The Hawaiian gazette., 1871-01-11
IFrom the n. Y. independently
General Won yFoIfke.

Cbiei Vi Tue OtdH 10 the Irussan army. 10 tne
skilful combinations of this great strategst were
due the remarkable success of the Seven Weeks
War with Austria in 1866, as well as the still
more amazing triumphs Of the recent campaign
against France.
/ 1t is notable illustration of the truth that
genius is largely dependent for its recognition
upon external circumstances, shat Motke was
unknown TO the world nine years ago. though he
had already reached the mature age of sxty-one.
No reference to him could then be found either
in Vaperau's comprehensive Dictionnaire des
Contemporaries, the Leipzig Manner der Zeit,
or the volumnous NoureRe Biographie of
Hoefer nor as late as 1868 does his name appear
in the literary annual Men of the Time Yet
even then he had exhibited the military abilities
which were highly appreciated by the Cabinet Of
Berlin, and only needed wider theatre of action
to gain a worldwide fame. The regulations of
the distinguished members of his family whose
names preservedj jn the Conversations Leci-
-kOnS. and other biographical dictionaries
whom is Count Adam Won Mollke. prime minister
of Denmark about twenty-five years ago-have
been eclipsed by his renown.
He was born at Samrow, near Gnewitz, in
Mecklenburg, on the 26th of October, 1900, the
same year as the historians Macauay and Ban
croft. Soon after his birth, his father removed
to Holstein and it was among the Danes that the
future general first cultivated the military talents
which many years later were effectively turned
agains, them. When only twelve years of age
he became member of the Academy of Military
Cadets at Copenhagen, being only two years
older than Napoleon when he entered the mill
tary school at Brienne Thus, even in childhood
was laid the foundation Of the success which was
crowned with its highest honors at the ripe age
of seventy. The next ten years of his life were
turned to good account. He must have been a
diligent student for part of this time at least,
for at twenty-five he passed the severe examna-
ton which admitted him to the Pruisian service
with the rank of second lieutenant The corps
to which he was attached was the eighth regi-
ment of infantry, then stationed at Frankforton-
the-Oder, and commanded by General Won Mar
wick. whose wife was by birth a Countess Won
Moltke.
1t was fortunate for the youthful officer, who
was the youngest second Lieutenant in the regi-
ment that he had influential friends at head
quarters, for, as his parents had lost almost all
their property, he was wholly dependent on his
slender pay. This was the more aggravating, as
! he wished to obtain instruction in the modern
languages for the acquisition of which he had
peculiar aptitude. BY rigid economy he contrived
to save enough for this purpose, and was so sue
cessful in his studies that he soon became distin-
guished as nguist. This proficiency did not.
however. diminish the taciturnity which has al
ways been one of his striking characteristics and
has gained for him the humorous distinction of
being silent in eight languages His diligence
was rewarded by the appointment of Director of
the School of Division, and his successful man
agement Of this somewhat insubordinate body
led to his being placed on the commission for
Typographical surveys in SiIesia and elsewhere,
under that able and genial officer, General Won
Muflng. Not long afterwards he was promoted
to the rank Of captain, and in two years became
a member of the general Staff.
His next scene of action was in the East,
where he Travelled in 1885 and, at the request
of Sultan Mahmoud, prepared plans of important
places on the Danube, aud organize the Turkish
army on the Prussian model One fruit of this
absence was his historical work, The Turco-
Russian Expedition, lS28-9;' which. though de-
preciated by its author, has been highly com
mended by competent critics During his visit
to the East where he passed four laborious years,
he explored Asia Minor on horseback. observing
with the keen eye of the strategist the prominent
features of the country, being the first military
observer who had examined this region since
Xenophon passed through it on his memorable
Retreat with the Ten Thousand. Escaping death
by murder, which had overtaken other European
explorers, Won Moltke was spared for grander
destinies His sketches of notable places in this
region were highly appreciated by Ritter, the
great German geographer, who compared them
with the accounts of the campaigns Of Alexander,
the travels of Marco Polo, and the Crusades
ln 1889, he returned to Europe, and not long
after receiving his majors commission in the 4th
corps ddTmee, was married to Miss Burt, of
HoIstein. Five years later he was appointed
due-ue-CdulP u L IluCe ileuIy VI 4 IuSSid, uuCie
of the present King, with whom he resided iD
Rome, where that unfortunate scion of the Ho-
henzoIlerns soon after died having been for years
hopeless invalid. After bringing back Prince
Heinrichs dead body TO Prussia, Moltke rapidly
rose in the scale of promotion, being made chief
of the general staff Of the 4th army corps in
Magdeburg, where be was ordered in the stormy
days of 48; eutenantcoonel in 1856; and
lieutenant-general in 1859. 10 this year he was
appointed aide-ie-camp to the Crown Prince,
whom he accompanied to Bamoral on the occa-
sion of his marriage with the Princess Royal
His second visit to England with the Crown
Prince was 10 December, 1861, when be attended
the funeral of the brides father, the lamented
husband of Victoria.
When old Field-Marshai Wrangel retired from
the command of the army, after the storming Of
Duppe in 1864, Prince Frederick Charles, bis
successor made Motke Chief Of the general
Staff and to him were the Pru<sians indebted for
the strategic movements wll.sh eliminated in the |
capture of Alsen and the occupation of Jutland |
The Danish war opened the eyes Of his country
men, though few discerned the powers which |