the encampment at brieg.—bombardment.—diplomatic intrigues.—luxury of the spanish minister.—rising greatness of frederick.—frederick’s interview with lord hyndford.—plans of france.—desperate prospects of maria theresa.—anecdote of frederick.—joint action of england and holland.—heroic character of maria theresa.—coronation of the queen of hungary.
after the battle of mollwitz, general neipperg withdrew the defeated austrian army to the vicinity of neisse, where he strongly intrenched himself. frederick encamped his troops around brieg, and made vigorous preparations to carry the place by storm. with great energy he pushed forward his works, and in less than three weeks was ready for the assault. on the night of april 26 there was a tempest of extraordinary violence, which was followed, the next night, by a dead calm, a cloudless sky, and a brilliant moon. on both sides of the river oder, upon which brieg was situated, there was an open champaign country. several bridges crossed the river. at a fixed moment two thousand diggers were collected, at appointed stations, divided into twelve equal parties. with the utmost exactness they were equipped with all the necessary implements. these diggers, with spade and pickaxe, and yet thoroughly armed, were preceded a few yards by covering battalions, who, having stealthily and silently obtained the position assigned to them, were to lie flat upon the ground. not a gun was to be fired; not a word was to be spoken save in a whisper; not even a pipe was to be lighted. some engineers were to mark out with a straw266 rope, just in the rear of the covering party, the line of the first parallel. every imaginable contingency was provided for, and each man was to attend to his individual duty with the precision of clock-work.
precisely at midnight all were in silent, rapid motion. the march of half an hour brought them to their appointed stations. the soft and sandy soil was easily shoveled. every man plied pick and spade with intensest energy. as the town clock of brieg struck one, they had so far dug themselves in as to be quite sheltered from the fire of the hostile batteries, should the guns open upon them. before the dawn of day they had two batteries, of twenty-five guns each, in position, and several mortars ready for action.
thus far the enemy had no suspicion of the movement. but now the sun was rising, and, almost simultaneously on both sides, the roar of battle commenced. the positions had been so adroitly taken as to bring three prussian guns to bear upon each gun of the austrians. the prussian gunners, drilled to the utmost possible accuracy and precision of fire, poured into the city a terrific tempest of shot and shells. every thing had been so carefully arranged that, for six days and nights, with scarcely a moment’s intermission, the doomed city was assailed with such a tornado of cannonading and bombardment as earth had seldom, if ever, witnessed before.
the city took fire in many places; magazines were consumed; the ducal palace was wrapped in flames. nearly fifteen thousand cannon-balls, and over two thousand bombs, were hurled crashing through the thronged dwellings. many of the austrian guns were silenced. general piccolomini, who was intrusted with the defense of the place, could stand it no longer. on the 4th of may he raised above the walls the white flag of surrender. the gallant general was treated magnanimously. he was invited to dine with frederick, and, with the garrison, was permitted to retire to neisse, pledged not to serve against the prussians for two years. the town had been nearly demolished by the war-tempest which had beat so fiercely upon it. frederick immediately commenced repairing the ruins and strengthening the fortifications.
