1759.

PRUSSIAN ARCHIVES.

xxxi

KING FREDERICK OF PRUSSIA, ON THE NIGHT OF HIS DEFEAT AT KUNERSDORF.

[1. Letter to Count Finkenstein. 2. Instructions to General Finck. The original of the former is in French, of the latter in German. They will be found in Preuss, Lebens-Geschichte, vol. ii. p. 215.]

Au Comte de Finkenstein.

ce 12 Août, 1759.

J'AI attaqué ce matin à onze heures l'ennemi. Nous les avons poussé au cimetière des Juifs auprès de Francfort; toutes mes troupes ont donné et ont fait des prodiges, mais ce cimetière nous a fait perdre un prodigieux monde. Nos gens se sont mis en confusion; je les ai rallié trois fois; à la fin j'ai pensé être pris moi-même, et j'ai été obligé de céder le champ de bataille. Mon habit est criblé de coups; j'ai deux chevaux tués: mon malheur est de vivre encore; notre perte est très-considérable. D'une armée de 48,000 hommes je n'ai pas 3000 dans le moment que je parle; tout fuit, et je ne suis plus maître de mes gens. On fera bien à Berlin de penser à sa sureté. C'est un cruel revers; je n'y survivrai pas; les suites de l'affaire seront pires que l'affaire même. Je n'ai plus de ressources; et à ne point mentir, je crois tout perdu. Je ne survivrai point à la perte de ma patrie. Adieu pour jamais.

FEDERIC.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR GENERAL FINCK.

[Translation.]

August 12. 1759.

GENERAL Finck will have a hard task. The unhappy army which I now give over to him, is no longer able to cope with the Russians. Haddick will hasten to Berlin, and perhaps Laudohn too. If General Finck follows these, the Russians will get at his back; if he remains

on the Oder, he will have Haddick on that side. However, I think that if Laudohn should push for Berlin, he might be attacked and defeated on the way. Such a course, if it succeeds, would make a stand against our disasters, and would keep things in suspense. To gain time is to gain much in so desperate an extremity as ours. The news from Torgau and Dresden will be given to General Finck by my secretary Cöper. He should send reports of every thing to my brother, whom I name Generalissimus of the army.

To repair this disaster completely is impossible; but whatever my brother may command must be executed. Let the army swear allegiance to my nephew (as King).

This is the only advice I am able to give in such unhappy circumstances. If I had still any resources, I

would have remained here.

FRIEDRICH.*

LORD STORMONT TO THE EARL OF HOLDERNESS.

Warsaw, August 23. 1759.

YOUR Lordship will have received an authentic account of the battle of the 12th inst.†, long before this letter can reach you.

The accounts published by the King of Prussia's enemies are, as usual, extremely exaggerated, and the hopes they entertain, and the language they talk, too extravagant to repeat. Whatever advantage they may have gained, it has certainly cost them very dear; they themselves own the loss of thirteen thousand men: it is supposed to be much greater, and I am told there are private letters from General Fermor, in which he says that the slaughter at Zorndorf was nothing in comparison of this. The Austrians claim the whole honour of the battle, and there is already an appearance of jealousy

*The King's German letters are accurately signed Friedrich, according to the German name, but in French he always wrote himself Féderic. See antè, p. 172.

† The battle of Kunersdorf.

1759.

STANHOPE PAPERS.

xxxiii between them and the Russians. It is said that General Soltikow will be made a Prince of the Empire, which will probably be a great mortification to Marshal Daun as he was much hurt at that dignity being conferred on the Duc de Broglie. It is pretended here that France sees these repeated successes of the Russians with a jealous eye; and it was observed that when the news of the late battle came, the French Minister could not so much as put on the appearance of joy.

LORD STORMONT TO THE EARL OF HOLDERNESS.

Warsaw, August 30. 1759.

