All of us
felt and knew it. None of the younger officers and generals had any
doubt about it; every one knew that those old gentlemen, who had
outlived their own glory, and still believed that they lived in the days
of Frederick the Great, were unequal to the occasion, to the present
time, and to the present war. Because we were aware of this, we made the
utmost efforts to bring about a change of commanders. We elected a
deputation of officers, and sent them to General Kalkreuth, for the
purpose of laying our complaints and prayers before him, and of
imploring him to induce the king to deprive the duke of his command,
and to intrust it to younger and more resolute hands. The deputation
consisted of none but skilful, prominent, and highly-esteemed officers,
who boldly declared it to be their firm conviction that the king was in
danger of losing his crown and his states, if the Duke of Brunswick
should remain at the head of the army."[1]
[Footnote 1: Vide Frederick von Gentz's writings, edited by G.
Schlesier, vol. ii., p. 314.]
"And what did General Kalkreuth reply to them?"
"The general asked, in a harsh tone, for a further explanation of their
words, and the officers gave it to him. They censured the duke's idea of
establishing a camp at Weimar, and dwelt contemptuously on the reasons
that might have induced him to do so. They proved, by referring to the
whole proceedings of the duke, that he knew neither what he was doing
nor what he wanted to do; neither where he was, nor whither he was
going; and they added that, in consequence of this deplorable state of
affairs, the whole army was filled with the most startling and
discouraging rumors.
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