The Sun.
London, England, 1832-06-05 00:00:00

UNITED SERVICE JOURNAL

Contains, this month, articles of unusual
interest and variety. The narrative of the escape
of the Polish hero Skyrznecki from Warsaw,
during the period when the Clubbists had gained
the ascendency, and the Russians w ere beleaguer-
ing the town, is oneof the most effective narratives
we have read since the publication of Home's
History of the Rebellion, and his particulars of
the flight of Prince Charles Edward from Cul-
loden. The details, we understand, have been
drawn up by a gentleman who was travelling in
Austria at the time, and who met with the
Polish hero in disguise, at a miserable post-
house, where he had lived strictly secluded for
upwards of two months, and received the parti-
culars of his flight from his own lips. As this
is incomparably the most interesting article in
the number, we subjoin it entire, notwithstand-
ing its great length:—
" Arrived at the post-house at Linz, in Austria, my first
care was to ascertain whether the authorities at the Po!ice.
office would render our passports available for Berlin,
without the necessity of Pending them on to Vienna for tilt
countersignature of the Prussian minister, But it ap-

)eared that no arrangement of the kind could be accom.
dished. We were therefore constrained to make up our
ninds to remain at Linz until the return of the passports
'rom Vienna, whiflo•r they were accordingly sent without
lelay. As s ion as this business had been despatched we
•moved from the Post-h .us to the Hotel Goldenen Ldtcen
,`Go'den Lion), w ere, as a fellow-traveller from Brannan
lad apprised us, the celebrated Polish chief, Sky:znecki,
was residing incog. Nast many minutes after we had been
installed in our new domicile, nay companion promised
hat we should send up our names to the General, and
solicit permission to pay our respects, a proposition so con-
sonant to my own wishes, that I did not hesitate a moment
to acquiesce. The garcon warned us that there was little
chance of our suit being granted, inasmuch as Skyiznrcki
ad been for two months and a half a tenant of his apart-
ment, and invariably declined all visits; hut we entertained a
oresentment, pardonable enough if the acknowledged in-
fluence of the Engl'sla name on the continent be considered,
that our application would not be rejected. The garcon left
as, and shortly afterwards returned with a look of surprise
Ind good humour, saying, that the General would be most
happy to receive ' the two Englishmen." Our emotions
may easily be conceived. My venerable companion had
resided for many years in Russia ; he had been witness to
the system of government prevalent in that empire ; he
had formed many valuable fri,mdships amongst the Poles,
and though deprived by the rigidity of Russian regulations
of those means of becoming acquainted with the course
of public events which are available in freer countries, he
hail nevertheless contrived to learn as much of the pro•
press of the affairs of Poland, as sufficed to identify
Skyrznecki in bis mind with every thing that was brave,
honourable, patriotic, and skilful. For my own part, shut
out as I had been tram almost a'l intercourse with civilized
society for the previous eight months, and necessarily un-
acquainted as I was with all but the unhappy results of the
Polish revolution, I did not anticipate a higher degree of
bliss than that of seeing and conversing with a soldier and
a patriot of good repute.
