The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-20 00:00:00

hour shrank back and jumped up as if I had the comrade and myself proceeded to the headquarters
plague. A little man in grey, with red ferret eyes, 1 Staff Bureau to get the pass from Gen. Kricz and
red head and whiskers, and inquisitive spectacles, to pay our respects to Gen. von Benedek. The lat-
tackled my companion, who explained what and ter came in while we were with the General, and re-
who we were, and why we had cone to Littau, and ceived us with that frankness and simple natural
the little man gave it as his deci led opinion that , heartiness and directness which gain for him the
we were no better than we ought to be, and that we I hearts of all who come near him. He seemed a
had no business to be going about on horseback in little thinner than he was at Koniggratz, but his
such times at all. Disparaging remarks in Bohe- , eye was as sparkling and bright, his voice as ring-
mian and Moravian dialects were, we guessed, freely ing, and his action as vivacious as ever. To my,
directed against our proceedings, and Chinese-eyed companion his farewell was affectionate, and he em-
gendarmes swelled visibly with importance and in- braced him on leaving as a comrade on the field of
dignation. Our passports were exhibited for the battle. No one has ever met Ludvig von Benedek
little man, and increased his doubts. And, to cover without liking him, or parted from him without re-
all, another literary Lattauite found a tremendous gret, and no braver soldier ever drew sword than
mare's-nest. Why, my companion's pass was signed the vanquished leader of the Austrian host at Konig-
by Henikstein, a traitor, a man now in prison for gratz, now the commander of a corps, and soon to
aiding the Prussians ! Mark that ! And mine was be the defender of a besieged camp and city.
only dated that day. Spies, if ever men were ! There The colonel at the station read the order, and
was a clamour, a grunting, and a growling; win- issued his instructions to a captain of artillery to
dows were thrown up ; old women and children make room for us, bag and baggage, with a field
came forth as if from the earth. At last the au- battery. We were to be ready at half-past 1 o'clock,
thority arrived, in the shape of a gentlemanly, el- and the train would start at 2 o'clock. It was a new
derly man, in civil costume, who proceeded upstairs phase of this Prusso-phoby, from which I have so
to a large, official-looking saloon, with maps on the long been suffering. They are at Brunn ; they are
walls and tables and chairs, and books and papers of moving over towards the line of rail which connects
imposing appearance. We followed under charge Olmutz with Lundenburg and Vienna. They are on
of the gendarme. The authority took his place the north and east of Olmutz, and on the north-west
at a large table, while we stood before him, and heard and south of it. The very last way of spending a
the gendarme's statement. Then he examined our summer and autumn that any man could propose to
passports, and proceeded to ask us questions which himself, unless he were an enthusiast in sieges,
showed the real nature of the case against us :_.... would be to pass them in Olmutz, with the eternal
"Were we aware that, even if the papers produced Prussians outside ; and all one's dreams of advanc-
were genuine, we were only authorised by them to 1 ing armies and triumphal progress were come to
be with the head-quarters of the Northern army ? ' this—another retreat, and yet another and another,
Why were we in Littau, between the Austrian and and the zundnadel-gewehr behind one for ever.
It was a journey to be remembered to Vienna. At
the Prussian armies, and close to the Prussian
frontiers ? It was all very well to say we wanted to 1.30 p.m. our small retreating column of two cor-
see something to write about, but we had no busi- respondents, with horses, traps, and servants, were
ness to leave Olmutz." " Had we ever seen the at the Olmutz railway station, which was the very
lady with whom we had spoken before ?" " Never." I crater of a military eruption, and sent forth train
" What, never ! Did you not wink at her when she after train of artillery and infantry to the south.
came in ?" (This question I beg to say was addressed The difficulty of getting there once more set forth
to my- military companion.) " Not wink at her ? a defect in the military organisation of Austrian
Are you quite sure?" (The gendarme was convulsed armies in the field, which must be remedied, or it
with anger at the negative.) " Well, do you admit will occasion some serious disasters. There is no
you spoke to her in a foreign language ?" " No, in adequate gendarmerie to keep the road clear andthe
German ; the lady only used a word of French, and trains in order. and all the thoroughfares and
spoke only German." (The gendarme gave a sigh bridges were blocked up with waggons of immense
at such dreadful mendacity, and rolled his eyes till variety of forms, under the control of drivers of
they were quite gone out of sight.) " What were still greater diversity of speech. The quantities
we three leaning over maps for and talking in a low of objurgatory language and of more cogent instru-
voice ? What did we say about the Prussians being mentalities used on such occasions may be conceived,
near ?" (Oh, my friend, you were listening at the door but much of their vital force is lost on the wood of
it seems.) As the case developed itself it was carriages and the passive resistance of baggage oxen
astounding. Here were two men appearing in a and stoical horseflesh. When the station was gained
townbetween the Austrian and Prussian main armies, it was not much to have done. As fast as the trains
on horseback. They come no one knows whence. of 40 or 50 carriages could be filled they were sent
They ride up to an inn just as a carriage, in which off with their living cargoes of troops southwards,
is a strange lady, drives up from the Prussian side. and in this part of their work there was no reason
They demand a private room. There the strange to blame the Austrian administration. The carriages
lady joins them. They wink at her knowingly, and for the men are wooden boxes closed at the sides,
she winks at them. Then a party of Austrian with doors sliding back or forwards so as to close
cavalry dash through the town from the direction them completely or permit air and light to enter.
