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14 - With Frederick The Great - A Story of the Seven Years' War by G A Henty · With Frederick The Great: A Story of the Seven Years' War

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  Speaker 1: Gary Olwen, Chapter thirteen. Hotchkirch. The village of Hotchkirch stood
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  Speaker 1: on a hilltop with an extensive view for miles round
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  Speaker 1: on all sides, save on the south, where the hills
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  Speaker 1: rose one above another. Along these hills was one called
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  Speaker 1: the Devil's Hill, where the primitive county people believed that
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  Speaker 1: the devil and his witches held high festival once a year.
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  Speaker 1: Frederick's right wing, which was commanded by Keith, lay in
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  Speaker 1: Hotchkirsch beyond the village. He had four battalions and a
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  Speaker 1: battery of twenty guns on the next height to Hotchkirsch.
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  Speaker 1: From this point to the Devil's Hill extended a thick
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  Speaker 1: wood in which a strong body of crowts were lurking. Frederick,
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  Speaker 1: with the center, extended four miles to the left of Hotchkirch. Ritso,
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  Speaker 1: who had been restored to his command, that ten or
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  Speaker 1: twelve thousand men lying in or behind Wissenberg four miles away.
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  Speaker 1: Frederick's force with that of Keith, amounted to twenty eight
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  Speaker 1: thousand men, and writ House command was too far away
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  Speaker 1: to be considered as available. Dawn's force, lying within a
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  Speaker 1: mile of Hotskirch, amounted to ninety thousand men. Well, might
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  Speaker 1: Keith say that the Austrians deserved to be hanged if
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  Speaker 1: they did not attack. Frederick himself was somewhat uneasy and
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  Speaker 1: would have moved away on the Friday night had he
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  Speaker 1: not been waiting for the arrival of a convoy of
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  Speaker 1: provisions from Bortsen. Still, he relied upon Dawn's inactivity. This time, however,
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  Speaker 1: his reliance was falsified. All Dawn's generals were of the
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  Speaker 1: opinion that it would be disgraceful were they to stand
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  Speaker 1: on the defensive against an army practically less than a
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  Speaker 1: third of their force, and their spostulations at Lence roused
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  Speaker 1: Dawn into activity. Once decided his dispositions were, as usual excellent,
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  Speaker 1: his plan was an able one. He himself, with thirty
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  Speaker 1: thousand men, was to dart as soon as it was
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  Speaker 1: dark on Friday evening, sweep round to the south, follow
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  Speaker 1: the base of the Devil's Mountain, and then through the
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  Speaker 1: hollows in thick Wood till he was close to the
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  Speaker 1: force on the right of Hotchkirsh and was to fall
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  Speaker 1: suddenly on them at five o'clock on Saturday morning. The
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  Speaker 1: orders were that as soon as Hotchkirch was taken the
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  Speaker 1: rest of the army, sixty thousand strong, with a march
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  Speaker 1: against Frederick both in front and on his left, and
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  Speaker 1: so completely smashed and crumpled him up. Frederick had no
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  Speaker 1: premonition of the storm that was gathering. On Thursday and Friday.
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  Speaker 1: The Austrians were engaged as usual in felling trees, forming
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  Speaker 1: a badnis, throwing up earthquakes, and in all ways strengthening
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  Speaker 1: their position. Everything seemed to show that Dawn was still
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  Speaker 1: bent upon standing upon the defensive, only as the lurking
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  Speaker 1: croats and pandurs had every night crept up to the
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  Speaker 1: brushwood and hollow and skirmished with the Prussian outpots away
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  Speaker 1: on the right. Scattered firing was not heated much. In Hotchkirsh,
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  Speaker 1: Fergus had just got up in the little room he
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  Speaker 1: shared with Lindsey in the Marshall's quarters, a mile north
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  Speaker 1: of Hotchkirsh, and was putting on his boots when a
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  Speaker 1: few minutes past five the sound of firing was heard.
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  Speaker 1: There are the croats as usual, He said, what a
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  Speaker 1: restless fellow you are, Drummond. You've been up at this
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  Speaker 1: and earthly hour each morning. Since we got here it
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  Speaker 1: won't be late for another two hours. Yet I doubt
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  Speaker 1: whether it will be light. Then it looked to me
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  Speaker 1: as if it were a thick fog. You were right
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  Speaker 1: about my early hours, and I admit I have been restless.
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  Speaker 1: It is not a pleasant idea that but a mile
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  Speaker 1: away there is an army big enough to eat us up,
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  Speaker 1: and nothing whatever to prevent their pouncing upon us at
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  Speaker 1: any moment except two or three batteries. The Marshal was
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  Speaker 1: saying last night, he should regard it as the most
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  Speaker 1: fortunate escape he ever had. If we drew off safely
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  Speaker 1: tonight without being attacked. The firing is heavier than usual.
