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

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！


r　guns；　covering　the　retreat。　But　the　retreat　is　more　and　more　a　flight；　〃no　Prussian　Army　was　ever　seen　in　such　a　state。〃　At　the　Bridges　of　that　Hen…Floss；　there　was　such　a　crowding；　all　our　guns　got　jammed；　and　had　to　be　left；　165　of　them　of　various　calibre；　and　the　whole　of　the　Russian　180　that　were　once　in　our　hands。　Had　the　chase　been　vigorous；　this　Prussian　Army　had　been　heard　of　no　more。　But　beyond　the　Muhlberg；　there　was　little　or　no　pursuit；　through　the　wood　the　Army；　all　in　chaos；　but　without　molestation　otherwise；　made　for　its　Oder　Bridges　by　the　way　it　had　come。　＇Tempelhof；　iii。　179…200；　Retzow；　ii。　80…115：　in　Seyfarth；　　Beylagen；　　ii。　589…598；　　Bericht　von　der　am　12　August；　1759　bey　Kunersdorf　vorgefallenen　Schlacht　　（Official）；　and　IB。　598…603；　　Beschreibung　der　&c。　　（by　a　Private　Hand）：　lucidly　accurate　both。＇

Friedrich　was　among　the　last　to　quit　the　ground。　He　seemed　stupefied　by　the　excess　of　his　emotions；　in　no　haste　to　go；　uncertain　whether　he　would　go　at　all。　His　adjutants　were　about　him；　and　a　small　party　of　Ziethen　Hussars　under　Captain　Prittwitz。　Wild　swarms　of　Cossacks　approached　the　place。　〃PRITTWITZ；　ICH　BIN　VERLOREN　（Prittwitz；　I　am　lost）！〃　remarked　he。　〃NEIN；　IHRO　MAJESTAT！〃　answered　Prittwitz　with　enthusiasm；　charged　fiercely；　he　and　his　few；　into　the　swarms　of　Cossacks；　cut　them　about；　held　them　at　bay；　or　sent　them　else…whither；　while　the　Adjutants　seized　Friedrich's　bridle；　and　galloped　off　with　him。　At　OEtscher　and　the　Bridges；　Friedrich　found　of　his　late　Army　not　quite　3；000　men。　Even　Wunsch　is　not　there　till　next　morning。　Wunsch　with　his　Party　had；　early　in　the　afternoon；　laid　hold　of　Frankfurt；　as　ordered；　made　the　garrison　prisoners；　blocked　the　Oder　Bridge；　poor　Frankfurt　tremulously　thanking　Heaven　for　him；　and　for　such　an　omen。　In　spite　of　their　Wagenburg　and　these　Pontoon…Bridges；　it　appears；　there　would　have　been　no　retreat　for　the　Russians　except　into　Wunsch's　cannon：　Wagenburg　way；　latish　in　the　afternoon；　there　was　such　a　scramble　of　runaways　and　retreating　baggage；　all　was　jammed　into　impassability；　scarcely　could　a　single　man　get　through。　In　case　of　defeat；　the　Russian　Army　would　have　had　no　chance　but　surrender　or　extermination。　＇Tempelhof；　iii。　194：　in　Retzow　（ii。　110）　is　some　dubious　traditionary　stuff　on　the　matter。＇　At　dark；　however；　Wunsch　had　summons；　so　truculent　in　style；　he　knew　what　it　meant；　and　answering　in　words　peremptorily；　〃No〃　with　a　like　emphasis；　privately　got　ready　again；　and　at　midnight　disappeared。　Got　to　Reitwein　without　accident。

Friedrich　found　at　OEtscher　nothing　but　huts　full　of　poor　wounded　men；　and　their　miseries　and　surgeries；he　took　shelter；　himself；　in　a　hut　〃which　had　been　plundered　by　Cossacks〃　（in　the　past　days）；　but　which　had　fewer　wounded　than　others；　and　could　be　furnished　with　some　bundles　of　dry　straw。　Kriele　has　a　pretty　Anecdote；　with　names　and　particulars；　of　two　poor　Lieutenants；　who　were　lying　on　the　floor；　as　he　entered　this　hut。　They　had　lain　there　for　many　hours；　the　Surgeons　thinking　them　desperate；　which　Friedrich　did　not。　〃ACH　KINDER；　Alas；　children；　you　are　badly　wounded；　then？〃　〃JA；　your　Majesty：　but　how　goes　the　Battle？〃　（Answer；　evasive　on　this　point）：　〃Are　you　bandaged；　though？　Have　you　been　let　blood？〃　〃NEIN；　EUER　MAJESTAT；　KEIN　TEUFEL　WILL　UNS　VERBINDEN　（Not　a　devil　of　them　would　bandage　us）！〃　Upon　which　there　is　a　Surgeon　instantly　brought；　reprimanded　for　neglect：　〃Desperate；　say　you？　These　are　young　fellows；　feel　that　hand；　and　that；　no　fever　there：　Nature　in　such　cases　does　wonders！〃　Upon　which　the　leech　had　to　perform　his　function；　and　the　poor　young　fellows　were　saved；and　did　new　fighting；　and　got　new　wounds；　and　had　Pensions　when　the　War　ended。　＇Kriele；　pp。　169；　170；　and　in　all　the　Anecdote…Books。＇　This　appears　to　have　been　Friedrich's　first　work　in　that　hut　at　OEtscher。　Here　next　is　a　Third　Autograph　to　Finkenstein；　written　in　that　hut；　probably　the　first　of　several　Official　things　there：


