Friedrich arrived that Sunday evening: and the Siege was raised, next day; with next to no hindrance or injury. With none at all on the part of Daun; who was still standing among the heights and swamps of Planian,--busy singing, or shooting, universal TE-DEUM, with very great rolling fire and other pomp, that day while Friedrich gathered his Siege-goods and got on march.
THE MARIA-THERESA ORDER, NEW KNIGHTHOOD FOR AUSTRIA.
No tongue can express the joy of the Austrians over this victory,--vouchsafed them, in this manner, by Lieutenant-Colonel Benkendorf and the Powers above. Miraculously, behold, they are not upon the retreat to Suchdol, at double-quick, and in ragged ever-lengthening line; but stand here, keeping rank all night, on the Planian-Kolin upland of the Kamhayek:--behold, they have actually beaten Friedrich; for the first time, not been beaten by him.
Clearly beaten that Friedrich, by some means or other. With such a result, too; consider it,--drawn sword was at our throat;and marvellously now it is turned round upon his (if Daun be alert), and we--let us rejoice to all lengths, and sing TE-DEUM and TE-DAUNUM with one throat, till the Heavens echo again.
There was quite a hurricane, or lengthened storm, of jubilation and tripudiation raised at Vienna on this victory: New ORDER OFMARIA THERESA, in suitable Olympian fashion, with no end of regulating and inaugurating,--with Daun the first Chief of it;and "Pensions to Merit" a conspicuous part of the plan, we are glad to see. It subsists to this day: the grandest Military Order the Austrians yet have. Which then deafened the world, with its infinite solemnities, patentings, discoursings, trumpetings, for a good while. As was natural, surely, to that high Imperial Lady with the magnanimous heart; to that loyal solid Austrian People with its pudding-head. Daun is at the top of the Theresa Order, and of military renown in Vienna circles;--of Lieutenant-Colonel Benkendorf I never heard that he got the least pension or recognition;--continued quietly a military lion to discerning men, for the rest of his days. ["Died at Dresden, General of Cavalry,"5th May, 1801 (Rodenbeck, i. 338, 339).]
Nay once, on Dauu's TE-DEUM day, he had a kind of recognition;--and even, by good accident, can tell us of it in his own words:
[Kutzen (citing some BIOGRAPHY of Benkendorf), p. 143.]--"I was sent for to head-quarters by a trumpeter,"--Benkendorf was, --"when all was ready for the TE-DEUM. Feldmarschall Daun was pleased to say at sight of me, 'That as I had had so much to do with the victory, it was but right I should thank our Herr Gott along with him.' Having no change of clothes,--as the servant, who was to have a uniform and some linens ready for me, had galloped off during the Fight, and our baggage was all gone to rearward,--I tried to hustle out of sight among the crowd of Imperial Officers all in gala: but the reigning Duke of Wurtemberg [Wilhelmina's Son-in-law, a perverse obstinate Herr, growing ever more perverse;one of Wilhelmina's sad afflictions in these days] called me to him, and said, 'He would give his whole wardrobe, could he wear that dusty coat with such honor as I!'"--yes; and tried hard, in his perverse way, for some such thing; but never could, as we shall see.
How lucky that Polish Majesty had some remains of Cavalry still at Warsaw in the Pirna time; that they were made into a Saxon Brigade, and taken into the Austrian service; Brigade of three Regiments, Nostitz for Chief, and this Benkendorf a Lieutenant-Colonel, among them;--and that Polish Majesty, though himself lost, has been the saving of Austria twice within one year!
Chapter V.
FRIEDRICH AT LEITMERITZ, HIS WORLD OF ENEMIES COMING ON.
Of Friedrich's night-thoughts at Nimburg; how he slept, and what his dreams were, we have no account. Seldom did a wearied heart sink down into oblivion on such terms. By narrow miss, the game gone; and with such results ahead. It was a right valiant plunge this that he made, with all his strength and all his skill, home upon the heart of his chief enemy. To quench his chief enemy before another came up: it was a valiant plan, and valiantly executed;and it has failed. To dictate peace from the walls of Vienna:
that lay on the cards for him this morning; and at night--?
Kolin is lost, the fruit of Prag Victory too is lost; and Schwerin and new tens of thousands, unreplaceable for worth in this world, are lost; much is lost! Courage, your Majesty, all is not lost, you not, and honor not.
To the young Graf von Anhalt, on the road to Nimburg, he is recorded to have said, "Don't you know, then, that every man must have his reverses (MAIS NE SAVEZ-VOUS DONC PAS QUE CHAQUE HOMMEDOIT AVOIR SES REVERS)? It appears I am to have mine." [Rodenbeck, i. 309.] And more vaguely, in the Anecdote-Books, is mention of some stanch ruggedly pious old Dragoon, who brought, in his steel cap, from some fine-flowing well he had discovered, a draught of pure water to the King; old Mother Earth's own gift, through her rugged Dragoon, exquisite refection to the thirsty wearied soul;and spoke, in his Dragoon dialect,--"Never mind, your Majesty!
DER ALLMACHTIGE and we; It shall be mended yet. 'The Kaiserin may get a victory for once; but does that send us to the Devil (DAVONHOLT UNS DER TEUFEL-NICHT)!'"--words of rough comfort, which were well taken.
