history of friedrich ii of prussia v 19-第8部分
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only shooting out Detachments; planetary; cometary; at a great rate; chiefly on his various Russian errands。
Daun; as we said; had been uncomfortably surprised to find; by degrees; that Invasion was not Friedrich's plan this Year; that the dramatic parts are redistributed; and that the playing of Fabius… Cunctator will not now serve one's turn。 Daun; who may well be loath to believe such a thing; clings to his old part; and seems very lazy to rise and try another。 In fact; he does not rise; properly speaking; or take up his new part at all。 This Year; and all the following; he waits carefully till the Russian Lion come; will then endeavor to assist;or even do jackal; which will be safer still。 The Russians he intends shall act lion; he himself modestly playing the subaltern but much safer part! Diligent to flatter the lion; will provide him guidances; and fractional sustenances; in view of the coming hunt; will eat the lion's leavings; once the prey is slaughtered。 This really was; in some sort; Daun's yearly game; so long as it would last!
July ending; and the curtain fairly risen; we shall have to look at Friedrich with our best eyesight。 Preparatory to which; there is; on Friedrich's part; ever since the middle of June; this Anti… Russian Dohna adventure going on:of which; at first; and till about the time of getting to Schmottseifen; he had great hopes; great; though of late rapidly sinking again:into which we must first throw a glance; as properly the opening scene。
Fouquet has been left at Landshut; should the Daun remnants still in Bohemia think of invading。 Fouquet is about rooting himself rather firmly into that important Post; fortifying various select Hills round Landshut; with redoubts; curtains; communications; so as to keep ward there; inexpugnable to a much stronger force。 There for about a year; with occasional short sallies; on errands that arise; Fouquet sat successfully vigilant; resisting the Devilles; Becks; Harsches; protecting Glatz and the Passes of Silesia: in about a year we shall hear of his fortunes worsening; and of a great catastrophe to him in that Landshut Post。
Friedrich allowed the Reichsfolk 〃two good months;〃 after all that flurrying and havoc done on them; 〃before they could show face in Saxony。〃 They did take about that time; and would have taken more; had not Prince Henri been called away by other pressing occasions in Friedrich's own neighborhood; and Saxony; for a good while (end of June to beginning of September); been left almost bare of Prussian troops。 Which encourages the Reichs Army to hurry afield in very unprepared condition;still rather within the two months。 End of July; Light people of them push across to Halberstadt or Halle Country; and are raising Contributions; and plundering diligently; if nothing else。 Of which we can take no notice farther: if the reader can recollect it; well; if not; also well。 The poor Reichs Army nominally makes a figure this Year; but nominally only; the effective part of it; now and henceforth; being Austrian Auxiliaries; and the Reichs part as flaccid and insignificant as ever。
Prince Henri's call to quit Saxony was this。 Daun; among the numerous Detachments he was making; of which we can take no notice; had shot out Two (rather of COMETARY type; to use our old figure); which every reader must try to keep in mind。 Two Detachments; very considerable: Haddick (who grew at last to 20;000); and Loudon (16;000); who are hovering about mysteriously over the Lausitz; intending what? Their intention; Friedrich thinks; especially Haddick's intention; may be towards Brandenburg; and even Berlin: wherefore he has summoned Henri to look after it。 Henri; resting in cantonments about Tschopau and Dresden; after the late fatigues; and idle for the moment; hastens to obey; and is in Bautzen neighborhood; from about the end of June and onward。 Sufficiently attentive to Haddick and Loudon: who make no attempt on Brandenburg; having indeed; as Friedrich gradually sees; and as all of us shall soon see; a very different object in view!