THE　KING　TO　GRAF　VAN　FINKENSTEIN　（at　Berlin）：　Third　Note。

OETSCHER；　〃12th　August；〃　1759。

〃I　attacked　the　Enemy　this　morning　about　eleven；　we　beat　him　back　to　the　JUDENKIRCHHOF　（Jew　Churchyard；〃a　mistake；　but　now　of　no　moment）；　〃near　Frankfurt。　All　my　troops　came　into　action；　and　have　done　wonders。　I　reassembled　them　three　times；　at　length；　I　was　myself　nearly　taken　prisoner；　and　we　had　to　quit　the　Field。　My　coat　is　riddled　with　bullets；　two　horses　were　killed　under　me；my　misfortune　is；　that　I　am　still　alive。　Our　loss　is　very　considerable。　Of　an　Army　of　48；000　men；　I　have；　at　this　moment　while　I　write；　not　more　than　3；000　together；　and　am　no　longer　master　of　my　forces。　In　Berlin　you　will　do　well　to　think　of　your　safety。　It　is　a　great　calamity；　and　I　will　not　survive　it：　the　consequences　of　this　Battle　will　be　worse　than　the　Battle　itself。　I　have　no　resources　more；　and；　to　confess　the　truth；　I　hold　all　for　lost。　I　will　not　survive　the　destruction　of　my　Country。　Farewell　forever　（ADIEU　POUR　JAMAIS）。F。〃　＇In　orig。　〃CE　12；〃　no　other　date　（　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxv。　306）。＇

Another　thing；　of　the　same　tragic　character；　is　that　of　handing　over　this　Army　to　Finck's　charge。　Order　there　is　to　Finck　of　that　tenor：　and　along　with　it　the　following　notable　Autograph；a　Friedrich　taking　leave　both　of　Kingship　and　of　life。　The　Autograph　exists；　but　has　no　date；date　of　the　Order　would　probably　be　still　OETSCHER；　12th　AUGUST；　date　of　the　Autograph；　REITWEIN　（across　the　River）；　next　day。

　　　　FRIEDRICH　TO　LIEUT。…GENERAL　FINCK　（at　OEtscher　or　Reitwein）。

〃General　Finck　gets　a　difficult　commission；　the　unlucky　Army　which　I　give　up　to　him　is　no　longer　in　condition　to　make　head　against　the　Russians。　Haddick　will　now　start　for　Berlin；　perhaps　Loudon　too；　if　General　Finck　go　after　these；　the　Russians　will　fall　on　his　rear；　if　he　continue　on　the　Oder；　he　gets　Haddick　on　his　flank　（SO　KRIGT　ER　DEN　HADEK　DISS　SEIT）：however；　I　believe；　should　Loudon　go　for　Berlin；　he　might　attack　Loudon；　and　try　to　beat　him：　this；　if　it　succeeded；　would　be　a　stand　against　misfortune；　and　hold　matters　up。　Time　gained　is　much；　in　these　desperate　circumstances。　The　news　from　Torgau　and　Dresden；　Coper　my　Secretary　（COPER　MEIN　SEGRETER；〃　kind　of　lieutenant　to　Eichel　＇See　Preuss；　i。　349；　iii。　442。＇）　〃will　send　him。　You　（ER）　must　inform　my　Brother　＇Prince　Henri＇　of　everything；　whom　I　have　declared　Generalissimo　of　the　Army。　To　repair　this　bad　luck　altogether　is　not　possible：　but　what　my　Brother　shall　command；　must　be　done：the　Army　swears　to　my　Nephew　＇King　henceforth＇。

〃This　is　all　the　advice；　in　these　unhappy　circumstances；　I　am　in　a　condition　to　give。　Had　I　still　had　resources；　I　would　have　stayed　by　them　（SO　WEHRE　ICH　DARBEI　GEBLIEBEN）。

〃FRIEDRICH〃　＇Exact　Copy；　two　exact　copies；　in　PREUSS　（i。　450；　and　again；　ii。　215）。＇

