The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-02-29
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WEDNESDAY MORNING. FEB: % le6


There died lately, In Detk'"uAs -" '~'A ,'>
vanced age, almost unnoticed, man whose
name little more than quarter OF q century
aro. stirred the soul like the sound Of war
trumpet. We allude to SKRzNRCKI, the WAL
IAcx Of Poland, the champion Of his unhappy
country in her las, fatal struggle with the
despotism which succeeded in crushing out the
last sparks OF her national existence. Had he
fallen upon the field Of battle in the full tide
OF his glory, and Of his success, the world
would have been filled with his reuown.-
There is such a thing, even, As dying with pro-
priety. SKRzNEcKI was doomed to outlive the
freshness Of his fame. He died full Of years
and Of honor, but almost forgotten by the
world, in spite Of the tremendous scenes in
which he was a principal actor. We recollect
the day when scarcely an American paper is
sued from the press without panegyric upon
the hero Of Poland. Now, that he Is dead not
one is found to do him the poor honor Of
short obituary.
SxRZNECKI was native of Lithuania, where
he was born in the year l7s4. His parents
were in affl uent Giro ums tances and he received
4 liberal education. His first appearance as a
soldier was made IN the year 1909, when he
ioined \ regiment, raised for the short war
with Austria, entered into by ALEXANDER L.
in alliance with the Emperor NAPOLEOS
by Prince ADAM CzARrORIsKI. When the
kingdom Of Poland was restored, he entered
the Foot Guards of the Grand Duke Con-
sTANTiNR the vicerOy but falling under the
displeasure of that capricious tyrant, he wasa
BY way of punishment, transferred to the
line. where he soon became immensely popular
with the soldiers. He commanded a regiment
in Warsaw when the revolution broke out
there, (29th November, $780, and was one of
the first to declare for the popular cause. In
February 81, the Russian General DIEBITCH
invaded Poland from Lithuania, in three di-
visions, numbering upon the whole it was
said, more than 300 900 men. To oppose this
force, the Poles could muster only 55,0Oo, but
they were tried soldiers, probably the best
troops at that time in Europe. OF these, four
or five thousand were operating with DIVER
KICKI on the right and about the same num-
Der were left in garrison at Warsaw. The re-
mainder-i7.OOO strong-under the lead Of
Prince RADzIvIL, boldly threw themselves in
the way Of D1EBITCH, who advanced directly
upon Warsaw at the head of 10000 men. At
Grochow, few miles to the north Of Warsaw,
on the 10Th February. was fought the most
terrible battle that had occurred in Europe
since that Of Waterloo. 1t began before sun
rise and continued all day. Forty seven thou.
lery, were opposed to one hundred and eighty
thousand Russians, who opened upon them
with four hundred cannon. The earth shook
beneath the cannonade. The oldest soldiers
soldiers who had served in all the wars of Ma
PoLEON-declared they had never seen any
thing like it. The Russians were drawn up
in four lines. One after another they Were
forced upon the impenetrabe phalanx a
Poles, and one after another they Were
beaten back. AT last, just AS the sun was
going down, they gave way in confusion and
retreated, leaving the ground covered with
forty thousand of their dead or wounded and
ten thousand prisoners in the hands of their
enemy. Nothing but the exhaustion Of the
Poles, consequent upon battle in which every
man had personally fought, saved the Russian
army from utter humiliation. But the Poles
themselves had lost 1000 men, and RADzIvIL
Judged it prudent to retire to Praga, within
sight Of Warsaw, of which it is indeed a sub
urb. being separated from it by the Vistula,
which runs between them. DIEBITCH, largely
reinforced, attacked them there on the 25th
and another battle, equally desperate, took
place, but not with the same result. This
time the Poles were worsted, and forced to
withdraw under the guns OF Praga. Fearful
for his communications, RADZIvIL crossed
the river by Il bridge of boats, and enteI ed
Warsaw, which was strongly entrenched.
The public were violently discontented with
RADzlvIL. He was old, incompetent, and had
given not a single order in the late battles.
The soldiers loudly clamOred for SKHZNECKI.
1t was he who had, in fat, commanded both
at Grochow and at Praga. The Diet was COM
PEELED to yield, and SKRzNECKI was appOin ted
Generalissimo of the Polish troops. He had
at his command, in Warsaw, after the late Sc
we're battles and the detachments which he
found it necessary TO make, but 5000 men.
His enemy, after all his losses, was still l00,-
600 strong. But he had committed the great
mistake Of separating his forces, and canton
ing them over district eighty miles in cir
conference, in country where, at that season
Of the year. from the constant rains and deep
mud. the roads are nearly impossible, and the
reunion Of corps encountered with large ar
tillery exceedingly difficult. Placed in a central
position, in a strongly entrenched camp, SKRZ-
NECKI resolved to take advantage Of this blum.
der by attacking his enemy in detail, trusting
TO his activity to make up tor his deficiency
in numbers.
On the night of the 3Oth March, SKRZNECKI
issued from Warsaw at midnight and crossed
the Vistula with three divisions. having first
strewed the bridge and the road for some dis
lance from the river with straw, to prevent
the enemy from hearing the noise of his ad-
vance The first corps Of the enemy which he
came upon was that of General GElsMAR
which was the nearest Warsaw. In the midst
of thick fog he came upon them while they
were nearly all asleep, and instantaneously
routed them, taking all their cannon and six
thousand prisoners. Ihe few that escaped fed
toRosEN's corps a! Dembiewilkie, sixteen miles
in the rear, whittier they were SO hotly pursued
tina, RosRN had scarcely time to form his line
OF battle before he was attacked. He offered u
desperate resistance, but was completely de-
feated by the Poles, who would have killed or
captured his whole force but for the fatigue
which they had undergone In fighting two bat
ties and marching sixteen miles in one day
As it was, they killed or wounded six thou
sand men, and captured many more
They also took twelve pieces Of artillery
Pursued next day by the Polish cavalry, the
division Of RozxN was completely disorgan-
lied. They threw down their arms BY battal-
ions, and SO great was the panic that two
Polish peasants. without arms, brought twelve
Russian prisoners to headq uarters without
even taking their muskets from them Large
numbers OF the prisoners were Lithuanians
VINO Immediately joined the ranks of their
countrymen. ROzEN retired with the few
troops he saved from the wreck TO Siedlece
where there was powerful remnant Of his
corps That had not yet been in action The
operations OF these two days DESTROYED the
centre of the Russian line, and enabled
SKKZNEcKi to push endorsements into
A-lthuania, where the whole population