Chapter II。
GENERAL DOHNA; DICTATOR WEDELL: BATTLE OF ZULLICHAU。
The Russian Lion; urged by Vienna and Versailles; made his entry; this Year; earlier than usual;coming now within wind of Mark… Lissa; as we see;and has stirred Daun into motion; Daun and everybody。 From the beginning of April; the Russians; hibernating in the interior parts of Poland; were awake; and getting slowly under way。 April 24th; the Vanguard of 10;000 quitted Thorn; June 1st; Vanguard is in Posen; followed by a First Division and a Second; each of 30;000。 They called it 〃Soltikof crossing the Weichsel with 100;000 men;〃 but; exclusive of the Cossack swarms; there were not above 76;000 regulars: nor was Soltikof their Captain just at first; our old friend Fermor was; and continued to be till Soltikof; in a private capacity; reached Posen (June 29th); and produced his new commission。 At Fermor's own request; as Fermor pretended;who was skilled in Petersburg politics; and with a cheerful face served thenceforth as Soltikof's second。
At Posen; as on the road thither; they find Sulkowski's and the other burnt provenders abundantly replaced: it is evident they intend; in concert with Daun; to enclose Friedrich between two fires; and do something considerable。 Whether on Brandenburg or Silesia; is not yet known to Friedrich。 Friedrich; since the time they crossed Weichsel; has given them his best attention; and more than once has had schemes on their Magazines and them;once a new and bigger Scheme actually afoot; under Wobersnow again; our Anti… Sulkowski friend; but was obliged to turn the force elsewhither; on alarms that rose。 He himself cannot quit the centre of the work; his task being to watch Daun; and especially; should Daun attempt nothing else; to prevent junction of Soltikof and him。
Daun still lies torpid; or merely hitching about; but now when the Russians are approaching Posen; and the case becomes pressing; Friedrich; as is usual to him; draws upon the Anti…Swedish resource; upon the Force he has in Pommern。 That is to say; orders General Dohna; who has the Swedes well driven in at present; to quit Stralsund Country; to leave the ineffectual Swedes with some very small attendance; and to marchwith certain reinforcements that are arriving (Wobersnow already; Hulsen with 10;000 out of Saxony in few days)direct against the Russians; and at once go in upon them。 Try to burn their Magazines again; or; equally good; to fall vigorously on some of their separate Divisions; and cut them off in the vagrant state;above all; to be vigorous; be rapid; sharp; and do something effectual in that quarter。 These were Dohna's Instructions。 Dohna has 18;000; Hulsen; with his 10;000; is industriously striding forward; from the farther side of Saxony; Wobersnow; with at least his own fine head; is already there。 Friedrich; watching in the Anti…Junction position; ready for the least chance that may turn up。
Dohna marched accordingly; but was nothing like rapid enough: an old man; often in ill health too; and no doubt plenty of impediments about him。 He consumed some time rallying at Stargard; twelve days more at Landsberg; on the Warta; settling his provision matters: in fine; did not get to Posen neighborhood till June 23d; three weeks after the Russian Vanguard of 10;000 had fixed itself there; and other Russian parties were daily dropping in。 Dohna was 15;000; a Wobersnow with him: had he gone at once on Posen; as Wobersnow urged; it is thought he might perhaps have ruined this Vanguard and the Russian Magazine; which would have been of signal service for the remaining Campaign。 But he preferred waiting for Hulsen and the 10;000; who did not arrive for seven or eight days more; by which time Soltikof and most of the Russian Divisions had got in;and the work was become as good as hopeless; on those languid terms。 Dohna did try upon the Magazine; said to be ill guarded in some Suburb of Posen; crossed the Warta with that view; found no Magazine; recrossed the Warta; and went manoeuvring about; unable to do the least good on Soltikof or his Magazines or operations。 Friedrich was still in Landshut region; just about quitting it;just starting on that little Trautenau Expedition; with his Four Pieces of Horse…Artillery (June 29th); when the first ill news of Dohna came in; which greatly disappointed Friedrich; and were followed by worse; instead of better。
The end was; Soltikof; being now all ready; winded himself out of Posen one day; veiled by Cossacks; and; to Dohna's horror; had got; or was in the act of getting; between Dohna and Brandenburg; which necessitated new difficult manoeuvres from Dohna。 Soltikof too can manoeuvre a little: Soltikof edges steadily forward; making for Crossen…on…Oder; where he expects to find Austrians (Haddick and Loudon; if Friedrich could yet guess it); with 30;000 odd; especially with provision; which is wearing scarce with him。 Twice or so there was still a pretty opportunity for Dohna on him; but Dohna never could resolve about it in time。 Back and ever back goes Dohna; facing Soltikof; but always hitching back; latterly in Brandenburg ground; the Russians and he;having no provision; he either。 In fine; July 17th (one week after Friedrich had got to Schmottseifen); Dohna finds himself at the little Town of Zullichau (barely in time to snatch it before Soltikof could); within thirty miles of Crossen; and nothing but futility behind and before。 'Tempelhof; iii; 78…88; Helden…Geschichte; v。 835…847。'
We can imagine Friedrich's daily survey of all this; his gloomy calculations what it will soon amount to if it last。 He has now no Winterfeld; Schwerin; no Keith; Retzow; Moritz:whom has he? His noblest Captains are all gone; he must put up with the less noble。 One Wedell; Lieutenant…General; had lately recommended himself to the royal mind by actions of a prompt daring。 The royal mind; disgusted with these Dohna hagglings; and in absolute necessity of finding somebody that had resolution; and at least ordinary Prussian skill; hoped Wedell was the man。 And determined; the crisis being so urgent; to send Wedell in the character of ALTER…EGO; or 〃with the powers of a Roman Dictator;〃 as the Order expres