Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1851-08-13

kkl1t OduCuSuS at SCucISCuC2
slt7s f1Fe, -
sorts Of hardships and perils. H.
thrown into prison, treated as a slave,
and not allowed to fight against the
Muscovite. But they saw at length
that l was to be trusted, and that |
hated the enemy worse than they did.
They accordingly provided me with
arms, and permitted me to gointo the
service. My highest joy, since l left
Poland, was to see once more the
columns of the Gear; and to be able
to pick off his officers. For five
years | thus fought in the Caucasus,
and many a Russian officer and Cos
sack got one of my bullets in their
bodies.
"At length | was shot in the left
foot, was disabled from marching, and
was taken prisoner. The Russians
wished first to heal my wound;
was then to take a hundred blows
with the knout, and to be banished
for life to the mines of Siberia, because
| had fought as Pole against the
Gear. When had got pretty well
again | was confined in tower,
which lay on the Black Sea. ] wish
ed to see if could not procure a
boat, as | swan well from a boy when
l bathed in the Vistula. AT all
events, preferred drowning to being
knouted by the Russians. Fortune
favored me, and | found on the strand
an unloaded fishing boatwith drunk
en- Cossack asleepin it; easily bound
him hand and foot, threw him over
board, and sailed out into the sea-
For three days wandered about,
eating nothing in the whole time but
an old dead fish which was in the bot
tom of the boat. was almost STAR
we'd, when | was taken up by Tur-
kish smuggler, which brought female
slaves to Constantinople. The Turks
treated me as slave, and sold me in
Symrna to rich man, who put me
as servant into his stables. After
some months ran away from him,
allowed myself to be made a Mus
sulman, was receiyed among the sol
diers, and thus became free from sla-
very. | did not give up the hope
that the Sultan would again go to
war with the Gar, and that should
be able to do some good. l had been
several years in the Turkish service,
when one day Polish officer, WHO
was salso in the service, told me to
get ready, a there would be more
work in Poland. | was greatly re-
joiced to hear this, and travelled with
two Of my countryman, with great
danger and difficulty, through Buko-
wilma to Gallacia. Here | oct with
a rich nobleman, whose huntsmen
and servants | helped to drill, every
day pray ing to God that might yet
live to see Poland great and free.
Finally, in the spring of 1916 we
came to blows with Austria, but with
out much effect, and after a few bat
ties, the Imperial troops conquered.
| was taken prisoner, and made to
run the gauntlet five times both ways
through five hundred men, until my
bloody flesh hung in stripes from my
back. | was then put in a regiment
stationed in Italy. Then came March
lS4S, and Italy broke out. | went
over at once to the Sardinians, was
made a sergeant, and fired many
bullets upon the Austrian officers. |
had heard that that the Emperor was
a good friend of the Gear, and must
do everything which he commanded.
When peace was made the next win
ter in Sardinia, Invent with many 9TH
er Poles who were discontenteA;
among the Italians, by ship to f.
and thence secretly to Hungary.
There was soon fine war, in which
my heart could again rejoice. Then
the Gar sent his troops to aid his
friend, and now things went on well.
The first day, in which shot Rus
sian major, was the happiest had
known for many years, although | got
sabre wound on the hand. But
there was still too many of the enemy.
/ was at last in Comorn, under klap-
ka, and that was my luck. He made
a capitulation, and received pass
port to go to America. Ibid not wish
to go to that country, for there was
no war with the Gear and | should
have been false to my oath. wan
ted to sail for England and see if
could not succeed in getting pas
sage to the Caucasus, where there
was still a war. But heard in Ham,
burgh, that the Gar was on the side
Of the Danes, and was going to aid
them with his ships Of war. The
cause was Of no consequence to me.
| did not care wheather the Danes
or Schleswig Holsteiners had the up
per hand. But as soon as heard of
the friendship of the Gear for the
Danes, l at once took service at AL
tona. Now it will soon be all over
with me, and am glad of it, for |
have kept my oath; and when | shall
meet my father, my mother, and my
beloved above they will be well salts |