s they departed. But it
was not only those in the first bloom of youth who were excited to
enter into the struggle, but also the officials, those indispensable
servants of the State, judges and councillors, men from every circle of
the civil service, from the city courts and the departments of
government. A royal decree on the 2nd March set limits to this zeal,
and it was necessary, for the order and administration of the State
were threatened. The civil service could not be neglected; any one who
wished to be a soldier was to obtain the permission of his superiors,
and he who could not bear the refusal of his request must appeal to the
King. The stronger minded in all circles were at the head of the
movement, but the weaker followed at last the overpowering impulse.
There were few families who did not offer their sons to the fatherland;
many great names stand on the regimental lists; above all, the nobles
of east Prussia. The same Alexander Count von Dohna-Schlobitten who had
been minister of the interior in 1802, was the first man who inscribed
himself in the Landwehr battalion of the Mohrungen district. Wilhelm
Ludwig Count von der Groeben, chamberlain of Prince William, entered
into Prince William's dragoons as a subaltern officer, three of his
family fell on the field of battle in this war. Such examples
influenced the country people. Multitudes of them gave to the State all
that they possessed--their sound limbs.

Whilst the Prussians on the Vistula in this emergency carried on their
preparations independently with rapidly developed order and the
greatest devotion, Breslau, from the middle of February, had been the
rendezvous for the interior districts. Crowds of volunteers entered all
the gates of the old city. Among the first were thirteen miners, with
three apprentices from Waldenburg; these men had been fitted out by
their fellow labourers, poor men, who had worked gratuitously
underground until they had collected 221 thalers for this purpose.
Immediately afterwards the Upper Silesian miners followed with similar
zeal. The King could scarcely believe in such self-sacrificing devotion
in the people; when he looked from the windows of the government
buildings on the first long train of vehicles and men, who came past
him from the march and filled the Albrech-strasse, heard their
acclamations, and perceived the general satisfaction, tears rolled over
his cheeks, and Scharnhorst asked him whether he at last believ