CHAPTER VII.

The War.

AT the opening of the campaign, the principal army of the Poles consisted of 35,700 infantry, 10,600 cavalry, 3000 artillery, with 136 guns, and one battalion of sappers, amounting in all to 50,000 men. The garrisons of Praga, Modlin, and Zamosc, mustered in all 10,000 troops. General Dwernicki, with a corps of 2800, and six pieces of artillery, and General Sierawski, with 3000 scythemen, were appointed to protect the left side of the Vistula above Warsaw. The troops left the environs of the capital in the beginning of February. They marched through the streets between two immense lines formed by the members of the National Government, the senators, the deputies, and a great multitude of every age, sex, and rank. Shouts of exultation, and the national hymns sung by the people, rendered this scene yet more impressive. One occurrence in particular contributed to render that day memorable in the annals of Poland. When the fourth of the line was about to depart, the soldiers, knowing how scanty was their stock of powder, and how great the number of the

enemy, threw themselves on their knees before their colonel, and entreated him to allow them to fight with the bayonet only, and to lead them wherever danger would be greatest. This regiment had been a favourite with the Grand Duke Constantine, and was so well trained, that every man belonging to it was reckoned a perfect master of arms*. Prince Radziwill then addressed the following proclamation to the army:-" Companions in arms! With "the impatience of outraged heroism, you have "awaited the hour for avenging your country's

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wrongs-that hour is arrived! Every hour of "inaction seemed to you a century of endurance. At length your prayers have been heard. The enemies "of our freedom behold you-their presumption

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prepares for you a career as glorious as those of "Czarnecki, Sobieski, and Kosciuszko. Confiding in "their numbers, the satellites of the Czar imagine you terror-struck. Undeceive them-teach them "that the Pole never counts the battalions of his enemy, but measures only the degree of his arrogancet."

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The force destined by the Russians for the invasion, amounted, according to their own statement, to 200,000 men, with 400 cannon. But this number, purposely overstated, in order to impress Europe

* The privates of this regiment offered for the service of the country thirty roubles each; the proceeds of their savings during seven years.

+ Chlopicki accompanied Radziwill into the field, and in fact commanded under the name of the prince.

with an idea of their power, diminished, after their boast of finishing all by a single battle, had been silenced by Polish valour. At the commencement of the war, there were not, in fact, more than 150,000 troops, with 400 pieces of artillery. On the 6th of February, they passed the frontier of the kingdom at three different points. Prince Szachowskoi, at the head of 25,000 grenadiers, invaded the northern extremity. The great army, under the immediate command of Diebitch, followed the chaussée of Ostrolenka, while General Geismar, at the head of 9000 cavalry, and General Kreutz, with 6000 cavalry, entered the palatinate of Lublin. In compliance with the will of his Imperial master, Diebitch made a plan calculated to finish the whole campaign in twenty days. Szachowskoi was to cross the Vistula by Plock, and march straight to Warsaw-Geismar and Kreutz were to do the same above the capital; and the great army, advancing by the chaussée from Ostrolenka, were to drive towards Praga the Polish troops. These latter were joined, on their retreat, by thousands of the population, flying at the approach of the Asiatic hordes. On the 9th of February, the thaw having unexpectedly commenced, the enemy halted during the 10th, to ascertain whether it would be temporary or permanent. The latter proved the case; and Diebitch considering it hazardous to carry on the war between two such considerable rivers as the Bug and the Narew, surrounded by marshes, transferred the line of operations to the chaussée of Siedlce. On the 13th,

Rosen made an unsuccessful attempt to cross the river Liviec. Peter Wysocki, with one battalion and two pieces of cannon, opposed his passage during the whole day. On that memorable occasion the first gun was fired by the Poles, a shot which was to decide the fate of their country. In the evening they abandoned their position, which was the only point where any local obstacle could impede the march of the Russians to Praga. During the three following days the great army remained stationary, in order to allow the two wings to come up.

General Geismar advanced rapidly through the palatinate of Lublin towards the Vistula, intending to cross at Pulawy. General Dwernicki, to whom the defence in this quarter was entrusted, passed to the right bank, and on the 14th, he fell in with his entire corps, near the town of Stoczek. The Polish force consisted of only 2000 cavalry and 800 infantry, both newly equipped,-but they were the descendants of those Poles who once told their king (Sobieski) that "should heaven fall, they would prop it with their lances.*" After a short can

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nonade, Dwernicki, exclaiming

"Poland is not lost

"while we live!" attacked two Russian columns

* The Russians are robbing even the history of Poland, and have lately made use of the same expression in their negociations with the Circassians. Bossuet thought so highly of the Polish cavalry, that he even said that its defeat would be a proof that Heaven had withdrawn its favour.-See his "Discours sur l'His"toire Universelle."

with indescribable impetuosity, and the victory was decided in less than a quarter of an hour. The Russians fled in disorder, leaving 400 killed and 500 prisoners, besides 11 guns. The loss of the victors was trifling, only 16 killed and 18 wounded. This first success was hailed with the utmost joy. Soldiers and officers mutually embraced, and Dwernicki reminding his men that he had discharged his promise of leading them at once against their enemies, congratulated them on their having fulfilled their's, by beating them. Geismar did not stop in his flight until he reached the great army, but Dwernicki could not pursue, as the corps of Kreutz had already crossed the Vistula, and was advancing towards Warsaw. He therefore re-passed the river, and overtook Kreutz at Nowawies on the 17th of February. A combat there ensued still shorter than the last, in which the Polish lancers soon broke the squadrons of Russian dragoons; and Kreutz having lost four pieces of artillery and several hundred prisoners, hastened to re-cross the river. The approach of night saved him from total destruction. Dwernicki, however, dared not profit by his victory, as another Russian corps threatened to cross near Warsaw.

On the 17th, the great army again moved forward; the Poles retiring, in order to concentrate their forces in the environs of Praga. The same day, Rosen's corps of 30,000 men came up with a Polish division under General Skrzynecki, occupying a strong posi