all europe was thrown into commotion by this bold and successful267 invasion of silesia. france was delighted, for prussia was weakening austria. england was alarmed. the weakening of austria was strengthening france, england’s dreaded rival. and hanover was menaced by the prussian army at g?tten, under the old dessauer. the british parliament voted an additional subsidy of ￡300,000 to maria theresa. two hundred thousand had already been granted her. this, in all, amounted to the sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars. envoys from all the nations of europe were sent to frederick’s encampment at strehlen, in the vicinity of brieg. some were sent seeking his alliance, some with terms of compromise, and all to watch his proceedings. the young king was not only acquiring the territory which he sought, but seemed to be gaining that renown which he had so eagerly coveted. he did not feel strong enough to make an immediate attack upon the austrian army, which general neipperg held, in an almost impregnable position, behind the ramparts of neisse. for two months he remained at strehlen, making vigorous preparations for future movements, and his mind much engrossed with diplomatic intrigues. strehlen is a pretty little town, nestled among the hills, about twenty-five miles west of brieg, and thirty northwest of neisse. the troops were mainly encamped in tents on the fields around. the embassadors from the great monarchies of europe were generally sumptuously lodged in strehlen, or in breslau, which was a beautiful city about thirty miles north of strehlen. baron bielfeld in the following terms describes the luxury in which the spanish minister indulged:
“each of these ministers makes a most brilliant figure, and never have i seen one travel with more ease and convenience, more elegance and grandeur, than does the marquis of montijo. wherever he stops to dine or sup, he finds a room hung with the richest tapestry, and the floor covered with turkey carpets, with velvet chairs, and every other kind of convenience; a table sumptuously served, the choicest wines, and a dessert of fruit and confectionery that paris itself could not excel. this kind of enchantment, this real miracle in germany, is performed by means of three baggage-wagons, of which two always go before the embassador, and carry with them every thing necessary for his reception. when they arrive in some poor village, the domestics268 that accompany each wagon immediately clear and clean some chamber, fix the tapestry by rings to the walls, cover the floor with carpets, and furnish the kitchen and cellar with every kind of necessary.”54
speaking of frederick at this time, bielfeld says: “notwithstanding all the fatigues of war, the king is in perfect health, and more gay and pleasant than ever. all who approach his majesty meet with a most gracious reception. in the midst of his camp, and at the head of sixty thousand prussians, our monarch appears to me with a new and superior air of greatness.”
circumstances had already rendered frederick one of the most important personages in europe. he could ally himself with france, and humble austria; or he could ally himself with england and austria, and crush france. all the lesser lights in the continental firmament circulated around these central luminaries. consequently frederick was enabled to take a conspicuous part in all the diplomatic intrigues which were then agitating the courts of europe.
on the 7th of may, three days after the capture of brieg, lord hyndford, the english embassador, arrived at the camp of frederick, and obtained an audience with his majesty. it was eleven o’clock in the forenoon. he gave his government a very minute narrative of the interview. the following particulars, gleaned from that narrative, will interest the reader. it will be remembered that frederick cherished a strong antipathy against his uncle, george ii. of england.
lord hyndford commenced his communication by assuring his majesty of the friendly feelings and good wishes of the english government. frederick listened with much impatience, and soon interrupted him, exclaiming passionately,
“how is it possible, my lord, to believe things so contradictory? it is mighty fine, all this that you now tell me, on the part of the king of england. but how does it correspond with his last speech in parliament, and with the doings of his ministers at petersburg and at the hague, to stir up allies against me? i have reason to doubt the sincerity of the king of england. perhaps he means to amuse me. but” (with an oath55)269 “he is mistaken. i will risk every thing rather than abate the least of my pretensions.”
lord hyndford, evidently embarrassed, for the facts were strongly against him, endeavored, in some additional remarks, to assume ignorance of any unfriendly action on the part of the british government. the king again, in a loud and angry tone, replied,
“my lord, there seems to be a contradiction in all this. the king of england, in his letter, tells me you are instructed as to every thing, and yet you pretend ignorance. but i am perfectly informed of all. and i should not be surprised if, after all these fine words, you should receive some strong letter or resolution for me.” then, turning to his secretary, he added, sarcastically, “write down that my lord would be surprised to receive such instruction.”
lord hyndford, who says that by this rude assailment he was put extremely upon his guard, rejoined:
“europe is under the necessity of taking some speedy resolution, things are in such a state of crisis. like a fever in a human body, got to such a height that quinquina becomes necessary. shall we apply to vienna, your majesty?”
a transient smile flitted across the king’s countenance. then, looking cold again, he added, “follow your own will in that.”
“would your majesty,” lord hyndford replied, “engage to stand by his excellency gotter’s original offer at vienna on your part? that is, would you agree, in consideration of the surrender to you of lower silesia and breslau, to assist the queen of austria, with all your troops, for the maintenance of the pragmatic sanction, and to vote for the grand-duke francis as emperor?”
