as it was to
Friedrich then, did we venture on more than the briefest outline. The
resistance is vehement, very skilful:--Commandant is Guasco (the same
who was so truculent to Schmettau in the Dresden time); his Garrison
is near 12,000, picked from all regiments of the Austrian Army; his
provisions, ammunitions, are of the amplest; and he has under him as
chief Engineer a M. Gribeauval, who understands "counter-mining" like
no other. After about a fortnight of trial, and one Event in
the neighborhood which shall be mentioned, this of Mining and
Counter-mining--though the External Sap went restlessly forward too, and
the cannonading was incessant on both sides--came to be regarded more
and more as the real method, and for six or seven weeks longer was
persisted in, with wonderful tenacity of attempt and resistance.
Friedrich's chief Mining Engineer is also a Frenchman, one Lefebvre; who
is personally the rival of Gribeauval (his old class-fellow at College,
I almost think); but is not his equal in subterranean work,--or
perhaps rather has the harder task of it, that of Mining, instead of
COUNTER-mining, or SPOILING Mines. Tempelhof's account of these
two people, and their underground wrestle here, is really curious
reading;--clear as daylight to those that will study, but of endless
expansion (as usual in Tempelhof), and fit only to be indicated here.
[Tempelhof, vi. 122-219; _Bericht und Tagebuch von der Belagerung von
Schweidnitz vom 7ten August bis 9 October, 1762_ (Seyfarth, _Beylagen,_
iii. 376-479); Archenholtz, Retzow, &c.]

The external Event I promised to mention is an attempt on Daun's part
(August 16th) to break in upon Friedrich's position, and interrupt
the Siege, or render it still impossible. Event called the BATTLE OF
REICHENBACH, though there was not much of battle in it;--in which our
old friend the Duke of Brunswick-Bevern (whom we have seen in abeyance,
and merely a Garrison Commandant, for years back, till the Russians left
Stettin to itself) again played a shining part.

Daun--at Tannhausen, 10 miles to southwest of Friedrich, and spread
out among the Hills, with Loudons, Lacys, Becks, as lieutenants, and
in plenty of force, could he resolve on using it--has at last, after
a month's meditation, hit upon a plan. Plan of flowing round by
the southern skirt of Friedrich, and seizing certain Heights to the
southeastern or open side of Schweidnitz,--Koltschen Height the key one;
from which he may spre