" Th 33 hour fixed upon by the General for our visit ar-
rived; we went up to his room, knocked at the door, and
were instantly inlanitted. Had we been utter strangers to
the name and character of our new acquaintance, our de-
meanour might possibly have been more assured ; hut it is
quite impossible that we could have felt the less respect for
the individual who n3w rose to receive us. There was an
air of majesty in his port, blended with the most perfect
grace, that irresistibly attracted the homage of meaner
mortals. Had I met him in the street, I should involun-
tarily have taken off my hat, or at least lave turned to con-
template his ' noble pro settee.' In stature he might have
been about six feet high, perhaps more ; in carriage he
WAS erect, without possessing a shadow of the ordinary
stiffness of the militairea of the continent; his countenance
pale and somewhat wan (evidently the result of confine-
ment, inactivity, and distress of mind)—but his eye ! and
kis forehead !—His keen grey eye, which at one glance
uttered a thousand sentiments—that at once spoke a con-
sciousness of rectitude, a capacity to command, a sense of
its owner's adverse condition, a feeling of good will to all
men, and a welcome to his immediate visitors,—his vast
expanse of forehead, that encased a pure and noble mind—
these features could only belong to one of gentle blood, ac-
customed to a space in the world's thought,' and ' do-
minion over his fellow men.' He was plainly attired in
an olive frock and black trousers, and had apparently been
reading, for on rising he laid down a book. We apolo•
gised for the liberty, See. but were speedily reassured, and
in a few minutes had gone over various interesting sub-
jects of discussion. On taking leave of the General, we
were invited to drink tea with him that evening a la mode
Angloise, an invitation which we gladly accepted; and
we returned to our apartments, in excellent humour with
the accident that had thus brought us acquainted with one
of the best and great, st men of the age. My worthy
fellow- traveller did not understand a syllable of French,
but so animated and expressive were Skyrznecki's gesti-
cut *thins, that he declared himself almost as much de-
lighted with the interview as if he had interchanged senti-
ments with the hero, or had comprehended every word he
uttered. In the evening we were, as may be supposed,
true to our appointment. The conversation, naturally
enough, referred to the affairs of Poland; and such pro-
gress had we made in one anothea's confidence in the course
of an hour, th at on my expressing my ignorance of many
of the most important and interesting features in the
history of the recent revolution, Skyrznecki volunteered
an account of the whole business, from its commencement
down to the capture of Warsaw. I endeavoured, on re•
tiring to my chamber, to commit to paper a'l that I had
thus heard, with a view to its subsequent publication,
but on submitting the manuscript to my illustrious
friend, he seemed to think that the dignity of the theme
demanded something beyond a mere narrative; that it
was of consequence enough of itself to fortn the subject
of an entire volume, upon which I destroyed my memo-
randa, lest I might be tempted hereafter to make use of
the meagre materials at the expense of a serious and im-
portant cause. I the less regret the step because No. 20
of the admirable ' Cabinet Cyclopedia' of Dr. Lardner
contains a History of the Insurrection, which in spirit and
in phrase corresponds, as far as my memory serves me,
almost entirely with the description given me by the
G

" As a pendant, however, to that ' History,' I am
tempt,d to offer a narrative which, I am persuaded, will
be read with interest by all who sympathise with the for-
tunes of so ex Belted a character and brave a soldier as
Skyrzuecki. It is a relation communicated by himself of
his flight from Warsaw to Cracow, after he had been de-
prived of the command of the Polish army, and General
Krukovinski had assumed the general direction of affairs.
The narrative may not possibly be fraught with so many
striking events as the description I have somewhere read
of the Pretender's flight after the battle of Culloden, but I
venture to hope, that it will at least be found as attrac-
tive as the sketch given in Dr. Lardner's book of Stanis-
laus's escape.
NARRATIVE OF SKYRZNECKI'S ESCAPE FROM WARSAW.

" Krukovinski's preponderance, the rage and intrigues
of the clubbists or Jacobins, and the danger to his liberty
which the expected success of the Russians threatened,
suggested to Skyrznecki an immediate retreat from Warsaw.
