1804. ] 
Not many months had paffed, when 
fortunately for Von Zieten’s defire of pro- 
motion, Frederick the Second was induced 
to commence hoftilities againft the young 
Queen of Hungary, for the recovery of 
Silefias In the campaign of 1741, im 
which the Great Frederick ferved his own 
. firft apprenticefhip in a€tual warfare, no 
occafion occurred for the employment of 
the huffars in any eminent fervices. 
Von Zieten had, in this war, the glory 
of creating, in fome manner, a new {pe- 
cies of force in the Ruffian fervice, and 
of making Frederick fenfible of the ad- 
vantages to be gained by adopting, for a 
part of his army, the drefs, the armour, and 
the difcipline of Huflars. Huffars caps to 
’ protect the head even from the ftroke of 
a fabre: clofe and light vefts fimilar to 
the doublets anciently worn under the 
coats of mail; pantaloons at once ftrong 
and light; half-bvots rifing almott to the 
point of the knee; a firong belt or 
girdle to confine and defend the waitt ; 
compofed a drefs for thefe Huffars, the 
lighteft and fafeft that can be imagined 
for truly effective cavalry. The fabre 
and piftols with which they were armed, 
were adapted to do as much injury to 
enemies, in an engagement, as it could 
be poffible to effeét with heavier but 
more cumberfome arms. The horfes on 
which they were mounted, were {tout, 
but ftill more remarkable for {wiftnetis 
and patience of fatigue, than for draught- 
horfe ftrenyth. The men chofen in pre- 
ference, for this fervice, were mufcular, 
well-knit forms, of middle fize, bold, 
active, of good addrefs, cunning, and 
full of ftratagem~as the moft alert and 
fubtle beats of prey. The ready and 
neat equipment of their perfors; equal 
quieknefs and addrefs in regard to their 
horfes ;. fkillto keep the faddle, and ufe 
the fabre and pittols, in every difficulty 
of riding, and at every degree of velo- 
city; the utmoft addrefs in making their 
way through marthes,'’ woods, and over 
almoft any ground however rugged and 
uneven; great ptomptitude in joining 
and in dilperfing, with fkill to aé& pre- 
cifely in concert, even when {cattered ; 
power to make a fudden, unforefeen onfet, 
with terrible rapidity and force ; conftant 
vigilance to feize advantages, and difcre- 
tion to do nothing but feize advantages, 
aid guard againit lofing them; temark- 
able acutenels and fagacity ‘of all the 
fenfes ; admirable {kill in deception; con- 
fuinmate addrefs in the difcovery and 
the conveyance of forage and provifions ; 
with art and vigour, in hovering round 
Life of General Von Zisten. 
45 
the march of a main army of heavier 
troops, to hinder any annoyance that may 
be lightly difperfed, from approachingy 
to difturb them: thefe are fome of the 
principal movements and duties in the 
Huffar-difcipline. And, it is eafy to 
perceive, that the officer who had the 
molt eminent fhare in giving to the great 
Frederick in the very beginning of his 
wars, the command of a well-difciplined 
body of light cavalry of this character, 
mutt have been, ever after, regarded, as 
having the ftrongeft claim upon the gra 
titude and elteem of his fovereign and his 
country. The Huflars were confidered, 
even in this infancy of their fervice, as 
having contributed to Frederick’s victo- 
ries, perhaps more eflentially than any 
of his other troops. Von Zieten was 
efteemed, as the hero of the, Pruffian 
Huflars: and, as fuch, his name was, 
from this time, famous and terrible. over 
all Germany. 
Von Zieten obtained yet other and 
higher honours, by his fervice in thefe 
two campaigns. He endeared himflf to 
the officers and men under his command, 
without any relaxation of difcipline: and, 
he ufed the moft anxious care to prevent 
any avoidable cruelty or rapine from be. 
ing inflicted by his foldiers on the people 
of thote territories which he was fent to 
lay wafte or put under contribution, 
The nature of the Huffar-fervice, being 
fuch as to engage him almoft perpetually 
in fpoiling an enemy’s country ; he might 
have acquired a large fortune, even in a 
fingle campaign, if he had been a hard. 
hearted, avaricious man, willing to ufe 
the advantages of command to his own 
private emolument, to the utmott degree 
to which he could have done fo, without 
danger of reproach from his mafter. But, 
he was diftinguifhed above all the officers 
whether of the Pruffian or the Auttrian 
fervice, by tendernefs to thofe unhappy 
people who, without having arms in toeir 
hands, were made, accidentally, the vic- 
tims of war. He never exacted for him- 
felf nor fuffered his officers and foldiers 
to exaét, a fingle dollar more from the 
inhabitants of an enemy’s country laid 
under contribution, than he had the 
King’s precife command for, At the 
clofe of the war, he was not at all 
richer, except by the new emoluments of 
his advanced rank than at its beginning. 
But, be had conqueted many difficulties, 
he had prevailed by manly arts, over 
various rivals, his ambition was duly 
gratified and encouraged, the excefles of 
his patlions, were, in general, fubdued, 
and 
