太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18 >

第4节

history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第4节

小说: history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



o the Reich and its bluster about Execution…Army; and teach certain persons who it is they are thundering against in that awkwardly truculent manner! Errand shiningly done by Mayer; as perhaps we may hear;and certainly as all the Newspapers loudly heard;in the course of the next two months。

At crossing of the Eger; Friedrich's Column had some chasing of poor D'Ahremberg; attempting to cut him off from his Bridges; Bridge of Koschlitz; Bridge of Budin; but he made good despatch; Browne and he; and; except a few prisoners of Ziethen's gathering; and most of his Magazines unburnt; they did him no damage。 The chase was close enough; more than once; the Austrian head… quarter of to…night was that of the Prussians to…morrow。 Monday; May 2d; Friedrich's Column was on the Weissenberg of Prag; Browne; D'Ahremberg; and Prince Karl; who is now come up to take command; having hastily filed through the City; leaving a fit garrison; the day before。 Except his Magazines; nothing the least essential went wrong with Browne; but Konigseck; who had not a Friedrich on his heels;Konigseck; trying more; as his opportunities were more;was not quite so lucky。

2。 〃Column SECOND; to the King's left; comes from the Lausitz under Brunswick…Bevern;18;000 foot; 5;000 horse。 This is the Bevern who so distinguished himself at Lobositz last year; and he is now to culminate into a still brighter exploit;the last of his very bright ones; as it proved。 Bevern set out from about Zittau (from Grottau; few miles south of Zittau); the same day with Friedrich; that is April 20th;and had not well started till he came upon formidable obstacles。 Came upon General Konigseck; namely: a Konigseck manoeuvring ahead; in superior force; a Maguire; Irish subordinate of Konigseck's; coming from the right to cut off our baggage (against whom Bevern has to detach); a Lacy; coming from the left;or indeed; Konigseck and Lacy in concert; intending to offer battle。 Battle of Reichenberg; which accordingly ensued; April 21st;〃of which; though it was very famous for so small a Battle; there can be no account given here。

The short truth is; Konigseck falling back; Parthian…like; with a force of 30;000 or more; has in front of him nothing but Bevern; who; as he issues from the Lausitz; and till he can unite with Schwerin farther southward; is but some 20;000 odd: cannot Konigseck call halt; and bid Bevern return; or do worse? Konigseck; a diligent enough soldier; determines to try; chooses an excellent position;at or round Reichenberg; which is the first Bohemian Town; one march from Zittau in the Lausitz; and then one from Liebenau; which latter would be Bevern's SECOND Bohemian stage on the Prag road; if he continued prosperous。 Reichenberg; standing nestled among hills in the Neisse Valley (one of those Four Neisses known to us; the Neisse where Prince Karl got exploded; in that signal manner; Winter; 1745; by a certain King); offers fine capabilities; which Konigseck has laid hold of。 There is especially one excellent Hollow (on the left or western bank of Neisse River; that is; ACROSS from Reichenberg); backed by woody hills; nothing but hills; brooks; woods all round; Hollow scooped out as if for the purpose; and altogether of inviting character to Konigseck。 There; 〃Wednesday; April 20th;〃 Konigseck posts himself; plants batteries; fells abatis; plenty of cannon; of horse and foot; and; say all soldiers; one of the best positions possible。

So that Bevern; approaching Reichenberg at evening; evening of his first march; Wednesday; April 20th; finds his way barred; and that the difficulties may be considerable。 〃Nothing to be made of it to…night;〃 thinks Bevern; 〃but we must try to…morrow!〃 and has to take camp; 〃with a marshy brook in front of him;〃 some way on the hither side of Reichenberg; and study overnight what method of unbarring there may be。 Thursday morning early; Bevern; having well reconnoitred and studied; was at work unbarring。 Bevern crossed his own marshy brook; courageously assaulted Konigseck's position; left wing of Konigseck; stormed the abatis; the batteries; plunged in upon Konigseck; man to man; horse to horse; and after some fierce enough but brief dispute; tumbled Konigseck out of the ground。 Konigseck made some attempt to rally; attempted twice; but in vain; had fairly to roll away; and at length to run; leaving 1;000 dead upon the field; about 500 prisoners; one or two guns; and I forget how many standards; or whether any kettle…drums。 This was thought to be a decidedly bright feat on Bevern's part (rather mismanaged latterly on Konigseck's); 'Tempelhof; i。 100;  Helden… Geschichte;  iii。 1077 (Friedrich's own Account; 〃Linay  in Bohmen; 24th April; 1757〃); &c。 &c。 There is; in Busching's italic》 Magazin  (xvi。 139 et seq。); an intelligible sketch of this Action of Reichenherg; with satirical criticisms; which have some basis; on Lacy; Maguire and others; by an Anonymous Military Cynic;who gives many such in BUSCHING (that of Fontenoy; for example); not without force of judgment; and signs of wide study and experience in his trade。'much approved by Friedrich; as he hears of it; at Linay; on his own prosperous march Prag…ward。 A comfortable omen; were there nothing more。

