history of friedrich ii of prussia v 19-第12部分

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to　hinder？　Ferdinand　has　got　two；　if　not　three　Armies　to　deal　with；　and　in　number　is　not　mnch　superior　to　one。　If　he　run　to　save　Hanover　from　Broglio；　he　loses　Westphalia：　Osnabruck　（his　magazine）？　Munster；　Lippstadt；Contades；　if　left　to　himself；　will　take　these；　after　short　siege；　and　will　nestle　himself　there；　and　then　advance；　not　like　a　transitory　fever…fit；　but　like　visible　death；　on　Hanover。　Ferdinand；　rapid　yet　wary；　manoeuvred　his　very　best　among　those　interests　of　his；　on　the　left　bank　of　Weser；　but　after　the　surprisal　of　Minden　from　him　（brilliantly　done　by　Broglio；　and　the　aid　of　a　treacherous　peasant）；　especially　after　the　capture　of　Osnabruck；　his　outlooks　are　gloomy　to　a　degree：　and　at　Versailles；　and　at　Minden　where　Contades　has　established　himself；　'the　Conquest　of　Hanover'　（beautiful　counterweight　to　all　one's　losses　in　America　or　elsewhere）　is　regarded　as　a　certainty　of　this　Year。

〃For　the　last　ten　days　of　July；　about　Minden；　the　manoeuvring；　especially　on　Ferdinand's　part；　had　been　intense；　a　great　idea　in　the　head　of　Ferdinand；　more　or　less　unintelligible　to　Contades。　Contades；　with　some　30；000；　which　is　the　better　half　of　his　force；　has　taken　one　of　the　unassailablest　positions。　He　lies　looking　northward；　his　right　wing　on　the　Weser　with　posts　to　Minden　（Minden　perhaps　a　mile　northeastward　there）；　on　his　left　impassable　peat…　bogs　and　quagmires；　in　front　a　quaggy　River　or　impassable　black　Brook；　called　the　Bastau；　coming　from　the　westward；　which　disembogues　at　Minden：　＇Sketch　of　Plan；　p。　238＇there　lies　Contades；　as　if　in　a　rabbit…hole；　say　military　men；　for　defence；　if　that　were　the　sole　object；　no　post　can　be　stronger。　Contades　has　in　person　say　30；000；　and　round　him；　on　both　sides　of　the　Weser；　are　Broglio　with　20；000；　besides　other　Divisions；　I　know　not　how　many；　besieging　Munster；　capturing　Osnabruck　（our　hay　magazine）；　attempting　Lippstadt　by　surprise　（to　no　purpose）；　and　diligently　working　forward；　day　by　day；　to　Ferdinand's　ruin　in　those　Minden　regions。　Three　or　four　Divisions　busy　in　that　manner；and　above　all；　we　say；　he　has　Broglio　with　a　20；000　on　the　right　or　east　bank　of　the　Weser；who；　if　Ferdinand　quit　him　even　for　a　day；　seems　to　have　Hanover　at　discretion；　and　can　march　any　day　upon　Hanover　City；　where　his　light　troops　have　already　been　more　than　once。　Why　does　n't　Ferdinand　cross　Weser；　re…cross　Weser；　coerce　Broglio　back；　and　save　Hanover？　cry　the　Gazetteers　and　a　Public　of　weak　judgment。　Pitt's　Public　is　inclined　to　murmur　about　Ferdinand；　Pitt　himself　never。　Ferdinand　persists　in　sticking　by　Minden　neighborhood；and；　in　a　scarcely　accountable　way；　manoeuvring　there；　shooting　out　therefrom　what　mischief　he　can　upon　the　various　Contades　people　in　their　sieges　and　the　like。

