history of friedrich ii of prussia v 19-第32部分
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cally speaking; the March of Fifty Hours ends in a comfortable twofold meal (military…cannibal; as well as of common culinary meat); and in well…deserved rest。〃 'Tempelhof; iii。 255; 256; Seyfarth; Beylagen; &c。'
The turning…point of the Campaign is reckoned to be this March of Henri's; one of the most extraordinary on record。 Prince Henri had a very fast March INTO these Silesian…Lausitz Countries; early in July; 'Seyfarth; ii。 545。' and another very fast; from Bautzen; to intersect with Schmottseifen; in the end of July: but these were as nothing compared with the present。 Tempelhof; the excellent solid man;but who puts all things; big and little; on the same level of detail; and has unparalleled methods of arranging (what he reckons to be 〃arranging〃); and no vestige of index;is distressingly obscure on this grand Incident; but at length; on compulsion; does yield clear account。 'Tempelhof; iii。 253…258。' In Archenholtz it is not DATED at all; who merely says as follows: 〃Most extraordinary march ever made; went through 50 miles of Country wholly in the Enemy's possession; lasted 56 hours; in which long period there was no camp pitched; and only twice a rest of three hours allowed the troops。 During the other fifty hours the march; day and night; continually proceeded。 Ended (NO date) in surprise of General Wehla at Hoyerswerda; cutting up 600 of his soldiers; and taking 1;800 prisoners。 Kalkreuth; since so famous;〃 in the Anti…Napoleon Wars; 〃was the Prince's Adjutant。〃 'Archenholtz; i。 426。'
This is probably Prince Henri's cleverest feat;though he did a great many of clever; and his Brother used to say; glancing towards him; 〃There is but one of us that never committed a mistake。〃 A highly ingenious dexterous little man in affairs of War; sharp as needles; vehement but cautious; though of abstruse temper; thin… skinned; capricious; and giving his Brother a great deal of trouble with his jealousies and shrewish whims。 By this last consummate little operation he has astonished Daun as much as anybody ever did; shorn his elaborate tissue of cunctations into ruin and collapse at one stroke; and in effect; as turns out; wrecked his campaign for this Year。
Daun finds there is now no hope of Saxony; unless he himself at once proceed thither。 At once thither;and leave Glogau and the Russians to their luck;which in such case; what is it like to be? Probably; to Daun's own view; ominous enough; but he has no alternative。 To this pass has the March of Fifty Hours brought us。 There is such a thing as being too cunctatory; is not there; your Excellency? Every mortal; and more especially every Feldmarschall; ought to strike the iron while it is hot。 The remainder of this Campaign; we will hope; can be made intelligible in a more summary manner。
FRIEDRICH MANAGES (September 24th…October 24th) TO GET THE RUSSIANS SENT HOME; AND HIMSELF FALLS LAMED WITH GOUT。
Friedrich's manoeuvres against Soltikof;every reader is prepared to hear that Soltikof was rendered futile by them: and none but military readers could take delight in the details。 Two beautiful short…cuts he made upon Soltikof; pulled him up both times in mid career; as with hard check…bit。 The first time was at Zobelwitz: September 24th; Friedrich cut across from Sagan; which is string to bow of the Russian march; posted himself on the Heights of Zobelwitz; of Baunau; Milkau (at Baunau Friedrich will write a LETTER this night; if readers bethink themselves; Milkau is a place he may remember for rain…deluges; in the First Silesian War 'Supra; p。 323; ib。 vol。 vii。 p。 311。'): 〃Let the Russians; if they now dare; try the Pass of Neustadtel here!〃 A fortunate hour; when he got upon this ground。 Quartermaster…General Stoffel; our old Custrin acquaintance; is found marking out a Camp with a view to that Pass of Neustadtel; 'Tempelhof; iii。 293; Retzow; ii。 163。' is; greatly astonished to find the Prussian Army emerge on him there; and at once vanishes; with his Hussar…Cossack retinues。 〃September 24th;〃 it is while Prince Henri was on the last moiety of his March of Fifty Hours。 This severe twitch flung Soltikof quite out from Glogau;was like to fling him home altogether; had it not been for Montalembert's eloquence;did fling him across the Oder。 Where; again thanks to Montalembert; he was circling on with an eye to Breslau; when Friedrich; by the diameter; suddenly laid bridges; crossed at Koben; and again brought Soltikof to halt; as by turnpike suddenly shut: 〃Must pay first; must beat us first!〃
