Field-Marshal Count Moltke, 1800-1878

by Wilhelm Müller

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1879 ... knew of the fact. One evening I was standing near his bed, and I heard him exclaim, 'So Gregory XVI. is dead! God rest his soul!' I thought that he must be talking in his sleep, but after his death was officially announced some days later, those words came back to my mind, as well as the circumstance of a strange priest, who on that memorable afternoon rushed breathlessly into the palace and had a private audience of the Prince. I also saw how the conclave bore witness to the indescribable enthusiasm which prevailed on Cardinal Mastai-Ferretti's assumption of the papal chair--heard, too, the exultant populace, who filled the air for hours with the cry ' Evviva Pio Nono!'" In that same year Prince Henry died. Moltke went to Berlin to inform the King of the fact, and was instructed to return to Rome to superintend the removal of the body to the Prussian capital. On this journey " I again saw how rapidly the enthusiasm had subsided as soon as the new pope had convinced himself that he would have to halt upon the liberal path which he had chosen." On his return from Rome Moltke was appointed to the staff of the 8th Army Corps in Coblentz, and in 1848 he became Chief of the Staff of the 4th Army Corps in Magdeburg, which post he held for seven years; advancing by degrees, he became a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1850, and a full Colonel in the year following. The year 1855 brought a change in his official duties, when he was appointed equerry to the Crown Prince, who in the autumn of 1856 was in command of the nth Infantry regiment, then quartered in Breslau. On all the journeys which the Crown Prince had to make at that time, to London, Paris, and St. Petersburg, Moltke was always in attendance, and if they were somewhat different from his adventures e...

64 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2009