mination.
[Tempelhof, iii. 194: in Retzow (ii. 110) is some dubious traditionary
stuff on the matter.] At dark, however, Wunsch had summons, so truculent
in style, he knew what it meant; and answering in words peremptorily,
"No" with a like emphasis, privately got ready again, and at midnight
disappeared. Got to Reitwein without accident.

Friedrich found at OEtscher nothing but huts full of poor wounded men,
and their miseries and surgeries;--he took shelter, himself, in a hut
"which had been plundered by Cossacks" (in the past days), but which had
fewer wounded than others, and could be furnished with some bundles of
dry straw. Kriele has a pretty Anecdote, with names and particulars, of
two poor Lieutenants, who were lying on the floor, as he entered this
hut. They had lain there for many hours; the Surgeons thinking them
desperate; which Friedrich did not. "ACH KINDER, Alas, children, you
are badly wounded, then?" "JA, your Majesty: but how goes the Battle?"
(Answer, evasive on this point): "Are you bandaged, though? Have you
been let blood?" "NEIN, EUER MAJESTAT, KEIN TEUFEL WILL UNS VERBINDEN
(Not a devil of them would bandage us)!" Upon which there is a Surgeon
instantly brought; reprimanded for neglect: "Desperate, say you? These
are young fellows; feel that hand, and that; no fever there: Nature
in such cases does wonders!" Upon which the leech had to perform his
function; and the poor young fellows were saved,--and did new fighting,
and got new wounds, and had Pensions when the War ended. [Kriele, pp.
169, 170; and in all the Anecdote-Books.] This appears to have been
Friedrich's first work in that hut at OEtscher. Here next is a Third
Autograph to Finkenstein, written in that hut, probably the first of
several Official things there:--

THE KING TO GRAF VAN FINKENSTEIN (at Berlin): Third Note.

OETSCHER, "12th August," 1759.

"I attacked the Enemy this morning about eleven; we beat him back to the
JUDENKIRCHHOF (Jew Churchyard,"--a mistake, but now of no moment), "near
Frankfurt. All my troops came into action, and have done wonders. I
reassembled them three times; at length, I was myself nearly taken
prisoner; and we had to quit the Field. My coat is riddled with bullets,
two horses were killed under me;--my misfortune is, that I am still
alive. Our loss is very considerable. Of an Army of 48,000 men, I have,
at this moment while I write, not more than 3,000 together; and am no
longer master of my force