No lust of conquest made him take the field this time; it
had long been plain to him that he was fighting for his own life and
that of his State. But his determination had grown only the stronger.
Like the stormwind he purposed to dash into the clouds which were
collecting from all sides about his head, and to break up the
thunderbolts through the energy of an irresistible attack, before they
were discharged. He had never been conquered up to this time. His
enemies had been beaten every time he had fallen upon them with his
terrible instrument--the army. Herein lay his only hope. If his
well-tried power did not fail him now, he might save his State.
But in the very first conflict with his old enemy, the Austrians, he
saw that they, too, had learned from him and were changed. He exerted
his strength to the utmost, and at Kollin it failed him. The 18th of
June, 1757, is the most momentous day in Frederick's life. There
happened on that day what twice more in this war snatched victory from
him--the general had underestimated his enemy and had expected the
impossible from his own brave army. After a short period of
stupefaction Frederick arose with new strength. Instead of an
aggressive war, he had been forced to wage a desperate war of defense.
His foes attacked his little country from all sides. He entered upon a
death struggle with every great power of the Continent, master of only
four million men and a defeated army. Now his talent as general showed
itself as he escaped the enemy after defeats and again attacked in the
most unexpected quarters and beat them, faced first one army and then
another, unsurpassed in his dispositions, inexhaustible in expedients,
unequaled as leader of troops in battle.
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