The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-16 00:00:00

M. Drouyn de Lhuys comments upon the hopes
aroused upon the accession of the Emperor Alexan-
der to the throne, and considers that if they should
not be realised Russia would create embarrassment
for herself, and place France in a disagreeable posi-
tion.

M. Drouyn de Lhuys, in conclusion, requests the
Due de Montebello to lay the question in this shape
before Prince Gortschakoff.

The diplomatic documents communicated to the
Senate also include a circular of M. Drouyn de
Lnuys, dated March 1, addressed to the agents of
France abroad, in reference to the Russo-Prussian
convention, and stating the steps taken by France
in the matter.

WARSAW, March 13.

According to reliable information, the insurgents
under Lewandapski defeated the Russians on the
sth inst., near Bresnuka, and captured two guns.
Another body of insurgents, under Lelewel, were
also victorious near Wladowa, on the Bug, on the
7th inst., on which day the Russians sustained a
further defeat near Rataji, although in considerable
force at that place.
CRACOW, March 14.
General Langiewicz's vanguard is within a short
distance of Miechow. _ _

Skirmishes with the Russians took plaoe yester-
day in the immediate neighbourhood.
The Russian troops near Olkusz, Wolbrom, and
Miechow have received reinforcements.
Considerable bodies of insurgents are posted at
Konin, under the command of Mielecki, who has
been appointed colonel by Gen. Langiewicz.
March 15.

Twelve only of the 36 members belonging to the
Council of State at Warsaw are independent of
the Government, having neither official posts nor
salaries.

MM. Wenglinski, Kurtz, Garoki, Count Kolet-
zello, General Lewinski, and Michel Lewinski have
tendered they resignations. Six other councillors
are abroad. The members of the municipality
have resolved upon sending in their resignations,
but have not yet carried out their intention.
LEMBERG, March 14.

The greater part of the forces of Langiewicz are
posted near Miechow, where engagements between
the Russian and Polish vanguards took place yes-
terday.
The insurrection is gaining ground in the Govern-
ment of Kalisch.
It is asserted that the insurrection has broken out
in Podolia, and that several thousand insurgents are
posted near Bar.
THORN, March 15.

A Mate of siege has been proclaimed in the cities
and districts of Pinsk, Stuck, and Novogrudek, in
the Government of Minsk.

(From the Correspondent of the Times.)
POSEN, March 12.

Fights abound
and extending
eineevnedring a
every direction,
timeectio ron,anlis n.
and
orebellion
isThis
is hardly a favourable moment for casting a retro-
spective glance at the events of the past; but if the
Polish tactics have been so far successful a survey
of their achievements may be interesting as a key
to the probabilities of the future. I have selected
for this purpose the m:litary career of General Lan-
giewicz, as being the most prominent instance of
guerilla warfare under the peculiar circumstances
of the case.

The first reunion of the detached bands in the

south was brought about at Wonchock, a little I
town 40 miles to the south of Radom, situate in the
midst of wooded hills, and possessed of mines and
ironworks. The place afforded a favourable oppor-
tunity for the organisation of the corps, both in
point of equipment and drill. The General at that
time could hardly muster 1,000 muskets in his
camp. As for the rest of his force, consisting of
about 5,000 men, they had to be armed with scythes
and swords, the greater parr of the production of
their own hands in the furnaces of Wonchock. But
there is an end even to Russian sluggishness. On
the Ist of February the General found himself at-
tacked by a column, which had been advanced from
Kielce, about 20 miles to the south-west of Won-
chock, and, although he had the best of the fight,
the attack of another column on the day after
caused him to remove his quarters to a safer and
less accessible locality. The second Russian force
had been despatched from Radom, and the two
columns were intended to charge the General
simultaneously ; but, as we shall have occasion
to notice in the progress of events, the Russian
commanders find it impossible, as a rule, to keep
their appointments and effect their moves with
the promptness which forms the indispensable re-
quisite of a guerilla war. Slow marching is not pe-
culiar to Russian troops, but, hampered by the bad
roads of a Polish spring, the timid neutrality or the
violent hatred of the inhabitants, they never reach
their destination in time to catch the bird before it
has flown. The battle of Wonchock was announced
in the official paper as the first destruction of Gene-
ral Langiewicz.
Leaving his old haunt on the 3d of February, the
General moved on to the lion's very den. In a day's
march he reached the Lysa Gora hills, pitched tents
at Slupia and Sventi krzyz, took up a favourable
position 25 miles south of Wonchock, and a little
less to the east of Kielce. He was now protected
by the cliffs and precipices of a limestone ridge, but
finding himself in the immediate vicinity of Kielce,
a centre of Russian operations, his quarters exposed
him to the inconvenience of constant sorties and
skirmishes with the enemy. Again, however, he
was allowed nine days' respite before the Musco-
vites could be brought up to the charge. It was
only on the 11th that the Russians, approaching in
two columns from Kielce and Radom, first as-
saulted the Monastery of Sventi-Krzyz (Holy
Cross), and a few hours later the Camp of Slupia.
Langiewicz, now in possession of eight guns and
1,000 rifles more, all of which bad been forwarded
to him from Austria in the interval, repulsed
the attack with considerable success, and thrust-
ing the snemy out of his way, hastened in a
day and night to Staszow, 40 miles to the south of
Slupia and 12 miles' distance from the Austrian
in
frontier. His object this precipitate march was
to keep his communication open with Austria—the
storehouse and great arsenal of insurrection in the
earlier stages of the movement. Hitherto the Gali-
cian frontier between Cracow and the Vistula had
been entirely evacuated by the Russian troops. but
as the columns which charged him at Slupia retired
towards the south the probability of being shut off
from Austria became as imminent as it would have
been perilous. He had not been mistaken in his guess.
Hardly had he arrived at Staszow when the enemy,
advancing his columns on the east and west of his
position, endeavoured to occupy the Vistula line,
surrounding the gallant general at the same time
with a whole cordon of detachments. His friends
were getting anxious for his safety, and the Cracow
papers calculated the consequences of a defeat.
Whatever his talents, Russian indolence, however,
materially contributed to his escape. Arriving at
Staszow on the 13th, the Russian generals did not
grudge him a leisure of several days before return-
ing to the charge. Again the interval was turned
i to account by the General for procuring arms and
shoes, and increasing faiEsca.valry to a fine force of
more than 1,000. I have also reasons for believing
his infantry to have reached the figure of 10,000 or
so while at Staszow, but the fact baffles inves-
tigation, as the force, if it ever existed as a whole
has been immediately broken up into a number of
separate corps. On the night of the 17th Russian
preparations were so far advanced as to allow of the
despatch of a reconnoitring party to Staszow. Of
3,000 men who entered the place, 150 were left
upon the spot. Unless protected by their artillery,
the retreat must have degenerated into a flight and
the loss of the corps, But, with more sithes than
rifles, and in many cases more rifles than cartridges,
the Poles find it hard work to kill the enemy after
beating him.