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  Speaker 1: There go a couple of guns, those two advanced pieces,
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  Speaker 1: ascending around or two a case shot into the bushes,
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  Speaker 1: I suppose, Lindsey said drowsily. Fergus completed his dressing and
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  Speaker 1: went downstairs and out into the night. Here he could
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  Speaker 1: hear much better than in the room above, which had
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  Speaker 1: but one loophole for air and light, and that was
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  Speaker 1: almost stopped up with a whisper of straw. He could
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  Speaker 1: now plainly hear volley fiery and a continual crackle of musketry.
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  Speaker 1: He ran upstairs again. You had better get your things
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  Speaker 1: on it once, Lindsey, it is a more serious affair
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  Speaker 1: than usual. I shall take it upon myself to wake
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  Speaker 1: the Marshal. He went to Keat's door, knocked and opened it.
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  Speaker 1: Who is there? What is it? The Marshal asked, It
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  Speaker 1: is I Drummond. Sir. There heavy firing going on to
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  Speaker 1: the right, much heavier than it has been any other night.
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  Speaker 1: What o'clock is it? About? Ten minutes past five? Sir?
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  Speaker 1: There is a thick mist and it is pitch dark.
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  Speaker 1: Shall I go over and inquire what is going on? Yes?
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  Speaker 1: Do I expect that those rascally croats have been reinforced
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  Speaker 1: and are trying to find out whether we are still
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  Speaker 1: in our positions. I will be back as soon as
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  Speaker 1: I can. Sir. Fergus ran round to the low range
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  Speaker 1: of sheds in which their horses were stable. Call are
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  Speaker 1: you there? He shouted? Yes. Major A voice said close in, Anne,
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  Speaker 1: I am listening to all that firing. Saddle up at once.
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  Speaker 1: You may as well ride with me. I am going
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  Speaker 1: to see what it is all about. A lantern was
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  Speaker 1: burning in the shed, and by its light Fergus and
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  Speaker 1: the orderly rapidly saddle the horses. You had better light
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  Speaker 1: two more lanterns, call, leave the one on the wall burning,
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  Speaker 1: We will take the others. We shall want them, for
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  Speaker 1: one cannot see a horse's length away, and if we
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  Speaker 1: had not the sound of firing to guide us, we
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  Speaker 1: should soon lose our way all together. The light enabled
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  Speaker 1: them to go at a fairly fast trot, but they
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  Speaker 1: trusted rather to their horses than to their own eyes.
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  Speaker 1: The roar and rattle of the firing increased in volume
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  Speaker 1: every minute. That is more than an affair with the
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  Speaker 1: croats called a good deal more major. It looks as
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  Speaker 1: if the Austrians were beating up our quarters in earnest
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  Speaker 1: it does. Indeed, when they reached Hotchkirsh, they found the
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  Speaker 1: troops there astir. The cavalry trumpets were sounding to horse,
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  Speaker 1: and the clamber around the village told that the troops
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  Speaker 1: and camps there were getting under arms. Do you know
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  Speaker 1: what is going on? To the right, Sir Fergus, asked
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  Speaker 1: a field officer who was in the act of mounting.
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  Speaker 1: Marshal Keith had sent me to inquire, not in the least,
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  Speaker 1: but as far as I can tell by the sound
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  Speaker 1: they must be attacking us in force, and they seemed
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  Speaker 1: to be working round in rear of our battery. There.
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  Speaker 1: The sound is certainly coming this way. Then I will
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  Speaker 1: go on to the battery. Fergus said, He had ridden
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  Speaker 1: but a little word, father, when he was convinced that
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  Speaker 1: the officer was right. The crash of musketry vodys rose continuously,
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  Speaker 1: but although the boom of guns was mingled with it,
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  Speaker 1: there was nothing like the continuous fire that might have
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  Speaker 1: been expected from a twenty gun battery. Suddenly, from his
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  Speaker 1: right a crackle of firing broke out, and then heavy volleys.
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  Speaker 1: The bullets sung overhead. They are attacking us in the rear, Sir,
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  Speaker 1: Sure enough, Carl said, I'm afraid they have captured our
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  Speaker 1: big battery. Call Fergus said, as he turned his horse.
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  Speaker 1: It was but a few hundred yards back to the village,
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  Speaker 1: but just as he reached it a roar of fire
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  Speaker 1: broke out from its rear. They could make their way
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  Speaker 1: but slowly along the streets, So crowded were they now,
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  Speaker 1: with infantry, who unable to see until a yard two away,
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  Speaker 1: could not make room for them to pass as they
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  Speaker 1: would otherwise have done. For a staff officer with feverish impatience.