〃On　Contades　himself　he　can　pretend　to　do　nothing；except　hoodwink　him；　entice　him　out；　and　try　to　get　a　chance　on　him。　But　for　his　own　subsistence　and　otherwise；　he　is　very　lively；snatches；　by　a　sudden　stroke；　Bremen　City：　'Yes　truly；　Bremen　is　a　Reichstadt；　nor　shall　YOU　snatch　it；　as　you　did　Frankfurt；　but　I　will；　instead；　and　my　English　proviant…ships　shall　have　a　sure　haven　henceforth！'　Snatches　Bremen　by　one　sudden　stroke；　RE…snatches　Osnabruck　by　another　（'our　magazine　considerably　INCREASED　since　you　have　had　it；　many　thanks！'）；　does　lose　Munster；　to　his　sorrow；　but　nevertheless　sticks　by　his　ground　here；nay　detaches　his　swift…cutting　Nephew；　the　Hereditary　Prince；　who　is　growing　famous　for　such　things；　to　cut　out　Contades's　strong　post　to　southward　（Gohfeld；　ten　miles　up　the　Weser）；　which　guards　his　meal…wagons；　after　their　long　journey　from　the　south。　That　is　Contades's　one　weak　point；　in　this　posture　of　things：　his　meal　is　at　Cassel；　seventy　miles　off。　Broglio　and　he　see　clearly；　'Till　we　can　get　a　new　magazine　much　nearer　Hanover；　or　at　lowest；　can　clear　out　these　people　from　infesting　us　here；　there　is　no　moving　northward！'　To　both　Contades　and　Broglio　that　is　an　evident　thing：　the　corollary　to　which　is；　They　must　fight　Ferdinand；　must　watch　lynx…like　till　a　chance　turn　up　of　beating　him　in　fight。　That　is　their　outlook；　and　Ferdinand　knows　it　is；and　manoeuvres　accordingly。　Military　men　admire　much；　not　his　movements　only；　but　his　clear　insight　into　Contades's　and　Broglio's　temper　of　mind；　and　by　what　methods　they　were　to　be　handled；　they　and　his　own　affairs　together；　and　brought　whither　he　wanted　them。　＇In　MAUVILLON　（ii。　41…44）　minute　account　of　all　that。＇

〃This　attempt　on　Gohfeld　was　a　serious　mischief　to　Contades；　if　it　succeeded。　But　the　detaching　of　the　Prince　of　Brunswick　on　it；　and　weakening　one's　too　weak　Army；　'What　a　rashness；　what　an　oversight！'　thinks　Contades　（as　Ferdinand　wished　him　to　do）：　'Is　our　skilful　enemy；　in　this　extreme　embarrassment；　losing　head；　then？　Look　at　his　left　wing　yonder　＇General　Wangenheim；　sitting　behind　batteries；　in　his　Village　of　Todtenhausen；　looking　into　Minden　from　the　north＇：Wangenheim's　left　leans　on　the　Weser；　yes；　but　Wangenheim's　right；　observe；　has　no　support　within　three　miles　of　it：　tear　Wangenheim　out；　Ferdinand's　flank　is　bare！'　These　things　seemed　to　Contades　the　very　chance　he　had　been　waiting　for；　and　brought　him　triumphantly　out　of　his　rabbit…hole；　into　the　Heath　of　Minden；　as　Ferdinand　hoped　they　would　do。

〃And　so；　TUESDAY　EVENING；　JULY　31st；　things　being　now　all　ripe；　upwards　of　50；000　French　are　industriously　in　motion。　Contades　has　nineteen　bridges　ready　on　the　Bastau　Brook；　in　front　of　him；　TATTOO　this　night；　in　Contades's　Camp；　is　to　mean　GENERAL　MARCH；　'March；　all　of　you；　across　these　nineteen　Bridges；　to　your　stations　on　the　Plain　or　Heath　of　Minden　yonder；and　be　punctual；　like　the　clock！'　Broglio　crosses　Weser　by　the　town　Bridge；　ranks　himself　opposite　Todtenhausen；　and　through　the　livelong　night　there　is；　on　the　part　of　the　50；000　French；　a　very　great　marching　and　deploying。　Contades　and　Broglio　together　are　51；400　foot　and　horse。　Ferdinand's　entire　force　will　be　near　46；000；　but　on　the　day　of　Battle　he　is　only　36；000；having　detached　the　Hereditary　Prince　on　Gohfeld；　in　what　view　we　know。The　BATTLE　OF　MINDEN；　called　also　of　TONHAUSEN　（meaning　TODTENhausen）；　which　hereupon　fell　out；　has　still　its　fame　in　the　world；　and；　I　perceive；　is　well　worth　study　by　the　soldier　mind：　though　nothing　but　the　rough　outline　of　it　is　possible　here。

