us ! " Panic then 
 prevailed, and Buddenbrock's cavalry only rallied behind 
 the infantry of the second line. Bothenbui'g, however, 
 restored the fortune in this part of the field, by repelling 
 the pursuing Austrian cavalry, and pushing on even to the 
 flank of the enemy's infantry. There was now much con- 
 fusion here, neither side prevailing for a time. Further 
 eastward the Austrians were successful. The left of the 
 Prussians had become over-stretched in the attempt to find 
 a rest for the flank, so that Chotusitz was weakly defended 
 by only half a regiment. The cavalry of that wing could 
 not act with effect in the broken ground, and were them- 
 selves outflanked by the Austrian cavalry. The Austrian 
 infantry captured Chotusitz partially, the Prussian still 
 holding to its northern extremity, and quelling most gallant 
 charges of the enemy by their steadiness and rapidity of 
 fire. But, instead of charging the Prussian flank or rear, 
 the Austrian cavalry galloped off to take and plunder the 
 Prussian camp. Thus, then, to westward, the fight was 
 hanging in suspense : to eastward the Austrian right wing 
 had gained some advantage, but had lost its cavalry by 
 yielding to the temptation so dear to holiday tacticians of 
 
AUSTRIA MAKES PEACE. 83 
 
 17th May-llth June 1742. 
 
 entering the enemy's camp. Chotusitz was on fire, and in- 
 terposed with its torrid heat between the two wings of the 
 Austrian army. Arguing after the event, it is always easy 
 for library students to see what ought to have been done ; 
 but it is only the true general who can so read the features 
 of a battle during the midst of the turmoil as to see clearly 
 when and how an opportunity has arisen. In this battle we 
 see for the first time that such military vision was possessed 
 by Frederick. In the critical moment he ordered his whole 
 right wing to charge the Austrians, while a weaker general 
 would probably have reinforced his left. The charge was 
 completely successful ; the Austrian left, outflanked, began 
 to fall back in confusion on its right ; and Prince Charles, 
 to avoid a worse fate, gave the order for a general retreat, 
 which was not pushed as it ought to have been by the 
 Prussians.^ The Austrian loss in killed, wounded, and 
 missing, was about 7,000 ; the Prussian between 4,000 
 and 5,000; but the Prussian loss in killed, principally 
 owing to the cavalry panic, was 1,905 against 1,052 of 
 the Austrians. Above 1,200 of the Prussian cavalry had 
 been destroyed during the day. 
 
 Slight as had been the military results of the battle in 
 favour of Frederick, they were enough to dispirit the 
 Austrian court, which had as it were lost its throw of the 
 dice. Maria Theresa was now ready to make peace with 
 Frederick, and it is said that he became possessed, 
 shortly after the battle, of a letter from Fleury to the 
 Queen of Hungary, offering to make peace with her 
 secretly, and leave the king to her tender merfcies. 
 Once more he saw, or supposed, that his allies were 
 cheating him, and again played his concealed ace. On- 
 
 ^ The Due de Broglie imagines that there were some elaborate reasons 
 for this failure to pursue. It was a common fault of that time. 
 
 G 2 
 
84 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 11th June 1742. 
 
 the 11th of June he signed at Breslau a treaty by which 
 Silesia and even Glatz were yielded up to him.^ When 
 Belle-Isle went to him ia person to remonstrate with him 
 for treating the King of France badly, Frederick con- 
 founded the diplomatist by producing the letter from 
 Fleury to the Austrian court, offering peace on the basis 
 of leaving Prussia for Maria Theresa to deal with as she 
 pleased. It is said that Belle-Isle's equanimity was so 
 disturbed that, on coming out of the king's presence, he 
 tore off his own wig and dashed it on the ground. One can 
 fancy the flash of Frederick's eye as he produced the com- 
 promising letter, which was probably written without the 
 knowledge of Belle-Isle. Certainly in those days, truth, 
 instead of finding refuge in the breast of kings, was no 
 where treated with such contempt as in the Courts of 
 Europe. 
 
 ^ The Due de Broglie can iSnd no proof of this story of the letter. 
 But it is at least certain that the French agent at St. Petersburg was 
 trying to reconcile Russia and Sweden, though Frederick had bar- 
 gained that they were to be kept separate so as not to act against his 
 northern and north-eastern frontiers. 
 
CHAPTER 711. 
 
 SILESIA IS PRUSSIANISED. FREDERICK'S HABITS. — DIPLOMATIC 
 
 COMPLICATIONS. — PRUSSIAN ARMY AGAIN STRENGTHENED. 
 
 VOLTAIRE AT BERLIN. FRENCH INVADE THE NETHERLANDS. 
 
 PRINCE CHARLES CROSSES THE RHINE INTO ALSACE. — 
 
 FREDERICK STRIKES IN. — AUSTRIANS INVADE SILESIA. 
 
 •a.d. 1742—1745. 
 
 1742. 
 
 Frederick was now thirty years old, and had learnt much 
 in the last two or three years of his life. The idea of glory 
 which had dazzled him when first deciding on his expedition 
 into Silesia, had now become dim and cold ; moreover he had 
 gained what he sought, and vindicated the claims of his 
 house to the rich territory out of which it had been cheated. 
 It was now his hope to settle down to the arts of peace, 
 and on his return to Berlin he busied himself chiefly with 
 the government of the kingdom, the improvement of his 
 capital, and the reorganisation of Silesia in a Prussian 
 sense. So successful were his measures to this end that, 
 under his fostering care, Silesia became six or eight times 
 as valuable to the Prussian crown as it had in former days 
 been to that of Austria. There are few instances on record 
 of a territory lately conquered, becoming so thoroughly 
 
86 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 nth May 1742-27tli June 1743; 
 
 loyal and happy as Silesia under Frederick. He was abso- 
 lutely tolerant of all religions, though he exacted obedience 
 alike from priests and parsons. As much piety as they 
 liked and could produce he would have, and perfect freedom 
 of worship ; but there must be no interference by religion- 
 ists with the act of government or the secular arm. He 
 himself appointed Cardinal von Sinzendorf vicar-general of 
 Silesia, and gave the Pope, who protested, to understand 
 that he was master in his own territories. Protestant, and 
 even free-thinker as he was, he soon became excellent 
 friends with the Holy Father. His kingdom was thoroughly 
 well-managed; he possessed his father's appetite for the 
 details of work with a liberality of feeling all his own, and 
 while btiilding a new opera-house at Berlin, and developing 
 the academy of sciences, while creating the little country- 
 house and establishnient of Sans-Souci, he busied himself 
 with law reform, and greatly increased the army ; to which 
 he added new perfections in drill and tactics, derived from 
 his past exjperiences of war. He seemed to unite in him- 
 self various and apparently opposite qualities. The stern 
 king who held his own against the diplomacies and the 
 armies of Europe, was such an exquisite musician that he 
 could melt his audience to tears, by hiS performance on the 
 flute, wept like a child when his mother died, and was 
 known to lament as a weakness in himself that he had 
 more feeling than other men. His admiration of Voltaire 
 and his works was almost passion, yet when that 
 famous man visited him at the baths of Aix-la-Chapelle, 
 being sent by Fleury to try whether private friendship 
 could be used for diplomatic purposes, he had no more 
 success with Frederick than Belle-Isle, or any other pro- 
 fessional diplomatist. The King of Prussia saw as clearly 
 in politics as on the field of battle. His own interests and 
 
FBEDERICK'S HABITS. 87 
 
 11th May 1742.27th June 1743. 
 
 those of his country were the objects upon which he fixed 
 his eyes, nor could any wheedling turn him to the right or 
 left out of the straight path to this goal. 
 
 Thiebault, in his Souvenirs de vingtans de Sejour ^ 
 Berlin, gives an interesting description of the king's habits 
 which he commenced on coming to the throne, and con- 
 tinued throughout almost the whole of his life.^ Having 
 determined to become an early riser, he ordered his servants 
 to wake him at four o'clock. But like meaner men in the 
 same case, he aft first could not shake off the dulness of 
 his faculties, and dropped to sleep again, even entreating 
 his servants for a little more slumber. He was, however, 
 determined to vanquish this weakness, and appointing a 
 special servant for the purpose, commanded him, under pain 
 of becoming a common soldier for life, to put a cold wet 
 towel on his face every morning at four o'clock. This 
 rough measure conquered his sleepiness, and all the rest of 
 his life, until near the end, he rose at that early hour. 
 The practice of quick dressing which his father had im- 
 pressed upon him as a boy never forsook him. His military 
 dress and high boots which he always wore were slipped on 
 at once, and in a quarter of an hour he was ready. He 
 had neither slippers nor dressing-gown ; only at times 
 when he was very ill did he use some kind of linen gown, 
 but even then he had on his military boots. Once in the 
 year, and once only, he discarded the boots, and appeared in 
 silk stockings : it was when he went to his wife's court to 
 congratulate her upon her birthday. 
 
 As soon as he was dressed his letters were brought to 
 him by a page, and he examined them with the greatest 
 care to discover if the seals had been broken or not ; acting 
 
 ^ Preuss gives another description of Frederick's day. It differs 
 slightly in some details^ but seems to refer to a later period. 
 
88 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 11th May l742-27th June 174S. 
 
 thus as a check upon his secretaries. All post-masters were 
 obliged to send the king a list of any letters for him which 
 passed through their hands, with the address of each 
 person who wrote them ; no one being allowed to write to 
 the king without leaving their addresses with the post- 
 master to whom they delivered the letters. Frederick 
 doubled the sheet of paper according as he decided to 
 answer favourably, to refuse or to reserve the letter for 
 future consideration. About eight o'clock, one of his four 
 secretaries entered, and, while the king breakfasted, read in 
 a few words the gist of each letter, Frederick dictating 
 the nucleus of an answer. If the wi-iter was a woman he 
 never failed to say, " It is a woman, you must write cour- 
 teously to her." His private letters he kept to himself. 
 All the secretaries were then employed until four o'clock 
 in writing the answers, no clerks being employed. Though 
 Frederick had not time to read all the answers, he picked 
 out a few at random, and read them as a check upon the 
 accuracy of his secretaries. These secretaries were little 
 less than slaves to duty. They were almost always un- 
 married, for Frederick would not trust married men to 
 keep secrets from their wives. When offering Counsellor 
 MUller, who was married, a place of secretary, he said : 
 " You will never forget that, for the good of my service, 
 ,you must neither have family, nor relations, nor friends." 
 Frederick was perfectly indifferent as to the form in which 
 he was addressed, or to any apparent want of respect for 
 his person ; but it came to be known that any one who 
 wrote to him had better complete what he had to say on 
 one side of a sheet of paper, otherwise his letter was sure 
 to be ill-received. 
 
 At nine o'clock, when the secretaries had been dismissed 
 to their task, it was the turn of the first aide-de-camp, with 
 
WORK AND AMUSEMENT, 89 
 
 ]lth May 1742-27th June 1743. 
 
 whom Frederick arranged all his military business for the 
 day. From ten till twelve the king either attended military 
 exercises or devoted himself to literary work, music, or 
 private correspondence, and between ten and twelve he 
 gave audience to individuals who wished to see him. Nor 
 was this a mere matter of form, for during this interval of 
 peace after the conquest of Silesia, the king proclaimed 
 that he was ready to see on business any of his people who 
 might desire an interview with him. 
 
 At twelve o'clock precisely the king dined, with guests 
 whom he had invited never earlier than ten o'clock the 
 same morning. He ate with much appetite, and had a set 
 of cooks of different nations, who had each to dress the 
 dishes of their own countries. The only special tastes of 
 the king were for much pepper and spices and good fruit, 
 of which he ate largely. His favourite wine was cham- 
 pagne. He was always gay at table, and full of repartee. 
 After dinner Frederick generally walked, and so fast that 
 his attendants could hardly keep pace with him. After 
 signing his letters at four o'clock, he did whatever business 
 was required with regard to the academy, to the schools of 
 the country, and generally to subjects of art and literature. 
 At six o'clock he had a concert, in which he himself per- 
 formed on his favourite instrument ; nor did he cease this 
 diversion till very late in life, when his teeth were all gone , 
 and he could not produce the notes he desired. The concert 
 lasted an hour, after which there was bright conversation 
 till supper at ten o'clock. This meal was given up during 
 the Seven Years' War, Frederick's digestion being no doubt 
 impaired by the hardships of the campaigns. By eleven 
 o'clock, at latest, the king was in bed. 
 
 Such were the habits of this remarkable man, of whom 
 his worst enemies have never said that he failed in devo- 
 
90 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 11th May 1742-27th June 1743. 
 
 tion to business and hard work for the good of the Prussian 
 crown and country. It was a life for the most part of 
 severe self-denial; and no one who studies his character 
 with care can fail to be convinced that Frederick loved 
 peace rather than war and truth more than diplomacy. 
 His early desire for glory was natural enough in so young 
 a man; but it soon disappeared, and if his policy was 
 tortuous it was because no straight path could possibly be 
 pursued among the intricacies of facts and the craft of 
 other courts. 
 
 The court of Berlin became at this time the centre 
 of European diplomacies. England was trying to draw 
 Frederick into a war against France ; France was equally 
 busy in pressing for his alliance against England and 
 Austria. Frederick desired, in the first place, a peace 
 which should leave him in possession of Silesia, but if that 
 were not to be had, then such a balance in the war as 
 should weaken both sides by degrees and prevent either 
 of them from having force to spare for the attack of 
 Prussia. He refused to join France, and endeavoured,, 
 without success, to deter England from meddling with her 
 troops. He also conceived a project of forming an associ- 
 ation of the circles of the Reich in order to form a neutral 
 army, but the small states shivered with terror and could 
 • not be got to move. To strengthen his diplomatic game he 
 strongly fortified Glogau, Brieg, Neisse, Glatz, and Cosel, 
 and increased his army by 18,000 men. As Voltaire said 
 of him, " Princes nowadays ruin themselves by war, 
 Frederick enriched himself by it." 
 
 While Frederick was thus strengthening himself, the 
 war con tin led with great advantage to the Austrians. 
 The old and semi-paralysed Broglio was shut up in Prague, 
 where he insisted on retainipg the command, though Belle- 
 
BATTLE OF DETTINGEN. 91 
 
 27th June 1743-5th June 1744. 
 
 Isle was the life of the defence. The greater part of the 
 French upper army had been wasted, and was now be- 
 sieged, and Maillebois, with the lower army, was ordered 
 to advance to the assistance of the garrison of Prague. It 
 is true that his movement caused the temporary raising of 
 the siege, but he obtained no footing in Bohemia, and, 
 falling back, became inactive in Bavaria. Broglio made 
 use of the opportunity to escape from Prague with a 
 portion of the garrison, and took the command out of the 
 hand of Maillebois. An Anglo-Hanoverian force joined the 
 Austrians on the Rhine, and gave Maria Theresa a distinct 
 superiority in those quarters, and on the 27th of June, 
 1743, was fought the battle of Dettingen, which was as 
 honourable to the regimental officers and rank and file of 
 the English army as it was absurd in the muddle made 
 by the commanders. English-Hanoverians and Austrians 
 together were somewhat more than 40,000 strong, all paid 
 by England, which was at this time pouring out its trea- 
 sure with a freedom and for a cause now rather astonishing. 
 But for English money the war would have collapsed long 
 before. The French marshal, Noailles, with about 58,000 
 men, had completely out-manoeuvred the English commander, 
 if indeed that may be called a mano&uvre which consists in 
 one side sitting still and becoming surrounded, with its 
 communications cut and a river to be crossed in face of the 
 enemy before the army can get its breakfast. The fine old 
 quality of British doggedness saved at Dettingen, as it has 
 often done before and since, the military honour which the 
 generals had compromised. George II. himself was in 
 command, and spent a considerable proportion of the time 
 during which the battle raged standihg in front of his 
 Hanoverian troops in the preposterous position of a fencing 
 master. He and Lord Stair had brought the army into its 
 
92 FREDERICK TEE GREAT. 
 
 27th June 1743-5th June 1744. 
 
 trouble, and the king's only idea now was to stand in a 
 defiant attitude and let the troops pull themselves out of 
 the difficulty as they best could. By sheer bull-dog courage 
 the English portion of the force found its way over the 
 bridges, and did in fact get its breakfast without at all 
 knowing that it had done anything heroic. Prague had 
 fallen on the 17th of December, 1742, Marshal Belle-Isle 
 having made a brilliant retreat out of the town with the 
 small remnant of the original French upper army. Thus, 
 everywhere, Austria was successful, and Frederick had 
 reason to fear for himself unless the tide of conquest 
 could be stayed. He explains in the Histoire de Mon Temps 
 that he feared lest France should abandon the cause of the 
 emperor, which would mean that the Austrians, who now 
 boldly spoke of compensation for the war, would turn their 
 arms against himself. Frederick knew that when Maria 
 Theresa, now at peace with him, had complained to 
 George II. of the cession of Silesia made by the advice 
 of England, George had replied in words which distinctly 
 pointed to a retrocession of the province : " Madame, ce 
 qui est bon k prendre est bon ^ rendre." He learnt also 
 that England and Austria intended to force a peace upon 
 France, leaving Silesia to the tender mercies of Austria, 
 and that Saxony, at this time or later, joined these 
 confederates. 
 
 He now saw that he would be again obliged to step into 
 the arena, and in the latter part of 1743 he sent Count 
 Kothenburg to the court of Versailles. Voltaire had 
 shortly before paid him a visit at Berlin, hoping to draw 
 him into an alliance with France. Frederick was very 
 friendly, but it must be confessed rather *' chaffed him " 
 when he tried to diplomatise. All that Voltaire said, he 
 had taken into account already, and when the brilliant 
 
VOLTAIRE AT BERLIN. 93 
 
 27th June 1743-5th June 1744. 
 
 writer sent him in one day a paper gravely pressing upon 
 him the danger which thj^eatened him from Austria, 
 Frederick wrote in the margin — 
 
 ■&' 
 
 On les y recevra, Biribi, 
 
 A la fa^on de Barbari, mon ami I 
 
 But Eothenburg's message was serious, and France was 
 trembling, not for her conquests, but for her own terri- 
 tory. After the battle of Dettingen the victorious Anglo- 
 Hanoverian force was to cross the Khine above Mayence, 
 and march into Alsace, while Prince Charles of Lorraine, 
 with a strong Austrian army, was to pass near Basle and 
 occupy Lorraine, taking up his winter quarters in Bur- 
 gundy and Champagne. The English crossed without 
 any check and moved on to Worms, but the Austrians 
 failed in their attempt. Worms became a centre of 
 intrigue, which Frederick afterwards called " Cette abyme 
 de mauvaise foi." The Dutch were persuaded by Lord 
 Carteret to join the English, and they did at last send 
 14,000 men, who were never of the least use. Lord 
 Carteret also detached Charles Emanuel, King of Sardinia, 
 from his French leanings, and persuaded him to enter into 
 the Austro-English alliance. It was clear that action 
 could not be long postponed, and Frederick began to 
 recognise the necessity of a new war. 
 
 His first anxiety was to guard himself against inter- 
 ference from his northern and eastern neighbours. He 
 secured, as he hoped, the neutrality of Russia by marrying 
 the young princess of Anhalt-Zerbst, afterwards the noto- 
 rious Empress Catherine, with the Grand-Duke Peter of 
 Bussia, nephew and heir to the reigning Empress 
 Elisabeth. The princess had been brought up in Prussia, 
 
94 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 5th June-March 1744. 
 and her father was a Prussian field-marshal, while her 
 mother was the sister of the heir-apparent of Sweden. 
 A second strengthening marriage was made, namely, that 
 of the Princess Ulrica, Frederick's sister, to the same 
 heir-apparent of Sweden. Thus strengthened, as he 
 hoped, in his rear and flank, and having made the com- 
 mencement of a German league called the "Union of 
 Frankfurt," by which Hesse and the Palatinate agreed to 
 join Frederick and the Kaiser, he concluded on the 6th of 
 June, 1744, a treaty which brought France also into this alli- 
 ance. It was secretly agreed that Frederick was to invade 
 Bohemia, conquer it for the Kaiser, and have the districts 
 of Koniggratz, Bunzlau, and Leitmeritz to repay him for 
 his trouble and costs ; while France, which was all this 
 time at war with Austria and England, should send an 
 army against Prince Charles and the English. In March, 
 1744, England had narrowly escaped invasion, and readers 
 of the present day will do well to consider that less than 
 a hundred and forty years ago an army of 15,000 men, 
 under the Count de Saxe, was considered a sufficient force 
 for the purpose of seating Charles Edward upon the English 
 throne. There was absolutely no defensive force in the 
 kingdom. The invasion was prevented, not by any action 
 of the English fleet, but by a storm, which dashed the 
 whole flotilla to pieces, steam not having been invented in 
 those days. Let us also remark with thankfulness that 
 after the collapse of the invasion there was a general 
 press for recruiting the army and the fleet, at which time 
 a thousand men were taken out of the gaols of London 
 and Westminster alone, to say nothing of other gaols in 
 the country, and sent to serve the king, with pay of 
 sixpence a day. 
 
 The first stroke of the coming war in Germany was 
 
FREDERICK MOVES ON PRAGUE. 95 
 
 March- Aug. 1744. 
 
 delivered by France. Louis XY. sent a large army into 
 the Netherlands, under two good leaders, Noailles and 
 Maurice de Saxe. Urged by his mistress, the Duchesse de 
 Chateauroux, he joined it himself early, and took the 
 nominal command early in June, carrying with him the 
 duchess and an immense train, which included even a 
 theatrical company. The towns rapidly fell before him, 
 and Marshal Wade, with the Anglo-Dutch-Hanoverian 
 army, sat still and looked at the success of the French. 
 But on the night of the 30th June-lst July, Prince Charles 
 crossed the Rhine by an operation which is worth the 
 study of military students, and invaded Alsace, the French 
 army of observation falling back before him. Louis XV. 
 hurried back to interpose between the Austrians and Paris, 
 and reached Metz on the 4th of August, where he was 
 stricken with a dangerous illness, and all France was 
 plunged into grief and prayers for the " well-beloved king," 
 who was afterwards to be such a curse to the nation. 
 Maurice de Saxe was left in the Netherlands with 45,000 
 men. Thus the French army was paralysed, and the 
 Austrian army in its turn was actually invading France. 
 At this time Frederick struck in. He sent word to the 
 king that though all the terms of their arrangement had 
 not yet been fulfilled, he would at once invade Bohemia, 
 and deliver a stroke against Prague which would certainly 
 cause the retreat of Prince Charles with his 70,000 men. 
 If the French army would follow Prince Charles in his 
 retreat, Frederick would attack him, and between France 
 and Prussia the Austrian army would certainly be crushed, 
 and Vienna be at their mercy. This was no doubt an 
 excellent plan of campaign, but, like the previous operations 
 concerted with Broglio, it depended for success upon the 
 good faith of the French, and this turned out to be a 
 
96 FREDERICK THE GREA T. 
 
 7th Aug.-16th Sept. 1744. 
 
 broken reed. On the 7th of August the Prussian ambas- 
 sador at Yienna gave notice of the Union of Frankfurt, 
 and withdrew from the court of Austria ; and on the 15th 
 the Prussian army was put in march upon Prague. 
 
 Frederick's forces moved in three columns, the total 
 strength being over 80,000 ; two columns marched through 
 Saxony, one on either side of the Elbe. Frederick com- 
 manded that on the south side, the younger Leopold that 
 on the north. The third column under Schwerin marched 
 from Silesia by Glatz. Besides these three columns there 
 was another force of 20,000, which remained in Silesia; 
 destined, if necessary, to create a diversion by threatening 
 Olmiitz. Frederick, anxious not to break with Saxony, did 
 not occupy Dresden, though his flotilla with siege train and 
 provision for three months passed up the Elbe. Maria Theresa 
 was now again in great danger, but as usual retained her high . 
 courage, and once more called forth the enthusiasm of her 
 Hungarian subjects, who sent swarms of wild troops, horse 
 and foot, to the seat of war. Frederick's march was 
 unchecked, but his flotilla of 480 boats hung for ten 
 days, delayed by obstructions which the Austrians placed 
 in the Elbe at Tetschen, on the Saxon frontier, where 
 the river, and now the railway, thread their way through 
 the craggy precipices known as the Saxon Switzerland. 
 On the 1st of September the three columns met before 
 Prague, which had better defences than in the last 
 campaign, and a garrison of some 16,000 men, 4,000 of 
 whom were regulars and the rest militia, Hungarian and 
 otherwise. The siege artillery came up on the 8th of 
 September, and during the night of the 9th the bombard- 
 ment commenced ; an important redoubt on Ziscaberg was 
 captured on the 12th, and on the 16th the garrison sur- 
 rendered. Thus, one month after the commencement of 
 
FRENCH FAILURE TO HELP, 97 
 
 Ifith «ept -23rd Oct. 1744. 
 
 tke march Prague was captured, and the campaign opened 
 by a brilliant feat of arms. 
 
 In later years Frederick's opinion was, that he ought 
 now to have strengthened himself in the part of the country 
 which he had won, seizing magazines which Bathyani 
 had established in those parts, and watching events ready 
 to strike in at the right moment. His own plan at the 
 time was to move south-west, beat Bathyani and capture 
 his magazines; then move to meet Prince Charles on his 
 way through the passes of the Bohemian mountains. 
 Belle-Isle advised another course of action, which the king, 
 paying too much respect for Belle-Isle's ability, adopted, 
 contrary to his own opinion. Leaving a small garrison in 
 Prague, he moved to Budweis and Neuhaus, thus threat- 
 ening Austria, but leaving his own flank and communica- 
 tions exposed to attack. His heavy artillery was left in 
 Prague. The result was that Bathiyani with his irregulars, 
 not having been destroyed, hung in crowds upon the com- 
 munications of the Prussians, who were soon shut out 
 from knowledge of what was passing outside the army, and 
 could not even get their messengers through with despatches. 
 The French, whose army should have been thundering in 
 rear of Prince Charles, dropped the pursuit entirely, and 
 turned away towards the Upper Bhine about the Lake of 
 Constance. Frederick had saved them at a critical moment ; 
 with cynical indifference they left him to perish, just as 
 they had on another occasion declared to Maria Theresa 
 that if she would make a satisfactory peace with France, 
 she might do what she would with the Prussians. King 
 Louis himself returned to Paris without the duchess, whom 
 he sent away when he was ill, to please the priests, but 
 took back again as soon as he was well ; and who died, it is 
 said, by poison immediately afterwards. Seckendorf, the 
 
98 FREDERICK THE GREA T. 
 
 23rd Oct. -19th Nov. 1741 - 
 
 enemy of Frederick's youth, had 30,000 men in the 
 Palatinate as part of the Kaiser's army, but he also de- 
 serted the King of Prussia, and turned his attention to 
 re-conquering Bavaria. Munich was indeed saved, and the 
 Kaiser returned there on the 23rd of October. 
 
 Meanwhile, Prince Charles, being unmolested, crossed 
 from the upper Palatinate into Bohemia and the circle of 
 Pilieu, and united with Bathyani. The Saxons sent a con- 
 tingent of 20,000 men, under Weissenfels, across the Metal 
 Mountains by Eger and Carlsbad. This Was the news 
 which Frederick received from some of the first couriers 
 who succeeded in breaking through the veil of darkness 
 and reaching the Prussian army. The king had blundered, 
 and was now paying for it. Prince Charles, or rather 
 Field-Marshal Traun, who advised him, cut in between the 
 Prussians and Prague, separating Frederick from his 
 magazines, and eating up the country so as to destroy him 
 by want and famine. Frederick tried to bring them to a 
 decisive battle, but they avoided it, and manoeuvred so as 
 to oblige him to move rapidly and exhaust his army with- 
 out being able to feed it properly. He himself says he 
 learnt much by the skilful manoeuvring of Marshal Traun 
 in this campaign. On the 17th of October the French sent a 
 letter to say that when their siege of Freyburg was finished 
 they proposed to send a force to Westphalia, as if that 
 would help Frederick much. At the beginning of November 
 the Austrian manoeuvres issued in a descent upon Pardu- 
 bitz, and Frederick found that he must choose between 
 giving up Prague and his retreat that way through hostile 
 Saxony, or his much more important communications with 
 Silesia. He decided, at any rate, to defend Pardubitz and 
 the Elbe; but on the 19th of November the Austrians and 
 Saxons succeeded in crossing at Teinitz, ten miles east of 
 
A USTRIANS INVADE SILESIA, 99 
 
 19th Nov. 1744-Jan. 1745. 
 
 Kolin, whereupon the king saw that the game was i:p> and 
 retreated on Silesia in two main cohimns, one under his 
 own command by Nachod, the other under the younger 
 Leopold by Glatz. The garrison of Prague under Einsiedel 
 evacuated the place, and succeeded, with considerable loss, 
 in making its way also into Silesia. Frederick wrote of this 
 campaign afterwards : " No general committed more faults 
 than did the king in this campaign. The conduct of M. de 
 Traun is a model of perfection which every soldier who 
 loves his business ought to study and try to imitate, if he 
 have the talent. The king has himself admitted that he 
 regarded this campaign as his school in the art of war, and 
 M. de Traun as his teacher. Bad is often better for princes 
 than good ; and instead of intoxicating themselves with 
 presumption, renders them circumspect and modest." 
 
 Immediately after the close of this abortive campaign, 
 Frederick returned to Berlin. Both armies intended to go 
 into winter quarters, but the fiery Maria Theresa insisted 
 upon an invasion of Silesia ; and Marshal Traun did at last 
 push into Upper Silesia and the county of Glatz, but was 
 driven out again in January by the elder Leopold. His 
 letreat into Moravia over the snow-clad hills was not 
 effected without much loss from privations. Swarms of 
 irregular troops were also driven from Silesia, Prince 
 Charles was not present in these affairs. News had reached 
 him that his much-loved wife had died, after giving birth 
 to a still-born infant. The marriage had been one of love, 
 and such glory as his manoeuvres had earned for him, 
 brought him little comfort in the presence of that human 
 sorrow which strikes an equal blow against prince or 
 peasant. 
 
 H 2 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 SILESIA PULLED OUT OF THE FIRE. — BATTLES OP 
 HOHENFRIEDBURG AND SOHR. 
 
 A.D. 1745. 
 
 1745. 
 
 Once more Frederick was back at Berlin after the unlucky 
 campaign, preparing with high courage and energy for the 
 fortunes of the coming season. Blow after blow now 
 fell upon him. Belle- Isle, the Prosper© of the storm, the 
 one Frenchman in whom Frederick believed, was captured 
 on the 20th of December, while passing through an outlying 
 part of Hanover, and sent a prisoner to England. The 
 unfortunate Kaiser Karl VII., an Imperator without com- 
 mand of armies, without power over his empire, aud almost 
 without an income, sank at last under an accumulated load 
 of anxiety, misery, and disease, and died on the 20th 
 January, 1745, in his forty-eighth year. His last advice 
 to his family has been recorded in two opposite senses. 
 One account says that he advised them to eschew ambition 
 and make friends with Austria ; another relates that he 
 enjoined upon them never to repay with ingratitude the 
 services of France and Prussia. But what were they to 
 do 1 There was now no Kaiser to lend even a name to the 
 cause of France and of Belle-Isle, whose hand no longer 
 
TREATY TO PARTITION PRUSSIA. 101 
 
 Jan. -May 1745. 
 
 directed the gusts of opinion in the German courts. The 
 King of Prussia saw plainly the course likely to be taken 
 by events, and offered peace through England. But 
 George II. was lukewarm in that sense, and did little or 
 nothing. The Saxons, who were only bound to assist 
 Austria in case of invasion, seemed likely to join in the 
 work of aggression. To crown all, money was running 
 short, so that the king actually had some of the silver 
 furniture of his palace at Potsdam sent to the Mint ready 
 for melting. On the 22nd April the Bavarian question 
 "was solved by the peace at Fiissen, by which Austria 
 relinquished her hold on that country in return for an 
 alliance with it and general good-will. And at the same 
 time there was being negotiated an arrangement, afterwards, 
 the 18th of May, shaped into a treaty, by which the Dutch 
 and the English, dragged at the tail of Hanover, agreed 
 with Austria and Saxony to partition Prussia ; the good" 
 natured Sea Powers acting of course once more as milch 
 cows. Nay more, England, diligently building up the 
 national debt, was helping to bribe the Czarina Elisabeth 
 to act against Prussia in consideration of the gift of two 
 millions " for her pleasures." 
 
 Such was the state of public affairs when Frederick 
 joined his army at Neisse in the latter part of March, 
 and found it suffering from a putrid fever. Old Leopold — 
 rugged, tender-hearted ancient of nearly seventy — had lost 
 the worship of his youth, the brave companion of his 
 campaigns, the apothecary's daughter whom he had married 
 for love some fifty years ago, and raised to work beside 
 him as a princess of the Beich. The sorrowful old man 
 craved leave to go home, and Frederick took his place in 
 command of the army. In May old Leopold was placed 
 in command of a camp of observation on the frontier of 
 
102 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 April-May 1745. 
 
 Saxony. Valor i, the Frencli ambassador, reported of 
 Frederick at this time that he was graver than of old ; 
 changed for the better he thought, mild, humane, and 
 modest. But the king's letters from Neisse to his minister 
 Podewils ring like a trumpet-call. *'I will maintain my 
 power, or it may go to ruin, and the Prussian name be 
 buried under it." "Learn from a man who does not go to 
 Eisner's preaching, that one must oppose to ill-fortune a 
 brow of iron ; and, during this life, renounce all happiness, 
 all acquisitions, possessions and lying shows, none of which 
 will follow us beyond the grave." High words indeed, but 
 made good by high deeds. In April he prepared for the 
 worst by arranging a retreat for his wife and his mother 
 in case Berlin should be attacked, and in May he drew in 
 his posts and detachments even from the Jiigerndorf country, 
 which he left partly a prey to the Austrian irregulars, who, 
 though soundly beaten near Jiigerndorf by the Margrave 
 Charles of Schwedt, one of the Brandenburg family, and 
 by Colonel "Winterfeld at Landshut, seriously annoyed the 
 Prussians and veiled the movements of the Austrians. In 
 the Jagerndorf action, the cavalry which had been re- 
 created in organisation and drill by Frederick, first showed 
 on a large scale the results of his laboirrs. Ziethen with 500 
 hussars carried, through swarms of irregulars, Frederick's 
 order for the margrave to join him; and next day the 12,000 
 Prussians cut their way through a mass of 20,000 oppo- 
 nents, destroying the regular troops, and putting to flight 
 the irregulars with much loss. Thus the margrave and 
 Winterfeld joined the king, who moved his head-quarters 
 to Schweidnitz. His army was then 70,000 strong. Prince 
 Charles, who had rejoined the Austro-Saxon army, was 
 coming on over the mountains, moving from Landshut on 
 the last day of May. 
 
BATTLE OF FONTENOY. 103 
 
 May-3rd Jane 1745. 
 
 While tlie fate of Silesia hung in the balance, there 
 occurred on the 11th of May one of those battles well 
 known in English history, wherein English troops, led 
 without judgment, but with infinite courage, covered them- 
 selves with glory, but lost the day. The battle of Fontenoy 
 does not come within the fair limits of Frederick's battles, 
 and it must suffice to say that a mixed army — English, 
 Dutch, and Austrians, under the Duke of Cumberland, 
 attacked the French in a strong position, when attack was 
 the worst possible strategy, penetrated — at least the English 
 column penetrated — right through the centre of the French 
 army, and for want of tactical leading were completely 
 defeated. The attack of the English infantry was much 
 like that of the light cavalry at Balaklava — magnificent, 
 but not war. 
 
 In the first days of May the Prussian army lay extended 
 from Schweidnitz to Jauernik ; Prince Charles and the 
 Saxons coming on by Reichenau and Freyburg. " Why do 
 you not defend the mountain passes ? " asked Valori. 
 " Because," replied the king, ''if we want to catch a 
 mouse, we leave the mouse-trap open." This is the answer 
 to all advocates of a mountain barrier held on the far side. 
 Good, if you are weak, and wish to keep out or delay 
 the enemy. Bad, if you are strong and mean to fight him. 
 Frederick meant to kill his mouse, and baited his trap by 
 causing Prince Charles, who had no Marshal Traun with 
 him now, to believe that his great fear was lest the Austrian 
 army should push between him and Breslau. 
 
 On the 3rd of June Frederick, who hourly swept the hills 
 with his telescope, first saw that cloud of dust which usually 
 heralds the approach of an army. All that afternoon the 
 allies streamed down from the hills, the Prussians lying hid, 
 or showing only weak and deceptive parties of hussars. The 
 
i04 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 4th June 1745. 
 
 Saxons pushed on that night to Pilgrimshayn with outposts 
 nearly at Striegau, the Austrians in the right rear of the 
 Saxons reached to Rohnstock and Hausdorf, where they 
 bivouacked. Thus the Austrian position was clearly seen, 
 while Prince Charles did not even know that the 
 Prussian army was present in strength. During the night 
 the king moved his whole force. Du Moulin on his right 
 was ordered to take the hills in front of Striegau during 
 the evening, which he partly did, dislodging the Saxon 
 outposts. The rest of the army defiled silently through the 
 night across the bridge at Striegau ; but the rear was 
 delayed for some time by the breaking of the bridge, so that 
 the left of the king's army was late in arriving on the 
 ground. The Austrian leaders saw the movement of Du 
 Moulin, but took his column of 10,000 or 12,000 men for 
 the main Prussian force, or at most for the rear-guard of an 
 army retiring on Breslau. 
 
 In the early morning the Duke of "Weissenfels, with his 
 Saxons, commenced his attack on the hills which cover 
 Striegau. Du Moulin hurried up a battery of six twenty- 
 four-pounders to the further slopes of the Spitzberg, 
 otherwise called Mount Topaz, in front of the village, then 
 attacked the Saxons, who were shaken by the fire of the 
 guns, and threw them back much shattered. Their cavalry 
 failed to restore the fortune of the fight, and were defeated 
 by the Prussian cavalry of the right wing, which came 
 across during the night and joined Du Moulin at daybreak. 
 Prince Charles was awakened by the sound of the firing, 
 but believed it came from the Saxons capturing Striegau ; 
 nor was he undeceived till fugitives began to come in, 
 telling of the disaster which had befallen his advanced 
 guard. The Austrians were brought quickly into line as 
 they had bivouacked, and might have taken advantage of 
 
BA TTLE OF HOHENFRIEDB URG. 105 
 
 4th June 1745. 
 
 the delay caused to the Prussians by the broken bridge. 
 There was also a gap in the Prussian left centre, caused by 
 a wheel up of the right wing against the Saxons. But with 
 typical Austrian unreadiness, no use was made of the 
 chance, and the destruction of what was now the left of the 
 allies exposed the flank of Prince Charles. Ziethen, with 
 the Prussian cavalry of the left wing, crossed by a ford, and 
 the rest of the army came swiftly into position, pressing the 
 Austrian line in front. Threatened in left flank, and over- 
 matched in front, it gave way, and hardly needed the 
 'dashing charge of Gessler's Bareuth dragoons, who passed 
 through the gap in the line and threw themselves with 
 splendid impetuosity into the rnidst of the shaken 
 Austrians. Beaten at every point, the army, which 
 yesterday had come down from the mountains with banners 
 displayed and military music, was thrown back into the 
 defiles by eight o'clock in the morning, and would have 
 been destroyed by a thorough pursuit. At this time, 
 however, Frederick had not learnt to appreciate the golden 
 rule that a beaten enemy should be pressed at every 
 sacrifice. His troops were fatigued by the night march, 
 and he failed to gather the full fruits of victory. Under 
 cover of their guns, the Austrians retired slowly, and were 
 only pursued to the foot of the mountains, a little beyond * 
 Pohnstock and Hausdorf . Thus the mouse, after entering 
 the trap, was allowed to escape, though with loss of skin 
 and fur. The Austrians left on the field 9,000 killed and 
 wounded, 7,000 prisoners, 66 cannon, 73 flags and stan- 
 dards. The Prussians lost 5,000 killed and wounded, and 
 rested on the field of battle. The steadiness of their night 
 inarch and wheelings during the action had been wonderful, 
 and the cavalry showed that the pains which the king had 
 taken to improve them had not been thrown away. 
 
