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Marshal Oudinet had seen me at the siege of Genoa when I was with my father and also in Austria when I was aide-de-camp to Marshal Lannes, and was well disposed towards me. On the 20th June, 2nd Corps was given the order to stop at Insterberg in order to be reviewed by the Emperor.
At the start the Russian forces extended from Insterberg to Goldapp, a distance of about thirty-two miles. Seventy-five miles further on was the first of the two strong German lines of fortifications. Early victories were claimed by the Russians in their advance into Austria, which was made slowly. Austria then turned to fight the Russian invasion.
"Here is a fine mess!" said the lieutenant. "Poor boy! I feel sorry for one with such an affliction! And is he not between the devil and the deep blue sea? In Gumbinnen there will be Russian cavalry by to-morrow and at Insterberg, I suppose, the first real battle will be fought!" Fred caught his breath. He was getting what he wanted now, certainly! If only he did not betray himself!
Germany's active field force was at this time inferior in numbers to the invading army. By the capture of Insterberg the Russians paralyzed one of the main German strategic centers and gained control of an important railroad. The German Twentieth Army Corps was reported to have been routed near Lyck.
And they have been unloading troop trains at Insterberg, too so that the Russians would not find out how many men we had here. Eh take him up behind you, Schmidt! We can't abandon him. Perhaps the hospital people or the cooks can make some use of him." Fred heard this with a start of dismay.
If the officer would only go on and tell him a little more! And he did go on, almost as if he were speaking to himself. "If his people have any sense, they will have cleared out of Gumbinnen before this. He knows someone at Insterberg, perhaps, but if it is the plan to let the Russians come so far without fighting and then strike while they are there, the population will have been ordered out.
"Well, I think I shall stay," said Fred. "No," said Ivan. "Listen! If you go now, quickly, you can get away in the car. Here is the road you must follow." He took a map and pointed. "See swing west first, and then south far south. So you will be safe from the Germans, for they have abandoned that section except for the railway from Insterberg to Liok. That is guarded, but thinly.
They know that we are too strong for them, and they do not care to fight." "Yes, and do you know why? Because they have been bringing troops up secretly to Insterberg, and are planning to fight a great battle there on their own grounds! You were wrong, Ivan, in the information you sent." Wasting no words, he quickly told of what he had learned that evening.
My uncle sent me to Insterberg and then I found I could not go back by train. Soldiers have made me turn around so many times that it has taken me all this time to get here. Why can I not go to Gumbinnen?" The officer took the paper and, when he had read it, told the soldier. They seemed to find Fred's explanation plausible, and his writing had passed muster.
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