history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第44章

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ttalions；　plenty　of　them；　rush　down　to　help　Nadasti；　but　they　are　met　by　the　crowding　fugitives；　the　chasing　Prussians；　are　themselves　thrown　into　disorder；　and　can　do　no　good　whatever。　They　arrive　on　the　ground　flurried；　blown；　have　not　the　least　time　to　take　breath　and　order：　the　fewest　of　them　ever　got　fairly　ranked；　none　of　them　ever　stood　above　one　push：　all　goes　rolling　wildly　back　upon　the　centre　about　Leuthen。　Chaos　come　on　us；and　all　for　mere　lack　of　time：　could　Nadasti　but　once　stretch　out　one　minute　into　twenty！　But　he　cannot。　Nadasti　does　not　himself　lose　head；　skilfully　covers　the　retreat；　trying　to　rally　once　and　again。　Not　for　the　first　few　furlongs；　till　the　ditches；　till　the　firwood；　quagmires　are　all　done；　could　Ziethen；　now　on　the　open　ground；　fairly　hew　in；　〃take　whole　battalions　prisoners；〃　drive　the　crowd　in　an　altogether　stormy　manner；　and　wholly　confound　the　matter　in　this　part。

Prince　Karl；　his　messengers　flying　madly；　has　struggled　as　man　seldom　did　to　put　himself　in　some　posture　about　Leuthen；　to　get　up　some　defences　there。　Leuthen　itself；　the　churchyard　of　it　especially；　is　on　the　defensive。　Men　are　bringing　cannon　to　the　windmills；　to　the　swelling　ground　on　the　north　side　of　Leuthen；　they　dig　ditches；　build　batteries；could　they　but　make　Time　halt；　and　Friedrich　with　him；　for　one　quarter　of　an　hour。　But　they　cannot。　By　the　extreme　of　diligence；　the　Austrians　have　in　some　measure　swung　themselves　into　a　new　position；　or　imperfect　Line　round　Leuthen　as　a　centre；Lucchesi；　voluntarily　or　by　order；　swinging　southwards　on　the　one　hand；　Nadasti　swinging　northwards　by　compulsion；new　Line　at　an　angle　say　of　75　degrees　to　the　old　one。　And　here；　for　an　hour　more；　there　was　stiff　fighting；　the　stiffest　of　the　day；of　which；　take　one　direct　glimpse；　from　the　Austrian　side；　furnished　by　a　Young　Gentleman　famous　afterwards：

Leuthen；　let　us　premise；　is　a　long　Hamlet　of　the　usual　littery　sort；　with　two　rows；　in　some　parts　three；　of　farm…houses；　barns；　cattle…stalls；　with　Church；　or　even　with　two　Churches；　a　Protestant　and　a　Catholic；　goes　from　east　to　west　above　a　mile　in　length。　With　the　wrecks　of　Nadasti　tumbling　into　it　pell…mell　from　the　southeast；　and　Lucchesi　desperately　endeavoring　to　swing　round　from　the　northwest；　not　quite　incoherently；　and　the　Prussian　fire…storm　for　accompaniment；　Leuthen　is　probably　the　most　chaotic　place　in　the　Planet　Earth　during　that　hour　or　so　（from　half…past　two　to　half…past　three）　while　the　agony　lasted。　At　one　o'clock　Nadasti　was　attacked；　at　two　he　is　tumbling　in　mid…career　towards　Leuthen：　I　guess　the　date　of　this　Excerpt；　or　testimony　by　a　Notable　Eye…　witness；　may　be　half…past　two；　crisis　of　the　agony　just　about　to　begin：　and　before　four　it　was　all　finished　again。　Eye…witness　is　the　young　Prince　de　Ligne；　now　Captain　in　an　Austrian　Regiment　of　Foot；　and　standing　here　in　this　perilous　posture；　having　been　called　in　as　part　of　the　Reserve。　He　says：

〃Cry　had　risen　for　the　Reserve；〃　in　which　was　my　regiment；　〃and　that　it　must　come　on　as　fast　as　possible；〃to　Leuthen；　west　of　us　yonder。　〃We　ran　what　we　could　run。　Our　Lieutenant…Colonel　fell　killed　almost　at　the　first；　beyond　this　we　lost　our　Major；　and　indeed　all　the　Officers　but　three；three　only；　and　about　eleven　or　twelve　of　the　Voluuteer　or　Cadet　kind。　We　had　crossed　two　successive　ditches；　which　lay　in　an　orchard　to　left　of　the　first　houses　in　Leuthen；　and　were　beginning　to　form　in　front　of　the　Village。　But　there　was　no　standing　of　it。　Besides　a　general　cannonade　such　as　can　hardly　be　imagined；　there　was　a　rain　of　case…　shot　upon　this　Battalion；　of　which　I；　as　there　was　no　Colonel　left；　had　to　take　command；　and　a　third　Battalion　of　the　Royal　Prussian　Foot…guards；　which　had　already　made　several　of　our　regiments　pass　that　kind　of　muster；　gave；　at　a　distance　of　eighty　paces；　the　liveliest　fire　on　us。　It　stood　as　if　on　the　parade…ground；　that　third　Battalion；　and　waited　for　us；　without　stirring。