We have no news of importance from either the Russian or Austrian army. The King of Prussia's enemies here complain much of the slowness of Marshal Daun's operations. It is said that the Russians make the same complaints, and begin to see through the usual policy of the House of Austria, which sets at nothing the blood spilt in her cause, provided she can contrive to save her own troops at the expense of those of her allies. It is even pretended that General Soltikow has declared that he will not let the army under his command be made a sacrifice to this policy, and, that after all the Russians have done it behoves those who are principals in the war to strike the next blow.

SIR,

EARL STANHOPE TO MR. PITT.

Chevening, 1759.

Ar this critical conjuncture, which so loudly calls for the united zeal of all His Majesty's subjects in the defence of his kingdoms, a thought has occurred to me,' which, as it tends (at least in my intention) to that salutary end, I take the liberty of submitting to your consideration.

Observing in the public papers that the nobility and gentry of France are sending in their plate to the Mint for the service of the Government, I imagine that a voluntary proceeding of the like kind in this country might have a great effect in strengthening His Majesty's hands towards a conclusion of this war, in as glorious a manner as it has hitherto proceeded in. If you, Sir, to whom Great Britain owes so much of the success with which Providence has blessed our arms both by sea and land, shall happen to be of the same opinion, and if you think that the example of one so inconsiderable as myself can be attended with any beneficial consequences to the public, I beg leave with all humility to assure His Majesty by your means, that in case the public exigencies shall be thought to require it, he may at any time during the continuance of this war, command four thousand ounces of my silver plate to be sent to the Mint for his service, on no harder terms, than either restoring the plate itself (if not coined), or paying one thousand pounds sterling in lieu thereof (if it shall be coined) within a year after the signing of a peace with France. But if, on the contrary, you judge that no advantage can accrue to His Majesty's service from this proposal, I must desire it may be known to no other but yourself, as what I presume to offer is designed for use only, and not for ostentation. I have the honour to be, with those real sentiments of respect which your public services demand,

Sir, &c.

STANHOPE.

MR. PITT TO MR. E. HAY, BRITISH MINISTER AT

LISBON.

(Most secret.)

SIR,

Whitehall, September 12. 1759.

I SHALL not at present take notice of the matter of your several letters, nor enter into any points of business, however important, now depending between the two Courts; but shall confine myself to a recent event, which,

1759.

STATE PAPER OFFICE.

XXXV

most happy as it is for England in all other respects, yet from strong surmises of certain unfortunate circumstances attending the same, leaves His Majesty under great and real anxiety until more authentic information shall verify the real state of facts.

You must doubtless long since have been perfectly informed as to the surmise I allude to, and which it is almost superfluous to name; viz. whether the coasts of Portugal were sufficiently respected by the Commanders of His Majesty's ships in the late action near Lagos, and whether the Ocean and the Redoubtable were not destroyed in violation of the territorial jurisdiction of His Most Faithful Majesty. It is the King's pleasure that you should lose no time in transmitting, for His Majesty's information, a most faithful and exact account of this very interesting transaction, and in case you shall find that any violence has actually been committed by His Majesty's ships against the immunities of the coasts of Portugal, it is the King's pleasure that you should express in the strongest terms to the Count de Oeyras*, and to the other Ministers, the extreme pain which such a most unfortunate incident must give to the King as soon as the certain knowledge of it shall reach His Majesty and that you are ordered to lose no time in transmitting to England an exact account thereof. You will further assure the Count de Oeyras, and the other Ministers, that His Majesty can never cease to give the King of Portugal the most sincere and real proofs of cordial friendship in his power, and that, above all, such is the sensibility of the King for whatever may interest the honour and dignity of His Most Faithful Majesty, that the King, with the spirit of a constant and affectionate ally, would wish even to go before any possible complaints of this kind, which could be founded, on the part of the Court of Lisbon.

:

At the same time, in case there has actually been a violation of territory on our part, you will take care to avail yourself of all the circumstances of extenuation, of a nature to soften the impressions which the first sense of any insult on that coast may have made. But you will

*Afterwards the Marquis of Pombal.