Fire Warms the Northern Lands -- A Prussian AAR

A Cold December Evening In Northern Prussia

Emperor Louis Napoleon quietly entered the large, dully glowing headquarters tent to find Marshal Achille Bazaine stooped over a candlelit map, seemingly lost in concerned thought.

“Marshal, how can you be so glum at an hour like this!” Napoleon chided, in a not so friendly tone. “I’ve just watched the Prussian army turn tail and run yet again. We’re a mere 200 kilometres from Berlin, and you insist on moping over your maps!”

Bazaine didn’t even raise up at first, shooting his Emperor a glower from over the tabletop. Then he stood to his full, inadequate height, and addressed Louis Napoleon.

“Emperor. In my experienced opinion,” Bazaine said pointedly, “those Prussians have simply gotten away. We can’t shoot them when they’re not here. They will fall back, reposition themselves, and will be waiting to draw our blood at the next ridge or ford. Just as they have done – with inferior numbers all the while, I might add – at every step of our progress.”

“Ach, you’re quibbling. We have just been reinforced,” the Emperor countered. “We are as strong now as we’ve ever been! And if you would only quit stalling, Marshal, there is nothing between here and Berlin to match our twelve full-strength divisions. We shall wipe the opposition clear, and I will soon see King Guillaume humbled in his own palace.”

“Emperor, we cannot sortie as yet because we are encumbered by these newly arrived conscripts you brag of, who are so raw they hardly know what unit is theirs. Additionally, from what news we have had from the south, I can only conclude that most of General Sommer’s army has been defeated in detail and is no longer a significant fighting force.” He paused a moment, but could see that Louis Napoleon’s untrained mind had not previously put that conclusion on the reports he’d received. It was time to enlighten the Emperor as to why he, as had been said, was “so glum.”

“Which means that soon, Frederic Guillaume’s 100,000 horse will be free to move against us. He is probably just a few weeks’ ride from us in either direction. He will either appear in front of us and completely halt our advance…”

Bazaine pounded his finger on a spot on the map. “Or he will appear behind us. And your twelve divisions, Emperor, and I, your most humble servant, and even your majestic self will be at risk of being taken prisoner.”

Napoleon clearly saw this less as a warning than an attack. He glared at Bazaine. But the fact that Louis Napoleon offered no reproof showed that he understood the truth in Bazaine’s words. This was more than his usual gloom and doom assessment.

Just then, a cold breeze ruffled the tent flap and dusted them with stinging snowflakes, chilling them both.

“Now,” Bazaine asked, in a voice dripping with contempt. “How is it I am to find pleasure in this snowy evening?”

From The Eagle Rising: The Story of Prussia’s Arrival On the World Stage, pub. 1989 by Professor Reinicke Herz

With the elimination of 24 French and Spanish divisions in Sachsen, and with the addition of 23 newly mobilized or newly raised divisions to the Prussian Army, the balance of forces in the Franco-Prussian War began to tip.

Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm massed his cavalry in neutral but friendly Hesse-Kassel for a breakout in January of 1860. He aimed first at Minden, then shoved meager rear-area opposition aside to capture Munster while Prince Friedrich Karl retook the region of Korbach. Beginning in April, Emperor Louis Napoleon began to realize his desperate situation and began to offer terms for an armistice, suggesting that the Franco-Prussian border could be restored and France would only retain the minor German states she had conquered. King Wilhelm I rejected these offers out of hand.



In a brief side note to Prussian history, on May 1st, 1860, the Prussian ambassador to Russia, Count Otto von Bismarck, was assassinated by a Russian Pole in St. Petersburg. Bismarck had served in the Bundesrat, and had been considered a likely candidate for Foreign Minister. Polish nationalists had become uncomfortable with the relatively gentle way Poles were treated in Russia up to that point, and some militants felt it would further their cause to provoke both Russia and Prussia into a more adversarial relationship. This rising militancy was to have more significant consequences within a few years.