105 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 20th July-Sept, 1745. 
 
 Next day began a slow pui'suit till the Austrians found a 
 position at Koniggratz, whence Frederick could not drive 
 them. From about the end of June till the 20th of July 
 there were various manosuvres, all caused by the want of 
 rapid pursuit at fii'st, and on that day Frederick formed a 
 camp at Chlum with intention to eat up the country and 
 prevent its becoming a good base for a new invasion. The 
 king was himself suffering from want of money and applied 
 to Louis XY. for help, without which he could not remain 
 in activity with his army. Louis offered him a miserable 
 dole — some £20,000 per month — which Frederick refused,' 
 and was very bitter as to the battle of Fontenoy and the 
 capture cf Tournay, which he said were of no more use to 
 him than victories at Pekin or the Scamander. On the 
 26th of August the Convention of Hanover was signed by 
 George IT., who, anxious for his throne at home then 
 threatened by the Pretender, agreed to the terms which 
 Frederick was always willing to accept, namely, the secure 
 possession of Silesia. There was no Kaiser to fight for now, and 
 indeed, on the 13th of September, the Grand Duke Franz, 
 Maria Theresa's husband, was elected, even Bavaria voting 
 for him. Anxious as he now was for peace, Frederick was 
 aware of signs that the Saxons had designs against him, 
 and he strengthened old Leopold, who, in the camp of 
 Striegau, watched the frontier with eyes longing for one 
 more fray before the sword should fall from his old and 
 wearied hand for ever. But his time had not yet come. 
 
 The Prussian army on the Elbe was greatly annoyed by 
 the Austrian and Hungarian light troops, chiefly furnished 
 by the Hungarian " insurrections." Little subsistence 
 was to be derived from the country, and the communica- 
 tions with Silesia were difficult to be maintained. In the 
 early part of September the left wing of the camp was at 
 
CAMP AT CHLUM. 107 
 
 Sept. 1745. 
 
 Jaromirz, the main body on the other side of the Elbe with 
 bridges between them, one line of supply was by Neustadt 
 and Glatz, the other nearly due north by the Schatzlar pass. 
 Neustadt was strongly attacked by the Austrians, and even 
 bombarded by heavy artillery. The defence was successful, 
 but the place was finally abandoned on the 16th of Septem- 
 ber, for want of water. There remained, therefore, only one 
 line of communication through the Schatzlar country, which 
 was so infested by the Austrian light troops, that no convoy 
 could come through without a strong force to defend it. 
 Frederick now determined to retire slowly into Silesia, and 
 moved on the 18th of September ; passing to the eastward of 
 the KonigreichWaldjhe encamped at Staudenz, and lay there 
 for some time, carrying out his intention of consuming the 
 supplies of the country. He intended to move further 
 northwards on the 30th of September, but on the 29th 
 learned from deserters and by a reconnaissance that the 
 whole Austrian army was moving up the Elbe, and that 
 its advance-guard had already arrived at Arnau, nearer to 
 Schatzlar than he himself was. The rear of the Austrians 
 was at Kbnigshof, now known as Koniginhof, the scene of 
 one of the actions afterwards fought in 1866. The king 
 now ordered that the whole army should march northward 
 at ten o'clock next morning, but during the night the 
 Austrians, covered by a crowd of light troops, took ground 
 to their right, and lay near Sohr, with outposts close to 
 the Prussian camp. Evidently the Prussian outpost work 
 was not well done, whatever their discipline might be. The 
 camp was about two miles long, facing southwards, protected 
 on its left and left front by a rough country, with defiles 
 and brooks and a ravine close by, and running all along 
 the front of the camp. The weak point was a hill towards 
 the right, near enough to be of advantage to an enemy, yet; 
 
108 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 SOth Sept. 1745. 
 
 not close enough to be brought within the compass of the 
 camp. The king's force was only about 18,000 men. In 
 the early morning a message came, in from the vedettes 
 posted on the hill to the right, to the intent that the whole 
 Austrian army was advancing close by, raising huge clouds 
 of dust as tliey came on. This was clearly a surprise, and 
 shows that the Prussian arrangements must have been 
 faulty. But the military instinct of the king came in to 
 the rescue. After a short survey from the hill, Frederick 
 decided upon his plan of action. To retreat woijld expose 
 him to be destroyed in the hills, to stand still was to wait 
 for destruction. He decided to attack. Already the Aus- 
 trians had occupied the hill ; and placed there a battery of 
 twenty-eight guns. The Prussians came into line to their 
 right with admirable steadiness, under the fire of the 
 Austrian artillery, but, being little more than half as 
 strong as Prince Charles's army, could only for the most 
 part form one line instead«of two. We now see the germ 
 of the tactics so often associated with Frederick's name ; he 
 refused his left wing as much as possible, and ordered 
 Buddenbrock with the tavalry on the right, supported by 
 the right wing of the infantry, to attack the Austrian left. 
 The Austrian cavalry were completely defeated, and driven 
 back into the hollow Georgengrund, whence they did not 
 emerge for the rest of the day. The infantry right wing 
 attacked the hill, failed at. first, but succeeded when sup- 
 ported by the whole of the reserve, namely three regiments. 
 Ten guns were captured, and the Austrian left completely 
 broken. The reserve, however, attacked Burgersdorf, but 
 were repulsed by the Prussians, who set the village on fire 
 as a screen. Gradually from right to left the Prussians 
 pushed forward, and now the victorious Buddenbrock 
 joined the cavalry on the left, and attacked the Austrian 
 
BATTLE OF SOHR. 109 
 
 80th Sept. 1745. 
 
 right near Prausnitz, thus rolling up that wing of the 
 enemy which had not yet suffered. The whole of the 
 Austrian army then fell back in confusion into the 
 Kdnigreich Wald. Tlieir strength was about 34,000 at the 
 beginning of the battle, against 18,000, and they were 
 totally defeated, the last cavalry charge alone captiu-ing 
 2,000 prisoners of them. 
 
 But where were the light troops during all this time "i 
 They were intended to attack the Prussians in rear, and 
 they carried out their instructions to the letter by attack- 
 ing and* pillaging the Prussian camp, but they broke the 
 orders in the spirit, for they did not attack the Prussian 
 army. They did their pillaging work well, and with great 
 cruelty. The camp was gutted, 'the Prussian sick, and even 
 €ome women, burnt alive. All the king's camp furniture 
 was taken, and it was difficult to procure for him even a 
 slice of bread after the battle. 
 
 Without doubt Frederick's ajmy was caught napping on 
 this occasion, and ought to have been defeated. The* 
 Austrian plan was good, but there was not sufficient vigour 
 in execution. If the Austrian gavalry on the left had 
 charged the Prussians vigorously down hill while they were 
 changing their formation under the fire of the big battery, 
 it is probable that success would have been achieved. But 
 the national characteristic is to make good plans, but to 
 fail in energy of execution. The Prussian king, on the 
 contrary, was surprised, but took the initiative with great 
 rapidity and daring, not even hesitating to send his cavalry 
 charging up hill. This was a great risk, but as the least 
 of many risks was one of those inspirations which flash 
 across the minds of great generals. The Austrians acted 
 according to their character, Frederick according to his; 
 and we shall see in his future battles the same military 
 
110 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 30th Sept-eth Nov. 1745. 
 
 inspirpvtion bringing him out of great perils, sometimes 
 caused by his own fault. 
 
 The Convention of Hanover had detached England from 
 the alliance against Prussia, and Frederick might well 
 suppose that after the battle of Sohr he might count at 
 least upon rest, and probably upon peace. He returned to 
 Berlin to superintend the measu«"es of diplomacy, leaving 
 the younger Leopold in charge of the army, which, from 
 want of provisions, was constrained to retire into Silesia. 
 The elder Leopold still commanded the force which was 
 watching Saxony. But peace was not to be yet. Not 
 Maria Theresa this time, but Count Briihl, the Saxon 
 minister, was now the moving spirit in the combination 
 against Frederick. Field IMarshal Griine with 10,000 men 
 was called up from the Austrian army of the Rhine to 
 Saxony. The plan was that Prince Charles, instead of 
 going into winter quarters as expected, should march north- 
 wards to Gorlitz and Guben, so as to turn Frederick's 
 Silesian army and cut it oif from Prussia ; while the Saxon 
 army under Rutowski, combined with Griine's detachment, 
 should make a sudden attack upon old Leopold, beat him, and 
 move straight on Berlin. This plan was excellent, but clearly 
 required silence as one of the chief constituents to success. 
 Briihl could not hold his tongue, and one day at dinner told 
 the story to Wolfstierna, the Swedish envoy at Dresden, 
 and to Rudenskjold, the Swedish envoy at Berlin, who was 
 on a visit to Dresden. Since the marriage of the Princess 
 Ulrica the Swedes were friendly to Frederick. Rudenskjold 
 went straight to Berlin, and on the 8th of . November 
 laid the whole scheme before the king. Frederick's coun- 
 sellors refused to believe it, but he acted on his own 
 counsel. He directed old Leopold to prepare at once for 
 marching, and when the old warrior, with that mingled 
 
NEW PLANS OF ALLIES. 1111 
 
 15th-23rd Nov 1745. 
 
 over-caution and easy sloth whicli come with declining 
 years, argued against the king's plans, Frederick cut him 
 short with the sharp answer, "When your highness has 
 armies of your own, you will order them according to your 
 mind ; at present, it must be according to mine." So old 
 Leopold got ready, and his son in Silesia drew the army 
 there towards the Silesian-Lusatian border in the direction 
 of Prince Charles. On the 15th of November Frederick was 
 off to Liegnitz, and on the 1 8th took the command of the 
 force, now numbering 35,000 men, and lying at Nieder- 
 Adelsdorf, about forty miles from the line of Prince 
 Charles's march. His object was to conceal his presence, 
 and to that end he allowed every one who chose to pass 
 within his line of outposts, but none to pass out again. 
 Winterfeld, with 3,000 light troops, kept the line of the 
 Queiss river, Frederick himself that of the Bober. Prince 
 Charles was completely deceived, and knew nothing of 
 Frederick's presence. On the 20th of November his army 
 entered Lusatia, the Saxon contingent leading, and en- 
 camped in the neighbourhood of Schonberg, between the 
 Neisse and the Queiss ; his strength was about 40,000. 
 Winterfeld reported his presence, and the king at once 
 ordered a pontoon bridge to be constructed near Naumburg, 
 which, with a bridge already there and two fords, would 
 give four crossing places for his army. On the 21st 
 Frederick left the Bober, arrived at Naumburg on the 
 23rd, and crossed the river in four hours; Ziethen with 
 the cavalry clearing the front of the army from Austrian 
 cavalry and light troops. Ziethen pushed on through a 
 heavy mist, actually led by the retiring enemy, with whom 
 he kept touch into the village of Hennersdorf, where he 
 surprised the Saxons in the act of being paid by thft 
 quartermaster. Other Prussian reinforcements were pushed 
 
112 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 Nov.-12th Dec. 1745. 
 
 on at speed under great difficulties, struck the rallying 
 Saxons and defeated them, taking 914 prisoners. Next 
 day the Prussians were ready to attack again, but Prince 
 Charles was in rapid retreat. At Gorlitz he made a 
 demonstration of fighting, but again retired, leaving the 
 place to capitulate ; the same at Zittau ; and so back to 
 Bohemia, through the passes of Gabel to Aussig in 
 Bohemia, whence, relinquishing his part of the combined 
 plan, he moved down the Elbe to join his allies in Saxony. 
 Frederick, with the main Prussian army, moved to Bautzen, 
 going into cantonments there, and feeding his troops with 
 the stores collected by the Austrians at Gorlitz and Guben 
 for the army of Prince Charles. 
 
 It was now the turn of old Leopold, whom the king 
 ordered to advance at once. Griine, hearing of the afi'air 
 at Hennersdorf, relinquished his designs upon Berlin, and 
 joined the Saxon army under Butowski, which fell back 
 from the frontier towards Dresden hoping to unite with 
 Prince Charles. Every tiling now depended on speed. "Was 
 the king to join Leopold, or Prince Charles to unite with 
 Butowski ? Frederick urged Leopold to be speedy ; the 
 old general took his time, stopping here and there to build 
 ovens and bake bread. It was necessary to have a bridge 
 over the Elbe for the two armies to combine. Leopold 
 moved by Leipsig to Torgau, too far north. The king 
 spurred him on to Meissen, opposite which Frederick placed 
 an advanced guard under Lehwald. After spending three 
 days at Torgau, old Leopold, in his quiet way, clinging to 
 the old style of war, jogged on to Meissen, and arrived 
 there on the 1 2th of December, Prince Charles being then 
 through the Metal Mountains, advancing on Dresden. 
 Meissen being seized, Lehwald, with the advanced guard, 
 joined Leopold, and Frederick also marched to his help. 
 
BATTLE OF KESSELDOEF. 113 
 
 Mth-25th Dec. 1745. 
 
 (Jld Leopold moved from Meissen on the 13th towards 
 Dresden, watching for Rutowski, and again on the 14th, 
 still not finding him. At last, on the 15th, the Saxon army 
 was seen strongly posted in a defensive position, which like 
 most defensive positions, the resort of weak generals, had 
 the disadvantage that it hampered the defenders and left 
 all the initiative to the assailants. On the right was placed 
 Griine with the Austrians, his front covered by a ravine 
 through which ran the Tschone stream. To attack him 
 would be difficult, almost impossible — but then he also could 
 hardly attack. Thus he was for all practical purposes out 
 of calculation for the battle, and the superiority in numbers 
 possessed by the Saxons — 35,000 against 32,000 Prussians 
 — was neutralised or worse. The same Tschone stream 
 covered the whole front of the Saxon army, but was more 
 passable at other points than in front of Griine. The left 
 of the Saxons was at Kesseldorf, in front of which they 
 had a battery of thirty guns well intrenched. This was 
 the key of the position, and Leopold determined to make 
 his main attack there, refusing his left, and extending his 
 right to outflank the Saxons. Nothing could be simpler 
 or clearer, and those who talk of defending England by 
 occupying a series of defensive positions, will do well to 
 lay to heart the lesson afforded by this battle of Kesseldorf. 
 
 The nut was however a hard one to crack; and old 
 Leopold, before attempting it, reverently bared his head 
 and prayed, " Lord God, help me yet this once ; let me not 
 be disgraced in my old age ! Or if Thou wilt not help me 
 don't help those Hundsvogte " (opprobrious epithet), " but 
 leave us to do the best we can." With that he let slip his 
 right wing against the hill near Kesseldorf with its in- 
 trenched batteries and Saxon grenadiers, who defended it so 
 well that the Prussians suffered a first and second repulse 
 
 I 
 
114 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 13th-25th Dec. 1745. 
 
 with heavy loss. But then the Saxons, thinking the time 
 come for a counter attack, and not having a reserve at hand 
 to make it with, led also into folly by one Austrian 
 battalion with them, rushed out of the works in pursuit. 
 Old Leopold, slow in strategy, was quick-eyed in battle. 
 He instantly launched the cavalry of his right wing against 
 the Saxons as they came on, tumbled them into ruin, and, 
 pushing on the infantry reinforced, captured the great 
 battery. At the same time the Prussian centre, under 
 Leopold's son Moritz, advanced waist-deep across the boggy 
 brook, and helped to destroy the Saxon army, capturing 
 many prisoners. Whole regiments laid down their arms. 
 Their left and centre thus broken and ruined, the Saxons 
 sought safety in flight. Griine, secure in his useless and idle 
 position, looked on all day during the battle, retiring 
 quietly at night. He was safe enough ; the Saxons had 
 lost 3,000 killed and wounded, with 6,000 prisoners. 
 
 Next day, the king came up, and, at sight of Leopold, 
 dismounted from his horse, dotted his hat, and advanced to 
 meet the old man with open arms. The bright designer of 
 new methods of war honoured the master of the old ways 
 which he was displacing. The veteran warrior who had 
 besought the God of battles at least to let him alone, saw 
 himself reverenced by the young soldier who had not 
 ceased to push him these many days. Who will not sym- 
 pathise with the triumph Leopold enjoyed during the short 
 remainder of his life ? He died on the 7th of April, 1747. 
 
 Prince Charles, who was already about Dresden, and 
 might have joined in the battle had he been quicker of 
 apprehension and action, retired at once into Bohemia. 
 Dresden opened its gates to the conquering Prussians, 
 Saxony made peace, and Austria agreed at last to resign 
 all claim on Silesia. The treaty was signed at Dresden 
 
PROGRESS IN. TACTICS. 115 
 
 Pco. 1745. 
 
 on Christmas Day, 174.5, having been arranged through 
 the medium of Villi ers, the English ambassador. Silesia, 
 with Glatz, was henceforth to be an integral portion of 
 the Prussian kingdom. 
 
 Thus far we have seen a series of military movements 
 and battles in which the king was learning the art of war. 
 Mollwitz was fought entirely in the old style — parallel 
 formation and hammer-and-tongs fighting in which the 
 steadiness of the Prussian infantry gained the day, the 
 cavalry being inferior to that of the Austrians. At 
 Chotusitz there was parallel order again, but the action of 
 Frederick in attacking with his right wing instead of rein- 
 forcing the left, shows courage and military insight. In the 
 campaign against Prince Charles and Traun, Frederick was 
 clearly out-manoeuvred by the Austrian general, but made 
 up for many strategical errors by his tactical dispositions 
 and great daring at Hohenfriedburg and Sohr. In both of 
 these battles he used the oblique order, refusing one flank, 
 and attacking with the other reinforced. His cavalry, 
 improved by himself, and led by remarkable commanders, 
 was the best on the European continent, and handled by 
 the king with great boldness and initiative. His artillery 
 was defective for reasons given in Chapter III., and field 
 artillery had not then become more than a defensive arm. 
 Frederick's want of knowledge how to handle artillery 
 boldly, and his failure to pursue a beaten enemy, are 
 evident faults at this period of his career. 
 
 I 2 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 AND MAUPERTUIS. — LEAGUE AGAINST PRUSSIA. — THE MENT- 
 ZEL DOCUMENTS. — FREDERICK MARCHES FOR DRESDEN. 
 
 A.D. 1746—1756. 
 
 CThe task which Frederick had set himself to do as his 
 share in the rise of the Hohenzollerns was now accom- 
 plished. Silesia was his, guaranteed by solemn treaties. 
 Peace also, much needed for his kingdom, seemed at last 
 assured, and he set himself to gather in the fruits of his 
 victories. Throughout his campaigns two desires had been 
 always present to him. First, to win and hold Silesia as 
 an integral part of his dominions. Second, to win repose, 
 and spend it in improving the condition of his people, and 
 enjoying the society of the chosen spirits of his age. His 
 devotion to literature was only second to that for his 
 kingdom, and there is no doubt that he would rather 
 have been known in history as a successful votary 
 of the Muses than as the winner of campaigns. Bitter 
 experience had taught him that such glory as war brings 
 is dearly purchased ; he had yet to learn that the triumphs 
 of peace may be equally disappointing. 
 
 j The peace which he had gained for himself refused as yet 
 /jip calm distracted Europe, and England made overtures to 
 
. FREDERICK'S REFORMS, 117 
 
 1746. 
 
 him, offering great advantages, among others a subsidy of 
 a million annually if he would draw the sword on her side 
 of the quarrel. Frederick was not to be moved. His 
 country house was approaching completion, and the name 
 which he gave it tells clearly the condition of his mind. 
 " Here," he said, one day to D'Argens, *' Je serai sans 
 soucif^ and Sans Souci — without worry — came to be the 
 name of the royal cottage. But the meaning of the king 
 had probably been that not in the cottage, but in the tomb 
 which he was building for himself hard by, he would at last 
 lay down his worries. It certainly was not in his mind to 
 seek an inglorious ease at this or any other period of 
 his life. 
 
 His first task was to reform the procedure of law. The 
 duty of designing the means was confided to Cocceji, his 
 chief law minister, even before the peace, and the result to 
 be aimed at was, in few words, that every lawsuit should 
 be begun and finished within a year. The chief measures 
 were the extirpation of attorneys, so that clients were 
 brought into direct contact with their advocates ; the weed- 
 ing out of judges and advocates, so that none but the best 
 remained, and those well paid ; and the king's own special 
 contrivance, all suits with their appeals and what not, 
 three chances being allowed, to be made an end of within 
 a year. The reform was carried out, and the king generally 
 supported the decisions. But he had in him much of 
 his father's temperament, and there were cases in which 
 his despotic will asserted itself. Some of the stories told 
 of him are, perhaps, mythical, but all cannot be untrue. At 
 least it may be said ir ^lis honour that he sometimes knew 
 how to yield his will to the law as administered by just and 
 determined judges. 
 
 Frederick's idea of justice was that right should be done, 
 
118 FREDERICK THE GREAT., 
 
 1744-1745. 
 
 and iliat he was tke best judge of wliat was right. His 
 high-handed proceedings extended not to his kingdom 
 only, but beyond its frontiers. As early as 1744 he had 
 shown his hand in rather humorous fashion. His agent 
 had engaged a dancer at Venice, Barberina by name, to 
 come to Berlin. The time for fulfilling the treaty arrived, 
 but the fair damsel was then in soft dalliance with an 
 Englishman, and laughed at the agent. Nothing should 
 make her leave the pleasant city for the rude admiration of 
 Berlin. Frederick appealed to the doge and senate, but 
 gained nothing from them but good words. After some 
 months, a Venetian ambassador happened to be passing 
 through Berlin, and slept at an hotel there. Next morning 
 he found that his baggage was seized ; nor could he get it 
 out of the king's hands till Venetian justice arrested 
 Barberina and packed her off to Berlin, where she event- 
 ually became the wife of the very Cocceji who was now 
 reforming the laws. 
 
 A still stronger step was taken by Frederick at a 
 later period during the ten years' peace. Ost Fries- 
 land, with ports on the Atlantic, having fallen in to 
 Prussia in 1744, the king encouraged maritime adven- 
 ture, and hoped to make his country a sea power. He 
 even fitted out at one time an expedition to the East 
 Tndies — the promised land of that time. Immediately 
 after coming into possession of Ost Friesland, he arranged 
 with England what articles were to be considered as con- 
 traband of war. But in 1745 the English began to seize 
 wooden planks which, under the head of timber, were by 
 agreement to be free. Frederick protested, and insisted 
 that his ships so laden and so seized should be released. 
 The English Admiralty courts condemned them. Frederick 
 appointed a special commission, directing its members to 
 
VOL TAIRE AND MA UPERTUIS. 1 19 
 
 1745-1751. 
 
 report ** wliat they could answer to God, to the king, and 
 to the whole world," concerning the dispute. The commis- 
 sion reported that the ships were not carrying contraband 
 of war. The dispute dragged on till, in November, 1752, 
 Frederick notified to the English Government that he 
 should not pay to English holders of Silesian bonds their 
 usual dividend, till his own shipowners were compensated, 
 or the ships and cargoes returned. This was certainly not 
 law, but he carried out his idea of rough justice, thus com- 
 pensating his own people at the expense, not of England, 
 but of certain innocent Englishmen. 
 
 In pursuance of his intention to surround himself with 
 men of genius, Frederick invited Yoltaire to Berlin. The 
 great Frenchman arrived in July, 1750, and was made a 
 chamberlain with the cross of the Order of Merit, and a 
 pension of £850 a year — a large sum in those days, espe- 
 cially in so frugal an establishment as that of the Prus- 
 sian court. At first all went well. The brilliant wit of 
 the satirist enlivened the court, and awoke the duller in- 
 tellects of the practical Prussian soldiers and statesmen. 
 But it awoke also the jealousy of other favourites, such as 
 Maupertuis, the President of the Academy ; and Yoltaire, 
 dyspeptic and irritable, made himself enemies on all sides. 
 Quarrels arose with Maupertuis, and Voltaire had a dis- 
 reputable lawsuit with Hirsch, a Jew, whom he had em- 
 ployed in what we should now call a doubtful stock 
 exchange transaction. On the 24th of February, 1751, the 
 king wrote him a letter from Potsdam, in which, after 
 reproaching him with irritability against other friends 
 and political meddling, he concluded in these words : — 
 
 For my own share, I have preserved peace in my house till 
 your arrival : and I warn you, that if you have the passion of 
 intriguing and caballing, you have applied to the wrong hand. I 
 
120 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 1751. 
 
 like peaceable, composed people, wlio do not put into their con- 
 duct the violent passions of tragedy. If you can resolve to live 
 like a philosopher I shall be glad to see you [at Potsdam] ; but if 
 you abandon yourself to all the violence of your passions and get 
 into quarrels with all the world, you will do me no good by 
 coming here, and you may as well stay in Berlin. 
 
 Here was warning enough, one might suppose, but 
 "Voltaire was incorrigible. A demon of unrest drove him 
 on. His quarrels became more bitter than ever. The 
 pompous Maupertuis committed himself foolishly in a 
 controversy with Kbnig, who had questioned the originality 
 of a theory of his on Maxima and Minima, wherein the 
 President of the Academy had professed to find proof of 
 the existence of an intelligent Creator of the universe. 
 Of his paper, Essai de Cosmologie, Voltaire wittily wrote : 
 ** M. de Maupertuis pretended that the only proof of the 
 existence of God is the circumstance that AR •\- n RB is 
 a minimum." This article appeared in the Bihliotheque 
 Raisonnee. The academy supported Maupertuis and con- 
 demned Kbnig. Frederick wrote a sharp reply to Voltaire's 
 article, but evidently knew little of the controversy. 
 Finally, Voltaire wrote his Doctor Akahia, a satirical piece 
 in which he gibbeted Maupertuis and his doctrines. The 
 Ahakia was read to Frederick, who heard it with peals of 
 laughter, but strictly forbade its publication. In vain. 
 The satire of a man to whom nothing was sacred was not 
 to be suppressed. Doctor Akakia appeared, first in Holland, 
 then in Berlin. Thirty thousand copies were sold in Paris, 
 and the Academy of Berlin became the laughing-stock of 
 the world of letters. Voltaire swore that the publication 
 was no doing of his, but the king wrote to him ; — 
 
 Your effrontery astonishes me. After what you have done, and 
 what is as clear as day, you persist, instead of owning yourself 
 
VOLTAIRE QUITS PRUSSIA. 121 
 
 1752. 
 
 culpable. ... If you drive the affair to extremity, all shall be 
 made public ; and it will be seen whether, if your works deserve 
 statues, your conduct does not deserve chains. 
 
 On the 24th of December, 1752, Akakia was burnt in the 
 public streets of Berlin by the common hangman, and 
 though Yoltaire was again received at Potsdam, he soon 
 obtained permission to leave Prussia, on pretence of drink- 
 ing the waters at Plombi^res, and carried off with him a • 
 copy of certain poetical effusions of the king, which their 
 royal author dreaded to have published because some of 
 them were sharp criticisms of brother royalties. From 
 Dresden and Leipzig Yoltaire continued to let fly Parthian 
 shafts of ridicule against Maupertuis, who threatened him 
 with a challenge. Voltaire's reply, though witty, was 
 unclean and insulting. Europe roared with laughter, but 
 Frederick was very wrath. Clearly the wit was not to be 
 trusted, and orders were given that the (Euvre de Poesies 
 should be taken from him when he passed through Frank- 
 furt. He was arrested accordingly, and detained because 
 the book was not with him. It arrived shortly, and was 
 given up, together with his cross of chamberlain. But mean- 
 while the irritability of the philosopher and the dulness of 
 the officials brought about a series of scenes more or less 
 discreditable to both. Such was the result of Frederick's 
 efforts to turn his court into a temple of the Muses. 
 
 Nor were, his hopes of perpetual peace destined to be 
 fulfilled. > The great natural quarrel between England and 
 the powers which restrained her free movements on the 
 sea and her extension of colonies, had never ceased.^ 
 .^ngland would have the freedom of the sea ; and on land 
 /ghe pushed population and ploughs where France paraded 
 soldiers. In such a struggle war must come, but, by laws 
 invariable as the laws of ^ature, the population will win 
 
122 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1752-1755. 
 
 in the end. After much bickering, blows began in 1754, 
 and at the beginning of 1755 England despatched the 
 ill-fated Braddock with a small force, which was destroyed 
 in July — evidently because Braddock, like most English 
 generals of the time, was a brave man absolutely ignorant 
 of the military art. 'As yet, however, the quarrel was only 
 colonial. England embittered, it by seizing French ships 
 without any declaration of \(^ar. > 
 
 But why did Frederick strike in, if indeed he desired 
 peace 1 In truth there was no choice for him. '. As early 
 as 1752-53 his secret agents had discovered that Austria, 
 Russia, and Saxony were hatching a plot for the destruction 
 of Prussia, and such a partition as afterwards befell un- 
 happy Poland. In 1753 a Saxon official, Mentzel by name, 
 began to supply the Prussian agents with copies of secret 
 documents from the archives at Dresden, which proved 
 that, during the whole of the peace, negotiations had been 
 proceeding for a simultaneous attack on Frederick, though 
 the astute Briihl, mindful of former defeats, objected to 
 playing the part of jackal to the neighbouring lions. CIn 
 short, by the end of 1755 the king knew that preparations 
 were already on foot in Austria and Russia, and that he 
 would probably be attacked next year certainly, or at latest, 
 the year after. A great war was coming between England 
 and France, in which the continental power would attack 
 Hanover, and tread closely on the skirts of Prussia. The 
 /situation was dangerous, and became terribly menacing 
 wEen England bargained with Russia to subsidise a 
 Muscovite army of 55,000 men for defence of Hanover. 
 Russia consented with alacrity. Money was all that the 
 fczarina needed for her preparations against Frederick, and 
 in the autumn of 1755 she assembled, not 55,000, but 
 70,000 men on the Prussian frontier, nominally for the 
 
NEUTRALITY CONVENTION. 123 
 
 Jan. -Jane 1756. 
 
 use of England. But throughout the winter all the talk at 
 St. Petersburg was of Frederick's destruction in the coming 
 spring. , 
 
 It was time for him to stir. His first move was one of 
 policy. He offered England a "neutrality convention" by 
 which the two powers jointly should guarantee the German 
 Reich against all foreign intervention during the coming 
 war^ On the 16th of January, 1756, the convention was 
 signed in London, and the Russian agreement thrown over, 
 as it could well be, since it had not been ratified. 
 
 Europe was now ranking herself for the struggle. In 
 preceding years the Austrian diplomatist Kaunitz, had so 
 managed the French court, especially through the medium 
 of Madame de Pompadour, that Louis XV. was now on the 
 side of Maria Theresa, [who had bowed her neck so far as 
 to write to the FrencK king's mistress as *'Ma Cousine," 
 while Frederick forgot policy, and spoke of the Pompadour 
 in slighting terms. ^^ Jene la connais pas," said he once, 
 and was never forgiven. Yet some attempts were made 
 by France to enlist Frederick on her side against England. 
 For alliance against England he was offered the plunder of 
 Hanover and the island of Tobago. He sternly refused ; 
 and henceforth the Pompadour had her way. France and 
 Austria allied themselves against England, and for revenge 
 of " J^e ne la connais pas.^' The agreement with Russia 
 to partition Prussia had already been made, and Frederick's 
 sharp tongue had betrayed hini into calling the czarina 
 that ^^ Infame catin du nord." , Saxony waited for the 
 appearance of her stronger neighbours in order to join, 
 them. (England alone was Frederick's ally. And what an 
 ally for a continental struggle ! There were just three 
 battalions in England, and though she was raising others, 
 the Duke of Newcastle dared not have colonels for them 
 
124 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 June-Aug. 175«. 
 
 because the patronage would be in the hands of his political 
 adversary, the Duke of Cumberland. The French threatened 
 invasion. Hessian and Hanoverian troops were brought 
 over and regarded with hatred by the populace. LFortu- 
 nately the French expedition sailed for Minorca instead of 
 for England, and the episode of Admiral Byng's retirement 
 occurred in the Mediterranean instead of the Straits of 
 Dover. The result ^as the capitulation of Minorca in the 
 end of June, 1756. jThis was the England of the time. 
 
 /But the star of Pitt was rising, and its brilliant rays soon 
 showed the true path to a nation which never needs more 
 than a brave and capable leader, and always finds him at 
 the right moment. Frederick said later, "England has 
 been long in labour, but she has at last brought forth a 
 man.^/ 
 
 Meanwhile Austria was arming. Camps were formed in 
 Bohemia and Moravia. War was plainly at hand, and 
 
 ) Frederick determined that he would not give his adversaries 
 the first move. Following the advice of Mitchell, the envoy 
 of England at Berlin, he demanded through his ambassador 
 at Vienna a distinct assurance that the armaments were 
 not destined for the invasion of Prussia. He received, 
 first an ambiguous, then a haughty reply, and on the 29th 
 of August, 1756, launched his forces on the road to 
 Dresden. The Seven Years' War had commenced, j 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE SEVEN YEARS' WAR BEGINS. — CAMPAIGN OF 1756. — BATTLE 
 
 OF LOBOSITZ. — CAPITULATION OF PIRNA. SAXON ARMY 
 
 ABSORBED. 
 
 A.D. 1756. 
 
 17.5ff. 
 
 The total force for home purposes and for war, possessed 
 by Frederick when the war opened, was about 150,000 men. 
 Of these about 65,000 marched southward in three columns. 
 The right_wing,^ommanded by Duke Ferdinand of Bruns- 
 v^n^k, marched from Magdeburg by Leipsig — Freiburg — 
 Dippoldiswalde, to the neighbourhood of Pirna. The centre 
 under the king with Marshal Keith as second — a Scotchman 
 trained in the Russian service, but lately drawn into the 
 circle of Frederick's warriors — moved direct on Dresden by 
 the south bank of the Elbe. The left was led by the Duke 
 of Bevern, and marched from Frankfurt on the Oder by 
 Bautzen to Lohmen, where it faced Duke Ferdinand on the 
 other side of the Elbe. Besides these, another army under 
 Schwerin was ordered to march from Silesia through the 
 Glatz mountains by Nachod. The Saxons had a total 
 force of 18,000 men, say a field army of 14,000 or 15,000. 
 f-The Austrians formed two camps ii\ Bohemia under Marshal 
 ^"Browne and Prince Piccolomini. ^fFrederick's plan of /ii 
 campaign was to sweep up the Saxon army or cause it to i 
 disperse, lest it should, as in a previous campaign, interrupt 
 
126 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 V 1756. 
 
 his communications. Then the three columns from the 
 north and the oiieirom the east would fall upon the 
 Austrians in Bohemia, drive them back, and perhaps dictate 
 peace at the gates of Yienna. In that case one of his 
 intended executioners would be disposed of, and the league 
 broken up. 
 
 This /plan was spoiled by the Saxons who, instead of 
 fighting or dispersing, retired to the rugged district on the 
 Elbe now known as the Saxon Switzerland, where they 
 hoped i|o hold ^ out until Austria or Russia could come to 
 their assistance. ■ Dresden was occupied without a blow, and 
 the first act of the king was to order the seizure of the 
 original documents copied by Mentzel, and still lying in the 
 archives of the Saxon capital. 
 
 The retreat of the Saxons was a shock to Frederick's 
 plans. Schwerin's column halted in front of Koniggratz, 
 where Piccolomini's camp was placed. A reconnaissance 
 of the Saxon highlands showed that the army which had 
 taken refuge there, about 14,000 strong, could not be 
 attacked. Frederick, hearing that its store of provisions 
 was small, established a blockade, placing his own head- 
 quarters at Gross-Sedlitz. The principal mass of the 
 Saxons lay at Hennersdorf; but they occupied also the 
 small but impregnable fortress on the steep Konigstein, 
 where the Elector of Saxony, who was also King of Poland, 
 slept every night. It is suggestive of the times that, 
 though the Saxon army was to be starved out, Frederick 
 allowed the table of the King of Poland to be well sup- 
 plied — an indulgence which must have told against the 
 early surrender of his forces. Marshal Keith was de- 
 spatched with about 32,000 men up the Elbe to Aussig, to 
 protect the blockading force against General Browne, who 
 had been ordered by the Austrian court to relieve the 
 
POSITIONS OF ARMIES. 127 
 
 2Srd Sept.-lst Oct. 1756. 
 
 Saxons at all hazards. It is clear that the designs of 
 Austria and Russia were not intended to be carried out 
 so soon, for, though Browne marched on the 23rd of Sep- 
 tember to Budin, on the Eger, he w^as told to wait there 
 until the 30th for the arrival of his artillery and pontoons, 
 which had to be prepared at Vienna. Frederick was 
 informed of the movements of Browne, and feeling anxious 
 lest his force at Aussig should be turned without an oppor- 
 tunity to fight, moved his head-quarters to that place on 
 the 29th, and took the command. Next day he moved to 
 Tiirmitz with a strong advance-guard, sending forward a 
 small detachment, which scoured the country as far as 
 Lobositz, and discovered that the Austrian army was 
 already laying down bridges to pass the Eger. Early in 
 the morning of the 30th the heads of his main columns 
 began to arrive at Tiirmitz, and at 3 a.m. Frederick, 
 with his advance-guard, pushed on rapidly to Welmina, 
 where from his posts on the hills he could descry the 
 Austrian army and camp below on the Bohemian plains, 
 not more than about a mile distant from him. The right 
 flank of the Austrians rested on the Elbe at Lobositz, its 
 left was at Tschirskowitz. It is remarkable that so good a 
 general as Browne neglected to occupy the two hills just 
 in front of his camp, that of Lobosch on his right, and 
 Homolka on his left, for they commanded the issues from 
 the mountains. Frederick, observing their value, seized 
 them at once, and occupied the pass between them, through 
 which ran the road from Welmina to Lobositz. 
 
 Next morning, the 1st of October, autumn mists enfolded 
 the lower hills and lay in foggy thickness over the whole 
 plain, completely hiding the Austrians from view. At first 
 the king, expecting an attack from the enemy, deployed a 
 hundred guns in one grand battery extending from the 
 
128 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 1756.- 
 
 Ilomolka hill right over that of Lobosch, in front of 
 Lobositz, and drew up his infantry first in two lines, after- 
 wards extending them so that they formed only one. The 
 cavalry, in three lines, was behind the infantry. The king, not 
 supposing that Browne would have made so grave a mistake 
 as not to occupy the hills if he intended to fight, and find- 
 ing that no attack took place, only some annoyance from 
 Croat light troops, judged that the Austrians must be 
 crossing the Elbe with intention to turn his left flank and 
 march down towards the Saxons by the right of the river. 
 He therefore decided to pivot on his left, and drive what 
 he supposed to be Browne's rear- guard into the Elbe. He 
 first sent forward twenty squadrons of cavalry to charge a 
 body of the enemy's cavalry which had been seen through 
 the fog near Lobositz. The Austrian cavalry were driven 
 back, but the Prussian horse came upon well-posted in- 
 fantry, which fired rapidly, having now — they also — iron 
 ramrods. At the same time the fog-curtain slowly rose 
 and disclosed to the eyes of the king the whole Austrian 
 army drawn up in line of battle — left and centre behind 
 the almost impassable Morell brook, right extending 
 through Lobositz to Welhoten. Lobositz was strongly 
 occupied by infantry, with redoubts and many guns. It 
 was also evident that Browne was moving more infantry 
 through Lobositz on Frederick's left flank. There was one 
 great defect in Browne's position — though his left and 
 centre were protected by the Morell brook, they were 
 hindered by it from advancing. The advantage to Frede- 
 rick was the same as that to Marlborough at Ramillies, 
 and he used it in the same manner as the English general. 
 The Prussian cavalry having been repulsed in a second 
 charge retired, and the king, instead of swinging round 
 his right as he had intended, decided to neglect the Austrian 
 
BATTLE OF LOBOSITZ. 129 
 
 ma. 
 
 left wing and concentrate his whole power in an attack on 
 Lobositz. In this movement the battalions became crowded, 
 a fact which gave rise to the belief that the infantry were 
 formed in three lines. Browne made a strong frontal 
 attack on the Lobosch hill, outflanking it also from Wel- 
 hoten. The king extended his left to meet this movement. 
 The Austrians were repulsed and driven down upon Lobo- 
 sitz, some of the troops from Welhoten being even thrust 
 into the Elbe. The Austrians fought gallantly. So severe 
 was the struggle that the Prussian infantry expended the 
 whole of their ammunition, ninety rounds per man, and 
 then, coming to a deadly wrestle with the bayonet and the 
 butt, thrust the enemy through Lobositz, occupied it, and 
 began to push forward in pursuit. Browne had attempted, 
 once or twice, flank attacks with his left, which crossed the 
 brook higher up to attack Lobositz, but every such move- 
 ment was repulsed by the great Prussian battery. Now 
 that things had gone wrong on the right, Browne drew in 
 his left, and by it checked the Prussian pursuit, so that his 
 army succeeded in disengaging itself and retiring in good 
 order about a couple of miles from the battle-field. 
 
