history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第29章
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Retzow； Goltz； and two others who need not be of our acquaintance。 Impossible to stay there； thinks the Prince； thinks everybody； and they shift to Neuschloss； westward thirty miles。 July 1st； Daun had crossed the Elbe （Daun let us say for brevity； though it is Daun and Karl； or even Karl and Daun； Karl being chief； and capable of saying so at times； though Daun is very splendent since Kolin）；crossed the Elbe above Brandeis； Nadasti； with precursor Pandours； now within an hour's march of Jung…Bunzlau；and it was time to go。
〃JULY 3d…6th； At Neuschloss； which is thought a strong position； key of the localities there； and nearer Friedrich too； the Prince stayed not quite four days； shifted to Bohm （BohmISCH） Leipa； JULY 7th；rather off from Leitmeritz； but a march towards Zittau； where the provisions are。 'A bad change；' said the Prince's friends afterwards； （change advised by Winterfeld；who never mentioned that circumstance to his Majesty； many as he did mention； not in the best way！'Prince gets to Bohm Leipa July 7th； stays there； in questionable circumstances； nine days。
〃Bohm Leipa is still not above thirty miles northeastward of the King； and it is about the same distance southwestward from Zittau； out of which fine Town； partly by cross…roads； the Prince gets his provisions on this march。 From Zittau hitherward； as far as the little Town of Gabel； which lies about half way； there is broad High Road； the great Southern KAISER…STRASSE： from Gabel； for Bohm Leipa； you have to cross southwestward by country roads； the keys to which； especially Gabel； the Prince has not failed to secure by proper garrison parties。 And so； for about a week； not quite uncomfortably； he continues at Bohm Leipa； getting in his convoys from Zittau。 Diligently scanning the Pandour stragglings and sputterings round him； which are clearly on the increasing hand。 Diligently corresponding with the King； meanwhile； who much discourages undue apprehension； or retreat movement till the last pinch。 'Edging backward； and again backward； you come bounce upon Berlin one day； and will then have to halt！'which is not pleasant to the Prince。 But； indisputably； the Pandour spurts on him do become Pandour gushings； with regulars also noticeable： it is certain the Austrians are out；pretending first to mean the King and Leitmeritz； but knowing better； and meaning the Prince and Bohm Leipa all the while。〃By way of supplement； take Daun's positions in the interim：
Daun and Karl were at Podschernitz 26th June； 1st July； cross the Elbe； above Brandeis （Nadasti now within an hour's march of Jung… Bunzlau）； 7th July （day while the Prince is flitting to Bohm Leipa）； Daun is through Jung…Bunzlau to Munchengratz； thence to Liebenau； 14th； to Niemes； not above four miles from the Prince's rightmost outpost （rightmost or eastmost； which looks away from his Brother）； while a couple of advanced parties； Beck and Maguire； hover on his flank Zittau…ward； and Nadasti （if he knew it） is pushing on to rear。
〃THURSDAY； 14th JULY； About six in the evening； at Bohm Leipa； distinct cannon…thunder is heard from northeast： 'Evidently Gabel getting cannonaded； and our wagon convoy ＇empty； going to Zittau for meal； General Puttkammer escorting＇ is in a dangerous state！' And by and by hussar parties of ours come in； with articulate news to that bad effect： 'Gabel under hot attack of regulars； Puttkammer with his 3；000 vigorously defending； will expect to be relieved within not many hours！' Here has the crisis come。 Crisis sure enough；and the Prince； to meet it； summons that refuge of the irresolute； a Council of War。
