In the battle of Katzbach, which was fought on the 26^th of August, 1813, the Russians and Prussians, under the command of the veteran Field-marshal Blücher, defeated the French, who were led by Macdonald, Ney, Lauriston and Sabastiani, and were driven pell-mell into the Katzbach. Skirmishes had previously taken place at Goldberg and Jauer. The day of the battle was rainy, and the soldiers fought with clubbed muskets. The poet represents the scene as a ball, under the direction of old Blücher, who had received, from his vigor and promptitude, the name of “Marshal Forward.”

Battle of Katzbach – Klein, 1825

BLÜCHER’S BALL

By the Katzbach, by the Katzbach, ha!

There was a merry dance;

Wild and weird and whirling waltzes skipped

Ye through, ye knaves of France!

For there struck the great bass-viol

An old German man famed,

Marshal Forward, Prince of Wallstadt,

Gebhardt Lebrecht von Blücher named.

Up! The Blücher hath the ball-room

Lighted with the cannon’s glare!

Spread yourselves, ye gay, green carpets,

That the dancing moistens there!

And his fiddle-bow at first he waved

With Goldberg and with Jauer;

Whew!  He’s drawn it now full length,

His play a stormy northern shower!

Ha!  The dance went briskly onward,

Tingling madness seized them all;

As when howling, mighty tempests

On the arms of windmills fall.

But the old man wants it cheery,

Wants a pleasant dancing chime;

And with gun-stocks clearly, loudly,

Beats the old Teutonic time.

Say, who, standing by the old man,

Strikes so hard the kettle-drum,

And, with crushing strength of arm,

Down lets the thundering hammer come?

Gneisenau, the gallant champion:

Alemannia’s envious foes

Smites the mighty pair, her living double-eagle,

Shivering blows.

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