The Seven Weeks' War

by H M Hozier

  Frequent alarms made it evident how little steadfast confidence pervaded the Federal corps of Prince Alexander. The news of the victory won by the Prussians at Königgrätz was widely circulated through the ranks by the Frankfort journals. Every moment reports were rife that Prussian columns were advancing towards Frankfort from Wetzlar, or Giessen; and once an officer, by spreading the alarm, caused a whole division to lose its night’s rest, and to take up a position in order of battle.

  At this time the eighth Federal corps was not practically fit to take the field. Such confusion reigned in the fortress of Mainz, that whole regiments marched into the town and took up quarters on their own account, without any report being made to the commandant. Newly appointed officers, surgeons, and hospital assistants, had to seek for their regiments without being able to obtain accurate intelligence of their whereabouts from anyone. No firm union existed between the different divisions of the eighth corps. The corps had not been concentrated for twenty-four years, and the divisions were totally different in uniform, administration, and organisation. The hussars of Hesse-Cassel were dressed and accoutred so similarly to Prussian cavalry, that the Austrians fired upon them at Aschaffenburg. The small arms were of different calibres. The four field batteries of the third division were equipped on four different systems.

  The day after the victory of Kissingen, General Falckenstein could turn his attention against this heterogeneous mass without fear of any assault on his rear by the Bavarians. The latter retired in such haste, after the Battle of Kissingen, towards the Maine, that Manteuffel’s division, which was sent in pursuit, could not feel them. On the 11th July, General Falckenstein ordered Beyer’s division to march by way of Hammelburg and Gelnhausen on Hanau. This it accomplished, without, as was anticipated, falling in with the Würtemberg division at Gelnhausen. The latter only held this place till the 14th July, and then retired in great haste, without throwing any obstacle in the way of the advancing Prussians, either by breaking the bridges, or by any other means.

  The division of General Goeben was directed at the same time through the defile of the Spessart upon Aschaffenburg. Here the passes were not held nor barricaded. Notwithstanding the presence in this district of large numbers of foresters, no abattis or entanglements were placed across the road. None of the almost unassailable heights were occupied, either to prevent the direct progress of the Prussians, or to threaten their line of march in flank. The railway which was still serviceable was not used to convey the small number of riflemen and guns, which at Gemünden, as at many other points, would have thrown great difficulty in Goeben’s way. Manteuffel’s division followed Goeben’s, and scoured the country in the direction of Würzburg.

  Between Gemünden and Aschaffenburg, the River Maine makes a deep bend to the south. Into the bow thus formed, the mountainous region of the Spessart protrudes, through which the road and railway lead directly westward from Gemünden to the latter town. On the 13th July, the leading brigade of Goeben’s division, that of Wrangel, was approaching Hayn, when a report came in from the squadron of hussars, which was clearing the way, that some of the enemy’s cavalry and infantry were advancing towards that place from Laufach, a station on the railroad nearer to Frankfort than Hayn.

  It was soon discovered that these were troops of Hesse-Darmstadt The fusilier battalion of the 55th regiment was pushed forward to gain the top of the defile, up which the brigade was then moving. It advanced in columns of companies and, without difficulty, pushed back two hostile battalions which it encountered. The village of Laufach was taken, and the railway station occupied, while three battalions and a squadron were sent forward to seize a cutting beyond the station, and to relieve the fusiliers. The relief had not been fully carried out when the enemy, with eight or nine battalions and two batteries assumed the offensive. The assailants mustered about eight thousand men. The battalion of the 55th threw itself into a churchyard surrounded by walls, and placed itself on the defensive.

  The village of Frohnhöfen in front was occupied by three companies, supported by six companies posted on the hills on the right, and seven on those on the left of the railway. The remaining troops of the brigade took up a position in front of the station, as a reserve. The enemy attacked all points; so that, by degrees, nine companies had to be sent up to Frohnhöfen. The most severe attack was made on the right wing. General Wrangel was obliged to send his two remaining battalions and a battery to this point. All his available troops were now engaged, and the fight for some time was very even. At last, however, all the assaults of the Hessians were repulsed, and a counter attack made by three battalions and a squadron supported by the fire of a 12-pounder battery had great success.

