Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-05-09
From the Cincinnati Commercial.
LIFE SKETCH OF CARL SCHURZ.


MOUNT VERNON, Ono, April 10.
have read, in yesterdays edition of your
paper, Mr.. Carl Schurz's speech at the Boston
celebration of the anniversary of Jeffersons
birthday Whoever reads it will agree with
you, that it 'repaid perusal, and that it well
deserved the applause it drew forth from the
distinguished assembly gathered on the &C.
casion.
l first met Mr.. Schurz at the city of CO.
logne (Prussa) in the summer Of 194S, at a
convention of delegates Of various republican
and other liberal associations in the Prussian
Provinces of WestphaGa and the Lower
Rhine" He was then a student at a neigh
boring University of Bonnie, and, to Judge
from his appearance, less than twenty years
old. The local instructions and subsequent
| prosecutions of the spring of 1S49, drove him,
in company with Professor g. Kinkel, and 9th.
err leaders ofthe revolutionary movement, from
! home and country they soon found, howey-
er, a more extensive field of action in the Grand
Duchy Of Baden, and an adjoining Bavarian
Province which meanwhile had risen en- maSse
AT harserslantern, 1.-THE newly -created seat of
! the Proyisory Government for Rhenish Bava-
ria,) | found Schurz, Kinke and most of the
| scattered members of our old associations, to-
| gether again. More than a month elapsed be-
fore, with the Prussian invasion, actual HOSTILE
ties began. Meanwhile, Schurz made himself
generally useful in the different departments of
the government, by the earnest zeal with
which he devoted himself to the cause. When,
after the invasion OF the Prussians, and our
subsequent evacuation of Rhenish Bavaria,
the combined forces had been concentrated
within the limits of Baden, and the Karsers-
lantern government consequently ceased to ex-
list, SchuZ entered the army as an aid to his
old friend, Colonel Anncke, formerly Prus-
cio nff,,n Al
mand of corps Of volunteers and militia had
been entrusted
AT Bruchsal (Baden) l saw Schurz the last
| time; there our Bavarian corps separated,
marching by different routes Northward to-
ward Heidelberg, Ill order, as | suppose to at
feet junction with the main body of the ar
my, under the command of WheroslawsEi
Both detachmnnts of our corps soon encoun-
! tered the enemy, who, after having forced
| Wheroslawski to retreat Southwark through
the mountains, was marching directly upon
the capital, CarlSruhe. A number of engage
ments between our detachments and the adj
vancing Prussians checked their progress suf-
fciently to give Wherosawski time to reach
the fortress of Rastadt, which otherwise might
have fallen an easy prey to the enemy. Upon
our arrival at the fortress we found Where's
| lawskl already In possession, preparing for the
| defence. Anneke was appointed chief COM
mander of the artillery of the place, and Schurz
retained his position under him. During the
last three days of June, the Prussians repeated
their attacks upon our detences, extended from
the Rhine to the frontier of Wurtemberg, with
Rastadt as the central point of the line. On
the third day the enemy contrary to all eXpecta-
| tons, marched through the neutral territory of
Wurtemberg and attacked our rear. About
that time, kinkel was wounded in the head by
musket shot, and fell into the hands Of the
Prussans. Anneke, perceiving that the lines
| on both sides Of the fortress were gradually
abandoned, and the place rapidly surrounded,
made his escape his aid, with more valor than
discretion, remained at his post
After months SIEGE Rastadt surrendered.
| Schurz, knowing well what his fate would be
if captured, upon the entrance of Prussians,
secreted himself, and after innumerable diff
cuties, reached the outer bitches beyond the
ramparts, and from there he managed to find
his way, through guards and patriots and
scouting parties, into France and Switzerland.
hinkel was one of the many whom the
courtmartlal, in its permanent session, SEN
fenced to be shot; contrary to his own expec-
tations, how ever, this sentence was changed
into imprisonment for life, at hard labor, in a
penitentiary at Margaret, Pomerana Here
the patriot, the scholar, the professor of bellies
lettres and polite literature in one of the most
HouTlSHlHS universities Oh germany, was Cloth
ed in the garb of the convict, the murderer and
thief, and forced, by penalty of fogging for
refusal or Incidence, to turn spinning-wheel
day after day, for nearly two years, all the
time with his wounds still aching.
Some time in the spring OF 1851, Kinkel's
cell was found empty by the jailor; the pris-
oner had disappeared. The detailed circum-
stances of his escape have never been made
fully known, as they would implcate persons
now residing in and near Nangardt, who lent
a helping hand at that time but is quite Ger.
tain that kinkel this day owes his freedom to
the devotion, perseverance and circumspecton
Of his friend Carl Schurz, who ventured alone
unaided, from safe exile, upon the hazardous
errand to liberate his friend, and who perse
vered until his fearful task was accomplished
what dangers he encountered in his long jonr
ney through country where his own life was
forfeited, what disappointments he must have
borne before his purpose was crowned witt
success, can only be fully appreciated by one
familiar with the rigid discipline in the man
agement of the machinery Of European Coy
eminent establishments.
rejoice in his success for his own sake fo
he deserves it; and | glory in his principles
as expressed at Boston, for they are mine own
and those of a majority Of my intelligen
countrymen.