All　this　done；　the　wearied　Friedrich　flung　himself　into　his　truss　of　dry　straw；　and　was　seen　sound　asleep　there；　a　single　sentry　at　the　door；　by　some　high　Generals　that　ventured　to　look　in。　On　the　morrow　he　crossed　to　Reitwein；　by　to…morrow　night；　there　had　23；000　of　his　fugitives　come　in　to　him；but　this　is　now　to　be　Finck's　affair；　not　his！　That　day；　too　（for　the　Paper　seems　to　be　misdated）；　he　signed；　and　despatched　to　Schmettau；　Commandant　in　Dresden；　a　Missive；　which　proved　more　fatal　than　either　of　the　others；　and　brought；　or　helped　to　bring；　very　bitter　fruits　for　him；　before　long：

TO　LIEUTENANT…GENERAL　VON　SCHMETTAU　（at　Dresden）。

〃REITWEIN；　14th　＇probably　13th＇　August；　1759。

〃You　will　perhaps　have　heard　of　the　Check　＇L'ECHEC；　Kunersdorf　to　wit！＇　I　have　met　with　from　the　Russian　Army　on　the　13th　＇12th；　if　you　have　the　Almanac　at　hand＇　of　this　month。　Though　at　bottom　our　affairs　in　regard　to　the　Enemy　here　are　not　desperate；　I　find　I　shall　not　now　be　able　to　make　any　detachment　for　your　assistance。　Should　the　Austrians　attempt　anything　against　Dresden；　therefore；　you　will　see　if　there　are　means　of　maintaining　yourself；　failing　which；　it　will　behoove　you　to　try　and　obtain　a　favorable　Capitulation；to　wit；　Liberty　to　withdraw；　with　the　whole　Garrison；　Moneys；　Magazines；　Hospital　and　all　that　we　have　at　Dresden；　either　to　Berlin　or　else…whither；　so　as　to　join　some　Corps　of　my　Troops。

〃As　a　fit　of　illness　＇MALADIE；　alas！＇　has　come　on　me；which　I　do　not　think　will　have　dangerous　results；I　have　for　the　present　left　the　command　of　my　Troops　to　Lieutenant…General　von　Finck；　whose　Orders　you　are　to　execute　as　if　coming　to　you　directly　from　myself。　On　this　I　pray　God　to　have　you　in　his　holy　and　worthy　keeping。F。〃　＇Preuss；　ii。　　Urkundenbuch；　　p。　43。＇

At　Berlin；　on　this　13th；with　the　Five　Couriers　coming　in　successively　（and　not　in　the　order　of　their　despatch；　but　the　fatal　Fifth　arriving　some　time　AHEAD　of　the　Fourth；　who　still　spoke　of　progress　and　victory）；there　was　such　a　day　as　Sulzer　（ACH　MEIN　LIEBER　SULZER！）　had　never　seen　in　the　world。　〃'Above　50；000　human　beings　on　the　Palace　Esplanade　and　streets　about；'　swaying　hither　and　thither；　in　agony　of　expectation；　in　alternate　paroxysm　of　joy　and　of　terror　and　woe；　often　enough　the　opposite　paroxysms　simultaneous　in　the　different　groups；　and　men　crushed　down　in　despair　met　by　men　leaping　into　the　air　for　very　gladness：〃　Sulzer　（whose　sympathy　is　of　very　aesthetic　type）　〃would　not；　for　any　consideration；　have　missed　such　a　scene。〃　＇　Briefe　der　Schweitzer　Bodmer；　Sulzer；　Gessner；　aus　Gleim's　literarischen　Nachlasse：　herausgegeben　von　Wilhelm　Korte　　（Zurich；　1804）；　pp。　316…319。＇　The　〃scene〃　is　much　obliged　to　you；　MEIN　LIEBER！

Practically　we　find；　in　Rodenbeck；　or　straggling　elsewhere；　this　Note：　〃On　the　day　after　Kunersdorf；　Queen　and　Court　fly　to　Magdeburg：　this　is　their　second　flight。　Their　first　was　on　Haddick's　Visit；　October；　1757；　but　after　Rossbach　they　soon　returned；　and　Berlin　and　the　Court　were　then　extremely　gay：　different　gentlemen；　French　and　others　of　every　Nation；　fallen　prisoners；　made　the　Queen's　soirees　the　finest　in　the　world　for　splendor　and　variety；　at　that　time。〃　＇Rodenbeck；　i。　390；　&c。　&c。＇

One　other　Note　we　save；　for　the　sake　of　poor　Major　Kleist；　〃Poet　of　the　Spring；〃　as　he　was　then　called。　A　valiant；　punctual　Soldier；　and　with　a　turn　for　Literatu