of Olmutz, evidently in pursuit of some one, and Longitudinal benches, with a central passage, are
do not know there are two strange horsemen in the placed on stretchers, and accommodation is afforded
inn. The party are agitated in the inner room. The in each carriage for 28 men—at a pinch 30 are put
lady and the two men converse in a strange lan- in--who step out from the line as each carriage door
guage. A map is produced, and they pore over it, comes opposite to them, and march in by two under
I
speaking in low tones and in an unknown tongue ; the inspection of their officers. There are extra car-
but they are heard to speak of the Prussians and of riages for officers, staff, and horses. A single train
their being near. At last the lady goes away ; the swallowed up a whole battalion easily. Then its
two men prepare to follow her. They are stopped, place within the station was taken by another batta-
and produce passports, one signed by a chief of the lion marching out of the enclosures outside, which
Staff known to be under heavy suspicion and in swarmed with men and guns, and so the process went
arrest, and the other has a passport signed that day. on as fast as trains could be brought up. But it was
As we were hearing all this with intense amazement slow work, and it promised to be long before the
there was a noise of wheels in the square, and in a battery of field artillery to which we were attached
few moments our fair friend entered with wonder could be despatched, as one battery intended to go
and anger in her face and eyes. "I, the wife of the early in the morning was not sent away till 2o'cloek
Colonel of the 6th Uhlans, to be brought back as if and the columns of trains, so to speak, are regularly
I were a spy ! What does it all mean, Sir ?" The formed, so that if an enemy were reported on the
authority explained the case, but the lady had proofs way the whole might halt with guns on each flank
of her identity, and looked as if she felt very sorry and disembark, even in something like order of
for having noticed two such doubtful people. One battle along the line of rail. For more than an hour
of her husband's regiment was actually in the square I stood watching the process, and talking de omnibus
below. A Uhlan, a pleasant, cheery fellow entered, with a most intelligent officer of artillery—intelli-
and stood at " attention" at the sight of his Oberst's gent as most officers of that arm of the service are
wife. A little polite conversation between the —and he gave me his opinion very freely about all
authority and the lady, and some low dialogue, the things on which he conversed. There was a Croat
effect of which was in our favour, followed, and the regiment entering the train --great, heavy fellows,
lady made a bow (she denied the wink very warmly), with heavy faces, dressed like Hungarians—“ Are
took her leave, and drove off towards Olmutz. they good soldiers ?" Pretty well only. They do not
Nleanwhile, the gendarme had left the room, and march well, and need strict discipline. As to the
the authority, who really was a very intelligent and i Hungarians, he was not so favourable as many are,
agreeable officer, though determined to do his duty; " They are of all sorts. They make better cavalry
gave us to understand that he had no doubt we were than infantry, and are not as good as the Germans
what we represented ourselves to be, but that he any way." The Poles were certainly hard fighters,
could not without serious consequences dismiss a but fickle. The Italians were uncertain ; when good,
case presented to him under such circumstances by very good ; when not that, perhaps worse than in-
the gendarmerie. " See what risks you run. These different. Roumans et id genus ovine he considered
people don't understand German. You might have mere mud to build up a wall with. No, the German,
been seized in some village, bound with ropes, pur et simple, was the-soldier, and the misfortune was
and dragged away for miles to some military post, that they had such a variety of races not German in
or been ill-treated," and so on, in a very friendly their army, or that they had any but Germans at
way, urging the madness of our thirst for knowledge. all. He ranked the artillery first, then the German
The gendarme returned, and he was informed of the horse, then the Hungarian horse, then the Poles, then
decision arrived at. We were to go back under an some of the Hungarian infantry—the rest were but
escort to Olmutz, to be handed over to the officer on leather and pruuella. It was 7 o'clock before the
guard. Our names were written on a piece of paper. neititscheiner and my companion's van and the horses
A Uhlan was summoned ; it was the same who were placed on the trucks which carried of No. 3
had recognised the lady. He received his orders 4-pounder foot battery of the Imperial Artillery
and we took our leave to the intense disgust of the Regiment No. Bto a new field of warfare. All the
gendarme. That worthy, who had accused us of interval was spent in looking at the regiments
speaking in English to the lady, was asked if he going off (with an interval in which my comrade,
knew English when he heard it. No, he did not, having advised himself to sketch " Olmutz, as seen
but, as he did not know it, he guessed the language from the river bank," was arrested and carried off
must be English. As we walked across the square as a spy), and in talking about the great battle of
for our horses the whole disengaged population of Koniggratz to various officers. As the only car-
Zittau acted as escort. The Uhlan, who viewed the riage of the second-class was filled with wounded
whole proceeding with the utmost contempt, busied officers, we took our seats in the neititscheiner, and
himself in quickening the ostler, and grinned all the only drawback to our enjoyment at getting off
