We are not amused

20th April 1701

Herr Otto Flick
Schloss-Neuhaus

Dear Sir,

I write this missive from a feeling of confusion. It is not usual for you to be remiss in your duties, yet recent matters strongly suggests that you have indeed been guilty of an oversight or omission, which had the potential of being disastrous to both the army and to the state.

How did it come to pass that Hannunter was able to mobilise its army and despatch it to join Prinz Eugen without firstly you becoming aware of its posture, and secondly you failing to inform me of its preparations?

By the grace of God, we becamae aware of their presence TO OUR LEFT REAR before the two forces blundered into an accidental action. Had it not been for the diligence of our patrols the outcome could have been very different.

I am not at all content with the turn which events have taken, and I await your explanation for this failure in intelligence.

Believe me &c
Albrecht
Margraf

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Von Smallhausen, please have the goodness to have this copied out in a fair hand and bring it back for my signature... no, please copy it out yourself, make only one copy and ensure that this draft is secured in my files. No-one else is to see it. Is that understood?"

"Of course, Your Highness."

"Now, I understand that Lady Henrietta is most anxious to have speech with me?"

"That is correct, Your Highness."

"H'mmm. Very well, once you have copied that letter, then kindly have the goodness to escort Lady Henrietta to me."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"In the meantime, I understand General Himmelstoss is still awaiting my pleasure?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Very well, admit him."

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Good morning, Your Highness."

"Good morning, Herr General. Pray, be seated."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

"Himmelstoss, you have brought me to a point non-plus. I do not yet know whether your are to praise or you are to blame."

"I do not understand, Your Highness."

"Himmelstoss, I appreciate that you are my commissary-general, or wagon-master general for want of a better title, and I am more than satisfied with the manner in which you have, to date, conducted yourself in the performance of your duties, with the zeal in which you formed the wagon train and with the efforts you have made in order to keep the army supplied. I understand that there has not been a single instance of you failing to deliver supplies when and where they were need. For this herculean effort, you are to be commended. I am told that I must also commend you on the thoroughness with which you have trained your command. I do so. However, while I appreciate your attention to detail, and can fully understand the desire which any officer must conceive to ascertain how his command bears themselves once engaged in war-like manoeuvres - yes I know your train soldiers have yet to fire or even hear a shot fired, but, Himmelstoss, the wagon train is the one branch of the service that is, in effect, already at war - what gave you the idea to depart Schloss-Neuhaus and travel with one of your trains? And more to the point, who granted you such permission?"

"Your Highness, I am all confusion... Have I done wrong? I assure Your Highness that my decisions were based solely on the desire to ascertain whether any improvements could be made to the service which my position affords Your Highness."

"Himelstoss, I do not doubt your motives or your loyalty. I do, however, question your methods. It has taken you how long to travel from Schloss-Neuhaus to here? Two weeks? Yes, I thought so. And what if matters had gone awry at the Schloss in your absence? Who is there left behind who has the authority and the capability to resolve any problems in connection with the gathering and despatch of supplies? Do you not see, Herr General, that a failure in supply cripples the army?"

"Yes, Your Highness, I do indeed see matters thus; and that Your Highness, is one of the reasons I decided to travel to the army's present position. I did not, however, Your Highness, take this decision lightly, nor alone. I conferred with Herr General Von Prostler, who agreed that now I had established a comprehensive system for collecting, storing and despatching supplies I needed to examine the transportation of those same supplies. Your Highness has been good enough to commend me for the training or the wagon drivers; Your Highness must also believe then that I have been as diligent in the training of my administrative staff at Schloss-Neuhaus. My second-in-command, Major Von Hauchitsch, is a more than competent officer, who has had experience in campaigning under the command of your late uncle, and knows what needs to be done."

"H'mmm... Von Prostler was aware of and agreed with your scheme?"

"Indeed, Your Highness."

"Very well, we will let this pass for the moment. But there is to be no further excursion without my prior knowledge, is that understood?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Now, let us turn our attention to the matter of unanticipated reinforcements. What gave you the idea of gathering in our stragglers? For the most part, the Commanding Officers of Regimente and Bataillonen are content to have shed what they consider to be potential weaklings from their ranks."

"Your Highness, with all respect to the gentlemen in command of your regimente, they are too harsh in their judgement. The army, if I may make so bold, was mustered in haste, and this mustering was delayed by a series of misfortunes, which necessitated the even hastier recruitment of replacements for those who succumbed either to the poisoned flour or to the explosion of the Britannic powder-carrier. It is these new recruits, who for the most part, were those who lagged behind on the march. In many cases, Your Highness, it was an instance of although the spirit is willing the flesh is weak. You Highness, most of those whom I collected on my route were making determined efforts to follow the army, and that despite their lack of food and in some cases shoes on their feet. There were only eight men who required compulsion to continue in their route, and those men I ordered bound, and have handed them over to the Oberleutnant whom you left in charge here, young... ah yes, Von Rabensthal."

"I see, Herr General. Pray tell me, how is that you managed to keep these men going, when the best efforts of their offizieren and unteroffizieren had failed?"

"Your Highness, I have had some small experience in the training of men. Your Highness has, in the past, been good enough to commend my efforts in that direction."

"True... true..."

"Your Highness, in my experience, it has been the fault of the offizieren if men fall out on the march. It is normally due to insufficient training in the discipline of marches. All these men needed was the opportunity to rest and regain their strength. A day or two of unencumbered, easy marches and plenty of food was sufficient to, literally, set them back on their feet."

"Unencumbered marches?"

"Yes, Your Highness. With their packs and their firelocks - where they had them - loaded on to the wagons, and keeping to the wagons' slower pace, the majority of the men were quick to recover. There were alas, one or two, whose bodily exhaustion was too great for their constitutions. I have their names and the names of their families. I will ensure that the families are informed of their sacrifice."

"Very well. Then Herr General, it was indeed well done. But, do I understand you to say that some of these stragglers had with them their firelocks?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"H'mmm. Thank you, Herr General, you may return to your duties."

"Yes, Your Highness."