before the Battle" (deduct the Garrisons of
Schweidnitz and Liegnitz): Preuss, ii. 109 (from the STAFF-OFFICERS).]
was as good as total; and a world of Austrian hopes suddenly collapsed;
and all their Silesian Apparatus, making sure of Silesia beyond an IF,
was tumbled into wreck,--by this one stroke it had got, smiting the
corner-stone of it as if with unexpected lightning. On the morrow after
Leuthen, Friedrich laid siege to Breslau; Karl had left a garrison of
17,000 in it, and a stout Captain, one Sprecher, determined on defence:
such interests hung on Breslau, such immensities of stores were in it,
had there been nothing else. Friedrich, pushing with all his strength,
in spite of bad weather and of Sprecher's industrious defence, got it
in twelve days. [7th-19th December: DIARIUM, &c. of it in
_Helden-Geschichte,_ iv. 955-961.] Sprecher had posted placards on the
gallows and up and down, terrifically proclaiming that any man convicted
of mentioning surrender should be instantly hanged: but Friedrich's
bombardment was strong, his assaults continual; and the ditches were
threatening to freeze. On the seventh day of the siege, a Laboratorium
blew up; on the ninth, a Powder-Magazine, carrying a lump of the rampart
away with it. Sprecher had to capitulate: Prisoners of War, we 17,000;
our cannons, ammunitions (most opulent, including what we took from
Bevern lately); these, we and Breslau altogether, alas, it is all yours
again. Liegnitz Garrison, seeing no hope, consented to withdraw on
leave. [26th December: _Helden-Geschichte,_ iv. 1016.] Schweidnitz
cannot be besieged till Spring come: except Schweidnitz, Maria Theresa,
the high Kaiserinn, has no foot of ground in Silesia, which she thought
to be hers again. Gone utterly, Patents and all; Schweidnitz alone
waiting till spring. To the lively joy of Silesia in general; to the
thrice-lively sorrow and alarm of certain individuals, leading Catholic
Ecclesiastics mainly, who had misread the signs of the times in late
months! There is one Schaffgotsch, Archbishop or head-man of them,
especially, who is now in a bad way. Never was such royal favor; never
such ingratitude, say the Books at wearisome length. Schaffgotsch was
a showy man of quality, nephew of the quondam Austrian Governor, whom
Friedrich, across a good deal of Papal and other opposition, got pushed
into the Catholic Primacy, and took some pains to make comfortable
there,--Order of the Black Eagle, guest at Pots