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history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第63部分

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ards Damm…Mill Bridge whence Friedrich will emerge; sure as the sunrise; one knows not with what issue。 Artless Fermor is nothing daunted; nor are his people; but stand patiently under arms; regardless of future and present; to a degree not common in soldiering。

Friday; August 25th; by half…past three in the morning; Friedrich is across the Mutzel; self and Infantry by Damm…Mutzel Bridge; cavalry by another Bridge (KERSTEN…BRUGGE; means 〃Christian Bridge;〃 in the dialect of Charlemagne's time; a very old arrangement of Successive Logs up there!) some furlongs higher up。 The Bridge at Damm is perhaps some three miles from the nearest Russians about Zicher; but Friedrich has no thought of attacking Fermor there; he has a quite other program laid; and will attack Fermor precisely on the side opposite to there。 Friedrich's intention is to sweep quite round this monstrous Russian quadrilateral; to break in upon it on the western flank; and hurl it back upon Mutzel and its quagmires。 He has broken his two bridges after passing; all bridges are gone there; and the country is bottomless: surrender at discretion if once you are driven thither! And Friedrich's own retreat; if he fail; is short and open to Custrin。 〃Admirable;〃 say the Critics; 〃and altogether in Friedrich's style!〃Friedrich; adds one Critic; was not aware that the Russian Heavy…Baggage Train; which is their powder…flask and bread…basket and staff of life; lies at Klein Kamin; within few miles on his left just now; Russians themselves on his right; that the Russians could have been abolished from those countries without fighting at all! 'Retzow; i。 305…329。' This is very true。 Friedrich's haste is great; his humor hot; and he has not heard of this Klein…Kamin fact; which in common times he would have done; and of which in a calmer mood he would; with a fine scientific gusto; have taken his advantage。

Friedrich pours incessant southward; cavalry parallel to infantry and a certain distance beyond it; eastward of it; and they have burnt the Bridges; which is a curious fact! Continually southward; as if for Tamsel:poor old Tamsel; do readers recollect it at all; does Friedrich at all? No pleasant dinner; or lily…and…rose complexions; there for one to…day!Some distance short of Tamsel; Friedrich; emerging; turns westward;intending what on earth? thinks Fermor。 Friedrich has been mostly hidden by the woods all this while; and enigmatic to Fermor。 Fermor does now at last see the color of the facts;and that one's chief front must change itself to southward; one's best leg and arm be foremost; or towards Zorndorf; not towards the Mutzel as hitherto。 Fermor stirs up his Quadrilateral; makes the required change; 〃You; best or northern line; step across; and front southward; across to southward; I say; second…best go northward in their stead:〃 and so; with some other slight polishings; suggested by the ground and phenomena; we anew await this Prussian Enigma with our best leg foremost。 The march or circular sweep of these Prussian lines; from Damm Bridge through the woods and champaign to their appointed place of action; is seven or eight miles; lines when halted in battle…order will be two miles long or more。

Friedrich pours steadily along; horse and foot; by the rear cf Wilkersdorf; of Zorndorf;Russian Minotaur scrutinizing him in that manner with dull bloodshot eyes; uncertain what he will do。 It is eight in the morning; hot August; wind a mere lull; but southernly if any。 Small Hussar pickets ride to right of the main Army March; to keep the Cossacks in check: who are roving about; all on wing; and pert enough; in spite of the Hussar pickets; Desperado individuals of them gallop up to the Infantry ranks; and fire off their pistols there;without reply; reply or firing; till the word come; is strictly forbidden。 Infantry pours along; like a ploughman drawing his furrow; heedless of the circling crows。 Crows or Cossacks; finding they are not regarded; set fire to Zorndorf; and gallop off。 Zorndorf goes up readily; mainly wood and straw; rolls in big clouds of smoke far northward in upon the  Russian Minotaur; making him still blinder in the important moments now coming。

Friedrich rides up to view the Zabern Hollow: 〃Beyond expectation deep; very boggy too; with its foul leakage or brook: no attacking of their western flank through this Zaberngrund;attack the corner of them; then; here on the southwest!〃 That is Friedrich's rapid resource。 The lines halt; accordingly; make ready。 Behind flaming Zorndorf stands his extreme left; which is to make the attack; infantry in front; horse to rear and farther leftwards;and under the command of Seidlitz in this quarter; which is an important circumstance。 Right wing; reaching to behind Wilkersdorf; is to refuse itself; whole force of centre is to push upon that Russian corner; to support the left in doing it;according to the Leuthen or LEUCTRA principle; once more。 May no mistakes occur in executing it this day!

