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history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第73节

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That was the scheme fallen upon; now getting executed while Friedrich is at Zorndorf well away。 And that; if readers fix it intelligently in their memory; will suffice to introduce to them the few words more that can be allowed us here upon it。 A very few words; compressed to the utmost;merely as preface to Hochkirch; whither we must hasten; Hochkirch being the one incident which; except to studious soldiers; has now and here any interest; out of the very many incidents which; then and there; were so intensely interesting to all mankind。 To readers who are curious; and will take with them any poorest authentic Outline of the Localities concerned; the following condensed Note will not be unintelligible。


DAUN AND THE REICHS ARMY INVADE SAXONY; IN FRIEDRICH'S ABSENCE。

〃Daun; pushing out with his best speed; along the Bohemian…Silesian border; had got to Zittau AUGUST 17th; which poor City is to be his basis and storehouse; the greatest activity and wagoning now visible there;〃among the burnt walls getting rebuilt。 And in the same days; Zweibruck and his Reichs Army are vigorously afoot; Zweibruck pushing across the Metal Mountains; the fastest he can; intending to plant himself in Pirna Country。 Not to mention General Dombale; Zweibruck's Austrian Second; who has the Austrian 15;000 with him; and; by way of preface; has emerged to westward; in Zwickau…Tschopau Country; calculating that Prince Henri will not be able to attend to him just now。 And in effect Prince Henri; intent upon Zweibruck and the Pirna Country; takes position in the old Prussian ground there ('head…quarter Gross Seidlitz;' as in 1756); and can only leave a Detachment in Tschopau Country to wait upon Dombale; who does at least shoot out Croat parties; 'quite across Saxony; to Halle all the way;' and entertain the Gazetteers; if he can do little real mischief。

〃AUGUST 19th; from Zittau; Daun; after short pause; again pushes forward;nothing but Ziethen attending him in the distance; till we see whitherward;Margraf Karl waiting impatient; at Grussau; till Ziethen see。 'Tempelhof; ii。 258; 260 et seq。' Daun; soon after Zittau; shoots out Loudon; Brandenburg way; as if magnanimously intending 'co…operation with the Russians;' which would give Daun pleasure; could it be done without cost。 Loudon does despatch a 500 hussars to Frankfurt 'Friedrich now gone for Custrin'; who; I think; carry a Letter for Fermor there; but lose it by the way;〃for the benefit of readers; if they will wait。 〃Loudon captures a poor little place in Brandenburg itself; bullies it into surrender; after a day (the very day of Zorndorf Battle; 'August 25th'):place called Peitz; garrisoned by forty… five invalids; who go on 'free withdrawal;' poor old souls; and leave their exiguous stock of salt…victual and military furnitures to Loudon。 'In  Helden…Geschichte;  v。 229…232; the 〃Capitulation〃 IN EXTENSO。' Upon which Loudon whirls back out of those Countries; finding his skirts trodden on by Ziethen;who now sees what Daun and he are at; and warns Margraf Karl 'properly Keith; who has now joined again; as real president or chief' That HITHER is the way。 Margraf Karl; on the slip for some time past; starts from Grussau instantly (I should guess; not above 25;000 of all arms); leaving Fouquet with perhaps 10;000 to do his utmost; when Generals Harsch and Deville with their 20 or 30;000 come upon Silesia and him;as indeed they are already doing; already blockading Neisse; more or less; with an eye to besieging it so soon as possible。

〃Meanwhile; Serene Highness of Zweibruck; the Reichsfolk and some Austrians with him; prefaced by Dombale more to westward; is wending into Pirna Country; and; in spite of what Prince Henri can do (Mayor and the Free Corps shining diligent; and Henri one of the watchfulest of men); Zweibruck does get in; sets Maguire with Austrians upon besieging Pirna; that is to say; the Sonnenstein of Pirna; 3d…5th SEPTEMBER; gets the Sonnenstein; a thought sooner than was counted on; 'In  Helden…Geschichte;  v。 223…228; account of this poor Siege; and of the movements before and after。' and roots himself there;'head…quarters in Struppen' again; 'bridge at Ober…Raden' again; all as in 1756; which; if nothing else can well do it; may give his Highness a momentary interest with some readers here。 Prince Henri is at Gross Seidlitz; alive every fibre of him: but with Daun circling round to northward on his left; intending evidently to take him in flank or rear; with Dombale already to rear; in the above circumstances; on his right; and Zweibruck himself lying here in front free to act; and impregnable if acted upon: what is Prince Henri to do? It is for Henri's rear; not his flank; that Daun aims: AUGUST 26th; Daun; who had got to Gorlitz; a march or two from Zittau; started again at his best step by the Bautzen Highway towards Meissen Bridge; a 70 or 80 miles down the Elbe: there Daun intends to cross; and to double back upon Dresden and Prince Henri; who will thus find himself enclosed between THREE fires;if two were not enough; or even if one (the Daun one itself; or the Zweibruck itself; not to count the Dombale); in such strength as Prince Henri has!