 It was not the king's wish that Browne should remain 
 there, and he accordingly detached the Duke of Bevern 
 with a strong force to Tschirskowitz, with orders to threaten 
 Browne's communications, who, fearing the loss of his 
 supplies at Budin, fell back to that place. 
 ^Both sides claimed the victory, the Austrians because 
 they had repulsed the early cavalry attack, the Prussians, 
 more justly, because they had foiled Browne's intentions, 
 prevented his advance into the mountains, and caused him 
 to fall back from the battle-field._l Each side had lost 3,000 
 men, the Prussians having suffered slightly more than the 
 Austrians, 
 
130 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 . Oct. 17:8, 
 
 I Th e battle of Lobositz was the knell of the Saxon army. 
 One more attempt was indeed made by Browne. Under 
 urgent commands from YiennaSvhe crossed the Elbe" further 
 up, and moved by a circuitous route through Bohm-Leip'a, 
 Kamnitz, Kumburg, and Schluckenau, then to Lichtenhayn 
 near Schandau. He communicated to the Saxons a plan 
 by which, under cover of fire from the Konigstein, they 
 should throw a bridge across the Elbe and attack the 
 Prussian blockading posts in front, while he himself would 
 act upon their rear. It is doubtful whether this plan 
 would have succeeded under any circumstances. Its failure 
 was certain when the Saxons bungled their bridge-making, 
 and were two days late in giving the signal which Browne 
 expected. On the 14th of October the two signal guns 
 were fired from the Konigstein, but Browne was already 
 in retreat and out of hearing. The Saxon attack com- 
 pletely failed, and the army, hungering and soaked by 
 several days' rain, had to capitulate. \ Frederick with cool 
 cynicism incorporated the whole force in his own army — 
 an extraordinary step which turned out the reverse of 
 useful to his arms. J The Elector of Saxony was allowed to 
 retire to hisToIish court, and Frederick wintered at 
 Dresden, taking the administration of the electorate into 
 his own hands. Schwerin's army fell back on Silesia, and 
 was cantoned on the frontier of Bohemia. That of the king 
 remained in Saxony, forming a cordon from Eger to Pirna, 
 thence extending through Lusatia to the river Queiss. 
 
 The inception and conduct of this campaign have been 
 much criticised. Lloyd is astonished that Frederick did 
 not commence operations at the end of 1755 or beginning 
 of 1756, since he knew then as much as afterwards of the 
 combination against him. The English author approves of 
 his invasion of Saxony, but thinks that he ought only 
 
CRITICISMS ON THE CAMPAIGN, 131 
 
 1756. 
 
 to have observed the Saxon army when it retired to 
 Pirna. He should then have pushed on to Bohemia, and, 
 if possible, Vienna. Tempelhof defends the measures 
 which were taken, and Jomini, summing up their argu- 
 ments, is of opinion that the invasion of Saxony was a 
 mistake, as its tendency was to irritate those who would 
 otherwise have remained neutral. According to this 
 writer Frederick should have avoided Saxony, penetrated 
 into Moravia, and marched by Olmiitz on Vienna. 
 
 This last opinion seems just, but it fails to take into 
 consideration that armies were in those days supplied 
 by huge trains of waggons, that the art of making war 
 feed itself had not then been invented, and, above all, 
 that a Russian army was cantoned on the Prussian frontier 
 ready, as might be supposed, to take the field if Frederick's 
 army were once removed far away from Berlin. 
 
 The truth seems to be that the king always hoped to 
 stave off the great crisis, and waited on events. I^ sc 
 doing he yielded to a common human weakness. rAs__a 
 man, leaving home dry-shod on a wet day, picks his foot- 
 steps for a while, but by degrees forgets his caution and 
 plods straight through mire and pools, so Frederick 
 hesitated to plunge at first into the sea of his enemies, 
 husbanded the strength of his army, and only became bold 
 to recklessness when war and danger of annihilation had 
 become familiar to him. He was not, like Napoleon, a 
 warlike adventurer, but a king who loved peace^ \ 
 
 E "Z 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1767. BATTLE AND SIEGE OF PRAGUE. 
 
 A.D. 1757. 
 
 17j7. 
 
 The forcible absorption of the Saxon army into that of 
 Prussia startled all the courts of Europe. It was a new 
 thing unrecognised by international law. Frederick was 
 adjudged a monster, who should be put down by all possible 
 means. From our point of view the act was both a crime 
 and a blunder ; a crime against the Saxon soldiers whom 
 the king had no right to take, and who were thus placed in 
 a position to fight against their own countrymen ; a blunder 
 because the men so seized and incorporated gave a great 
 deal of trouble, and were always untrustworthy. It does 
 not however follow that we need sympathise with the self- 
 elected executioners, whose own interests now urged them 
 on rather than any virtuous wish to protect the liberties of 
 nations. 
 
 The combination against Frederick was one to appal the 
 stoutest heart. His own country numbered about 5,000,000 
 of population ; its revenue was rather less than £2,000,000 
 sterling. He had a hoarded treasure for war purposes, the 
 amount of which is not exactly known. This treasure pre- 
 pared for first expenditure in case of war is a regular 
 
BA TTLE OF PR A G UE. 1S3 
 
 1757. 
 
 Prussian institution which continues in our own time, and 
 enables the army to commence a campaign without fresh 
 supplies granted by Parliament. Frederick's army had 
 been increased during the winter so that it now numbered 
 150,000 men for the field, besides a home defensive force 
 partly in garrisons of about 40,000. His allies the English 
 had in their pay a composite " Britannic army of observa- 
 tion " in Hanover. It was about 50,000 strong, and con- 
 sisted of the Hanoverians and Hessians who had been 
 brought to England when invasion was threatened, and 
 other Hanoverians, Brunswickers, and va,rious men from 
 North Germany. About the middle of April the Duke 
 of Cumberland was sent from England to command this 
 force. He was a brave man but an incapable general, and 
 as Frederick's advice was not taken with regard to the 
 strategy of the Duke's army the force had little influence 
 on the campaign. But, including it, the whole strength 
 of .himself and his allies amounted to about 240,000 
 men. 
 
 - XAgainst him and his small nation were arrayed France, 
 Austria, Hungary, presently Sweden, and, in the background, 
 E-ussia. Of troops actually in the field with intent to crush him 
 there were altogether 430,000 coming from four different 
 quarters. The French under Marshal _d'Estrees, numbering 
 about 110,000, crossed the German border near Cleves and 
 Cologne, with the intention of marching chiefly upon Prussia. 
 Another force under Soubise, 30,000 strong, was to rein- 
 force the Keichs armament as soon as it was ready. The 
 Austrians under Marshal Browne were divided into four 
 corps ; one under the Duke of Ahremberg was at Eger, the 
 second under Browne himself was at Budin, the third under 
 Count Konigseck was at Beichenberg, and the fourth in 
 Moravia under Count Serbelloni who was afterwaids 
 
134 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 18th April-2nd May 1757. 
 
 succeeded by General Daun. The Kussians with 100,000 
 and the Swedes with 17,000 still hung back. 
 
 Clearly^ would be dangerous for the king to wait until 
 his enemies attacked him ; like all great generals he pre- 
 ferred to take the initiative, and directed his armies to 
 march upon Prague. About the end of April the Duke of 
 Bevern from Lusatia^ the king himself over the Metal 
 Mountains, and Schwerin from Silesia made an almost 
 simultaneous rush upon Prague. The king's column, 
 45,000 foot, 15,000 horse, was at first divided into two, but 
 united south of the mountains. Bevern had 18,000 foot 
 and 5,000 horse, Schwerin had 32,000 foot and 12,000 
 horse. He had the furthest to go, and started on the 18th 
 of April, uniting with Bevern on the 24th, who in the 
 meantime had beaten Kbnigseck at Reichenberg on the 
 21st, assaulting the Austrian general in a strong position, 
 though the Prussians were inferior in force. The king's 
 column had in crossing the Eger an affair with D' Ahremberg 
 whom Frederick tried to cut off ; but, as a main result, 
 the Austrian forces made good their retreat upon and 
 through Prague, outside which town the king arrived on 
 the 2nd May, Schwerin and Bevern not yet being up. 
 (^It was perhaps fortunate for Frederick that at this 
 moment Marshal Browne was superseded in comma,nd by 
 Prince Charles who had j ust arrived, and was not, as we know, 
 a brilliant general. ^3^® Austrians had a chance given 
 them for attacking JFrederick with greatly superior forces 
 before Schwerin and Bevern could unite with him. It is 
 said that a violent altercation took place between Prince 
 Charles and Browne, but that in the end the prince decided 
 to wait for the incoming of Kbnigseck before undertaking 
 any operations. ? His army lay on the Ziscaberg and 
 kept possession of the city. 
 
BATTLE OF PRAGUE. 135 
 
 5th 6th May 1757. 
 
 The first difficulty was to effect a junction with Schwerin, 
 who was a day or two later than the time appointed. 
 Schwerin had fortunately captured an Austrian magazine 
 at Jung-Bunzlau, and was safely across the Elbe. On the 
 5th the king found a good crossing place at Seltz, north of 
 the city, and put together his pontoons there. He left a 
 force of 30,000 under Keith and Weissenberg and crossed 
 with the rest of the force the same day, coming in contact 
 with Schwerin' s advance party the same evening. He 
 appointed a meeting with the marshal near Prossik village 
 at 6 A.M. next morning. 
 
 The student of war who would grasp the method of 
 Frederick with its strength and its weakness, and appreciate 
 the character of the man with its influence on his work, 
 should study attentively, map on table, the battle of 
 Prague and that of Kolin, which followed it at no long 
 interval. He will mark the effect of Austrian slowness, and 
 the grievous error of trusting to the defensive absolute in 
 war. And if he will bear in mind the changes which have 
 taken place in modern times, the development of artillery 
 and small arms, he will recognise that, while the great 
 principles of tactics remain the same for all time, their 
 application must vary with the weapons used and with the 
 style of manoeuvre, which must change as the cannon and 
 the rifle change. In its main principles the battle of Prague 
 was not unlike that of Gravelotte; but how different were 
 the details ! 
 
 On the morning of the 6th of May, 1757, the Austrian 
 army was encamped on the Ziscaberg facing north. Its 
 left rested on the height which towers above the city, and 
 drops down sharply some five or six hundred feet. Its 
 right extended to Kyge, and was strengthened by a 
 pond and boggy bottom; for the Ziscaberg, sloping east- 
 
136 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1757. 
 
 ward, combines with other neighbouring hills to shed there 
 the waters which fall on the highlands. A poor brook 
 marks the lowest contour, but fails to drain the swamp, 
 though it fills a chain of ponds partly artificial. Modern 
 drainage has dried the ponds and hardened the swamp. In 
 1757 it was all an oozy quagmire. On the 6 th of May the 
 sluices of the ponds near Sterbohol had lately been opened, 
 and the muddy bottom sown with weeds, intended for carp 
 food so soon as water and fish should be returned to their 
 places. Already the growth was of a vivid green, which would 
 naturally deceive a schoolboy but not an experienced staff- 
 officer of modern times. To-day there is not a staff in 
 Europe which does not possess accurate maps of all such 
 important positions as Prague. In Frederick's time the 
 king and his generals seem to have been equally ignorant 
 of the ground on which they were to fight a battle of vital 
 importance to Prussia. 
 
 Frederick, Winterfeld his adjutant-general, and Schwerin, 
 rode in front of the Austrian position to reconnoitre, and 
 came to the conclusion that its front was unassailable, and 
 the flank at Kyge difficult, because there pools and bogs 
 were defended by batteries. Yet it was possible ; and 
 Schwerin, riding on, reported that further round the 
 Austrian flank the ground was more favourable, for he saw 
 there rich green meadows instead of fish ponds. The 
 meadows were the carp food growing in soft mud kneedeep, 
 and even waistdeep in places. The king decided to attack 
 this* flank. But when? Here arose a hot discussion. The 
 old marshal, Schwerin, prayed for a day's delay. His men 
 had been marching nearly all night and were fatigued. 
 The fiery king despised delay and fatigue. " Do you, then, 
 wish to wait till, perhaps, Daun arrives with a reinforce- 
 ment of thirty thousand men for the enemy % " The debate 
 
BATTLE OF PRAGUE. 137 
 
 1757. 
 
 waxed hot, and old Schwerin finally rode off in a temper 
 to commit any rasli action, and determined that no reproach 
 of hanging back should ever be levelled at him or his men 
 for their deeds on this day. 
 
 The Prussian army was thrown into its usual two lines, 
 and set in motion to its left flank, marching with automatic 
 regularity, the pace and distance being kept with a perfec- 
 tion possible to the Prussians alone of all Europe at that 
 time. The Austrian artillery fired some rounds at them, 
 especially as they passed near and through Podschernitz. ' 
 Not a shot told. The distance was too great for the 
 artillery of that day, though easily within range of modern 
 field guns, and the faulty position of the batteries on too 
 elevated ground caused the shot to fall with sullen thud in 
 the soft ground instead of bounding. Clearly the Austrians 
 should have pushed their heavy batteries more in advance, 
 and been ready to support, by a heavy infantry attack, the 
 effect produced by the guns. But they clung to the defen- 
 sive, though Prince Charles, by Browne's advice, brought the 
 cavalry of the left to support the right. The right wing 
 was also thrown back en potence, and extended a little, so 
 that the right of the army no longer rested on Kyge, but 
 was about Sterbohol, supported by a battery on the 
 Homolyberg. The cavalry were massed still further on 
 the right. By half-past nine o* clock the Prussian van- 
 guard was beginning to wheel up for attack, and the 
 Austrians were hurriedly arriving in their new position to 
 receive it. 
 
 Fierce old Schwerin, smarting under the stinging words 
 of his master, had led his troops so swiftly forward that not 
 only were all the slowly toiling twelve-pounder guns left 
 behind, but even the greater part of the regimental guns, 
 three-pounders. Decker, who has made the work of the 
 
138 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 nil. 
 artillery in this war his special study, says that Schwerin 
 had no guns up with him. Other authorities say only a 
 few three-pounders. Certainly he was unable to prepare 
 the way with artillery. Winterf eld was the first to attack 
 with the head of the force, and rushed into Sterbohol before 
 the arrival of the Austrians, but was met as he advanced by 
 a storm of case shot from the Homoly battery. His ranks 
 were torn to pieces, and recoiled. He himself fell, grievously 
 wounded, but managed to crawl back to Schwerin, the 
 Austrian grenadiers standing eighty yards off, awe-stricken, 
 and without heart to pursue. Then the veteran Schwerin, 
 with the fire of youth in his hoary head under its snows of 
 seventy-three years, led on his men towards those rich, 
 green carp pastures. Down went the soldiers, some labour- 
 ing forward knee deep, some held fast sunk to the waist, 
 all under deadly fire from the battery and from the 
 Austrian grenadiers safe on the far side. The trim lines 
 were perforce broken. Some struggled through, some 
 filed on narrow causeways; Schwerin himself, seizing a 
 colour, rode along a dam, crying, ** HeraUy meine Kinder " 
 (This way, my children). Five grape shot struck him at 
 once, and he sank dead — his grief, his rage assuaged to- 
 gether, the light of battle for ever gone from his eyes. 
 His adjutant, Von Platen, seized the flag, but fell instantly 
 like his chief. Yet the Prussians pushed on — the Austrian 
 grenadiers resisting foot by foot — far better than of yore. 
 Fresh troops came up on both sides, and were hurried into 
 the fight. Even the Austrian cavalry joined in the turmoil, 
 till Ziethen found a way round by Michelup and struck the 
 Austrian horsemen, dashing them back, and driving them, 
 as ordered, far from the battle-field, (^arshal Browne was 
 the soul of the defence in this struggle till his foot was 
 smashed by cannon ball, and he was carried from the field. 1 
 
BATTLE OF PRAGUE. 139 
 
 1757. 
 
 Prince Charles had tried to rally the horse till h6 was taken 
 with a spasm of the heart, breast-pang or what not, and 
 incapacitated for the time. By about half-past one the 
 Prussians were victorious, and the Austrian right wing 
 was tumbling back on the centre, for this is one of the 
 faults of the formation en potence. 
 
 Meanwhile, towards the centre, another episode had 
 occurred contrary to, or at least without the king's 
 orders. Another fault of the formation en potence is 
 that, if either wing moves forward or wheels up ever 
 so little, a gap is made in the line. This happened in the 
 struggle on the right. The right wing brought up its left 
 flank, and presented a gaping hole which no soldier could 
 see without longing to push into it. The soul of General 
 Mannstein — one of Frederick's acquirements from Russia — 
 was over-mastered by this craving, and, without leave asked, 
 he dashed at the opening, he too through mud and grape 
 shot. Prince Henry and Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick 
 supported him, not, it is whispered, without a secret under- 
 standing. Prince Henry, seeing his men filing slowly 
 along an embankment, cried, " This way, lads," and threw 
 himself boldly into the mire through which, heavy wading 
 as it needed, they passed more quickly than in file on the 
 causeway. The gap was gained, the battery captured, and 
 though the king scolded Mannstein afterwards, there is no 
 doubt that his volunteer exploit greatly helped the defeat 
 of the right wing, a large part of which, 16,000 strong, was 
 cut off from the main Austrian army and followed the 
 cavalry up the river. Where, then, was Ziethen with his 
 hussars to charge these fugitives 1 Alas, an enemy stronger 
 than Austrian horse, the great foe of all soldiers of the 
 stern north had seized them. Arrived at Nussel in pursuit 
 of the flying Austrians, they had found there plunder and 
 
140 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1757. 
 
 drink. ** Your Majesty, I cannot rank a hundred of them 
 sober," said their commander, with face of shame. 
 
 Prince Moritz, who with the right wing of Keith's force 
 on the Weissenberg, had been ordered to cross the Elbe at 
 Branik — up stream — had failed to do so for lack of sufficient 
 pontoons. It is said that only three more were wanting, 
 but the lack of those three was enough to hinder the move- 
 ment. Thus 16,000 of the best Austrian troops escaped to 
 strengthen Daun. The rest were hurled back into Prague, 
 nor could all the efforts of Prince Charles get them out of 
 the city, though he tried several points of exit. ^The victory 
 was great. Perhaps it might have been greater if Frede- 
 rick had waited one day more to refresh the troops as 
 Schwerin had advised ; for then the Prussians might possibly 
 have entM-ed Prague and destroyed the Austrian army. 
 Perhaps ! j But who can say with certainty that what 
 might have been would have been? The result of the 
 day was that a superior Austrian army was, like those of 
 Mack at Ulm and Bazaine at Metz, shut up in a city from 
 which it could not issue, and that by an army inferior in 
 number. The original plan of campaign had named the 
 6th May for the defeat of the Austrians, and if Schwerin 
 were a day late, the fiat of Jove must stand none the less. 
 It is true that Daun was near — within three marches — but 
 on this and other occasions was abundantly shown a certain 
 rugged obstinacy — shall we say pig-headedness ? — of Frede- 
 rick. He was a great man and a great soldier. Why 
 pretend that he was free from human faults 1 
 
 The Prussian losses in the battle are variously estimated. 
 Frederick himself gives 18,000; Carlyle, 12,500; Jomini, 
 13,700 ; and so on. Probably Carlyle is more nearly right 
 than the others. Frederick says that the Austrians lost 
 24,000 ; Carlyle, who has diligently ransacked his much- 
 
LESSON OF PRAGUE. 141 
 
 1757. 
 
 maligned " Dryasdust " records, put their loss at 13,000 
 only. We have seen that the battle, though bloody at 
 points, was only partial, a great part of the forces on either 
 side not being engaged, and Prague being handy for shelter 
 to the Austrians. 
 
 rTThe one great lesson — and it is of mtal importance to 
 Enjglishmen — which we may draw from, this battle is, that an 
 army immovably fixed in one position which has extremities 
 not resting on impassable barriers may always be attacked 
 and defeated on one of those extremities. Only by offensive 
 manoeuvres is success possible, i The enem,y must be beaten, 
 not merely repulsed. The idea, too prevalent in this country, 
 that England could be successfully defended by unskilled 
 militia and volunteers taking up a series of positions is a vain 
 imagination, natural to minds bent upon bricks and m,ortar, hut 
 rejected by all Tnasters of strategy and tactics. And the same 
 rule applies to the defence of other countries, such as TurTceyTl 
 
CHAPTEll XII. 
 CAMPAIGN OP 1757 {continued). — battle of kolin. — siege 
 
 OF PRAGUE RAISED. 
 
 A.D. 1757. 
 
 1757. 
 
 The Austrian army now caged in Prague numbered 
 46,000 men, and Frederick hoped to make them yield 
 quickly, while their spirits were still depressed by their 
 defeat. He sent the Duke of Brunswick Bevern, with 
 20,000 to watch Daun, who had about double that strength. 
 Colonel Mayer, a clever leader of " Free Corps," was beat- 
 ing up the quarters of the Reich, captured a great magazine 
 in the Upper Palatinate, and laid the rich towns under 
 contribution, though he had only some 1,300 foot soldiers 
 and 200 horse with five guns. The Free Corps were 
 Frederick's answer to the Hungarian and Croat irregulars. 
 Recruited from all parts, deserters from other armies, and 
 volunteers attracted by the fame of the great king, they 
 were kept under strict discipline and well commanded. 
 Some plunder was permitted them, but no cruelty. Poor 
 Wilhelmina, always watching her brother's exploits 
 and dangers with passionate rejoicing or tears of 
 terror and mortification, decorated Colonel Mayer with 
 her " Order of Sincerity and Fidelity " when he passed 
 
SIEGE OF PRAGUE. 143 
 
 5th Aprn-29th May 1757. 
 
 Baireuth. She could do little for the companion of her 
 childhood but sympathise and honour his servants, and this 
 she did with unvarying love and truth. Would that space 
 permitted quotations from her letters, which tell in every 
 line womanly devotion, and wrath that she is helpless to 
 protect. 
 
 Weeks rolled on, and the Prussians still sat before the 
 city. The provisions held out, and bombardment was of 
 no effect. Browne was dying of his wound, and no 
 Austrian General was found to risk a grand sally from 
 the place. Daun, with the Fabian policy natural to his 
 character, held back and watched events. In Hanover, the 
 Duke of Cumberland, though incompetent, stood with his 
 50,000 to 60,000, awaiting French attack, which came not. 
 The battle of Prague had scared Austria's allies. England 
 
 s in her usual state of indecision, and, for the time, the 
 panic-mongers had the best ear of the country. Pitt, after 
 four months' office, had been dismissed by the King of 
 England himself on the 5th April, two days before the 
 Boyal Highness of Cumberland sailed to take command in 
 Hanover. Feebleness prevailed in America, where Lord 
 Loudon commanded. A blow was necessary for Frederick's 
 interests. Still Prague would not" "fall'. VThe- garrison 
 offered indeed to give up the city, on condition of free 
 withdrawal, but this was the least to be desired of all issues 
 for the Prussian cause. Sallies were made, the heaviest 
 with 10,000 men, but beaten back. On the 29th May a great 
 storm broke the Prussian bridges, and thus cut the army in 
 two. Fearing that the enemy would take advantage of the 
 chance, the king ordered a bombardment of the city. For 
 six hours after the storm the air rained red-hot shot and 
 55hell. The town was fired in several places, houses fell 
 with sudden crash, and above all the infernal din rose the 
 
144 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 12th 18th June 1757. 
 
 " Weh-Elagen " (cry of woe) of the miserable townsfolk, 
 9,000 of whom perished in this siege. That cry would 
 seem to have penetrated to Vienna, for, shortly afterwards, 
 strict orders were sent to Daun to attempt the relief of the 
 city. ' ' , 
 
 '^Daun's army had been reinforced to a strength of 
 60,000, partly by the fugitives from the late battle, and 
 the garrison of Prague was now 40,000 strong — total, 
 100,000. The Prussians were in all about two-thirds that 
 number. On the 12 th June Daun sent messengers to 
 Prague, promising to attack on the 20th, and asking the 
 garrison to sally out to his help. The king had wind of 
 the movement, and at once decided to meet the Austrian 
 general on his way. Taking 10,000 from the beleaguering 
 force, and ordering another 4,000 under Prince Moritz to 
 follow in two days, Frederick started to join Brunswick 
 Beverne on the 13th, and found him at Kaurzim, thirty-five 
 miles from Prague, the same evening. Unknown to the 
 Prussians, Daun lay only three miles off that night. Of 
 course Daun, veiled by clouds of irregulars, sat down and 
 fortified. Equally of course, Frederick decided to attack 
 him, but first must wait for his 4,000 men from Prague, 
 and for that plague of armies in those days, baked bread 
 from distant ovens. Manoeuvres of little interest ensued 
 till, on the 18th June, the king's army, marching in two 
 columns along the Kolin highway and to north of it, caught 
 sight of the Austrians drawn up in a defensive position 
 near Kolin and facing north. Daun was 60,000 strong ; 
 Frederick about 34,000, of which nearly 18,000 were 
 cavalry. The Austrians had about 180 guns, the Prussians 
 about 100. 
 
 The Austrian position will be understood by a glance at 
 the map. It is only necessary to say that the hills are 
 
BATTLE OF KOLIN. 145 
 
 18th June 1757. 
 
 not high, the slopes are gentle/ and the brooks, though 
 small, have cut for themselves during the ages deep 
 channels with swampy bottoms. Daun's left wing, thrown 
 back en potence, was well protected by the ground ; the 
 centre was in the open, but had several small villages in 
 front of it strengthened by the military art, sown with 
 guns in battery, and protected in front by Croat sharp- 
 shooters in the standing corn. The right flank rested on 
 the brook which flows into Kolin, and had the village of 
 Kreczor^ for its advanced post. Half a mile behind the 
 village was an oak wood. Nadasti, with the cavalry, was 
 on a hill to the right front of Kreczor. The position was 
 better than usual, because Daun had apparently been 
 unable to find that false refuge of timid generals, an 
 impassable obstacle running all along the front. The 
 Austrian army was about five miles long from flank to 
 flank, and formed in two lines, with a reserve in rear 
 of the centre. 
 
 Frederick, reconnoitring, decided to repeat the movement 
 which had succeeded at the battle of Prague. Rightly 
 judging that Daun would maintain his defensive attitude, 
 the king once more made his dispositions for attack in 
 oblique order. The whole army, thrown into two columns 
 to the left, marched close to the Kolin road. Ziethen led 
 with nearly 10,000 cavalry, his orders being to get rid of 
 Nadasti, and, after passing Radowesnitz, to sweep round on 
 the favourable ground and deliver a decisive blow on the 
 right rear of the Austrians, who, the king rightly judged, 
 would be inert for all manceuvring purposes as an ox 
 before a butcher. Hlilsen followed with the vanguard of 
 the infantry. He was to wheel up to the right and attack 
 
 ^ Actually Krzeczhorz, too dimly suggestive of any possible pro- 
 nunciation. 
 
146 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 18th June 1757. 
 
 Kreczor, supported by the fresh troops ever arriving. 
 Thus the infantry would begin the pressure on the Aus- 
 trian right, which would be accelerated by more infantry, 
 and converted by the cavalry attack into a crushing blow. 
 
 But the success of this manoeuvre, as of all which depend 
 upon the oblique order, demanded that the columns should 
 indeed march on, unchecked, and accumulate their numbers 
 on the decisive point. Otherwise there were no obedience 
 to the master law of all tactics, the rule to bring superior 
 forces of your own army against inferior forces of the enemy 
 at the right time and place. 
 
 The movement of the Prussian army was easily perceived 
 by Daun. It was plain that his right flank was menaced, 
 and he hastened to strengthen it by placing a battery of 
 eighteen guns from the reserve on the left of Kreczor, and 
 throwing four battalions of the line into the oak wood to 
 support an unknown number of Croats already there, 
 Hiilsen, advancing in due time to the attack of Kreczor, 
 was received by the fire of the 18 -gun battery, suffered 
 heavy losses, and was checked. The king pushed on three 
 battalions of grenadiers rapidly to his aid. They suffered 
 from the artillery fire in coming up, and Hiilsen, finding 
 that nothing could be done in face of those guns, wisely 
 overwhelmed the battery with eight battalions, and carried it. 
 The village of Kreczor also fell into his hands, and with it 
 seven out of the eight battalion guns then present with 
 the infantry.* Ziethen, who had already chased Nadasti 
 from the field, endeavoured to wheel round the oak wood, 
 
 ^ Carlyle speaks of two batteries, but it may be said once for all 
 that he paid very little attention to the doings of artillery in Frederick's 
 battles. The Prussian artillery was generally inferior and badly handled, 
 and the work of that arm is slurred over in most Prussian accounts. 
 Not till later did Frederick learn the value and the use of field 
 artniery. 
 
BATTLE OF KOLIN. 147 
 
 18th June 1757. 
 
 but was taken in flank by the battalion guns posted there, 
 and could by no means either pass the wood or drive the 
 enemy out of it. Again and again he led his cavalry 
 forward, but was always repulsed. He had no guns to 
 reply with, for horse artillery was not yet invented ; and 
 Hulsen, who had only four guns at the front, had been 
 obliged to send his chief force — eight battalions — to capture 
 the 18-gun battery ; so that he had only two grenadier 
 battalions available to attack the wood, which now contained 
 four Austrian battalions besides Croats. 
 
 Here then were the advanced guard of the army and 
 10,000 cavalry, constituting between them about half the 
 force, checked, after early victory, for lack of a few guns. 
 And, as time is of the essence of success in the oblique 
 order, the battle was already in danger of being lost. 
 Hulsen looked to be speedily reinforced, but no help came. 
 For hours he struggled and Ziethen struggled to carry the 
 oak wood, always expecting help. None ever came. 
 
 The chances of war are often so closely balanced, while 
 such great results hang upon them, that men come to 
 ascribe to blind "Fate," or "Luck," apparent accidents 
 which are in truth due to human imperfection. Two such 
 events occurred on this day. The first of them has ahvays 
 been well known. Hot Mannstein, whose breach of arrange- 
 ments had succeeded so well during the battle of Prague, 
 felt, like the leaders who preceded him in the march, the 
 irritating fire of the Croats in the corn. But, unlike his 
 predecessors, he forgot how much depended on strict 
 accuracy of march to support the advance, and that every 
 regiment was ordered to govern its movements by the one 
 in front of it. Fiery Mannstein could not bear the insult 
 of Croats treading on his skirts, and shouted to his men, 
 " Clear away those Croats." The regiment turned to its 
 
 L 2 
 
148 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 16th June 1757. 
 
 right and drove away the sharpshooters, who, retreating on 
 reinforcements, led Mannstein clean away from his duty, 
 and, as it seemed to the regiments behind, into an advance 
 against the front of the Austrian army. All the rear of 
 Frederick's force followed the evil example, thinking that 
 a new order had come ; and thus, while Hulsen was strug- 
 ling and praying for reinforcements, a large portion of the 
 infantry broke off from the column and attacked on their 
 own account in another part of the field. The army, already 
 too small, split itself into parts, each of which was of no 
 help to the other. 
 
 But Mannstein was not immediately behind HUlsen. 
 The troops of Prince Moritz came between. How was it 
 that Hulsen was not supported even by these % For this 
 Frederick was in fault, led away by that imperious temper 
 which flamed into maddening wrath under contradiction. 
 Seeing that Hulsen was in the way of success, and that he 
 had taken the 18-gun battery, the king rode down to 
 Moritz and ordered him to wheel up to the right. He 
 probably meant half right, which would have put the force 
 in echelon and on a short cut to Kreczor. Moritz under- 
 stood the king to mean a direct wheel up to the right, 
 which would bring the column into line, right in front of the 
 Austrian heavy batteries and strong forces of infantry. 
 Moritz protested, but the son of the king who wielded the 
 rattan blazed into fiery heat, and, flashing out his sword 
 from its scabbard, thundered forth, "Will you obey 
 orders?" Moritz gloomily gave the order, and started 
 on a course which would lead him far away from Hiilsen. 
 Frederick returned to the height whence he was watching 
 the battle, and presently saw that Moritz was wandering 
 away from the point intended. He instantly sent the order, 
 *' Half left." Moritz, gloomy in spirit, obeyed exactly, as 
 
BATTLE OF KOLIN. 149 
 
 18th June 1757. 
 
 on the drill-ground, and the half left, coming then too late, 
 did not take him to Hiilsen's help, but short of him, to a 
 point in front of the Austrian army quite separate from 
 either of the other attacks. Thus then the projected con- 
 centrated attack on the Austrian right had fallen into one 
 attack on the right, checked for want of guns, and two 
 isolated attacks on the enemy's front, with an inferior 
 force and against well-posted heavy batteries, as well as 
 numerous infantry. The Prussian troops fought splen- 
 didly, but no daring of the men could atone for the bad 
 "luck" or bad temper which had thrown the advantages 
 away. Yet, Frederick being what he was, and Daun 
 oppressed by dread of him, the fate of the battle once 
 more hung on the turn of a hair. While the king was in 
 the thick of the fight, striving, urging, commanding, Daun 
 began to calculate what would become of his army if it 
 were driven down the Kamhayek heights into the swampy 
 ground at the bottom, and, from calculation, came to order- 
 ing a retreat in another direction, to Suchdol. Some of 
 the troops were actually retiring in obedience to the order, 
 when an -aide-de-camp failed to find General Nostitz, who 
 commanded the Saxon horse — a remnant saved from the 
 Pirna catastrophe by absence at Warsaw. Colonel Ben- 
 kendorf offered to take the order to Nostitz, but, peeping 
 into it on the way, thought to have one good stroke first. 
 He persuaded Nostitz to the same opinion, and together 
 they assembled horse and foot and led them against Hiilsen. 
 There was a furious melee, a struggle body to body, and at 
 last the wearied Prussians were driven back down hill. 
 Both the other attacks had been torn to pieces by the fire 
 of the Austrian batteries, and Hiilsen's retreat was signal 
 enough. The whole line fell back, wrestling still for a 
 time, and the battle of Kolin was at an end. A feeble 
 
150 FREDERICK TEE GREAT. 
 
 lStli-19th Tune 1757. 
 attempt on Daun's part to pursue with cavalry from the 
 left was checked by the steadiness of Mannstein's infantry, 
 which during the whole affair lost half its strength ; but 
 the Austrian general dared not move a single regiment of 
 infantry from the defensive position, though he had nearly 
 twice the Prussian power. The Prussian cavalry was 
 allowed to stand quiet on the field till ten at night, and, 
 after keeping his army all night under arms, Daun retired 
 next day to his old camp, though he could see the Prussian 
 baggage in dire confusion behind Kaurzim and Planian, 
 with only one battalion to guard it. Thus are advantages 
 thrown away by the timid. 
 
 The Austrians had lost only 8,114 out of 60,000. The 
 Prussians 13,773 out of 34,000, all the wounded falling as 
 prisoners into the hands of the enemy, together with forty- 
 five guns and twenty-two flags* 
 
 rThe Prussian i ; retreat was on Nimburg, to cross the 
 Elbe there — a march of fifteen miles. Next morning, 
 Frederick saw gather round him the wreck of his 
 splendid infantry : Schwerin gone at Prague ; at least 
 26,000 men lost in two battles, the second of which snat<;hed 
 from before the king's eyes the fruit he had all but gathered 
 from the first. He sat moody, writing with a stick in the 
 sand. But when- he saw his own first battalion of Life 
 Guards pass him, every man known to him by name, and 
 could count but 400 left out of the 1,000 who went into battle 
 yesterday, his face grew wet with silent tears. Soon rouS' 
 ing himself y^ he despatched orders with regard to raising the 
 siege of Prague (the first order had been sent from the 
 battle field), and himself followed the messengers to head- 
 quarters there. The operation was conducted in a masterly 
 way, without any loss. Marshal Keith being the lastjj> 
 leave. The siege equipment was sent to Dresden.] 
 
DEATH OF THE QUEEN MOTHER, 151 
 
 26th.28th Jane 1757. 
 
 Frederick, witli the. Ziscaberg force, moved eastward to 
 Alt Lissa to lend a hand to the relics of the Kolin army 
 now at Nimburg. Keith moved by Budin to Leitmeritz, 
 where the rest of the Prague army joined him on 
 the 28th — the king with them — Prince Moritz, with the 
 Kolin army, halting at Alt Lissa as a rearguard to check 
 Daun, then moving to Jung Bunzlau. The slow Austrians, 
 Prince Karl and Daun, after much rejoicing in the Te Deum 
 way, concentrated on the Prague battle-field on the 26th, 
 having done nothing to hinder the difficult task of the 
 king, except with an irregular force under Loudon. 
 
 /!2r heavier loss than that of a battle to the king, fell at 
 this time on Frederick, the maa. On the 28th, the day of_ 
 the concentration with KeiOTJthe tender mother, Queen- 
 Mother as he had christened her, whose breast had been his 
 refuge from his childhood's woes, and in whose presence, 
 when king, he never stood but hat in hand, died at Berlin. 
 When the news reached him at Leitmeritz, he gave vent to 
 the keenness of his grief in frequent solitude. Fortunately, 
 Mitchell, an Englishman of heart, was there to tell of the 
 human suffering of him whom men called " Great," of the 
 tears he shed, and his recalling the goodness of his mother, 
 her sweetness to him, and her sufferings with and for him. 
 It was of this time that he said afterwards, (^I have 
 been unha^pier than others because I possessed greater 
 sensibility ►"'^ 
 
CHAPTER XIIL 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1757 {continued). — ill fortune pursues 
 
 FREDERICK. THE DISASTER OF THE PRINCE OF PRUSSIA AT 
 
 ZITTAU. THE KING MARCHES AGAINST THE DAUPHINESS' 
 
 ARMY, WHICH AVOIDS HIM. — RETREAT OF BEVERN. COR- 
 RESPONDENCE WITH WILHELMINA. RAID ON BERLIN. 
 
 RUSSIANS GO HOME. 
 
 June-Oct. 1757. 
 
 1757. 
 
 The battle of Prague had caused a lull in tlie proceedings 
 of the various allies, who waited to see " "What next ? " But 
 /the king's disaster at Kolin enlivened their spirits, and 
 lE^ prepared to inclose the Prussian army in a ring of 
 fire>N Even the Reich's army cheered up and arranged to 
 jointhe French for operations in North Germany. It was 
 commanded by the Prince of Hildburghausen, and had for 
 second in commaiid the Prince of Hesse Darmstadt, who 
 had lately been one of Frederick's generals, and had a post 
 under Keith when he lay on the Weissenberg. Tho 
 Reich's army was for field purposes about 25,000 strong, 
 and was reinforced a little later by an Austrian force of 
 8,000— total 33,000 men. 
 
