andreas hofer-第93章

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Mittewald。　For　two　days　Saxons　and　Tyrolese　opposed　each　other　in
this　fratricidal　contest；　in　which　Germans　fought　against　Germans　in
obedience　to　the　behests　of　the　tyrant　who　had　subjugated　all
Germany；　and　to　whom　only　the　undaunted　Tyrol　still　offered　a
stubborn　resistance。

The　victory　was　long　undecided。　Once　the　forces　of　the　Duke　of
Dantsic　succeeded　at　one　extremity　of　the　defile　in　driving　back　the
sharpshooters　under　Joachim　Haspinger；　the　Capuchin；　and　clearing　a
passage　for　the　Saxons　struggling　in　the　gorge。　But　the　Capuchin　had
retreated　only　to　bring　up　fresh　forces；　dispatch　messengers　to
Speckbacher；　Peter　Mayer；　Andreas　Hofer；　and　Anthony　Wallner；　sound
the　tocsin；　and　concentrate　more　armed　peasants。　And　Speckbacher
came　up　with　his　brave　sharpshooters　in　the　rear　of　the　Saxons：
Anthony　Wallner　and　his　men　made　their　appearance　like…wise；　Peter
Mayer　brought　up　fresh　forces；　and　Andreas　Hofer　sent　word　that　he
would　be　on　hand　speedily。　But　the　Saxons　were　likewise　re…enforced；
both　by　the　French；　who　moved　up　from　Brixen；　and　the　Bavarians；　who
approached　from　Sterzing。

The　contest　was　continued　with　unabated　violence；　and　both　sides
struggled　obstinately　for　the　victory。　But　the　Tyrolese　fought　for
their　rights；　their　liberty；　their　German　country；　the　Saxons　and
Bavarians　fought　for　tyranny；　for　the　foreign　oppressor；　and　the
subjugation　of　their　countrymen。　God　granted　victory　to　the
Tyrolese；　and　in　the　defile　of　Mittewald　upward　of　a　thousand　Saxons
had　to　atone　by　their　death　for　having　fought　at　the　bidding　of　the
French　conqueror　on　German　soil　against　their　German　countrymen。

The　Tyrolese　fought　for　their　rights；　their　liberty；　their　German
country；　and　the　Duke　of　Dantsic；　the　proud　marshal　of　France；　was
defeated　by　the　despised　peasants；　he　had　to　flee　from　their　wrath；
and　arrived　without　his　cloak　and　hat；　trembling　and　deathly　pale；
on　his　foaming　horse　at　Sterzing；　which　he　had　left　a　few　hours
previously　with　the　firm　conviction　that　he　would　inflict　a　crushing
defeat　upon　the　〃haughty　peasant…rabble。〃　Now　this　〃haughty　peasant…
rabble〃　had　defeated　him。

God　is　with　those　who　fight　for　the　rights　and　liberty　of　Germany。
God　is　with　those　who　rise　boldly　against　French　tyranny　and　French
arrogance！




CHAPTER　XXXII。

THE　FIFTEENTH　OF　AUGUST　AT　INNSPRUCK。


God　is　with　those　who　fight　for　the　rights　and　liberty　of　Germany。
He　had　granted　another　victory　to　the　Tyrolese。

Animated　by　their　brilliant　successes；　the　patriots　no　longer　stood
on　the　defensive；　but；　flocking　from　all　quarters　to　the　standard　of
Hofer；　assembled　in　great　multitudes　on　Mount　Isel；　the　scene　of
their　former　triumphs；　and　destined　to　be　immortalized　by　a　still
more　extraordinary　victory。　Lefebvre　had　collected　his　whole　force；
consisting　of　twenty…six　thousand　men；　of　whom　two　thousand　were
horse；　with　forty　pieces　of　cannon；　on　the　little　plain　which　lies
between　Innspruck　and　the　foot　of　the　mountains　on　the　southern　side
of　the　Inn。　They　were　far　from　being　animated；　however；　by　their
wonted　spirit；　the　repeated　defeats　they　had　experienced　had
inspired　them　with　that　mysterious　dread　of　the　mountaineers　with
which　regular　troops　are　so　often　seized；　when；　contrary　to
expectation；　they　have　been　worsted　by　undisciplined　bodies　of　men；
and　a　secret　feeling　of　the　injustice　of　their　cause；　and　the
heroism　with　which　they　had　been　resisted；　paralyzed　many　an　arm
which　had　never　trembled　before　a　regular　army。

The　Tyrolese　consisted　of　eighteen　thousand　men；　three　hundred　of
whom　were　Austrian　soldiers　who　had　refused　to　follow　their
officers；　and　remained　to　share　the　fate　of　the　inhabitants。　They
were　tolerably　supplied　with　ammunition；　but　had　little　provisions；
in　consequence　of　which　several　hundred　peasants　had　already　gone
back　to　their　homes。

Joseph　Speckbacher　commanded　the　right　wing；　whose　line　extended
from　the　heights　of　Passberg　to　the　bridges　of　Hall　and　Volders；
Hofer　was　with　the　centre；　and　had　his　headquarters　at　the　inn　of
Spade；　on　the　Schoenberg；　Haspinger　directed　the　left；　and　advanced
by　Mutters。