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  Speaker 1: Fergus pushed on until the road was clear, but even
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  Speaker 1: now he had to go comparatively slowly, for unless they
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  Speaker 1: kept to the track across the open ground that led
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  Speaker 1: to the farmhouse, they must miss it all together. Lights
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  Speaker 1: were moving about there as he rode up. Keith himself
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  Speaker 1: was at the door, and the orderlies were bringing up
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  Speaker 1: the horses. What is it, Major Drummond, It is an
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  Speaker 1: attacking force, Sir. On the right flank and rear the
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  Speaker 1: enemy have crept up between Hotchkirch and our battery, and
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  Speaker 1: as they came through the village they were attacking it
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  Speaker 1: in the rear. I cannot say for certain, but I
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  Speaker 1: believe that the battery is taken, though there is a
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  Speaker 1: heavy infantry fire still going on there. Right to Zethan,
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  Speaker 1: Captain lindsay give him the news and tell him to
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  Speaker 1: fall upon the Austrians. Captain Kosa and Captain Goryon right
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  Speaker 1: off to the infantry and bring them up at the double.
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  Speaker 1: I will take on the Kannica battalion myself. And he
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  Speaker 1: rode down at months to the camp of his battalion,
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  Speaker 1: which was but one hundred yards away. Dispatching others of
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  Speaker 1: his staff to hasten up the regiments near the Cannicut.
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  Speaker 1: The battalion was already under arms and marched off with
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  Speaker 1: him as soon as he arrived. I am going to
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  Speaker 1: the left of the village, Fergus, as shall make for
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  Speaker 1: the battery which we must retake. Do you go first
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  Speaker 1: into Hotchkirch and see how matters go there? If badly,
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  Speaker 1: give my orders to the colonel of the first battalion
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  Speaker 1: that comes along, and tell him to throw himself into
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  Speaker 1: the village and assist to hold it to the last.
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  Speaker 1: After that, you must be guided by circumstances. It is
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  Speaker 1: doubtful if you will ever find me again in this
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  Speaker 1: black mist. Fergus handed his lantern to Keith's orderly, who
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  Speaker 1: took his place at the side of the marshall. As
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  Speaker 1: the regiment went off at the double, Fergus rode up
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  Speaker 1: to the village. It was scarce twenty minutes since he
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  Speaker 1: had left it, but it was evident that a furious
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  Speaker 1: fight was raging there, and that the Austrians had already
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  Speaker 1: penetrated some distance into its streets. Without hesitation, he turned
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  Speaker 1: and rode back again, and in a few minutes met
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  Speaker 1: a dark body of men coming along at a rapid run.
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  Speaker 1: Where is the colonel, he asked, reining in his horse suddenly,
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  Speaker 1: for he had nearly ridden into the midst of them.
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  Speaker 1: Just ahead of us. To the right, Sir, In a
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  Speaker 1: minute Fergus was beside him. By the light that cal carried.
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  Speaker 1: He recognized him. Major Laney said, I have the Marshal's
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  Speaker 1: orders that you should march into Hotchkirch and hold it
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  Speaker 1: to the last. The Austrians already in partial possession of it.
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  Speaker 1: Which way is it, Major Drummond, For in this mist
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  Speaker 1: I've almost lost my direction, and there seems to be
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  Speaker 1: firing going on everywhere. Ahead. I will direct you, Fergus said,
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  Speaker 1: I have just come from there, and he tried back
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  Speaker 1: to the village. As they approached Hotchkirch, it was evident
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  Speaker 1: that although the defenders were still clinging to its outskirts,
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  Speaker 1: the greater portion was lost. But with a cheer, the
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  Speaker 1: battalion rushed forward and was in a moment fiercely engaged.
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  Speaker 1: Major Lang's horse fell dead under him, struck by an
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  Speaker 1: Austrian bullet. Fergus rode into the first house he came
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  Speaker 1: to dismounted and left his horse there. You may as
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  Speaker 1: well leave yours here too, Karl. We can do no
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  Speaker 1: good with him, and should only be in the way.
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  Speaker 1: When it begins to get light, we will try and
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  Speaker 1: find the marshal. You may as well get hold of
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  Speaker 1: the first musket and ammunition pouch that you can pick up.