 (^The French king, urged by the strong will of the Pompa- 
 dour and the tears of the Dauphiness, drew from his suffer- 
 ing subjects the men and money to equip another army 
 
PRINCE OF PRUSSIA SUCCEEDS MORITZ. 153 
 
 8rd-9th July 1757. 
 
 under Soubise, about 30,000 strong. Its mission was to 
 unite with the Eeich's army, and reconquer Saxony. It 
 was called ** VArmee de la Dauphine." The French army 
 already in the field under D'Estr^es captured Embden on 
 the 3rd July, and, being about 60,000 strong after dropping 
 garrisons, with 10,000 more to be picked up on the way, 
 marched on the 9 th July against the Duke of Cumberland, 
 who retired before it. 
 
 [Even the Russians took heart of grace at last and crossed 
 the border on the 30th June, 37,000 of them to besiege 
 Memel, which was bombarded by land and sea, and fell on 
 the 5th July ; and 70,000 of them in the Tilsit country, 
 where Lehwald, .^Yfi^y weak in men, could not be expected 
 to stop them^(.The Swedes declared war and threatened 
 Pomerania with 17,000 men, but the,*g¥eatest and nearest 
 danger was, for the time, from the side of the Austrians, 
 who being now united^ Prince Charles and Daun together, 
 'wefe'nianoeuvring in the neighbourhood with 70,000 men. 
 Their intention was to avoid the king's force if possible, 
 and to attack the old Kolin army which was now under 
 command of August Wilhelm, Prince of Prussia, Frederick's 
 brother. This prince is chiefly known by his constant 
 attitude of opposition to the king, whose measures he 
 criticised with little reticence. The opposition of an heir 
 apparent is common and of slight detriment in political 
 life, perhaps even useful in countries without a parlia- 
 mentary government. But opposition in war, combined 
 with self-conceit, may be fatal ; and it is strange that 
 Frederick should supersede the well-tried Moritz for ask- 
 ing whether he had not better retreat on Silesia, and 
 should appoint in his place a brother who had shown 
 no military capacity, and was not quite loyal in supporting 
 the measures of the king. Frederick gave him as a coun- 
 
154 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 Ist.l4th July 1757. 
 
 seller the well-tried Winterfeld, and he had besides, 
 Ziethen, Schmettau (his own favourite), Fouquet, Ketzowp 
 and Goltz, all more or less jealous of Winterfeld — too 
 many counsellors for an indifferent general, 
 
 At^ the end of June the prince was in command at 
 Jung Buntzlau. On 1st July the Austrians crossed the 
 Elbe above Brandeis ; Nadasti, with clouds of cavalry and 
 light troops, being pushed close to the prince's army, who, 
 3rd July, retired to Neuschloss, a good position, and nearer 
 the king. Kadasti still pressing, the prince fell back, 7th 
 July, to Bohm-Leipa, further from the king's force at 
 Leitmeritz, but one march nearer his magazines, which were 
 at Zittau. , Gabel and other posts on the cross country 
 roads which led from Bohm-Leipa to Zittau were held by 
 detachments. On the same day the Austrian main army 
 arrived at Miinchengratz through Jung Buntzlau, and 
 afterwards moved slowly by Liebenau to Niemes, thus 
 working round the Prussian left flank. They arrived at 
 Niemes on the 14th, and on that day IsTadasti, who pre- 
 ceded them, attacked Gabel in the evening, defended by 
 General Puttkammer with 3,000 men, the escort of a re- 
 turn convoy on its way to Zittau. The cannon-thunder 
 was heard at Bohm-Leipa. The magazines at Zittau were 
 known to be in danger, and the prince called a council of 
 war, that refuge of the timid which " never fights." 
 
 Three courses suggested themselves. First, to retreat on 
 Leitmeritz, and brave the angry remonstrances of the king, 
 who had already found fault with the constant retirements 
 of the prince. Second, the boldest, to march on Gabel and 
 help Puttkammer, covering Zittau and the line of retreat 
 Once at Gabel, there was a good road to Zittau. Both 
 these measures demanded decision. The one might lead to 
 ^ For these manoeuvres see small map above Battle of Prague. 
 
BLUNDERS OF THE PRINCE. 155 
 
 16th-24th July 1757. 
 
 censure, the other to a battle. Winterfeld, exhausted by 
 his toils, was asleep and did not attend the council of war, 
 which, in his absence, decided on a third and the worst pos- 
 sible course. The decision was to march on Zittau by- 
 circuitous roads, by Kamnitz, Kreywitz, Rumburg, leaving 
 Gabel and the rest to their fate. To Gabel direct was only 
 jSfteen miles by country road, thence to Zittau another 
 fifteen on a high road. The route selected was between 
 twice and thrice as far, while the Austrian main body 
 would have high road all the way to Zittau. 
 
 The march began in the first morning hours of the 1 6th 
 July, and on the 22nd the prince, who, harassed by 
 light troops in the hills, lost his pontoons, most ot his 
 baggage and food supplies, arrived in sight of Zittau only 
 to dnd the Austrian army lying to northward of the place, 
 having seized the commanding position of the Eckartsberg. 
 He had to look down on a town cruelly bombarded by 
 Prince Charles, cruelly because it was not a fortress and 
 the bombardment was intended to burn the town, not to 
 destroy fortifications, and by no means could he enter 
 the place or draw stores from his magazine. A detach- 
 ment sent for that purpose next day returned, having 
 failed to procure more than a small quantity of food. £T)n i 
 the 24th the Prince of Prussia retired on Lobau, leaving ' 
 open the^wiy to either Saxony or Silesia, as Prince Charles 
 might choose.^ 
 
 This movement has been described to show how generals 
 should not make war, and with what difficulties a great com- 
 mander has to contend because he cannot infuse his own 
 spirit into his subordinates^TTd undo the past was impos- 
 sible, but Frederick, as soon as he heard of the ill-judged 
 march, started ; leaving Keith to bring on the magazines, 
 and Moritz of Dessau, with 10,000 men, to secure the passes 
 
156 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 26th July 1757. 
 
 about Pirna. He arrived at Bautzen on the 29th, would 
 not speak to his brother at first, and sent a message that 
 he and the generals who had advised him deserved a court- 
 martial. The prince asked permission to retire to Dresden, 
 which was accorded. He never commanded in the field 
 again, and died about a year afterwards, 12th June, 1758, 
 partly of chagrin. 
 
 Other bad news reached the king at this time. The 
 action known as the battle of Hastenbeck, fought between 
 the Duke of Cumberland and D'Estrees, was one of the 
 most absurd in history. The Duke, who had been gradually 
 retreating, at last took heart and posted himself 
 behind Hastenbeck on the 22nd July (the day when the 
 Prince of Prussia came in sight of the Austrians at Zittau), 
 with his right wing resting on a swamp near the Weser, 
 and his left on a wooded knoll. On the 26th D'Estrees 
 attacked, knowing only a portion of the duke's position. 
 He sent General Chevert against the duke's left on the 
 knoll, which was attacked in front with some success. 
 General Breitenbach, on the duke's side, was posted with a 
 small detachment in a hollow behind the knoll, and, re- 
 ceiving no orders, threw himself boldly against Chevert' s 
 flank, recovered a battery which had been captured, and 
 generally threw Chevert into confusion. With the least 
 support to Breitenbach the battle was the duke's, but that 
 commander was not at hand, and no one dared to act in his 
 absence. Indeed he thought that Breitenbach' s attack was 
 a fresh French onslaught, and accordingly ordered a retreat. 
 The Brunswick grenadiers who had fought so well wept 
 with rage, but obeyed. D'Estrees also ordered retreat 
 because of Breitenbach' s charge. So then the unauthorised 
 action of a small detachment caused both generals to order 
 retreat, only ^the duke's forces were the first to go. 
 
CONVENTION OF KLOSTER-ZEVEN 157 
 
 July 1757. 
 
 ^\Tfiey were directed to retire to Haiiover, but, as the bag- 
 gage happened to go to Minden by mistake, the whole army 
 followed. As there was no strategy in the case, it mattered 
 little which way the march turned. Only, Hanover might 
 in some sort be said to cover Berlin and lend a hand to 
 Frederick, while Minden covered nothing, and the duke, 
 once on his way, taught he might as well retire by Bremen 
 and Stade to the sea.\ D'Estrees had 72,000 men, the Duke 
 of Cumberland 4D,000, but, as neither made any use of the 
 bulk of his force, the comparative strength of the two armies 
 had nothing to do with success or failure. If the duke had 
 gone to sleep or fallen down in a fit, the battle would pro- 
 
 • bably have been a victory to him. The allies lost 3,500 
 men, the French 2,000. 
 
 The Due de Kichelieu was sent to supersede D'Estrees, 
 and the other Duke, of Cumberland, concluded with him 
 the Convention of Kloster-Zeven, by which the Anglo- 
 Hanoverian army was to break up and go home without 
 molestatio», the French engaging to make no more war in 
 those parts. The convention crowned the absurdity of the 
 battle, for, though the generals signed it, both govern- 
 ments, France first, refused to ratify it. The Duke of 
 Cumberland returned to England on the 5th October, to 
 hear his father say, " Here is my son, who has ruined me 
 and disgraced himself." But, three days after Hastenbeck, 
 29th July, Pitt came into power, and held it long enough 
 to make English campaigns the reverse of ruinous. Of this 
 more hereafter. 
 
 r The first weeks after the collapse of the Prince of 
 Prussia were spent by Frederick in striving to draw the 
 Austrians into a battle, but they clung to an unassailable 
 position on the Eckartsberg, and would not move, even 
 though the king divided his army and attacked Nadasti 
 
153 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 25tli Aug. -13th Sept 1757. 
 
 with a division to tempt them. At length, 25th August, 
 he marched with one division to see what could be done 
 against Soubise and the Reich's army, leaving Bevern and 
 Winterfeld to entertain the Austrians in his absence. At 
 Dresden he picked up Moritz, who had been in the Pirna 
 country, and his combined force now counted 23,000 men, 
 with whom to strike a blow against the Dauphiness' army, 
 which now lay 170 miles due east, about Got ha and Erfurt. 
 If the Convention of Kloster-Zeven were to hold good, the 
 D'Estrees army now under Kichelieu might join the Dau- 
 phiness' army, and between them meet Frederick with 
 150,000 men. All therefore depended upon speed? (' 
 
 During the march, Frederick heard that his best general 
 and closest friend, Winterfeld, had been killed in a skirmish, 
 7th September, and that Bevern, three days later, had 
 retired on Silesia, with Prince Charles and Daun in pursuit 
 of him. Bitterer blows fate could not deal him, short of 
 losing his beloved ^ilhelmina, who was at the tipae wild with 
 anxiety for her brother, and moving heaven and earth to 
 bring about a peace with the French._j At her pressing 
 request Frederick did write to Richelieu, who tried but 
 failed to move the women in Paris. They, more than any 
 others, sustained the passion against Prussia, and forced 
 money and tears from the people to build up armies. 
 Richelieu was not very dangerous to Frederick. He had 
 sought command for the sake of what he could make by it, 
 and he managed during his one campaign to pay off £50,000 
 of debts in Paris. 
 
 The movement of 170 miles from Dresden occupied 
 twelve days — 1st to 13th September. It was not con- 
 sidered as a forced march, and we may judge from it that 
 a fair average marching pace of the Prussian army, in- 
 cluding halts and neglecting no precautions, was about 
 
FREDERICK MARCHES EAST. 159 
 
 1757. 
 
 fourteen miles a day. This is good inarching and manage- 
 ment, and compares favourably with the allied concentra- 
 tion on Prague in 1741, when the force which had to march 
 farthest, and therefore quickest, only covered nine miles 
 a day. Arrived at Erfurt, another disappointment awaited 
 him. The Dauphiness' army, with all its grand mission, 
 and feminine enthusiasm at the back of it, would not fight, 
 but retired to the hills in a westerly direction. The king 
 sent Moritz to Torgau and Ferdinand to Magdeburg to 
 watch Richelieu. Eichelieu pressed slowly on and occupied 
 Halberstadt, while Moritz was soon called upon for action 
 in quite another direction. 
 
 During the period of forced inactivity which ensued, 
 Frederick wrote much, both in prose and verseXHis letters 
 to Wilhelmina show that hei. believed the condrEion of his 
 affairs to be nearly desperate. In addition to the nearness 
 of two armies, each more than double his owp, strength, 
 and to the threatened inroads of the Swedes,^ilesia, the _ 
 main object of the war, was now invaded by the Austrians, \ 
 and, worst of- all, Apraxin, with the Russian army, had 
 Prussia herself at his feet. \ The regular Russian troops 
 behaved well and were utfder discipline, but the Cossacks 
 and Calmucks, then untrained to obedience, committed 
 frightful excesses and cruelties. Lehwald, whom the king 
 ordered to attack the Russians at all hazards though he had 
 only 25,000 to their 80,000, suffered a defeat at Gross- 
 Jagersdorf, and the road to Berlin was open to Apraxin 
 with his horrible irregulars. All seemed lost but libert^y, 
 and the king determined to die ere he would part with 
 that. • 
 
 He wrote to Wilhelmina in a lofty strain of melancholy, 
 telling her that he would do all he could, but would not 
 live to see the catastrophe which would befall his kingdom 
 
160 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1757. 
 
 when once the reins of guidance were certainly gone from 
 his hands. / Even in this terrible crisis, when blow after 
 blow fell onthe loving^^ilhelmina, the ring of her battered 
 soul was ever true and noble. Full of effort in his cause, 
 moving even Yoltaire to help towards peace, she wrote to 
 her brother words of sympathy, hope, and good counsel* 
 Amid the trickeries of courts and the cruelties of war, one 
 lingers over the true-hearted correspondence between these 
 companions of childhood. ) 
 
 Frederick's first letter on these topics was in verse, and 
 is well known as the Ejntre cb ma Soeur. It was written 
 just before his march to Erfurt, and dated 24th August, 
 1757. It begins, " sweet and dear hope of my remaining 
 days : O sister, whose friendship, so fertile in resources, 
 shares all my sorrows, and with helpful arm assists me in 
 the gulf ! " It reviews the past with its combinations, 
 successes, failures, and final gatherings against him, and 
 apostrophises his people as his most anxious care. " And 
 thou, loved people, whose happiness is my charge, it is thy 
 lamentable destiny, it is the danger that hangs over thee 
 which pierces my soul." He speaks in tender, mournful 
 strain of his mother's death, and ends with that defiance of 
 the Heavens which has been through all time the note of 
 a strong man's last challenge when falling into despair : 
 " And if there do exist some gloomy and inexorable Being, 
 who allows a despised herd of creatures to go on multiply- 
 ing here, he values them as nothing ; looks down on a 
 Phalaris crowned, on a Socrates in chains ; on our virtues 
 our misdeeds, on the horrors of war, and all the cruel 
 plagues which ravage earth, as a thing indifferent to him. 
 Wherefore, loved sister, my sole refuge and only haven is 
 in the arms of death." 
 
 On the 12th September, "Wilhelmina, in a letter to 
 
BROTHER AND SISTER, 161 
 
 IVtli Sept. 1757. 
 
 Voltaire, whom she is persuading to use his influence for 
 peace, says : — 
 
 To me there remains nothing but to follow his destiny if it is 
 unfortunate. I have never piqued myself on being a philosopher ; 
 though I have made efforts to become so. The small progress I 
 made did teach me to despise grandeur and riches ; but I could 
 never find in philosophy any cure for the wounds of the heart, 
 except that of ending with our miseries by ceasing to live. The 
 state I am in is worse than death, I see the greatest man of the 
 age, my brother, my friend, reduced to the most frightful ex- 
 tremity. I see my whole family exposed to dangers and perhaps 
 destruction ; my native country torn by pitiless enemies ; the 
 country where I am menaced by perhaps similar misfortune. 
 .... You would sigh if you knew the sad condition of Germany 
 and Prussia. The cruelties which the Russians commit in that 
 latter country make nature shudder. How happy you in your 
 hermitage, where you repose on your laurels and can philosophise 
 with a calm mind on the deliriums of men 1 
 
 On the 17th September Frederick writes to Wilhelmina 
 from near Erfurt : — 
 
 My dearest Sister, — I find no other consolation but in your 
 precious letters. May Heaven reward so much virtue and such 
 heroic sentiments. 
 
 Since I last wrote to you, my misfortunes have gone on accu- 
 mulating. (Here he details the troubles which we know.) 
 Happen what may, I am determined, at all risks, to fall upon 
 whatever corps of the enemy approaches me nearest. I shall 
 even bless Heaven for its mercy if it grant me the favour to die 
 Bword in hand. ... A Bavarian elector in his nonage may 
 submit to Austria. But is that the example for me to 
 follow ? No, dear sister, you think too nobly to give me such 
 cowardly advice. Is liberty, that precious prerogative, to be less 
 dear to a sovereign in the eighteenth century than it was to 
 Koman patricians of old ? . . . . 
 
 M 
 
162 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 Sept. 1757. 
 
 Speaking of Kolin, he says that after the battle he made 
 
 it a point of honour to straighten all that had gone crooked. 
 
 But, no sooner had I hastened here to face new enemies, than 
 Winterfeld was beaten and killed near Gorlitz, than the French 
 entered the heart of my states, than the Swedes blockaded Stettin. 
 Now, there is nothing left for me to do : there are too many 
 enemies. Were I even to succeed in beating two armies, the 
 third would crush me. The inclosed note (in cipher) will show 
 you what I am still about to try : it is the last attempt. . . . 
 
 But it is time to end this long, dreary letter, which treats 
 almost of nothing but my own affairs. I have had some leisure, 
 and have used it to open on you a heart filled with admiration 
 and gratitude towards you. Yes, my adorable sister, if Pro- 
 vidence troubled itself about human affairs, you ought to be 
 the happiest person in the universe. Your not being so confirms 
 me in the sentiments expressed at the end of my Epitre (the 
 defiance of Heaven). In conclusion, believe that I adore you, 
 and that I would give my life a thousand times to serve you. 
 
 One more letter from Wilhelmina, and a last writing of 
 Frederick. Wilhelmina' s was written ,on 15th September, 
 two days before the letter of her brother, just quoted. 
 Frederick's last was written 9th October, just as a pro- 
 spect of hard work was appearing. 
 
 Wilhelmina writes, Baireuth, 15th September, 1757 : — 
 
 My dearest Brother, — Your letter and the one you wrote 
 to Voltaire, my dear brother, have almost killed me. What fatal 
 resolutions^ Great God ! Ah, my dear brother, you say you love 
 me ; and you drive a dagger into my heart. Your Epitre^ which 
 I did receive, made me shed rivers of tears. I am now ashamed 
 of such weakness. My misfortune would be so great that I 
 should find worthier resources than tears. Your lot shall be 
 mine : I will not survive either your misfortunes or those of the 
 house I belong to. You may calculate that such is my firjn 
 resolution. 
 
CORRESPONDENCE. ]C3 
 
 Oct. 1757. 
 
 But, after this avowal, allow me to entreat you to look back at 
 what was the pitiable state of your enemy when you lay before 
 Prague ! It is the sudden whirl of Fortune for both parties. 
 The like can occur again, when one is least expecting it, Caesar 
 was the slave of pirates ; and he became master of the world. 
 A great genius like yours finds resources even when all is lost ,; 
 and it is impossible this frenzy can continue. My heart bleeds 
 to think of the poor souls in Prussia. What horrid barbarity, 
 the detail of cruelties which go on there I I feel all that you feel 
 on it, my dear brother. I know your heart and your sensibility 
 for your subjects. 
 
 I suffer a thousand times more than I can tell you ; neverthe- 
 less, hope does not abandon me. I received your letter of the 
 14th. What kindness to think of me, who have nothing to 
 give you but a useless affection, which is so richly repaid by 
 yours I I am obliged to finish ; but I shall never cease to be, 
 with the most profound respect. 
 
 Your 
 
 WiLHELMINA. 
 
 Then for our last quotation let us take Frederick's re- 
 marks on "Voltaire's safe advice from his hermitage ; advice 
 more likely, one would think, to irritate than soothe the 
 king ; for it assumes as quite possible that his kingdom 
 may be divided and he himself become a captive. 
 
 On the 9th October Frederick wrote : — 
 
 I know the ennui attending on honours, the burdensome duties, 
 the jargon of grinning flatterers, those pitiabilities of every kind, 
 those details of littleness, with which you have to occupy your- 
 self if set on high on the stage of things. Foolish glory had no 
 charm for me, though a poet and a king (remark that he puts 
 poet before king). When once Atropos has ended me for ever, 
 what will the uncertain honour of living in the temple of Memory 
 avail ? One moment of practical happiness is worth a thousand 
 years of imaginary in such temple. Is the lot of high people 
 so very sweet then? Pleasure, gentle ease, true and hearty 
 
 M 2 
 
164 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 Oct. 1757. 
 
 mirth, have always fled from the great and their peculiar pomps 
 and labours. 
 
 No, it is not fickle Fortune that has ever caused my sorrows ; 
 let her smile her blandest, let her frown her fiercest on me, I 
 should sleep every night, refusing her the least worship. But 
 our respective conditions are our law ; we are bound and com- 
 manded to shape our temper to the employment we have under- 
 taken. Voltaire in his hermitage, in a country where is honesty 
 and safety, can devote himself in peace to the life of the 
 philosopher as Plato has described it. But, as for me, threatened 
 with shipwreck, I must consider how, looking the tempest in the 
 face, I can think, can live, and can die as a king. 
 
 Two days after this was written, there arrived a message 
 from Dresden, with the news that an Austrian force, left 
 behind when Prince Charles and Daun pursued Bevern into 
 Silesia, was marching directly upon Berlin. The king sup_ 
 posed this to be part of a combined movement, which would 
 include the Swedes and probably E-ichelieu's army. He 
 ordered Moritz off at once, and followed as soon as he could 
 make arrangements. Work seems to have calmed his 
 mind ; it is now he who encourages Wilhelmina ; she, 
 poor soul, writing desperately that ske has heard he is ill 
 or killed. 
 
 The passage through the valley of the shadow of death 
 was now over. (There was no combination to attack Berlin. 
 The city was entered and placed under slight contribution, 
 but the Austrians were gone before Moritz could reach 
 them. Apraxin with his Cossacks retired to Russia, pro- 
 bably on rumour that the Czarina was dead — an event 
 which would place on the throne Paul, a friend and admirer 
 of Frederick. Thus Lehwald was released to attend to 
 the Swedes. Better than all these smiles of fortune was 
 the news brought by Count von Schulenburg, a Hanoverian 
 general, who arrived in plain clothes, to the astonishment 
 
ENGLAND'S " GREAT MANJ' 
 
 165 
 
 175?. 
 
 of all, that England had renounced the Convention of 
 Kloster-Zeven, would put the army again in the field, and 
 requested King Frederick to grant Duke Ferdinand of ( 
 Brunswick to be general of the same. It was now that 
 Frederick exclaimed to the English envoy, Mitchell : 
 " England has taken long to produce a grea^t^ man ; but 
 here is one at last ! " That great man was Pitt. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1767 {continued). — battle op rossbach. — 
 
 MARCH TO SILESIA. BATTLE OP LEUTHEN. 
 
 a.d. 1757. 
 
 • 80th Oct. 1757. 
 
 The raid on Berlin, barren as it was in practical result, 
 caused great rejoicing among all Frederick's enemies. The 
 Dauphiness' army was dii-ected to draw 15,000 men from 
 Kichelieu's command, and, under pressing orders from 
 Versailles, advanced as far as Leipzig. Keith, who held 
 the town with a small force, refused to evacuate it, saying 
 that he would burn the suburbs. In the moment of hesi- 
 tation news came to Soubise that the king was at hand. 
 Strong as he was in men, the French general fell back, and 
 it seemed as if the terrible game of delay were about to be 
 played again. In such a game Frederick, whose only hope 
 lay in staking his all on a battle, could not but lose. 
 
 On the 30th October Frederick, with his advanced guard, 
 arrived at Liitzen, Keith and Duke Ferdinand following 
 with the main body and rear guard. Moritz also had come 
 in from his Berlin trip. On the enemy's part, Broglio, 
 second son of the old marshal, with 15,000 men from 
 Kichelieu's army, was at Halle, guarding the bridge there ; 
 Soubise at Merseburg, guarding that bridge; Hildburg- 
 hausen was at Weissenfels, ready to dispute the passage 
 
BATTLE OF ROSSBACff. 167 
 
 81st Oct. -4th Nov. 1757. 
 
 there. Thus an army nearly three times the size of the 
 king's chose to divide itself and act on the defensive instead 
 of attacking him."^ 
 
 At eight o'clock in the morning of the 31st, Frederick, 
 with part of the army, appeared before Weissenfels. The 
 troops left to defend the eastern position were soon over- 
 powered and retreated over the river, burning the bridge 
 behind them so hurriedly that 400 men had not time to 
 escape, and remained as prisoners. The Prussians con- 
 structed another bridge during the night, about a mile 
 further down the river, and made good their footing on 
 the western bank. Keith, with the other half of the army, 
 tried the bridges at Merseburg and Halle, but found them 
 strongly occupied. The Dauphiness' army, instead of con- 
 tinuing to hold these bridges with a moderate force and 
 throwing the bulk against the king, burned them, and 
 actually ceased to dispute the passage of the Saale, concen- 
 trating at and near the village of Mucheln, where they 
 placed themselves awkwardly in an ill-chosen defensive 
 position. The Prussians repaired all three bridges, and 
 crossed without further opposition. 
 
 In the early morning of the 4th Frederick attempted to 
 attack tho enemy, but found that they had shifted their 
 position and were well posted for defence. Knowing that 
 the Dauphiness' army was far from its supplies, he felt 
 sure it must move, and prudently awaited a better chance 
 for attack. His camp also was now shifted a little, and 
 the army lay with its left on Rossbach, right on Bedra, 
 about two miles from the allied right wing. 
 
 To understand the battle of Rossbach ^ it is necessary to 
 know that the village so called stands on a lumpy elevation, 
 
 ^ See map above Battle of Rossbach. 
 • See plan of Battle of Rossbach. 
 
1G8 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 5th Nov. 1757r 
 from which the allied camp, lying lower, could be seen. 
 Behind the Prussian camp is a dip in the ground, on the 
 other side of which rises the Janus Hill, and, a little 
 further, the Polsen Hill...- There is nothing steep enough 
 to hinder the movemerrts of all arms, and the country is 
 singularly destitute of trees, hedges, or brushwood — just 
 sHghtly undulating ground, completely open. The water- 
 courses, as given on the map, will show, however, that the 
 highest part of the low swell of land takes in Rossbach as 
 well as the Janus and Polzen Hills, — water-courses, but 
 seldom water, as the rain soon sinks into the sandy soil 
 and forms no obstacle to movement of troops. 
 
 On the morning of the 5th November, the Dauphiness' 
 army began to work out a very remarkable idea which 
 had come into the head of its commander. This was no 
 less Mian that he would start in full view of the king, 
 work round the Prussian left, attack that together with 
 the rear and even front at the same time, and destroy the 
 whole force, probably capturing the king. To do this it 
 was necessary to catch the most subtle general in Europe 
 asleep in open day. The advantage of placing an army on 
 the enemy's communications is undoubted, provided always 
 that we can beat him there ; otherwise, if we are close to 
 him, the result" may be disastrous. Clearly, Soubise hoped 
 to conquer and capture Frederick. An Austrian party 
 destroyed that morning the temporary bridge at Weissen- 
 fels — Herren-Muhle bridge it was called — and so strong 
 was the belief at Versailles in the capture of Frederick, 
 that the Duchess of Orleans, forgetful of her monarch's 
 presence, burst out like a school-girl with the words, " At 
 last, then, I shall see a real king." 
 
 Frederick, hearing that the Dauphiness* army was 
 getting into motion — a long process with it — ordered all 
 
 / 
 
BATTLE OF ROSSBACH. 169 
 
 6th N"ov. 1757. 
 
 the cavalry to saddle. Seidlitz, a rising man then, com- 
 manded the regular regiments; Mayer, the light horse. 
 The infantry was also ordered to be in readiness to move, 
 but as yet the tents were left standing. A body of French, 
 chiefly cavalry, advanced, under St. Germain, to the left 
 front of the Prussians and threatened the camp. The 
 main body of the enemy got itself into column and marched 
 by its right through Grost and Schevenroda. Frederick 
 watched them from the top of the Herrenhaus at Rossbach. 
 About 9 A.M. nearly half the army was through Grost, and, 
 judging from previous experience, would go to Freiburg 
 towards its magazines. At noon the king sat down to 
 dinner and remained two hours at table. About 2 p.m. one 
 of his adjutants, Gaudi by name, rushed into the room, 
 exclaiming that the enemy were turning to the left at 
 Pettstadt. Frederick answered with a soldier's rough 
 joke, having reference to the effects of fear on the diges- 
 tive parts. He mounted quietly to the roof, and there saw 
 plainly that the allied army was attempting to march 
 round his left in a long column. (Th e time had come then. 
 That day it would be given to him to " look tjie tempest 
 in the face, to think, to live or to die as a king/^J 
 
 His orders were promptly issued. About 2.30 p.m. the 
 army had the command to prepare for marching. By three 
 o'clock it was in movement, tents having been struck and 
 packed in the interval. The cavalry, 4,000 strong, ready, 
 beforehand, was then disappearing in the hollow behind the 
 camp on its way to the Janus and Polzen Hills. The infantry 
 followed at the double. Thus, in one hour from the first 
 news of the real allied movement, Frederick had altered all 
 his plans, communicated them to his army encamped ; that 
 army had struck tents, packed all its equipage, and was 
 ■ ' See Frederick's answer to Voltaire's dissuasion from death (p. 164). 
 
170 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 5th Nov. 1757. 
 
 swiftly rushing forward to deliver a blow which is one of 
 the most famous in history. A French officer who was 
 present describes this rapid movement as like a scene at 
 the opera. . The whole army disappeared in the hollow from 
 the view of the Dauphiness' army, and Soubise, fearing that 
 it might escape him by retreat through Merseburg, gave 
 orders to quicken the pace of his own forces. Thus the 
 two armies were racing for an unknown goal, both in 
 column. Only there were these differences. The plan of 
 the allies to catch the king napping had failed ; their 
 judgment of his intentions was now at fault ; his 
 army was better trained and speedier than theirs, and 
 Seidlitz took care to keep his flanking parties on the top 
 of the hills whence they could see the enemy. This pre- 
 caution was neglected by the allies, who blundered along, 
 not informed of the progress made by the Prussian 
 forces. 
 
 In those days of stiff, square movements, even more than 
 now, the head of a long column was for all practical 
 purposes the same as the flank in line. A Prussian battery 
 of eighteen guns, four of which were twelve-pounders, estab- 
 lished itself on the Janus Hill, and smote the head of the 
 allied cavalry and infantry with its fire. Seidlitz pressed on 
 till his scouts gave notice that he was ahead of the enemy. 
 Then he wheeled up, about 3.30 o'clock, advanced to the 
 top of the Polzen Hill, and, seeing the movement favour- 
 able, lost not a moment in waiting for orders but thundered 
 down the slope on the flank of the allied horse which were 
 leading the column. There was no advanced guard. Four 
 times did Seidlitz go through and through this mass, which 
 had not even time to form up. Only two regiments 
 (Austrian) opposed any front at all to the attack. In half 
 an hour the whole allied cavalry was ruined, and in its 
 
BATTLE OF EOSSBAGH. 171 
 
 5th Nov. 1757. 
 
 flight disordered the advancing infantry. Finally, it fled 
 towards Freiburg, and fought no more that day. ( Seidlitz 
 steadied his squadrons, and reformed them in a hollow near 
 Tagwerben. 
 
 { Prince Henry came up quickly with seven battalions 
 to support Seidlitz, and attacked the leading regiments 
 of the allied column, which was endeavouring to form 
 up to its left. Crushed by artillery and infantry fire, 
 the Reich's troops and the French melted away. A 
 Wiirtemberg dragoon, writing of this time, says : — " The 
 artillery tore down whole ranks of us ; the Prussian 
 musketry did terrible execution." In vain was an attempt 
 made to deploy on the rear of the column, under the pro- 
 tection of the remaining French cavalry, not yet engaged. 
 Seidlitz rushed out of Tagwerben hollow, and crushed the 
 futile endeavour. Infantry, cavalry, artillery, all were 
 ruined. The army became a disorganised wreck, and fled 
 from the field of battle. Only St. Germain remained 
 intact, to cover, in some sort, the retreat, though he was 
 soon broken by Mayer's light horse. The rear of the 
 Prussian army, now become its right, had been refused, 
 and was never engaged. By a stroke of military capacity 
 acting against an ill-led enemy, from 50,000 to 60,000 men 
 had been defeated by 4,000 horse and seven battalions, 
 supported by eighteen guns well pushed forward. The 
 Prussian loss was only 165 killed, 376 wounded. The 
 allies lost in killed and wounded 3,000, prisoners 5,000, 
 guns about seventy, and many other trophies. 
 
 (The battle of Rossbach is full of instruction. It shows 
 how helpless is an army, imperfectly trained and com- 
 manded, against a skilful general with a force inferior in 
 number but well in hand. It serves to teach us how vain 
 ifc is to rely on numbers alone, no matter how brave the 
 
172 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1757. 
 
 men may be ; for the French were certainly no cowards. 
 It points, in short, a moral which all Englishmen should 
 lay to heart, when they think in serious moments of 
 possible battles fought in their own country, and with the 
 mixed troops at present availaBIdk 
 
 The essence of Frederick's manoeuvre was, as usual, the 
 attack in obliqiie order ; for the front of the long allied 
 column may be considered as its right flank ; and the king's 
 parallel, but swifter, march alongside of his opponents was 
 in principle like the march round the front at Prague or 
 Kolin to gain the flank. The attack of Seidlitz, without 
 waiting for orders, showed the born cavalry commander, 
 and there is a fine lesson, applicable even to-day, in his 
 retirement to the Tagwerben hollow to reorganise ,hi3 
 ranks, and his subsequent charge from it at a critical 
 moment. (There is hardly a finer example in history of the 
 energetic action of the three arms, each doing its own 
 work, but all closely supporting each othej^J T he Prussi an 
 cavalry and infantry had always done their work well, but 
 ,the artillery, hitherto somewhat neglected, now began to 
 take its piac6 as' an independent arm, acting with audacity 
 'and decision. It first attacked with its fire the allied 
 cavalry attempting to form up to withstand Seidlitz. It 
 then crushed the allied artillery near the head of the 
 column, and prevented it from acting against the Prussian 
 horse or foot -^ and it next joined with the seven battalions 
 to annihilate the resistance of the infantry. Its first fire 
 was the signal for Seidlitz to charge, it prevented the for- 
 mation of the allied guns, and, when these were swept 
 away by the cavalry rout, it never ceased its fire against 
 the infantry. It was subsequently reinforced on its right by a 
 battery the position of which is not known exactly (Carlyle 
 does not even mention it) ; and it prepared the second 
 
SILESIA INVADED. 173 
 
 26th Oct. .22nd Nov. 1757. 
 
 victory of Seidlitz by firing against a part of the allied 
 infantry which was too distant from the Prussian seven 
 battalions for them to have any effect upon it. 
 
 Decker says of it — " We may say, with all assurance, that 
 the success of the day belonged to the artillery. If, as at 
 Kolin, it had remained inactive, the enemy's infantry could 
 have formed and advanced ; its defeat would not have been 
 so complete, and the success of the (Prussian) cavalry would 
 have been less brilliant." ^ 
 
 St. Germain, writing of it afterwards, declares :— " The 
 first cannon-salvo decided our rout and our shame." 
 
 The whole allied army was, as it were, burst asunder 
 over a radius of forty-five miles. The Keich's part of it 
 went home quite disorganised. (The French rushed madly 
 towards their frontier, plundering- as they went, and re- 
 crossed the Khine. Kichelieu also retired, and Duke 
 Ferdinand, taking charge of the Anglo-Hanoverian forces, 
 soon brought them into a state of order and good heart 
 unknown to them when commanded by the Duke of Cum- 
 berland. England blazed with bonfires, and voted reinforce- 
 ments, which, in the course of the next year, joined to the 
 amount of 20,000 men, of whom 12,000 arrived in August^ 
 
 Frederick at once took measures to succour his army in 
 Silesia, where Severn had blundered, weakening himself by 
 detachments instead of delivering a good stroke at the 
 enemy. Breslau was threatened, Schweidnitz besieged. 
 The trenches were opened 26th October, and the place 
 capitulated on the 14th November, handing over to the 
 enemy g^ eat wealth of stores and 30,000^. in hard cash. 
 Prince Charles, with Daun as second in command, had now 
 80,000 men, and beat Bevern at the battle of Breslau, 
 November 22nd. The duke had imitated Austrian tactics, 
 1 Decker's Seven Years' War, French Edition, 1839, p. 115. 
 
174 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 13th Nov.-3rd Dec. 1757. 
 
 entrenched, and fought a defensive battle, with the result 
 that he had to retire in the night, leaving eighty guns and 
 8,000 killed and wounded in the hands of the enemy. 
 Bevern was himself captured on the second day after- 
 wards, having Hil4en into an enemy's outpost, — some saidj^ 
 intentionally /Breslau fell into the hands of the AustriansTID 
 
 On the 13th iTovember, a week after Ross bach, Frederick 
 marched from Leipzig with about 13,000 men, and arrived 
 at Parch witz — say 170 miles — on the 28th. He placed 
 Ziethen in command of the beaten Breslau army, and 
 ordered a concentration at Parchwitz, which took place 
 on the 3rd of December. That night he spoke to his 
 chief officers words of flame, and kindled in them and in 
 the army the same fiery spirit which animated his own 
 breast. He concealed nothing, but said that he meant to 
 attack the Austrians, '* nearly thrice our strength," and 
 conquer or perish. His concluding words were : " Now, 
 good night, gentlemen ; shortly we shall have either beaten 
 the enemy, or w^ never see one another again." The same 
 night he went through his army, visiting each regiment in 
 turn, talking famiharly with the men. Some of these 
 conversations have come down to our time, as related by 
 those who heard them. There were rough camp jokes ; the 
 king would say how strong the Austrians were behind their 
 entrenchments, and the men reply, " And if they had the 
 devil in front and all round them, we will knock them out ; 
 only thou lead us on." " Good night, Fritz," was always 
 the parting word of the soldiers to the general they trusted. 
 This was Frederick's method with his officers and men ; it 
 was also Marlborough's and Napoleon's. Who can find a 
 better bond than this kind of familiarity, which goes well 
 with the sternest discipline % 
 
 Breslau had fallen without firing a shot after Bevern' s 
 
BATTLE OF LEUTHEN. 175 
 
 4th-5th Dec. 1757. 
 
 defeat, and the Austrians lay well entrenched in a strong 
 position behind Sehweidnitz Water, covering Breslau. A 
 council of war was held, and Prince Charles was persuaded 
 by the bolder spirits to leave this position, cross Schweidnitz 
 Water, so as to make sure of a battle, they being 80,000 
 strong to Frederick's 30,000 or thereabouts. Nor could 
 any fault be found with this determination, provided it 
 were carried out in full, and the Austrian army led with 
 skill and energy to attack an opponent about a third its 
 strength. But, as we shall see, they did but leave a posi- 
 tion of great strength for one less formidable with a river 
 behind, and sat down there to await attack. Their new 
 position 1 was fairly strong, resting the right on bogs about 
 Nypern, the left on a hill behind Sagschiitz, protected by 
 abatis. The army lay across the road to Breslau. Its 
 front was covered with redoubts and villages prepared 
 for defence, Leuthen being one of them. On arrival in 
 their new position, they heard that the Prussians had com- 
 menced proceedings by seizing on the 4th an Austrian 
 bakery, near Neumarkt, where was found a complete set of 
 bread rations hot from the oven, no small boon in the cold 
 of December — a Sunday treat to the Prussian veterans. 
 
