第 71 节
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上访不如上网 更新:2021-02-18 21:08 字数:9262
t that is disposable; with batteries; with cavalry; for an attack on the opposite or southeastern end of his monster。 If your monster; polypus…like; come alive again in the tail…part; you must fell that other head of him。 Batteries; well in advance; begin work upon the new head of the monster; which was once his tail; fresh troops; long lines of them; pushing forward to begin platoon…volleying: time now; I should guess; about half…past two。 Our infantry has not yet got within musket…range;when torrents of Russian Horse; Foot too following; plunge out; wide…flowing; stormfully swift; and dash against the coming attack。 Dash against it; stagger it; actually tumble it back; in the centre part; take one of the batteries; and a whole battalion prisoners。 Here again is a moment! Friedrich; they say; rushed personally into this vortex; rallied these broken battalions; again rallied and led them up; but it was to no purpose: they could not be made to stand; these centre battalions; 〃some sudden panic in them; a thing unaccountable;〃 says Tempelhof; 〃they are Dohna's people; who fought perfectly at Jagersdorf; and often elsewhere〃 (they were all in such a finely burnished state the other day; but have not biting talent; like the grass…devils): enough; they fairly scour away; certain disgraceful battalions; and are not got ranked again till below Wilkersdorf; above a mile off; though the grass…devils; on both hands of them; stand grimly steady; left in this ominous manner。
What would have become of the affair one knows not; if it had not been that Seidlitz once more made his appearance。 On Friedrich's order; or on his own; I do not know; but sure it is; Seidlitz; with sixty…one squadrons; arriving from some distance; breaks in like a DEUS EX MACHINA; swift as the storm…wind; upon this Russian Horse… torrent; drives it again before him like a mere torrent of chaff; back; ever back; to the shore of Acheron and the Stygian quagmires (of the Mutzel; namely); so that it did not return again; and the Prussian infantry had free field for their platoon exercise。 Their rage against the Russians was extreme; and that of the Russians corresponded。 Three of these grass…devil battalions; who stood nearest to Dohna's runaways; were natives of this same burnt… out Zorndorf Country; we may fancy the Platt…Teutsch hearts of them; and the sacred lightning; with a moisture to it; that was in their eyes。 Platt…Teutsch platooning; bayonet…charging;on such terms no Russian or mortal Quadrilateral can stand it。 The Russian Minotaur goes all to shreds a second time; but will not run。 〃No quarter!〃〃Well; then; none!〃
〃Shortly after four o'clock;〃 say my Accounts; 〃the firing;〃 regular firing; 〃altogether ceased; ammunition nearly spent; on both sides; Prussians snatching cartridge…boxes of Russian dead;〃 and then began a tug of deadly massacring and wrestling man to man; 〃with bayonets; with butts of muskets; with hands; even with teeth 'in some Russian instances'; such as was never seen before。〃 The Russians; beaten to fragments; would not run: whither run? Behind is Mutzel and the bog of Acheron;on Mutzel is no bridge left; 〃the shore of Mutzel is thick with men and horses; who have tried to cross; and lie there swallowed in the ooze〃〃like a pavement;〃 says Tielcke。 The Russians;never was such VIS INERTIAE as theirs now。 They stood like sacks of clay; like oxen already dead; not even if you shot a bullet through them; would they fall at once; says Archenholtz; but seem to be deliberate about it。
Complete disorder reigned on both sides; except that the Prussians could always form again when bidden; the Russians not。 This lasted till nightfall;Russians getting themselves shoved away on these horrid terms; and obstinate to take no other。 Towards dark; there appeared; on a distant knoll; something like a ranked body of them again;some 2;000 foot and half as many horse; whom Themicoud (superlative Swiss Cossack; usually written Demikof or Demikow) had picked up; and persuaded from the shore of Acheron; back to this knoll of vantage; and some cannon with them。 Friedrich orders these to be dispersed again: General Forcade; with two battalions; taking the front of them; shall attack there; you; General Rauter; bring up those Dohna fellows again; and take them in flank。 Forcade pushes on; Rauter too;but at the first taste of cannon… shot; these poor Dohna…people (such their now flurried; disgraced state of mind) take to flight again; worse than before; rush quite through Wilkersdorf this time; into the woods; and can hardly be got together at all。 Scandalous to think of。 No wonder Friedrich 〃looked always askance on those regiments that had been beaten at Gross Jagersdorf; and to the end of his life gave them proofs of it:〃 'Retzow;and still more emphatically; Briefe eines alten Preussischen Officiers (Hohenzollern; 1790); i。 34; ii。 52; &c。' very natural; if the rest were like these!