The first division of the Prussian Infantry; or extreme Left; marches forward by the west end of flaming Zorndorf; next division; which should stand close to right of it; or even behind it in action; and follow it close into the Russian fire; has to march by the east end of Zorndorf; this is a farther road; owing to the flames; and not a lucky one。 Second division could never get into fair contact with that first division again: that was the mistake: and it might have been fatal; but was not; as we shall see。 First division has got clear of Zorndorf; in advancing towards its Russian business;is striding forward; its left flank safe against the Zaberngrund; steadily by fixed stages; against the fated Russian Corner; which is its point of attack。 First division; second division; are clear of Zorndorf; though with a wide gap between them; are steadily striding forward towards the Russian Corner。 Two strong batteries; wide apart; have planted themselves ahead; and are playing upon the Russian Quadrilateral; their fires crossing at the due Corner yonder; with terrible effect; Russian artillery; which are multitudinous and all gathered down to this southwestern corner; are responding; though with their fire spread; and far less effectual。 The Prussian line steps on; extreme left perhaps in too animated a manner; their cannon batteries enfilade the thick mass of Russians at a frightful rate (〃forty… two men of a certain regiment blown away by a single ball;〃 in one instance 'Tielcke。'); drive the interior baggage…horses to despair: a very agitated Quadrilateral; under its grim canopy of cannon smoke; and of straw smoke; heaped on it from the Zorndorf side here。 Manteuffel; leader of that first or leftmost division; sees the internal simmering; steps forward still more briskly; to firing distance; begins his platoon thunder; with the due steady fury; had the second division but got up to support Manteuffel! The second division is in fire too; but not close to Manteuffel; where it should be。

Fermor notices the gap; the wavering of Manteuffel unsupported; plunges out in immense torrent; horse and foot; into the gap; into Manteuffel's flank and front; hurls Manteuffel back; who has no support at hand: 〃ARAH; ARAH (Hurrah; Hurrah)! Victory; Victory!〃 shout the Russians; plunging wildly forward; sweeping all before them; capturing twenty…six pieces of cannon; for one item。 What a moment for Friedrich; looking on it from some knoll somewhere near Zorndorf; I suppose; hastily bidding Seidlitz strike in: 〃Seidlitz; now!〃 The hurrahing Russians cannot keep rank at that rate of going。 like a buffalo stampede; but fall into heaps and gaps: Seidlitz; with a swiftness; with a dexterity beyond praise; has picked his way across that quaggy Zabern Hollow; falls; with say 5;000 horse; on the flank of this big buffalo stampede; tumbles it into instant ruin;which proves irretrievable; as the Prussian Infantry come on again; and back Seidlitz。

In fifteen minutes more (I guess it now to be ten o'clock); the Russian Minotaur; this end of it; on to the Gallows Ground; is one wild mass。 Seldom was there seen such a charge; issuiug in such deluges of wreck; of chaotic flight; or chaotic refusal to fly。 The Seidlitz cavalry went sabring till; for very fatigue; they gave it up; and could no more。 The Russian horse fled to Kutzdorf; Fermor with them; who saw no more of this Fight; and did not get back till dark;had not the Bridges been burnt; and no crossing of the Mutzel possible; Fermor never would have come back; and here had been the end of Zorndorf。 Luckier if it had! But there is no crossing of the Mutzel; there is only drowning in the quagmires there:death any way; what can be done but die?

The Russian infantry stand to be sabred; in the above manner; as if they had been dead oxen。 More remote from Seidlitz; they break open the sutlers' brandy…casks; and in few minutes get roaring drunk。 Their officers; desperate; split the brandy…casks; soldiers flap down to drink it from the puddles; furiously remonstrate with their officers; and 〃kill a good many of them〃 (VIELE; says Tielcke); especially the foreign sort。 〃A frightful blood…bath;〃 by all the Accounts: blood…bath; brandy…bath; and chief Nucleus of Chaos then extant aboveground。 Fermor is swept away: this chaos; the very Prussians drawing back from it; wearied with massacring; lasts till about one o'clock。 Up to the Gallows…ground the Minotaur is mere wreck and delirium: but beyond the Gallows…ground; the other half forms a new front to itself; becomes a new Minotaur; though in reduced shape。 This is Part First of the Battle of Zorndorf; Friedrichon the edge of great disaster at one moment; but miraculously savedhas still the other half to do (unlucky that he left no Bridges on the Mutzel); and must again change his program。

Half of the Minotaur is gone to shreds in this manner; but the attack upon it; too; is spent: what is to be done with the other half of the monster; which is again alive; which still stands; and polypus…like has arranged a new life for itself; a new front against the Galgengrund yonder? Friedrich brings his right wing into action。 Rapidly arranges right wing; centre; all of the left that is disposable; with batteries; with cavalry; for an attack on the opposite or southeastern en
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