history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第54节
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anding 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? ' Anekdoten; iii。 231…235。' Like some poor old horse…shoe; ploughed up on the field。 Two farthings worth of rusty old iron; now little other than a curve of brown rust: but it galloped at the Battle of Leuthen; that is something!
KING。 〃Come near; catch me by the stirrup…leather 'Landlord with lantern does so'。 We are on the Breslau Great Road; that goes through Lissa; are n't we?〃 LANDLORD。 〃Yea; Excellenz。〃 KING。 〃Who are you?〃 LANDLORD。 〃Your Excellenz; I am the KRATSCHMER 'Silesian for Landlord' at Saara。〃 KING。 〃You have had a great deal to suffer; I suppose。〃 LANDLORD。 〃ACH; your Excellenz; had not I! For the last eight…and… forty hours; since the Austrians came across Schweidnitz Water; my poor house has been crammed to the door with them; so many servants they have; and such a bullying and tumbling:they have driven me half mad; and I am clean plundered out。〃 KING。 〃I am sorry indeed to hear that!Were there Generals too in your house? What said they? Tell me; then。〃 LANDLORD。 〃With pleasure; your Excellenz。 Well; yesterday noon; I had Prince Karl in my parlor; aud his Adjutants and people all crowding about。 Such a questioning aud bothering! Hundreds came dashing in; and other hundreds were sent out: in and out they went all night; no sooner was one gone; than ten came。 I had to keep a roaring fire in the kitchen all night; so many Officers crowding to it to warm themselves。 And they talked and babbled this and that。 One would say; That our King was coming on; then; 'with his Potsdam Guard…Parade。' Another answers; 'OACH; he dare n't come! He will run for it; we will let him run。' But now my delight is; our King has paid them their fooleries so prettily this afternoon!〃 KING。 〃When got you rid of your high guests?〃 LANDLORD。 〃About nine this morning the Prince got to horse; and not long after three; he came past again; with a swarm of Officers; all going full speed for Lissa。 So full of bragging when they came; and now they were off; wrong side foremost! I saw how it was。 And ever after him; the flood