history of friedrich ii of prussia v 19-第24部分

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A　dangerous　moment　for　the　Durchlaucht　of　Stolberg；　Battalion　Salmuth　actually　taking　possession　of　the　wall　again；　Hofmann　here　with　its　poised　firelock　on　the　cock；　〃ready〃　for　that　fourth　word；　as　above　indicated。　A　General　Lusinsky　of　Stolberg's　train；　master　of　those　Croats；　and　an　Austrian　of　figure；　remarks　very　seriously：　〃Every　point　of　the　Capitulation　must　be　kept！〃　Upon　which　Durchlaucht　has　to　renounce　and　repent；　eagerly　assists　in　recovering　Grollmann；　restores　it　（little　the　worse；　little　the　FEWER）；　will　give　Wolfersdorf　〃COMMAND　of　the　Austrian　Escort　you　are　to　have〃；　and　every　satisfaction　and　assurance；wishful　only　to　get　rid　of　Wolfersdorf。　Who　thereupon　marches　to　Wittenberg；　with　colors　flying　again；　and　a　name　mentionable　ever　since。　＇Templehof；　iii。　201…204；　Seyfarth；　ii。　562　n。；　and　　Beylagen；　　ii。　587；　　Militair…Lexikon；　　iv。　283。＇　

This　Wolfersdorf　was　himself　a　Pirna　Saxon；　serving　Polish　Majesty；　as　Major；　in　that　Pirna　time；　perhaps　no　admirer　of　〃Feldmarschall　Bruhl〃　and　Company？at　any　rate；　he　took　Prussian　service；　as　then　offered　him；　and　this　is　his　style　of　keeping　it。　A　decidedly　clever　soldier；　and　comes　out；　henceforth；　more　and　more　as　such；　unhappily　not　for　long。　Was　taken　at　Maxen；　he　too；　as　will　be　seen。　Rose；　in　after　times；　to　be　Lieutenant…General；　and　a　man　famous　in　the　Prussian　military　circles；　but　given　always；　they　say；　to　take　the　straight　line　（or　shortest　distance　between　self　and　object）；　in　regard　to　military　matters；　to　recruiting　and　the　like；　and　thus　getting　himself　into　trouble　with　the　Civil　Officials。

Wolfersdorf；　at　Wittenberg　or　farther　on；　had　a　flattering　word　from　the　King；　applauding　his　effective　procedures　at　Torgau；　and　ordering　him；　should　Wittenberg　fall　（as　it　did；　August　23d）；　to　join　Wunsch；　who　is　coming　with　a　small　Party　to　try　and　help　in　those　destitute　localities。　Wunsch　the　King　had　detached　（21st　August）；　as　we　heard　already。　Finck　the　King　finds；　farther；　that　he　can　detach　（from　Waldau　Country；　September　7th）；　＇Tempelhof；　iii。　211；　237。＇　Russians　being　so　languid；　and　Saxony　fallen　into　such　a　perilous　predicament。

〃Few　days　after　Kunersdorf；〃　says　a　Note；　which　should　be　inserted　here；　〃there　had　fallen　out　a　small　Naval　matter；　which　will　be　consolatory　to　Friedrich；　and　go　to　the　other　side　of　the　account；　when　he　hears　of　it：　Kunersdorf　was　Sunday；　August　12th；　this　was　Saturday　and　Sunday　following。　Besides　their　Grand　Brest　Fleet；　with　new　Flat…bottoms；　and　world…famous　land…preparations　going　on　at　Vannes；　for　Invasion　of　proud　Albion；　all　which　are　at　present　under　Hawke's　strict　keeping；　the　French　have；　ever　since　Spring　last；　a　fine　subsidiary　Fleet　at　Toulon；　of　very　exultant　hopes　at　one　time；　which　now　come　to　finis。

〃SEA…FIGHT　（PROPERLY　SEA…HUNT　OF　200　MILES）；　IN　THE　CADIZ　WATERS；　AUGUST　18th…19th。　The　fine　Toulon　Fleet；　which　expected　at　one　time；　Pitt's　ships　being　so　scattered　over　the　world；　to　be　'mistress　of　the　Mediterranean；'　has　found　itself；　on　the　contrary　（such　were　Pitt's　resources　and　promptitudes）；　cooped　in　harbor　all　Summer；　Boscawen　watching　it　in　the　usual　strict　way。　No　egress　possible；　till；　in　the　sultry　weather　（8th　July…4th　August）；　Boscawen's　need　of　fresh　provisions；　fresh　water　and　of　making　some　repairs；　took　him　to　Gibraltar；　and　gave　the　Toulon　Fleet　a　transient　opportunity；　which　it　made　use　of。