“yes,” was the monosyllabic reply.
“what was the sum of money your majesty then offered the queen of austria?” lord hyndford inquired.
the king hesitated, as though he had forgotten. but his secretary answered, “three million florins ($1,500,000).”
“i should not value the money,” the king added. “if money would content her i would give more.”
after a long pause lord hyndford inquired, “would your majesty consent to an armistice?”
270 “yes,” frederick replied; “but for not less than six months” (counting on his fingers from may to december)—“till december 1. the season then would be so far gone that they could do nothing.”
as the secretary, podewils, had been taking notes, lord hyndford requested permission to look at them, that he might see that no mistake had been made. the king assented, and then lord hyndford bowed himself out. thus ended the audience.
a few days after this interview, the dutch embassador, general ginckel, arrived with the resolution from the english and dutch courts, demanding that the king should evacuate silesia. lord hyndford was much embarrassed, apprehending that the presentation of the summons at that time would work only mischief. he persuaded general ginckel to delay the presentation until he could send a courier to england for instructions. in a fortnight the courier returned with the order that the resolution was immediately to be presented to his prussian majesty.
in the mean time, frederick, who kept himself thoroughly informed of all these events, signed secretly, on the 5th of june, a treaty of intimate alliance with france. though he had not yet received the joint resolution of the english and dutch courts, he was well aware of its existence, and the next day sent to his envoy, m. r?sfeld, at the hague, the following dispatch:
“you will beforehand inform the high mightinesses in regard to that advice of april 24th, which they determined on giving me, through his excellency general ginckel, along with his excellency lord hyndford, that such advice can be considered by me only as a blind complaisance to the court of vienna’s improper urgencies. that for certain i will not quit silesia till my claims be satisfied. and the longer i am forced to continue warring for them here, the higher they will rise.”
the plan of france, as conceived and pushed resolutely forward by the count of belleisle, the renowned minister of louis xv., was to divide germany into four small kingdoms of about equal power, bavaria, saxony, prussia, and austria. the king of bavaria, as one of the protégés of france, was to be chosen emperor of germany. to accomplish this, austria was to be reduced to a second-rate power by despoiling the young queen, maria theresa, of large portions of her territory, and annexing271 the provinces wrested from her to the petty states of prussia, bavaria, and saxony, thus sinking austria to an equality with them. france, the grand nation, would then be indisputably the leading power in europe. by bribery, intimidation, and inciting one kingdom against another, the court of versailles could control the policy of the whole continent. magnificent as was this plan, many circumstances seemed then combining to render it feasible. the king of prussia, inspired simply by the desire of enlarging his kingdom by making war against austria, and striving to wrest silesia from the realms of maria theresa, was co-operating, in the most effectual way possible, to further the designs of france. and it had now also become a matter of great moment to frederick that he should secure the alliance of the court of versailles.
all the courts of europe were involved in these intrigues, which led to minor complications which it would be in vain to attempt to unravel. in the secret treaty into which frederick entered with france on the 5th of june, 1741, the count of belleisle engaged, in behalf of his master, louis xv., to incite sweden to declare war against russia, that the semi-barbaric power of the north, just beginning to emerge into greatness, might be so occupied as not to be able to render any assistance to austria. france also agreed to guarantee lower silesia, with breslau, to frederick, and to send two armies, of forty thousand men each, one across the upper and the other across the lower rhine, to co-operate with his prussian majesty. the forty thousand men on the upper rhine were to take position in the vicinity of the electorate of hanover, which belonged to george ii. of england, prepared to act immediately in concert with the prussian army at g?tten under the “old dessauer,” in seizing hanover resistlessly, should england make the slightest move toward sending troops to the aid of maria theresa.
the prospects of maria theresa seemed now quite desperate. we know not that history records a more inglorious act than that europe should have thus combined to take advantage of the youth and inexperience of this young queen, weeping over the grave of her father, and trembling in view of her own approaching hour of anguish, by wresting from her the inheritance which had descended to her from her ancestors. france and272 germany, inspired by the most intense motives of selfish ambition, were to fall upon her, while the most effectual precautions were adopted to prevent russia and england from coming to her aid.
