The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-07-28
Releasing Lafayc cite from OImutz.
From the New Orleans PlCayunc.

The story of General Hugcr's attempt
t. release Lafayette from the fortress OF
Olmutz is worth telling more full and cx-
act. Young lIugcr had made ~Laiaycttc'S
acquaintance during the revolutionary wal
in IA very romantic manner one dark night,
when he landed and asked hospitality on
the south Carolina shore. Years rolled
on; our war OF independence was over
France was in q state of revolution, and
Lafayette, Il voluntary exile from his own
country, was Il prisoner IN the Austrian
fortress of Ollnutz. At this time young
lIugcr was travelling III Europe, ana at
Vienna fell in with DR.. Bollman, and the
two together conceived the idea Of rcleaS
ing Lafayette from prison. Young Iugcr
was 10 tcign the invalid and Bollman was
to bc his physician. This was before the
days OF railroads and tclegrapls, and the
two mounting at Vienna, ,journcyed along
slowly towards Olmutz. There n day,
casually entering the castle as for a pro-
mcnadc, they we're told that the illustrious
LAFAYETTE, whose name was known i'll two
worlds, was a prisoner therein. They
asked how Inc spent his time. "Reading
and writing" said the guard. They then
asked the privilege of sending him books.
To this the u~nsu>pecting guard asscnted
on condition they were sent open for his
inspection. They were So, but with words
marked to explain the object of their visit.
These were followed by written notes
which became legiblc only by holding them
10 the fire-a needless precaution, for it
afterwards turned out that the guard did
not know French, and suspected nothing.
Finally the day for the release arrived.
Lafayette was in his best possible mood,
and engaged the officer Of the day in elo-
quent conversation to draw him away from
the castle a. far into the plain as possible.
At the moment Huger and Bollman APP
preached, they were very familiar, and La
faycttc even held the officers sword in his
hand, and the two d~ismountcd, were some
distance from the carriage. Here II was
Hug.r and Bollman dashed up and told
him he was free. The CLEAN of the sword,
however, fl frightened the horse they led he
broke his bride and fled prccipitately
over the plain. Hugcr then dismounted
and gave Lafayette his horse, aud told him
to take the road leading to Trappau, where
he would be safe beyond the Austrian
lines. IIugcr himself mounted up behind
Bollman, but the ovcrburdened horse soon
stumbled and fell. Hugcr then took to q
small clump of woods, but was quickly
overhaulcd. The whole affair was seen
from the castle and every step they took
on the plain. He offered the captor his
purse. The Austrian seized the money
and unfortunate C%arolinian too, and took
him to the castle, where he was long con-
fined in o dungeon, except when, to see lc
was there, a bright light was flashed in ms
face.
Lafayette in the mean time lost his
way, and inquiring about it, his foreign &C
cent and excited manner betrayed him.
lie, too, was captured, taken back to the
castle and confined ia a dungeon. Soon
afterwards, Bollman learning that both
Lafayette and his friend Huger were in
confinement, came in and delivered him
self up, and he likewise was put in q dun
geon. Nevertheless the three found means
to communicate with each other through
c~revices in the walls, and bore their mis-
fortunes as philosophically as possible, till
finally, after slight examination, Huger
and Bollman were released. 1t appears
that their generous adventure and the
pleasing manner especially Of the Carroll.
nian had made them many friends, and
even the Austrian heart sympathized with
them. 1t was a South Carolina adventure
throughout, generous and bold considering
the situation in the middle Of a vast plain,
but came within an ace of succeeding,
Lafayette, however, was afterwards de.
prived OF his daily ride, and confined in q
darker dungeon till released upon the de.
mand OF the whole civilized world.