1635- the Wars for the Rhine (ARC)

by Anette Pedersen

  * * *

  “Ah, General von Hatzfeldt.” Commander Wickradt was standing just beyond the iron-bound tower gate with the sun reflecting from his helmet and breast-plate. “There is some news about the mercenary colonels.”

  “Excellent. Please walk with me, Commander, I’m staying for a while and would like to see the toll-tower for myself.” Melchior breathed deeply of the fresh air and looked up at the still hazy sun. The rain clouds from last night were gone and the mist had just been the usual morning mist hanging over the river. Both good and bad. It would make the couriers more visible, but also give earlier warning if the Hessians started moving in on the town.

  “So you accepted the council’s offer?” said Wickradt in a much lower voice, as they walked between the half-timbered houses toward the river, their boots making small splashes in the rain puddles.

  “Yes, and I’ll be sending off letters as soon as we have spoken. Please leave the western gate open until the couriers have left, but keep men standing by to close immediately if any large parties approach.” Melchior looked around at the wet cobbles sparkling in the sun. He had been a professional soldier for almost twenty years, and had been on the winning as well as losing sides of several sieges. But Bonn was so much a part of his childhood that the thought of blood running over these cobblestones made him feel sick.

  “That is already done, General, and they’ll also close the gate if mists gather again to obscure the view of the approach. This time of year that’s entirely possible.” Wickradt had to stretch his shorter legs to keep up with Melchior. “The news I just had were that Butler, MacDonald and Deveroux rode in through the western gate this morning, and left again less than an hour later going west. Felix Gruyard was with them. No sign of Geraldin. Also, the scouts I sent out earlier have returned to tell that the Hessians are crossing near Vesseling, and the road via Bruhl to Cologne is still open.”

  “All good, but if Geraldin turns up I’d like to see him.” Melchior stopped before turning into the open area before the toll-tower gate. “How much do they fire from the toll-tower?”

  “Not much, I went to the gate yesterday under truce to ask for their surrender. They refused, but we reached an agreement. Neither side sets fires until the town is actually attacked, and they can empty their slop-bucket safely over the outside wall in return for not deliberately targeting civilians. They are native Hessians, well disciplined, and prepared to just hold on until the rest of their force get here. I refused them food and extra water, but offered to let any wounded into care in the town. They replied that none of them were hit in the balls and none were catamites, so they preferred to stay away from Felix Gruyard and the archbishop’s dungeons. I had to admit that I could not guarantee their safety.”

  “Very well.” Melchior removed his hat and briefly scanned the tower by leaning round the corner. “No frontal attack on that, and reducing it to rubble only if negotiations fail. Let your wagons roll in to block as much of the gate as possible, and barricade all the streets just out of range. Where else might they attack? I remember the north wall missing some towers.”

  “If they can breach the north wall on the middle, they cannot be reached with cannons while entering town. But I’ve concentrated as many cannons there as I dared, so getting close would cost any attackers dearly. The west walls are good, and I’m sure we can beat anything they send at the river walls.”

  “Good. Letters next, and I’ll need a place to sleep.”

  “Let us walk to the Town Hall.” Wickradt looked sideways at Melchior as they crossed the gutter to walk on the big flat stones set along the middle of the road. “Is there any chance of getting your own regiments here?”

  “Not in time.” Melchior looked at the older man walking beside him and decided to be a bit more forthcoming. “I had some both personal and political problems in Vienna last winter, and was given furlough this summer to visit my family and make an evaluation of the military situation in western Germany for the emperor. I went back to report when it became obvious that Archbishop Ferdinand was about to stir things up along this part of the Rhine, but Bavaria is in chaos and the Habsburgs are waiting for the old emperor to die, so no one was willing to interfere.”

  “How about the emperor’s heir, Archduke Ferdinand? Couldn’t he do something?”

