Chapter I: Front Matter

_Life Stories for Young People_

FREDERICK THE GREAT
AND
THE SEVEN YEARS’ WAR

_Translated from the German of
Ferdinand Schrader_

BY
GEORGE P. UPTON
_Translator of “Memories,” author of “Upton Handbooks on Music,” editor
“Autobiography of Theodore Thomas,” etc., etc._

WITH FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS

CHICAGO
A. C. McCLURG & CO.
1905

Copyright
A. C. McClurg & Co.
1905
Published September 16, 1905

THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

Translator’s Preface

This little volume deals only with seven years in the life of Frederick the Great, but they were seven of the most memorable years in the history of Austria and Prussia—the period of the Seven Years’ War, which confirmed to Frederick the possession of Silesia, and elevated Prussia to the first rank among European states. Three times Frederick waged war for its possession: the first time, in 1740-42, with Saxony, Bavaria, and France for allies against Austria and Great Britain; the second time, in 1744-45, when Austria was aided by Saxony; and the third time, in 1756-63, when Prussia, aided by some of the small German states and British subsidies, fought Austria, France, Russia, Sweden, and Saxony. The Seven Years’ War was one of the greatest and most destructive wars of the eighteenth century, both to victors and vanquished. Frederick and his allies met with but five defeats in this war,—Kollin, Hastenbeck, Grossjägerndorf, Hochkirch, and Kunersdorf,—the last a most crushing defeat; but they won ten great victories, Lobositz, Prague, Rossbach, Leuthen, Zorndorf, Minden, Liegnitz, Torgau, Burkersdorf, and Freiberg; and in eight of these Frederick commanded in person, and in every case with a much smaller force than that of his enemies. Peace was finally made with Maria Theresa in 1763, and by a clear violation of ancient faith and treaty rights Silesia was taken from her. The various campaigns are described briefly and yet in such a manner that the interest of the narrative is kept up to the last, and the author, by the introduction of anecdotes, conversations, and fragments of letters, brings out very clearly the peculiar traits of the great king—his courage at one time, his despondent moods at others, his obstinacy and self-conceit, which more than once involved him in disaster, his humor and satire, his cruelty at times to his own troops, and again his fatherly relations to them. It is also a thrilling period of history with which the author deals, and replete with national as well as individual interest. Of the close of this great and sanguinary war, Macaulay says,—and he was not an admirer of Frederick,—“The proud and revengeful spirit of the Empress-Queen at length gave way; and in February, 1763, the peace of Hubertsburg put an end to the conflict which had during seven years devastated Germany. The king ceded nothing. The whole Continent in arms had proved unable to tear Silesia from that iron grasp. The war was over. Frederick was safe. His glory was beyond the reach of envy. If he had not made conquests as vast as those of Alexander, of Cæsar, and of Napoleon,—if he had not, on field of battle, enjoyed the constant success of Marlborough and Wellington,—he had yet given an example unrivalled in history, of what capacity and resolution can effect against the greatest superiority of power and the utmost spite of fortune.”

G. P. U.

Chicago, 1905

Contents

I The First Battle of the War 13
II The Battle of Prague 18
III Frederick’s Defeat and Seydlitz’s Surprise 24
IV The Brilliant Victory at Rossbach 35
V Frederick at Leuthen and Lissa 39
VI The Siege of Olmütz 48
VII Seydlitz saves the Day at Zorndorf 60
VIII Frederick’s Defeat at Hochkirch 68
IX The Most Dreadful Day in Frederick’s Life 78
X The Battle of Liegnitz 92
XI The Victory at Torgau surprises Frederick 98
XII The Camp at Bunzelwiltz 117
XIII The Dawn of Peace 128
XIV End of the Seven Years’ War 136
Appendix 145

List of Illustrations

After the battle at Kollin _Frontispiece_
_Facing page_
“Good-evening, gentlemen, evidently you were not expecting me” 46
“Frederick stood on the bloody field like one dazed” 84
Frederick at the watch fire before the battle of Liegnitz 96

Frederick the Great
and the Seven Years’ War