〃The　Austrian　regiment　Andlau；　at　our　right　hand；　could　not　get　itself　formed　properly　by　reason　of　the　houses；　it　was　standing　thirty　deep；　and　sometimes　its　shot　hit　us　on　the　back。　On　my　left　the　Austrian　regiment　Merci　ran　its　ways；　and　I　was　glad　of　that；　in　comparison。　By　no　method　or　effort　could　I　get　the　dragoons　of　Bathyani；　who　stood　fifty　yards　in　rear　of　me；　to　cut　in　a　little；　and　help　me　out；〃no　good　cutting　hereabouts；　think　the　dragoons　of　Bathyani。　〃My　soldiers；　who　were　still　tired　with　running；　and　had　no　cannon　（these　either　from　necessity　or　choice　they　had　left　behind）；　were　got　scattered；　fewer　in　number；　and　were　fighting　mainly　out　of　sullenness。　More　our　honor；　than　the　notion　of　doing　good　in　the　affair；　prevented　us　from　running　off。　An　Ensign　of　the　regiment　Arberg　helped　me　awhile　to　form；　from　his　and　my　own　fragments；　a　kind　of　line；　but　he　was　shot　down。　Two　Officers　of　the　Grenadiers　brought　me　what　they　still　had。　Some　Hungarians；　too；　were　luckily　got　together。　But　at　last；　as；　with　all　helps　and　the　remnants　of　my　own　brave　Battalion；　I　had　come　down　to　at　most　200；　I　drew　back　to　the　Height　where　the　Windmill　is；〃　＇Kutzen　p。　103　（from　〃Prince　de　Ligne's　DIARY；　i。　63；　German　Translation〃）。＇where　many　have　drawn　back；　and　are　standing　in　sheltered　places；　a　hundred　deep；　say　our　Books。

Stiff　fighting　at　Leuthen；　especially　furious　till　Leuthen　Churchyard；　a　place　with　high　stone　walls；　was　got。　Leuthen　Village；　we　observe；　was　crammed　with　Austrians　spitting　fire　from　every　coign　of　vantage；　Church　and　Churchyard　especially　are　a　citadel　of　death。　Cannon　playing　from　the　Windmill　Heights；　too；　moments　are　inestimable。　The　Prussian　Commander　（name　charitably　hidden）　at　Leuthen　Churchyard　seems　to　hesitate　in　the　murderous　fire…deluge：　Major　Mollendorf；　namable　from　that　day　forward；　growling；　〃No　time　this　for　study；〃　dashes　out　himself；　〃EIN　ANDRER　MANN　（Follow　me；　whoever　is　a　man）！〃smashes　in　the　Church…Gate　of　the　place；　nine　muskets　blazing　on　him　through　it；　smashes；　after　a　desperate　struggle；　the　Austrians　clean　out　of　it；　and　conquers　the　citadel。　＇Muller；　p。　42。＇

The　Austrians；　on　confused　terms；　made　stiff　dispute　in　this　second　position　for　about　an　hour。　The　Prussian　Reserve　was　ordered　up　by　Friedrich；　the　Prussian　left　wing；　which　had　stood　〃refused；〃　about　Radaxdorf；　till　now：　at　one　time　nearly　all　the　Prussians　were　in　fire。　Friedrich　is　here；　is　there；　wherever　the　press　was　greatest；　〃Prince　Ferdinand；〃　whom　we　now　and　then　find　named；　as　a　diligent　little　fellow；　and　ascertain　to　be　here　in　this　and　other　Battles　of　Friedrich's；〃Prince　Ferdinand　at　one　time　pointed　his　cannon　on　the　Bush　or　Fir…Clump　of　Radaxdorf；an　aide…de…camp　came　to　him　with　message：　〃You　are　firing　on　the　King；　the　King　is　yonder！〃　At　which　Ferdinand　＇his　dear　little　Brother＇　ERSCHRACK；〃　or　almost　fainted　with　terror。　＇Kutzen；　p。　110。＇

Stiff　dispute；　and　had　the　Austrians　possessed　the　Prussian　dexterity　in　manoeuvring；　and　a　Friedrich　been　among　them；　perhaps？　But　on　their　own　terms；　there　was　from　the　first　little　hope　in　it。　〃Behind　the　Windmills　they　are　a　hundred　men　deep；〃　by　and　by；　your　Windmills；　riddled　to　pieces；　have　to　be　abandoned；　the　Prussian　left　wing　rushing　on　with　bayonets；　will　not　all　of　you　have　to　go？　Lucchesi；　with　his　abundant　Cavalry；　seeing　this　latter　movement　and　the　Prussian　flank　bare　in　that　part；　will　do　a　stroke　upon　them；and　this　proved　properly　the　finale　of　the　matter；　finale　to　both　Lucchesi　and　it。