  “Could, yes, but there’s a long way from Austria to Cologne, and at the moment Duke Maximilian of Bavaria is likely to believe that any military movement in this direction is an attack on him. He is already seeing an enemy conspiracy every time somebody sneezes.” Melchior smiled wryly. “At the moment I’m under oath to the old emperor as an imperial count, but only on retainer as a general, while some of my men are hired by me and other by the Holy Roman Empire. I tried to get permission to bring my personal regiments to the west, but in the end I had to accept waiting for the new emperor to take command. My plans must then depend on his plans. If Hesse is still around when the old emperor dies, Wolf, my second-in-command and cousin, should be able to bring my men here. They’ll probably have to move either through Bavaria or along its southern border. Once they get here, we can try to hold as much of this part of the Rhine as possible.” Melchior stopped and lifted his hat in greeting to a vaguely familiar old woman dropping into a curtsy as he passed.

  “And if Hesse has conquered Cologne and Bonn? Could your men take them back?” Wickradt looked grim.

  “Not on our own. At least not unless we can get the population to rise against Hesse.” Melchior answered. “On the other hand, if Hesse succeeds before Wolf can get here it would leave the Holy Roman Empire fenced in behind Bavaria and entirely dependent on Italy and France. So even if the new emperor would prefer to keep his troops in the East, he might still find it necessary to send them.”

  “Even with Bavaria unstable?” Wickradt lifted an eyebrow.

  “It would not be an easy choice.” Melchior frowned. “When I left Vienna I didn’t expect to do more here than placate whoever the archbishop had managed to upset, and keep things calm until reinforcements could arrive. Still, Archduke Ferdinand gave me quite a lot of power to counter whatever the archbishop was up to, including plenipotentiary powers to negotiate on the emperor’s behalf in matters concerning the interests of the HRE west of Bavaria. Hesse’s attack across the Rhine came as a complete surprise to me. It makes sense for him to expand his new province into Berg, but any attempt on Cologne I would have expected to come from the south, and Rheinland-Pfalz is simply too divided to do that right now.” Melchior smiled and bowed to another woman curtsying to him before continuing. “I suppose I could take the archbishop’s mercenary regiments and try to stop him by military means—certainly most of my colleagues would do so—but there isn’t much chance I’d be able to succeed. And from the emperor’s point of view a Cologne with a negotiated membership of the USE is very much preferable to a Cologne conquered by Hesse.”

  “So you’ll try negotiations.” Wickradt nodded to himself. “Sensible thing to do. With Hesse or above his head?”

  “Above, if I can manage it. Gustavus Adolphus must have permitted—or at least accepted—Hesse’s plans.” Melchior stopped and looked at Wickradt. “If you are right about the Jülich-Berg heir being here in Bonn that might enable me to stop Gustavus Adolphus from openly backing Hesse. The baby’s aunt is Gustavus Adolphus’s sister Katharina, and he is said to be most fond of her. And the second most powerful man in the USE is Mike Stearns, an American. My brother Heinrich has been dealing with the Americans in Mainz for the past two years, and my friend, Father Johannes, has lived among them for longer. They have told me that the Americans know the value of a willing ally—or at least semi-willing one—over a conquered area.”

  Wickradt scowled. “So all we have to do is keep Hesse at bay, until we get the negotiations opened? Well, we’ll do our best. May I spread the news about you talking charge of the town? There have been a few reports of looters already, and I expect your name would squelch that again.”

&n
bsp; “Sure, but do put up a gibbet and don’t expect me to walk on water too.” Melchior slapped his hat against his leather trousers and started composing letters while he walked.

  Chapter 14

  Field Headquarters of the archbishop of Cologne

  September 2, 1634

  To Franz von Hatzfeldt, Bishop of Würzburg

  From Melchior von Hatzfeldt, Count and General of the Holy Roman Empire

  Dear Franz

  I have accepted taking charge of Bonn, and I shall begin negotiations with Hesse on the town’s behalf as soon as contact is made. Kindly inform the archbishop that you, my brother, are the only person I shall acknowledge as speaking on behalf of the archdiocese in those negotiations.

  Loving regards from your brother,

  Melchior

  Archbishop Ferdinand of Cologne crumbled the letter in his hands and hissed. “Has Franz seen this?”

