The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-05-07

AElE generation the
great Corscan would indeed have
found a doughtier sword than his own
barring the road when he sounded the
battle cry, "On to Berlinw
Like Napoleon, Frederick the Great
was man of destiny. At first a de-
spised and buffeted princeling. he be-
came the life and soul of martial Prus-
STA. At times an outcast, then prison
him, the life of the heir to the throne
from the age of IS to % was one to test
the fiber even of scion of royalty.
After reconciliation with his father
Frederick led life of seclusion and
study until called to reign. He was
then % years old and at once set to
work to overturn the opinions of the
wise men of Europe as to what would
happen with scholar and rhapsodist
on the throne. The old king had left a
good treasury and 10000 of the finest
troops in the world. In short time the
emperor of Germany died and the
young king Of Prussia saw his chance.
He first dispatched an ambassador
to Vienna, offering to the young Aus
TRAN queen, Maria Theresa, the sup
port of Prussia for her husband, Fran
if in exchange Austria would allow
Prussia to annex the province of Sile-
STA, on it's southern borders. The en-
bassador had barely passed from sight
when the young king, in the prime of
manhood, marched into Silesia at the
head of 10000 men and in six weeks
campaign overran the territory.
The offer to Maria Theresa was re-
jected, for Silesia had been under Aus
trian control a hundred years. Not a
single court in Europe but resented the
audacity of the '.parvenu king" Eng
land sent to Vienna the amount of
gold Frederick had offered, and it was
rumored that Austria, England, Poland
and Russia would combine to carve
up Prussia.
Only one stronghold in Silesia had
! held out against the Prussians. This
was the region around Glogan and
| Neisse. Frederick brought to the field
10000 more soldiers and was about to
storm Neisse when he learned that an
Austrian army was marching to raise
the siege. With 10000 troops he fell
upon the Austrians blockaded by
snow at the village of Mollwitz. He
| failed to surprise the camp or he might
have destroyed the enemy at a blow.
The Austrians were in line to meet
| the Prussian attack and in one i'm
| petuous charge routed Frederick's cav
| airy, the king fleeing with it over &c
miles. But. while the king went to
the rear, his stout soldiers fought on
resisting, one after another, five
charges of their eXultant foe These
We're the incompatible fighting ma
chimes beqIeathed to Frederick, and
they never for a moment wayered
/ That night they biyouacked on the red
4 dened field, with the Austrians in
flight.
Mollwitz settled the fate of Silesia
but Frederick stood before the world
a personal coward as we'll as a royal
conqueror. Privately he gave as his
reasons for making war ambition, in
i terest and the desire to make people
talk about me-" Els cowardice was the
talk of day, for the shrewd eyes OF
Europe saw that the Prussian army it
self was invincible. Alliances were
sought on every SIDE but Frederich
turned from them ALL Assuming an all
of thoughtlessness and friyolity he ma
tured still deeper plans of conquest
Even Noltaire could not penetrate his
secrets. Writing of him at the time the
great Frenchman called him q little
man. pale and thin. Generally his com
plexion was sallow, for he suffered
much with ague. When the death OF
the emperor awoke him from lethargy
he lay in bed with fever, but immedi
. ately sprang up, and the fever left him
During his campaigns he arose at
, O'Clock and kept the saddle all day. o.
.. one campaign to steal march on thu
Austrians he covered 700 miles in a sin
gle week and on another did not clos
. his eyes for six nights.
.. The year following Mollwitz fount
. Frederick in the field again, pushin.
on through Moravia toward Vienna
. With the help Of France and Saxon,
this country had been torn from Aus
tria. The Austrans with unusual eneI
: gy tried to cut the Prussian column of
from the French at Prague. With 80
: 600 men the impetuous king fell upol
the Austrians and after four hours 0
: the fiercest battle, in which he regain
: ed the honor lost at Mollwitz, drove til
: enemy from the field, leaving 1000 kill
ed and wounded.
: AS Il result of the victory of Chotu
. sitz Silesia was ceded to Prussia an,
> Frederick at once cut loose from
France. He declared that he woul
rest from war and attend to the affair
4 of his kingdom. But the armies o
Maria Theresa defeated the Frenc
i and the valorous queen threatened t
retake Silesia from Frederick. At til
head of au army he again marched tc
ward Vienna, but in spite of his coul
age and energy came near defeat. II