history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第9部分
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Here is a very curious fact and consideration。 That the King had so prophesied and preordained: 〃May 4th; Four Columns arrive at Prag; May 6th; attack the Austrians; beat them;〃and now wished to keep his word! This is an aerial reason; which I can suspect to have had its weight among others。 There were twirls of that kind in Friedrich; intricate weak places; knots in the sound straight… fibred mind he had (as in whose mind are they not?);which now and then cost him dear! The Anecdote…Books say he was very ill of body; that day; May 6th; and called for something of drug nature; and swallowed it (drug not named); after getting on horseback。 The Evening Anecdote is prettier: How; in the rushing about; Austrians now flying; he got eye on Brother Henri (clayey to a degree); and sat down with him; in the blessed sunset; for a minute or two; and bewailed his sad losses of Schwerin and others。
Certain it is; the victory was bought by hard fighting; and but for the quality of his troops; had not been there。 But the bravery of the Prussians was exemplary; and covered all mistakes that were made。 Nobler fire; when did it burn in any Army? More perfect soldiers I have not read of。 Platt…Teutsch firewhich I liken to anthracite; in contradistinction to Gaelic blaze of kindled straw is thrice noble; when; by strict stern discipline; you are above it withal; and wield your fire…element; as Jove his thunder; by rule! Otherwise it is but half…admirable: Turk…Janissaries have it otherwise; and it comes to comparatively little。
This is the famed Battle of Prag; fought May 6th; 1757; which sounded through all the world;and used to deafen us in drawing…rooms within man's memory。 Results of it were: On the Prussian side; killed; wounded and missing; 12;500 men; on the Austrian; 13;000 (prisoners included); with many flags; cannon; tents; much war…gear gone the wrong road;and a very great humiliation and dispiritment; though they had fought well: 〃No longer the old Austrians; by any means;〃 as Friedrich sees; but have iron ramrods; all manner of Prussian improvements; and are 〃learning to march;〃 as he once says; with surprise not quite pleasant。
Friedrich gives the cipher of loss; on both sides; much higher: 〃This Battle;〃 says he; 〃which began towards nine in the morning; and lasted; chase included; till eight at night; was one of the bloodiest of the age。 The Enemy lost 24;000 men; of whom were 5;000 prisoners; the Prussian loss amounted to 18;000 fighting men; without counting Marshal Schwerin; who alone was worth above 10;000。〃 〃This day saw the pillars of the Prussian Infantry cut down;〃 says he mournfully; seeming almost to think the 〃laurels of victory〃 were purchased too dear。 His account of the Battle; as if it had been a painful object; rather avoided in his after…thoughts; is unusually indistinct;and helps us little in the extreme confusion that reigns otherwise; both in the thing itself and in the reporters of the thing。 Here is a word from Winterfeld; some private Letter; two days after; which is well worth reading for those who would understand this Battle。
〃The enemy had his Left Wing leaning on the City; close by the Moldau;〃 at Nussel; 〃and stretched with his Right Wing across the high Hill 'of Zisca' to the village of Lieben 'so he HAD stood; looking into Prag; but faced about; on hearing that Friedrich was across the River'; having before him those terrible Defiles 'DIE TERRIBLEN DEFILEES; 〃Horse…shoe of the Moldau;〃 as we call it'; and the village of Prossik; which was crammed with Pandours。 It was about half…past six in the morning; when our Schwerin Army 'myself part of it; at this time' joined with the twenty battalions and twenty squadrons; which the King had brought across to unite with us; and which formed our right wing of battle that day 'our left wing were Schweriners; Sterbohol and the fighting done by Schweriners after their long march'。 The King was at once determined to attack the Enemy; as also were Schwerin 'say nothing of the arguing' and your humble servant (MEINE WENIGKEIT): but the first thing was; to find a hole whereby to get at him。
〃This too was selected; and decided on; my proposal being found good; and took effect in manner following: We 'Schweriners' had marched off left…wise; foremost; and we now; without halt; continued marching so with the Left Wing〃 of horse; 〃which had the van (TETE); and moved on; keeping the road for Hlaupetin; and ever thence onwards along for Kyge; round the Ponds of Unter… Podschernitz; without needing to pass these; and so as to get them in our rear。
〃The Enemy; who at first had expected nothing bad; and never supposed that we would attack him at once; FLAGRANTE DELICTO; and least of all in this point; and did not believe it possible; as we should have to wade; breast…deep in part; through the ditches; and drag our cannon;was at first quite tranquil。 But as he began to perceive our real design (in which; they say; Prince Karl was the first to open Marshal Browne's eyes); he drew his whole Cavalry over towards us; as fast as it could be done; and stretched them out as Right Wing; to complete which; his Grenadiers and Hungarian Regulars of Foot ranked themselves as they got up 'makes his POTENCE; HAKEN; or joiner's…square; outmost end of it Horse。'