 On Monday, the 5th, early in the morning, Frederick 
 marched to attack, riding as usual with the advanced guard. 
 At Borne he found drawn up across the road a line of 
 cavalry, the flanks of which vanished in the haze of early 
 dawn. He attacked at once, and destroyed or captured the 
 force, which proved to be General Nostitz with three Saxon 
 regiments of horse, placed as an advanced post to gain 
 tidings of any Prussian advance. This affair was important, 
 for the remnants of the cavalry galloped back to the 
 Austrian right wing, and caused Count Lucchesi, wlio 
 ^ See plan above Battle of Leuthen, 
 
na FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1757. 
 
 commanded there, to believe that the king's attack would 
 be directed against his part of the field. Halting his 
 troops, the king rode on to the highest knoll in front, 
 whence he could see clearly the whole Austrian army drawn 
 up. He knew the country well, and decided that the Aus- 
 trian left wing was more open to attack than the right. 
 Once more he had the usual inert Austrian line in front of 
 him, trusting to purely defensive tactics, though nearly 
 thrice his strength. The occasion was favourable for the 
 oblique attack, and, as the main body came up, he formed it 
 in two columns, which he directed upon the Austrian right 
 in such order that when the companies wheeled up to the 
 left, they would form two lines facing the Austrian right 
 obliquely to Prince Charles's line. A chain of slight emi- 
 nences concealed the movement, like the Janus and Piilzen 
 Hills at Rossbach, and the Austrian commander committed 
 the error of yielding to repeated solicitations from Lucchesi, 
 who declared that, unless supported, he could not be re- 
 sponsible for a lost battle. The cavalry of the reserve, and 
 part of that on the left wing were sent to the right, Daun 
 himself accompanying them. Thus, at the critical time, 
 the left wing, which was to bear the first attack, sent part 
 of its cavalry five or six miles away. 
 
 When the Prussian right wheeled up and advanced 
 suddenly over the knolls near Sagschiitz, Nadasti, who 
 commanded the Austrian left, had the courage and initia- 
 tive to send his weakened cavalry at once against Ziethen's 
 horse, which first threatened attack. Ziethen was moving 
 up hill, had his right flank in the air, and was driven back ; 
 but a detachment of infantry which accompanied him forced 
 the Austrian cavalry to halt and retire. 
 
 It was about one o'clock when the Prussian advanced 
 guard, which now formed the right of the line, came into 
 
BATTLE OF LEUTHEN, 177 
 
 Stli Dec. 1757. 
 
 action. Ten of the heavy 12-pounders from Glogau had 
 been brought up with difficulty, and soon destroyed the 
 Austrian abatis, leaving the ground open for the infantry 
 attack, which the guns potently assisted. Nadasti's troops 
 were pushed out of a fir wood near Sagschiitz, and forced 
 back thence, as well as from the positions further to their 
 left. Fourteen guns, which he had unwisely put behind 
 his infantry, were useless in the melee, and were carried in 
 the rush of the Prussian advanced guard. The whole of 
 the Austrian left now reeled back on the centre, and as 
 more Prussian troops pressed on, the crowd of vanquished 
 threw into confusion all the reinforcements sent to their 
 help. The Prussian advanced guard was moving down in 
 rear of the original Austrian line ; the rest of the king's 
 army pressed athwart the front line of Prince Charles's 
 strong but heavy force. 
 
 And now was shown one of the disadvantages of the 
 Austrian movement over the Schweidnitz Water, and the 
 value of Frederick's promptitude. At the battle of Breslau 
 Prince Charles had 320 guns ; at the battle of Leuthen only 
 210 pieces, all the heavy field artillery having been left on 
 the other side of the river. These were not numerous 
 enough to guard well the long Austrian front, and were 
 scattered so as to be of no use when wanted. Messengers 
 were sent in hot haste to call in battalions and batteries to 
 defend Leuthen. As Nadasti fell back nearly due north, 
 and Lucchesi swung round from north nearly southward, 
 a new front was established opposite the Prussian advanc- 
 ing lineiBut the great advantage of a first crushing blow 
 was on the side of the king, and that other advantage of 
 the initiative, namely, that he had a plan and knew where 
 his troops were while it was being carried outij__ To the 
 Austrians, on the contrary, all seemed confusion^^^' 
 
178 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 5th Dec. 1757; 
 
 A description of the attempt made by the reserve to 
 change the fortunes of the day is given by the Prince de 
 Ligne, who was in one of the regiments which were sent 
 for to defend Leuthen. The troops could not deploy, and 
 stood from thirty to a hundred deep, played upon by case- ' 
 shot from the guns, the 12-pounders having come up, and 
 by the fire of Prussian infantry at close quarters. Leuthen 
 churchyard was long defended, and the king had to bring 
 the left of his army and all his reserves into action. There 
 was hesitation among the Prussians attacking the church- 
 yard, till Major Mollendorf, without orders from the colonel 
 commanding his battalion, called for volunteers to follow 
 him, dashed in the gate heedless of a murderous fire, and 
 cleared the stronghold of its defenders. The windmills 
 were still disputed for a while, but were carried by the 
 Prussian left wing. 
 
 At this moment the Prussian left seemed to be exposed, 
 and Lucchesi, who had arrived with the Austrian right, 
 thought that he saw a chance by attacking it. He was 
 strong in cavalry, and led a charge upon it. But Frederick 
 had been mindful of this danger, and had ordered Driesen, 
 who commanded the cavalry of the left, to devote himself 
 to the one object of covering the exposed flank. Driesen 
 wisely kept his troopers concealed in a hollow and let 
 Lucchesi, with the Austrian horse, pass him ; then thun- 
 dered down upon their rear. Caught between the fire of 
 infantry and guns in front and Driesen's cavalry charge 
 behind, the astonished Austrians wavered, broke, and 
 spread themselves in disorder over the field, leaving bare, 
 in their turn, the flank of Lucchesi's infantry. Against 
 this flank Driesen charged, aud crushed it into ruinous 
 heaps of men without further hope or courage. Lucchesi 
 was killed in the cavalry charge, and the whole Austrian 
 
BATTLE OF LEUTHEN. 179 
 
 6th Dec. 1757. 
 
 army was now a mere mass of fugitives. Some small 
 attempt was made to stand at Saara, but the troops dis- 
 solved and melted away, streaming over the four bridges 
 at Stabelwitz, Lissa, Goldsmieden, and Hermannsdorf , under 
 the swords of the pursuing cavalry. 
 
 The battle had lasted three hours, and in that short time 
 an army of 80,000 men at least had been totally defeated 
 by one 30,000, some say 32,000, strong. The sun was now 
 down, and Frederick, followed by an escort of only three 
 battalions which volunteered for the service, rode on to 
 Lissa. The place was still full of the enemy, and when the 
 king entered the Schloss he found it occupied by Austrian 
 officers about to take quarters there for the night. He 
 might have been captured, but his gift of reading his 
 adversaries' minds served him in good stead. " Bon soir, 
 messieurs ; is there still room % " said he, with a smile, and 
 the Austrians were only too glad to slip away in safety. 
 This is an example of the over- boldness which the king 
 often showed. Sometimes his talents extricated him from 
 difficulties into which he uselessly plunged, sometimes he 
 suffered the due results of over-confidence. On this night 
 he had come out of storms of bullets, having often been in 
 the thick of the fight. His star was in the ascendant, and 
 he judged rightly that his enemies were crushed in spirit. 
 Lissa was soon cleared out, but was still a strange place 
 for the king to sleep in, seeing that only a small river 
 divided him from the Austrian army. 
 
 The battle of Leuthen had been fought on the strict 
 principles of Frederick's military art, principles which 
 enchained the minds of strategists and tacticians for many 
 years, and have hardly yet been completely driven 
 out by newer methods suitable for newer weapons. But 
 there is always something more than tactical forms in the 
 
 N 2 
 
180 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 5th.6th Dec. 1757. 
 
 winning of battles. Above all things, the troops must have 
 confidence in their general. We have already heard the 
 king's animated harangue to his officers two days before 
 the battle, and his friendly talk with the men. In the 
 midst of his oblique march, when swiftness and sudden 
 attack were all important, some of the regiments were 
 heard singing in chorus a hymn which prayed the Deity 
 to grant them zeal, skill, and success. His staff asked if 
 they should order the sound to cease. "By no means," 
 said the king, and added, " with men like these, don't you 
 think I shall have victory to-day?" Again, at night, 
 when he lay at Lissa, and from both sides of the river a 
 smart fire was kept up, the Prussian troops at Saara, 
 weary as they were, advanced to Lissa, ready to give aid 
 if required. In the solemn night, amid the dead and 
 wounded, a single tenor voice rang out, chanting a psalm 
 of praise. Twenty thousand throats burst into grateful 
 music, and uplifted in the keen air under the dome of 
 heaven their song of thankfulness : — 
 
 Nun danket alle Gott 
 
 Mit Herzen Mund und Handen, 
 
 Der Grosse Dinge thut 
 
 An Uns und alien Enden. 
 
 This was the Prussian Te Deum for the victory, and, like 
 the prayer before the battle, it was delivered while the men 
 were at their work as soldiers, without loss of any time, 
 without need of temple, priest, or incense \ Ho t by military 
 forms alone, however good, but by cultivating a true and 
 steady flame of trust and large enthusiasm among his men, 
 were won the chief victories of Frederick the Great. ?^id, 
 even when he failed, his men still believed in him and 
 recovered themselves quickljj 
 
RESULTS OF BATTLE. 181 
 
 1757. 
 
 The Prussians lost in killed 1,141 men, and in wounded 
 5,118, with 85 prisoners made in the first passages of 
 the battle. 
 
 The Austrian loss at the time or picked up afterwards 
 was 3,000 killed, 7,000 wounded, 21,000 prisoners; that is, 
 a loss of as many men as the Prussians took into the 
 battle, together with 51 flags and 116 guns. Prince Charles 
 retreated as best he could by Schweidnitz and Landshut 
 to Koniggratz, Ziethen sticking close to him and capturing 
 2,000 prisoners. The remnants which arrived at Konig- 
 gratz were only 37,000 strong, having left 17,000 in 
 Breslau, who surrendered after tw^elve days' resistance. 
 The Austrian garrison at Liegnitz was allowed to with- 
 draw. Of all Maria Theresa's reconquests in Silesia there 
 remained to her now only Schweidnitz, and that fortress 
 fell in the middle of the following April. 
 
 The campaign of 1757 was the most interesting in the 
 Seven Years' "War. It opened with success, then presented 
 an example of failure in the oblique attack at Kolin. After 
 that battle all went wrong, and a meaner man must have 
 despaired. Berlin itself was threatened and even entered by 
 the enemy, whose armies seemed to be gradually closing 
 round the defenders of Prussia. " At last we shall see a 
 king in Paris " as a prisoner. But Rossbach showed the 
 coolness and resource of Frederick as well as the quality of 
 his soldiers, the cavalry and artillery especially distinguish- 
 ing themselves. Still Silesia was occupied by the Austrians, 
 and must needs be saved. Frederick passed swiftly to its 
 aid, reanimated the army beaten at Breslau, and fought 
 at Leuthen a battle in which occurred the most perfect 
 illustration of the attack in oblique order. As an exhibi- 
 tion of character and military talent combined the cam- 
 paign of 1757 is one of the most remarkable in history. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OP 1758. — SIEGE OF OLMUTZ. — CAPTURE OF THE 
 
 CONVOY. — Frederick's march to koniggratz. — he goes 
 
 AGAINST TERMOR. BATTLE OF ZORNDORF. DAUN ENTERS 
 
 SAXONY. — Frederick's return to Dresden. — marches 
 
 TO relieve NEISSE. DAUN INTERCEPTS HIM. — BATTLE OF 
 
 HOCHKIRCH. 
 
 A.D. 1758. 
 
 1758. 
 
 The successes of the Prussian army had raised the Pro- 
 testant Champion, as Frederick was now called, to great 
 favour in England. The country expressed it in various 
 forms ; among others, by a readiness to grant subsidies. 
 Before the ten years' peace, England paid Austria to put 
 down Frederick. She was now paying Frederick to put 
 down Austria and France. The people who had called him 
 a monster now lauded his name to the skies. Pitt — his firm 
 friend — was now in power, and a new Subsidy Treaty was 
 made by which Frederick was to have £670,000 annually to 
 be spent on the maintenance and increase of his army for 
 the common object. The previous treaty had promised an 
 English fleet in the Baltic, but the promise had not been 
 kept, because the Czarina informed King George that such 
 a step would be considered as a declaration of war. 
 Hitherto, in the sort of three-cornered duel which existed, 
 
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN 183 
 
 16th Jan. 175S. 
 
 England's ally was at war with Russia, but England 
 herself not. 
 
 The rulers of Austria, France and Russia, were furious 
 as ever, and the Czarina not only tried Apraxin by court- 
 martial for evacuating Prussia, but ordered Fermor, who 
 was appointed in his place, to push across the frontier at 
 once, regardless of winter frosts. He did so with 31,000 
 men on the 16th January, 1758, and occupied East Prussia, 
 which he annexed to Russia, forcing the various function- 
 aries to swear fealty to the Czarina. Frederick never 
 forgave them. The main Russian army remained behind, 
 and did not become dangerous to the king till the 
 summer. 
 
 France changed her war minister, the wily veteran 
 Belle-Isle accepting the seals of that office. Maria Theresa 
 relieved Prince Karl of the command of the Austrian 
 army, and appointed Daun in his stead. All the nations 
 which were banded against the king renewed their arma- 
 ments, and prepared to assail him with fresh energy, 
 France being paymaster. 
 
 If at this, or any other time, during the Seven Years* 
 War, the Russians had combined with the Swedes and 
 marched with determination upon Berlin, nothing could 
 have saved Prussia. But the two powers were jealous of 
 each other, and neither acted with full vigour. The 
 Swedes always issued from Stralsund about 20,000 strong, 
 sometimes more, sometimes less, but invariably late in the 
 season. They then moved on slowly some 100 miles or so, 
 resisted by Prussian militia and a regiment or two of 
 regulars till, towards autumn, Frederick could spare rein- 
 forcements which pushed them back over the river Peene, 
 and generally besieged them in Stralsund. There they 
 remained half-starved till the thaw came, and allowed 
 
184 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 13th March-16th Iprfl 1758. 
 
 ships to .enter with provisions. The threats from the 
 Russian side relieved them in spring, and each year the 
 same routine, or nigh to it, was gone through. The details 
 of th^ir useless proceedings are not worth relating. 
 ^In the past year England had mismanaged her naval 
 and military affairs. The attempted descent upon Roche- 
 fort in the autumn had been blundered ; Lord Loudoun 
 failed in America, showing no energy ; Abercromby was 
 little brighter ; but Pitt had his eyes upon two better 
 men, Amherst and Wolfe!] The great English statesman 
 held his power from the~people, the court never having 
 favoured him ; and he was ready to accept and use talent 
 wherever he found it. Duke Ferdinand was now in com- 
 mand in the west, and Frederick was easy as to affairs in 
 that quarter where the French had not recovered from their 
 beating at Rossbach. 
 
 r^^aving, therefore, no fear of what France, or Russia, 
 or S^weden would do in the spring, the king determined 
 to try once more a bold stroke at the heart of Austria. / 
 His field army counted 145,000 men, of whom 53,000 con- 
 stituted the Silesian army, many of them Austrian 
 deserters. The toils and anxieties of the past year had 
 told upon his health, but a winter in Breslau had refreshed 
 him, and he was again full of vigour. His first stroke 
 was the re-capture of Schweidnitz. The siege began on 
 1st April, and on the night of the 15th — 16th, the key of 
 the place, Galgen Fort, was carried by storm. The 
 Austrians surrendered. The garrison had been reduced to 
 4,900 from 8,000, and they yielded up 51 guns and £700 
 in money, with all the stores which they had found or 
 brought there. 
 
 Daun arrived at Koniggriitz 13th March, and fell to 
 entrenching himself as usual. The town was not then a 
 
OPENING THE CAMPAIGN. 18^ 
 
 25th April-5th May 1758. 
 
 fortress, and Daun, who had more the heart of an en- 
 gineer than a tactician, sat down in a position which he 
 made impregnable. He knew that Frederick was in the 
 country about Landshut, whence Fouquet and Ziethen had 
 been detached before the siege of Schweidnitz, to clear the 
 Austrian light troops out of the Glatz and Troppau neigh- 
 bourhoods respectively. He expected that the king would 
 advance southward directly against him, and, accordingly, 
 he fortified positions at the mouths of all the passes. 
 Instead of this he found that the Prussians marched, 1 9th- 
 25th April, to Neisse, and towards Jagerndorf, April 27th. 
 Seeing this, he judged that the king must be about to 
 attack Bohemia from the east, and, to cover the province, 
 he left his grand fortified camp near Kbniggratz and 
 mo;v^ed to Leutomischl, veiled by a cloud of light troops. 
 f^Vii Frederick's intentions were far otherwise. His plan was 
 tt> capture Olmiitz and make it a base of operations against 
 Yienna;:^ He had with him from 30,000 to 40,000 men ; 
 Prince Henry commanded in Saxony another 30,000, and 
 would, the king hoped, be able to cross the Metal Mountains 
 and join him, while Mayer, with his Free Corps, deranged all 
 the plans of the E-eichs army by capturing magazines and 
 striking rapid blows. C^i Olmiitz could be captured quickly, 
 an advance into the fat corn lands of Moravia, hitherto 
 unexhausted by campaigns, would enable Frederick to feed 
 his army and threaten Vienna ; thus drawing away from 
 home, and eveiL from Bohemia, all danger on the part of 
 Austrian troops„.-> 
 
 Frederick marched from Neisse with the first column, 
 Keith followed with the siege army. The king's force, on 
 arrival, was posted at Aschmeritz, Neustadt, Starnau, 
 Prossnitz, and Sternberg. Daun arrived at Leutomischl 
 5th May, and formed posts at Nickels, Konitz (where was 
 
186 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 1758. 
 
 Loudon), Muglitz, Friedland, and Lobnick. Besides these, 
 Deville covered the road to Brunn. 
 
 One great advantage possessed by Austria was her 
 irregular troops, by which her armies were always covered 
 and her enemies annoyed. These were warlike men; 
 Hungarians, Bosnians, Croats, Dalmatians, Tyrolese, and 
 even Italians. They formed chains of posts and even 
 strong detachments between the Austrian camp and the 
 enemy. Their officers were skilled in choosing positions 
 for defence and in movements to harass an enemy. The 
 system of using these irregular troops foreshadowed the 
 modern use of outposts, and was in many respects more 
 complete. No tents were needed to guard these hardy 
 warriors from sun and rain. They generally fed them- 
 selves. Their enemy could hardly move a battalion 
 without observation from their curious eyes, while, on 
 the other hand, their net of posts and wandering parties 
 swept up any small detachments which might be sent out 
 by their enemy to gain information. Hardly fit to con- 
 tend with large forces, they felt no shame in retreating on 
 more solid supports. Thus they furnished a cheap means 
 of procuring information and denying it to an enemy ; 
 and though the amenities of modern warfare would now 
 render the use of such a force in Europe an anachronism, 
 the Austrian irregulars showed, on the whole, a better 
 temper, during the Seven Years' War, than the Cossacks 
 of Russia. Under Nadasti at first, and later, under 
 Loudon, they were taught to hold their ground some- 
 times even against the trained troops of Frederick. Their 
 organisation and use might well be studied by English 
 volunteers and yeomanry, who, in case of invasion, might 
 perform similar duties, avoiding the rough habits of these 
 Austrian guerillas. 
 
SIEGE OF OLMUTZ. 187 
 
 22nd-2Sth June 1758. 
 
 The siege of Olmiitz languished. The first parallel had 
 been opened too far from the place, which was well de- 
 fended. But the chief difficulty was the transport of 
 stores over the ninety miles of mountain road which had 
 to be traversed between Troppau and Olmiitz, through a 
 country infested by the Austrian light troops. The first 
 Austrian success was the throwing a reinforcement of 
 1,100 picked grenadiers into the besieged town on the 
 22nd June. Still, it seemed that Olmiitz must fall, and 
 the last stages were only postponed till the arrival of an 
 important convoy of 3,000 waggons, which was to leave 
 Troppau on the 26th June, escorted by 7,000 men under 
 Colonel Mosel. So much depended on this convoy that 
 Ziethen was sent from Olmiitz with a strong force to assist 
 in covering the march. The convoy started at the time 
 expected, but the country waggoners straggled so that 
 the 27th had to be made a day of rest. This was fatal. 
 Loudon, with a force of some 12,000 men or more, was 
 on the watch for it from the west, and Ziskowitz with 
 another force from the east. Daun had manoeuvred so as 
 to deceive the king and make him expect a battle. On 
 the 28th the convoy began to struggle forward again, 
 having already lost or sent back nearly a third of the 
 waggons, which broke down from the terrible state of 
 the roads. As the advanced guard moved slowly forward, 
 it perceived Loudon drawn up to oppose the passage of 
 the defile between Bautsch and Altliebe. Colonel Mosel 
 attacked at once, and drove back Loudon with his Croats 
 and Hungarians. The convoy reached NeudorH' that 
 night, where Mosel was overjoyed to find Ziethen, who 
 had come so far to meet him. The state of affairs was 
 critical. The convoy was again in a jumbled condition 
 from bad roads and dread of the enemy. A whole day 
 
188 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 30th June 1758. 
 
 more had to be spent in restoring some sort of order, and 
 the march began again on the 30th, Ziethen and Mosel 
 knew only too well that in front of them was the worst 
 defile at Domstadtl. All precautions were taken, but 
 when the head of the column, with some 120 waggons, 
 was fairly in the defile, it came under fire of artillery. 
 Horses were killed, waggons disabled, and the road was 
 soon blocked. The rest of the convoy was brought 
 forward as quickly as possible and packed in a mass 
 for defence. The attack came from both flanks at once 
 and was at first repulsed. All soldiers know the result 
 which must follow. The waggoners lost heart and head 
 and the convoy fell into chaos. The Prussian troops 
 fought with great bravery. General Krokow, with the 
 advanced guard and 250 waggons, among which was the 
 military chest, gained the bridges of the Morava and 
 escaped to the king. Ziethen had to fall back on Troppau. 
 The convoy was utterly broken up and lost, in spite of the 
 gallant conduct of the Prussian troops. 
 
 Jomini remarks of this action that the recruits who 
 formed a portion of the Prussian force, " though they 
 had never seen an enemy before, covered themselves with 
 glory. Never did veterans of Kome or Sparta fight with 
 more intrepidity for their country than did these youths 
 from seventeen to twenty years of age. Out of 900, only 
 sixty-five were taken; some of the wounded even re- 
 turned to Troppau. The rest, along with Captain Pirch, 
 who commanded them, resolved to defend themselves to 
 the last breath, and carried to the grave the laurels 
 which they had won. All were found dead on the post 
 which they were ordered to defend." ^ And he adds, 
 
 i Jomini, TraiU des grandes Operations militaires, torn. ii. p. 96, 
 edition 1851. 
 
SIEGE RAISED. 189 
 
 lst-2nd July 1758. 
 
 '* The goodness of troops depends upon the genius which 
 knows how to create motives for enthusiasm." 
 
 It is to be remarked that, during the siege of Olmiitz, 
 Frederick seemed to be hardly himself. It was not like 
 him to allow Daun to manoeuvre in the neighbourhood 
 without a battle. It was a mistake to move so huge a 
 convoy instead of several smaller ones, and a strange 
 neglect to suffer at least 20,000 Austrians to reach his line 
 of communications and remain there for days without 
 discovery. Military students will do well to compare the 
 operations about Olmiitz, in 1758, with those of Napoleon I., 
 in 1796, when, under greater difficulties he suddenly 
 abandoned the siege of Mantua and even his batteries ; 
 defeated the enemy, returned and captured the place. 
 
 But if Frederick failed during the siege to uphold his 
 renown as a strategist, his action after the capture of the 
 convoy was remarkable, and remains as one of the great 
 models for soldiers. /\A^ordinary general, knowing that 
 his means of subsistence were reduced, that he was in 
 presence of a superior enemy, and that his communications 
 were cut, would have certainly fallen back behind his 
 fortresses in Silesia, only too glad to find safety and 
 repose. Frederick, on the contrary, raised the siege in a 
 masterly manner during the night of the 1st and 2nd 
 July, and moved with his whole force, not to Silesia but 
 to Bohemia, which Daun had left exposed by his manoeavres 
 south of the king against the convoy. yWhile Daun was 
 doing his usual Te Deums, Frederick was off. Never has 
 there been a more remarkable march. The Prussians 
 moved with an advanced guard, a main body composed of 
 the siege parks in the centre, and a column of all arms 
 on each flank, then a rear guard. The whole of this force 
 was, as it were, escorted by Austrians. They were in 
 
190 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 14th July 2nd Aug 1758. 
 
 front, on the flank and in rear ; the king's army was but a 
 convoy on a large scale ; nothing but a certain inertness 
 of Austrian nature prevented a battle which ought to have 
 gone against the king. Yet, on the 14th July, the 
 Prussian army was safely assembled at Kbniggratz, and 
 in possession of all the fine entrenchments which Daun had 
 made so short a time before. Daun arrived and sat himself 
 once more behind other entrenchments. The two camps 
 were so near that they could see into each other's lines. 
 But Daun dared not attack, though considerably more than 
 twice as strong as Frederick — say 75,000 against 30,000. 
 For all that Daun could or would do the Prussian army 
 might have remained at Kbniggratz for months. 
 
 Meanwhile in other theatres of war, Prince Henry was 
 in Saxony, with about 25,000 men. The Reichs army with 
 a reinforcement of 15,000 Austrians was in the circle of 
 
 . Saatz ready to invade Saxony. Duke Ferdinand in his 
 pursuit of the French beat them at Crefeld, 23rd June. 
 France, in consternation, dismissed Clermont and appointed 
 Contades to command. Belle_Jsle's only son, the Comte 
 de Gisors, fell at Crefeld. / On the 8th July, General 
 Amherst's force landed at Louisberg, and on the 8th 
 August the place fell to the English. All was going well 
 except in one direction, and to that point Frederick had 
 now to turn his eyes. } 
 
 Fermor with his Kussians were now in the field, the 
 
 rCossacks ravaging and murdering horribly. They were at 
 Tosen about the time when Frederick advanced into 
 Bohemia, and thence threatened both Brandenburg and 
 SilesiaT" \ On the 2nd August, Frederick commenced a 
 march into Silesia with the intention of finding Fermor, 
 and fighting him. The march was conducted with great 
 skill, and is a model for that difficult operation — retiring 
 
DEATH OF WILHELMINA. 191 
 
 2iid-15th Aug. 1758. 
 
 through mountain defiles in the face of a superior enemy. 
 More than this, Frederick's enemy had actually beset 
 the principal passes. From the 28th July to the 2nd 
 August the king made several partial movements to 
 deceive the enemy, and clear the road by which he 
 intended to move, and on the latter day commenced his 
 retirement by Scalitz and Nachod to Kloster-Griissau.^ 
 Qurmg the perilous march he learnt from his brother 
 Henry that the much loved Wilhelmina was apparently 
 dying. In spite of the hurry and difficulties in which 
 he was involved, Frederick wrote tender letters to his 
 sister which were answered by her own hand ^p long as 
 she could hold a pen, and afterwards by dictation. 
 But there was no time to indulge in lamentations. ^ 
 Frederick arrived at Griissau on August 8th, and 
 remained there two whole days, during which the king 
 drew up careful instructions for Henry in the event of his 
 death, and then, leaving about half the late OlmUtz army 
 to strengthen the force for defence of Silesia, thus bringing 
 it to 40,000 men under Keith, marched on the 11th through 
 Liegnitz for Frankfurt on Oder with the intention of 
 fighting the Eussians. He had probably with him about 
 15,000 men, and arrived at Frankfurt on the 20th. 
 
 Fermor had left Posen on the 2nd, and moved slowly 
 towards Ciistrin, which town he reduced to ashes on the 
 15th. But the fortress remained untouched by the flames, 
 and was occupied by a Prussian garrison, behind which lay 
 Dohna with the force detached from looking after the 
 Swedes. Dohna and Frederick together would number 
 perhaps 30,000 men, the Russians may be set down as 
 
 ^ There is a good account of these interesting movements in Jomini's 
 TraiU des grandes Operations militaires. It is well worth tlie attentive 
 study of the military student. 
 
192 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 22nd-25th Aug. 1758; 
 
 about 52,000. On the 22nd the army was concentrated 
 and crossed that night at Glistebiese. LeaviDg the baggage 
 on the other side of the Oder, the force pushed on ten 
 miles to Klossow, intending to cross the Miitzel next day 
 at Neudamm. The head-quarters of the Russians were 
 at Gross Kamin. On the 24th Frederick broke the bridges 
 over the Miitzel, south of Neudamm, and crossed there 
 during the night. He broke up the bridge behind him so 
 that no escape across the Miitzel would be possible to the 
 Russians. The day before, 23rd, Termor, hearing of the 
 king's advance, raised the siege of Ciistrin and posted 
 himself north of Zorndorf, sending his huge baggage train 
 rich with plunder to Klein Kamin. Thus on the morning 
 of the 25th the king was nearly due north of the Russians, 
 who were separated from their trains, and arranged in a 
 sort of camp order fronting all round the compass, their 
 light baggage being in the centre. In this formation 
 the army was about two miles long by one mile broad, in a 
 sort of irregular quadrilateral formation with uneven sides. 
 This formation had been found good against the Turks, 
 and is probably the best for a small force which has to 
 meet a large one of irregulars ; it was not suited to with- 
 stand Frederick's tactics. Considering Fermor as fronting 
 towards Neudamm, the left or broadest part of his quadri- 
 lateral rested on the Zabern hollow, with its marshes, the 
 right or narrowest part on mud pools and quagmires near 
 Zicher. 
 
 But the king had no intention of attacking the north 
 front ; he had broken the bridges over the Miitzel with the 
 intention of driving the Russians into that river and the 
 marshes which line its banks. He must therefore march 
 jound the Russian army and attack it from the south ; his 
 own retreat, if worsted, would be short, and upon the 
 
BATTLE OF ZORNDORF. 19^ 
 
 25th Aug. 1758, 
 
 fortress of Custrin. Bent upon carrying out this purpose, 
 and, with his usual impetuosity, ignoring all but his main 
 intention, he actually marched between the Kussian army 
 and its trains, which were at Klein Kamin, without dis- 
 covering their neighbourhood. By capturing or destroy- 
 ing them he might have forced the Bussian army to retire, 
 without wasting a man or a shot on the enterprise. Instead 
 of this, he marched to the south of Wilkersdorf and 
 Zorndorf, to place himself on the western flank of the 
 Russians. The march was seven or eight miles long, and 
 Fermor, seeing what was happening, rearranged his quad- 
 rilateral, placing his best troops in the southern face. 
 The Cossacks, retiring from Zorndorf, set fire to the 
 village, and Frederick, reconnoitring the Bussian western 
 face, decided that the approach across the Zabern hollow 
 with its quagmires would be too difiicult. He decided, 
 therefore, to attack the south-western angle with his left 
 reinforced by the centre, and to refuse his right. The 
 first division ordered to attack marched westward of 
 flaming Zorndorf, the next division east and northward 
 of the burning village. Thus occurred a wide gap between 
 the two divisions. Two strong batteries, numbering to- 
 gether sixty guns, preceded the march, and posted them- 
 selves so as to enfilade the two faces of the Bussian angle. 
 The Bussian ajitillery responded, but its diverging fire had 
 less effect. \ The action of the Prussian artillery was 
 terrible by its enfilade fire. Tielcke, who was with the 
 Russians, reports that forty-two men of one regiment were 
 killed or wounded by a single shot.^ The baggage horses 
 in the interior of the quadrilateral were thrown into great 
 confusion, and Manteufel, who led the Prussian left divi- 
 
 ^ Decker denies this, saying that the batteries were too distant. 
 But they certainly advanced afterwards to closer range. 
 
 O 
 
194 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 25th Aug. 175a 
 
 sion, thought that he saw the moment come for attack. 
 His division pushed gallantly into contact with the enemy 
 and the musketry of the rival infantries was soon at work ; 
 but the second division was not yet near enough to help, 
 and Termor, seeing the gap, poured into it, and upon 
 ManteufeFs front at the same time, a tremendous torrent 
 of horse and foot. Manteufel was thrust back, and 
 twenty- six guns captured from the Prussians. For a 
 moment it seemed as if a catastrophe was at hand, but 
 then, as ever, Frederick was well supported by his chosen 
 cavalry captains. Seidlitz, with wonderful cleverness, had 
 found his way across the bogs in the Zabern hollow, and, 
 at the critical moment, formed up on solid ground, and 
 threw himself, with 5,000 horse, upon the flank of the 
 Russian attack, already broken by its own impetuosity. 
 The charge of Seidlitz was decisive. The Russian advance 
 was dashed to pieces, and by its destruction left a gap in 
 the defensive quadrilateral. Into that gap went Seidlitz, 
 supported by Manteufel' s division, and, in a q'uarter of an 
 hour, complete chaos reigned in this part of the Russian 
 army. The Russian cavalry fled to Kutzdorf, Fermor 
 being with them, and would have crossed the Miitzel but 
 for the breaking of the bridges. The Russian infantry, 
 with that strange dogged persistency characteristic of their 
 race, fled not, but could hardly resist. The cavalry of 
 Seidlitz, mad with desire for revenge, sabred them as they 
 stood, till the arms of the troopers were too weary to 
 wield the sword. Farther away from Seidlitz the Russians 
 broke open the suttlers' brandy casks and filled themselves 
 with the ardent spirit, even from puddles in the ground 
 when their officers split the casks. rTnis terrible example 
 of human passion and human despair continued until half 
 the Russiaji army had been destroyed or swept away, but 
 
BA TTLE OF ZORNDORF, 195 
 
 25tn Aug. 1758. 
 
 between the two wings of it, and separating the quad 
 rilateral into two parts, was another marshy hollow called 
 the Galgen-grund. On the other side of this the second 
 part of the Russians, about two-thirds, remained firm, nor 
 was there any possibility that the troopers of Seidlitz, 
 weary with killing, or Manteufel's division, after its 
 double fight, could make any impression upon the dogged 
 Muscovites. 
 
 It was now the turn of the right wing, which, preceded 
 by the rest of the artillery — formed in three batteries, fifty- 
 seven guns — advanced to the attack of the Russian left 
 front. It would seem that the horrible nature of the 
 carnage which had already prevailed had stricken the 
 Prussian infantry with awe. Their advance was slower 
 than usual, and thus the battery most to the right, thirty 
 pieces, was unsupported. Once more the quadrilateral 
 opened, and a strong force of Russian cavalry rushed 
 upon the battery as it was unlimbering. The guns were 
 taken, and the teams with their limbers rushed wildly 
 back, throwing the infantry into confusion. A supporting 
 battalion was also captured, and again the day seemed 
 lost. The king threw himself into the mass of confusion, 
 and strove to rally the broken battalions.^ At this 
 moment Seidlitz again appeared with sixty-one squadrons, 
 sprang upon the Russian cavalry, shattered it to atoms, 
 and recaptured both infantry and guns. The infantry 
 which had fled formed part of Dohna's force. The bat- 
 talions which Frederick had brought over the mountains 
 all stood firm. Three of them had been recruited in the 
 
 1 It is not quite clear whether there were not two similar Eussian 
 attacks about this time ; the first defeated by cavahy from the right, 
 the second by Seidlitz with his sixty-one squadrons. The point is 
 without importance. 
 
 o 2 
 
196 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 25th Aug. 175», 
 
 Zorndorf country, and blazed with savage wrath against 
 the cruel enemy who had made their homes desolate. 
 These and others pressed on to close quarters. The 
 I artillery had torn the enemy's masses to pieces ; Seidlitz 
 J and the infantry fire had completed the ruin of all for- 
 mation. V. Still, with set teeth and stubborn determination 
 the Russians stood in groups or singly, and met their foes 
 like wild beasts at bayA The opposing forces closed, 
 pressed together, mingled in complete -confusion. All use 
 of artillery, every power of manoeuvre, was gone ; and in 
 their place was a death grapple between Teuton and Slav, 
 breast to breast, with bayonet and butt, with hands, feet, 
 and even teeth. Archenholtz says that the Russians 
 would not even fall at once when shot through, but 
 seemed to wait a while.^ Round this struggling mass 
 wheeled bands of Cossacks, among the dead, the wounded, 
 and the field-pieces, abandoned as useless for the time. A 
 fringe of cold-blooded murder garnished the masses in 
 their horrible strife. Darkness came slowly over the 
 field, and for a time even under its shadow was heard the 
 sobbing breath of foes still struggling, though exhausted. 
 Gradually and sullenly the Russians separated themselves, 
 and drew back. A formed body of them reappeared on a 
 knoll as night fell, and the king could not persuade the 
 battalions which had shrunk from the fight to save their 
 honour by another attack. The battle was ended by 
 exhaustion and darkness, not by any manoeuvre, nor 
 because either side was mentally tired of slaying. 
 
 The losses were, on the Prussian side, 11,390, of whom 
 3,680 were killed. The Russians lost 21,529, of whom 
 
 * This is in accordance with the author's own observation when 
 accompanying the Russian army in 1877. The tenacity of life shown 
 by Russians and still more by Bulgarians was often very remarkable. 
 
DA UN ENTERS SAXONY. 197 
 
 2(5th Aug. -2nd Sept. 1758. 
 
 7,990 were killed. Thus each army had lost more than a 
 third of its strength, many of the Russians being drowned 
 or suffocated in the bogs on the banks of the Miitzel. 
 The Prussians lost twenty-six guns, the Russians 103. 
 
 Next morning the Russians showed themselves in battle 
 order on the Drewitz heath, and there was some cannonad- 
 ing across the Zabern hollow, but neither army had 
 real stomach for another such struggle, and besides, am- 
 munition had run low. It is strange that Frederick still 
 left unseized the Russian trains at Klein-Kamin. His 
 hussars knew of them, for they had plundered them the 
 night before. During the night of the 26th the Russians 
 moved round south of the battle-field to Klein-Kamin, and 
 remained till the 31st, when they slowly withdrew in the 
 direction of Landsberg and Konigsberg. Frederick ^ave to 
 Dohna the charge of pressing the Russian rear, and himself, 
 marched for Saxony on the 2nd September, 
 
 During the absence of the King a great project had been 
 conceived at Vienna. Daun and the Reichs army were to 
 concentrate near Dresden and crush Prince Henry, who 
 was about half as strong as the Reichs army alone. Parts 
 of Daun's force, under Deville and Harsch, were to enter 
 Silesia and besiege Neisse. All fell out as intended, except 
 the crushing. Prince Henry refused to be exterminated ; 
 and after a series of brilliant manoeuvres posted himself in 
 an entrenched position on the heights of Gahmig, near 
 Dresden. Prince Henry was always too quick for Daun. 
 The difference" between the Prussian and Austrian armies 
 may be judged from the fact that Frederick, advancing 
 upon Fermor, marched with a numerous and heavy 
 artillery, much less mobile then than now, at the rate of 
 nearly fourteen miles per day. In returning towards 
 Dresden he sped back at the rate of twenty-two miles a 
 
198 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 12th Sept. -7th Oct. 175$. 
 
 day, and arrived just in time to disconcert by his presence 
 a combination which Daun had formed against Prince 
 Henry ;^ Daun's marches had been at the rate of nine 
 miles per day. ( jChe name of Frederick was . enough for 
 Daun) who fell back to Stolpen, where he fortified himself. 
 Pn the 12th September the king dined with Prince Henry 
 at Dresden. His army was now at Grossenhain, north of 
 Meissen, with its Elbe bridges; Prince Henry's force 
 covered Dresden, Daun was at Stolpen, and the Peichs 
 army in the Pirna country. The four armies lay for about 
 a month in nearly these positions, to the wonder of the 
 world, Frederick thrusting here and there against Daun's 
 posts. His army much needed the rest which it obtained. 
 On the 26th September the king arrived at Pamenau, 
 near Bischofswerda, where Loudon was posted; recon- 
 noitred the position next day, and would have attacked it 
 the day after, but Loudon prudently fell back towards 
 Stolpen. Drawing nine days' provisions from Dresden, 
 the king now decided to march towards Bautzen, sending 
 General Petzow with an advanced guard to that place. 
 He was ordered to seize Weissenberg and the Stromberg 
 Hill in front of Bautzen, and did so accordingly, on 1st 
 October, except the Stromberg. Why should he % all seemed 
 quiet. 
 
