Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-11-13
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.

1913 UND l849. Won ARTHUR G0RGEI Leipzig: 1852
my Life and Operations in Hungary, during the year
lSiSand 1910 BY ARTHUR G0RGEI 2vols. Lepsc: 1852
The Hungarian rebellion has become histor,
event and if the time has not yet fully arrived fo
its grave and impartial summing up by Thucy
dides, 1t at least becomes Professionally to GROUP
together, classify, and arrange the annals of it,
prominent actors for it is from such biographies a:
those, which the French call " Memoirs to serve the
cause of History, that we are often enabled to ar
rive at the most accurate general results and it is
thus also that we can best impart to our historic
pictures graphic outline, borrowing as we do from
each historic character those salient features which
distinguish him from his associates and contempt
raries That ARTHUR G6RGEI Cor Goergey, as his
name is commonly Anglicised) is one of the num-
Der who have ndelibly inscribed their names on the
page which records the recent history of Hungary
is known to us all but in what character he is to
be regarded whether as the patriot leader of his
country arms forced osuccumb before the stronger
legons of the Austrian eagle and the Russian bear,
or as the traitor that deserves infamys as much
greater than Arnod's as his treason more sue
cessfu is still involved in controversy and its deci-
sion must perhaps be left in allegiance for remoter
and therefore more impartial period at present the
whole subject has become complicated with per-
sona and extraneous issues that it is absolutely i'm
possible, especially from point of observation so
remote as that which we occupy, to pronounce deli
nitively in the premises. But in so far, however
as those volumes throw light on the question, and
illustrate the stirring in which the writer was
foremost actor, they contribute an element to the
history of the period on which they treat that de
mands to be considered and appreciated.
The military genius of G6rge has, we believe
never been contested by even his most embittered
md lint afta roa1 q
the volumes before us, one is left in doubt whether
he yields sharper pen or sword, and we are not
sure that he does not display much skill in de-
scribng battle as he did in fighting it. His bat
tie scenes are wel-nigh Homeric in their vividness
of representation and minuteness of individual ad-
venture; but we constrained to observe that he
always describes battle with sort of professional
nonchalance seeming to forget entirely in the scien
tfc criticism of campaign all consideration of its
bearing and influence on the political fortunes of his
country He writes too much, perhaps, in the spirit
of one who has made war his trade and who regards
the movements of armies on the field of battle as
nothing more than game of chess, played on large
scale, and with nothing more at stake than the re-
putation of the players.
In the spring of 1S4S, while G6rge was living
in rustic retirement the landed estate of rela
tive, he was reused from his inactivity by the pro-
!" the fatherland to be in danger" Throwing aside
the retort and the crucble with which, in the study
of chemistry, he had beguied the "piping times Of
peace" he at once resumed his sword and enrolled
himself in the ranks of the first Honved battalion
that was enlisted for the approaching war; and hav-
ing already served lieutenant in the "imperial
army of Austria" he was at his entrance advanced
to the post of captain from which he was soon pro-
NOTED TO the rank of major But, before proceed
ing to narrative of his military operations it be-
comes us to state the relations which the young SOL
der then held to the political questions Of the day
The month of March brought for the whole Of
Hungary according to the principles Of the old con-
stitution, an independent responsible Ministry. This
Ministry was constituted an Executive authority nc
more for Hungary proper than for all the province:
united under the Hungarian crown, without distinc
ton of nationality in their inhabitants. This Minis
try moreover, had the sanction Of bis Majesty tn
Emperor Of Austria, King Ferdinand v. Of Hun
gary, and it at its summons that he entered tn
ranks of the newly-appointed Hungarian troops II
the support Of this constitution, whose maintenance
was the first duty Of the Ministry, all the impera
troops in Hungary had been sworn, and the newly
organized army took the same oath. The objec
proposed by the constitution of this new military
force was to quel an instruction of certain Hunga
rian provinces peopled by other than the Magyar
race. The leader of this revolt, supposed to hav,
been instgated by the Austrian court, was the Bar
Jellachich
The special function assigned to G6rgei by the
Hungarian Premier was to prevent the union o.
Jellachich with the Austrian General Roth fol
which purpose he was further invested with the
chief command of the southern division Of the Hun
garian militia While conducting the operations il
this quarter he arrests as suspected of treasonab
confederacy with the enemy the Counts Paul an,
Eugene Zichy. In the memoirs before US we ar
favored with a most circumstantial account of tn
trial by courtmartial, which, as is well known, re
suited in the capital sentence of the latter Gorge
avows that he was condemned through his agenc
in part, and that he entirely approved the finding
the court and if his car pdrte statement Of the cas-
be true, the execution of the unfortunate Count wa
certainly justiiabe on higher grounds than as
victim sacrificed to appease the popular clamor 70
bis death His completely with the enemy seem
to have been clearly and undeniably established
while, by his faltering course before his judges hi
manifest falsfcations and ACCOMMODATIONS, h
forfeits in great degree the sympathy that other
wise attaches to his untimely and gnoble end
The martial valor and military appointments o
the Hungarian militia seem to have been about OF
a par the new recruits never, stood their Croun,
against the enemy unless they had been marched un
I'll they were too tired to run away while their arm
consisted Of scythes, intersperscd with very fey
rusty old irelocks which went off" about as ofte,
as the scythes. These peasant soldiers had spc
cal affection, says G5rge, for cannons they woul
tug the q big guns" most enthusiastically until the
had almost come up with the enemy on the fir,
& a. 4 i a