  The Hessians drew off from all points towards Aschaffenburg, and left more than one hundred prisoners, as well as the greater portion of five hundred killed and wounded, in the hands of the victors. The latter also captured the majority of the knapsacks of their assailants, who had taken them off at the beginning of the action, and on retreating left them lying on the ground. The advantage of the needle-gun in a defensive position, was well demonstrated at Laufach. Whole ranks of corpses of its enemies lay in front of the position, and until early morning wounded men were found. On the Prussian side the loss was very small, in all hardly twenty men, and one officer.

  The commander-in-chief of the eighth corps was this day uncertain whether he should defend Frankfort. His troops were in scattered positions, and instead of a large concentrated mass of troops, only small detachments were pushed out to meet the enemy. The division sent in haste to Frohnhöfen, only brought one of its four field batteries into action, and used only one or two squadrons of its whole cavalry to attack the Prussians. The two brigades of infantry came in haste without rations, and after one another under fire. There was no commander-in-chief, the leader of each brigade acted for himself, and led his troops by the most direct road against the enemy with great valour, but with little judgment. The blame for all these errors is apparently due to General von Perglas, the commander of the Darmstadt division, who allowed his troops to advance in closed masses unprotected by artillery against a wood in which the Prussians, well covered, had firmly planted themselves.

  The advantages of ground, disposition, and leading were all on the side of the Prussians, who gained their success, although very weary from a long march, without any exertions worthy of mention. They had quickly, but so skilfully availed themselves of each local advantage and cover for the defence of their line by infantry and artillery fire, that all the reckless bravery of the Hessians had no other result than to inflict upon themselves very severe losses. Among these were a regimental commander, a major of the staff, and thirty killed or wounded company officers. After the action of the 13th July, Wrangel’s brigade bivouacked at Laufach, with a strong advanced post of three battalions round Frohnhöfen.

  On the 14th, at seven in the morning, the further march on Aschaffenburg was to commence. The care of the enemy’s wounded on the previous day, the collection of scattered arms, and waiting for the return of the patrols which had been sent out at dawn, delayed the start for half an hour. The reports of the latter told that the enemy was retreating from Hösbach. A squadron of hussars was sent forward to occupy that village. The infantry of Wrangel’s brigade followed along the main road with flankers pushed out far on the right and left. On the hill of Weiberhofen, Wrangel’s brigade fell in with that of General Kummer, which had moved by a route on the south of the railway.

  A report soon was brought in that the enemy was advancing strong detachments from Hösbach. Colonel von der Goltz, the commander of the vanguard, was immediately ordered to take up a position on the heights south of the main road, under cover of which the brigade formed for battle in the valley. General Kummer was ordered with his brigade to move along the railway towards Aschaffenburg. General Goeben was in command of the two united brigades. The advance guard had hardly formed when a further report announced that the enemy was drawing back. General Go
eben then ordered a general advance. He moved Wrangel’s brigade along the road, Kummer’s on the railway embankment; at the same time he drew a hussar and cuirassier regiment from the reserve, and covered his right flank by moving them through the open fields on the south of the road. Hösbach was found unoccupied by the enemy, as was also Goldbach.

  On the further side of the latter village the infantry fire opened. The 15th and 55th Prussian regiments pushed forward to the wooded bank of the Laufach stream. The Federal troops here consisted of the Austrian division under General Count Neipperg, formed of troops which had originally garrisoned Mainz, Rastadt, and Frankfort There were also some of the Hesse-Darmstadt troops here. The infantry fire of the Federal soldiers caused the Prussians little loss; but an Austrian battery, posted on a hill south of Aschaffenburg, and admirably served, annoyed them much. The Prussian artillery could find no favourable position from which to attack this battery with clear advantage, and the Austrian guns for some time had the best of the action. At last three battalions of the 15th Prussian regiment were pushed along the stream nearer to the village of Daurm, and made themselves masters of a hill on which stood a tower surrounded by a wall. Protected by this, the infantry succeeded by its musketry fire in forcing the enemy’s artillery to retire. The advance of some Federal cavalry was also stopped by the same means before the squadrons could attack.