The hope, however, of a favourable change in political
sentiment, added to affairs of a private nature, dictated a
prolonged stay, provided it could be accomplished without
exposing him to personal injury. With this view, an
honest citizen, on whom Skyrznecki could rely, was con-
sulted,
concealment
hazard
awithin tin,ed
troewifune.stecrintioe
mansasnisteolmiispitieeztohroaurgy
was great, and immediately assigned an apartment in his
own house to the General's use, and supplied him with
every comfort he could desire. Skyrznecki's wife in the
mean time continued to reside in their own house, but all
communication between them was purposely avoided. Ac-
customed to an active life, tee rigid confinement to which
Skyrznecki was now subject, ill assorted with his inclina-
tion or his health ; he was therefore induced, after a time,
to take occasional walks at nightfall, and on one of these
occasions determined on a visit to his wife. He paid it,
and the people of the house betrayed him to the existing
Government ! The consequence was, that the police were
instantly on the alert to ascert,in his retreat and to arrest
him, while the clubbists anxiously sought to assassinate
fu iuneshtionEedverrYegafrrtileinndg ltihe6rbacdonull;ilaincelrisl of visited, closely
q
his
movements
and situation, but their replies kept the interrogators still
in the dark. Skyrznecki, however, found that it was nowt
high time to heat a retreat from Warsaw, and the only
question was, how to effect it ? His host, in conjunction
with his wife, concerted the means, and at leneth induced
•he son of an old servant of Skyrznecki's stepmother, who
iesetubled Skyrznecki in stature and complexion, to apply
for passports to enable him, as it were, to leave War-
saw on his own account. The passports being obtained,
they were delivered to Skyrznecki, and a night fixed for his
departure. Disguised as a valet, Skyrznecki repaired at
the time appointed to a neighbouring street, where a car-
riage and his own horses waited to receive him. He
jumped up and started off at a hard pace, successfully
passed the barrier, where his person was compared with
the ils•scription given in the passport, and succeeded in
reaching an inn not far from the next town. While he
remained at the inn, two gendarmes came in, and de-
mended his l.essports, which having been shown, accom-
panied by a rouble, they left the place. The innkeepers
a Pole, perceiving loovever that his guest was a more
distinguished individual than his papers set forth,
earnestly counselled him not to pass through the
town, For you must know, Sir,' said he, ' the coin-
inandant of the place is accustomed to sit at his win"
low, to watch all travellers, to stop and question
them; and b lieve me, Sir,' he added, you will never,
pass the scrutiny, for you do not look like a servant.
Skyrznecki deemed it prudent to act on this dis-
interested counsel, and after refreshing his horses, set
forth on ate ther route, or rather plunged into a forest
(whose m .zes were unknown to all but the peasants of the
country, who warmly assisted the flight of their superiors)'
and drove on until he reached the precincts of a tosva9
where a priest to whom he was known, and•who was a"
tached to him, resided. He consulted with this priest the
weans of advance while his hums were feeding ; and ct""i
teer priest having been called in, it was agreed he ghoul'
again alter his route, since the river Felica, which" it wag
necessary to cioss, offered an impediment to his progtea:'
nasmuch as all the bridges hail been destroyed during tae
campaign by Skyrznecki's own orders, to prevent the
Russians from harassing his rear. Being ignorant of the
newly-proposed route, a peasant was engaged, fur a trail"

Sam, to convey Skyrznecki and his driver, to the proposed
destination. After a reconnoissance, they set off. On
their road, they encountered two Polish dragoons in the
int-re•t of the cluhbists, but testifying neither alarm not
curiosity at this circumstance, they escaped their suspicion
or scrutiny. Reaching a narrow part of the river, the)
Nisei! it on rafters, anti continuing their route, reached
a town where they stopped to refresh themselves and
bores. At the inn where Skyrznecki put up, the Burg
taeister of the town presented him-eif, and questioned
Skyrznecki as to his person, his intentions, his destination,
Skyrznecki evaded his questions in a good humoured
way, and told him he should know after dinner. The
repast being finished, the Burgmeister renewed his inqui
upon which Skyrznecki informed him that he teas a
Major Stanishewski, and desired to proceed to a partieutat
town. The Burismeists r, however, frankly told him he
believed him to be a Russian spy. Skyrznecki reasoned
with him on the absurdity anal injostise of such a suppo-
sition, and in evidence of his being a genuine Pole, men-
tioned the names, condition, residences, and means of
various persons in the country round. The Burgmeister,
nevertheless, was sceptical, hut alter detaining our hero
four hours, became a little more accessible to reason, and
Permitted Skyrznecki to depart, accompanied by an officer
of the police. Skyrznecki had nos, however, proceeded
three versts from the town, when he was overtaken and
arrested by six lancers who had orders from the irresolute
hurgmeister to carry him hack. Skyrznecki, finding it
vain to attempt resistance, submitted to the mandate, and
returned. On his arrival at the town, he found a room
Prep ,red for him, and strictly guarded. He sent for the
Burgmeister, who accordingly presente 1 himself, and
things having thus reached a very hazardous crisis, Skyrz-
necki deemed it necessary to declare himself openly to his
gaoler, and request his assistance. Concealing, however,
ths chief causes of his flight, Skyrznecki represented to
the Burgmeister that he was an emissary from the Polish
Government, (of which it was known he had been a
member,) and was proceeding to a palatine town, in order
to as-ist in the formation of a new constitution for Poland.
