One hour later.
Scharnhorst, his left arm in a sling on his chest, said to William III, "Your Majesty, while promoting officers from among the commoners, we must also remove those noble officers who are incompetent.
"In the wars I personally experienced, I saw countless instances where the incompetence of mid- and lower-level officers led to the collapse of local battlefields.
"What this nation needs are officers with command ability, courage, and literacy—and preferably, some grasp of mathematics. Not mediocrities who do nothing but flaunt their birthright and flog soldiers all day long…"
Scharnhorst had broken his wrist during the retreat from Glogau and was forced to withdraw to Potsdam to recuperate. It was precisely due to this that he had the chance to present his thoughts on military reform to Prince Henry.
The latter, after all, had served under Frederick the Great, and immediately realized that this was exactly what the Prussian Army needed most at this moment.
