History of Friedrich II of Prussia, vol 19 | Page 9

out from
him on every side: endeavoring to spoil the Enemy's Magazines, and
cripple his operations in that way. So that there was, all winter through,
a good deal of Small-War (some of it not Small), of more importance
than usual,--chiefly of Friedrich's originating, with the above view, or

of Ferdinand his Ally's, on a still more pressing score. And, on the
whole, that immense Austrian-French Cordon, which goes from the
Carpathians to the Ocean, had by no means a quiet time; but was
broken into, and violently hurled back, in different parts: some four, or
even five, attacks upon it in all; three of them by Prince Henri,--in two
of which Duke Ferdinand's people co-operated; the business being for
mutual behoof. These latter Three were famous in the world, that
Winter; and indeed are still recognizable as brilliant procedures of their
kind; though, except dates and results, we can afford almost nothing of
them here. These Three, intended chiefly against Reichs people and
their Posts and Magazines, fell out on the western and middle part of
the Cordon. Another attack was in the extreme eastward, and was for
Friedrich's own behoof; under Fouquet's management;--intended
against the Austrian-Moravian Magazines and Preparations, but had
little success. Still another assault, or invasive outroad, northward
against the Russian Magazines, there also was; of which by and by.
Besides all which, and more memorable than all, Duke Ferdinand, for
vital reasons of his own, fought a Battle this Spring, considerable Battle,
and did NOT gain it; which made great noise in the world.
It is not necessary the reader should load his memory with details of all
these preliminary things; on the contrary, it is necessary that he keep
his memory clear for the far more important things that lie ahead of
these, and entertain these in a summary way, as a kind of foreground to
what is coming. Perhaps the following Fractions of Note, which put
matters in something of Chronological or Synoptical form, will suffice
him, or more than suffice. He is to understand that the grand tug of War,
this Year, gradually turns out not to be hereabouts, nor with Daun and
his adjacencies at all, but with the Russians, who arrive from the
opposite Northern quarter; and that all else will prove to be merely
prefatory and nugatory in comparison.
JANUARY 2d, 1759: FRANKFURT-ON-MAYN, THOUGH IT IS A
REICHSTADT, FINDS ITSELF SUDDENLY BECOME FRENCH.
"Prince de Soubise lies between Mayn and Lahn, with his 25,000;
beautifully safe and convenient,--though ill off for a place-of-arms in
those parts. Opulent Frankfurt, on his right; how handy would that be,

were not Reichs Law so express! Marburg, Giessen are outposts of his;
on which side one of Ferdinand's people, Prince von Ysenburg, watches
him with an 8 or 10,000, capable of mischief in that quarter.
"On the Eve of New-year's day, or on the auspicious Day itself,
Soubise requests, of the Frankfurt Authorities, permission for a
regiment of his to march through that Imperial City. To which, by law
and theory, the Imperial City can say Yes or No; but practically cannot,
without grave inconvenience, say other than Yes, though most
Frankfurters wish it could. 'Yes,' answer the Frankfurt Magnates; Yes
surely, under the known conditions. Tuesday, January 2d, about 5 in
the morning, while all is still dark in Frankfurt, regiment Nassau
appears, accordingly, at the Sachsenhausen Gate, Town-guard people
all ready to receive it and escort it through; and is admitted as usual.
Quite as usual: but instead of being escorted through, it orders, in calm
peremptory voice, the Town-guard, To ground arms; with calm rapidity
proceeds to admit ten other regiments or battalions, six of them German;
seizes the artillery on the Walls, seizes all the other Gates:--and poor
Frankfurt finds itself tied hand and foot, almost before it is out of bed!
Done with great exactitude, with the minimum of confusion, and
without a hurt skin to anybody. The Inhabitants stood silent, gazing; the
Town-guard laid down their arms, and went home. Totally against Law;
but cleverly done; perhaps Soubise's chief exploit in the world;
certainly the one real success the French have yet had.
"Soubise made haste to summon the Magistrates: 'Law of Necessity
alone, most honored Sirs! Reichs Law is clear against me. But all the
more shall private liberties, religions, properties, in this Imperial
Free-Town, be sacred to us. Defence against any aggression: and the
strictest discipline observed. Depend on me, I bid you!'--And kept his
word to an honorable degree, they say; or in absence, made it be kept,
during the Four Years that follow. Most Frankfurters are, at heart,
Anti-French: but Soubise's affability was perfect; and he gave evening
parties of a sublime character; the Magistrates all appearing there, in
their square perukes and long gowns,