remained but resistance or complete overthrow. Under circumstances that seemed entirely to preclude all hopes of success, the brave troops, under the commands of Bem, Klapka, Gorgey, Defreczen and others, achieved the most brilliant victories over forces that far outnumbered them; and by the end of March, the Serbs in the Banat had been driven into the Roman entrenchments, and there overcome and driven out; the castle of Peterwardein relieved, and the Batska cleared. Pesth had been abandoned, as too closely besieged by the enemy, and the government had been transferred beyond the Theiss, to Defreczen. General Gorgey was to march towards Pesth, in the meantime, with the main body of the army, to give a decided check to Windischgratz. On the third of April, Jellachich was beaten near Damianics, and on the fourth, the Generals of Windischgratz met the same fate at Isaszeg, where the Austrian batteries were taken by storm. On the fifth, the Hungarians were but eight miles from Pesth, and so rapid was the retreat of Windischgratz, that Kossuth, at night, occupied the same bed that the Prince had left the previous morning. Kossuth, wherever he moved, seemed to inspire all with a new power. Even Gorgey, jealous as he was of all superiors, could not resist the strong magnetism that attracted all to his person, and infused into them his own spirit. It was his presence in the camp that inspired the troops with such enthusiasm. Kossuth now issued a proclamation, in which he declared that Bishop Horvath should soon bless the Hungarian army on the Rakos. Gorgey did not, however, sufficiently follow up his victories, but left Aulich to threaten Pesth, while he marched towards Komarom, after having persuaded Kossuth to return to Defreczen. Here was laid the foundation of their future ill fortune. Instead of following up his advantage, he left the smallest adequate force for the siege of Buda, sent only ten thousand men to pursue the enemy, and, after lingering a week at Komarom, he turned back, with 30,000 soldiers, to sit down quietly before the fortress of Buda. On the 14th of April, the Diet passed a resolution, declaring that the "House of Hapsburg had forfeited the throne." The declaration did not assume in regard to the future form of the government, but left that for the decision of the Diet chosen by the nation. On the 22d of May, Buda was taken by storm, and Pesth was soon compelled to surrender. The conduct of the Austrians in Pesth, was often of the most brutal character, though by no means sanctioned by many of the higher officers. Jellachich, after his defeat, with the remnant of his army, hastened toward Croatia, and, effecting a junction with another body of Austrian troops, attacked Peterwardein. The result, however, was a total defeat of Jellachich, and a second rescue of the fortress. Russia had, in the mean time, been called in to the aid of Austria, and a new commander took the lead, Lieutenant-Field-Marshal Haynau, and the delays of Gorgey, so utterly unaccountable, gave them time to advance and organize in concert. His signal victories, however, blinded the people, and they began to ascribe to him profound design in his movements. He ventured, at length, to speak openly against Kossuth, and had, in several instances, treated his ordors with contempt; yet, this was attributed to no other motive than personal jealousy, while no one doubted his patriotism. The approach of the Russian forces, amounting, with the Austrians, to upwards of 200,000, spread dismay in the North, and Pesth was again abandoned by the government, because, as it was said, Gorgey had decidedly refused to act in accordance with the plan previously proposed. Distrust of his motives began to prevail, and had he been at once deposed, Hungary might have been saved. But there was little desire on the part of Kossuth to magnify the conduct of others when unfavorable, and his leniency for once cost a fearful amount. But it would have been a difficult task at least; for there was not a general in the army possessed of the energy and experience demanded for the station, who was not in some way disabled. When, at last, doubt grew into certainty, the step had to be taken, and that under circumstances that gave him a decided power over Kossuth. His officers protested that they would serve under no other Commander in Chief, and a council of war was held, in which Klapka urged to march immediately to the north bank of the Danube to join the other forces at Pesth before the arrival of the Russians. But Georgy had, since the 2d of July, been negotiating with Paskiewits relative to his capitulation, as afterwards appeared, and hence chose to keep his own army isolated. Taking his own troop, he hastened eastward on the north bank of the Danube, his men all the while supposing him to be leading them to form a junction with Dembinski. Instead of this, by successful maneuvers, he evaded the Russian troops, but did not hasten to join the army as proposed. At Jzoreg, Haynau had been successful, while in the south, Bem, who was contending with forces that far outnumbered his own, achieved brilliant