〃August　17th；　at　8　in　the　evening；　Boscawen；　at　Gibraltar　（some　of　his　ships　still　in　deshabille　or　under　repair）；　was　hastily　apprised　by　one　of　his　Frigates；　That　the　Toulon　Fleet　had　sailed；　been　seen　visibly　at　Ceuta　Point　so　many　hours　ago。　'Meaning；'　as　Boscawen　guesses；　'to　be　through　the　Straits　this　very　night！'　By　power　of　despatch；　the　deshabille　ships　were　rapidly　got　buttoned　together　（in　about　two　hours）；　and　by　10　P。M。　all　were　under　sail。　And　soon　were　in　hot　chase；　the　game；　being　now　in　view；going　at　its　utmost　through　the　Straits；　as　anticipated。　At　7　next　morning　（Saturday；　August　18th）　Boscawen　got　clutch　of　the　Toulon　Fleet；　still　well　east　of　Cadiz；　somewhere　in　the　Trafalgar　waters；　I　should　guess。　Here　Boscawen　fought　and　chased　the　Toulon　Fleet　for　24　hours　coming；　drove　it　finally　ashore；　at　Lagos　on　the　coast　of　Portugal；　with　five　of　its　big　ships　burnt　or　taken；　its　crews　and　other　ships　flying　by　land　and　water；　its　poor　Admiral　mortally　wounded；　and　the　Toulon　Fleet　a　ruined　article。　The　wind　had　been　capricious；　here　fresh；　there　calm；　now　favoring　the　hunters；　now　the　hunted；　both　Fleets　had　dropped　in　two。　De　la　Clue；　the　French　Admiral；　complained　bitterly　how　his　Captains　lagged；　or　shore　off　and　forsook　him。　Boscawen　himself；　who　for　his　own　share　had　gone　at　it　eagle…like；　was　heard　grumbling；　about　want　of　speed　in　some　people；　and　said：　'It　is　well；　but　it　might　have　been　better！'　＇Beatson；　ii。　313…319；　ib。　iii。　237…238；　De　la　Clue；　the　French　Admiral's　Despatch；Boscawen's　Despatch；　&c。；　in　　Gentleman's　Magazine；　　xxix。　434。＇

〃De　la　Cluefallen　long　ago　from　all　notions　of　'dominating　the　Mediterranean'had　modestly　intended　to　get　through；　on　any　terms；　into　the　Ocean；　might　then；　if　possible；　have　joined　the　Grand　'Invasion　Squadron；'　now　lying　at　Brest；　till　Vannes　and　the　furnishings　are　ready；　or　have　tried　to　be　troublesome　in　the　rear　of　Hawke；　who　is　blockading　all　that。　A　modest　outlook　in　comparison；and　this　is　what　it　also　has　come　to。　As　for　the　Grand　Invasion　Squadron；　Admiral　Conflans；　commanding　it；　still　holds　np　his　head　in　Brest　Harbor；　and　talks　big。　Makes　little　of　Rodney's　havoc　on　the　Flat…bottoms　at　Havre；　'Will　soon　have　Flat…bottoms　again：　and　you　shall　see！'if　only　Hawke；　and　wind　and　weather　and　Fortune；　will　permit。〃


AUSTRIAN　REICHS　ARMY　DOES　ITS　CROWNING　FEAT　（August　26th…September　4th）：　DIARY　OF　WHAT　IS　CALLED　THE　〃SIEGE〃　OF　DRESDEN。

Since　the　first　weeks　of；　August　there　have　been　Austrian　detachments；　Wehla's　Corps；　Brentano's　Corps；　entering　Saxony　from　the　northeast　or　Daun…ward　side；　and　posting　themselves　in　the　strong　points　looking　towards　Dresden；　waiting　there　till　the　Reichs　Army　should　capture　its　Leipzigs；　Torgaus；　Wittenbergs；　and　roll　forward　from　northwest。　To　all　which　it　is　easy　to　fancy　what　an　impetus　was　given　by　Kunersdorf　and　August　12th；　the　business；　after　that；　going　on　double…quick；　and　pointing　to　immediate　practical　industry　on　Dresden。　The　Reichs　Army　hastens　to　settle　its　northwestern　Towns；　puts　due　garrison　in　each；　leaves　a　10　or　12；000　movable　for　general　protection；　in　those　parts；　and；　August　23d；　marches　for　Dresden。　There　are　only　some　15；000　left　of　it　now；　almost　half　the　Reichs　Army　drunk　up　in　that　manner；　were　not　Daun　now　speeding　forth　his　Maguire　with　a　fresh　12；000；　who　is　to　command　the　Wehlas　and　Brentanos　as　well。　And；　in　effect；　to　be　Austrian　Chief；　and　as　regards　practical　matters；　Manager　of　this　important　Enterprise；all…important　to　Daun　just　now。　Schmettau　in　Dresden　sees　clearly　what　mischief　is　at　hand。

