Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-05-08

thoughts were concentrated. w as 1t not indeed,
the height of cruelty? The son doomed to hear
the shot that was to kill his father!
The officer gave the communicative ~ Only
three ofthe victims had received the death stroke.
Kiss rose
'And ]" said he, tyou have forgot me ~
A bullet had but slightly grazed his shoulder.
A corporal, whose musket was loaded yet, shot
him with the muzze nearly clapped to his breast.
This time the ball struck the forehead of the
General, and he fell to rise no more. That was
the shot which the prisoners had heard few
moments after the firing of the detachment. The
parents of Kiss asked the favor to allow them to
pull from his fingers his marriage ring, but in vain;
tie Austrian General brutally refused to grant
their request.
AS for Deseffy, the circumstances which ac-
companied his death, are worthy to be recorded
for history. After the battle of Temeswar he
had surrendered. lie still held out, and might
have made them pay dear for his liberty and that
OF his soldiers. Prince Lichtenstein, knowing
Deseffy's nobility of mind, had sent him an Off
Ger with flag of truce, and summoned him to
surrender, giving him his word that he and his
soldiers should be spared. Deseffy, induced by
Lichtensten's promises, did not hesitate to lay
down his arms, but was nevertheless sentenced to
death. His wife hurried to inform Prince Lich-
tensten of that sentence.
'sDon't be uneasy, madam" exclaimed the
Prince; 81 have given my word: your husband
will be spared y
The Prince went directly himself to General
Haynau. "You know General" said he, "that
the battle of Temeswar would have been lost, if
| had not attacked the enemy without waiting for
your orders. For this deed you promised me the
military decoration of the order of Maria TERESA.
Confer that honor, which know how to appre-
ciate, upon another one; keep it, but in return
for it, promise that Deseffy life shall be spared;
pledged my word to him.
II will do all can," was Haynau's answer;
s'you may rely on it, and you need not be I'M
easy"
The Emperor having invested Haynau with
discretionary. power, everything was possible for
him, and Lichtenstein, who could not entertain
the slightest doubt that he would redeem his
word, went home. A few days afterwards, he
perceived the wife of the General coming back,
in mourning dress, and looking CHASTITY.
els it thus, my Prince, that you keep your
word?" she asked him; ''my husband has been
shot"
For man like Prince Lchtenstein- very
model of honor and loyalty-this intelligence
was thunder-bolt. Instantly he repairs before
General Haynau, and tells him in the strongest
terms all that an exasperated man in his wrath
can tell to another, who has abused his confidence.
With the most impurturbable GOODNESS, Haynau
replied
'What are you clamoring about I had
promised you to do all could for Mr.. Deseffy;
WELL have done so: he ought to have been hang
ed-he has only been shot! !"
Although prudence suggested to Prince Lich-
tenstein the happy thought to suppress his wrath
before his superior in command, it isnevertheless
evident that the feelings of hatred and contempt
against Haynau will never subside in his heart.
There remained in the fortress nine Generals,
who were, however, to be hanged At eight
o'clock, battalion came to escort them to the
nf xuvhio had boo,, co1a ofoIo
the outside of the entertainments, about two hun
dred yards from the river, opposite the city of
Arad. There the nine gallows had been erected
to receive their victims. All of them, excepting
Damianics, whom an accident prevented from
walking, went there on foot, surrounded by SOL
diers. Two assistants of the executioner carried
Damianics on a car, on which the executoner
himself was sitting, and which followed the fune-
raj procession.
In the turnings and windings, on their way
from the fortress through the bastions and ditches
the Hungarian Generals could discover, on their
right-hand side, the notched towers of the old
castle of Villages where Gorgey had surrender
ed.
The first victim the executioner seized was
Baron Poltenburg, man of great strength. His
agonies were long, dreadful.
The next was General Toeroek. In the mo-
ment when he felt the rope pressing his neck, he
turned his eyes to heaven and uttered this brief
invocation, ''Jesus, Maria, Joseph!" A moment
afterwards his body was swinging in the air, and
his faithful dog that had followed him looked sad
ly at him. The Austrian General subsequently
took possession of the poor animal. 1t is wonder
that he had not of hanged it too.
The third was Kneziks The fourth Lahner,
the melancholy musician of the preceding night.
His mild and lovely face never evinced more
mildness and grace than at this awful juncture.
Nagysandor, who followed him, mounted the
ladder with the same firm and bold step as he
did at the escaade of Budda. His fine head,
framed in his long black hair, was beaming with
the aureola of martyrdom, and with flashing eyes
he COMPOUNDED the Austrian officers who were
impossible witnesses to this hideous exhibition.
His last thought was for Hungary, which he had
defended so bravely He exclaimed, 30 Lord,
beseech thee, bless my atherland!"
The next was Count Leiningen. Before he
mounted the first steps of the ladder, he mani
Tested desire to speak few words
''You know, sir" said the commanding officer.
''that we have positive orders not to allow any
speech at all on this OCCASION"
: ''Major," replied the Count, II give you my
word of honor that what have to say, shall not
allude in the least to politics,-it concernsonly
personal affair."
''ln this case you may speak, SIR"
81 desire the Austrian officers to leave their
ranks and to approach me-" said the General.
The officers Immediately complied with this re-
quest.
Gentlemen" said he, "there has appeared in
the journal, 'The Soldiers Friend an infamous
article, stating that my comrades and myself
had, at the capture of Budda, basely assassinated
the prisoners and the Austrian officers. Here
before the Gates of Eternity and in the moment
of dying-and you know dying man does not
lie-I solemnly swear that neither my comrades
nor myself ever were guilty of such infamy.
beg you, gentlemen, to have this declaration in
serted into the same journal which has published
that SANDER, in order to retrieve my insulted
honor. l thank you Major. for having granted
me my request; thank you, gentlemen, for your