y attacking him, much as
Wobersnow urges it. Has agreed twice or oftener, on Wobersnow's urgency:
"Yes, yes; we have a chance," Dohna would answer; "only let us rest till
to-morrow, and be fresh!" by which time the opportunity was always gone
again.

Wedell had arrived with a grenadier battalion and some horse for escort;
had picked up 150 Russian prisoners by the way. Retzow has understood
he came in with a kind of state; and seemed more or less inflated;
conscious of representing the King's person, and being a Roman
Dictator,--though it is a perilously difficult office too, and requires
more than a Letter of Instructions to qualify you for it! This is not
Leonidas Wedell, whom readers once knew; poor Leonidas is dead long
since, fell in the Battle of Sohr, soon after the heroic feat of
Ziethen's and his at Elbe-Teinitz (Defence of Elbe against an Army);
this is Leonidas's elder Brother. Friedrich had observed his fiery
ways on the day of Leuthen: "Hah, a new Winterfeld perhaps?" thought
Friedrich, "All the Winterfeld I now have!"--which proved a fond hope.
Wedell's Dictatorship began this Sunday towards sunset; and lasted--in
practical fact, it lasted one day.

DICTATOR WEDELL FIGHTS HIS BATTLE (Monday, 23d July, 1759), WITHOUT
SUCCESS.

Monday morning early, Wedell is on the heights, reconnoitring Soltikof;
cannot see much of him, the ground being so woody; does see what he
takes to be Soltikof's left wing; and judges that Soltikof will lie
quiet for this day. Which was far from a right reading of Soltikof; the
fact being that Soltikof, in long columns and divisions, beginning with
his right wing, was all on march since daybreak; what Wedell took for
Soltikof's "left wing" being Soltikof's rear-guard and baggage, waiting
till the roads cleared. Wedell, having settled everything on the above
footing, returns to Zullichau about 10 o'clock; and about 11, Soltikof,
miles long, disengaged from the bushy hollows, makes his appearance on
the open grounds of Palzig: he, sure enough (though Wedell can hardly
believe it),--five or six miles to northeast yonder; tramping diligently
along, making for Crossen and the Oder Bridge;--and is actually got
ahead of us, at last!

This is what Wedell cannot suffer, cost what it may. Wedell's orders
were, in such case, Attack the Russians. Wedell instantly took his
measures; not unskilfully, say judges,--though the result proved
disappointing; and Wobersnow himself earnestly di