〃Ferdinand's　posts　extend　from　the　Weser　river　and　Todtenhausen　round　by　Stemmern；　Holzhausen；　to　Hartum　and　the　Bog　of　Bastau　（the　chief　part　of　him　towards　Bastau）；in　various　Villages；　and　woody　patches　and　favorable　spots；　all　looking　in　upon　Minden；　from　a　distance　of　five　or　seven　miles；　forming　a　kind　of　arc；　with　Minden　for　centre。　He　will　march　up　in　eight　Columns；　of　course；　with　wide　intervals　between　them；wide；　but　continually　narrowing　as　he　advances；　which　will　indeed　be　ruinous　gaps；　if　Ferdinand　wait　to　be　attacked；　but　which　will　coalesce　close　enough；　if　he　be　speedy　upon　Contades。　For　Contades's　line　is　also　of　arc…like　or　almost　semicircular　form；　behind　it　Minden　as　centre；　Minden；　which　is　at　the　intersection　of　Weser　and　the　Brook；　his　right　flank　is　on　Weser；　Broglio　VERSUS　Wangenheim　the　extreme　right；　his　left；　with　infantry　and　artillery；　rests　on　that　black　Brook　of　Bastau　with　its　nineteen　Bridges。　As　the　ground　on　both　wings　is　rough；　not　so　fit　for　Cavalry；　Contades　puts　his　Cavalry　wholly　in　the　centre：　they　are　the　flower　of　the　French　Army；　about　10；000　horse　in　all；　firm　open　ground　ahead　of　them　there；　with　strong　batteries；　masses　of　infantry　to　support　on　each　flank；　batteries　to　ply　with　cross…　fire　any　assailant　that　may　come　on。　Broglio；　we　said；　is　right　wing；　strong　in　artillery　and　infantry。　Broglio　is　to　root　out　Waugenheim：　after　which；or　even　before　which；　if　Wangenheim　is　kept　busy　and　we　are　nimble；what　becomes　of　Ferdinand's　left　flank；　with　a　gap　of　three　miles　between　Wangenheim　and　him；　and　10；000　chosen　horse　to　take　advantage　of　it！　Had　the　French　been　of　Prussian　dexterity　and　nimbleness　in　marching；　it　is　very　possible　something　might　have　come　of　this　latter　circumstance：　but　Ferdinand　knows　they　are　not；　and　intends　to　take　good　care　of　his　flank。

〃Contades　and　his　people　were　of　willing　mind；　but　had　no　skill　in　'marchiug　up：'　and；　once　got　across　the　Bastau　by　their　nineteen　Bridges；　they　wasted　many　hours：'Too　far；　am　I？　not　far　enough？　Too　close？　not　close　enough？'and　broiled　about；　in　much　hurry　and　confusion；　all　night。　Fight　was　to　have　begun　at　5　in　the　morning。　Broglio　was　in　his　place；　silently　looking　into　Wangenheim；　by　five　o'clock；　but　unfortunately　did　nothing　upon　Wangenheim　（'Not　ready　you；　I　see！'）；　except　cannonade　a　little；and　indeed　all　through　did　nothing　（'Still　not　ready　you　others！'）；　which　surely　was　questionable　conduct；　though　not　reckoned　so　at　Versailles；　when　the　case　came　to　be　argued　there。　As　to　the　Contades　people；　across　those　nineteen　Bridges；　they　had　a　baffling　confused　night；　and　were　by　no　means　correctly　on　their　ground　at　sunrise；　nor　at　7　o'clock；　nor　at　8；　and　were　still　mending　themselves　when　the　shock　came；　and　time　was　done。

〃The　morning　is　very　misty；　but　Ferdinand　has　himself　been　out　examining　since　the　earliest　daybreak：　his　orders　last　night　were；　'Cavalry　be　saddled　at　1　in　the　morning；'having　a　guess　that　there　would　be　work；　as　he　now　finds　there　will。　From　5　A。M。　Ferdinand　is　issuing　from　his　Camp；　flowing　down　eastward；　beautifully　concentric；　closing　on　Contades；　horse　NOT　in　centre；　but　English　Infantry　in　centre　（Six　Battalions；　or　Six　REGIMENTS　by　English　reckoning）；　right　opposite　those　10；000　Horse　of　Contades's；　the　sight　of　whom　seems　to　be　very　animating　to　them。　The　English　CavaIry　stand　on　the　right　wing；　at　the　Village　of　Hartum：　Lord　George　Sackville　had　not　been　very　punctual　in　saddling　at　1　o'clock；　but　he　is　there；　ranked　on　the　ground；　at　8；　in　what　humor　nobody　knows；　sulky　and　flabby；　I　should　rather　guess。　English　Tourists；　idle　otherwise；　may　take　a　look　at　Hartum　on　the　south　side；　as　the　spot　where　a　very　ugly　thing　occurred　that　day。

〃Soon　after　8　the　Fight　begins：　attack；　by　certain　Hessians；　on　Hahlen　and　its　batteries；　attempt　to　drive　the　French　out　of　Hahlen；　as　the　first　thing；which　does　not　succeed　at　once　（indeed　took　three　attacks　in　all）；　and　perhaps　looks　rather