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  Speaker 1: There will be enough for every man to do to
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  Speaker 1: hold his place until more reinforcements come up. A desperate
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  Speaker 1: struggle went on in the streets. The Prussians who had
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  Speaker 1: been driven back joined the battalion just arrived. Bayonets and
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  Speaker 1: the butt end of the musket were used rather than shot,
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  Speaker 1: for in the mistfriend could not be distinguished from foe
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  Speaker 1: five yards away, and it was from their shouts, rather
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  Speaker 1: than by their uniforms that men knew whether they had
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  Speaker 1: one or the other in front of them. Calm was
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  Speaker 1: not long in finding arms, and taking his place in
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  Speaker 1: the ranks, was soon at work with the others. The
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  Speaker 1: village was almost circular in shape, clustered as it were
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  Speaker 1: on the top of the hill. The struggle was not
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  Speaker 1: confined to one street, but raged in half a dozen,
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  Speaker 1: more or less parallel with each other. Gradually, the Prussians
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  Speaker 1: pressed forward and had more than half cleared the village
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  Speaker 1: when their advance was checked by the arrival of fresh
• 12:38
  Speaker 1: battalions of the Austrians. Then Laying threw his men into
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  Speaker 1: the church and churchyard, and there stubbornly maintained themselves. Soon
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  Speaker 1: flames burst out from various directions, giving a welcoming light
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  Speaker 1: to the defenders and enabling them to keep up so
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  Speaker 1: heavy a fire upon the now swarming enemy that they
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  Speaker 1: repulsed each attack made upon them. Eight battalions of Austrians
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  Speaker 1: in vain tried to capture the position, attacking it on
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  Speaker 1: every side, but the stubborn Prussians held firmly to it. Meanwhile,
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  Speaker 1: beyond as far as the battery, the fight raged. The
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  Speaker 1: ploth Thal battalion, which had been stationed in advance of it,
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  Speaker 1: had been attacked and enveloped on all sides by the Austrians,
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  Speaker 1: but had defended themselves splendidly, and though forced back by
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  Speaker 1: sheer weight of numbers, had maintained their order and done
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  Speaker 1: heavy execution by their fire. The battery had been lost,
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  Speaker 1: but those who had been driven out rallied and with
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  Speaker 1: the ploth Though men made so furious a rush forward
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  Speaker 1: that they hurled the Austrians out again. It was but
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  Speaker 1: a few minutes, for such masses of the enemy poured
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  Speaker 1: up through the mists that there was no withstanding them,
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  Speaker 1: and many of the Prussians were taken prisoner. Their captivity
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  Speaker 1: was of short duration. Through the miss Nathan's horse burst
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  Speaker 1: out suddenly into the raging tumult scattered. The Austrians released
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  Speaker 1: the prisoners and were then off to fall upon fresh
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  Speaker 1: enemies as soon as they discovered their position. Everywhere, isolated
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  Speaker 1: combats took place, battalion after battalion, and squadron after squadron.
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  Speaker 1: As it arrived, flung itself upon the first enemy it
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  Speaker 1: came upon in the darkness. Keith On reaching the battery,
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  Speaker 1: again retook it, but again the Austrian masses obtained possession.
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  Speaker 1: In and around Hotchkirch, similar desperate struggles were going on,
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  Speaker 1: none fled, but falling back until meeting another battalion. Hastening up,
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  Speaker 1: reformed and charged again. Zithan's horse, together with the rest
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  Speaker 1: of the cavalry and gendarmes and gendarmes mingled with staff,
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  Speaker 1: officers and others who had lost their way, continued to
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  Speaker 1: make furious charges against the oil Austrians, pressing round the
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  Speaker 1: rear of the position and holding them in check until
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  Speaker 1: its cartridges were all spent. Lang's battalion held the churchyard,
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  Speaker 1: though its numbers were terribly lessened by the Austrian fire.
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  Speaker 1: Then the major calder boness men to form in a
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  Speaker 1: mass and cut their way through the enemy with the bayonet.
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  Speaker 1: This they most gallantly did, losing many but the remnant
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  Speaker 1: they emerged from the village, the gallant leader wounded to
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  Speaker 1: death among them. Fergus and Carls separated themselves from them,
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  Speaker 1: ran to the house where they had left their horses,
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  Speaker 1: mounted and galloped off. By this time the center was
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  Speaker 1: coming up, led by the king himself. As they neared Hochkirch,
• 15:44
  Speaker 1: a canniball took off the head of Frank of Brunswick,
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  Speaker 1: the King's youngest brother in law, Prince Maurice of Dassau.
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  Speaker 1: Riding in the dark till within twenty miles of the Austrians,
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  Speaker 1: was badly hit, and the storm of case and musket
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  Speaker 1: bullets that swept the approaches to Hotchkirch was so terrible
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  Speaker 1: that Frederick's battalion had to fall back. The first thing
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  Speaker 1: is to find the Marshal, Fergus said as he rode
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  Speaker 1: out of Hotchkirsh, he must be somewhere to the right.
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  Speaker 1: Before he could extricate himself, Fergus was surrounded by Austrians.
