The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-08-17
OTTAWA, ILLINOIS, FRIDAY, AUGUST II, 1919.

and been received with enthusiasm, and
that Dem is collecting his forces AZ Siege
din for desperate attack ON the Russians.
This, if all true, is only satisfactory So far as
it indicates that the Austrian occupation Of
PeNh was but momentary work oi
some light corps as we snspectsd-a and that
PaSkiewitch il still far from the Danube.
Still we do not recover our confidence; and
do not quite comprehend the despatch. !.
Benz is vigorously recruiting at Sztgcdin,
that is very Wells but we trust the Russians
he means to fight ore not yet wilhn'a hun
bred miles Of thatlaSt ralIyinE point Of Mag
var heroiSm. If the pcaSantry are hiding or
destroying their provisions and beasts OF
burden, that is well, but stu va are not re-
assured.
We know how rash is closet criticism on
field operations, yet We cannot repress the
conviction that the Hungarian leaders have
committed grave ml>take--we fear "a
tai one. They had but one way TO match
the disciplined baa!icnS, aud overwhelming
numbers by which they are beleaguered,
hit that seems TO MS n sure one. They
should have bent all their exertunS 90 the
single object of defeating and destroying Pa
slsiewi'ch'S army before il could lock hands
through Grabbe and Sass corps, with IIav-
nau and paniutin. With their great Supe-
riority in cavalry, in local knowl, dye and
sympathy, in means Of transportation, and
their interior lines Of communication. they
ought TO have lcrt barely soldiers enough on
TIE upper Danube to have defended ComOrn
and employed Ilaynau, while the GrCatma>s
Of their armies from all quarters should have
been fastened under BEN AMI Dembin>ki
10 the line of the Thesis, and there rretipj-
tatcd in crushing numbers upon the main
Russian army. One hundred and fifty thou.
sand men might thus have been maS'ed on
that point. and a great battle delivered. al
least a week before Iiaynau OF GraJbr, how
ever ireLly opposed. could have reached the
scene Of conflict, and Paskiev itch thus Ger.
tainly beaten-and if heated, annihlated
To retreat mp the Thesis and lis tributaries
and over the Carpathiaus into Calcia in
the face Of an exaspel ated and Triumphant
mountain population. with the vctorou,
Hungarian cavalry pressing On his rear
would have been morally imnt>sihle. He
could neverhave led back ten thousand men
through tho Dukl pass into GaNicia. That
feat would have been deci>iyecyen admit
ting that lIaynau, Grabbc and Sass should
meantime form junction on the Lanubc aud
alvarez by Buda to the Thriss. That al.
vance would only seal their destruction.
Now admitting which is the most favor
able presumption--that Dembn>k'> appea.
rance at Comorn may enable GurgPy to Ie-
sumo the offensive with confidence, to COY.
CT Pesth and attack llaynau before either o
the Advancing Russian armies can join him
Wc fear It will amount to little. Uayuar
may he beaten, bat he cannot be anuihilaieo
- PashjrwitCh might. Master q both
banks Of the Danube above Comorn, he car
at any tmn he picaSes put that great ricri
between him aud his antagonists. j Deat.
en- where he now is, Raab is not Ear dist-ut
and there his command OF the fortress ard
bridge would enable him at least temporari.
" 20 check bis pGrsucrS. while bis mqm DO.
ny crossed the DaLnbp 81 reiterated ia good
order on PTcsburg. We DO painfully fear
there fore. that the liunearinn> best Glance
has been thrown away, and that Gorgcy, u
spite Of Dcmbrinskts junction, must >ocr
retreat, abandon Comorn, 10 is fate, or he
hcmmed in between hostile forces over
wLelningly superior and exposed 70 d..
struc'ion. Most happy shall We he 10 sec
these apprehenS disappointed.