At　four　in　the　morning；　the　brave　Capuchin　roused　Hofer　from　sleep；
and；　having　first　united　with　him　in　fervent　prayer；　hurried　out　to
communicate　his　orders　to　the　outposts。

The　battle　commenced　at　six；　and　continued　without　intermission　till
midnight；　the　Bavarians　constantly　endeavoring　to　drive　the　Tyrolese
from　their　position　on　Mount　Isel；　and　they；　in　their　turn；　to　force
the　enemy　back　into　the　town　of　Innspruck。

For　a　long　time　the　contest　was　undecided；　the　superior　discipline
and　admirable　artillery　of　the　enemy　prevailing　over　the　impetuous
but　disorderly　assaults　and　deadly　aim　of　the　mountaineers；　but
toward　nightfall　the　bridge　of　the　Sill　was　carried　after　a
desperate　struggle；　and　their　left　flank　being　thus　turned；　the
French　and　Bavarians　gave　way　on　all　sides；　and　were　pursued　with
great　slaughter　into　the　city。　They　lost　six　thousand　men；　of　whom
seventeen　hundred　wounded　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Tyrolese；　while
on　the　side　of　the　latter　not　more　than　nine　hundred　had　fallen。
Lefebvre　had　to　retreat　hastily　toward　Salzburg；　where　his　whole
army　was　collected　on　the　20th。

This　great　victory　was　immediately　followed　by　the　liberation　of　the
whole　Tyrol；　and　when；　on　the　morning　of　the　15th　of　August；　the　sun
rose　over　Innspruck；　Andreas　Hofer　and　his　victorious　host　stood　on
Mount　Isel；　gazing　with　profound　emotion　on　the　reeking；　gory
battle…field；　on　which；　two　days　ago；　war　had　raged　with　all　its
horrors；　and　on　the　city　of　Innspruck；　whose　smoking　and　burning
houses　betokened　the　last　outburst　of　the　rage　of　the　fugitive
French　marshal。　＇Footnote：　〃Gallery　of　Heroes：　Andreas　Hofer；〃　p。
126。＇

〃See　how　much　blood　it　has　cost；　and　how　many　wrongs　had　to　be
committed；　that　we　might　obtain　our　rights！〃　sighed　Andreas　Hofer；
pointing　to　the　battle…field。　〃My　heart　overflows　with　pity　on
seeing　these　horrors；　and　I　implore　you　all　to　be　merciful　with　the
wounded　and　to　treat　the　prisoners　leniently。　Among　these　prisoners
are　about　one　thousand　Bavarians　and　Saxons。　See；　they　are　standing
down　yonder　in　dense　groups；　and　our　men　surround　them；　mocking　and
abusing　them。　Go　down　to　them；　dear　Secretary　Doeninger；　tell　them
to　be　merciful　and　compassionate；　and　to　bear　always　in　mind　that
the　prisoners　are　no　longer　their　enemies；　but　their　German
brethren；　that　they　are　Saxons　and　Bavarians；　speak　one　and　the　same
language　with　us；　and　are　our　countrymen。　Repeat　this　to　our　men；
Doeninger；　and　say　to　them　in　my　name；　'Do　not　injure　the　prisoners；
they　are　Saxons　and　Bavarians；　and　good　and　brave　men！'〃　＇Footnote：
Andreas　Hofer's　own　words。Ibid。；　p。　125。＇

〃They　are　not　exactly　good　men；〃　said　Speckbacher；　who　was　standing
on　the　right　side　of　Andreas　Hofer；　〃no；　they　are　not　exactly　good
men；　Andy；　otherwise　they　would　not　have　fought　against　us；　who　are
assuredly　good　men　and　have　done　nothing　but　defend　our　dear
country。〃

Instead　of　replying　to　him；　Andreas　Hofer　turned　smilingly　to　the
Capuchin；　who　was　standing　on　his　left　side。　〃Brother　Joachim；〃　he
said　gently；　〃you　ought　to　exhort　our　Joseph　here　a　little；　that　he
may　comply　with　the　Redeemer's　precept　and　forgive　his　enemies。　He
is　a　very　good；　but　very　stubborn　fellow；　a　brave　and　excellent
soldier；　but　it　would　do　him　no　harm　if　he　were　a　better　Christian。〃

〃If　we　had　been　good　Christians　latterly　we　should　never　have
defeated　the　enemy；〃　growled　the　Capuchin；　shaking　his　head。　〃If　we
were　good　Christians；　we　should　have　to　love　our　enemies；　do　good　to
them　that　hate　us；　and　pray　for　those　who　despitefully　use　us　and
persecute　us。　So　long　as　we　are　soldiers；　Andy；　we　cannot　be　good
Christians；　and　I　thank　God　for　it　that　we　fought　like　downright
brave　heathens。　But　after　the　enemy　has　been　expelled　from　the
country；　and　peace　prevails　again　everywhere；　and　I　have　returned　to
my　tedious　convent　at　Seeben；　I　will　become　again　a　pious　Capuchin；
and　exhort　our　dear　brave　Joseph　Speckbacher　to　become　as　good　a
Christian　as　our　Andreas　Hofer。〃

〃No；　no；　brother　Joachim；　we　w