The native American., 1838-10-13
From Stephenson's nc,v "Incidents Of 1fapel."
THE BATTLE OF ROKOW

Russian army was under the command OF DIE
bitsch and consisted of one hundred and forty
two thousand infantry, forty thousand cavalry,
and three hundred and twelve pieces OF cannon.
This enormous force was arranged IN two lines
Of combatants and third OF reserve. Its lett
wino. between Warsaw and the marshes CT the
Visula, consisted Of four divisions OF infantry OF
fortv-seven thousand men, three OF cavalry OF ten
thousand five hundred, and one hundred ana
eight pieces Of cannon the right consisted OF three
and half divisions Of infantry of thirty thou
sond men. four divisions of cavalry of fifteen thou
sand seven hundred and fifty men, ard fiity-two
~;eces Of cannon. Upon the borders of the great
forest opposite the Forest of Elders, conspicuous
from where | stood, was placed the reserve,
commanded by the Grand Duke Constantine.
Aoainst this immense army the Poles opposed
less Than fifty thousand men, and hundred pieces
of cannon. under the command Of Gen. Skrlzy-
necki.
. AT break of day the whole force OF the Russian
right wing, with terrible fire OF fifty pieces OF
artillery, and columns of infantry, charged the
Polish left with the determination of carrying It
by a single and overpowering effort. The Poles
with six thousand five hundred men, and twelve
pieces of artillery, not yielding foot OF ground,
and knowing they could hope for no succor, re-
sisted this attack for several hours until the Rus
slams slackened their fire. About ten O'Clock the
nl,n was suddenly covered with the Russian
forces ;ssuing from the cover Of the forest, SEEM
inc one undivided mass Of troops. Two hundred
pieces of cannon posted on single line, com
menced a fire which made the earth trembe, and
was more terrible than the oldest officers, many OF
whom had fought at Marengo and Austrleltz, had
ever behed The Russians now made an attack
upon the right wing, but failed IN this as upon
-
the left; Diebitsch directed the strength OF his
army against the Forest OF Elders hoping to di-
vide the Poles into two parts. One hundred and
twenty pieces of cannon were brought to Dear on
this one point, and fifty battalons necessarily
nushed to the attack kept up scene OF massa-
cre nnheard of in the annals of war. Polish
officer who was in the battle, told me th't the
small streams which intersected the forest were
50 choked with the dead that the .antry marched
d;rectlv over their bodies. The heroic Poles,
with twelve battalions for four hours defended
tho forest against the tremendous attack. Nine
fines thew were driven out, and nine times, by
series of admirably executed manGuvres, they re-
nuIsed the Russians with immense loss. Bate
riies now concentrated in one point. were IN
moment hurried to another, and the artillery adj
vanced to the charge like cavalry, sometimes with
IN ! hundred feet of the enemy's columns, and
there onened murderous fire of grape.
Atthrse o'clock, the Generals, many of whom
,,o-e wounded. the most of whom had their hor-
sas sbot under them, and fought on foot at the
baod re their divisions, resolved upon retrogade
,novement. so as to draw the Russians on the open
plain. The Russian troops then dcbouched from
the forest, cloud Of Russian cavalry, with seVe'
raj regiments Of heavy curalss!ers at their head,
to the attack. Colonel Pientka, who had kcptup
an unremitng fire from his battery tor i've hours,
with perfect sang froid, upon disabled piece OF
cannon, remained to give another effective hre,
then left at full gallop post which ne had SO long
occupied under the terrible fire OF the enemys ar
tillery. This rapid movement OF his battery AMI,
mated the Russian forces. The cavalry advanced
on trot upon the line OF battery OF rockets
A terrible discharge was poured into their ranks,
and the horses, CALLED to madness by the flakes
of fire. became wholly ungovernabe, and broke
awav. spreading disorder in every direction; the
whole BODY swept helplessly along the fire OF the
Polish infantry, and in few minutes was so
comnletely annihiated that of regiment OF curas-
siers who bore inscribed on their helmets the "ln-
vincibles.'' not man escaped. The wreck OF
the routed cavalry pursued by the lancers, carrl-
cd along in its flight the columns OF infantry. A
general retreat commenced and the cry OF ''Po-
land foreyer!'' reached the walls of Warsaw to
cheer the hearts of its anxious inhabitants. 30
terrible was the fire Of that day. that in the Polish
army there was not single general or staft officer
who had not his horse killed or wounded under
him; two-thirds of the officers, and, perhaps, o
the soldiers, had their clothes pierced with balls
and more than a tenth part of the army were
wounded. Thirty thousand Russians and ten
thousand Poles were left on the field of battles
rank upon rank lay PROSTATE on the ground, and
The Forest of Elders was so strewed with bodies
.,,a, i received from that day the name of the
..cares, &C the dead The Gar heard with dis
nav 'a and all Europe with astonishment that the
arasser Of the Balkan had been foiled under the
All All dav. nv companion said the cannonadine
was terrible. Crowds Of citizens, OF both sexes
and all ages, were assembled on the spot where e,
we stood earnestly watching the progress OF th'
battle, sharing in all its vicssltudes' III 'he nlgh
cs, state of excitement as the clearing up OF 'h'
columns of smoke showed when the Russians o.
poles had fled; and he described the entry OF tn'
remnant Of the Polish army into Warsaw rs sub
lime and terrible; their hair and faces "er