Rozycki

A few forced marches brought him to Miendzyrzec (Miandzirjetz), a town in Volhynia, now belonging to the Princess M. Radzivill, (by birth Countess Alexandrina Stecka, ' Stetska,') a lady, whose intelligence, superior mind, and noble sentiments, joined to her many accomplishments, elegant manners, and various other advantages, both natural and acquired, might well render their possessor worthy to adorn a throne. Her husband had, from the commencement of the war of 1831, the nominal command of the entire Polish army; a post in which he conducted himself in all respects as became a man of honour. After the fall of Warsaw, he was taken prisoner by the Russians, and sent in exile to Siberia; whence, after the lapse of a few years, he was, by the exertions of his wife, and the intercession in his behalf of the court of Prussia, permitted to return to Warsaw. The Miendzyrzec in question must not be confounded with another town of the same name, situated about fifty-eight miles (EngHsh) to the east of Warsaw, belonging to Prince C. Czartoryski; and, in the neighbourhood of which there was a battle fought on the 29th of August, 1831, wherein the Russians, although far superior in number to the Polish forces, were completely beaten; and at which battle the author was present. It was in this engagement that a single Polish regiment, the 5th of the line, led by Colonel E-ychlowski, exterminated, with the bayonet, three entire Russian regiments, in a cemetry. To return, however, to Rozycki. As the news of the remarkable victory he had just gained had already preceded him, his arrival was welcomed by the ringing of all the church bells; the whole population poured out of the town to receive him. Money, provisions, and horses, were furnished him in abundance; whilst a swarm of young schoolboys rushed into the street, kissing the feet of the officers and soldiers, and conjuring them to lead them on to fight against the Russians. It was in vain that they were remonstrated with, and told to recollect that they were, as yet, but children; that a time would come when they might prove themselves of real service to their country; whilst, by insisting upon following the insurgent troops, they would only incur the risk of being cruelly persecuted by the Russians for thus openly declaring their sentiments; that they had far better, therefore, return back to their respective schools. The boys turned a deaf ear to all the reasoning that could be urged against them; they wept, vociferated, and were absolutely bent on following Rozycki's detachment; and, better, indeed, had it been for them, as the sequel proved, if they had been allowed to have their own way, and to follow the regiment. In order to appease them in some sort, they were permitted to tend upon the wounded; and Rozycki, having reinforced his small troop by the addition of a few good horsemen, and gathered all the information possible as to the whereabouts and movements of the enemy, left Miendzyrzec, and marched forward a few miles. Shortly afterwards, however, he received authentic warning from his faithful scouts, that several Russian columns, supported by artillery, were already waiting on his road to intercept his advance. He likewise received intelligence that some detachments of Russian cavalry were following on his rear; and that some of them had entered Miendzyrzec immediately on his quitting that town. After listening attentively to all these reports, and having well considered, scrutinized, and weighed them, he altered his plan of advance, and returned back by a side-road to the town. Here, upon re-entering, he heard cries of lamentation and hopeless distress: the Russians had just massacred all the schoolboys they could meet with in the streets; and the bodies of the youthful victims were lying scattered in every direction bathed in blood. Fired with indignation at sight of this heartless butchery, he fell by surprise upon the Russian troops who were in the town, cut them to pieces, and exterminated nearly every Russian he could find in Miendzyrzec: then, profiting by the darkness of the night, and conducted by faithful guideS; he passed in safety the numerous columns of the enemy; for as he ordered the Russian language to be spoken by his men. and as his detachment was in the Cossack dress, and was armed after the Cossack fashion, it was easily-mistaken for a regular body of the Russo-Cossack troops. By forced marches, he arrived facing the village of Novosilki, in the full belief that he had now surmounted the chief of his difficulties, but here it was, precisely, that the very greatest difficulties of all, and the most imminent danger awaited him: for the enemy, having, by accident, now ascertained the true object and direction of his line of march, all the Russian columns had concentrated their movements on this spot, in order to come up with him, and effectually prevent his further advance.