Konigseck and Company; torn out of Reichenberg; and set running; could not fairly halt again and face about till at Liebenau; twenty miles off; where they found some defile or difficult bit of ground fit for them; and this too proved capable of yielding pause for a few hours only。 For Schwerin; with his Silesian Column; was coming up from the northeast; threatening Konigseck on flank and rear: Konigseck could only tighten his straps a little at this Liebenau; and again get under way; and making vain attempts to hinder the junction of Schwerin and Bevern; to defend the Jung…Bunzlau Magazine; or do any good in those parts; except to detain the Schwerin…Bevern people certain hours (I think; one day in all); had nothing for it but to gird himself together; and retreat on Prag and the Ziscaberg; where his friends now were。

The Austrian force at Reichenberg was 20;000; would have been 30 and odd thousands; had Maguire come up (as he might have done; had not the appearances alarmed him too much); Bevern; minus the Detachment sent against Maguire; was but 15;000 in fight; and he has quite burst the Austrians away; who had plugged his road for him in such force: is it not a comfortable little victory; glorious in its sort; and a good omen for the bigger things that are coming? Bevern marched composedly on; after this inspiriting tussle; through Liebenau and what defiles there were; April 24th; at Turnau; he falls into the Schwerin Column; incorporates himself therewith; and; as subordinate constituent part; accompanies Schwerin thenceforth。

3。 〃Column THIRD was Schwerin's; out of Schlesien; counted to be 32;000 foot; 12;000 horse。 Schwerin; gathering himself; from Glatz and the northerly country; at Landshut;very careless; he; of the pleasant Hills; and fine scattered peaks of the Giant Mountains thereabouts;was completely gathered foremost of all the Columns; having farthest to go。 And on Monday; 18th April; started from Landshut; Winterfeld leading one division。 In our days; it is the finest of roads; high level Pass; of good width; across the Giant Range; pleasant painted hamlets sprinkling it; fine mountain ridges and distant peaks looking on; Schneekoppe (SNOWfell; its head bright…white till July come) attends you; far to the right; all the way:probably Sprite Rubezahl inhabits there; and no doubt River Elbe begins his long journey there; trickling down in little threads over yonder; intending to float navies by and by: considerations infinitely indifferent to Schwerin。 'The road;' says my Tourist; (is not Alpine; it reminds you of Derbyshire…Peak country; more like the road from Castletown to Sheffield than any I could name;'we have been in it before; my reader and I; about Schatzlar and other places。 Trautenau; well down the Hills; with swift streams; more like torrents; bound Elbe…wards; watering it; is a considerable Austrian Town; and the Bohemian end of the Pass; Sohr only a few miles from it: heartily indifferent to Schwerin at this moment; who was home from the Army; in a kind of disfavor; or mutual pet; at the time Sohr was done。 Schwerin's March we shall not give; his junction with Bevern (at Turnau; on the Iser; April 24th); then their capture of Jung…Bunzlau Magazine; and crossing of the Elbe at Melnick; these were the important points; and; in spite of Konigseck's tusslings; these all went well; and nothing was lost except one day of time。〃

The Austrians; some days ago; as we observed; filed THROUGH Prag; Sunday; May 1st; not a pleasant holiday…spectacle to the populations;and are all encamped on the Ziscaberg high ground; on the other side of the City。 Had they been alert; now was the time to attack Friedrich; who is weaker than they; while nobody has yet joined him。 They did not think of it; under Prince Karl; and Browne and the Prince are said to be in bad agreement。



Chapter II。

BATTLE OF PRAG。

Monday morning; 2d May; 1757; the Vanguard; or advanced troops of Friedrich's Column; had appeared upon the Weissenberg; northwest

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 1

你可能喜欢的