Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-08-04

clusko, Dombrowsky, and Poniatowsky
and who had received cross from the
Emperor himself We now lived on
small farm. and my father leased ferry
over the Vistula. A cousin of mine lived
with my mother. She was u most lovely
girl, with whom played as child.
always called little Maria, who was g
year younger thnnmyself, my sweetheart
and we agreed to he married when we
We're grown up. The old folks laughed
and shook their heads. As fate would
haveit The Great Duke Constantine once
passed through rviliagc, as l was stand
ing before the door, must have impress
cd him, as | was stout active boy OF sew
enteen, and saw him whisper something
to an adjutant, which the latter wrote
down in his pocket book. The next nigh,
our house was attacked by Cossacks, and
in spite Of all our resistance, in which my
father was severely handled, | was bound
and smuggled away TO the barracks Of the
Fourth Infantry Regiment at Warsaw
No attention was paid to my struggles
and was beat with Il club till could
hardly stand. | was then thrown into a
dark cellar. half dead with hunger and
thirst, and there kept until was complete.
~ humblcd, and agreed to become drum.
mer. My father complained and even
threatened to appeal to the Grand Duke.
What good did It all do! He was at last
told that ifhe did not hold his tongue he
would be locked up. ! thus served two
years as drummerinthc fourth regiment,
until September 1890, when we drove the
Russians out of Warsaw Huzza! that
was great night" (and the face of the
dying man here lighted up at the rccollec-
tion,) u there beat to the charge, until the
top Of my drum broke in. then took d
muskct and fred on the Russian officers
as long as any of them were in sight
Two days after, went home on leave Of
absence, rejoicing in the prospect of again
seeing my father, my good mother and my
darling Maria. But when | turned the
corner of the wood, behind which lay the
red roof Of our house, did not see it, but
only a heap Of embers from which the
smoke still rose. | rushed madly to the
spot, where | saw my father almost hcwr
Il
tree, likewise my mother, and my Maria
! fell senscless 10 tie ground. The pitying
neighbors took me up and carried me int
one Of their houses. lay there for many
days in a raging fever When | came tc
myself they told me that tie Cossacls
had slain my father and mother, and af
ter doing violence to Maria, had killed hcl
and burned the house. When | heard
this | wept till could weep no more
and from that day have not wept MOI
laughed. From the grave Of my parent,
and my beloved | took this bag of earth
to bear it always on my breast. | sworc
by their bones that solong as God lent lilt
and strength to my arm, to fight against
the soldiers Of the Gar, and TO give nc
quarter to officer or Cossack l have faith
fully kept the oath to this day." continued
the old Pole, with an expression Of deep
satisfaction. GAS soon as | recovered, !
went back to my fourth regiment, and
many Russian officer and many Cos
sack have | shot down, or thrust through
with the bayonet; it was my only delight
to know that they fell by my hand. Al
one time | fell in with the adjutant Of the
Grand Duke Constantine, who was with
him, when | was first seen by the latter
He was under guard and bound. He beg
ged me to save his life, saying that he hac
wife and children at home, and would
give me a thousand ducats If | would re
lease him. first let him beg and whine
and then thrust my bayonct through hi'
heart. ] was chccred up when his blooc
spouied into my face. In this war hac
a finger Of the left hand shot of, and got
| slight wound from lance in my side
When it was all over with Poland, wen
to France with several cfmy comrades
We hoped that the French would go to
war with the Gar, and help US To recover
Poland. There was plenty fine words
but nothing came of it, and at last | Joined
the fourth legion in Algicrs. Here We
We're kept pretty busy. A Bcdouin gave
me the wound in my face, and afterwards
had chance Of rcscuinga French Colonel
from the enemy, for which | received the
cross of the legion Of honor. The one
which was givento my father by the En-
pcror was certainly Of great value. We
were at length sent by King Louis Phil.
lippe to Spain, in order to aid Queen Maria
Christina against Don Carlos. After !
heard the Gar was friend of Don Carlos
and had aided him with money, shot
down bis officers with far more satisiac-
ton. When the legion, which was almost
used up, finally returned 70 France, it was
my sixth year Of service, and although
might have become an officer, was un-
willing to remain in it any longer. ] was
too anxious onoe more TO fight with The
Russians last reached the Caucasus al
Saskatchewan, by the way Of Constant
nople, after all sorts ofhardships and perils
| was thrown INTO prison, treated as a
slave, and not allowed to fight against
Muscovites. But they at length saw thai
was to be trusted, and that | hated the
enemy worse than they aid. They ac
cordingy provided me with arms, and per
mitted me to 20 into the service. My
highest joy, since left Poland. was to sec
once more the columns Of the Gar and tc
be able to pick off his officers. For five
years | thus fought in the Caucasus, ant
many Russian officer and many Cos
sack got ofmy bullet in their body.
"At length | was shot in the left foot
was disabled from marching and was ta
ken prisoner. The Russians wished frs
to heal my wound; was then ordered tc
take hundred blows with the knout, and
to be banished for life to the mines of 81
IBERIA, because had fought as a Pole a
gainst the Gar. When l had got pretty
we'll again | was confined to tower
which lay on the Black Sea. | wished tc
see il | could get hold ofa boat, as swan
well from boy when ! bathed in the Wis
tula. At all events, preferred drowning
to being knoutcd by the Russians. For
tune favored me, and | found on the stranc
an unloadcd fishing boat with drankcr
| Cossack asleep in it, / easily bound hin