 He placed a cavalry outpost on that hill by day but 
 retired it by night. On the night of the 6th — 7th the 
 Austrian General Wehla, who had till then fallen back 
 before Petzow, reoccupied the hill. For now, Daun, fearing 
 for his magazines at Zittau, was on his way to intercept the 
 
 ^ Tempelhof doubts whether Daun had conceived a living plan. 
 That ascribed to him was that his army should march round by Meissen, 
 cross the Elbe, and take Prince Henry in rear, while the Eeiclis army 
 attacked in front. 
 
KING MOVES TO BAUTZEN. 199 
 
 7th-llth Oct. 1758. 
 
 Prussian army Frederick had been delayed by awaiting 
 the provision columns from Dresden, which only reached 
 Bautzen on the 10th. 
 
 The king himself with the army arrived at Bautzen on 
 the 7th, and on the same day Daun finished his march of 
 two days and lay at Kittlitz. Thus Wehla was his advanced 
 guard, and possessed that Stromberg hill which domi- 
 nated the whole country and was the key of the positions 
 thereabouts. On the 10th Frederick pushed forward to 
 Hochkirch and saw, to his chagrin, Daun's army drawn 
 up opposite him in front of Kittlitz. In vexation he 
 turned his eyes to the Stromberg and saw there, not Prus- 
 sian troops, but Austrian grenadiers, five battalions of 
 them, with a numerous artillery. Just the one key-point 
 had been neglected. The king was furious. He clapped 
 Betzow in arrest, and with headstrong obstinacy insisted 
 on encamping within a mile of the Austrians, and in a 
 position inferior to theirs. So evident was the folly of 
 this that his favourite adjutant, Marwitz, refused to mark 
 out the ground, and was also placed in arrest. No special 
 pleading can excuse Frederick. He was yielding to childish 
 passion, or rather to that strain of mad self-will which, when 
 displayed by his father, had cost the boy so dear. Yield, 
 ing to his temper and to his contempt for Daun, he risked 
 the safety of his army and country without any advantage 
 to be gained. Next morning the Stromberg was attempted 
 but found impregnable, the Austrians being already rein- 
 forced. As usual Daun fortified assiduously, and Frederick, 
 having never been attacked, had a blind confidence in the 
 inertness of the Austrians. His plan was to move, on the 
 14th, to Shops, and place himself there on Daun's right 
 flank, thus turning the position. But, for once, the 
 Austrian general felt that he must act with some vigour. 
 
200 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 llth-13th Oct. 1758. 
 
 Never in his career would he see so manifest an oppor- 
 tunity again. 
 
 Such insolent neglect as that of Frederick is almost in- 
 credible, especially when it is remembered that his force 
 was but 40,000 all told, that Daun had 90,000 in com- 
 manding positions only about a mile distant, that the King's 
 right wing, under Keith, and his centre, together only 
 28,000 strong, occupied about four miles of country from 
 Hochkirch to Drehsa, or thereabouts ; and that his left 
 wing under Ketzow, 12,000 strong, was beyond Weissen- 
 berg, having between it and the centre a gap of four or 
 five miles. (But the feeling of the king may be under- 
 stood by his reply to Keith, who said : — " The Austrians 
 deserve to be hanged if they don't attack us here." Frederick 
 answered — ** Let ^ys hope, then, that Daun fears us more 
 than the gallows." j 
 
 The right of "the Prussians was strengthened by a battery 
 of twenty guns, by four battalions thrown back en potencBy 
 and by Ziethen's cavalry. Opposite them, nearly due 
 south, lay Loudon, with some 3,000 men, principally 
 Croats. Wooded hills covered this force, and Frederick 
 knew nothing of it. Another battery, of thirty guns, 
 strengthened the left of the 28,000 under the king's 
 own command. Retzow, as we know was beyond 
 Weissenberg. 
 
 On the Austrian side, D' Ahremberg, with the right wing 
 about 20,000 strong, occupied the Stromberg and there- 
 abouts, ready at any moment to place himself between the 
 king and Retzow. The main force was in front of the 
 Prussians, with Loudon out-flanking them. Far behind, 
 at Reichenbach, the Prince of Baden Durlach commanded 
 a force of 25,000, to observe Ketzow and protect the com- 
 munications. The fronts of the Austrian and Prussian 
 
DAUN'S FLAN OF A TTA CK. 201 
 
 !ISth-14thOct. 175S. 
 
 lines were only half a mile apart, with a brook for 
 frontier. 
 
 The night of the 13th fell, chill and dark, enshrouding 
 the armies with its folds of fog. The Prussians slept pro- 
 tected from the marsh mists by their tents. The horses 
 were unburdened, by order of Frederick, their saddles and 
 other furniture packed carefully in heaps on the ground. 
 All except Ziethen's cavalry. That brilliant, yet cautious 
 leader, felt the same anxiety as Keith, and kept his horses 
 saddled, in disobedience to the king's command. During 
 the day the hollow woods had resounded to the chopping of 
 axes, the usual noise in Daun's camps. Making abatis, 
 Frederick thought. And all through the night the sound 
 of the chopping and falling of trees continued with added 
 intensity. The Austrian watch fires burned brightly along 
 their lines, and figures flitted in front of them, piling ou 
 wood and throwing long shadows on the white mist. 
 
 But behind those watch-fires there were no troops. The 
 axe during the last two days had been at work making 
 roads through the woods, and now redoubled its noise to 
 conceal that of an army in motion. All night long the 
 columns moved silently through the dripping woods till 
 30,000 men cast the arms of their formation round the 
 Prussian right to the very back of Frederick's army. Still, 
 even Ziethen slept, though his horses were saddled. At 
 the same time, D'Ahremberg's men were planting them- 
 selves in readiness to attack the king's left and its thirty- 
 gun battery ; but no blow was to be struck here till the 
 Prussian right should be driven in. Baden Durlach was 
 preparing to grasp Betzow firmly, and at least prevent 
 him from sending support to his master. As the clock at 
 Hochkirch struck four, all the Austrians were settling into 
 their positions ; their deceitful watch fires burned brightly 
 
$02 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 14th Oct. 175& 
 
 as ever, and the Prussian soldiers lay wrapped in their 
 blankets dead asleep. A few only, whose business it was 
 to repel the usual morning attacks of the Austrian light 
 troops were awake and stirring. All seemed still this 
 dark and misty morning. Even the usual crackle of 
 firearms among the light troops was absent. 
 
 The church clock at Hochkirch struck five. It was the 
 signal for the attack of 30,000 men on the weak Prussian 
 right, and the woods began to echo from tree to tree the 
 sound of musketry, becoming ever louder and more fre- 
 quent. Gradually the idea forced itself on the Prussians 
 that this was no outpost affair, but the approach of a 
 serious struggle. One by one their battalions came into 
 action, but only to be surrounded, and cut their way out 
 through masses of the enemy. The guns fired into the fog 
 and darkness, but were attacked from front, rear, and flank. 
 Zeithen, with his cavalry, swept backwards and forwards, 
 and succeeded in keeping the extremity of the position clear. 
 But all was of no avail. The Austrians were more nume- 
 rous on that flank than the whole of the king's portion 
 of the army. The twenty-gun battery was taken, and 
 the battalions became skeletons, the bones of them hang- 
 ing still together, and fighting as best they could with a 
 courage and discipline beyond all praise. Keith, with 
 one fresh battalion and the remnants of others, charged 
 up the hill straight on the battery and recaptured it. 
 But his small force was surrounded and overwhelmed. He 
 tried to force his way out with the bayonet, but fell, shot 
 through the heart, a victim to his master's fierce 
 obstinacy. 
 
 Shortly after Keith's repulse and death, Frederick be- 
 came aware of the terrible nature of the attack, and sent 
 to the right a reinforcement of several battalions. They 
 
BATTLE OF HOCHKIRCH. 203- 
 
 14th Oct. 1758. 
 
 too were repulsed, and Moritz of Dessau fell, a wounded 
 prisoner, into the hands of the Austrians. Then the king 
 himself rushed into the thick of the combat with more 
 battalions. He too passed beyond Hochkirch, but his 
 horse was shot under him, and, as the fog slowly lifted, 
 he perceived that all was lost on the right, and an iron 
 ring of the enemy was closing in upon him. Now, too, 
 D'Ahremberg came into action against the Prussian front. 
 Steindorfel was gone, and with it the main line of retreat 
 on Bautzen. Nothing remained but to concentrate the 
 army as best might be, and retreat, if retreat were still 
 possible, by the pass of Drehsa where the brook runs. 
 
 Sharp orders were despatched to seize the Drehsa 
 heights, and the ever ready Ziethen flung himself into 
 position at Kumschutz and Canitz to guard the new right. 
 Urgent messages were sent to Retzow to come in with his 
 best speed. But Betzow was now in action with Baden 
 Durlach's 20,000, and had much ado to get back by Belgen 
 and thereabouts. To rally the beaten troops was no easy 
 task, but it was done under the shelter of two hastily-formed 
 batteries, one on the heights of Drehsa, which checked 
 Loudon advancing from Steindorfel, another brought together 
 by Frederick himself, of ten heavy pieces, half way between 
 the Drehsa heights and the thirty-gun battery. These 
 two new masses of guns held back the victorious Austrian 
 left wing and saved the army from rout. The thirty-gun 
 battery was left almost defenceless. Twice it repulsed the 
 attack of D'Ahremberg and gave time for the troops to 
 rally. The third time it was surrounded and captured 
 about nine o'clock. The artillery had done its part well. 
 In such a case as this the duty of that arm is to sacrifice 
 itself for the safety of the infantry. The guns were lost, 
 but they gained time for the king to form his new front and 
 
204 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 14th Oct.-20th Nov. 1758. 
 
 for Retzow to escape being cut off. By ten o'clock Retzow 
 had joined, his movements having been covered by the skil- 
 ful resistance of two batteries well supported by infantry. 
 
 Frederick now ordered a general retreat. It was carried 
 out in perfect order, always fronting the enemy with one 
 echelon while another retired. Grim and savage the 
 Prussians fell back, covered by what guns remained to 
 them, and so surly was their appearance that Daun dared 
 attempt nothing further. The relics of the army took post 
 near the Spree that night ; not broken in spirit, hardly 
 disheartened. The king was cheerful, and Daun fell back 
 to his old camp, where he remained for some six or seven 
 days to come, then moved only a little forward. On the 
 23rd Frederick, already reinforced by artillery from 
 Dresden, and by 6,000 men under Prince Henry in 
 person, marched down the Spree apparently for Glogau, 
 and two days later struck south-eastward by Reichenbach 
 towards Neisse. Daun's flank was turned after all, and 
 the siege of ISTeisse had to be raised. 
 
 'The Prussians lost in the battle about 8,000 killed, 
 wounded, or missing, with 101 guns, and the Austrians 
 about as many men. But, to Frederick, Keith and Moritz 
 were irreparable losses, and his heart was even more sorely 
 bruised by news which arrived four days afterwards. 
 Wilhelmina was dead. From that day forth Frederick 
 the man was lonely in a world of pain. 
 
 The king, with his army, being gone for Silesia, Daun 
 thought to capture Dresden, moved slowly there and laid 
 siege to the place. But on November 15 th he heard that 
 Frederick was speeding back by Lusatia, his work in 
 Silesia being done. Daun faltered iand fell back into the 
 Pirna country. On the 20th Frederick was in Dresden, and 
 Daun on his way home to Bohemia. 
 
BATTLE OF HOCHKIRCH. 205 
 
 1758. 
 
 This remarkable campaign shows the genius of Frederick 
 at its best and worst. He began with one idea which, 
 with great versatility and address, he changed for another 
 after the capture of the convoy rendered the fall of 
 Olmiitz hopeless. His march to Kbniggratz, instead of 
 falling back on Silesia, was a magnificent instance of the 
 true way of defending a country. Nothing could be more 
 careful and well-conducted than his passage through the 
 mountains, and his march on the Russians was brilliant. 
 E^iually remarkable was his neglect to seize or destroy 
 the Russian trains, for, if on the first day of the battle he 
 was too much occupied to think of them, there could be no 
 such excuse on the second day. The Austrian Loudon, or 
 the king's own partizan leaders, would certainly have 
 seized such a golden opportunity. / The rapid return to 
 Saxony was a master stroke, but exception must be taken 
 to the slowness of the movement on Bautzen. It would 
 have been better to wait till all the provision columns 
 were in readiness before moving at all. Frederick was 
 now committing the fault of despising his adversary too 
 much. He would not give Daun credit for the slightest 
 military vigour, and was accordingly out-manoeuvred. 
 When he found the Austrian army in front of him, hairing 
 the road to Neisse, his anger and self-confidence verged on 
 madness. But he was always great in defeat. ■ Once more 
 he formed a new pTan, and executed it with sucL ability 
 as to atone for his previous errors. The rest of the cam- 
 paign is a perfect example of well-conducted war. It is 
 true that, according to modern military art, Daun and his 
 other opponents were culpably slow, but so had the old 
 Prince of Dessau been, and the Prussian armies at 
 Mollwitz and elsewhere, till Frederick made them quick 
 and subtle, and taught his generals rapidity of motion. 
 
?06 FREDERICK THE GREA T, 
 
 Every action must be judged according to the spirit of 
 the age, and if one general appears brighter and bolder 
 than the rest of his time, he must be assigned a niche in 
 the Temple of Fame as a great commander. Military 
 pedants like Jomini may talk of the effect of interior 
 lines on a campaign like this. The fact is that Frederick 
 used them when he had them ; Daun had the same ad- 
 vantage when the king was fighting Fermor, and again 
 when he was relieving Neisse. Frederick made the best 
 of them ; Daun threw his chances away. 
 
CHAPTER XYl. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OP 1759. BATTLE OF KUNERSDORP. FALL OP 
 
 DRESDEN. — PRINCE HENRY's GREAT MARCH. CAPTURE OF 
 
 FINCK AT MAXEN. 
 
 A.D. 1759, 
 
 1759. 
 
 The struggles of the past three years had greatly ex- 
 hausted the resources of Frederick, and he was driven to 
 strange shifts for procuring the necessary money and 
 means. Prussia, small in population, had produced her 
 best army at the beginning of the war. As the veterans 
 died or retired, young soldiers took their place. Discipline 
 was less perfect, yet, as we shall see, some of the finest 
 marches were made by the new levies. On the other hand 
 the Austrian armies were improving. The population to 
 draw upon was greater, the troops had gained experience, 
 and the generals were learning the art of war from their 
 great opponent. Under these circumstances, Frederick 
 thought himself obliged to relinquish his dashing method 
 of opening the campaign by invasion of his enemy's 
 country. An immense cordon had been drawn round him 
 during the winter. The Russians had withdrawn but 
 were still at enmity. Daun's Austrians were round the 
 western Silesian border and the south-eastern Saxon. 
 
208 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 1759. 
 
 Then came the Reichs army in Thuringia and Franconia. 
 Then Soubise, with 25,000 French in the Frankfurt-Ems 
 country, and lastly, Contades behind the Rhine on the 
 Dutch borders. In this chain of posts were about 300,000 
 men, all enemies to the life of Prussia. To meet these 
 and the Russians, Frederick had about 150,000 ; he was 
 reduced to debasing Prussian coin for his necessities, and 
 above all there lay upon him the shadow of that terrible 
 loneliness which never left him after Wilhelmina's death. 
 *' Nothing solaces me," he writes, "but the vigorous 
 application required in steady and continuous labour." 
 
 Among his labours was an essay on Tactics, in which 
 he speaks of the perpetual sluggishness of the Austrians as 
 the main cause of his success hitherto. He had by this 
 time become aware of the power which might be got from 
 the new arm, a mobile field artillery, and 'he felt that the 
 Prussian artillery was not equal to the Austrian. Hence- 
 forward he set himself to improve it, and he did so more 
 and more as the quality of his infantry fell off. 
 
 In the early part of the year his various armies struck 
 blows at the cordon, though without intention of definitely 
 invading any territory ; rather to disturb arrangements 
 and capture magazines. As the king himself was not 
 engaged in these, we will take no notice of them, except 
 to say that on the whole they were successful, and delayed 
 the advance of the enemy like sorties from a fortress. 
 Daun was so astonished at the king attempting no invasion 
 that he was long at a loss for any plan of campaign, 
 wasting five weeks in correspondence with the Russians. 
 Neither party liked the task of belling the cat. In June 
 the king made a reconnaissance into Bohemia, of no 
 importance but for the fact that in his small column 
 marched four guns, of lightest equipment, the gunners 
 
BIRTH OF HORSE ARTILLERY, 209 
 
 Jiily-Aug. 1759. 
 
 mounted on the horses as postilions. This was the first 
 attempt at an artillery capable of accompanying cavalry 
 on the march and in the field — the germ of the present 
 horse artillery of Europe. 
 
 The Russians took the field this year earlier than usual. 
 Soltikof was now in command, superseding Fermor. 
 Frederick, as usual, drew upon his northern forces, and 
 ordered Dohna, with 18,000 men, to try whether he could 
 not deliver some stroke against the separate parts of the 
 Russian army before it could concentrate. Dohna was old, 
 and trained on the old methods of war, and did nothing of 
 value. Soltikof out-manoeuvred him, and Frederick, whose 
 best generals, except Ziethen and Seidlitz, were all killed, 
 appointed Wedell to command, with instructions to fight 
 the Russians somehow and somewhere. On the 23rd 
 July, Wedell, with 26,000 men, attacked Soltikof, 70,000 
 strong, besides Cossacks, on the march near Zullichau. 
 Wedell was defeated with loss of 6,000, and fell back to 
 Crossen Bridge, five or six miles below the town of 
 Crossen-on-Oder, which Soltikof occupied on the 24th. 
 Daun tried to persuade the Russians to push on, and unite 
 with him for a blow against Frederick ; but Soltikof 
 moved down the Oder to Frankfurt, marching rlways on 
 the eastern bank. Daun had detached Loudon and 
 Haddick some time before, with 35,000 men, to join the 
 Russians. It was necessary for Frederick to prevent the 
 'junction if possible, and he determined to do the work 
 himself. Calling Prince Henry to command at Schmott- 
 seifen and watch Daun, he drew in his various detach- 
 ments to Sagan, and on the 6th August united with 
 Wedell at Miillrose, near Frankfurt, after a vain search 
 for the Haddick-Loudon force. He always missed it by a 
 trifle, yet his swift pursuit had the effect of forcing 
 
 p 
 
210 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 2nd-12th Aug. 1759.' 
 
 Haddick with the bulk of the infantry to relinquish the 
 attempt, and Loudon only joined the Russians on the 2nd 
 August with 20,000 men, chiefly cavalry. 
 /^t this time occurred in the western theatre of war the 
 baOTe of Minden, where Ferdinand defeated the French, the 
 English and Hanoverian infantry in the centre of the fight 
 behaving magnificently/^he French army would have been 
 ruined but for th«-«risconduct of Lord George Sackville, 
 who commanded the cavalry, and failed to attack when 
 ordered. The mists of time have veiled the terrible 
 incapacity, to say the least, of some English officers in the 
 Seven Years' War. Were one tenth of their weakness 
 and folly shown in a campaign now, the telegraph would 
 flash the news from the pens of many correspondents, and 
 on the very evening of the battle England would be in a 
 delirium of indignation. 
 
 At MUllrose Frederick lay quiescent for some days. He 
 was awaiting Finck with another 10,000 men, which would 
 give him 50,000 altogether ; the Russian enemy being, 
 with Loudon, about 90,000 strong. Finck arrived on the 
 10th at Reitwein, some fifteen miles below Frankfurt, ^he 
 king and his army being there to meet him. Two bridges, 
 one of pontoons the other of boats, brought from Custrin, 
 were laid speedily, and the whole army crossed that night 
 in two columns, and moved next day towards Kunersdorf. 
 That night the army lay between Leissow and Bischofsee.* 
 Finck was placed at Trettin. 
 
 On the morning of the 12th, at three o'clock, the king 
 marched to attack the Russians, who had drawn up on 
 the sandhills about Kunersdorf. Frederick did not know 
 the ground, and, being misled by a peasant and by an 
 officer who had hunted in the vicinity, planned his battle 
 1 See map. Battle of Kunersdorf. 
 
BATTLE OF KUNERSDORF. 211 
 
 12th Aug. 1759. - — 
 
 as it could not fiiically be carried out, because of delay in 
 crossing the boggy ground. The plan was for Finck to 
 remain at Trettin or in front of it, making demonstrations 
 as if the attack of the main army were to be thence. The 
 rest of the army was to move in two columns by the left 
 through the woods. The Russian right wing was to be 
 cannonaded from north by Finck, from east by the king, 
 and then the whole of the army was to bear down together 
 and sweep the Russians out of their position. Frederick 
 would command the centre. 
 
 The first difficulty was found in the king's march 
 through the woods. The troops went too far and had to 
 be recalled with great difficulty, the heavier guns, with 
 their teams of twelve horses, being especially hard to 
 reverse among the trees. At last, after a weary march of 
 more than eight hours, the troops arrived in their places, 
 or nearly so ; Frederick established two batteries, one on 
 the little Spitzberg, the other on the road to left of that 
 hill. Later, a third battery was established to left of the 
 road. About eleven o'clock the batteries opened fire, 
 Finck assisting from his side. The range was too long for 
 the guns of that time — " 1,950 paces at the nearest," 
 Tempelhof says ; but so dashing was the infantry 
 attack, that eight grenadier battalions captured the 
 Russian batteries on the Muhlberg in ten minutes. ^ The 
 JR;USsiafiL left wing was beaten, and by one o'clock was 
 streaming "TmcFlmretf eat on the main body. Now was 
 the time for the combined attack, but the left was not 
 
 ^ The disposition of the Russian guns had been such that they could 
 not see into the hollow across which tlie Grenadiers advanced. It is 
 a sad mistake to imagine that a hill is hard to capture if steep enough. 
 On the contrary, it may be too steep for safety. For instance, poor 
 CoUey's position on the Majuba Hill. 
 
 p 2 
 
212 FREDERICK TEE GREAT. 
 
 12th Aug. 1759. 
 
 even yet in position, and Finck was in difficulties in the 
 Hiinerfliess, which was almost impassable for the guns of 
 that time. There was at first no artillery with which to 
 fire on the retreating Russians, and when it arrived the 
 enemy had formed a new position behind the Kuhgrund 
 (cow hollow). 
 
 Upon this position the king now directed his army. He 
 could not wait for the artillery, toiling behind ; his men 
 were suffering much from the fire of the Russian guns, 
 and he risked the advance. Finck, pressing up from the 
 Elsbrucb (Alder Waste), stormed the left of the position, 
 and the right centre pushed on from the Miihlberg. The 
 left could not attack through Kunersdorf as the village 
 had been set on fire by the Russians. The infantry struggle 
 was desperate, and lasted three hours. Once more the 
 Prussians were successful, and carried the greater part of 
 the position, though the Kuhgrund was literally paved with 
 their bodies fallen under the Russian case-shot. Almost 
 all the position, but how much in that word — almost ! 
 About 150 Russian guns had been taken, but again, not 
 alL There remained the Spitz berg to be carried, and upon 
 it was a battery of forty guns. In front too, was a 
 gradually sloping glacis, and behind it Loudon's guns 
 and others which had rallied on them. It was therefore a 
 mass of well-posted artillery which had to be attacked if 
 attack there must be. 
 
 Frederick's generals, Seidlitz among them, implored him 
 to rest content with his success so far, and he heard from 
 Wunsch, whom he had sent to Frankfurt to intercept the 
 retreat, that the enemy were actually beginning to cross 
 the river. But again he was headstrong. He ordered 
 some guns to fire on the bridge and insisted that his weary 
 infantry should attack again without waiting for the 
 
. BATTLE OF KUNERSDORF. 213 
 
 1759. 
 
 artillery to prepare the way. The left wing, hitherto not 
 engaged, advanced on the Spitzberg and climbed the slope 
 only to be hurled down again by case-shot. Then the 
 king, wild with wrath, sent at it Seidlitz with the cavalry. 
 But the horsemen were shattered by the same fire, and 
 driven in flight beyond the lakes of Kunersdorf. Again 
 and again did Frederick throw his men against the batteries. 
 Thrice he himself led the attack, and three horses were 
 killed under him. A bullet struck a small metal box in 
 his waistcoat jacket and was flattened. In front the same 
 work was going on. The Prussian battalions dashed them- 
 selves to pieces against the batteries. That nothing might 
 be left untried Frederick sent the cavalry round by the 
 east of the Miihlberg to attack from the Alder Waste. 
 Eugen, of Wurtemberg, led them, but, when ready to 
 charge, found that he had no men left with him. They 
 had been over-tried and failed at last. Slowly now the 
 infantry gave back. One last attempt was made at the 
 Kuhgrund and with the last cartridges, but in vain. It 
 was repulsed with the deadly case-shot. The last blow 
 was given by Loudon who charged with his cavalry. From 
 that moment the Prussian army was a miserable mass of 
 fugitives. It melted away, and the king, who was one of 
 the last to leave the field, found at the bridges only 3,000 
 men awaiting him. CThe army had lost about 19,000 
 killed, wounded, and prisoners, the Hussians and Austrians 
 together, about 18,000.^ 
 
 /^ederick had sent five messages to Berlin during the 
 battle, at first announcing victory, then defeat and despair. 
 He a ctual ly handed over the army to Finck, and determined 
 notJ;o_su.rvive the disasterT) Worse still, he wrote to 
 General Schmettau, who commanded at Dresden, a letter 
 saying that he must expect no help, and might have to 
 
214 FREDERICK TEE GREAT. • 
 
 4th-15th Sept. 175». 
 
 make terms for himself. The next day 23,000 men had 
 arrived, the Kussians did not pursue, and on the fourth 
 day after the battle the king was himself again. He sent 
 to Berlin for refitments, and ordered Kleist from the 
 Swedish business to join him. He was saved however, 
 not by anything he could do, but by the sluggishness of 
 his enemies. Daun and Soltikof spent their time in talk, 
 each trying to persuade the others to give Frederick the 
 coup de grace. 
 
 On the 4th of September Schmettau surrendered Dresden 
 to the Reich's army quite unnecessarily, and with great 
 hurt to the cause, for General Wunsch was then within 
 ten miles, having been sent with 8,000 men to relieve him. 
 But though Dresden was gone, Wunsch with his 8,000 
 and Finck with about the same number managed to hold 
 the Reich's army in check, and to snatch some advantages 
 from them. As for Schmettau, the king ordered him to 
 Beirlin, never employed him_again nor saw his face more. 
 
 / The situation was critical. | The Russians and Austrians 
 together were 120,000, withTree communication. Frederick 
 had 24,000 guarding Berlin; Prince Henry 38,000 at 
 Schmottseifen, separated from the king by the whole of 
 Daun's army, which stretched its flank as far as Hoyers- 
 werda, headquarters at Triebel. Thus was formed a living 
 wall of enemies between the king and Prince Henry, and 
 the advantage of interior lines was against the Prussians. 
 Prince Henry manoeuvred against Daun's communications^ 
 and forced him to make detachments. CBttt the one mea- 
 sure which would have ruined Frederick was neglected by 
 the allies. Tl^y could not agree to unite and crush either 
 Prussian armyj At last, on the 15th September, they held 
 a conference, and agreed that Soltikof should attack Silesia 
 while Daun should strike Prince Henry. Frederick now 
 
, PJRINCE HENETS MARCH. 215 
 
 Sept. lOth-Oct. 1759. 
 
 showed his strategical ability by seizing Sagan, whence he 
 could communicate with Henry, and check Soltikof. 
 Whatever movement was made by the Russians they found 
 Frederick in front of them, ready for a battle, which 
 Soltikof avoided. Soltikof had bargained for food sup- 
 plies from the Austrians. They sent him money instead, 
 and he growled that his men could not eat silver. Finally, 
 on the 24th October, he withdrew to Posen, and the snows 
 of Russia swallowed him from sight for that year. 
 Loudon had to get home as best he could through western 
 Poland and Cracow. 
 
 Daun concentrated and moved to Gorlitz on the 22nd 
 September, ready to attack Prince Henry, who was in 
 position there on the Landskron. The attack was to be 
 next morning, but when day broke the Prussians had dis- 
 appeared. Daun, fearing for his magazines at Bautzen, 
 marched there, but Prince Henry's plan had been far 
 otherwise. He moved first northward to Rothenburg, 
 twenty miles, where he bivouacked three hours ; then to 
 Klitten during the second night, a march of eighteen 
 miles. Resting there again only three hours, the prince 
 again marched through the evening and night twenty 
 miles further, arriving on the 25th at Hoyerswerda, where 
 he at once attacked and crushed Wehla, who, with 3,000 
 troops, formed the most westerly detachment of the Austrian 
 army. The march occupied fifty hours, the distance was 
 fifty-eight miles. Nothing but perfect efficiency in every 
 branch could enable any army to perform such a feat, and 
 the fame of it rang through Europe, adding much to the 
 respect in which Frederick and his Prussians were regarded. 
 
 But hard work, fatigue, and exposure were telling on 
 the king. On October 10th he fell sick of the gout. For 
 three weeks he was confined to his room, yet such was his 
 
216 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 Oct..Nov. 1759. 
 
 energy that instead of resting, he wrote diligently a 
 memoir on the military character of Charles XII. He 
 was carried in a litter to Glogau. 
 
 [r vince Henry now commenced a series of manoeuvres 
 against Daun, causing that worthy but old-world general 
 to retire gradually. But the king, recovered from his 
 illness — was the gouty blood clean gone from his brain ? — 
 joined Prince Henry, and with adventurous rashness 
 determined to crush the Austrians altogether. In his 
 instructions to his generals Frederick speaks strongly 
 against making detachments on the eve of a battle ; yet 
 he detached Wunsch before Kunersdorf, and he now 
 detached Finck to circle round in rear of Daun and help 
 in the general destruction. Prince Henry and Finck 
 himself objected, but the king's obstinacy prevailed. On 
 the 15th November Finck marched by Dippoldiswalde to 
 Maxen. Daun brought together a force of the Reich's 
 army as well as his own, and surrounded Finck at Maxen 
 with 42,000 men, the Prussian general having only 12,000. 
 After two days' fighting Finck capitulated, and even had 
 to call back Wunsch, who had escaped with the cavalry, 
 and deliver up him also. For this there was no excuse. 
 Finck ought to have fought to the last in an effort to break 
 out. But the chief fault lay with Frederick, who should 
 not have detached Finck unless he were sure of supporting 
 him by keeping Daun always occupied. 
 
 (So the armies stood for the winter, Daun occupying 
 Dresden, Frederick holding the rest of Saxony. Both 
 Daun and Frederick prolonged their stay in the field till 
 far into the winter, but nothing came of it. The cam- 
 paign had been unfortunate above all others,^Ln^ it is the 
 one in which Frederick for the first time stood on the 
 
 defensive to await his enemy. "| 
 
CHAPTEE XYII. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OP 1760. — Frederick's double plan. — siege of 
 
 DRESDEN. MARCH TO SILESIA. MANOEUVRES AGAINST THREE 
 
 ARMIES. BATTLE OF LIEGNITZ. RAID ON BERLIN. 
 
 FREDERICK MARCHES FOR SAXONY. BATTLE OF TORGAU. 
 
 A.D. 1760. 
 
 The campaign of 1760 opened with dismal augury for 
 Frederick. His country was nearly exhausted. He had 
 lost 60,000 men in the last year and the quality of the 
 recruits was falling off. His exchequer was nearly ruined, 
 and the successive admixtures of copper with the coin had 
 depreciated the value of Prussian money . \ His c hief enemies, 
 the Austrians and Russians, had at last agreed upon a 
 combined plan of operationQin which Loudon was to have 
 the separate command of an army of 50,000 men, destined 
 for Silesia. He was to operate on the Oder in conjunction 
 with Soltikof, while Daun, with 100,000 men, was to hold 
 Frederick fast in Saxony, or, if the king broke loose against 
 Loudon and Soltikof, was to follow him into Silesia. The 
 Prussian army had lost so many officers that the regiments 
 had by no means their full complement, and so strong was 
 aristocratic prejudice, that it was impossible to throw open 
 the profession of arms to competition among all classes. 
 
218 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 That great step was reserved for the forces of the French 
 revolution. Yet Frederick's unsurpassed power of admin- 
 istration provided a respectable army for the field, rein- 
 forced his artillery, and remounted the cavalry. ^^England 
 granted a subsidy as usuatNand men who swelled the army 
 of Ferdinand to 70,00(rr^,000 of them English. Against 
 the duke were Broglio with 80,000, the Count of St. 
 Germain, on the Lower Rhine, with 30,000, and Prince 
 Xavier with 15,000 as reserve. (Vnited Eyrope believed 
 that the last hours of Prussia were at hand^^ 
 /^he campaign of 1760 is memorable for its wonderful 
 marches'X At the outset Frederick opposed Daun. Prince 
 Henry 'Snd Fouquet were to check the Russians and 
 Loudon and to guard Silesia. At the. middle of May, the 
 Prince and Fouquet were spread over a line of posts, 300 
 miles, from Land shut to Colberg. Urged by the king, 
 Prince Henry concentrated between Sagan and Sprot- 
 tau, then moved northward to Frankfurt, and finally to 
 Landsberg. But no urging could induce him to attack 
 the Russians while on the march in separate divisions. 
 Posen was the Russian main base of operations. Fouquet, 
 deceived by Loudon's manoeuvres, was enticed from Lands- 
 hut ; thereupon Loudon pounced upon that place and then 
 blockaded Glatz (7th of June). Frederick, irritated by 
 this failure, ordered Fouquet to retake Landshut. He did 
 so on the 17th, but having only 13,000 men was attacked 
 by Loudon with 31,000 and completely defeated with the 
 loss of nearly his whole force. This terrible blow showed 
 Frederick that he himself must do more than watch Daun, 
 
 and (he forthwith formed a double plan : first, to march 
 
 to_Silesiar'if he could and strike Loudon; second, if this 
 pl^n fajled, to draw away Daun, rush back and carry 
 Dresden by a sharp siege. This was a combination worthy 
 
SIEGE OF DRESDEN, 219 
 
 2ud-lSth July 1760. 
 
 of a great general. On hearing the bad news of Fouquet's 
 failure he sent an order to Magdeburg that a siege train 
 should be in readiness at that place. On the 2nd of July 
 the king moved twenty miles northwards from Gross 
 Dobritz to Quosdorf, near Krakau, the first village in 
 Lusatia. Daun sent Lacy with 20,000 to harass the 
 march and stop it if possible. He encamped in sight of 
 Frederick on the 3rd, and on that night the king marched 
 to attack him. Lacy being warned moved off towards 
 Bischofswerda, declining the combat. On the 6th Frederick 
 marched another fifteen miles to Kloster Marienstern. 
 Daun moved to Bautzen with Lacy as rear-guard. July 
 6th, Frederick pushed on to outflank the Austrians and 
 pass Daun, leaving Bautzen on the right. So intense was 
 the heat that 105 Prussian soldiers died of sunstroke. 
 Daun moved also to Gorlitz and lost 200 men from the 
 same cause. Finding that the main force was gone, 
 Frederick occupied Bautzen, and planned to strike Lacy 
 moving from Bischofswerda, On the 8th, in the evening, 
 the attempt was made, but Lacy again escaped back to 
 Bischofswerda, and to Dresden on the 10th, thence to 
 Plauen Chasm and the Eeichs Army. Daun was already 
 fifty miles ahead, on the way to Silesia. On the 12th. 
 Frederick was crossing the river close to Dresden with 
 intent to carry the fortress. He knew that Daun must 
 return, but hoped that time enough would be given.» On 
 the 18th the siege guns arrived from Magdeburg, and all 
 being prepared for them beforehand, began to bombard the 
 town. It was a cruel torture to the townsfolk, but not out 
 of the war rights of a besieging army. We have lived to 
 see in this generation a bombardment of the gayest capital 
 in the world. Maguire, the commandant of Dresden, 
 mounted guns on the roof of the Kreutz Kirche (Protestant 
 
220 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 18th-29th July 1760. 
 
 High Church) ; the Prussian guns destroyed church and 
 battery together, without the king's orders as he always 
 said afterwards.^ Maguire burned what remained of the 
 suburbs from the last siege, and the Prussians burned a 
 great part of the town during the bombardment. The 
 wretched inhabitants were reduced to extreme misery, and 
 could hardly bless the supposed clemency which had re- 
 frained from capturing the place by storm the first day as, 
 it is said, might have been done. 
 
 The day after the bombardment commenced, Daun's 
 advanced guard arrived and opened communication with 
 Maguire from the north. Yet he had not courage or 
 conduct enough to act quickly, nor did the torture of the 
 city cease for ten days more. Frederick was at this time 
 in severe mood. During a sortie the regiment Bernburg 
 was driven back from the trenches by very superior 
 numbers, and the king, unforgiving, deprived the regiment 
 of its swords. The situation had become impossible. It 
 was not unlike what the siege of Sebastopol would have 
 been a century later if the Russians had held command of 
 the sea. There were frequent slight attacks and rumours 
 of attacks by Daun. The besiegers had to shift position 
 constantly, and all signs portended a battle under dangerous 
 circumstances. The siege must be raised, and, on the night 
 of the 29th of July, the army moved towards Meissen, 
 
 ^ During the Russo-Turkish war of 1877, Giurgevo, an open town, 
 was bombarded by the fortress of Ruschuk in revenge for tlie opening 
 of Russian batteries not in Giurgevo. Later in the year I was visiting 
 the Russian batteries about two miles from Giurgevo, when a Russian 
 officer pointed out to me red crescent flags erected in Ruschuk, imme- 
 diately behind some of the principal batteries of the place. He said it 
 was done with a purpose. Soon afterwards there was a bombardment, 
 and the Turks complained that the Russians had fired at the red 
 crescent flag. 
 
LOUDON TAKES GLATZ. 221 
 
 29th July-lst Aug. 176a. 
 
 down the river, the siege train having been sent away 
 during the two preceding days.(^n that night, the 29th, 
 the Austrians were firing signals of joy, because they had 
 heard that ^Glatz had fallen into the hands of Loudon on 
 the 26th.l_^he southern key to Silesia was gone, and, 
 worst of all, had been thrown away by incompetence, vl^he 
 chQ,racter of Frederick was shown by his conduct on rer 
 jceiving t he news. ^[We will recover Glatz," he said, " at 
 the general peace. Now we must march into Silesia in 
 order not to lose everythingJD Frederick decided that he 
 must go to the succour of Silesia. He hoped that Loudon 
 might besiege Neisse and be out of the reckoning for 
 a time. /^One crumb of comfort fell to him. Duke 
 Ferdinand won a victory at Warburg, the English in his 
 force greatly distinguishing themselves. Lord Granby and 
 the English horse more than atoned for the failure of 
 Lord George Sackville at Minden, and Maxwell's brigade 
 covered itself with glory^^The English soldiers were 
 always to be trusted when well led. All their failures in 
 the Seven Years' War, wherever they occurred, were due to 
 the incompetence of superior officers. But Warburg could 
 have no effort on Silesia, where the king must go with 
 Daun and Lacy dogging his steps and Soltikof awaiting 
 him. How could he possibly escape disaster % 
 
 On the 1st of August, Frederick crossed the Elbe at 
 Zehren, six miles below Meissen, and encamped at Dallwitz. 
 That same night Loudon was outside Breslau in Silesia, 
 and began to bombard the place. The defence was in the 
 
 ^ For the exploits of Loudon see his Life, which forms another 
 volume of this series. He was a brilliant general and, if he had been 
 in chief command from the first, would have put a very different 
 Austrian stamp on the Seven Years' War. 
 
