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history of friedrich ii of prussia v 17-第23章

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 cannon; with iron ramrods too; and improved ways; like our own。 But nothing could avail them; the counter…fury being so great。 They had to go at the Welhoten part; and even to run; plunging into Elbe; a good few of them; and drowning there; in the vain hope to swim。 〃Never have my troops;〃 says Friedrich; 〃done such miracles of valor; cavalry as well as infantry; since I had the honor to command them。 By this dead…lift achievement (TOUR DE FORCE) I have seen what they can do。〃 'Letter to Schwerin; 〃Lobositz; 2d August; 1756〃 (Retzow; i。 64); RELATION DE LA CAMPAGNE; 1756; that is; PRUSSIAN ACCOUNT (in  Gesammelte Nachrichten);  i。 848。 Lloyd; UT SUPRA; i。 2…11 (who has solid information at first hand; having been an actor in these Wars。 A man of great natural sagacity and insight; decidedly luminous and original; though of somewhat crabbed temper now and then; a man well worth hearing on this and on whatever else he handles)。 Tempelhof; GESCHICHTE DES SIEBENJAHRIGEN KRIEGES (which is at first a mere Translation of Lloyd; nothing new in it but certain notes and criticisms on Lloyd; when Lloyd ends; Tempelhof; Prussian Major and Professor; a learned; intelligent; but diffuse man; of far inferior talent to Lloyd; continues and completes on his own footing: six very thin 4tos; Berlin; 1794); i。 38 (Battle; with FOOTNOTES); and ib。 51 (CRITICISM of Lloyd)。 Prussian and Austrian Accounts in  Helden…Geschichte;  iii。 800 et seq。 Many Narratives in FELDZUGE; and the BEYLAGE to Seyfarth; &c。 &c。'

In fine; after some three hours more of desperate tugging and struggling; cannon on both sides going at a great rate; and infinite musketry (〃ninety cartridges a man on our Prussian side; and ammunition falling done〃); not without bayonet…pushings; and smitings with the butt of your musket; the Austrians are driven into Lobositz; are furiously pushed there; and; in spite of new battalions coming to the rescue; are fairly pushed through。 These Village…streets are too narrow for new battalions from Browne; 〃much of the Village should have been burnt beforehand;〃 say cool judges。 And now; sure enough; it does get burnt; Lobositz is now all on fire; by Prussian industry。 So that the Austrians have to quit it instantly; and rush off in great disorder; key of the Battle; or Battle itself; quite lost to them。

The Prussian infantry; led by the Duke of Brunswick…Bevern (〃Governor of Stettin;〃 one of the Duke…Ferdinand cousinry; frugal and valiant); gave the highest satisfaction; seldom was such firing; such furious pushing; they had spent ninety cartridges a man; were at last quite out of cartridges; so that Bevern had to say; 〃Strike in with bayonets; MEINE KINDER; butt…ends; or what we have; HERAN!〃 Our Grenadiers were mainly they that burnt Lobositz。 〃How salutary now would it have been;〃 says Epimetheus Lloyd; 〃had Browne had a small battery on the other side of the Elbe;〃 whereby he might have taken them in flank; and shorn them into the wind! Epimetheus marks this battery on his Plan; and is wise behindhand; at a cheap rate。

Browne's Right Wing; and probably his Army with it; would have gone much to perdition; now that Lobositz was become Prussian;had not Browne; in the nick of the moment; made a masterly movement: pushed forward his Centre and Left Wing; numerous battalions still fresh; to interpose between the chasing Prussians and those fugitives。 The Prussians; infantry only; cannot chase on such terms; the Prussian cavalry; we know; is far rearward on the high ground。 Browne retires a mile or two;southward; Budin…ward;not chased; and there halts; and rearranges himself; thinking what farther he will do。 His aim in fighting had only been to defend himself; and in that humble aim he has failed。 Chase of the Prussians over that Homolka…Lobosch country; with the high grounds rearward and the Metal Mountains in their hands; he could in no event have attempted。

The question now is: Will he go back to Budin; or will he try farther towards Schandau? Nature points to the former course; in such circumstances; Friedrich; by way of assisting; does a thing much admired by Lloyd;detaches Bevern with a strong party southward; out of Lobositz; which is now his; to lay hold of Tschirskowitz; lying Budin…ward; but beyond the Budin Road。 Which feat; when Browne hears of it; means to him; 〃Going to cut me off from Budin; then? From my ammunition…stores; from my very bread…cupboard!〃 And he marches that same midnight; silently; in good order; back to Budin。 He is not much ruined; nay the Prussian loss is numerically greater: 〃3;308 killed and wounded; on the Prussian side; on the Austrian; 2;984; with three cannon taken and two standards。〃 Not ruined at all; but foiled; frustrated; and has to devise earnestly; 〃What next?〃 Once rearranged; he may still try。

The Battle lasted seven hours; the last four of it very hot; till Lobositz was won and lost。 It was about 5 P。M。 when Browne fired his retreat…cannon:cannon happened to be loaded (say the Anecdote…Books; mythically given now and then); Friedrich; wearied enough; had flung himself into his carriage for a moment's rest; or thankful reflection; and of all places; the ball of the retreat… cannon lighted THERE。 Between Friedrich's feet; as he lay reclining;say the Anecdote…Books; whom nobody is bound to believe。

On the strength of those two Prussian charges; which had retired from case…shot on their flank; and had not wings; for getting over sedge and ooze; Austria pretended to claim the victory。 〃Two charges repelled by our gallant horse; Lobositz; indeed; was got on fire; and we had nothing for it but to withdraw; but we took a new position; and only left that for want of water;〃with the like excuses。 〃Essentially a clear victory;〃 said the Austrians; and sang TE…DEUM about it;but profited nothing by that piece of melody。 The fact; considerable or not; was; from the first; too undeniable: Browne beaten from the field。 And beaten from his attempt too (the Saxons not relievable by this method); and lies quiet in Budin again;with his water sure to him; but what other advantages gained?

Here are two Letters; brief both; which we may as well read:

1。 FRIEDRICH TO WILHELMINA (at Baireuth)。

〃LOBOSITZ; 4th October; 1756。

〃MY DEAR SISTER;Your will is accomplished。 Tired out by these Saxon delays; I put myself at the head of my Army of Bohemia 'Keith's hitherto'; and marched from Aussig toa Name which seemed to me of good augury; being yours;to the Village of Welmina 'Battle was called OF WELMINA; by the Prussians at first'。 I found the Austrians here; near Lobositz; and; after a Fight of seven hours; forced them to run。 Nobody of your acquaintance is killed; except Generals Luderitz and OErzen 'who are not of ours'。

〃I return you a thousand thanks for the tender part you take in my lot。 Would to Heaven the valor of my Army might procure us a stable Peace! That ought to be the aim of War。 Adieu; my dear Sister; I embrace you tenderly; assuring you of the lively affection with which I am…F。〃 ' OEuvres;  xxvii。 i。 291。'

 2。 PRINCE OF PRUSSIA TO VALORI (who is still at Berlin; but  soon going as it proves;Broglio's explosion at the L
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