〃A lost Prince Henri;if there be not shift in him; if there be not help coming to him! Prince Henri; seeing how it was; drew back from Gross Seidlitz; with beautiful suddenness; one night; unmolested: in the morning; Zweibruch's hussars find him posted   ^ (sic) ?k 


inexpugnable on the Heights of Gahmig;which is nearer Dresden a good step; nearer Dombale; and not so ready to be enclosed by Daun; without enclosure of Dresden too。 Prince Henri's manoeuvring; in this difficult situation; is the admiration of military men: how he stuck by Gahmig; but threw out; in the vital points; little camps; 'camp of Kesselsdorf' (a place memorable); on the west of Dresden; and on the east; in the north suburb of Dresden itself across the River (should we have to go across the River for Daun's sake); a 'strong abatis;' and neglected nothing; self and everybody under him; lively as eagles to make themselves dangerous; Mayer in particular distinguishing himself much。 Prince Henri would have been a hard morsel for Daun。 But beyond that; there is help on the road。〃


FRIEDRICH INTERVENING; DAUN DRAWS BACK; INTRENCHES HIMSELF IN NEIGHBORHOOD TO DRESDEN AND PIRNA; FRIEDRICH FOLLOWING HIM。 FOUR ARMIES STANDING THERE; IN DEAD…LOCK; FOR A MONTH; WITH ISSUE; A FLANK…MARCH ON THE PART OF FRIEDRICH'S ARMY; WHICH HALTS AT HOCHKIRCH (September 12th…October 10th; 1758)。

Daun; since August 26th; is striding towards Meissen Bridge; without rest; day after day; at the very top of his speed;which I find is 〃nine miles a day;〃 'Tempelhof; ii。 261。' Bos being heavy of foot; at his best。 September 1st; Daun has got within ten miles of Meissen Bridge; whenHere is news; my friends; King of Prussia has beaten our poor Russians; will soon be in full march this way! King of Prussia and Margraf Karl both bending hitherward; at the rate; say; of 〃nineteen miles a day;〃 instead of nine:Meissen Bridge is not the thing we shall want! Daun instantly calls halt; at this news; waits; intrenches; and; in a day or two; finding the news true; hurries to rearward all he can。 From the Russian side too; Daun has heard of Zorndorf; and the grand 〃Victory〃 of Fermor there; but knows well; by this sudden re…emergence of the Anti… Fermor; what kind of Victory it is。

Was it here while waiting about Meissen; or where was it; that Daun got his Letter to Fermor answered in that singular way? The Letter of two weeks ago;carried by Loudon's Hussars; or by whomsoever; for certain; it was retorted or returned upon Daun; not as if from the Dead…Letter Office; but with an Answer he little expected! Here is what record I have; very vague for a well…known little fact of sparkling nature:

〃A curious Letter fell into Friedrich's hands 'Bearer; I always guess; the Loudon Hussar…Captain with his 500; pretending to form junction with Fermor'; Prussian Hussars picking it up somewhere; date; place; circumstances; blurred into oblivion in those poor Books; Letter itself indisputable enough; and Answer following on it; Letter and Answer substantially to this effect:

    〃DAUN TO FERMOR 'Probably from Zittau; by Loudon's Hussars'。

〃Your Excellenz does not know that wily Enemy as I do。 By no means get into battle with such a one。 Cautiously manoeuvre about; detain him there; till I have got my stroke in Saxony done: don't try fighting him。           DAUN。〃

  〃ANSWER AS FROM FERMOR (Zorndorf once done; Daun by the first       opportunity got his Answer; duly signed 'Fermor;' but            evidently in a certain King's handwriting):

〃Your Excellenz was in the right to warn me against a cunning Enemy; whom you knew better than I。 Here have I tried fighting him; and got beaten。 Your unfortunate                      〃FERMOR。〃  'Muller;  Kurzgefasste Beschreibung der drei Schlesischen Kriege  (Berlin; 1755); in whom; alone of all the reporters; is the story given in an intelligible form。 This Muller's Book is a meritoriously brief Summary; incorrect in no essential particular; and with all the Battle…Plans on one copperplate: LIEUTE

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