The　Prussian　flank　was　to　appearance　bare　in　that　leftward　quarter；　but　only　to　appearance：　Driesen　with　the　left　wing　of　Horse　is　in　a　Hollow　hard　by；　strictly　charged　by　Friedrich　to　protect　said　flank；　and　take　nothing　else　in　hand。　Driesen　lets　Lucchesi　gallop　by；　in　this　career　of　his；　then　emerges；　ranked；　and　comes　storming　in　upon　Lucchesi's　back；entirely　confounding　his　astonished　Cavalry　and　their　career。　Astonished　Cavalry；　bullet…storm　on　this　side　of　them；　edge　of　sword　on　that；　take　wing　in　all　directions　（or　all　except　to　west　and　south）　quite　over　the　horizon；　Lucchesi　himself　gets　killed；crosses　a　still　wider　horizon；　poor　man。　He　began　the　ruin；　and　he　ends　it。　For　now　Driesen　takes　the　bared　Austrians　in　flank；　in　rear；　and　all　goes　tumbling　here　too；　and　in　few　minutes　is　a　general　deluge　rearward　towards　Saara　and　Lissa　side。

At　Saara　the　Austrians；　sun　just　sinking；　made　a　third　attempt　to　stand；　but　it　was　hopelessly　faint　this　time；　went　all　asunder　at　the　first　push；　and　flowed　then；　torrent…wise；　towards　all　its　Bridges　over　the　Schweidnitz　Water；　towards　Breslau　by　every　method。　There　are　four　Bridges；　Stabelwitz　below　Lissa；　Goldschmieden；　Hermannsdorf；　above；　and　the　main　one　at　Lissa　itself；　a　standing　Bridge　on　the　Highroad　（also　of　wood）；　and　by　this　the　chief　torrent　flows；　Prussian　horse　pursuing　vigorously；　Prussian　Infantry　drawn　up　at　Saara；　resting　some　minutes；　after　such　a　day's　work。　＇Archenholtz；　i。　209；　Seyfarth；　　Beylagen；　　ii。　243…252　（by　an　eye…witness；　intelligent　succinct　Account　of　the　Battle　and　previous　March；　ib。　252…272；　of　the　Sieges　&c。　following）；　Preuss；　ii。　112；　&c。；　Tempelhof；　i。　276。＇

Truly　a　memorable　bit　of　work；　no　finer　done　for　a　hundred　years；　or　for　hundreds　of　years；　and　the　results　of　it　manifold；　immediate　and　remote。　About　10；000　Austrians　are　left　on　the　field；　3；000　of　them　slain；　prisoners　already　12；000；　in　a　short　time　21；000；　flags　51；　cannon　116；〃Conquest　of　Silesia〃　gone　to　water；　Prince　Karl　and　Austria　fallen　from　their　high　hopes　in　one　day。　The　Prussians　lost　in　killed　1；141；　in　wounded　5；118；　85　had　been　taken　prisoners　about　Sagschutz　and　Gohlau；　in　the　first　struggle　there。　＇Kutzen；　pp。　118；　125。＇　There　and　at　Leuthen　Village　had　been　the　two　tough　passages；　about　an　hour　each；　in　three　hours　the　Battle　was　done。　〃MEINE　HERREN；〃　said　Friedrich　that　night　at　parole；　〃after　such　a　spell　of　work；　you　deserve　rest。　This　day　will　bring　the　renown　of　your　name；　and　of　the　Nation's；　to　the　latest　posterity。〃

High　and　low　had　shone　this　day；　especially　these　four：　Ziethen；　Driesen；　Retzow；and　above　all　Moritz　of　Dessau。　Riding　up　the　line；　as　night　fell；　Friedrich；　in　passing　Moritz　and　the　right　wing；　drew　bridle　for　an　instant：　〃I　congratulate　you　on　the　Victory；　Herr　Feldmarschall！〃　cried　he　cheerily；　and　with　emphasis　on　the　last　word。　Moritz；　still　very　busy；　answered　slightly；　and　Friedrich　repeated　louder；　〃Don't　you　hear　that　I　congratulate　you；　Herr　FELDMARSCHALL！〃a　glad　sound　to　Moritz；　who　ever　since　Kolin　had　stood　rather　in　the　shadow。　〃You　have　helped　me；　and　performed　every　order；　as　none　ever　did　before　in　any　battle；〃　added　the　grateful　King。

Riding　up　the　line；　all　now　grown　dusky；　Friedrich　asks；　〃Any　battalion　a　mind　to　follow　me　to　Lissa？〃　Three　battalions　volunteering；　follow　him；　three　are　plenty。　At　Saara；　on　the　Great　Road；　things　are　fallen　utterly　dark。　〃Landlord；　bring　a　lantern；　and　escort。〃　Landlord　of　the　poor　Tavern　at　Saara　escorts　obediently；　lantern　in　his　right　hand；　left　hand　holding　by　the　King's　stirrup…leather；King　（Excellency　or　General；　as　the　Landlord　thinks　him）　wishing　to　speak　with　the　man。　Will　the　reader　consent　to　their　Dialogue；　which　is　dullish；　but　singular　to　have　in　an　authentic　form；　with　Nicolai　as　voucher？　＇