  As soon as the Austrian battery drew back, a general advance was made against Aschaffenburg, which is surrounded with high wall that offered the Austrians cover, and a convenient opportunity for defence. The Prussian artillery coming into action on the top of a hill soon showed itself superior to that of the Austrians. After long firing in the environs of the town, and the gardens which lay in front of the walls, the Prussians advanced to storm, and although they were received with repeated salvos, forced their enemy out of his strong position without suffering very severe loss. At the railway station there was a sharp combat, but at no other point was the resistance very determined. The town of Aschaffenburg has only two gates. In consequence, as the retreating Austrians were hurrying towards the bridge over the Maine a block occurred. The Prussians pushing forward, entered the city with the rearmost ranks of the enemy, and made two thousand prisoners. These were for the most part Italians, who defended themselves without much energy. General Goeben occupied the bridge by which the railway to Darmstadt crosses the Maine, with three battalions, two squadrons, and a battery. These pushed reconnaissances towards Frankfort The rest of his troops he cantoned in the town of Aschaffenburg. The losses of the Prussians in the capture of the town were not severe. Those of the Federal troops were considerable; as there were many killed and wounded, besides the large number of prisoners. A large quantity of material of war fell also into the hands of the conquerors. A regiment of hussars of Hesse-Cassel, which Prince Alexander had attached to his Austrian division, lost five officers and one hundred and eight non-commissioned officers and men, in its attempt to cover the retreat of the infantry through the streets.

  While General Goeben advanced towards Aschaffenburg, and gained there the passage of the Maine, General Beyer’s division pushed towards Frankfort, by way of Gelnhausen. The easily defensible passage of the Kinzig, near this town, was found unoccupied by the Federal troops, and on the 17th, Beyer reached the neighbourhood of Hanau without ever having seen an enemy.

  During the action of Aschaffenburg, Prince Alexander, instead of supporting his Austrian division, which was engaged there, remained with the mass of his troops inactive at Seiligenstadt. Yet he could by vigorous action have been much superior in numbers to Goeben at the former town, have saved the passage of the river, and perhaps pushing Goeben and Manteuffel backwards, by bearing on their right, have urged them into the bend of the Maine, and severed them from Beyer and their line of communication with the north. This page of the history of the campaign of the leader of the Federal corps is but a repetition of the perpetual tale of opportunities lost and advantages neglected. The advantage of positions was always on the side of the Federal corps, yet these advantages were sacrificed, always with loss to the Federal side, to which the casualties in the Prussian ranks by no means corresponded. The lives of soldiers were to all appearance trifled away and wasted, by strategical ignorance and absence of energy on the part of their leader.

  The immediate result of the victorious advance of the Prussian army of the Maine was the evacuation of Frankfort and the line of the Maine, by the eighth Federal corps, and its occupation by the Prussians. On the 16th July, General Falckenstein entered the town at the head of Goeben’s division, and was able to report to the king that all the lands north of the Maine were in Prussian possession. General Falckenstein had within fourteen days defeated two armies, of which each was as strong as his own, in two great, and several minor actions; and, in a country by no means very advantageous for the offensive, had manoeuvred so as to separate his two adversaries, who on the 5th July were within thirty miles of each other, by a distance of sixty miles.

  The following is a summary of the operations north of the Maine:—

  Bavarians,—From the 15th to 25th June, halted near Schweinfurt In the meantime the Hanoverians were surrounded, and obliged to capitulate.

  On the 25th June they made various movements, with the object of effecting a junction with the eighth Federal corps.

  On the 12th July they again returned to Schweinfurt, after having been pushed away from their allies by Falckenstein, at Wiesenthal and Kissingen.

  The Eighth Federal Corps.—From the 15th June to the 12th July occupied strategical positions round Frankfort.

  On the 5th July it made a partial march on Fulda. Some of its cavalry fell in with some Prussian patrols, and it retreated rapidly to the Maine.

