484 “ 
regiment of cavalry prisoners. But how great 
was his surprise, as well as his triumph, when 
he discovered he had been coping with the 
celebrated General de Baronay, his former 
preceptor in the artof war! The scholar not 
only surpassed the master, but had likewise 
taken him prisoner, had he not crossed the 
stream by the timely assistance of a plank, 
and immediately betaken himself to flight. 
The gencral the next day carried his justice 
and generosity so far, as to write the most 
obliging letter to his conqueror, in which he 
confessed himself vanquished, and observed 
that the master was but too happy in having 
been able to escape at all.from so formidable 
a scholar.” 
Frederick was soon informed of this 
brilliant exploit of the hussars, which 
produced an universal sensation through- 
out the camp, and appointed Zieten to 
the rank of colonel. De Wurm now re- 
solyed at all events to retrieve his cha- 
racter; an opportunity offered, but his 
incapacity was so great, that, but for 
Zieten, both himself and followers would 
have fallen inevitable victims. Frede- 
rick dismissed him the service on a small 
pension, and named Zieten to be the 
chief officer of his hussars, atter having 
united the six squadrons of Berlin and 
Prussia into a single regiment. About 
this time also, he was decorated with 
the order of military merit. The name 
of the hussars now began to be formida- 
ble; Zieten had the merit of being the 
father of all the heroes who succeeded 
him in this line of duty, as his regiment 
had that of being the model of all that 
were formed after him. In the course 
of this campaign, they signalized them- 
selves on various occasions, but in no in- 
stance proved of more essential service 
than in aiding the splendid retreat of the 
PrinceofAnhalt beforeCharles of Lorrain: 
Zieten covered the baggage, and led the 
vanguard, and acquitted himself with so 
much vigilance, ability and success, that 
when the Prussian army, retreating from 
the walls of Olmutz, arrived in Upper 
Silesia, they had scarcely sustained any 
loss. Soon after this, preliminaries of 
peace were signed at Breslaw, the Elec- 
tor of Bavaria was chosen Emperor of 
Germany, by the name of Charles VII. 
and Silesia was ceded in full and perpe- 
tual sovereignty to Prussia. 
* The goodness of Zieten’s heart was, at this time, eminently displayed in favour of the 
captain, who had persecuted hint so unrelentingly in Prussia, and who had even induced 
Frederick William to cashier him. The captain had been dismissed the regiment for cowar- _ 
BIOGRAPHY. 
In the brief biographical abstract 
which we are now making, it must be 
mentioned, that at the end of these two | 
campaigns Zieten returned as poor ashe | 
had set out: frequent occasions of en= — 
riching himself had occurred; he had 
overrun Bohemia and Moravia at the 
head of his light troops, and had pene — 
trated into Austria and Hungary. "The 
king himself had hinted.to him, in some 
letters, which are given in these volumes, — 
that if his officers “ should be able to — 
procure any extraordinary emoluments, 
he should not examine the matter very 
nearly, providedthey did not push things 
too far, &c. 3’? in short, he certainly had 
it in his power-to amass considerable 
wealth with pertect impunity; but Zieten 
thought it his duty to check any spirit 
of plunder and unnecessary devastation 
which might appear among his troops.* 
During the peace, Zieten. divided his 
time between the enjoyment of his fami- 
ly, and the duties of his profession; he 
employed the interval between the first 
and second Silesian wars in, improving. 
his regiment, and perfecting their disei- 
pline. At the king’s command, hetried 
the effects of yarious evolutions practised 
by the Austrian hussars, and, adopted 
those which appeared to be best :— 
himself and his officers too, made dispo- 
sitions in writing on subjects which the. 
king had given them, and which his ma-, 
jesty revised, in order to estimate their 
respective military knowledge, 
Zieten was, at this time, a little hurt 
that the king, who had invited several 
Hungarian officers into his service,should, 
suffer some of them to take precedence, 
of him, 
In the year 1743, his Jady bore him a 
son, the only one he had by this marri- 
age. ‘Uhe birth of a son, however, did 
not induce him to pay, any attention to, — 
the improvement of his fortune. He 
trusted the management of his farm, and 
all his domestic concerns to his wife, to- — 
tally regardless of the produce. 
Prussia now enjoyed two years of 
peace; at the expiration of this time, 
Frederick, in order to support the totter= 
ing fortunes of the emperor, again. took . 
the field, and in conjunction with Frances 
prepared to direct his operations once 
dice : he was compelled to lead a wandering life, despised by every body. Reduced to extreme - 
necessity, at length he had recourse to Zieten, who raised the old man from the ground, as — 
sured him of his pardon, and from that moment became his ayowed benefactor, a 