  “No, Your Honor. I thought a message from Bonn would be so important that Your Honor should see it immediately.” Otto Tweimal cringed and smiled, and wondered once again if it was time to find another employer. Being secretary to the newly appointed Prince-Bishop of Würzburg had offered all kinds of opportunities for power and grafts, and the exile at the archbishop’s palace in Bonn also the hope of an even better position there. But now? A failing power was not worth cultivating, and military life was far from his taste.

  “Your Honor,” Felix Gruyard had been reading over the archbishop’s shoulder, “with three of your colonels back, Bishop Franz von Hatzfeldt isn’t really needed here. I suggest he is sent off to Cologne after reinforcements; with, of course, an escort.”

  “No, he is going to Mainz after that turncoat to Anselm von Wambold. Pick the escort from my personal guard, they leave within the hour.” The archbishop banged his fist against the table in anger, and rose from his chair.

  “Your Honor, it might be better not to tempt von Hatzfeldt into joining ...”

  “Pick an escort that’ll see to it he doesn’t. Herr Tweimal, place yourself at Gruyard’s immediate disposal. Franz von Hatzfeldt no longer needs your service.”

  * * *

  Cologne, Hatzfeldt House

  September 2, 1634

  To Colonel Hermann von Hatzfeldt, Hatzfeldt House, Town of Cologne

  From Melchior von Hatzfeldt, Count and General of the Holy Roman Empire

  Dear Hermann,

  I accomplished nothing in Munich and little in Vienna, and returned to Bonn on top of an attack from Hesse. Archbishop Ferdinand has left Bonn, along with Franz and the mercenary cavalry. I have accepted taking charge of the town, but there is nothing I can do to stop Bonn from falling once the Hessian artillery gets here, and I shall begin negotiations as soon as contact is made, both with Hesse and the USE.

  The information as I write is: major contingent of Hessian cavalry came down Sieg and took Beuel. They are as I write crossing the Rhine near Vesseling. Only minor number of infantry (mounted) with them. Artillery expected to arrive soon, probably from Frankfurt, but may also come from Essen and thus reach Cologne first.

  Please spread the news among our contacts and warn the council of Cologne. If you can get a mandate from them, and contact the USE before Hesse encircles Cologne, we might be able to pull something off for the entire area, including the family estates and perhaps even Würzburg.

  Your loving brother,

  Melchior

  “Oh dear,” Lucie von Hatzfeldt, looked across the table at her youngest brother, “I hoped the refugees exaggerated, and it was just a minor force aimed at stopping the archbishop’s wild schemes. But if Melchior doesn’t think so ... Do you think the Hessians could conquer Cologne?”

  Hermann shrugged. “Their entire army could close off the town, and given enough artillery they could breach the walls. It would either take a very long siege or be extremely costly in men, but it could be done.” He shrugged again and rose from his chair. “I’ll pick up young Count Palatine Friedrich von Zweibrücken, and go see the council; they’ll be in session all night. Please find the letters Father Johannes wrote from Fulda, and make notes of the Americans he mentioned in Mainz and Frankfurt.”

  * * *

  Beuel, Hessian Field Headquarters

  Archdiocese of Cologne

  September 2, 1634

  To whom it may concern, Hessian Field Headquarters, Archdiocese of Cologne

  From Melchior von Hatzfeldt, Count and General of the Holy Roman Empire

  On behalf of the Town of Bonn I, Melchior von Hatzfeldt, Count and General of the Holy Roman Empire, have opened negotiations with the United States of Europe concerning said Town’s inclusion among said States. In view of this I hope for an end to hostilities, but also inform that I have accepted taking charge of the Town of Bonn, and shall defend it to the uttermost of my abilities.

  By my hand and under my seal,

  Melchior von Hatzfeldt

  Duke Wilhelm of Hesse carefully refolded the parchment. This wasn’t good. That the initial attack across the Rhine had failed to take and hold the river-walls of Bonn was not a problem; it would have made things simpler, but no one counted on un-supported cavalry taking a fortified town.

  Having General von Hatzfeldt as an opponent was bad, but at least he wasn’t leading his regiments, and von Uslar could surely beat those mercenaries the archbishop had hired. Having Bonn—or any other part of the Archdiocese of Cologne—independently join the USE was on the other hand totally unacceptable.

