andwhenatlengththecampaignof1759closed，inthemidstofarigorouswinter，thesituationofPrussiaappeareddesperate。Theonlyconsolingcircumstancewas，that，intheWest，FerdinandofBrunswickhadbeenmorefortunatethanhismaster;andbyaseriesofexploits，ofwhichthebattleofMindenwasthemostglorious，hadremovedallapprehensionofdangeronthesideofFrance。
Thefifthyearwasnowabouttocommence。ItseemedimpossiblethatthePrussianterritories，repeatedlydevastatedbyhundredsofthousandsofinvaders，couldlongersupportthecontest。ButtheKingcarriedonwarasnoEuropeanpowerhasevercarriedonwar，excepttheCommitteeofPublicSafetyduringthegreatagonyoftheFrenchRevolution。Hegovernedhiskingdomashewouldhavegovernedabesiegedtown，notcaringtowhatextentpropertywasdestroyed，orthepursuitsofcivillifesuspended，sothathedidbutmakeheadagainsttheenemy。AslongastherewasamanleftinPrussia，thatmanmightcarryamusket;aslongastherewasahorseleft，thathorsemightdrawartillery。Thecoinwasdebased，thecivilfunctionarieswereleftunpaid;insomeprovincescivilgovernmentaltogetherceasedtoexist。Buttherewasstillrye—breadandpotatoes;therewasstillleadandgunpowder;and，whilethemeansofsustaininganddestroyingliferemained，Fredericwasdeterminedtofightitouttotheverylast。
Theearlierpartofthecampaignof1760wasunfavourabletohim。
Berlinwasagainoccupiedbytheenemy。Greatcontributionswereleviedontheinhabitants，andtheroyalpalacewasplundered。
Butatlength，aftertwoyearsofcalamity，victorycamebacktohisarms。AtLignitzhegainedagreatbattleoverLaudohn;atTorgau，afteradayofhorriblecarnage，hetriumphedoverDaun。