By the middle of May, French armies in northern Prussia were cut off except by sea. Friedrich Wilhelm first expanded the encirclement by capturing Osnabruck and Dortmund, then rode north to close Emperor Louis Napoleon’s armies in a pincer against Generals Haber’s and Tegel’s reinforced armies which had arrayed to defend Berlin.



Generals Tegel and Haber kept Emperor Louis Napoleon and Marshal Bazaine engaged through the month of June. A small force of infantry landed in Holstein to prevent a French escape in that direction. When Friedrich Wilhelm arrived in Luneburg in July, the encirclement of most of the French armies in the north was complete.

Some FB to FB, as Coz says...

Von Lippe, Lord GQ, TekcoR, and many others, thanks again for your readership and comments.

Thank you, Stnylan, for your kind comments.

And thank you, Draco, for your everpresent confidence! Bazaine is a complicated character... I hadn't meant to dwell upon him, but (like Louis Napoleon) his complexity may tempt me to go further with him. He (somehow!) manages to escape capture in my Franco Prussian war. You might be surprised by some of what Bazaine's personality has to offer.

coz1 said:

I knew it would turn for you soon. Thank goodness that peace offer was rejected. I'm sure it was mighty tempting. And a Prussia/Germany without Bismarck? Sounds crazy to me, but I think you have someone lined up to take his historical place, eh Pietr?

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Coz, thank you for your loyal readership and commenting, and for your kind plug in the bAAR... I meant everything I said about your writing -- truly remarkable! ... as shown also by those comments at the end of "Glory of Persia". I couldn't believe my eyes, reading two full pages of glorious comments AFTER the AAR was done!

As for Pietr... I'm not entirely sure yet how I shall play these characters out. To tell the truth, I stayed my hand yesterday morning... I was about to assassinate both Bismarck AND Kauperke, together! I had another PM in mind... but that will have to wait, I think.

Thanks everyone! Update moments away...

Rensslaer

“Hello, Old Friend.”

The man – his face taut, haggard, pale – turned slowly and with some confusion from his horse’s flank, against which he had been leaning for support, and perhaps to hide his face. He looked wretchedly beaten down.

For a moment, Emperor Louis Napoleon’s surprise delivered a grateful smile to his face, but it quickly soured. “Ahh,” he laughed, bitterly. “My friend, Pietr.”

Pietr van Rensselaer’s smile was gentle, sensitive. “I am sorry that it has come to this, Louie. I have been sent by the KronPrinz to see if there is anything I can do for you… within some bounds.”

Napoleon let out a sigh that nearly turned into a sob. “Oh, what is the point in making you an enemy? You hate me less than my own troops… not to mention my own Marshal.”

“Come along, Louie. Let’s have a seat and rest. Friedrich Wilhelm will be here shortly.” They retired to a bench, in front of a quaint cottage beside where Louis Napoleon had been run to ground by Prussian hussars.



“Mon ami,” Louis Napoleon began, once he had collapsed onto the bench. “What will become of me now? Will you be good enough to send me home and let’s forget this war ever happened?”

Rensselaer noted, with some fascination, that Louis Napoleon, the crafty politician, was fishing… Even from the bottom of a well. Deftly, Rensselaer avoided disclosing what had been determined to be the course of the war. “I have used my considerable influence with the King to prevail upon your behalf. For the time being, while things are being sorted out, you are to be a guest at my estate. Under guard, of course,” he said, heading off what was surely Louis Napoleon’s next inquiry. “And… You must agree not to take up any hobbies in carpentry.”

In response to Rensselaer’s obvious reference to Louis Napoleon’s earlier escape from a French prison, he laughed out loud. The first laughter that had left his mouth since taunting fleeing Prussian infantry -- which seemed to him not very long ago.

And... I TOLD you a while back I was going to brag...

I don't know if any of you recognized the sketch I heavily modified for the Rensselaer and Napoleon capture story, but it is adapted from a very famous sketch of Bismarck and Napoleon chatting in a parallel situation.