  On the 13th and 14th July the actions of Laufach and Aschaffenburg were fought, while Prince Alexander lay at Seiligenstadt.

  On the 14th July Prince Alexander concentrated rearwards, on the south of the Maine.

  On the 13th July, when the Prussians reached Laufach, not more than thirty miles from Frankfort, the residuary members of the mutilated Germanic Diet retired from the ancient city on the Maine, where of old the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire were elected and crowned. Their business had, since the outbreak of hostilities, been chiefly confined to making protests against Prussia. The days when the Confederation could enforce its decrees were, however, past, and the diet had found a very different patient of Federal execution from the Dane. Its protests were now all spent shot. A few of the deputies, however, still held together, and styled themselves, in diplomatic language, the diet and Confederation of Germany.

  These, on the 13th July, quitted Frankfort with the documents from the Archives of the Bund, and journeyed to Augsburg, where the black, red and gold flag of the Germanic Confederation was hoisted over the inn of the sign of the Three Moors.

  The last Bavarian battalion left Frankfort on the 14th, and the headquarters of the eighth Federal corps were established that night at Dieburg, a station on the railway between Aschaffenburg and Darmstadt.

  On the 15th, Prince Alexander drew near to the south, and concentrated his corps on the Odenwald. This day his light cavalry opened communications with Prince Charles’s corps at Würzburg, by the left bank of the Maine, and the road through Moltenberg and Werbek.

  On the 15th, the Senate of Frankfort published a proclamation to the inhabitants, in which it was announced that the diet which usually held its sittings in the free city, had temporarily withdrawn; that the city would act as an open town, and that there appeared to be no danger of any injury to the lives or property of any of the inhabitants. The construction of earthworks, which had been commenced by the Federal troops, was abandoned, and all was prepared for the advent of the Prussian conquerors. At Darmstadt the Russian flag was hoisted on the palace of the Grand Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt, who in person started for Munich.

  Wrangel’s brigade, after the capture of Aschaffenburg, was pushed forward by forced marches t
o Hanau. About five o’clock on the evening of the 16th July, the first Prussians arrived near Frankfort, brought in a train from Aschaffenburg. They got out of the carriages a short distance from the city gates, and took up a position on the Hanau road. This advanced guard consisted of a regiment of cuirassiers and a regiment of hussars. At seven a patrol of the hussars, led by an officer, halted before the city gate. In another quarter of an hour the head of the vanguard, consisting of one squadron of cuirassiers and the remaining hussars, passed in. The populace were for the most part sullenly silent. A few insulting cries to the Prussians were occasionally heard from some of the windows, but the soldiers took no notice of them. In a few minutes the Generals Vogel von Falckenstein, Goeben, Wrangel, and Tresckow, surrounded by the officers of the staff, rode in at the head of the main body. The bands of the regiments played Prussian national airs. Before ten o’clock the whole line of march had entered. The telegraph and post-offices were occupied. The railway station was garrisoned, and guards established over all the principal buildings. The free town of Frankfort was virtually annexed to the Prussian monarchy.

  On the 17th July, the remainder of Falckenstein’s troops entered the town, and some troops were pushed forwards south of the city, who captured a Hessian bridge train.

  General Vogel von Falckenstein established his headquarters in Frankfort, and published a proclamation in which he announced that he had assumed temporarily the government of the duchy of Nassau, the town and territory of Frankfort, and the portions of Bavaria and Hesse-Darmstadt, which his troops had occupied The civil functionaries of these districts were retained in their posts, but were directed to receive no order except from the Prussian commander-in-chief. Several of the Frankfort papers which had always been distinguished for strong anti-Prussian feeling were suppressed. The eleven armed unions, (Vereine), which had existed in the city, were abolished; and the functions of the senate and college of burghers established by a general order. Six millions of gulden, (£600,000), were demanded from the town as a war contribution, and after much grumbling paid by the citizens. When, afterwards, on the 20th July, a second additional contribution of twenty millions of gulden, (£2,000,000), was demanded, an universal cry of indignation and horror was raised.