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  Speaker 1: He galloped on until a flash of fire broke out
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  Speaker 1: a few hours in front. His horse fell dead under him,
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  Speaker 1: and before he could extricate himself from it, he was
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  Speaker 1: surrounded by Austrians and offer shouted at him to surrender,
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  Speaker 1: and seeing the hopelessness of resistance, he at once did so.
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  Speaker 1: He looked round and to his satisfaction, saw nothing a call.
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  Speaker 1: He was placed in the midst of the Austrian regiment,
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  Speaker 1: under the charge of a sergeant, and told that he
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  Speaker 1: would be shot if he tried to escape. Frederick, with
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  Speaker 1: more battalions that had come up, pushed on, thrusting the
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  Speaker 1: Austrians back until they had left Hotchkirsh on his left.
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  Speaker 1: But by this time it was past eight o'clock. The
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  Speaker 1: fog was dispersing, and he saw a great body of
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: Austrians on the heights to his right from wardits to Meschdouts,
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  Speaker 1: as well as on the whole line of heights on
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  Speaker 1: the left. His only line of retreat therefore, was along
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  Speaker 1: at the foot of the Dressau Heights. These he ordered
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  Speaker 1: to be seized at once. This was done before the
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: Austrians could reach the spot, they being hindered by furious
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: charges by Zeithen from the open ground between cumshualts and cannets,
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: and Frederick rearranged his front to battle and waited for
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: Ritzau to come up with the left wing. The Austrians
• 17:45
  Speaker 1: tried several attacks, but with little success. They too had
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: been hindered and confused by the mist and the force
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  Speaker 1: that had been engaged in and round hirzkat At Supper
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  Speaker 1: terribly and they pushed forward but feebly. Now the depression
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  Speaker 1: guns on the heights were able to open fire upon them.
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  Speaker 1: Ritzou was long in coming, for he too had been
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  Speaker 1: attacked by twenty thousand men who had been told off
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  Speaker 1: by dawn for the purpose. The attack, however, was badly
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  Speaker 1: managed and feeble, but it delayed Ritstou from making a
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  Speaker 1: start when Frederick's urgent messages reached him. During this anxious delay,
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  Speaker 1: the Austrians captured Frederick's main battery of thirty guns north
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  Speaker 1: of road Wits, and were beginning to press forward when
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: Ritzou came on to the ground and took up a
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: position at Belgium, covering Frederick's left. Frank had he been
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  Speaker 1: an hour sooner, he might have saved the heavy battery,
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  Speaker 1: which lay beyond the range of the guns on the
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  Speaker 1: Dressal Heights, and which Frederick could not have supported without
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  Speaker 1: bringing on a general battle. Then, in a steady and
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: leisurely manner, the king drew off his forces and took
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  Speaker 1: up a new position from Kruwitz to Puswitz, carrying off
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  Speaker 1: the whole of his baggage. Ritzau and the troops of
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  Speaker 1: the Deso Heights covering the movement until all had passed
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  Speaker 1: Dawn and his great army standing on their circle of hills,
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  Speaker 1: watching but not interfering with the movements. Frederick's rationists had
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  Speaker 1: cost him deer. He had lost eight thousand men, five thousand,
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  Speaker 1: three hundred and eighty one of them and one hundred
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  Speaker 1: and nineteen officers killed or prisoners, the rest wounded. He
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  Speaker 1: had also lost one hundred and one guns and most
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: of his tents. Of the Austrians, three hundred and twenty
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: five officers and five thousand, six hundred and fourteen rank
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: and file were killed or wounded, and a thousand prisoners lost.
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: Twenty thousand of their men deserted during their passage through
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: the dark and intricate woods. Fergus remained with the regiment
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: that had captured him until the battle ceased, after which
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: he was taken under God to the spot where the
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: Prussian prisoners were gathered. Of these there were fifty eight officers,
• 20:10
  Speaker 1: the greater part of whom were more or less severely wounded.
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: Two of the officers belonged to the Kanaka battalion, and
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: from them Fergus asked for news of Marshal Keith. We
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: fear he is killed. One said he led us into
• 20:25
  Speaker 1: the battery, and he was with us after we were
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: driven out again. But after that neither of us saw them.
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: Everything was in confusion. We could not see twenty yards anyway.
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: We know that the battalion had suffered terribly just before
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: we were captured, Being with a score of men cut
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: off from the rest by a rush of Raustrians, a
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: rumor spread that the Marshal had been killed, but more
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: than this we cannot tell. Two hours later, an Austrian
• 20:55
  Speaker 1: officer rode up with orders that the prisoners were to
• 20:58
  Speaker 1: be marched further to the rear. Fergus went up to
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: him and said, can you tell me, sir, if Marshal
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: Keith is among the killed. I am one of his
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: aides de camp, and moreover a cousin of his. Yes,
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: the officer said, he has fallen. His body was recognized
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: by General Lacy, who commands here. I am on his staff.