I had great fun modifying the picture to present the image of Rensselaer (tall, balding, thin, sans pickelhaube) in the sketch instead of Bismarck. Here's the comparison:



An artist I am not, but there are times when I can make the technology work for me.

Rensslaer

Von Lippe said:

I think if Nappy is very humble and polite, you should let him go home for the bargain basement price of Alsace-Lorraine, Metz, and the rest of the German-claim provinces on the border!

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You may be disappointed in the decision I make... Or perhaps not.

I'll try to get an update up today, but it's alot to write, so it may have to be Monday.

Thanks!

Rensslaer

Detlef Bronweiller, Prussia’s Finance Minister, seemed about to have a nervous breakdown. He was fidgeting quietly but distractingly near the far end of the table from the King. He was barely 45, but already his hair was graying and he seemed stooped.

Prime Minister Erwin von Kauperke and the rest of the King’s ministers were present as well, including Count Pietr van Rensselaer, who had grown to be a part of the cadre for his free-lancing work.

The King had just congratulated General Albrecht von Roon, Prussia’s new War Minister, on the successful conduct of Prussian armies in the north, which had just captured French Emperor Louis Napoleon. Roon had largely credited the King’s son, the Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, which had seemed to leave little impression on the King.

“The question,” Kauperke led on, “is now that we have the French Emperor and most of his remaining army in our custody, where are we to go from here? It is my intention to see this discussion out at this table today.”

Baron von Schleinitz, the Foreign Minister, said, “Our economic situation being so dire, I would urge that we make use of our recent success and put an end to this war as soon as possible. It is impossible to negotiate from a position of strength with our economy in such a state.”

Bronweiller was trying ably to pay attention, but had to suppress a shudder at the mention of his precious Treasury.

Kauperke nodded, and took note of the several heads around the table that also bobbed. “Detlef, is that your view?” Bronweiller simply shook his head no, and seemed to endeavor to go on. He failed.

Rensselaer spoke up. “Minister Kauperke, if I may. I have a correspondence with which the KronPrinz entrusted me. He wished for me to present it to the ministers.” Kauperke encouraged him to go on. Rensselaer read. Friedrich Wilhelm said that he believed it was time for Prussia to take advantage of its opportunity and impose some serious, permanent changes to the environment of Europe. He rejected the scheming of politicians and dictators that had led to the invasion of Prussia by the French Entente. He said, “Since the days of Napoleon Bonaparte, Europe had been relatively peaceful because of the maintenance of a code of behavior between the members of the European community. To my mind, the two major exceptions to this peace prior to the present have been the intrigues on the Italian peninsula, and the war which was manufactured by the French against Russia.” Most of those around the table perceived that Friedrich Wilhelm also thought ill of his father’s campaign against Austria, but was politic enough not to say so here. “It is no coincidence that Prussia now finds itself in a struggle of grand proportions against the same powers which have for so long conspired against the peace of this continent. I propose that, now that we have attained a position of advantage, that we use it to ‘drain the swamp’ as it were, and rid ourselves of these meddling influences. It is my opinion that this is an achievable goal, and I urge it upon you today.”

The letter appeared to provoke around the table some degree of quiet reflection, but also some discomfiture as the ministers anticipated the King’s reaction.

“My son proposes to bankrupt this country!” Wilhelm I stormed. He glared at Kauperke, sensing some involvement of his in the manipulation of details today.

Kauperke paused a moment, and then said, “Your Majesty, it may well be too late to avoid such a fate. Which is one reason why I believe we must consider this proposal very closely. Or some modification of it. It is my judgment that unless we are able to extract some enormous indemnity from France and/or the other powers, we will be unable to climb out of our financial hole.”

“Your Majesty,” Rensselaer added, “I fear that it is worse than that, in fact.” He glanced at Kauperke, which was the Prime Minister’s cue to call on Bronweiller.

“Detlef, what is the condition of our debt as of right now?” Kauperke asked.