  Having the entire area between Hessen and Cologne more or less up for grab after the removal of both Georg Wilhelm of Brandenburg and Wolfgang of Jülich-Berg was surely a God-given opportunity, but it would all be worth next to nothing unless he could get the rich trading centre of Cologne too. If the Hessian army could take Cologne, the emperor would surely give him Berg and Mark too. It had been necessary to promise De Geer parts of Mark as well as several other concessions in order to get the Hessian infantry access to the Rhine, but Gustavus Adolphus would consider it a small price to pay for removing the last fully Catholic enclave in the west. If, however, the Archdiocese of Cologne—or parts of it—joined the USE on its own, Hesse stood to lose quite a lot of face and favor. He had long been one of the emperor’s favorites, and considering his long and loyal service it was unlikely he would get into serious trouble for anything less than treason. Still, when Amalie had attempted to get the guardianship of the Jülich-Berg heir, Axel Oxenstierna’s reaction had made it perfectly obvious Hessen had seriously over-stepped their privileges and that any further presumptions would be slapped down.

  So, a second misstep could remove him from his status as one of the emperor’s most trusted German allies, which meant that it had to be a victory. Bringing in a new area by negotiation would not do now. It was too late to stop von Hatzfeldt’s messengers, but he would have at least a month before orders could arrive from Magdeburg.

  “Rutgert, send a troop to find out what’s keeping the cannons and where. Also, I want the artillery bastions around Bonn built first.”

  “Bonn?” The lieutenant serving as secretary looked up from the American style writing-board, and looked puzzled.

  “Yes, Bonn. Move all the building teams there, and have Colonel Brenner plan for all the cannons from Frankfurt to be placed around Bonn first; I want the town in rubble within a fortnight.”

  * * *

  Mainz

  September 12, 1634

  To whom it may concern in USE administration

  From Melchior von Hatzfeldt, Count, General and Agent Plenipotentiary of the Holy Roman Empire

  With the power granted me by the Council and People of Bonn I, Melchior von Hatzfeldt, hereby apply, on behalf of the Town of Bonn, for the opening of negotiations concerning said Town’s inclusion in the United States of Europe.

  By my hand and under my name and seal,

  Melchior von Hatzfeldt

  Bennett Norris looked up at the big, rough-looking man standing in front of his desk. �
�Herr Karl Mittelfeld, the CoC in Mainz vouches for you as a committee member in good standing from Bonn.”

  The big man nodded and shifted his weight, making Bennett remember his limp, and gesture him towards the chair. “Do you know the content of this letter?” Bennett continued.

  “It’s from General von Hatzfeldt, who’s been given command of Bonn to deal with an attack from the Hessian army, Herr Norris. Bonn is asking to join the USE. The general’s brother, Colonel Hermann von Hatzfeldt, is here with a similar letter from Cologne, but your soldiers didn’t want to let him through to you. The general said to me to say to you that your mother-in-law, Andrea Hill in Fulda, has told his friend, Father Johannes the painter, that the Americans want people to join them instead of being conquered. The councils of Bonn and Cologne want to do so, but the Hessians must be stopped, while a deal is made.”

  “I see. And I shall act upon this. Thank you for bringing me this letter. Will you remain in Mainz?”

  “I’m taking another letter to the general’s brother, Heinrich von Hatzfeldt, at the Church of St. Alban. He will find a place for me to stay until you can give me a letter to bring back to Bonn.”

  “Fine.” Bennett smiled a little. “I usually see Domherr Heinrich von Hatzfeldt several times a week anyway; at least we will now have a new subject to debate.”

  When the big man had limped out the door Bennett Norris sat a while staring at the letter without seeing it. A lifetime of small town administration combined with civic duties on school and church boards had not prepared him for this. The year he had spent as the Grantville liaison to the Council of Jena, while Marian, his wife, had trained the nurses at the hospital, had taught him to work with the German version of bureaucracy, but being an inspector of the upcoming elections was as much as he had volunteered for. Not this. Heading the NUS administration in Mainz was supposed to have been a brief stay while the permanent staff recovered from a bad bout of food poisoning, but those who had not died were still bedridden.