The Burgmeister, on this declaration being made, threw
himself at the feet of the General, entreated his pardon for
the severity he had exercised, dwelt with mixed emotions of
pity and regret on what the General had suffered, and in-
stantly supplied him withmeans for prosecuting his journey.
" He was now to enter upon the nsost dangerous part of
his peregrination. He had the choice of either attempting
to pass the Russian outposts, or the outposts of a branch
of the Polish army composed of, anti attached to the club-
blot party. Divers reasons influenced him in the choice
of the latter difficulty, and after nightfall lie approached
a Spot where the Polish piquets were bivouacking. He
was challenged on his arrival, and having given the name
he assumed, was conducted to the tent of the Lieutenant-
Colonel commanding, who proved to be a cousin of Ma-
'lame Skyisnecki's, and an old acquaintance of the Ge-
neral's. After taking some refreshment, and discussing
With this person the affairs of Warsaw (of the latest news
of which place our fugitive was the bearer,) he desired to de-
part, but the Lieut.-Colonel toll him to his surprise, that
he con d not suffer him to proceed until he had apprised
General Roushidski, who commanded the whole of the
outposts, of his arrival. Finding remonstrance unavail-
ing, Skyrznecki consented that the General should he
informed, but entreated that the reply might be expedited.
As General Roushidski had received his command from
Skyrznecki himself, the latter of course expected nothing
less than full permission to depart. But he knew not
how completely General Roushidski was in the hands of
the faction to whom his deposition was owing. Instead
of the freedom he anticipated, an order came for his being
sent to a town, whither he did not wish to repair, under
the escort of an old officer bristling with arms, whiskers
anti roustachioes, accompanied by a lancer. Skyrznecki
surveyed his guard from top to toe, and seeing they were
tri ire than a match for his single arm, his indignation
could not be restrained. He proteated against such an
unwarrantable interference with his personal liberty, anti
conjured the Lieutenant-Colonel to disregard the injunc-
tion anti let him depart alone. But his wife's cousin was
as completely the tool of the Polish jictibins as his supe-
rior officer, and pleading the military doctrine of implicit
obedience to orders, informed Skyrznecki that he was
sorry, &c. but that he must per force carry into effect
Rousiridski's instructions.
