Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-04-11


onS time hc lost his footing aud fell, when
hisfrieEds, With their terrible Aails, rushed
to The rescue and saved him from capture.
Tho city was full of alarm. The voice Of
prayer was heard amid the clash of arms.
Afery Hussito priest rushed through tho
gates towards tho enemy bearing tho conse.
Grated elements. Fifty boBmen and q
crowd Of peasants armed with iron fails
followed him. A general alarm was sounded,
the city bells rang, the shouts Of the people
echoed far beyond the walls. It was like
the attack Of Gideon aud his three hundred
upon the Midianites or of jonathan and his
armor-bearer upon the Philistines. A
panic seized the imperial cavalry, Zisca
and his soldiers seized the critical
moment, rushed forth, aud drove back the
enemy from the entrenohments, aud hurled
horse and rider down tho steep and rocky
ascent. Hundreds wero slain in single
hour. Tho route was complete. It occurred
under the eyes of the emperor, who was
filled with shame and grief at this dissp-
pointment Of his hopes. Tho Hussites,
cxating over their extraordinary victory,
changed the name Of the bill from Witkow
to Ziscaberg. 0'"h
In two weeks tho defeated army of tho
emperor withdrew from Prague, while Zis.
cas- soldiers had earned tho name of elm
vinoiblo." They would not yield before
tho lass ,man was slain. f
| Zisoai followed up tho emperor's with.
drawal by supprcssing any movement in his
favor throughout Bohemia. Meanwhile tho
emperor gathered new army, ard in tho
fall of l420, mado second attempt to
capture tho capital. But his forces were
beaten like ohaf by tho peasantry armed
with their favoritc weapons, the iron fails.
Completely routed, Sigismund once more
was compelled to retire from tho walls Of
Prague. Again he rallied his army, but
now the mere sight of tho Hussite forces
threw them into panic, and instead, of
q battle there was q route aud retreat
Sigismund himself had to fly from tho
country.
Again and again tho pcrscvering empo-
ror renewed his attempt, but each time he
was driven back by tho indumitablo Hus
sitos. But in March, 1421, their loader,
| A'oea) 1ose lilo ouiy IclnaluluS eye 11C
was engaged in tho siege Of Raby aud had
climbed tree to inspect the entrcnchmcnts
of tho enemy. While in that position his
eye was struck by an arrow from the walls.
Possibly, by the exercise Of care and pru-
denco the sight could have been preserved.
But Iisca impatient Of delay, would not
remain quiet long enough to tcEt the ques-
tion, and so became incurably and hope
lessly blind. lie hastened back to the
army which would march under no other
leader. With mastery skill ho continued
to wage war, carry on sicges, and conduct
retreats. Once, completely surrounded by
the omperor's army, the blind general led
his forces out by night through tho enemy 8
camp, with scarcely striking blow, or
losing man. Unco ho ordered his sol
diers to mako night march upon Kouig-
gratz; they hesitatcd, and almost broke out
in rebellion. "Zisca," they said "is blind,
but we are not. We cannot fight like him
ia the dark"
When he thus unexpectedly escaped
from the toll of tho emperor, Sigismund
attempted to withdraw from Bohemia. But
the blind general pursued him, and at
Deutchbrod, January 8, 1922, after fcroe
battle, onoo more defeated the great enemy
Of tho religious Liberty of Bohemia. The
losses of tho emperor's army on tho retreat
wero almost beyond belief. Fifteen thous
and caval.y attempted to cross the river
Sazauna on the ice; but the weight was too
great; tho ice gave way, and nearly all
for some say two thousand) were drowned.
Seven standards, fyo hundrcn baggage
wagons, and immense booty, fell into the
hands of Zisca and his army.
The next year discussions among the
lIussites themselves had reached such
point that the gates of Prague woro shut.
against Iisoa. Ho led his army up to tho
walls and prepared to tako the city by
storm. But the soldiers who had so often
fought to defend those walls began to hcsi
tate and murmur OF tho idea of assaultiDg
them. Zisca, nothing Disconnected, took
his stand upon cask and skilfully har-
angued the reluctant troops. "Comrades!"
he called out 10 his powerful voice, "why
do you murmnr? am not your enemy,
but your general. 1t is by me that you
have gained 80 many vctories-by me that
you havo wou fame and wealth. And yet
tor you have lost my sight; I am con
dcmned to ceaseless darkness. For oil INV
abors what is my reward? Nothing but
name. It's for you, then, that I have
conquered. Let US tako Prague. Let US
crush tho sedition before Sigismuud is
informed of it. Will you have peace?
Take care that it does not cover some
ambush Will you havewa Here am"
These and similar words stillcd the rebellion
Preparations for the assault went forward
The city was alarmed into submission. lis.
IN Uaa rnnniuod pikhin tho .usll. x..:.L A.