frederick’s interview with valori.
in carrying forward these intrigues at the camp of frederick, the count of belleisle had an associate minister in the embassy, m. de valori. a slight incident occurred in connection with this minister which would indicate, in the view of most persons, that frederick did not cherish a very high sense of honor. m. valori was admitted to an audience with his prussian majesty. during the interview, as the french minister drew his hand from his pocket, he accidentally dropped a note upon the floor. frederick, perceiving it, slyly placed his foot upon it. as soon as the minister had bowed himself out, frederick eagerly seized the273 note and read it. it contained some secret instructions to m. valori from the french court, directing him not to give glatz to his prussian majesty if it could possibly be avoided. frederick did not perceive any thing ignoble in this act of his, for he records it himself;56 neither does mr. carlyle condemn him.57 most readers will probably regard it as highly dishonorable.
on the 8th of june the english and dutch ministers, not yet aware of the alliance into which frederick had entered with france, presented the joint resolution of their two courts, exhorting frederick to withdraw his army from silesia. lord hyndford, who was somewhat annoyed by the apparent impolicy of the measure just at that time, solicited and obtained a private audience with the king, hoping by apologies and explanations to make the summons a little less unpalatable to his majesty. in the brief interview which ensued lord hyndford appealed to the magnanimity of the king, declaring that it would be generous and noble for him to accept moderate terms from austria. the king angrily interrupted him, saying,
“my lord, do not talk to me of magnanimity. a prince ought, in the first place, to consult his interest. i am not opposed to peace. but i expect to have four duchies given me.”
maria theresa was much encouraged by the subsidy she had received from england. she was not yet informed of the formidable alliance into which france, with a portion of germany, had entered for her destruction. about the 20th of june she left vienna for presburg, in hungary, a drive of about fifty miles. here, on the 25th of june, 1741, she was crowned queen of hungary. she was a very beautiful woman in person, devout in spirit, and those who admire manly developments in the female character must regard her as presenting the highest type of womanhood. she merits the following beautiful tribute to her worth from the pen of carlyle:
“as to the brave young queen of hungary, my admiration goes with that of all the world. not in the language of flattery, but of evident fact, the royal qualities abound in that high274 young lady. had they left the world, and grown to mere costume elsewhere, you might find certain of them again here. most brave, high and pious minded; beautiful too, and radiant with good-nature, though of temper that will easily catch fire; there is, perhaps, no nobler woman then living. and she fronts the roaring elements in a truly grand, feminine manner, as if heaven itself and the voice of duty called her. ‘the inheritances which my fathers left me, we will not part with these. death if it so must be, but not dishonor.’
“this, for the present, is her method of looking at the matter; this magnanimous, heroic, and occasionally somewhat female one. her husband, the grand-duke, an inert but good-tempered, well-conditioned duke, after his sort, goes with her. now, as always, he follows loyally his wife’s lead, never she his. wife being intrinsically as well as extrinsically the better man, what other can he do?”
the ceremony of coronation was attended, near presburg, on the 25th of june, with much semi-barbaric splendor, as the iron crown58 of st. stephen was placed upon the pale, beautiful brow of the young wife and mother. all the renowned chivalry of hungary were assembled upon that field. they came in gorgeous costume, with embroidered banners, and accompanied by imposing retinues. at the close of the ceremonies, the queen, who was distinguished as a bold rider, mounted a swift charger, and, followed by a long retinue of magyar warriors, galloped to the top of a small eminence artificially constructed for the occasion, called the k?nigsburg, or king’s hill, where she drew her sword, and, flourishing it toward the four quarters of the heavens, bade defiance to any adversary who should venture to question her claims. the knightly warriors who crowded the plain flashed their swords in the sunlight, as with one accord, with chivalric devotion, they vowed fidelity to their queen.