〃The Enemy's intention was to hold with the Right Wing of his infantry on the Farmstead which they call Sterbaholy 'Sterbohol; a very dirty Farmstead at this day'; I; however; had the good luck; plunging on; head foremost; with six battalions of our Left Wing and two of the Flank; to get to it before him。 Although our Second Line was not yet come forward; yet; as the battalions of the First were tolerably well together; I decided; with General Fouquet; who had charge of the Flank; to begin at once; and; that the Enemy might not have time to post himself still better; I pushed forward; quick step; out of the Farmstead〃 of Sterbohol 〃to meet him;so fast; that even our cannon had not time to follow。 He did; accordingly; begin to waver; and I could observe that his people here; on this Wing; were making right…about。
〃Meanwhile; his fire of case…shot opened 'from Homoly Hill; on our left'; and we were still pushing on;might now be about two hundred steps from the Enemy's Line; when I had the misfortune; at the head of Regiment Schwerin; to get wounded; and; swooning away (VOR TOD); fell from my horse to the ground。 Awakening after some minutes; and raising my head to look about; I found nobody of our people now here beside or round me; but all were already behind; in full flood of retreat (HOCH ANSCHLAGEN)。 The Enemy's Grenadiers were perhaps eighty paces from me; but had halted; and had not the confidence to follow us。 I struggled to my feet; as fast as; for weakness; I possibly could; and got up to our confused mass 'CONFUSEN KLUMPEN;exact place; where?': but could not; by entreaties or by threats; persuade a single man of them to turn his face on the Enemy; much less to halt and try again。
〃In this embarrassment the deceased Feldmarschall found me; and noticed that the blood was flowing stream…wise from my neck。 As I was on foot; and none of my people now near; he bade give me his led horse which he still had 'and sent me home for surgery? Winterfeld; handsomely effacing himself when no longer good for anything; hurries on to the Catastrophe; leaving us to guess that he was NOT an eye…witness farther'bade give me the led horse which he still had; AND 'as if that had happened directly after; which surely it did not? AND' snatched the flag from Captain Rohr; who had taken it up to make the Bursche turn; and rode forward with it himself。' But before he could succeed in the attempt; this excellent man; almost in a minute; was hit with five case…shot balls; and fell dead on the ground; as also his brave Adjutant von Platen was so wounded that he died next day。
〃During this confusion and repulse; by which; as already mentioned; the Enemy had not the heart to profit; not only was our Second Line come on; but those of the First; who had not suffered; went vigorously (FRISCH) at the Enemy;〃and in course of time (perhaps two hours yet); and by dint of effort; we did manage Sterbohol and its batteries:〃Like as 'still in one sentence; and without the least punctuation; Winterfeld being little of a grammarian; and in haste for the close'; Like as Prince Henri's Royal Highness with our Right Wing;〃 Mannstein and he; 〃without waiting for order; attacked so PROMPT and with such FERMOTE;〃 in that elbow…hole far north of US; 〃that everywhere the Enemy's Line began to give way; and instead of continuing as Line; sought corps…wise to gain the Heights; and there post itself。 And as; without winning said Heights; we could not win the Battle; we had to storm them all; one after the other; and this it was that cost us the best; most and bravest people。
〃The late Colonel von Goltz 'if we glance back to Sterbohol itself'; who; with the regiment Fouquet; was advancing; right…hand of Schwerin regiment〃 and your servant; 〃had likewise got quite close to the Enemy; and had he not; at the very instant when he was levelling bayonets; been shot down; I think that he; with myself and the Schwerin regiment; would have got in;〃and perhaps have there done the job; special and general; with much less expense; and sooner! 'Preuss; ii。 45…47 (in Winterfeld's hand; dated 〃Camp at Prag; 8th May; 1757:〃 addressed to one knows not whom; first printed by Preuss)。'
This is what we get from Winterfeld; a rugged; not much grammatical man; but (as I can perceive) with excellent eyes in his head; and interior talent for twenty grammatical people; had that been his line。 These; faithfully rendered here; without change but of pointing; are the only words I ever saw of his: to my regret; which surely the Prussian Dryasdust might still amend a little?in respect of so distinguished a person; and chosen Peer of Friedrich's。 This his brief theory of Prag Battle; if intensely read; I find to be of a piece with his practice there。
Schwerin was much lamented in the Army; and has been duly honored ever since。 His body lies in Schwerinsburg; at home; far away; his Monument; finale of a series of Monuments; stands; now under special guardianship; near Sterbohol on the spot