These things had raised Friedrich's spirits not a little。 Getting on the Heights of Zobelwitz; he was heard to exclaim; 〃This is a lucky day; worth more to me than a battle with victory。〃 'Retzow; ii。 163。' Astonishing how he blazed out again; quite into his old pride and effulgence; after this; says Retzow。 Had been so meek; so humbled; and even condescended to ask advice or opinion from some about him。 Especially 〃from two Captains;〃 says the Opposition Retzow; whose heads were nearly turned by this sunburst from on high。 Captain Marquart and another;I believe; he did employ them about Routes and marking of Camps; which Retzow calls consulting: a King fallen tragically scarce of persons to consult; all his Winterfelds; Schwerins; Keiths and Council of Peers now vanished; and nothing but some intelligent…looking Captain Marquart; or the like; to consult:of which Retzow; in his splenetic Opposition humor; does not see the tragedy; but rather the comedy: how the poor Captains found their favor to be temporary; conditional; and had to collapse again。 One of them wrote an 〃ESSAY on the COUP…D'OEIL MILITAIRE;〃 over which Retzow pretends to weep。 This was Friedrich's marginal Note upon the MS。; when submitted to his gracious perusal: 〃You (ER) will do better to acquire the Art of marking Camps than to write upon the Military Stroke of Eye。〃 Beautifully written too; says Retzow; but what; in the eyes of this King; is beautiful writing; to knowing your business well? No friend he to writing; unless you have got something really special; and urgent to be written。
Friedrich crassed the Oder twice。 Took Soltikof on both sides of the Oder; cut him out of this fond expectation; then of that; led him; we perceive; a bad life。 Latterly the scene was on the right bank; Sophienthal; Koben; Herrnstadt and other poor places; on that big eastern elbow; where Oder takes his final bend; or farewell of Poland。 Ground; naturally; of some interest to Friedrich: ground to us unknown; but known to Friedrich as the ground where Karl XII。 gave Schulenburg his beating; '〃Near Guhrau〃 (while chasing August the Strong and him out of Poland); 〃12th October; 1704:〃 vague account of it; dateless; and as good as placeless; in Voltaire ( Charles Douse; liv。 iii。); OEuvres; xxx。 142…145。' which produced the 〃beautiful retreat〃 of Schulenburg。 The old Feldmarschall Schulenburg whom we used to hear of once;whose Nephew; a pipeclayed little gentleman; was well known to Friedrich and us。
For the rest; I do not think he feels this out…manoeuvring of the Russians very hard work。 Already; from Zobelwitz Country; 25th September; day of Henri at Hoyerswerda; Friedrich had written to Fouquet: 〃With 21;000 your beaten and maltreated Servant has hindered an Army of 50;000 from attacking him; and compelled them to retire on Neusatz!〃 Evidently much risen in hope; and Henri's fine news not yet come to hand。 By degrees; Soltikof; rendered futile; got very angry; especially when Daun had to go for Saxony。 〃Meal was becoming impossible; at any rate;〃 whimpers Daun: 〃O Excellency; do but consider; with the nobleness natural to you! Our Court will cheerfully furnish money; instead of meal。〃〃Money? My people cannot eat money!〃 growled Soltikof; getting more and more angry; threatening daily to march for Posen and his own meal… stores。 What a time of it has Montalembert; has the melancholy Loudon; with temper so hot!
At Sophienthal; October 10th; Friedrich falls ill of gout; absolutely lamed; for three weeks cannot stir from his room。 Happily the outer problem is becoming easier and easier; almost bringing its own solution。 At Sophienthal the lame Friedrich takes to writing about CHARLES XII。 AND HIS MILITARY CHARACTER; not a very illuminative Piece; on the first perusal; but I intend to read it again; 'REFLEXIONS SUR LES TALENS MILITAIRES ET SUR LE CARACTERE DE CHARLES XII。 ( OEuvres de Frederic; vii。 69…88)。'which at least helps him to pass the time。 Soltikof; more and more straitened; meal itself running low; gets angrier and angrier。 His treatment of the Country; Montalembert rather encouraging; is described as 〃horrible。〃 One day he takes the whim; whim or little more; of seizing Herrnstadt; a small Town; between the Two Armies; where the Prussians have a Free Battalion。 The Prussian Battalion resists; drives Soltikof's people back。 〃Never mind;〃 think they: 〃a place of no importance to us; and Excellency Soltikof has ridden else…whither。〃 By ill…luck; in the afternoon; Excellency Soltikof happened to mention the place again。 Hearing that the Prussians still have it; Soltikof mounts into a rage; summons the place; with answer still No; thereupon orders instant bombardment of it; fiery storms of grenadoes for it; and has the satisfaction of utterly burning poor Herrnstadt; the Prussian Free…Corps still continuing obstinate。 It was Soltikof's last act in those parts; and betokens a sulphurous state of humor。
Next morning (October 24th); he took the road for Posen; and marched bodily home。 'Tempelhof; iii。 299; 291…300 (general account; abundantly minute)。' Home verily; in spite of Montalembert and all men。 〃And for me; what orders has Excellency?〃 Loudon had anxiously inquired; on the eve of that event。 〃None whatever!〃 answered Excellency: 〃Do your own pleasure; go whithersoever seems good to you。〃 And Loudon had to take a wide sweep round; by Kalish; through the western parts of Poland; and get home to the Troppau… Teschen Country as he best could。
By Kalish; by Czenstochow; Cracow; poor Loudon had to go: a dismal march of 300 miles or more;waited on latterly by Fouquet; with Werner; Goltz and others; on the Silesian Border; whom Friedrich h