" As a dernier resort, Skyrznecki now solicited an inter-
view with the General, which, after some time spent in
deliberation, was agreed to. Skyrznecki accordingly got
into his carriage and waited, outside the quarters of Rou-
shisiski, the interview in question. Gen. Roushidski soon
made his appearance, but to the surprise of Skyrznecki
accompanied by a staff of at least twenty officers, among
Whom Skyrznecki recognized a number of his most deter-
mined enemies. At the first moment he uttered an excla-
mation of astonishment, but Roushidski, approaching the
carriage, took him by the hand, and squeezing it signifi-
cantly gave him to understand that the less said iu anger
the better. Skyrznecki accordingly turned to familiar
matters, and spoke of the latest news from Warsaw and
the affairs of Poland generally. Alluding to the latter, the
factious members of the staff asaumed a lofty tone, and cate-
chised Skyrznecki regarding many of his military dispositions
during the war; they likewise censured much of his go-
vernment, and complained that he had shown undue
favour to the Polish aristocracy in collecting them about
his person in preference to more or equally deserving men
of humble origin. Skyrznecki did not long condescend to
argue with these persons ; he boldly told them that he did
not recognize their right to question him, and absolutely
refused to hold further parley. He then desired leave to
continue his route without an escort, as it did not sort
With his honour to be kept under such surveillance, at the
saem time that it was an indignity he did not merit. The
i c"hist", however, steadily refused, but in a milder tone,
o Comply with his wish. He persevered—he pledged
nimslf that he would repair to the town they had indi-
cated, though sore against his will, and appealed to his
character as one who had never broken his word, and as a
General who had often led them on to victory, as security
for the performance of his promise. Without appearing to
consent, they suffered him to depart, and for four German
miles he pursued his route undisturbed by any other re
flections than those suggested by his situation, and by a
struggle as to whether he should ultimately take a
road
which led to one of his own farms, or keep his promise to-
wards the ruffians he had recently left. In this state of
mind he arrived at a point where the road branched off in
too different directions, one leading to the town he had
promised to repair to, the other to his aforesaid farm. He
deliberated a moment between inclination and his parole,
and ultimately suffered a high sense of honour to triumph
over the suggestions of nature. At the end of another
mile he reached the town, but found a short time pre-
viously that he was pursued by two clubbists on horse
back. On arriving at the barrier, his first question was,
as to where Prince Czartorinaki might be found. A house
with lights in the window was pointed out to him, and
thither he repaired at full speed, the clubbists still in hot
pursuit. He entered the house and found the Prince and
several friends in council. They received him with open
arms, and earnestly solicited intelligence of the state of
affairs at the capital. In the man time the clubbists,
who had followed Skyrznecki, were endeavouring to raise
clamour in the town, and shortly collected a crowd
around the house. A Lieutenant-Colonel of firm charac-
ter and extensive influence went below, and partly by rea-
son, partly by threats and reproofs, subdued the angry
spirit that had been shown. He then conveyed Skyrz-
necki to his own chateau, gave him fresh horses, and ac-
companied him without further molestation to Cracow.
" It might have been supposed that in this independent
little republic his troubles would have ended, but the trea-
"in which sapped the foundation of his eminence, and has-
tened the Polish catastrophe, had spread its poisonous in-
fluence to the very confines of Poland. Even in Cracow,
clubbists, who had sought a retreat from the disasters of
the
campaign, meditated the murder of their chieftain.
Ile
was, therefore, obliged to take refuge in the house of
the Bishop of Cracow, until a new enemy, in the persons
oafndthebeßussian troops under Rudiger,
entered the town,
now tained information of the place of his retreat. It
became necessary to screen him from the vigilant
search of his foes, and a • large dark cellar beneath the
Bishop's house was
csoeloescttiled for the purpose. In the mean
time the Au
as strian w solicited privately to assist
his flight into the Imp ral territories, to which he con-
sented, and after a little time contrived to convey the illus-
trious subject of this sketchas across the Vistula to Podgorze,
in Gallicia, where he w
distinction. received with cordiality and
"Skyrznecki was subsequently directed by the Imperial
Government to repair to Linz (avoiding Vienna in his
route), there to retnain on parole until the
i Polish
ques-
tion should be brought to some definite
terminaition .lnthat little town I found, and there I left h
peting to be joined by his wife (whose
society he'euhraldy nexo;
enjoyed fur sixteen years), and patiently awaiting the
course of events which should enable him either again to
take an active share in directing the affairs of his unhappy.
country,
manners t
of i$
repair to England to study the institutions
and the
people for whom he entertains the
highest respect."

The funeral of the late Sir JAMES MAC-
itsTosx took place yesterday at Hampstead. Among
other carriages in the proceion we notice
CHANCELLOR'S the Dukes of BEDFORD and DE the LORD
DEVONSHIRE,
Marquis of LANSDOWNE, Lords HOLLAND, CARLISLE,
bOvER, Sir ROBERT INGLIS, Bart., M, P., Right Hon.
GRANT, SCC*