News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-10-11
THE SOBIESKI FESTIVAL.
HISTORY OF THE EVENT WHICH THE
POLES CELEBRATE.
John SObieski-Two Hundredth Anniversary
of HIS Victory Over the Turks.

The great celebration participated IL
by the patriotic Poles all over the wOrlC
on September 18th, commentaries the
two hundredth anniversary of the victory
of John SobeieskI over the Turks, by
which Europe was saved from the
threatened Moslem invasion. The hero
of the occasion was born in the summer
of 1929. He received a liberal education
ard travelled extensively. After several
years of military service he was placed
at the head of civil and military digni-
ties in Poland. He fought in the wars
| against the Turks from 1861 to 1864. In
that year Michael the King of Poland
died, and the palatinates assembled in
! the Diet elected John Sobieski as his
successor. For many years war was
waged with varying success against
the in-rolling tide of Mohammedans.
THE SIEGE OF VIENNA.
In the spring of 1868 the Turks made
| a determined move to the northward,
hoping to capture Vienna. The Austrian
Emperor fed in dismay. The city was
defended by the Duke of Lorraine. On
July s the Turkish artillery began to
play on the walls. On the 14th the
Vizier's army invested the city. 1t con-
sisted of 700, 900 men, with 500 pieces of
artillery. About the beginning of August
the Turks had made practicable breach
in the walls of Vienna and no help
seemed at hand. The suburbs were in
their possession, and their shells and
artillery had destroyed many of the
finest buildings in the town, including
the imperial palace. On August 10
Sobieski commenced his march to OPP
pose the invader. On the morning of
September II, 1858, the allied army
reached the summit of a chain of
mountains overlooking the capital.
THE ROUT OF THE TURK.
Next day they descended the noun
tains to encounter the dense hosts of
Moslems in the plains below. The
shouts of the Christian army bore to the
infdels the dreaded name of Sobieski.
The Polish leader at first deemed the
Turkish entertainments too strong to be
forced. But the provoking composure of
Mustapha, the Turkish commander,
whom he espied in a splendid tent
TRANQUILITY taking coffee with his two
sons, reused him to such pitch that he
instantly gave orders for a general as
sault. 1t was made simultaneously on
the wing and centre. Sobieski himself
made toward Mustapha's tent, beating
down all opposition. He was soon rec
Ognized by the Tartars and COssacks.
At that moment the hussars, raising the
national cry, "GOd for Poland p cleared
the ditch thai would long have arrested |
the infantry and dashed into the deep |
ranks of the enemy. The shock was
dreadful, but after some moments a
panic seized upon the Turks, and they
gave way in a precipitate flight. SO
sudden was the panic that within an
hour Sobieski had taken possession OF
their camp. Thus the whole Turkish
army was wholly broken up and Vienna
was saved. On the following day So
bieski made his entrance into the city.
Intrigues and party feeling at home en-
Uttered the last years of the hero. He
died on June II, 1896, the best indie
pendent prince of the country, and with
him ended Polish greatness.