Meeting the General (2)

Stammpot announced “Cadet Von Wettin, Sire” clicked his heels and left the room.

Friedrich saluted but he must have looked pale as the General waved Friedrich to a chair. “don’t mind Stammpot, he’s Dutch and likes to do things by the book, but he’s a very efficient ADC.”

“Now, I’ve scanned your report and its recommendations, it seems very thorough. Did you have help?”

“Well Major Von Barner did give me a copy of another inspection to use as a basis for my report.”

“Just what I thought”

“I did leave a copy of the report with the Major”

“Excellent, then nothing else needs to be done; the Major will send me his responses in due course. You do realise that the Major is a master of the Kliene Krieg and if he had not retired when he did, he could have been a general by now, like his contempory General Hoehmann."

“No sir I had not realised, but now you mention it, all the traps, etc seem to make sense”

“OK, now what I really need to hear from you is exactly what was said by the French prisoners”

Friedrich then explained to the General almost verbatim what had happened, he was particularly interested in the comments about the Representative en Mission and the troops feelings that they were being sacrificed to no purpose.

“Thank you” said the General “Now before you leave Prince Friedrich,there is one more matter to be considered”

“Yes, Sir” said Friedrich intrigued by the change in tone.

“As you are now aware we are about to be invaded by the French and I regret that your course at the Kriegsakademie will be postponed. Therefore as a foreign cadet you are now free to do whatever you wish until your course restarts. Obviously your father will be most concerned and we will write to him accordingly also mentioning that you are one of our brightest cadets and that we hope for your return when the course restarts.”

”Sir if I may, I have a proposal I would like to discuss with you“

“Very well, continue”

Friedrich explained his idea of forming a Frei Korps from the various nobles taking the waters at Sonnenbad who all talked about fighting the French, but seemed more concerned about precedence. “I thought I could use my status as a Prince of the Empire to force them to put up or shut up and hopefully the former, Sir.”

“Interesting, obviously they would only want to serve as cavalry”

“Yes”

“But it takes more than an excellent leader with sufficient status to raise a unit” “Stammpot!”

“Stammpot emerged from his room

“Stammpot, fetch my second letter and please check if we still have those hussar uniforms and equipment available.”

“Now young man, these dandies need fine uniforms as well and I will find you some suitable members of the Gendarmerie who are used to dealing with “gentlemen” to assist you with training, You do realise that we have very little time to prepare, so much of the training will be in the field.”

Stammpott reappeared “There are 100 sets of hussar uniforms available Sir, and here is the letter.”

“Are you certain you wish to do this Prince Friedrich?”

“Yes Sir”

The General took the letter from Stammpot and signed it. “Major Von Wettin, here is your commission in the armed forces of the Frundsberg Frei Stadt. Your authorisation to raise a FreiHusssarenKorps will follow shortly.“

“Thank you for the commission Sir, I had not expected to be appointed as a Major”

“It’s only fitting given your capabilities and besides your dandies wouldn’t follow a mere captain”. “Now, Stammpot will sort everything out that you will need”