On the following day the Polish camp was again
broken up. Finding the Russians gathering round
him, the General retraced his steps towards the
north, and suddenly turning to the west, approached
Kielce at a distance of seven miles or thereabouts.
The tactics of the General, as the reader will have
perceived by this time, may be reduced to a simple
formula. In a secure position, he calmly awaits
the arrival of Russian troops advancing from all
points of the compass. The inert masses being at
length drawn up in sufficient numbers to venture
an attack, the Poles, after an indecisive conflict of
an hour or two, march off in perfect order, and,
hastening over 40 miles with the utmost rapidity,
take up another position, where the old game begins
afresh. In this wise a week or half a week's rest is
always gained for the prey, the hunter dragging
slowly along his wearied limbs and spending all his
time in marching after the game he cannot over-
take. The Poles, on the other hand, persist in
avoiding pitched battles, Not only would the danger
of de feat be immense, but their victories must be
always complete, and result in the death or capture
of a number of enemies. How else would it be
possible to procure arms with equal convenience
and economy ?

Passing by Kielce, at a distance of a few miles the
General, on the 18th, intercepted a party of Rus-
sians returning from Miechow with 130 prisoners,
the proceeds of a raid among the notables of the dis •
trict. The surprise took place at Xionz, about 70
miles to the west of Staszow, and 24 hours after the
fight of the preceding morning. For the next six
days the nimble guerilla disappears from the scene.
Dividing his force into half a dozen corps, his
manoeuvres must have infested the entire distance
between Kielce and Cracow on the one, and Kielce
and Czenstochow on the other side. In the mean-
time :he Russians, who had vainly sought him at
Staszow, were pushing on from the East, while
Czenstochow, the most westerly stronghold of the
Czar, poured forth its thousands to Olkusz, on the
Galician frontier, and Wobrom, Pilica, and Zar-
nowice, in the region between Cracow and the
southern highway. Once more the net was being
closed in upon General Langiewicz. From the

south the four towns abovenamed had been occupied
by the Russians ; from the east his Staszow friends
were approaching as fast as nature permitted; in
the west frowned the Russian frontier, the north
being blocked up by the garrisons of Czenstochow
and Kielce, which, it was to be feared, might suc-
ceed in restoring communication between each

other. To prevent this disaster Jczioranski, one of
his captains, had been stationed at Wloszezowa, mid-
way between the two points d'appui of the Russian
force; and, before he could be overpowered by the
enemy, who was now forcing his way on to the
north, General Langiewicz, on the 23d, succeeded
in effecting a junction with his trusty follower be-
tween Wloszczowa and Malsgoszez. The day before
another transport of Polish prisoners had been
recaptured by him at Cenciny, about eight miles
distance from Malagoszcz. Twenty-four hours
after his reunion with Jezioratiski the Russians
drew near from Kielce (east), Cenciny (south-east),
and Brzezy (south), either party consisting on this
occasion of 6,000 men or more. As usual Langie-
wicz, retiring to the shelter of the hills and the
woods, fought a part only of the Russians at a time.
After a bloody skirmish of several hours, the drawn
fight having yielded 110 decisive result, he divided
his troops into two bodies, marching himself towards