§22 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 Aug. 1760. 
 
 hands of Tauentzien, a brave and skilful officer, hard as a 
 flint. Nothing would make him and his 3,000 men yield, 
 and Prince Henry, roused to activity, made a splendid 
 march from Landsberg, the last three days from Glogau 
 being at the rate of thirty miles per day. The prince struck 
 at Loudon's supplies and forced him to abandon the siege. 
 Soltikof, arriving near Breslau on the 8th, found, not 
 Loudon and the magazines, but Prince Henry and the 
 Prussians safely entrenched. Thus the Russians were 
 checked, but Loudon was free. 
 
 On Sunday, the 3rd of August, the king began a march 
 almost without parallel. Daun had broken roads and 
 bridges, made entanglements of trees here and there, and 
 generally done all things possible to hinder a movement to 
 Silesia. When the Prussians started, Frederick marched 
 in three columns, the left column leading. They would 
 form two lines and a reserve in case of attack. The 
 most careful and business-like orders were given to meet 
 all events, and may be studied in Tempelhof to this day 
 with advantage to the military reader. The weather was 
 sultry, the roads, as we have said, made difficult in 
 places; yet the king marched to Bautzen, more than 100 
 miles, in fivQ days, Daun in front of him. Lacy behind. 
 Daun was at Bischofswerda when Frederick started on his 
 march, and moved to Bautzen immediately. Hied, with 
 Lacy's light troops, was ordered to harass Frederick's 
 march. It may be worth while to follow the movements 
 on a good map, remembering that the distance was over 
 100 miles — Jomini calls it forty leagues — that five rivers 
 had to be crossed, the Bober, the Queiss, the Neisse, the 
 Spree, and the Elbe ; and that Frederick had with him a 
 train of 2,000 wagons. 
 
FAMOUS MARCH, 
 
 Aug. 1760. 
 
 PurssiANS. 
 August Zrd. — The king went to 
 Konigsbrnck. 
 General Hulsen remained in 
 Saxony, opposed to the im- 
 perial army. 
 
 August 4th. — The army marched 
 to Ratibor and Lugau. 
 
 ArSTKIANS. 
 
 August drd. — Daun 
 Bautzen. 
 Lacy to Lichtenau. 
 
 223 
 
 went to 
 
 to 
 
 August 5tJi. — The king to Dobers- 
 chiitz. 
 
 August 6th. — To Ober-Rothwasser. 
 
 August 7th. — The king to Bunz- 
 lau. 
 
 August 8th. — Rested. 
 
 August Uh. — Daun went 
 
 Reichenbach. 
 Ried, from Bautzen to Weis- 
 
 senberg. 
 Lacy, near Bischofswerda. 
 
 August 5th. — Daun moved to 
 Neukretscham. 
 
 The reserve, under Prince 
 Lowenstein, remained at 
 Reichenbach. 
 
 Ried to Lobau. 
 
 Lacy followed the Prussians 
 and camped at Geblitz. 
 August 6th. — Daun crossed the 
 Queiss, and occupied the 
 famous camp of Schmott- 
 seifen. 
 
 The reserve at Haugsdorf, be- 
 hind the Neisse. 
 
 Lacy, to Gorlitz. 
 
 Ried, to Bernstadtl. 
 August 7th. — Daun halted. 
 
 The reserve closed up with 
 him. 
 
 Ried, to Haugsdorf. 
 
 Lacy, to Mark-Lissa, and left 
 Brentano at Steinkirch, on 
 the Queiss. 
 
 Beck, who up to this time had 
 watched Prince Henry be- 
 tween Bunzlau and Glogau, 
 now joined the army, and 
 formed the advance-guard. 
 
224 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 Aug. 1760. 
 
 Arrived at Bunzlau, the Prussian army had a day's rest 
 — much needed. Frederick knew that Baun was at Schmbtt- 
 seifen with a post at Striegau, and that Lacy was on his 
 left, both between the king and Land shut. His best 
 chance seemed to be to march swiftly to Jauer, some forty 
 miles south-east. If he could be there before Daun he 
 might pass by Striegau and unite with Prince Henry. He 
 marched twenty-five miles on the 9th, only to find Dauh 
 opposite him across the Katzbach river, and Lacy on the 
 hills at Goldberg. More terrible still was the fact 
 that behind Daun was Loudon, whom Daun had called up 
 with his army to help to crush the king; Daun, Lacy, 
 Loudon, together about three times as strong in numbers 
 as Frederick. On the 10th he made for Liegnitz to 
 try the road by Parchwitz-Neumarkt-Leuthen. As he 
 moved down the left bank, Daun marched near him on 
 the right bank of the river, while the light troops of 
 Lacy hung on the Prussian rear. Loudon marched near 
 Daun. No escape this way and but a week's provisions 
 left ! As he encamped at Liegnitz the enemy were beside 
 and front of him. The Prussian army had marched fifteen 
 miles that day, but at 11 p.m. it had to return on its steps, 
 and at daybreak of the 11th was on its old ground, only 
 Lacy between it and escape. Lacy was now on the other 
 side of the river as rear-guard to Daun. The king crossed 
 to attack him. Lacy withdrew, and before the Prussian 
 baggage could come up Daun was back again with Loudon, 
 nothing but a ravine being between the opposing armies. 
 The Prussians encamped in a hollow of the hills at Seichau 
 and remained there the next day, the 12th, because recon- 
 naissances showed that the ways towards Breslau were 
 beset by the enemy. Even the Prussian officers began 
 to talk of a Maxen for the king himself. Mitchell, the 
 
EFFORTS TO CRUSH FREDERICK. 225 
 
 Aug. 1Y60. 
 
 English ambassador, thought the situation so dangerous 
 that he burned all his secret papers and the cypher key. 
 But at sunset of the 12th, Frederick crossed back to the 
 left bank near Goldberg and pushed down the river again 
 to Liegnitz, arriving about noon on the 13th. Hardly 
 were the tents pitched when the Austrian armies came in 
 sight and soon lay round the king. Daun was to the 
 south,^ near Jauer, about seven miles distant ; Lacy the 
 same distance south-west, near Goldberg ; Loudon a little 
 nearer, between Jeschkendorf and Koischwitz in a north- 
 easterly direction, separated from the king by the Katzbach. 
 They were 90,000 to Frederick's 30,000, and, as if this 
 were not enough, Czernichef, with a Kussian corps of 
 24,000, crossed the Oder and stood in support of Loudon, 
 but this last addition to his enemies was unknown to the 
 king. On the 14th the Austrians made a grand recon- 
 naissance in force, and Frederick drew out to meet them. 
 He knew that plans would then be formed to attack him. 
 His provisions were nearly exhausted. Never was general 
 in a more dangerous situation. 
 
 (Frederick's greatest successes had all been due to his 
 taking the initiative, and he was not a man to rest idly while 
 his enemies executed their plans.y The way to Parchwitz 
 seemed still open and he had~magazines at Glogau. He 
 decided to march in the night and encamp till daybreak on 
 the heights of Pfaffendorf, sending on his empty wagons 
 to Glogau, where they were to fill up and return to meet 
 him in the neighbourhood of Parchwitz. He personally 
 reconnoitred the Pfaffendorf position, marked the place for 
 the camp, returned and lay down to sleep. Just then a 
 
 drunken Irish ofhcer of the Austrian army appeared in camp 
 
 ^ See map above Battle of Liegnitz. For position of Frederick's 
 camp see plan of battle, a — a, soutli-west of Liegnitz. 
 
 Q 
 
226 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 14th-15th A.ug. 17G0. 
 
 and reported that a general attack was to be made upon 
 him in the night, but the king saw no need to alter his 
 arrangements. 
 
 The watch-fires burned brightly when the Prussian army 
 moved at about 8 p.m. on the 14th, and were kept burning 
 through the night by peasants. All round the horizon, 
 except to the north, glimmered also the fires of the enemy. 
 The Prussians marched in three columns ; the artillery and 
 trains crossed the Schwartzwasser by a stone bridge in 
 Liegnitz suburbs, the rest of the army by a pontoon bridge 
 further down the stream. By one o'clock all were safely 
 across. Still the horizon glittered with fires, outdone only 
 by the stars which, Templehof tells us, shone with special 
 brightness that night as the Prussians lay down on the 
 short grass to snatch what rest they could. Few slept. 
 Officers and men spoke in low tones of what the morrow 
 might bring, Frederick himself sat half asleep by a watch- 
 fire. The main army under the king lay northwards, 
 almost fronting Loudon's camp. Ziethen's division was in 
 the angle formed by the Schwartzwasser and Katzbach. 
 All was tranquil and silent under the stars save the low 
 murmurs of the men and the occasional voice of a superior 
 officer growling deep commands. The clocks of Liegnitz 
 chimed half-past two. 
 
 Then the silence was broken by the galloping of a horse 
 and an anxious voice exclaiming, " The king ? Where is 
 the king ? " " Here," said Frederick. The hurried and 
 anxious voice cried quickly, " The enemy in force has 
 driven in my vedettes and is within 600 yards of our left 
 wing ! " Frederick was on horseback in a moment, with 
 sharp command to General Schenkendorf's battalion and its 
 share of heavy guns to occupy the crown of the Wolf sberg. 
 It was done in a moment, and the roar of ten twelve-pounders 
 
BATTLE OF LIEGNITZ. 227 
 
 15th Aug. 1760. " ' "" 
 
 broke the silence of the night, pouring case shot full in the 
 faces of the advancing Austrians. The attack came from 
 Loudon's corps, which had the task of seizing these very 
 heights before daybreak. He too had left his fires burning 
 and crossed the Katzbach near Pohlschildern. He marched 
 without advanced guard, the better to surprise the baggage 
 train which he had heard was near the place. In the other 
 Austrian camps the watch-fires were burning without 
 troops to warm. Lacy was marching to turn Frederick's 
 old position, Daun was on his way to attack it in front. 
 
 The sudden fire of the guns at close range threw the 
 heads of Loudon's columns into confusion and prevented 
 their formation ; but the Austrian general, knowing that 
 retreat was rain in such a case, deployed what troops he 
 could and sent them at the hill, bringing up batteries to 
 support them. The columns in rear, hearing the firing, 
 halted and gave time to the Prussians to form up rapidly 
 and force back the troops first advanced. As Loudon's 
 columns came gradually forward, he strove to gain the 
 Prussian left flank, but the king extended always and 
 checked him. This extension left a gap in the line near 
 the village of Panten, but the column of Austrians which 
 took that route had halted, and, before advantage could be 
 taken of the breach in the line Mollendorf, of Leuthen 
 fame, dashed at Panten with what troops he could collect 
 and set it on fire, thus barring the passage there. Loudon 
 ordered a charge of cavalry against the Prussian left in 
 the dim light of early dawn. It was met by the regiment 
 Bernburg swordless indeed, but with level bayonets and 
 eager to win back the favour of the king. Bayonet met 
 lance and sabre in close strife and, though greatly suffering 
 and almost alone, the infantry drove back the horsemen. 
 /Three dashing attacks were made by Loudon, then he 
 ^ <5 2 
 

 228 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 Uth Aug. 17G0. 
 
 withdrew under cover of a battery at BienowitzN He had 
 lost 4,000 killed and wounded and 6,000 prisoners, total 
 10,000 men, with eighty-two guns. His strength had been 
 35,000 against Frederick's 15,000 or thereabouts. The 
 Prussian loss was 1,800. 
 
 Strange to say, Daun, though warned by his light troops 
 about one o'clock that Frederick's camp was vacant, never 
 heard the firing of the battle and moved slowly after the 
 Prussians, warning Lacy also to follow. Daun sent his 
 cavalry across the stone bridge, but they were broken and 
 put to flight by Ziethen's artillery fire. Neither Daun nor 
 Lacy could cross the stream. (|^Tne surprise had miscarried 
 and the battle of Liegnitz was practically over in one hour 
 and a half. \ ^^- ^ 
 
 But th^rgame was not yet won. (Jioudon,^ broken but 
 not destroyed, might still be dangerous, and Czernichef, 
 with his 24,000 Russians, was on the hither side of the 
 Oder. The Prussian army had suffered in the battle and 
 was encumbered with the wounded. Dauh should have 
 passed the Schwartz wasser or Katzbach, where he could by 
 pontoons, and not rested till he had attacked the king 
 again. Never could that cautious commander understand 
 the fiery rapidity of Frederick. He thought that the 
 Prussians must be delayed for some time, at least a day, 
 and purposed to move on the morrow with a new plan. Not 
 plans were wanted, however, but swift and straight strokes 
 at an adversary weakened and almost beginning to hunger. 
 
 Frederick made no delay. On the morning of the battle 
 he found time to pack the severely wounded in empty 
 meal wagons, the slighter cases on horseback, sometimes 
 riding double. Some of the meal wagons were left on the 
 field, cut to pieces, their teams taken for the captured 
 cannon. Even the muskets of the dead and wounded were 
 
AFTER THE BATTLE. 229 
 
 15th. .16th Aug. 17G0. 
 
 not forgotten. Each cavalry soldier and each baggage 
 driver slung one over his back. All this business was put 
 in charge of General Saldern, who managed it in per- 
 fect order. As Frederick rode round the battle-field he 
 came upon one battalion standing grim and silent, black 
 with gunpowder, sabreless, amidst a pile of its own 
 dead, surrounded by heaps of Austrian cavalry. The 
 king gazed silently at the faithful band. At last a 
 sergeant stepped out of the ranks, saluted, and said, 
 " Regiment Bernburg, your majesty." " Ah ! " said 
 Frederick, "you did well. You shall have your swords 
 back ; all that went before shall be forgotten." Tears 
 came to the eyes of the gallant soldier as he replied, " You 
 are then once more our gracious king." " Surely," came 
 gently from the monarch who had once accused himself of 
 having more sensibility than other men. The regiment 
 broke into lusty and heartfelt cheers. 
 
 About nine in the morning all was ready. The assembled 
 army, all but Ziethen's corps, which was to follow in the 
 afternoon with the various baggage, stood prepared to 
 march. Its Te Deum was three volleys of musketry, and, 
 when that was over, it moved off for P^^chwitz and the 
 uncertain future there. Daun had not found time to inform 
 the Russians, but Frederick had been quicker. He confided 
 a despatch to a peasant who was to fall into Russian hands 
 and give it up to save his life. It was addressed to 
 Prince Henry, and said, ** Austrians totally defeated to- 
 day ; now for the Russians. Do what we agreed upon." 
 Czernichef at once fell back across the Oder and the way 
 was clear, though the king could not be certain of it yet. 
 There were now only two days' provisions. At Parchwitz 
 next morning the question arose whether he should march 
 for Breslau, uncertain of success, or to Glogau, where 
 
230 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 ^^ 17th Aug. 1760, 
 
 supplies were sure. /Frederick decided for Breslau with all 
 its risks. The choice was bold. In his inarch the day 
 before he had seen Austrians fall back before him from 
 Parchwitz, and now his hussars were engaged with the 
 patrols of Beck's corps, which soon appeared on the 
 heights of Kumernig. In rear of Beck, about a league 
 distant, marched the heavy columns of the main Austrian 
 army. Still must the race for life continue ! Where were 
 the Bussians % About mid-day the king rode on with a 
 few hussars to the neighbourliood of Neumarkt, whence ho 
 could see the surrounding country. Not an Austrian or 
 Bussi^n was in sight, and Breslau was near. The race was 
 won^^^,JIIe communicated with Prince Henry the same day, 
 and sent on the advanced guard and prisoners as far as 
 Borna. Next day, the 17th, the camp was at Hermannsdorf, 
 only seven miles from Breslau. The Austrians fell back 
 to Striegau. 
 
 The slightest study of the events just related will show 
 that the salvation of the king depended upon the mistakes 
 and slowness of his enemies. But some of the Austrian 
 marches had been quick enough, and mistakes are always 
 made in war. That general wins who makes the fewest. 
 Frederick was not only taking great strides in the art of 
 war, but was teaching his enemies. Yet he was always 
 too quick for them. In the movements during the first 
 month of the campaign he showed more than ability. His 
 nimble mind changed from plan to plan as each sudden 
 occasion demanded, and his faults of temper were less 
 conspicuous than usual. With misfortune following him 
 from the last year into this, he retained the calmness of 
 his intellect and the courage of his soul. In the midst of 
 appalling dangers he always retained the initiative, and if 
 Soltikof refused to join the war-dance round Frederick 
 
AFTER THE BATTLE. 231 
 
 20th Aug. -9th Oct. 1760. 
 
 because, as he said, there were enough already if they 
 knew how to act, who can say that his caution was not 
 justified by events ? The general feature of the struggle 
 was that Frederick, with 30,000 men against 90,000 of his 
 enemies, one-third of them under the bright and clever 
 Loudon, out-manceuvred, out-fought them, and succeeded in 
 his- adventure. 
 
 L^^hile Frederick was in' Silesia Hiilsen was left with 
 about 12,000 men to guard Saxony. He was attacked on 
 the 20th of August by the Reichs Army, reinforced by an 
 Austrian division, altogether 30,000 strong. The assault 
 was weak and repulsed with loss, but Hiilsen soon found 
 himself obliged to fall back to X^rgau, and Saxony was at 
 the mercy of the king's enemies^^ 
 
 '^ AftifillJj^g^i^^ tha— Rii5;fiiajrv« rfttirprlj but before goiug 
 
 home determined to besiege Colberg for the second time. 
 Goltz, with 12,000 Prussians, followed to observe the 
 Russians. Prince Henry went to Breslau for his health, 
 and. the king took to himself the rest of Henry's army, 
 thus raising his strength to 50,000 men. Then ensued 
 some weeks of manoeuvring between Daun, with Lacy and 
 Loudon, and Frederick. The scene lay between Schweid- 
 nitz and Glatz. The king was in bad health, but his 
 enemies could get no advantage over him. Werner, 
 detached from the corps of Goltz with 5,000 men, marched 
 from Glogau to Colberg, 200 miles, in thirteen days, and 
 compelled the Russians t© raise the siege on the 18th of 
 September. The place had been splendidly defended by 
 Heyde against a besieging force of 15,000. But on the 
 20th of September Czernichef, with 20,000 from Sagan, 
 and Lacy, on the 29th with 15,000 from Daun's force in 
 Silesia, marched hurriedly on Berlin, and occupied the city 
 on the 9th of October, where the Cossacks committed some 
 
232 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 4th Oct.. .2nd Nov. 1760. 
 
 of their usual cruelties. Prince Eugene of Wiirtemberg, 
 who had the Swedish business in hand this year, rushed 
 with 5,000 men to help Berlin, marching forty miles in 
 one day, and Hiilsen arrived from Saxony with 9,000. 
 But they could do little, and the king himself had to 
 leave Daun and make for Berlin on the 4th of October. 
 The Cossacks were playing riot, . and even the Saxons, 
 parties of whom were present, destroyed pictures, furniture, 
 and antiques at Charlottenburg. On the 11th of October 
 news came that Frederick was on the march, and forthwith 
 Russians, Austrians, and Saxons disappeared, though the 
 king was still five marches distant. Lacy went to Torgau 
 the Russians towards Landsberg. 
 
 In HUlsen's absence Torgau had been captured, and 
 nothing now remained of Saxony. Daun returned then 
 under orders from Yienna to maintain possession during 
 the winter. When combined with the Beichs army he was 
 100,000 strong, Loudon had marched for Kosel. Frederick 
 reinforced Goltz to about 20,000, and with 30,000 men 
 marched from Liibben on the 20th of October, crossed the 
 Elbe fourteen miles below "Wittenberg on the 26th, and 
 picked up Eugene and Hiilsen with their 14,000 at Jonitz 
 next day. The Beichs army, which was at Diiben, west of 
 Torgau, fell back on Leipsig. Daun moved towards them on 
 the 26th of October as far as Eilenburg. Frederick rushed to 
 Diiben on the 29th. Thence he detached Hiilsen to Leipsig 
 to drive the Beichs army. Hiilsen arrived on the 30th of 
 October in the evening, and next day pushed forward into 
 the town. The timorous Beichs people, the army supposed 
 to enforce the ban of the Empire against Frederick, had 
 fled homewards. Daun fell back to his entrenchments at 
 Torgau. Frederick formed magazines at Diiben, called 
 Hiilsen back to him, and on the 2nd of IKTovember marched 
 
BATTLE OF TORGAU. 233 
 
 2.i.l-3ra Nov 1760. 
 
 in four columns against Daun at Torgau. The king's army- 
 lay that night at Schilda, south of Torgau. ^ 
 
 The Austrian position was very strong. As it now 
 faced Frederick, it lay nearly along the road to Diiben ; 
 its left was covered by the Great Pond and the Rohr- 
 graben, a channel for the conveyance of water from the 
 heights of Siptitz, on which hill lay the main body. The 
 drinking water for Torgau was carried by a pipe at the 
 bottom of the Rohrgraben ; the stream itself was muddy 
 and boggy, ending in the Entefang (decoy pond for ducks), 
 which then broadened out into the Great Pond. The 
 centre and left were on, the Siptitz height, which descended 
 steeply to the south, less so on the north and west. The 
 reserve corps was behind Grosswig. The fault of the 
 position was that there was not full space for Daun's 
 65,000 men to manoeuvre, especially was the artillery 
 cramped for room. So Daun, still holding old-world ideas 
 of that arm, placed his reserve artillery in his rear — we 
 shall see presently with what curious result. Frederick 
 judged that he must fight Daun, because otherwise the 
 Russians would winter in his kingdom. But he also saw 
 that the position was too strong for a regular attack any- 
 where. He therefore risked a double attack, in front and 
 rear, hoping that it might confuse the closely-packed 
 Austrians. The Diagram School of Tacticians, with 
 Jomini at their head, can easily prove that this was a 
 faulty arrangement, because a perfect general would oppose 
 it by holding one-half of the attackers back while 
 marching to overwhelm the other half. But Frederick 
 knew Daun's character, and took the risk as the least that 
 he could see. His plan was to carry about half the army 
 
 ^ See plan, battle of Torgau, and map above it for the marches. 
 
234 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 3rd Nov. 1760. 
 
 round tlie Austrian right and attack the rear, while 
 Ziethen moved against the front. Both attacks were to 
 be so timed as to begin at the same moment. 
 
 At 6.30 on the morning of the 3rd of November, 1760, the 
 king marched to fight what was to be his last battle and 
 Daun's also. The march was about fourteen or fifteen 
 miles altogether, Ziethen' s about half as much. Neglecting 
 the baggage, which moved off westward of the march, 
 there were three columns in Frederick's half of the army. 
 The right column, nearest to Daun, was commanded by 
 the king in person, and consisted chiefly of infantry. It 
 was to move by Mockrehna, Weidenhayn, Neiden. Hiilsen's 
 column, also infantry, was to sweep further west and come 
 in about Elsnig. The third column, containing nearly the 
 whole cavalry of both wings and a few infantry, was to go 
 still further out and arrive also near Elsnig. Ziethen's 
 wing was to separate itself at the junction of the Torgau- 
 Leipsig road", follow that road to the Butter Street, then 
 along the Butter Street to the Austrian position, west of 
 the highest elevation of the Siptitz hill. 
 
 The success of such a manoeuvre as this depends on 
 accuracy of execution ; and events soon went wrong with 
 both wings of the Prussian army. Daun, as usual, had 
 placed light troops in the woods through which the 
 columns had to march, and was soon informed of the 
 king's movement. He made what shift he could to form 
 his troops, facing north and north-west instead of south. 
 Countermarching his main body so that the best regiments 
 would face Frederick, he left the reserve still at Grosswig, 
 and posted Lacy's corps between Zinna and the suburb of 
 Torgau, with instructions to guard what had now become 
 the rear of the army. The movement cost time, the space 
 was small. Daun saw that he could not well move the 
 
BATTLE OF TORGAU, 235 
 
 8rd Nov. 1760. 
 
 reserve artillery at the same time, and therefore left it in 
 front of the new position, along the whole of which it 
 stretched. Archenholtz gives the number of guns as 400, 
 but this is probably an exaggeration. It is certain that 
 Daun was strong in artillery, but 400 guns would be six 
 per 1,000 men, without counting the battalion guns. Be 
 this as it may, the number was great, and the whole front 
 garnished with guns. The left of the main body was 
 throw^ back en potence. The right was covered by a series 
 of intricate brooks, the centre and left by an old abattis, 
 remaining since Prince Henry occupied the position, and 
 broken in parts. 
 
 Ziethen m.oved as directed till he reached the Butter 
 Street and began to turn up there. But there he met some 
 of Lacy's detachments and suffered himself to be drawn 
 astray by them. He deployed his columns and moved to 
 the right front, where he soon became engaged in a 
 fruitless cannonade with Lacy : fruitless because the 
 obstacles in his way prevented him from pushing on to 
 close quarters. This was the first error. 
 
 As the king's columns moved through the dripping 
 woods — for it was raining — the wheels of the artillery 
 sunk in the soft sand of the roads, and the guns were 
 delayed. Frederick, wishing to keep punctual appointment 
 with Ziethen, pushed forward with his infantry. Thus it 
 fell out that the right column, intended to be the first line, 
 arrived near Elsnig about one o'clock, alone, and almost 
 without artillery. Hiilsen had been delayed on the march, 
 and the third column, with the cavalry, had lost its way in 
 the woods. Frederick sent his adjutants to find and hurry 
 on the laggards, and began to reconnoitre Daun's line. The 
 right wing, which he had intended to attack, was unap- 
 proachable because of the boggy brooks, so he drew back 
 
236 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 8rd Nov. 1760, 
 
 his force into the woods again, and moved to his right to 
 attack Daun's left, at the north-west corner, where the 
 potence part began and the ahattis seemed defective. Still 
 neither Holstein with the cavalry nor Hlllsen with the 
 infantry could be heard of. The sound of Ziethen's 
 cannonade had been heard for some time, and the 
 impatient king felt that his lieutenant might be beaten 
 alone, he knew not where, unless he himself should 
 strike in. 
 
 Frederick had with him only seven battalions of grena- 
 diers, one regiment of hussars, and Ramin's brigade ; yet 
 he determined to attack. The grenadiers were formed as 
 a front line, Ramin's brigade as a second, and his sole 
 artillery, twenty guns, were ordered to support the move- 
 ment from a position at the left of the wood. In this 
 campaign the germ of the modern system had been created. 
 The infantry was formed into brigades of about five bat- 
 talions each, and every brigade had attached to it a portion 
 of the reserve artillery — ten guns. Two such batteries 
 were with Frederick. It would be vain to commence an 
 artillery duel under such circumstances. The grenadiers 
 crossed the broken ahattis and moved forward to attack. 
 Then the Austrian guns opened fire with grape, and dealt 
 frightful destruction in the ranks of the grenadiers. 
 Stutterheim's brigade was absolutely destroyed, nearly 
 all the officers and men were killed and wounded by the 
 " hellish fire," as the king called it. The grenadiers ceased 
 to exist as a body. Their remnants were charged by 
 Austrian cavalry, and out of the seven battalions there 
 remained not men enough to make one. The two batteries 
 issued from the wood to support the attack, but were 
 instantly destroyed, Tempelhof, who saw the wreck, says, 
 " The batteries which the artillery sent to the left of the 
 
BATTLE OF TORGAU. 237 
 
 8rd Nov. 1760. 
 
 wood were annihilated in an instant. They had not even 
 time to load their guns. Already the officers, the gunners, 
 and the drivers were either killed or wounded by the 
 artillery fire of the enemy." Such was the effect of 
 Daun's accidentally leaving a mass of artillery in front of 
 his army. Yet in the face of such facts as these, there are 
 still men who doubt the physical effect of field-artillery fire. 
 
 Seeing that the 6,000 grenadiers were reduced to 600, 
 certain Austrian battalions rushed out in pursuit of them, 
 but coming upon the second line — brigade Ramin — were 
 at once checked, driven back, and accompanied so closely 
 in their retreat that the Austrian artillery could not crush 
 Kamin's brigade. The brigade was, however, driven back 
 ere long. The fight had begun about 2 p.m. ; it was now 
 three, and Frederick's first column badly beaten. The 
 king, who had been with the grenadiers, remained per- 
 fectly cool. Turning to one of his adjutants, a grandson 
 of the old Prince of Dessau, he said mournfully, " All goes 
 ill to-day ; my friends are quitting me. I have just heard 
 of the death of your brother." This thought, occurring in 
 the midst of the " hellish fire," marks the character of the 
 man who in such a moment could sorrow over a dead 
 friend. Another story is told of him later in the battle, 
 equally characteristic. He was struck down by a spent 
 ball, and was unconscious for some time. Recovering 
 himself, he sat up and saw Berenhorst bending over him 
 in anxiety. In a gruff voice the king exclaimed, " What 
 are you doing here ? Go and catch runaways." 
 
 Shortly after three o'clock Hiilsen arrived ; the third 
 column not up yet. By this time a larger force of guns 
 was gathered, and, engaging Daun's mass, drew to them 
 some of its fire. Hlilsen's troops attacked again, and 
 actually closed with the Austrians. Some success was 
 
238 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 3rd Nov. 1760. 
 
 gained, but Daun brought up the reserve from Grosswig 
 and drove Hlilsen back. 
 
 It was half-past four, and the sun had gone down when 
 Holstein arrived at last with the cavalry. In the growing 
 darkness the horsemen charged the right of -Daun's line, 
 while the infantry attacked again on the left. The mass 
 of guns was now of less use, and the cavalry had many 
 successes. The Austrian formation was broken, and there 
 ensued in the falling night a strange, confused struggle 
 between isolated bodies of men. The armies were inter- 
 mingled, and none could say what issue there would be on 
 the morrow, when the wearied and wounded king left the 
 field to seek some repose at Elsnig. Daun also was 
 wounded, and went back to sleep at Torgau. 
 
 But all was not yet over. Ziethen, contented at first 
 with his artillery play against Lacy, heard, towards even- 
 ing, the fire of Frederick's people receding — a bad sign. 
 He began to work to his left, in order to communicate 
 with and help the king. The ground checked him till 
 Mollendorf, always ready in trouble, found him a way 
 over the Rbhrgraben and its bogs. The road was the 
 Butter Street along which Ziethen was to have gone at 
 first. It led close to the key of the position, the highest 
 point of the Siptitz hill. Ziethen ai>t«,cked there, and 
 Hlilsen, bivouacking on the battle-field, put together what 
 troops he could collect and led them to the sound of 
 Ziethen's firing. Old HUlsen himself had no horse more ; 
 all his had been killed, but he went into action again, 
 mounted on a gun-carriage. For an hour this last struggle 
 raged ; then the Austrians drew back gradually to Torgau 
 and crossed the river, Lacy's corps moving on the hither 
 bank. (After_all, Ziethen had repaired his fault, and the 
 victory was for FrugJ 
 
BATTLE OF TORGAU. 239 
 
 Nov. 1760. 
 
 The battle-field remained in strange confusion. Siptitz 
 hill was crowded with the dead and the wounded, who 
 suffered horribly from want of water and from the bitter 
 cold. Down in the woods blazed fires, where in many- 
 cases sat Austrians and Prussians together, agreeing that 
 to-morrow's dawn should decide which side had won, and 
 which of the parties now assembled in mutual goodwill 
 were victors, which prisoners. 
 
 After the battle Daun withdrew to the Plauen Chasm. 
 Frederick made demonstrations towards Dresden, but 
 finally went into winter quarters near Meissen. 
 
 The battle of Torgau cost the Austrians above 12,000 
 killed and wounded, with 8,000 prisoners ; total, 20,000 
 men, and forty-five guns. The Prussians lost between 
 13,000 and 14,000, of whom 4,000 were prisoners. They 
 lost more than 5,000 in the first attack alone, chiefly from 
 the fire of the great artillery mass accidentally placed in 
 the front of Daun's army. 
 
 (Roderick's campaign of 1760 has been much criticised, 
 especially by Jomini, who cannot see anything but his own 
 diagrams. He thinks that the king should have taken 
 the initiative early and marched against the Austrians. 
 But he forgets the great difficulties Frederick had in 
 assembling an army at all, and also that almost to the 
 last he hoped for peace. No doubt he made mistakes and 
 his enemies made more; but his marches, the splendid 
 courage and boldness of his battle-strokes, his lofty and 
 steadfast endurance, will remain models of military cha- 
 racter for all time. <^th forces greatly inferior in number 
 to those of his enemies, and of a quality gradually 
 falling off, he warded off destruction, gained two battles, 
 and remained victor at the end of the campaign. 
 Ferdinand also held his own against the French. 
 
CHAPTER XYIII. 
 
 CAMPAIGN OF 1761. GROWING EXHAUSTION OP THE ARMIES. 
 
 CAMP OF BUNZELWITZ. LOUDON CAPTURES SCHWEIDNITZ. 
 
 - — DEATH OF THE CZARINA. PEACE WITH RUSSIA. CAM- 
 PAIGN OF 1762. — DAUN FORTIFIES HIMSELF TO COVER 
 
 SCHWEIDNITZ. FREDERICK TURNS HIM OUT. — SCHWEIDNITZ 
 
 RECAPTURED. PEACE OF IIUBERTSBURG. RESTORATION OF 
 
 RUINED PRUSSIA. PARTITION OF POLAND, AMBITION OF 
 
 KAISER JOSEPH LEADS TO QUASI-CAMPAIGN OF 1778-9. 
 
 A.D. 1761—1779. 
 ^ 1761. 
 
 ^!]A*ter 1760 the Seven Years' "War languished. The allies 
 adopted the expedient of refusing to exchange prisoners, 
 thus wearing out Prussia by mere friction against the vast 
 hosts which surrounded Frederick. The king found it 
 impossible to recruit his armies, and they dwindled rapidly. 
 /The sufferings of France were hardly possible to bear. 
 War was driving people into the agony which afterwards 
 found expression in the Ilevolution."^ Austria was pressed 
 for money and even men. En^and alone had gained any 
 real advantage so far^ The French colonies and naval 
 power were falling before the generals jind admirals whom 
 war discovered and Pitt quickly usedjL-- Wolfe's capture of 
 Quebec on the 13th September, 1759i decided the fate 
 
LOSS OF HEALTH. 241 
 
 Nov. 1760. 
 
 of Canada ; tlie destruction of the French fleets in the same 
 year by Hawke and his comrades annihilated French power 
 at sea, and the fall of Pondichery on the 26th of January, 
 1761, left British arms without rival in India. Yet the 
 negotiations for peace in 1759 had failed. Bruised and 
 weary, the nations dragged themselves into the fight 
 again. 
 
 The toils and privations of war were telling on Frede- 
 rick. In a letter to Madame Camas, written in November, 
 1760, he describes himself as leading "the life of a dog." 
 *' All this has made me so old that you would hardly know 
 me again. On the right side of my head the hair is all 
 grey j my teeth break and fall out ; my face is wrinkled 
 like a petticoat ; my back bent like the bow of a fiddle ; 
 my spirit sad and downcast like a monk of La Trappe." 
 He now had frequent fits of gout, and had been forced to 
 give up his famous suppers for four years past. Still, with 
 suffering body, ruined finances, and weakened army, he 
 had no more thought of yielding one acre of Silesia than 
 he had in the first passages of the Seven Years' War. 
 Choiseul was negotiating for peace, but Pitt was stiff as to 
 the terms ; ^nd later in the year came the f am ily compact 
 between the courts of France and Spain, which forced 
 England into war with the Bourbons of Madridj.3 
 <^11 Frederick's exertions produced him only 96,000 men 
 for defence of Silesia and Saxony this year. Prince Henry 
 had to face Daun in Saxony ; the king himself stood in 
 Silesia against Loudon and the Russians under Butterlin. 
 Loudon opened the campaign by advancing against Goltz, 
 near Schweidnitz, in April. Goltz had only 12,000 to his 
 adversary's 30,000, but posted himself so well that Loudon 
 could not attack him. Beinforcements came gradually 
 to Loudon, raising his army to 72,000, but orders from 
 
242 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 18th Aug.-lGth Dec. 1761. 
 
 Yienna obliged him to remain inactive till he could be 
 joined near Neisse by the Russians with 60,000. . Goltz, 
 manoeuvring against the Russians, was taken prisoner. 
 The king himself delayed the junction of his enemies for 
 some time, but could not now offer battle. The junction 
 took place the 18th of August. He then struck at Loudon's 
 communications, but the thrust was well parried, and on the 
 20th of Augusi^Frederick, for the first time, was reduced to 
 an attitude of pure defenceX He formed an intrenched 
 camp at Bunzelwitz, ancTlay there, blocking the way to 
 Schweidnitz. Loudon's intreaties could not persuade the 
 Russians to join him in full force to attack the position, 
 and on the 9th of September Butterlin's army fell back across 
 the Oder, leaving 20,000 of his men to act under Loudon. 
 Frederick remained a fortnight longer in the camp of 
 Bunzelwitz, but was then forced to go, as his army was 
 eating up the magazines of Schweidnitz. Again he moved 
 against Loudon's magazines, but the Austrian general 
 boldly marched for Schweidnitz, and captured the place by 
 assault on the night of the 30th September — 1st October. 
 No fight toojk place between Loudon and the king. They 
 both went into winter quarters in December — Prussians 
 at Strehlen, Austrians at Kunzendorf, and Russians about 
 Glatz. Frederick went to Breslau, after escaping by a 
 hair's breadth an attempt to capture his person by the 
 treachery of Warkotsch. Colberg, besieged for the third 
 time, was splendidly defended by Heyde, but had to 
 capitulate on the 16th of December from lack of provisions. 
 {^^ the western theatre Ferdinand defeated Broglio and 
 Soubise at Yellinghausen, the English contingent again 
 behaving gloriously. Major Mauvillon speaks of the Eng- 
 lish as thoroughly brave, but so mixed in character of the 
 men that it was almost impossible to preserve discipline in 
 
ENGLISH MILITARY CHARACTER. 243 
 
 1761-1762. 
 
 the way of drink and plunder. " Tie cavalry exhaust a 
 district much sooner than the horse of other armies. The 
 officers, who gain their promotion by purchase, understand, 
 with few exceptions, nothing of their profession. Generals 
 and ensigns, it is all the same. Their self-indulgence is so 
 great, especially in sleep, that they are often led into mili- 
 tary negligence. Seldom thinking of surprising, they are 
 themselves exposed to surprise ; and a natural arrogance of 
 character leads them to despise their enemy, and to be 
 exceedingly difficult to work with harmoniously." Such was 
 a faithful portrait of the English in the Seven Years' War. 
 Gallant fighters, but not professional soldiers. 
 
 Prince Henry and Daun manoeuvred skilfully through- 
 out the campaign, but never came to serious blows. 
 
 Frederick is described as being very gloomy in mind 
 this winter. The end of the year left him with but 60,000 
 men in Saxony, Silesia, and the north. Eugene of Wur- 
 temburg had 5,000 to hold back the SwedesJrince Henry 
 25,000 in Saxony, the king himself 30,000. (^ut the agony 
 of France was increasing ; Maria Theresa hacl to discharge 
 20,000 men from want of money, and Frederick's bitter 
 enemy, "cette infame Catin du Nord," was failing fast in 
 health. A worse blow to the king than the loss of a 
 battle had been the fall of Pitt in October, and with him 
 all hope of English subsidies^ !StiTl7 the enemies of Prussia 
 were almost exhausted. One more year of brave and stub- 
 born resistance, and Prussia must be left in peace. By 
 extraordinary exertions and a power of administrative 
 organisation, which was one of his greatest qualities 
 Frederick not only kept up his 60,000, but doubled their 
 number. In the spring he had 70,000 for his Silesian 
 army, 40,000 for Prince Henry in Saxony, and 10,000 for 
 the Swedes or other purposes. Best news of all, the 
 
 R 2 
 
244 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 J,^ 6th Jan. -20th July 1762. 
 