Of poor General Rauter; Tempelhof and the others; that can help it; are politely silent; only Saxon Tielcke tells us; that Friedrich dismissed him; 〃Go; you; to some other trade!〃which; on Prussian evidence too; expressed in veiled terms; I find to be the fact: Militair…Lexikon; obliged to have an article on Rauter; is very brief about it; hints nothing unkind; records his personal intrepidity; and says; 〃in 1758 he; on his request; had leave to withdraw;〃poor soul; leave and more!
Forcade; left to himself; kept cannonading Themicoud; Themicoud responding; would not go; stood on his knoll of vantage; but gathered no strength: 〃Let him stand;〃 said Friedrich; after some time; and Themicoud melted in the shades of night; gradually towards the hither shore of Acheron;that is; of Acheron…Mutzel; none now attempting to PAVE it farther; but simmering about at their sad leisure there。 Feldmarschall Fermor is now got to his people again; or his people to him; reunited in place and luck: such a chaos as Fermor never saw before or after。 No regiment or battalion now is; mere simmering monads; this fine Army; officers doing their utmost to cobble it into something of rank; without regard to regiments or qualities。 Darkness seldom sank on such a scene。
Wild Cossack parties are scouring over all parts of the field; robbing the dead; murdering the wounded; doing arson; too; wherever possible; and even snatching at the Prussian cannon left rearwards; so that the Hussars have to go upon them again。 One large mass of them plundering in the Hamlet of Zicher; the Hussars surrounded: the Cossacks took to the outhouses; squatted; ran; called in the aid of fire; their constant friend: above 400 of them were in some big barn; or range of straw houses; and set fire to it;but could not get out for Hussars; the Hussars were at the outgate: Not a devil of you! said the Hussars; and the whole four hundred perished there; choked; burnt; or slain by the Hussars;and this poor Planet was at length rid of them。 ' Helden…Geschichte; v。 166。'
Friedrich sends for his tent…equipages; and the Army pitches its camp in two big lines; running north and south; looking towards the Russian side of things; Friedrich's tent in front of the first line; a warrior King among his people; who have had a day's work of it。 The Russian loss turns out; when counted; to have been 21;529 killed; wounded and missing; 7;990 of them killed; the Prussian sum…total is 11;390 (above the Prussian third man); of whom 3;680 slain。 And on the shores of Acheron northward yonder; there still is a simmering。 And far and wide the country is alight with incendiary fires;many devils still abroad。 Excellency Mitchell; about eight in the evening; is sent for by the King; finds various chief Generals; Seidlitz among them; on their various businesses there; congratulates 〃on the noble victory 'not so conclusive hitherto' which Heaven has granted your Majesty。〃 〃Had it not been for him;〃 said Friedrich;〃Had it not been for him; things would have had a bad look by this time!〃 and turned his sun…eyes upon Seidlitz; with a fine expression in them。 'Preuss; ii。 153。 Mitchell (ii。 432) mentions the Interview; nothing of Seidlitz。' To which Seidlitz's reply; I find; was an embarrassed blush and of articulate only; 〃Hm; no; ha; it was your Majesty's Cavalry that did their duty;but Wakenitz 'my second' does deserve promotion!〃 which Wakenitz; not in a too overflowing measure; got。
Fermor; during the night…watches; having cobbled himself into some kind of ranks or rows; moves down well westward of Zabern Hollow; to the Drewitz Heath; where he once before lay; and there makes his bivouac in the wood; safe under the fir…trees; with the Zabern ground to front of him。 By the above reckoning; 28 or 29;000 still hang to Fermor; or float vaporously round him; with Friedrich; in his two lines; are some 18;000:in whole; 46;000 tired mortals sleeping thereabouts; near 12;000 others have fallen into a deeper sleep; not liable to be disturbed;and of the wounded on the field; one shudders to imagine。
Next day; Saturday; 26th; Fermor; again brought into some kind of rank; and safe beyond the quaggy Zabern ground; sent out a proposal; 〃That there be Truce of Three Days for burying the dead!〃Dohna; who happene