To　Daun　this　Siege　of　Dresden　is　the　alpha　to　whatever　omegas　there　may　be：　he　and　his　Soltikof　are　to　sit　waiting　this；　and　can　attempt　nothing　but　eating　of　provender；　till　this　be　achieved。　As　the　Siege　was　really　important；　though　not　quite　the　alpha　to　all　omegas；　and　has　in　it　curious　points　aud　physiognomic　traits；　we　will　invite　readers　to　some　transient　inspection　of　it；the　rather　as　there　exist　ample　contemporary　Narratives；　DIARIUMS　and　authentic　records；　to　render　that　possible　and　easy。　＇In　TEMPELHOF　（iii。　210…216…222）　complete　and　careful　Narrative；　in　ANONYMOUS　OF　HAMBURG　（iii。　371…377）　express　〃DAY…BOOK〃　by　some　Eye…witness　in　Dresden。＇'

〃Ever　since　the　rumor　of　Kunersdorf；〃　says　one　Diarium；　compiled　out　of　many；　〃in　the　last　two　weeks　of　August；　Schmettau's　need　of　vigilance　and　diligence　has　been　on　the　increase；　his　outlooks　becoming　grimmer　and　grimmer。　He　has　a　poorish　Garrison　for　number　（3；700　in　all　＇Schmettau's　LEBEN　（by　his　Son）；　p。　408。＇）；　and　not　of　the　best　quality；　deserters　a　good　few　of　them：　willing　enough　for　strokes；　fighting　fellows　all；　and　of　adventurous　turn；　but　uncertain　as　to　loyalty　in　a　case　of　pinch。　He　has　endless　stores　in　the　place；　for　one　item；　almost　a　million　sterling　of　ready　money。　Poor　Schmettau；　if　he　knew　it；　has　suddenly　become　the　Leonidas　of　this　campaign；　Dresden　its　Thermopylae；　and〃But　readers　can　conceive　the　situation。

〃AUGUST　20th；　Schmettau　quits　the　Neustadt；　or　northern　part　of　Dresden；　which　lies　beyond　the　River：　unimportant　that；　and　indefensible　with　garrison　not　adequate；　Schmettau　will　strengthen　the　River…bank；　blow　up　the　Stone　Bridge　if　necessary；　and　restrict　himself　to　Dresden　Proper。　The　Court　is　here；　Schmettau　does　not　hope　that　the　Court　can　avert　a　Siege　from　him；　but　he　fails　not　to　try；　in　that　way　too；　and　may　at　least　gain　time。

〃AUGUST　25th；　He　has　a　Mine　put　under　the　main　arch　of　the　Bridge：　'mine　ill…made；　uncertain　of　effect；'　reports　the　Officer　whom　he　sent　to　inspect　it。　But　it　was　never　tried；　the　mere　rumor　of　it　kept　off　attacks　on　that　side。　Same　day；　August　25th；　Schmettau　receives　that　unfortunate　Royal　Missive　＇Tempelhof；　iii。　208；　Schmettau's　LEBEN　（p。　421）　has　〃August　27th。〃＇　written　in　the　dark　days　of　Reitwein；　morrow　of　Kunersdorf　（14th　or　13th　August）；〃　which　we　read　above。　〃That　there　is　another　Letter　on　the　road　for　him；　indicating　'Relief　shall　be　tried；'　is　unknown　to　Schmettau；　and　fatally　continues　unknown。　While　Schmettau　is　reading　this　（August　25th）；　General　Wunsch　has　been　on　the　road　four　days：　Wunsch　and　Wolfersdorf　with　about　8；000；　at　their　quickest　pace；　and　in　a　fine　winged　frame　of　mind　withal；　are　speeding　on：　will　cross　Elbe　at　Meissen　to…morrow　night；did　Schmettau　only　know。　People　say　he　did；　in　the　way　of　rumor；　understand　that　Kunersdorf　had　not　been　the　fatal　thing　it　was　thought；　and　that　efforts　would　be　made　by　a　King　like　his。　In　his　place　one　might　have；　at　least；　shot　out　a　spy　or　two？　But　he　did　not；　then　or　afterwards。

〃Already；　ever　since　the　arrival　of　Wehla　and　Brentano　in　those　parts；　he　has　been　laboring　under　many　uncertainties；　too　many　for　a　Leonidas！　Hanging　between　Yes　and　No；　even　about　that　of　quitting　the　Neustadt；　for　example：　carrying