Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XIX. Christina's Government and Abdication. A.D. 1644—1654
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
330
Instructions of the ministry
to Wrangel.
HISTORY OF THE SWEDES. Campaign of 1647, —Last
year of the war. [1G44—
great scruples in receiving them, was obliged, on
their threatening in the contrary case to desert
to the enemy, to permit them to join in West-
phalia the force of Konigsmark ’,
—who was the
boldest partisan on the Swedish side in this war,
as John of Werth was on that of the enemy.
On the 7th of April, 1647, the ministry made
out instructions for field-marshal Wrangel, af-
fording a retrospect of the whole war, in which
we recognize the hand of the high-chancellor.
According to these, Gustavus Adolphus set foot on
German soil to oppose the absolute power of the
house of Austria over Germany, and all the dan-
gers thence arising, his main design being against
the emperor and his hereditary dominions. But
after the battle stricken at Leipsic, the enemy
having retired towards inner Germany with his
whole force, the king had been obliged to pursue
him, and make himself master of the Mayne and
Rhine, whence no small jealousy sprung up among
other potentates. After the king’s death it was
continually intended to remove the war into the
enemy’s coimtry, and efforts were made to that
end, as well in Silesia as on the Danube, until the
unfortunate battle of Nordlingen threw all into
confusion ; afterwards, though there had been
enough to do to redress matters, attempts had
been made from time to time to carry into effect
the same plan on the imperial hereditary terri-
tories; which had been so far fortunately executed
by field-marshal Torstenson, that whereas the
enemy had before only played with the treaty of
peace, he was now obliged by necessity to turn his
thoughts to it in earnest. So much in general,
that the field-marshal might know that the plan
of her majesty was still ever directed against the
true chief enemy, the emperor, and his principal
auxiliary the Bavarian elector; and that the war
must be kept as far as possible from tlie German
states, as well to avert that suspicion among
powerful confederates, which the late king had
drawn upon himself by keeping his aim fast on the
Rhine. Therewith the chief design must be di-
rected on the circle of Lower Saxony and the sea-
coast. If an irruption were made into Bohemia,
Moravia and Austria would be in front, Silesia in
flank, and Meissen in the rear. We are indeed at
a considerable distance from the sea-coast,
—con-
tinues the document from which we quote,
—but
we have also strong garrisons, namely, in Silesia
donner ordre a ses trouppes que Ton traicte comme ennemis
huict (8) regiments Allemands de Cavallerie, qui s’en vont
vers la Franconie sans leurs odiciers. Je ne doubte point,
que Vostre Exe. ne donne tr^s-expressement cest ordre-Ia.
Turenne to Wrangel. Heilbronn, July 30, 1G47. Corre-
spondence.
’
They had dwindled to sixteen hundred and sixty men,
out of whom Konigsmark formed four regiments. Pulfen-
dorf, xix. § 76.
’
Instruction, dated April 7, 1647. Reg.
3 " We were in some sort of opinion rather to carry on the
war alone for an increased subsidy, even for the advantage
of France in Germany ; but as France would hardly have
the same wish, neither have we communicated this opinion
to it. But since this time we have had no assistance from
France in Germany, ye may try, at the congress, whether
France would not be willing to double the subsidies, or to
continue the war with a larger force. For the rest, you may
sound whether France would not be inclined to contract for
the future also a closer alliance with our crown, especially
after peace is made in Germany, where new leagues are
and on the Oder, Glogau and ffils ;
in Moravia,
Olmutz, Iglau, and Neustadt; in Meissen, Leipsic;
in Thuringia, Erfurt, besides the sti’ong places on
the Weser, and those we have garrisoned in the
Mark of Brandenburg and on the Elbe, so that it
is hardly to be supposed that the enemy will be
able ti) break in between and press on to the coast
with any considerable force. The field-marshal
must above all take precautions, that no consi-
derable hostile corps should throw itself between
the army and the sea-coast, unless a flying corps
were opposed to it. Therefore especial care should
be had as to the two smaller armies raised by
Torstenson, the one under Wittenberg in Silesia,
the other under Konigsmark in Westphalia^.
—So
great dissatisfaction with the French was felt,
that the ministry advised against a conjunction
with them ^. ’J’his dissatisfaction increased when,
after Wrangel had actually made an irruption into
Bohemia and taken Eger, the sudden renunciation
of the truce by the Bavarians, and their junction
with the Imperialists, compelled him to retreat,
first to Meissen, and then to Westphalia. Here
perhaps a defeat would have awaited him, had not
the new Imperialist general-in-chief Melander^,
formerly in the Hessian service, out of personal
revenge turned against Hesse. Never since the
death of Gustavus Adolphus, says Puffendorf, had
the Swedish arms to encounter a greater danger ;
but sagacious persons predicted, when they saw
Melander turn against Hesse, that he would ac-
complish nothing there; for no army had come to
Hesse which had not met its ruin there, from the
numerous castles, the narrow roads, the high moun-
tains, and the spirit of the peasantry, who were
exceedingly devoted to their princes, and well un-
derstood the management of arms^. Meanwhile
the enemy gathered new courage. At Osnaburg
and Munster the negotiations slumbered, and the
very last year of the war opened with a more
remote hope of peace ^.
The most remarkable phase of the war in the
year 1648 is, that with regard to Bavaria, France
i-efused to stand apart from Sweden; although the
elector renounced his truce with the latter country
in the hope that the one with France might never-
theless remain in force. Turenne, on the contrary,
received orders to support Wrangel with his whole
force ^, After manifold negotiations and difficulties,
then to be feared from Denmark, Poland, perhaps also the
United Netherlands and Spain, against us.’’ The ministry
to C. G. Wrangel, Sept. 18, 1647. Reg.
* He had now changed his name, and styles himself, in
letters to Wrangel,
" His imperial Roman majesty’s coun-
cillor of war, Holzappel, appointed general-field-marshal in
the circle of Westphalia."
5
Puffendorf, xix. § 51.
s "With you, I see, the treaty for peace slumbers, and is
pursued with hardly any other mind than pro forma. Me-
seems the Imperialists have hitherto striven to observe and
learn the extreme conditions of peace, without resolve to
conclude it ; wishing once more to make trial of fortune."
The high-chancellor to his son John; Stockholm, Oct. 10,
1647.
7 Letters to Christina, both from Lewis XIV. and his mo-
ther, the queen- regent of France, of date Dec. 29, 1647, give
assurance of this, as also that they would do the utmost in
respect to the subsidies. Of the design of Bavaria to sever
France from Sweden, it is said: " We were not capable of
falling into this trap. M. de Turenne has sent a trumpet to
the duke of Bavaria, on the part of the king, in the most
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