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: The general was greatly affected, for he and the Marshal
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: at Wudnheim comrades in arms. The marshal was shot through
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: the heart and had previously received two other wounds. He
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: was a most gallant soldier and one highly esteemed by us.
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: He will be buried with all military honors at Hoshkirch,
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: where he has been carried. Fergus was deeply moved. Keith
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: had been so uniformly kind that he had come to
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: feel from almost as a father. He could not speak
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: for a minute, and then said, would you ask General Lacy, sir,
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: to allow me to attend his funeral, both as one
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: of the marshals and as a relation who loved it
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: very dearly. My name is Major Drummond. I will certainly
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: ask him, sir, and have no doubt that he will
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: grant the request. He thereupon gave orders that a young
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: officer should remain with Fergus until an answer was received.
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: He then rode off, and in a few minutes the
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: rest of the prisoners were marched away. In half an
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: hour the officer returned, General Lacy will be gone if
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: you will accompany me to his quarters. He gladly accedes
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: to your request. Lacey occupied one of the houses at Hotchkirsh,
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: which had been spared by the flames. The Aid de
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: camp conducted Fergus to an empty room. The General is
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: away at present, he said, but we'll see you as
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: soon as he returns. When alone, Fergus burst into tears.
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: It was indeed a heavy loss to him. Even before
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: he came out, he had come to regard Keith with
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: deep respect and admiration. He had heard so much of
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: him from his mother that it seemed to him that
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: their relationship was far closer than it really was, and
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: that Keith stood in the position of an uncle rather
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: than of his mother's cousin. Since he had been in Germany,
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: he had been constantly with him, save when he was
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: away with the King, and the genial kindness, the absence
• 23:23
  Speaker 1: of all formality and the affectionate interest he had shown
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: in him had been almost of a fatherly nature. It
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: was but a poor consolation to know that it was
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: the death Keith would, of all others, have chosen, and
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: that had he survived the campaign, he would probably have
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: been obliged to retire from active service, or to take
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: some quiet command, where his inactivity would speedily have chased
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: him beyond bearing after so active and stirring life. Two
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: hours later, the officer entered the room and said General
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: Lacey had returned and would see him. The General was
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: alone when he was shown into his room, and his
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: face evinced a momentary surprise when his eyes fell on Fergus.
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: Promotion was not very rapid in the Prussian Army, and
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: he expected to see a manner between thirty and forty.
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: The sight of this young officer, with the rank and
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: insignia of major and wearing on his breast the Prussian
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: orders surprised him. I was sorry, indeed for your loss,
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: Major Drummond, he said in English, sorry for my own too,
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: And though it may well be that in any case
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: Keith and I should never have met again, but we
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: were comrades once, and like everyone else, I loved him.
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: What relation was he to you? He was my mother's
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: first cousin general, but they were always dear friends and
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: half year's written regularly to each other, and it was
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: settled that I should come out to him as soon
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: as I was old enough. It's upwards of two years
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: since I did so, and he has been more like
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: a father than a cousin to me during that time.
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: You've gone up the tree fast, General, Lacey said, very fast, sir.
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: But I owe it to good fortune and not to
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: his influence. I was, in each case promoted by the
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: King himself, a good judge of men, and not accustomed
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: to give promotion easily. Will you tell me how it happened?
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: There is not much to tell, sir. On the first occasion,
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: I freed Count Ellen first of some rascals who were
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: maltreating him and his family. I remember this circumstances, Lacey
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: said warmly. I heard it from a Saxon officer who
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: joined us. He was at Dresden for a time and
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: heard the story. It was a gallant business. I think
• 25:43
  Speaker 1: you killed six of them. And what was the next occasion?
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: The next followed very quickly, General, and was given for
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: carrying an order to the Prussian horse, which enabled them
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: to get back to our lines before the Austrian cavalry
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: fell upon them. I was there, lay, he said, So
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: you were the officer charged through a squadron of our
• 26:04
  Speaker 1: cavalry accompanied by a single Orderly, you certainly won your
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: promotion fairly there? And where did you get your last step?
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: At Zondorf? Where in the melee where the Russians broke
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: our ranks, I was fortunate enough to intercept three Russian
• 26:20
  Speaker 1: dragoons who were making for the king, who was hemmed
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: in among the infantry. He was trying to rally a
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: good reason again for promotion. Well, if you go on,
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: you are likely to rise as high as your cousin.