Though he had been apprised of the plan, Bronweiller seemed startled to be addressed. He recovered and practically whispered, “Prussia’s debt by the middle of next month will hit n… n… ni… nine,” he stuttered, “h… hundred m… million thalers… Your Majesty.” A collective gasp rippled through the room.



Kauperke took a deep breath. Indeed, that was twice the record debt level Prussia had reached during the Egyptian War, and was three times the crisis level that had prompted a ministerial meeting just ten years ago.

“Your Majesty,” Rensselaer summed up, “The interest on our debt is now increasing at a rate of fifteen million thalers every month – five hundred thousand thalers every single day.” The faces of those ministers who were only now learning the magnitude of Prussia’s situation grew shocked and pale. "And that is not counting our monthly deficit of another six million thalers… which will only increase with time as we continue this war.”

“Then stop the war!” the King exclaimed. “Chase them out, and dictate terms!” The room hushed. The King had never been this exercised, even those other times when he could tell that his ministers – his Prime Minister among them – were scheming to manipulate his decisions.

Recouping his courage, Kauperke went on. “Your Majesty, what we are suggesting is that even if we end the war on the most favorable of terms, we believe we are now destined for certain bankruptcy.”

Bronweiller whimpered at the end of the table.

The King turned red. He was about to engage in another outburst when Rensselaer headed him off. “Asking an indemnity of the French that would enable us to recover from our war debts,” he stressed war debts, which they were, mostly, “would be laughed off the table. We would have to completely bring France and her allies to their knees in order to collect an indemnity of such size. And even then, Prussia would be hamstrung for decades just from the process of catching up on payments.”

The King was furious, but at a loss as to what to say.

“What we suggest,” said Kauperke slowly and delicately, “is to accept bankruptcy from war pressures as inevitable – it has happened to other great nations before us.” He quickly marched past that point. “But also to accept nothing less than total victory in this war. The Crown Prince believes that he, Tegel, Haber and Moltke have destroyed or captured no fewer than 50 whole French and allied divisions. Add the sure elimination of the two Sardinian divisions who have landed in Stettin, and the likely reduction of more divisions in Oldenburg… He believes that total victory is possible. In fact, he… and I… and Field Marshall von Roon, believe it is in fact absolutely necessary.” Kauperke stared now not at the King, but at von Schleinitz, who was Kauperke’s most powerful opponent here at the table, but who knew absolutely sure that the King knew and trusted his old friend Roon.

The King’s eyes were downcast… deliberative. He was no longer angry. He looked up. “Albrecht? Is it your judgment that this is so?” Roon nodded his silent but firm assent. “Detlef? This is so?” The King seemed to plead with his eyes that someone would contradict Kauperke.

“Yes… Your Majesty,” Bronweiller offered, resignedly, but without reservation.

All was silent. Nothing more needed be said.

Wilhelm I became once more the warrior, the lion, the Majestic Sovereign, the Konig von Preussen. He pounded his fist on the table with resolution. “Then it shall be! We shall rid the continent of these Bonapartes and these traitors, once and for all!”

Von Lippe said:

Economic tactics of despair? I never thought of a deliberate bankruptcy to get you out of the hole. I guess (based on your screenshot) that your industry isn't all that developed, so it should work. But I do agree that those nasty French warmongers need a good whuppin'. Burn Paris and bring the Arc de Triumphe (sp?) back to Berlin as a souvenier.

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Well, not intentional. I carefully checked the math, and my total ability to make money was swamped by the interest on my debt -- almost to 100% even where you see it in the graphic. Even making peace and cutting everything back to zero while taxing at 100% wouldn't have avoided bankruptcy.

Before the war it would have been possible, barely, and I was actually making progress in that direction. But the war clinched it and I was done.

It was a very hard realization to come to. Not really a decision to do... more a decision to accept. Let's just say I started out in the opinion of the King, but when I did the math I came to Kauperke's and Rensselaer's realization.

Rensslaer

TekcoR said:

Still no additional invasion of Denmark, Sweden, Norway or Finland, good!

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Well, as you can quite clearly see... I can't afford it!

Just wait, though...

Rensslaer