A Story of Emperor Frederick

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 308, 17 October 1888, Page 6

A Story of Emperor Frederick

A TonoiiiNci slory of the late Emperor Fi ode rick has been published by a reiired Austiian officer. As Crown Pdnce of Prussia, Frederick William was chief or honorary colonel of the Austi-ian 20th Infantry Regiment ; and in 1862 the commander of that regiment wrote to him asUing whether, as the old colours of one of the battalions, being then more than a century old, were quite worn out, the Crown Princess would be wiling to be ' godmother ' to the new colours, then about to be consecrated. The Princess graciously consented ; and when a deputation of officers of the regiment waited, upon her at Berlin, she presented them with a border which she had herself embroider* d for the banner. In the war of 1866 between Prussia and Austria, the first battle of the Crown Prince's army was that of Nachod. The oth Prussian Corps was marching through the narrow defile of Jfachod ; and only a small advance guard had reached the open hill of Wenzelsberg, beyond the delile, when the brigades of the Austrian 6th Corps began to approach the ,v\'enzelsberg. The first Austrian brigade was repulsed, aftor a sharp struggle ; and t>he Crown Prince, hearing of the action, hastened to the spot in time to see the attack nf the next brigade (Colonel jlonak'sl. This attack was brave and determined ; but wns also defeated ; one of jthe regiments leaving* on the ground 24 officers and 500 men killed and wounded, and its battalion c6lours. This was the 20th Regiment, "The Crown Prince of Prussia's Own ; "' and the lost colours were those which the Crown Princess hud decorated. As soon as the Austrians had retreated tho Crown Prince rode forward and asked a wounded officer of the

regiment how the Colonel/ who had "also visited him in Berlin, had fared. '-He lies yonder,' was the answer ; and a few yards away the Prince found his friend, -oadly wounded. 'My poor Colonel Count Wimpd'en, who could have thought we should &o soon and so sadly meet again ?' 'It is the luck of Avar,' was the answer. The Prince had the colonel bended with all possible care and comfort. But lie died of his wounds next day ; an i fche colours (of the loss of which the Cruwn Prince would not let him be lold) were sent to Berlin. The Crown Prince wrote to the family of the fallen colonel, giving a full account of the brave conduct of bhe tegiment, and of the lasb hours of ita wounded commanuer. The Crown Princess proposed 10 yivethe colours back to the battalion. But before the t'rao came when thif> purpose could be oflectod iho battalion colours in bhe Austrian army were abolished. So the c.ipUitcrl banner still hang's nmonj» other tiophies in the Berlin Hall of Victory.