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: But it is a poor life. As I look down
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: upon Keith's faith today, I thought, how empty is any
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: honor that adventurers like ourselves can gain? I myself have
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: risen to. But what does it bring? Responsibility toil the
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: consciousness that a solitary mistake may bring you into disgrace,
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: and that in any case the end may be like this,
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: death on a battlefield, lighting in a quir on which
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: you have no concern, and of which you may disapprove
• 27:05
  Speaker 1: a grave soon forgotten, a name scarce known to one's countrymen.
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: It is not worth it, the General spoke, in a
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: tone of deep feeling. I have made up my mind
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: not to continue in the service after the war is over,
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: Fergus said, after a short pause. Although the King has
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: personally been very kind to me, and when the Marshal
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: remained in Bohemia he took me on his own staff.
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: That is right, and as you are young, a few
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: years further service would do you no harm. It will
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: indeed do you good, that is, if you pass through
• 27:38
  Speaker 1: it unharmed. A man who has fought under Frederick can
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: gain no small honor in service where brave men are come,
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: and will be respected when he returns to his home,
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: no matter how small this petrimony may be, And you
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: will be in all respect enabler man for these few
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: years of fierce struggle and adventure. And now Major Rummond,
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: I must say goodbye for the present, as I have
• 28:02
  Speaker 1: to ride over to the Marshal and may not return
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: and wait this evening. The meal will be served to
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: you shortly in your room, and if your knight has
• 28:13
  Speaker 1: been as short as mine has, you'll be ready to
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: turn in early. The funeral will take place tomorrow morning.
• 28:21
  Speaker 1: The next morning, Lacy and Fergus Strummer walk side by
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: side as chief mourners. After the gun carriage in which
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: the remains of Marshall Keith were carried to Hotchkirch Church,
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: there was a large military cortege, martial music and infantry
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: with reversed arms. The many wounded had been carried from
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: the church and some attempt made to clear away the
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: signs of strifes that had, twenty four hours before raged
• 28:49
  Speaker 1: around it. There Keith was buried twelve cannon three times,
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: peeled out a parting salute three times. The muskets of
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: the Regiment of Cold Lorito fired their volleys. Four months later,
• 29:03
  Speaker 1: by the King's orders, the body was conveyed to Berlin
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: and buried in the Garrison Church with full military pomp
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: and honor. Twenty years afterwards, when Frederick erected four statues
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: to the most deserving of his general, Keith had his
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: place with Chorewin, Winterfield and Seedlets and now Lacey said,
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: when they returned from the funeral to his quarters, I
• 29:28
  Speaker 1: must send you on after the others. I'm sorry to
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: do so, but I have no choice still, I will
• 29:34
  Speaker 1: write to friends at Vienna and get them to have
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: you included in the first batch of exchanges. An officer
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: was told off to accompany Fergus and a horse found
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: for him. On the second evening after starting, he rejoined
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: the convoy of prisoners, where a message delivered from General
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: Lacey to the officer in charge caused many small indulgences
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: to be granted to him. On the way south, day
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: after day, the convoy pursued its way by short marches,
• 30:06
  Speaker 1: for several of the officers were too severely wounded to
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: travel far. Several of those were left at Prague here
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: the greater portion of the others was taken on by
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: the southern road through Budweiss, the rest turning southeast towards Moravia.
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: On the evening before they separated, the commander of the
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: convoy said to Fergus, have you any wish to choose
• 30:31
  Speaker 1: as to which of the fortresses you would be sent to?
• 30:34
  Speaker 1: I can put your name down with either party. Some
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: will go to Iglau in Moravia, the rest to the
• 30:41
  Speaker 1: forts around Lynz. I think I would rather go to Lynz, Colonel,
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: as you are good enough to give me the choice Accordingly.
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: The next morning, Fergus, with twenty officers, continued his way south.
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: The majority proceeded to Iglow, to be distributed among the
• 30:58
  Speaker 1: various fortresses of Moravia. Fergus was much pleased that he
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: had not been sent with that party, for Adie, by
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: chance been taken to his former place of imprisonment, he
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: would certainly have been recognized, and the strictest precautions taken
• 31:14
  Speaker 1: against his repeating the attempt. On their arrival at Lynz,
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: the prisoners were formally handed over to the charge of
• 31:23
  Speaker 1: the governor and distributed among the various outlying forts around
• 31:28
  Speaker 1: the city. Ten others were told off to the same
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: prison as Fergus. The fort was the one nearest to
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: the river on the west side of the city, and
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: stood but one hundred yards from the bank, its guns
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: being intended to prevent any passage of the Danube, as
• 31:45
  Speaker 1: well as to guard the city against the land attack
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: from that side. It was a strong place, but as
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: it was situated in a flat country, it presented no
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: natural obstacle to escape. It was surrounded by a broad
• 31:59
  Speaker 1: moat fed by cut from the river. On the other
• 32:02
  Speaker 1: side of the moat were two small redoused facing west.
