Monday 2 August 2010

Reveries (2)

What happened to the other characters?

Colonel Dwizok or Oncle Piotr as he was known to young Friedrich had survived the wars only to die in an uprising against the Russian occupation.

Lieutenant Blanc Returned to France and was employed in the ministry of war up until the Peace of Amiens when he retired and opened a restaurant that has done well ever since.

On repatriation Captain Twyth returned to the hussars, rising to command of his regiment and then commanding a brigade. He was killed in Russia leading his cuirassiers at Borodino.

Baron Wilhelm fled to Austria after the French finally occupied the Frei Stadt. After the Austrian defeat in 1809 he moved to Prussia, helped with raising a Frundsberg Freikops in 1813 and then returned in 1814. He then settled into retirement at his manor at Altfeld just outside Sonnenbad.

Franz Ferdinand was demoted back to head of the serving staff with the return of the Pommaine nobility but was appointed burgermeister by the new Westphalian regime and somehow kept his position after the provinces moved into Prussian control.

As for the glorious volunteer Freihussaren and the others, who can say?

Sunday 1 August 2010

Reveries

Friedrich awoke in the quiet of a classroom at the Kriegsakademie. That had been a boring lecture, no wonder he had fallen asleep. He would now get ribbed by the other cadets, served him right for spending most of last night at the Saracenerkopf with the serving maid. But what had made him remember all those stories his parents and grandfather had told him about the time of the French invasion?

Of course after the campaign his parents were married in the abbey in Sonnenbad. No one seemed to remember that father never denied the claims that he was a prince whereas in reality he was only a nephew of the Saxon Elector. He had gone on to serve in the Saxon armies through most of its campaigns, first alongside the Prussians in 1806 and then with the French through 1809 and 1812. He then changed sides and joined the Prussians in early 1813 and was now the general in charge of this district of the Prussian Rhine provinces.

He was never sure about his mother’s activities, but at times she disappeared for weeks before returning. He suspected that she was somehow involved in resistance to the French occupation.

As he grew older, “Uncle Hans” would appear from time to time and take him shooting in the woods and then entertain him with stories of past battles over the camp fire while their supper was cooking.

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This ends my winter solo campaign, which took far longer than planned, it will restart again in the autumn. Thanks to all those who have followed the campaign and given feedback.

Will