 (^Uzarina died on the Stli of January, 1762, and Peter, "who 
 succeeded her — only for a short time, poor boy — was an 
 ardent admirer of the great Jting.) Frederick at once re- 
 leased and sent home his Russian prisoners, an act which 
 brought back his Prussians from Eussia. On the 23rd 
 FebruaryvEeteiLdeclax^ -his intention to be at peace and 
 amity with Frederick, concluded peace on the 5th of May, 
 and a treaty of alliance a month later. The Swedes, follow- 
 ing suit, declared peace on the 22nd of May, and Frederick 
 could now give his sole attention to the Austria ns. \ He 
 even believed that the Grand Turk was about to seize the 
 opportunity and invade Hungary. Czernichef, with the 
 contingent once on Loudon's side, was now allied to Frede- 
 rick, but little value came of him. Loudon had done too 
 much last year to please his rivals, and was now placed 
 under the orders of slow Daun, who again undertook the 
 Silesian struggle, only the Keich's army being used for 
 Saxony. Amalgamated with the Eeich people were 
 35,000 Austrians under Serbelloni. 
 
 Daun took the field early in May, disposing his troops 
 for the defence of Schweidnitz. Frederick awaited the 
 junction of Gzernichef with his 20,000, who arrived at 
 Lissa, near Leuthen, the 30th of June, and the king at once 
 began to manoeuvre against Daun. The Austrians took up 
 a strong position and fortified it. Frederick formed a plan 
 to attack it, when, on the 17th of July, Czernichef informed 
 him that there was a revolution at Petersburg and the 
 Russian contingent was ordered home. Frederick, fertile 
 in resources, persuaded Czernichef at least to keep the 
 change secret, and to look like an ally for three days more. 
 He disposed his troops, including the Russians, so as to 
 threaten apparently different points round the circle of 
 Daun's fortified hills. On the 20th of July he drove the 
 
RECAPTURE OF SCHWEIDNITZ. 245 
 
 20th July-29th Oct. 1762. 
 
 Aiistrians out of the village of Burkersdorf and established 
 there a battery of forty guns. Of all the dispositions he 
 had made, only two forces were to act in reality. All the 
 rest, including Czernichef, was mere semblance. Wied, 
 with one force, was to attack Ludwigsdorf ; Mollendorf, 
 with another detachment, was to carry the Burkersdorf 
 heights as soon as Wied had performed his part of the 
 business. It was not a battle, strictly speaking, only a 
 combination of small operations intended to make Daun 
 move. Everything went according to calculation. The 
 forty guns made a great noise against enemies who kept 
 well out of the way, except one cavalry regiment which 
 appeared and was crushed by the fire of the artillery. 
 Wied carried the position assigned him for attack, and 
 Mollendorf was equally successful. As usual, the fortified 
 position was a failure when firmly attacked, and Daun, 
 declining to fight a general action, retired southwards in 
 the evening. The king then laid siege to Schweidnitz 
 which resisted bravely, defended by Guasco, but fell on 
 the 9th of October, after the explosion ofjj magazine two 
 days before had breached the works. U^un retired to 
 Glatz and Bohemia. Frederick marched on the 29th of 
 October to besiege Dresden^ Daun followed heavily. 
 Like a prize-fighter knockeiJout of time, he had no more 
 fight in him. 
 
 Prince Henry had two affairs with the Reich's army and 
 its Austrian contingent. Forced to retire from Freyburg 
 on the 15th, he afterwards attacked them on the 29th of 
 October and defeated them by a turning movement. They 
 had 40,000, he 30,000. The Austrian contingent suffered 
 most. 
 
 /in the western theatre Ferdinand held his own and had 
 His'usual successes. His part in the war was to defend 
 
246 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 15th Feb. -30th March, 1763. 
 
 only, and he never failed to show high qualities as a 
 general.j, 
 
 Thus, nowhere had Frederick's enemies succeeded in 
 crushing his defences. For seven years the little kingdom 
 of Prussia had held her ground against the three great 
 military powers, France, Austria, and E-ussia. All were 
 now equally exhausted. L The constancy, courage, and 
 ability of Frederick were rewarded at last ; on the 15th 
 of February, 1763, the treaty of Hubertsburg was signed, 
 by which Austria once more agreed to the cession of Sil esiaTj 
 Prussia was now a Great Power like the rest, her greatness 
 resting on no shams, as she had proved.(Jlngland had her 
 freedom of the seas, America was for ever to be English 
 as it is to this day, though not under our QueenJ The 
 enormous responsibility of India also fell upon this country 
 — a great glory and a great danger^Jk^rance took her 
 natural place instead of that which Belle-Isle had devised 
 for her. Her kings had gambled with the stolen pros- 
 perity of the nation as their stake, and all they had won was 
 the place of a public byword for all time. Revolution had 
 been brewing for many a year. The Seven Years' War 
 with the sufferings entailed on the people brought the 
 convulsion nearer. 
 
 On the 30th of March, Frederick reached Berlin, entering 
 the city quietly. He went straight to the queen's apart- 
 ments and supped there. At last the longed-for peace 
 had come. Prussia, then, had issued victorious out of the 
 war ; but how terrible had been her sacrifices ! Whole 
 districts had been so ravaged that the traces of the houses 
 were hard to discover. Towns ruined and partly burnt. 
 No fields sown, no corn to make bread. Sixty thousa,nd 
 horses required before the ground could be ploughed. (LThe 
 population of the country was reduced by half a million 
 
RESTORATION OF PRUSSIA. 247 
 
 1763-1779. 
 
 and was now only four millions, tliat is, the people had 
 been more than decimated. ^^ In some places noble and 
 peasant alike were ruined. Tradesmen dare give no credit. 
 The towns had no police and no judges ; sometimes not even 
 tax-gatherers. The people had fallen into ways of license, 
 and those who had means were become avaricious, grasping, 
 and oppressive to their neighbours. 
 
 /Frederick set to work at once. Fortunately he had 
 twenty-five millions of thalers collected in preparation for 
 the next campaign. He supplied money to the most 
 necessitous, and seed-corn where there was none. He 
 turned all his artillery horses into teams for the plough, 
 established banks for lending money on landed security, 
 re-created the law courts and the police. The coinage was 
 restored to its former state in fourteen months. In two 
 years the country was reviving, and in seven most of the 
 traces of war had disappeared. This renovation was per- 
 haps the greatest labour of his life, certainly that in which 
 he took most pride. 
 
 Some of his measures were ill-judged. For instance, he 
 imported from France the system of gathering taxes and 
 the very men to carry it out, for he had few capable left in 
 his own dominions. To fill his own treasury for the cost 
 of government and the chances of war, he had a whole 
 corps of financial inquisitors, who came to be called " cellar- 
 rats " among the people-. No house, no room was secure 
 from their visitations. They entered private dwellings 
 when they pleased, by day or by night, to search for things 
 contraband. Their decisions were arbitrary, and there was 
 no appeal but to the king. It was even said that they 
 introduced contraband goods in order to exact unjust fines. 
 Such hard measure dealt to an impoverished people caused 
 an access of unpopularity. Yet Frederick was harder on the 
 
248 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1763-1779. 
 
 comparatively well-to-do than on the poorer classes, which 
 he won by his kindly, familiar ways. 
 
 One day, riding through the streets of Berlin, he saw a 
 crowd of people craning their necks to look at a picture 
 posted high up on a wall. Going up to examine it he found 
 that it was a caricature of himself, as a miser, grinding 
 coffee. He ordered his groom to hang it lower, so that the 
 people should not make their necks ache with looking at it. 
 Instantly the crowd cheered him and tore the print into 
 a thousand pieces. Another time it was proposed to him 
 to lay a tax on butchers' meat. ** No," said the king, '* I 
 am by my office advocate of the poor and the soldier, and 
 have to plead their cause." Yet he was the advocate of 
 women also, even in high station. We have seen how he 
 told his secretaries always to write courteously to women. 
 When one of his cellar-rats treated the Princess Elizabeth 
 of Brunswick discourteously in the matter of a dress which 
 came direct from France, that noble lady slapped his face. 
 The man complained to the king of the dishonour done to 
 him, but Frederick replied, " The loss of the excise dues 
 shall fall upon me, the dress shall remain with the princess, 
 the slaps to him who has received them. As to the alleged 
 dishonour, I entirely relieve the complainant from that : 
 never can the touch of a beautiful hand dishonour the face 
 of an officer of customs." 
 
 There has been much controversy on the good and evil 
 of Frederick's measures. Into this question we cannot 
 enter here. The idea of free trade had not then been 
 invented, nor has it yet taken much root in Germany. Like 
 all other monarchs of that time, Frederick regarded his 
 people as children, whose purses, habits, and lives it was his 
 duty to regulate. Unlike other crowned heads, he laboured 
 incessantly for what he believed to be the good of his 
 
FREDERICK'S JUSTICE. 24d 
 
 1763-1779. * 
 
 people, and his measures, right and wrong, issued finally 
 in prosperity for Prussia. During all his financial and 
 magisterial work he never forgot the army. He was as 
 strict with the officers as if in the presence of an enemy, 
 and any whose regiments had to receive blame at the 
 parades and manoeuvres found themselves dismissed into 
 oblivion without mercy. 
 
 In 1779 occurred the famous case of the miller Arnold. 
 The rights of the question matter little. A mill was 
 rented by Arnold and the rent punctually paid till a landed 
 proprietor, higher up the stream, diverted most of the 
 water to fill a fish pond. Arnold could no longer pay rent, 
 and in process of time was turned out and the mill sold 
 over his head. The law gave judgment against the miller, 
 who appealed to the king. Frederick, a believer in military 
 sense and equity, appointed a colonel to revise the judg- 
 ment of the lawyers. The officer reported in Arnold's 
 favour, but the High Court of Berlin confirmed the decision 
 against him. Frederick clapped the judges in prison and 
 ordered his minister of justice, von Zedlitz, to pronounce 
 sentence of deprivation upon them. Zedlitz firmly, but 
 respectfully refused. Frederick again ordered, and threat- 
 ened him with his displeasure. Zedlitz was still immovable, 
 and at last the king wrote the sentence of deprivation 
 himself and had it carried out, though society of all ranks 
 in Berlin supported the judges. Zedlitz, instead of punish- 
 ment, received commendation from Frederick for acting 
 according to his conscience. This was Frederick's idea of 
 reforming judicial administration. It will hardly commend 
 itself to English opinion, and was, in fact, arbitrary to an 
 extreme degree. Still there ran through the whole tissue 
 of extravagant self-will a golden cord of support to the poor 
 and weak against the powerful. 
 
250 FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 
 ■ 1763-1779. 
 
 His curious tolerance of religious opinions is shown in a 
 letter written by him in 1768, wherein he says : — 
 
 " It is unfortunate for the human race, madam, that men cannot 
 be tranquil — but they never and nowhere can. A parson (at 
 Neufchatel) had set forth in a sermon that, considering the 
 immense mercy of God, the pains of hell could not last for ever. 
 The synod shouted murder at such a scandal, and has been 
 struggling ever since to get the parson exterminated. The affair 
 was in my jurisdiction, for your royal highness must know 
 that I am pope in that country. Here is my decision. Let those 
 parsons who make for themselves a cruel and barbarous God be 
 eternally damned as they desire and deserve ; and let the parsons 
 who conceive God as good and merciful enjoy the plenitude of 
 His mercy. However, madam, my sentence has failed to calm 
 men's minds ; the schism continues, and the number of the 
 damnatory theologians prevails over the others." 
 
 What horror such lax theology must have created at the 
 time ! How mild and just it seems now \ 
 C^^^All the acts of Frederick's declining years sink into 
 insignificance beside the partition of Pnlajid j It seemed 
 cruel and cold-blooded at the time. Its consequences have 
 affected Europe to this day and will continue ta affect it. 
 The partition came about in this wise, ^n gland, changing 
 her policy when Bute succeeded Pitt, turned her back upon 
 Frederick and would have left him to destruction. France 
 and Austria remained bitter against him. The situation 
 of Prussia forced her to have a strong friend, and the king 
 rested upon Russia, with which power he cemented a firm 
 alliance. J^But Russia had obtained almost complete in- 
 fluencfe-Oyer PoIan3"'7hiring the Seven Years' War, when 
 the unfortunate little kingdom had always been a base of 
 operations for the Russian armies. So great was this 
 infiuence that the Czarina was able to seat on the Polish 
 
PARTITION OF POLAND. 251 
 
 1V68-1772 
 
 throne soon after the peace, one of her discarded lovers, 
 Stanislaus Poniatowski. Poland was little more than a 
 Russian province when the Confederation of Bar, formed by 
 a party of nobles in 1768, took up arms in defence of the 
 liberties of their country. T^ Russians defeated them 
 and drove them into Turkey. - The Turks declared war on 
 Eussia, but had no success, and had to see Moldayia^and 
 Wallachia — now Roumania — overrun by the enemyV^JIhen, 
 as now, Austria could not bear to see Russia pushing con- 
 quests across the Danube, and accordingly mobilised an 
 army on the frontiers, threatening war against Russia. By 
 his treaty of alliance with the Czarina, Frederick was 
 bound to furnish either a contingent of troops or a large 
 sum in money if Russia should go to war. ^This was in- 
 convenient to him, and there was even a worseManger. It 
 might be that Austria and Russia should agree to divide 
 Turkey between them and then break up Prussia. I do 
 not care to split hairs over the question, " Who first pro- 
 posed the partition of Poland 1 " It seems certain that, in 
 the later stages at any rate, Frederick was the most 
 energetic in pushing the affair. He has never attempted 
 to defend himself, nQ^r did he even seem to think that the 
 step needed defence. The Czarina, like Frederick, never 
 thought of making a difficulty about it, and agreed to stay 
 her hand in the south in consideration of Austria's co- 
 operation in the partition of Poland. Maria Theresa alone 
 showed human feeling and a sense of political morality. 
 Her letter to Kaunitz, written in February, 1772, strikes 
 the true note of the judgment of history on this question. 
 She says : *' When all my lands were invaded, and I knew 
 not where I could give birth to my child in peace, I trusted 
 in my good right and the help of God, but in this thing, 
 where not only public law cries to Heaven against us, but 
 
252 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1772. 
 
 also all justice and sound reason, I must confess that never 
 in my life have I been so troubled, and I am ashamed to 
 show my face. Let the prince [Kaunitz, her first minister] 
 consider what an example we are giving to the whole 
 world if we risk our honour and reputation for a miserable 
 piece of Poland or of Moldavia and Wallachia. I see well 
 that I am alone and no longer in vigour ; therefore, though 
 not without the greatest sorrow, I let things take their 
 course." A few days after her official assent was given in 
 these words : " JiFlaceti since so many great and learned 
 men will have it so ; \lQut long after I am dead it will be ; «- 
 known what this violation of all that was hitherto held V^-^^-^ 
 sacred and just will give rise to;' ^Ttf Frederick was in 
 advance of his time in religious toleimion, Maria Theresa 
 was so in political morali ty\ Yet it must not be forgotten 
 that the Seven Years' War was brought about because she 
 had agreed with E-ussia and France to partition Prussia, 
 the King of Poland being a consenting party. We have 
 also to consider that the freedom of Poland was past 
 praying for. The country would soon have been annexed 
 by Pussia. There was no political morality to hinder that. 
 The partition took place iiijYT2>x The portion assigned 
 to Frederick comprised 9,465 square miles, against 62,500 
 acquired by Austria and 87,500 by Russia. But the 
 territory was important,^r it connected east Prussia with 
 Pomerania and the rest of Frederick's dominions^ Above 
 all, the partition staved off a general war. Poor Poland 
 went forth into the desert as the scapegoat of Europe. 
 Since then the cries of the Russian Poles have never 
 ceased their shrill lament in the ears of the civilised 
 world ; he would be a bold man who should say 
 that Maria Theresa's prophecy is not still awaiting ful- 
 filment. Besides their undoubted courage and patriotism, 
 
PARTITION OF POLAND, 253 
 
 1772. 
 
 the Poles, like the Italians before they were free, have a 
 sort of feminine power of exciting sympathy. The outer 
 world has for many years gazed more or less calmly upon 
 the moral and physical suffering of Christian populations 
 under the Turks ; Alsace and Lorraine have been tossed 
 from Germany to France and from France to Germany ; 
 Denmark has been crushed and partitioned ; Nice and 
 Savoy, the very birthplace of the royal house of Italy, 
 have been sold to France for her help in a war. Yet 
 never have the woes of Armenia, or even, except for 
 a brief interval, of Bulgaria, created so much sympathy 
 as those of Poland. Denmark, Alsace, Lorraine, Nice, 
 Savoy, are interesting to their immediate neighbours ; the 
 heart of Europe has almost forgotten them. To this 
 very day the destruction of Polish nationality is felt like 
 a new wound by every generous s,oul. (^he sorrows of 
 Poland are the sorrows of the world^) 
 
 Frederick found his new acquisition in a miserable state. 
 Keligious persecution had been rampant in the land. 
 Only a few German towns were intact. The rest lay 
 almost in ruins. The people had ceased to inhabit the 
 houses, which were tumbling about their ears, but dwelt 
 in wretched . cellars. Of the forty houses in the market- 
 place at Culm, twenty-eight had no doors, no roofs, no 
 windows, and no owners. Other towns were in a similar 
 condition. The country people hardly knew the taste of 
 bread. Few villages possessed an oven. The weaving 
 loom was rare, the spinning-wheel unknown. The main 
 article of furniture was a crucifix and a vessel of holy 
 water. It was a desolate land without discipline, without 
 law, without a master. On 9,000 English square miles 
 lived 500,000 souls, about fifty-five to the square mile.^ 
 ' Freytag, Neue Bilder aus dem Lebendeutsches Volkes. Leipzig, 1862. 
 
/ 
 
 254. FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 /^ 1772-1778. 
 
 At the toucli of Frederick's vivifying and reorganising 
 hand, these horrors of darkness were put to flight. The 
 country was organised on the Prussian system, and German 
 order soon prevailed. The cities were re-peopled, and new 
 streets arose. In the first year the great canal of Bromberg 
 was dug, which connects the Vistula with the Oder and 
 the Elbe ; vast tracts of land were drained by the canal 
 and immediately peopled by German colonists. The face of 
 Prussian Poland was changed and a new life was infused 
 into the country. As with Prussia, so with Poland. 
 Frederick was arbitrary in his regulations ; but at least he 
 transformed misery into comparative comfort and brought 
 order out of chaos. 
 
 \The partition of Poland salved for a time the soreness 
 of Austria ; but the Emperor Joseph, who had succeeded 
 his father in 1765, was full of ambition. He professed 
 the greatest admiration for Frederick. Yet in 1775, when 
 the king had a fit of gout and reports were spread abroad! 
 that he was dying, Joseph prepared an army and arranged 
 for its concentration in Bohemia, whence it was to march 
 through Saxony to the frontiers of Brandenburg, and there 
 give the new king the alternative of surrendering Silesia 
 or being overwhelmed before he could assemble his troops. 
 Frederick recovered, and was informed of the preparations, 
 which, of course, collapsed instantly. /It would be well if 
 those who never tire of proclaiming Frederick's bad faith, 
 would sometimes deign to remember the conduct of his 
 rivals^ 
 
 r In i778 the Emperor Joseph claimed a large portion of 
 the Bavarian inheritance, just fallen in by the death of 
 the elector without issue. Frederick distinctly vetoed the 
 transaction. He proclaimed himself the champion of the 
 other claimants and the protector of that Reich, which had 
 
QUASI-WAR WITH AUSTRIA. 255 
 
 1778-1 3th May 1779. 
 
 placed him under its ban some years before. As the 
 negotiations went on, step by step, and seemed less likely 
 to reach a favourable end, the king's military measures 
 were gradually taken. He was to march on Bohemia by 
 Glatz and Nachod, while Prince Henry, with an equal force, 
 moved by Dresden. The plan was exactly similar to the 
 campaign of 1866, and must have had a similar termina- 
 tion, for the Austrians were not ready. But Frederick 
 did not wish for war. One delay succeeded another, and 
 when at last the king and Prince Henry moved they found 
 Loudon and Lacy with 250,000 men occupying a strong 
 intrenched camp which lay between the two Prussian 
 armies and prevented their junction. Nearly fifty miles of 
 country was intrenched in a masterly manner, no less than 
 1,500 guns being placed in advantageous positions. In his 
 youth the king would undoubtedly have attacked and 
 carried some portion of this position, and the young blood 
 of his army chafed against his inaction. But, like most 
 men who know war well, he had conceived a horror of it, 
 and was determined not to strike a blow without absolute 
 necessity. So passed the summer, autumn, and the early 
 /Winter, the king having started from Berlin on April 5th. 
 I On November the 27th the Czarina Catherine interfered 
 and offered to mediate. Her offer was snatched at by both 
 the combatants. /' Austria had to relinquish her claims, but 
 the affair was not concluded until May 13th, 1779, when 
 Frederick returned to Berlin, happy that he had, not been 
 forced to buy glory with the lives of his subjects) 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 DEATH OP MARIA THERESA IN 1780. — FREDERICK'S SHARP 
 CRITICISM OF HIS GENERALS AT AUTUMN MANOEUVRES. — 
 
 INSPECTION OF SILESIAN ARMY. CATCHES A CHILL. LAST 
 
 ILLNESS. — DEATH IN 1786. — HIS CHARACTER AS A KING, A 
 SOLDIER, A MAN. 
 
 A.D. 1780—1786. 
 
 Frederick was now an old man, long ago disenchanted 
 with military glory, fame, and even friendship. Nearly 
 all his old friends had dropped round him one by one, and 
 he was now to lose his old enemy Maria Theresa. For 
 fifteen years she had sorrowed for her husband, with a 
 grief, the loneliness of which can perhaps only be under- 
 stood by women whose station is exalted above the consola- 
 tions of ordinary human life. Like one whose sorrows have 
 been shared by every inhabitant of these isles, she con- 
 tinued to wear widow's weeds. The 18th of every month 
 was spent by her in solitary prayer. On the 18th of 
 August she always descended to the vaults where the body 
 of Kaizer Frantz lay, and sat in meditation beside his 
 coffin ; faithful beyond death, though in her case the man 
 whom she mourned had been a burden to her rather than 
 a guide and counseller. In November, 1780, she caught 
 
DEATH OF MARIA THERESA, 257 
 
 Wth Nov. 1780-23rd July 1785. 
 
 a chill which fell upon her lungs and she sank quickly. 
 When the hour of death approached she refused to sleep, 
 saying, " For fifteen years 1 have been making ready for 
 death. I must meet him awake.'* She died on the 29th 
 of November, ITSg? 
 
 Her son Joseph soon gave loose to his ambitious schemes. 
 He was possessed of very considerable talent, resolution, 
 and energy. His designs for reform and aggrandisement 
 of his country were magnificent, only, as Frederick said of 
 him, he had the fault of generally taking the second step 
 without having taken the first. He was quite as arbitrary 
 as the Prussian king, swept away routine in every direction, 
 and was even known to set peccant high officials in the 
 pillory, or to make them sweep the streets in Vienna. 
 Absolute monarchy had its freaks in every country, little 
 dreaming of the revolution which was so near at hand. 
 (Joseph revived the designs upon Bavaria and intrigued 
 Against Frederick with the Czarina. But his conduct 
 aroused the terror of the other German states, and Frederick 
 succeeded in forming the Fiirstenbund, or league of princes, 
 to resist the encroachments of Austria and place Prussia 
 in the position of guardian to German liberties/^ If this had 
 happened a few years earlier, it is probable that the 
 transfer of the kaisership from the Austrian to the 
 Prussian house might have been anticipated by a century. 
 But the FUrstenbund was only founded definitely on the 
 23rd of July, 1785, when Frederick was rapidly failing in 
 strength and had but another year to live. 
 
 During the autumn manoeuvres in Silesia the year before, 
 Frederick had been greatly disappointed at the want of 
 tactical knowledge displayed by some of the generals, 
 who had committed exactly the same faults that we see 
 at autumn manoeuvres now. In a letter to General von 
 
 3 
 
258 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1784. 
 
 Tauentzien, the same who had defended Breslau so well 
 against Loudon and who was now Inspector- General of 
 Silesia, the king spoke very sharply, "Were I to make 
 shoemakers or tailors into generals the regiments could 
 not be worse." One regiment, he said, was not fit to be 
 the poorest militia battalion ; in another, the men were 
 so spoiled by smuggling that they had no resemblance to 
 soldiers ; whilst a third was like a heap of undrilled boors. 
 As for tactics, " Schwartz, at Neisse, made the unpardon- 
 able mistake of not sufficiently occupying the height on the 
 left wing." One can imagine him thinking of Hochkirch 
 and the Stromberg. *' Had it been serious the battle had 
 been lost. At Breslau, Erlach, instead of covering the 
 army by seizing the heights, marched off with his division 
 straight as a row of cabbages into that defile, whereby, had it 
 been real war, the enemy's cavalry would have cut down our 
 infantry and the fight been lost. It is not my purpose to lose 
 battles by the base conduct of my generals ; wherefore I 
 hereby appoint that you next year, if I be alive, assemble the 
 army between Breslau and Ohlau, and for four days before 
 I arrive in your camp carefully manoeuvre with the ignorant 
 generals and teach them what their duty is. Regiment 
 von Arnim and garrison-regiment von Kanitz are to act as 
 enemy ; and whoever does not then fulfil his duty shall be 
 brought before a court-martial ; for I should think it shame 
 of any country to keep such people who trouble themselves 
 so little about their business. Erlach will remain four 
 weeks longer in arrest. You are to make known this my 
 present declared will to your whole inspection." This 
 specimen of Frederick's dealing with inefficient officers may 
 serve to show how terribly in earnest he was, and, to some 
 extent also, why the Prussian army was then, and has since 
 been, so tremendous a weapon in the hand of those who 
 
FREDERICK'S LAST ILLNESS. 259 
 
 20th Aug. 1785-1786. 
 
 have known how to use it. Next year, 1785, he again 
 appeared in Silesia. The manoeuvres began on Saturday, 
 August the 20th, and lasted till Thursday the 25th. Many 
 foreign officers were present, among others Lafayette, 
 Lord Cornwallis, and the Duke of York. On the Wednesday 
 rain fell in torrents, yet so intent was the king upon his 
 business that he remained on horseback from the be- 
 ginning, at five o'clock in the morning, till the end of the 
 manoeuvres after ten o'clock, riding about on horseback, as 
 the present Emperor of Germany does, and watching every- 
 thing with a keen eye. He did not even put on his cloak, 
 and was so thoroughly wet through, that, when he returned 
 to head-quarters and changed his clothes, the water is said 
 to have poured out of his long boots as if they were a pair 
 of pails. The chill which he caught settled on his body, 
 wearied with war, and he was now seventy-three years old, 
 too aged to shake it off. Still he completed his Silesian 
 inspections, returned to Berlin for an artillery review on 
 September the 10th, and made no complaint of his health. 
 On the night of the 18th he was seized with a fit of suffo- 
 cation, and from that time failed rapidly. In January, 
 1786, symptoms of asthma and dropsy appeared, and he 
 w^as unable to sleep, except in an arm-chair, for fear of 
 suffocation. Still he lingered on, always as attentive to 
 business as he had ever been. In the summer he was seen 
 on horseback again, but only for very short exercise. His 
 longest ride was two miles. Erysipelas came in addition to 
 the asthma and dropsy. He could hardly ever sleep, and 
 said one morning to some one who came in, " If you 
 happened to want a night-watcher I should suit you well." 
 Having for some years past begun work with the clerks 
 about six or seven o'clock in the morning, he now ordered 
 them to come at four A.M., saying, "My situation forces 
 
 s 2 
 
260 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 14th July-lOth Aug. 1785. 
 
 me to give them this trouble, which they will not have to 
 suffer long. My life is on the decline, the time which I 
 still have I must employ, it belongs not to me but to the 
 state." His last letter was written to his sister, the 
 Duchess Dowager of Brunswick, on the 10th of August. 
 In it he says, " The old must give place to the young, 
 that each generation may find room clear for it ; and life, if 
 we examine strictly what its course is, consists in seeing 
 one's fellow-creatures die and be born." Still his attention 
 to business was unwearied. His last minute was to De 
 Launay, head of the excise. "Your account of receipts 
 and expenditures came to hand yesterday, the 13th, but is 
 much too slight. I require one in more detail" And he 
 explained shortly and clearly what details he required. 
 
 Next morning, Tuesday, August the 15th, the king did 
 not wake till eleven o'clock. On arousing he seemed at first 
 confused, but called in his generals and secretaries and did 
 busioess with them, giving minute directions with regard 
 to a review at Potsdam next day, and, among other things, 
 dictated to his clerks an instruction for an ambassador just 
 leaving, ** four quarto pages, which," says Hertzberg, 
 " would have done honour to the most experienced minister." 
 
 On Wednesday morning, August the 16th, 1786, the gene- 
 rals and secretaries came as usual for business, but came 
 in vain. All through the early hours the king lay in ster- 
 torous slumber, unconscious save at fleeting moments. In 
 one of these he tried to give to the commandant the usual 
 parole, but found he could not speak. An expression of 
 sorrow passed over his face. He turned his head and sank 
 back into the corner of his chair. Towards evening the 
 king fell into a soft sleep, but soon awoke complaining of 
 cold. It was the chill of death. When the clock struck 
 eleven he asked, *' What o'clock % " They answered, 
 
DEATH OF FREDERICK, 261 
 
 16th Aug. 1786. 
 
 *' Eleven." He murmured, "I will rise at four.'* About 
 midnight he noticed that one of his dogs, which sat on a 
 stool near him, was shivering with cold. " Throw a quilt 
 over it," said he j and these were his last conscious words, 
 Striitski, one of his three faithful valets, took the king on 
 his knee to save him from doubling up in the corner of his 
 chair. For two hours Frederick sat thus, with his right 
 arm around Striitski' s neck, Striitski kneeling on his right 
 knee with his left arm supporting the king's back and 
 shoulders. In this position, at twenty minutes past two, 
 the sufferer drew his last breath. Frederick the Great 
 was no more. No beloved woman was there to soothe his 
 last moments, no children to receive his last blessing, [^e 
 died, as he had lived for many years, a dutiful worker to 
 the last, but in spirit absolutely alone?^; Across the dark 
 river Maria Theresa thought she saw awaiting her the 
 spirit of a husband with outstretched arms. Frederick 
 had no such vision. To him death meant total oblivion. 
 
 A century has passed since the death of Frederick, and 
 the world has not yet agreed what his character was as a 
 king, a soldier, or a man. JLt was natural that during his 
 life he should have many bitter enemies and a few fervent 
 friends ; for he was possessed of an absolute will and the 
 power to crush those who opposed him. But it is remark- 
 able that his name should continue to be idolised by one 
 portion of mankind and detested by another. English 
 opinion seems to have generally mixed the life of Frederick 
 the Great with that of his father, and has attributed to 
 the son qualities and eccentricities which he did not possess. 
 There is the less need for this because Frederick displayed 
 startling characteristics of his own. Carlyle, in a book 
 the genius of which becomes more striking as it grows 
 more familiar, has made a grand defence of his favourite 
 
262 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1786. 
 
 hero, obscuring his defects and pointing triumphantly to 
 his shining virtues. The only result has been that Carlyle 
 has been considered as eccentric as Frederick. For all that, 
 French writers have largely accepted the facts and the 
 deductions of the English philosopher and wit, whose 
 history at least approaches nearer to accuracy than that of 
 Voltaire. Quite lately, the Due de Broglie has taken upon 
 himself the office of devil's advocate in opposition to the 
 canonisation proposed by Carlyle ; but his book,^ more 
 forensic than judicial, must impress the attentive reader 
 with the conviction that all the royal houses and diplo- 
 matists of Europe are put out of court by their own 
 misdeeds when they pose as critics of Frederick, 
 f When Frederick came to the throne, France was dis- 
 tinctly the leading power of Europe. Her diplomatic 
 subtlety and her arms had prevailed to put her in the first 
 place of the first rank. Her comparative refinement, the 
 brillancy of her court, which attracted all the wit and 
 wisdom of Europe, enabled her to claim for herself the 
 position of leader in civilisation. The literature, the 
 manners, and even the persons of other nations and other 
 courts were treated with ridicule and made the butt for 
 every shaft of French wit. No object had seemed more 
 laughable to the French nation than the court of what 
 was considered that little upstart power — Prussia, under 
 Frederick William. As for the political position of France 
 it is enough to remember that the designs of Belle-Isle 
 were considered possible. So far as Prussia was concerned, 
 the intention evidently was to use her for the moment and 
 then throw her away like an old glove. France had been 
 paid heavily, by Alsace and Lorraine, for a formal treaty, 
 
 1 Frederic deux et Marie TherSse d'apres des documents nouveaux, 
 1740—1742. Paris, 1883. 
 
EIS CUARA CTER. 263 
 
 in which she bound herself not only to agree to the Prag- 
 matic sanction, but to defend it by force of arms if neces- 
 sary. When the time came, France first shuffled and then 
 declared against the claims of Maria Theresa A Belle-Isle's 
 schemes were to make his country, not the arbitress only, 
 but the tyrant of Europe in politics, in arts, and in arms. 
 
 Then arose upon the horizon a new planet, with the 
 brightness of a sun and the strangeness of a comet. It 
 came from the dark regions of the north and flamed sud- 
 denly in the political sky, attracting all Europe by its 
 lurid brilliancy. The wit, the diplomatic wiles, and the 
 arms of France paled before it. Not only did Paris, hitherto 
 the home of all that was bright and clever, now seem dull 
 in comparison, but even the first Frenchmen of the day 
 flew to Berlin to worship the rising sun. The arbitress of 
 Europe became a weeping Niobe ; her sons slain by the 
 shafts of the new Apollo, or seduced by his attractions. 
 It is impossible to conceive a blow more bitter to the 
 vanity of a nation, nor can there be any wonder that 
 France was and remains the bitterest enemy of that 
 Germany by which she was so completely eclipsed. Yet 
 /^t'rance has no right to complain of Frederick, because he 
 only treated her as ^e would have treated him but for his 
 
 surpassing ability, y In turning to Austria, it is but simple 
 justice to separate between the crown, with its claims, and 
 the noble woman who was to wear it. For centuries Austria 
 had been strong, self-willed, and oppressive. Young Prussia 
 had not been allowed room to grow and expand. Prussia 
 was the young and weak ; Austria, the old and strong, 
 held towards Prussia, upon the soil of central Europe, 
 much the samQ position as Spain occupied towards England 
 on the ocean. The opportunity came both to Prussia and\ 
 to England when Austria and Spain were growing weak. ] 
 
264 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 17P6. 
 
 It was an accident of history that the noble Maria Theresa 
 was the one to suffer for the accumulated misdeeds of the 
 Austrian dynasty. Frederick determined to close the 
 account by acquiring Silesia ; and if in that respect his 
 conduct was wrong, when judged from the standpoint of 
 modern morality, it was at least inapcor dance with the 
 ideas and the habits of his time, f Compared with the 
 actions of France, Frederick's political sin appears mild 
 by contrast, j 
 
 •Then as to the means which were used. It is abundantly 
 evident that all the kings and all the ministers were 
 straining every nerve to cheat each other. Even the Due 
 de Broglie admits that it was an " encounter of wits," in 
 which Frederick gained the victory. He was not in the 
 least proud of it, neither was he ashamed. With capacity 
 for far higher things, he seems to have regarded himself 
 as a civilised man among savages, obliged to save his life 
 by answering lies with lies. In the midst of the political 
 and military embroglio during the early Silesian wars, 
 Frederick wrote thus to Pode^ils : " We are dealing on 
 the one side with the most headstrong people in Europe 
 [the AustriansVand on the other with the most ambitious 
 [the French], (^o go on playing the part of an honest man 
 with rogues is a perilous thing ; to be cunning wiish deceivers 
 is a desperate game and its success equivocal. What then 
 is to be done ? War and negotiation % That is just what 
 your humble servant and his ministers are doing^ If there 
 is anything to be gained by being honest, we will be so. If 
 it is necessary to dupe, let us be rogues." Here we have 
 the clearest possible profession of what may be called 
 political immorality, quite text enough for a long sermon 
 on the wickedness of Frederick. But those who wish to' 
 see clearly the character of this remarkable man will 
 
CHARACTER AS A SOLDIER. 265 
 
 1786. A .i 
 
 observe that /in this and other cynical speeches, he onjy I 
 professed what others practised without professing. J (^e ^ ' 
 did not pay to virtue that homage of vice — hypocrisy. 
 Others vprofessing to be true and noble acted ignobly and 
 vilely. ^Frederick's actions were no better, but he did not 
 pretend that they were. It is not often that a man at 
 thirty years of age refuses himself even the indulgence of 
 illusions as to his own conduct. Frederick was a great 
 worker, and continually kept before himself the idea that 
 he was the shepherd of his people. The marvellous ad- 
 ministrative faculty and the fertility of resource, which ' 
 enabled him with a mere handful of people at his back to 
 bring, year after year, fresh armies into the field, is almost 
 unequalled in history; but the king would rather have 
 rested his fame on the talents which produced the renovation 
 of Prussia. Hard-handed and arbitrary as he was some- 
 times, his people loved him, and perhaps a weaker hand 
 could not have guided the vessel of state into safety. 
 
 As a soldier, Frederick certainly deserves the credit of 
 having restored a brilliant style of campaigning which had 
 fallen into abeyance for ages. His strategy was sometimes 
 at fault, but his critics have not sufficiently borne in mind 
 the fact that he was hampered by political considerations, i 
 
 (Hardly a winter passed during the Seven Years' "War I 
 without finding him or his friends negotiating for peace.) ^ 
 The conception of his campaigns was not equal to that of ' 
 Napoleon, nor is there much in his general strategy to 
 commend itself to students of war. His tactics on the 
 field of battle were for the most part superb. Having 
 made his army superior in quality, he never stayed to count 
 
 t numbers but attacked boldly and skilfully, thus poizing for 
 himself the mighty power of The Initiative. When he 
 was absent from any part of his dominions the enemy 
 
 T 
 
266 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 1786. 
 
 gained some advantage there. He appeared and fought — 
 resistance collapsed before him. Yet his actions as a 
 general were frequently marred by a passionate self-will, 
 which more than once lost him a battle. He was not 
 perfect as a soldier any more than as a king or as a man. 
 Yet his figure will always occupy one of the most dis- 
 tinguished places in the military Pantheon. He possessed 
 in a high degree the great art of obtaining complete com- 
 mand over the hearts and the minds of his soldiers. 
 He was a very strict disciplinarian but perfectly familar 
 with his men, who bandied rough jokes with him 
 when he was pleased and wept when he was angry with 
 them. They would rather die with him than live with 
 other generals, and the affection which he first created for 
 the royal house has descended to our own times. This 
 mastery over the minds and affections of soldiers is a 
 quality which, almost of necessity, carries success with it, 
 for it can never be possessed by a weak or foolish man. 
 No campaigns will be won by an army unless it has con- 
 fidence in itself and its commander. Frederick possessed 
 in a large degree the power of inspiring that confidence. 
 
 The most remarkable feature in our knowledge of this great 
 king, and perhaps that which most causes men to misunder- 
 stand him, is the astounding candour with which he lays 
 open his own character for inspection. In his writings we 
 read the whole man with his faults and his virtues clearly 
 exposed to view. Nothing is so uncommon, and this is 
 why the character of Frederick will perhaps never be fully 
 understood. 
 
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