The Project Gutenberg EBook of History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol.
XIX. (of XXI.), by Thomas Carlyle

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Title: History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol. XIX. (of XXI.)
Frederick The Great--Friedrich Like to be Overwhelmed in
The Seven-Years War--1759-1760

Author: Thomas Carlyle

Posting Date: June 13, 2008 [EBook #2119]
Release Date: March, 2000

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF FRIEDRICH II. ***

Produced by D.R. Thompson

HISTORY OF FRIEDRICH II. OF PRUSSIA

FREDERICK THE GREAT

By Thomas Carlyle

BOOK XIX.--FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED IN THE SEVEN-YEARS
WAR.--1759-1760.

Chapter I.--PRELIMINARIES TO A FOURTH CAMPAIGN.

The posting of the Five Armies this Winter--Five of them in Germany, not
counting the Russians, who have vanished to Cimmeria over the horizon,
for their months of rest--is something wonderful, and strikes the
picturesque imagination. Such a Chain of Posts, for length, if for
nothing else! From the centre of Bohemia eastward, Daun's Austrians are
spread all round the western Silesian Border and the southeastern
Saxon; waited on by Prussians, in more or less proximity. Next are
the Reichsfolk; scattered over Thuringen and the Franconian Countries;
fronting partly into Hessen and Duke Ferdinand's outskirts:--the main
body of Duke Ferdinand is far to westward, in Munster Country, vigilant
upon Contades, with the Rhine between. Contades and Soubise,--adjoining
on the Reichsfolk are these Two French Armies: Soubise's, some 25,000,
in Frankfurt-Ems Country, between the Mayn and the Lahn, with its back
to the Rhine; then Contades, onward to Maes River and the Dutch Borders,
with his face to the Rhine,--and Duke Ferdinand observant of him on the
other side. That is the "CORDON of Posts" or winter-quarters this Year.
"From the Giant Mountains and the Metal Mountains, to the Ocean;--to the
mouth of Rhine," may we not say; "and back again to the Swiss Alps or
springs of Rhine, that Upper-Rhine Country being all either French or
Austrian, and a basis for Soubise?" [Archenholtz, i. 306.] Not to speak
of Ocean itself, and its winged