按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
〃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 where he fell。 A late Tourist says:
〃At first there was a monument of wood 'TREE planted; I will hope'; which is now all gone; round this Kaiser Joseph II。 once; in the year 1776; holding some review there; made his grenadier battalions and artilleries form circle; fronting the sky all round; and give three volleys of great arms and small; Kaiser in the centre doffing hat at each volley; in honor of the hero。 Which was thought a very pretty thing on the Kaiser's part。 In 1824; the tree; I suppose; being gone to a stump; certain subscribing Prussian Officers had it rooted out; and a modest Pyramid of red…veined marble built in its room。 Which latter the then King of Prussia; Friedrich Wilhelm III。; determined to improve upon; and so; in 1839; built a second Pyramid close by; bigger; finer; and of Prussian iron; this one; purchasing also; from the Austrian Government; a rood or two of ground for site; and appointing some perpetual Peculium; or increase of Pension to an Austrian Veteran of merit for taking charge there。 All which; perfectly in order; is