over his hearty face when he was told we were sus- out of the dust and heat was caused by the fact that
pected of being spies. " And do you know the lady our next neighbour on the truck was an ammu-
we were talking to?" " I should think Ido ! Why, nition waggon. Now, an ammunition waggon in
she is my Colonel's wife !" Well, they took her for the abstract is not to be objected to, but when it is
a
a spy, too !" "My God ; the pigs. Well, they are an open van attached to a train drawn by a loco-
capable of it. It was well I was there !" and he motive vomiting sparks of fire it assumes an im-
laughed at the idea tremendously; and so we can- portance not attributable to it in its normal el:Mi-
tered off towards Olmutz. Now, this Uhlan was a tion. When, however, the same waggon is covered
wise man. Ile had no mind for a ride of some 22 with trusses of loose hay, the interest attached to it
or 23 miles at the heels of two persecuted foreigners. is nauth enhanced, and when the hay aforesaid is
used as a bed by a meditative gunner who smokes a
We broke into a hand gallop on the road outside
the town. And as we galloped the Uhlan fell be- very long pipe, and sleeps with it in his mouth, it
hind, at last all but the top of his lance disappeared, requires a good deal of " user "in such matters to
close one's eye in perfect indifference. Just as we
and when we rose the brow of the hill and looked
back he was no more seen. May he be borne safely were starting a cheerful Austrian officer cantered
through the shock of many Prussian lances ! up to tell us that we should have to fight our
It was nigh 7 o'clock when we reached Olmutz, way through, as the Prussians were at Lundenburg.
having lost two hours and a half iu arrest at Littau. At Brodek and Prerau there were considerable
Scarcely had we gained our quarters when the last
of the Teutonic correspondents at head-quarters bodies of Austrians lying out in the open fields near
the railway, and the last rays of the sun fell on the
rushed in to say we had not a moment to lose. The
helmets of a body of Cuirassiers, scouring along the
enemy were advancing to cut the line ; Olmutz
state of siege in 24 hours. He had just fields as if in hot pursuit of some unknown foe. Be-
would be in a
fore darkness set in there was a little scene of an-
seen Benedek, who told him to be off at once if he
other nature. In a quiet field near a farmhouse was
wished not to be shut up. Here was fresh trouble.
Our friendly informant bade us adieu, drawn up a company of Hungarian infantry on three
sides of a square. In the centre stood a little group
himself to the station. The intelligence was too of officers around some man, besides whom stood a
, .
true. At headquarters my companion was told by curiously through
the Quartermaster-General that he could not answer man in black, and women peeped
the ranks or retired towards the farm with their
for our being able to get away after to-morrow morn., aprons to their faces. We strained our eyes and ears
ing; all trains were stopped except for military to see the curling smoke and hear the fatal volley,
purposes. The telegraph was seized also, and no but a turn in the road shut out the scene, and the
posts or mails would come or go after to-morrow, noise of the train drowned the sharp rattle that were
the last sounds the poor wretch would listen to in
this world. The train sped on all night, easing at
With the kindliness and courtesy which characterise
each station to hear the news. Lundenburg was
all the superior Austrian officers, Gen. Kricz pro-
reached at o'clock in the morning, and we bade
good bye .t,:) the eternal Prussians for the time being.
wised to give passes for ourselves, servants, horses,
Before 8 o'clock in the morning the spires of Vienna
and baggage, and we prepared to pack up at once,
were in view. ; and far and near, inside the lines of
while at headquarters an Austrian patrol and guard
rode in with the waggons of a Prussian field-post
the defensive works, the white tunics and green
plumes and grey coats swarmed, and the hum of
which they had captured. More valuable still they
had captured a special correspondent. At first 1
thousands of voices rose from the cornfields. A
was almost in hopes that some compensation was
great host is encamped here. Close by are Wagram
about being made to me for my perpetual sufferings
and Essling, but is not Aspern near at hand also?
from aggressive Prussians in the capture of one who
was always in pursuit of me, and always threaten-
The heart of Austria is not to be found in Vienna.
ing my communications, putting me in a state of See what hordes are camped on the swift Danube to
siege, going about at his ease gaining victories, and bar the way to the enemy ! Many a Prussian must
getting and sending off his letters, and I was pre- find his resting-place in these widespreadplains before
paring to be as clement as Titus, when it was made his royal master shall set foot in the palace of the
known to me that it was not your military corres-
Kaisers who gave his ancestors their crown. It will
pondent at the Prussian russian headquarters who had been need all Napoleons genius and Napoleon's fortune
taken 'So characteristically defending the post with
to win the great battles which the King of Prussia
his life, but theof gentleman who represented the
a proclamation inciting the Hungarians to rise found
Kreutz Zeitung must win at any cost before he stands on the heights
of Mariahilf.
Berlin. As there were copies of
on him, the correspondent will be sent to Vienna to
This morning early my
await judicial proceedings.

CHARLES FREDERICK HUTH, Esq., is the gentle..
man recommended by the Court of Directors of the Bank
of England to fill the vacancy in the direction, occasioned
by the retirement of the Right Honourable Stephen Cave.