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: The fort contained ample barracks for the garrison of three
• 32:09
  Speaker 1: hundred men, who occupied it with bomb proofs in which
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: they could take refuge in the event of a siege.
• 32:17
  Speaker 1: Beyond the moat, a glacis sloped down to another ditch.
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: The cannon were placed in casemates, Some of them had
• 32:24
  Speaker 1: been withdrawn. The casemates fitted with massive shutters and converted
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: into prison for the use of offices. Two captains were
• 32:34
  Speaker 1: lodged in the same casemate with Fergus. No light came
• 32:38
  Speaker 1: from without, but there was a low, semi circular window
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: over the door. This was very strongly barred, but admitted
• 32:45
  Speaker 1: sufficient light in the daytime. Not such bad quarter, as
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: Fergus said as he looked round. When the cold weather comes,
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: we shall only have stuff straw through those bars, leaving
• 32:57
  Speaker 1: one square open for light, and managed to hang it
• 33:00
  Speaker 1: thick curtain across it at night. I suppose they will
• 33:03
  Speaker 1: give us a brazier of charcoal when he gets a
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: little colder, though indeed it is cold enough now. At
• 33:10
  Speaker 1: any rate, we shall have a rest major, and that
• 33:14
  Speaker 1: will be a treat after our long marches during the
• 33:17
  Speaker 1: last campaign. I should think we can sleep the best
• 33:21
  Speaker 1: part of the winter away. They fastened the shutters pretty securely.
• 33:26
  Speaker 1: Focus went on. They are three inches of solid oak,
• 33:30
  Speaker 1: and you see these walls all riveted at each head.
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: I suppose they think that they would have plenty of
• 33:36
  Speaker 1: time to cut the rivet heads off before any army
• 33:39
  Speaker 1: could approach. In a short time, the officer and command
• 33:43
  Speaker 1: of the force came round. He was very civil and courteous,
• 33:47
  Speaker 1: and said that he already ordered a stove to be
• 33:49
  Speaker 1: sent in, and that they should have some straw laid
• 33:53
  Speaker 1: over the floor. You will be permitted to take exercise
• 33:56
  Speaker 1: when you like upon the rampid overhead, he said. Any
• 34:00
  Speaker 1: reasonable request you make shall be attended to. I regret
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: that the misfortune of war should have placed you in
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: my keeping, For we Austrians can appreciate bravery, and we
• 34:12
  Speaker 1: cannot but admit that no braver men are to be
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: found that those in the King of Prussia's army. As
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: to your orations, they must be plain. A certain sum
• 34:23
  Speaker 1: is allowed by government for the cost of each prisoner.
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: I make it go as far as I can, but
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: I often wish that the some were larger. I may
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: say that you are permitted to order any additions to
• 34:35
  Speaker 1: your food from without upon payment. But I need hardly
• 34:39
  Speaker 1: add that the orders must pass through the hands of
• 34:42
  Speaker 1: the officer in charge of you, and that everything brought
• 34:45
  Speaker 1: in is rigidly inspected. Have there been any exchanges the
• 34:50
  Speaker 1: prisoners of late? One of Fergus's companions, asked, no. It
• 34:55
  Speaker 1: is a compliment to you, gentlemen, for our government apparently
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: places higher value on you than on us, and is
• 35:03
  Speaker 1: very charity of swelling Frederick's army by the release of prisoners. Somehow,
• 35:08
  Speaker 1: your king seems to make ws of his soldiers. He
• 35:12
  Speaker 1: fights a battle here, then rushes away to meet another
• 35:15
  Speaker 1: enemy two or three hundred miles off, While when we
• 35:19
  Speaker 1: get an advantage, we seem so satisfied with ourself that
• 35:22
  Speaker 1: we sit still until we have let its advantages slip
• 35:26
  Speaker 1: from our hands. My I ask if by the last news,
• 35:30
  Speaker 1: Marshall Dawn is still near Hotchkirsh He was so as
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: far as the yesterday's courier brought news. At first we
• 35:38
  Speaker 1: thought that he had won a tremendous victory and had
• 35:42
  Speaker 1: eaten up Frederick's army. But the lated news is that
• 35:45
  Speaker 1: the king march safety way and so far from being demolished.
• 35:49
  Speaker 1: He is now perfectly master of his movements, and no
• 35:53
  Speaker 1: doubt for another tussle that we should advance. However, I
• 35:56
  Speaker 1: should imagine that the snow will soon put a stop
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: to active operations. Then, bowing courteously, he left them to
• 36:05
  Speaker 1: pay a visit to the prisoners in the next casemate.
• 36:09
  Speaker 1: End of Chapter thirteen.