victories. Kossuth immediately summoned Bem to Lower Hungary, and gave him the command. A battle soon followed, in which Bem would have gained a glorious victory, but for the failure of his ammunition, and the thundering of his cannon ceased just as victory seemed certain. His army, however, escaped being taken, as the Austrians and Russians were too severely handled to pursue them. It was now reported that the Russians were ready to guarantee the Constitution and Laws of 1848, and once more an effort was made by Kossuth to effect a pacification. A commission was sent to the Russian camp, but they returned unsuccessful. Gorgey now declared that if he could be appointed Dictator, he could and would save the country. Kossuth immediately resigned and Gorgey was appointed, with the express provision that his power was to be used for the good of the country. While these things had transpired in the south-east, Klapka had so signally defeated the Austrian forces that, had there been a decided effort on the part of Gorgey to interrupt Haynau, there is little reason to suppose that the whole Austro-Russian army would not have been completely routed. But Gorgey at once sent away the General levy, then assembled the superior officers and declared to them that it was impossible to hold out longer, and that the Russians would grant a general amnesty. He next sent to the Russian General, announcing that the main Hungarian army was ready to submit unconditionally. On the 13th of August, he surrendered to Rudiger, at Vilagos, with 24,000 men and an immense park of artillery. The Hussars and Honveds, the bravest of the Hungarian troops, knew nothing of the conditions, but were assured that the Russians would return them their arms, and march with them against the Austrians. Indeed, even the officers themselves believed these to be the conditions. The other generals, deceived also by his specious pretensions, came in and laid down their arms, feeling that they had not surrendered to the Austrians, but had, in reality, formed an alliance with the Russians against them. The first suspicions of treason were awakened when Arad was delivered to the Austrians, and Hazai, editor of a journal, was shot, and Col. Ormay, a former aid to Kossuth, was hanged. Haynau began to Two fortresses were still held by the Hungarians; Peterwardein and Kamarom. Their commanders, however, were persuaded that the Austrians would preserve their faith, and surrendered. Kossuth and his compatriots had, in the mean time, fled to Turkey. manifest his thirst for blood, and some of the leading officers expressed their conviction that the gallows would be their doom. The prisoners at Arad were tried by court-martial, but all the while expected a reprieve. On the 6th of Oct., at break of day, four generals were shot in Arad, and after that, nine were hanged. On the same day, in Pesth, Count Batthyanyi was shot. Many others of the noblest and best of the leading patriots were sacrificed to the blood-thirsty Austrians, while the officers of inferior grade in the armies were sentenced, some to eighteen, others to six years imprisonment. Even those that had taken refuge in Turkey were pursued with such unrelenting vengeance, that there was no alternative left them but to become Mussulmen, or forfeit the protection of the Sultan. Such has been the awful catastrophe of one of the bravest contests for liberty, that the world has ever traced upon its bloody pages. Hungary has been betrayed and then murdered; but the day of her vengeance is yet to come. Despotism is not invincible; it has no charm that can shield it from the day of retribution, when it shall be called to answer for the blood it has wantonly spilled. On every free lip throughout the earth, is heard the echo, "The voice of my brother's blood cries to me from the ground." THE CASTLE BUILDERS. Original. BY MRS. H. M. TRACY. CHAPTER X. "Still o'er these scenes my memory wakes, "Nature rejects the monarch, not the man; Pollutes whate'er it touches; and obedience, Makes slaves of men, and of the human frame A few months after the introduction of Vinton to the Duke Eugene his mission was completed, and he was preparing to embark for England. He had labored earnestly with the repentant man, to induce him to return once more to his native land, that his good resolutions might be confirmed, and his last days spent among those whom he stil remembered with ardent affection. The Duke had, however, for a long time wavered. He wished to return and find a place in the hearts that were open to him before he bowed the knee in idol worship to fame and its hand-maid, gold; but he feared that they would recognize only the hardened, guilt-stained warrior, and not the warm, true-hearted friend, whose first high impulses had been stirred for them. He had never been able to remove from his heart the bitter impression of his own changed nature, made by the inadvertant hesitation of Miss Hamilton to recognize him when he re turned to be crowned with honors by his monarch, that the world might call him worthy of her hand. A few days before the destined embarkation of Vinton, he received |