〃Winterfeld； who is just come home in these moments； did not attend；not； till three next morning。 Winterfeld had gone to bed； fairly 'tired dead；' with long marching and hurrying about。 To the poor Prince there are three courses visible。 Course FIRST； That of joining the King at Leitmeritz。 Gabel； Zittau lost in that case； game given up；reception likely to be bad at Leitmeritz！ Course SECOND；the course Friedrich himself would at once have gone upon； and been already well ahead with；That of instantly taking measures for the relief of Puttkammer。 Dispute Gabel to the last； retreat； on loss of it； Parthian…like； to Zittau； by that broad Highway； short and broad； whole distance hence only thirty miles。 'Thirty miles；' say the multitude of Counsellors： 'Yes； but the first fifteen； TO Gabel； is cross…road； hilly； difficult； they have us in flank！' 'We are 25；000；' urges the Prince； 'fifteen miles is not much！' The thing had its difficulties： the Prince himself； it appears； faintly thought it feasible： '25；000 we； 20；000 they； only fifteen miles；' said he。 But the variety of Counsellors： 'Cross…roads； defiles； flank…march； dangerous；' said they。 And so the third course； which was incomparably the worst； found favor in Council of War： That of leaving Gabel and Puttkammer to their fate； and of pushing off for Zittau leftwards through the safe Hills； by Kamnitz； Kreywitz； Rumburg；which； if the reader look； is by a circuitous； nay quite parabolic course； twice or thrice as far：'In that manner let us save Zittau and our Main Body！' said the Council of War。 Yes； my friends： a cannon…ball； endeavoring to get into Zittau from the town…ditch； would have to take a parabolic course；and the cannon… ball would be speedy upon it； and not have Hill roads to go by！ This notable parabolic circuit of narrow steep roads may have its difficulties for an Army and its baggages！〃 Enough； the poor Prince adopted that worst third course； and even made no despatch in getting into it； and it proved ruinous to Zittau； and to much else； his own life partly included。
〃JULY 16th…22d。 Thursday night； or Friday 3 A。M。； that third and incomparably worst course was adopted： Gabel； Puttkammer with his wagons； ensigns； kettledrums； all this has to surrender in a day： High Road to Zittau； for the Austrians； is a smooth march； when they like to gather fully there； and start。 And in the Hills； with their jolts and precipitous windings； infested too by Pandours； the poor Prussian Main Body； on its wide parabolic circuit； has a time of it！ Loses its pontoons； loses most of its baggage； obliged to set fire； not to the Pandours； but to your own wagons； and necessaries of army life； encamps on bleak heights； no food； not even water； road quite lost； road to be rediscovered or invented； Pandours sputtering on you out of every bush and hollow； your peasant wagoners cutting traces and galloping off：such are the phenomena of that march by circuit leftward； on the poor Prince's part。 March began； soon after midnight； SATURDAY； 16th； Schmettau as vanguard； and〃
And； in fine； by FRIDAY； 22d； after not quite a week of it； the Prince； curving from northward （in parabolic course； LESS speedy than the cannon…ball's would have been） into sight of Zittau； behold； there are the Austrians far and wide to left of us； encamped impregnable behind the Neisse River there！ They have got the Eckart's Hill； which commands Zittau：and how to get into Zittau and our magazines； and how to subsist if we were in？ The poor Prince takes post on what Heights there are； on his own side of the Neisse； looks wistfully down upon Zittau； asking How？
About stroke of noon the Austrians； from their Eckartsberg； do a thing which was much talked of。 They open battery of red…hot balls upon Zittau； kindle the roofs of it； shingle…roofs in dry July； set Zittau all on blaze； the 10；000 innocent souls shrieking in vain to Heaven and Earth； and before sunset； Zittau is ashes and red…hot walls； not Zittau but a cinder…heap；Prussian Garrison not hurt； nor Magazine as yet； Garrison busy with buckets； I should guess； but beginning to find the air grow very hot。 On the morrow morning； Zittau is a smouldering cinder…heap； hotter and hotter to the Prussian Garrison； and does not exist as a City。
One of the most inhuman actions ever heard of in War； shrieks universal Germany； asks itself what could have set a chivalrous Karl upon this devil…like procedure？ 〃Protestants these poor Zittauers were； shone in commerce； no such weaving； industrying； in all Teutschland elsewhere： Hah！ An eye…sorrow； they； with their commerce； their weavings and industryings； to Austrian Papists
