National Republican., 1888-04-27
AN OLD SOLDIERS RECORD.
Gustav Wagner and His Pension
Claim.

Gustav Wagner and His Pension
Claim.
There Is now In this city. at the American
House, a man past middle age, who served
with distinction in the wars of two nations,
the United States and Hungary: rising TO the
rank of chief of ordnance under Gen Fremont
in the war ofthc rebellion, and formerly as
major Of artillery In the wa of Austria with
Hungary. He Is now totally blind, difficulty
incurred while, as chief of ordnance in the
of Greek fire In Missouri
Born of noble blood, his fortune was dissi.
pated and his position lost In his loyalty and
patriotism during the struggle for liberty of
unfortunate Hungary under Louis Kossuth,
whose gallantry and bravery during that
struggle won not only the sympathy of the
American people, but material aid for Hun
gary.
So great was the interest in this country in
kossuth's career that after his exile to Turkey
a ship was sent by the United states govern
old man of 50 years. he still maintains lively
interest in public affairs, and with commend
able gratitude for services rendered his
country In her troubles, sends the following
certificate TO his former major of artillery,
Gustav Wagner with the hope that 1t may,
on account of his former honorable record,
have some bearing upon his present applica
tion for pension for services rendered In this
country:
Col. GUSTAV WAGNER, New York City, L.
s Amerlea.DesirlnE to assist yon in cstab s.ihI;
and conscience the following Gertiiicate
You have with true patriotism, constancy;
yourself to the noble and righteous cause of
Hungary, from the beginning Of the legitimate
wal, of Independence to It's very end, lsiS-io
participated, you have been appointed cap.
tain. charged with commanding the equip.
ments of our north army, and were, adjoined
command you took part in all the battles
fought by that army up to the battle of IIatyan,
and merited your advancement TO the rank of
major of our hOnorcd artillery by decree of
theIIungarian minister of war, Gen. Meszaros.
Afterwards you rendered signal service to
our country as superintendcnt Of Gunpowderr
and saltpctcr; to which charge ! appointed
you for all Hungary and Pennsylvania. with
extended powers, maintaining your rank as
major of artillery.
In the beginning of the month of August,
1910, / charged you with the confidential mis-
sion of going to Belgrade, Servia, to negotiate
there the purchase Of gunpowder, TO which
end you We're furnished with the required
means by my minister of finances.
The surrender of our chief army by Gen.
Gorgey at Nitaeos Frustrated the accom-
plishinent of this your commission, and con
strained US TO leave our unhappy fatherland.
You Joined me at OrsOva, ana reported to me
your proceedings ON reaching Weddin trur::
key, directed you to pay our emigrated
troops encamped there with the money re
ceiyed from my government. for your frus'
trated mission, which having been'duy done
by you your accounts were cleared, and you
received full absolution from any further re-
After this you shared my exile; you have
been one of the officers particularly deserving
my confidence whom, with the permission of
the Turkish government, selected to form form
proofs Of your fidelity and devotion, and
where we remained confined until we We're re.
leased through the generous interposition of
the. United States of America. You EN-
barked with me on board the United States
frigate Mississippi, sent to restore us to lib:
city, and landed on the hospitablc shores of
the great American republic, where ] took
leave from you on my returning to Europe
after the visit paid to the people and govern
ment Of the United States In order to give
personally expression to my sense of ineifqce.
able gratitude for the sympathy they had
shown to my downcast country, and for the
generous protection accorded to me and my
am glad to know that you have honoraby
done your duty to your adopted country.
also serving, as colonel OF artillery in the
Union army during the secession war, These
particulars of your life, however, lie beyond
the scope of this my certificate; but consider
II 10 be my duty TO bear open testimony to
the fact that during the whole time of the
struggles of our native country for her rights,
her freedom, and her independence you never
ceased TO give such effective proofs of your
and deserved the thanks of Hungary.
To this Just acknowledgment Of your merits
as patriot, feel IN honor bound TO aid in
Sy pFyo ETss Of esBIy e and Sppa OF
invaluable service which You and your
mother, Of honored memory, the late Nine.
Josephine Wagner, both at the cost of con,
siderable sacrifices, the latter at the risk of
her own life, have rendered TO me and to my
family,
idesire, briefly, to put on record, in this my
"a I,nt ral1 R.,t hasa
When the dreadful catastrophe of Villages
obliged me to seek refuge In Turkey, | was
not accompanied on my sad journey by the
faithful companion of my tempest.tosSed life
my dear wife whose dcccase has plunged
me in ineonsolable grief for all my remaining
days. She did not accompany me because
,. our three little -, children We're a. that
tant part of Hungary and their mother
could not be prevailed upon to leave
the country without having made every posi-:
/ BILE eNertiOn to provide for their safety and
liberty. So subordinating the consideration
OF her own personal security to the impulses
Of maternal affection, she resolved totry To
reion her children. Her heroic resolution
was ballled by the Imprisonment of the poor
little childi en-; whercupon, tracked like game
by the abject greedy tools Of the bloodthirsty
usurper, risen TO power by Russian assists.
head and pain of death Indicted for shelter
ing, concealing, or assisting her. My poor wifc
found herself reduced TO roaming about In
fructions surprising Imagination, with no
other shield to protect her from the sanguin.
airy doom impending on her capture, but the
pious sympathy of the poor people In the midst
Of whom she was lowering, and whom neither
| the proifered gain nor the Indicted punishment
could induce TO betray her.
II was under these terrible circumstances
| that, during our sojoun at Widdm, You
found means TO come to an understanding
with your mother, of honorcd memory, still
staying then In. Hungary, and made me the
| tnntiUnI
| token legitmatmg her trustworthness, she
was ready TO devote herself TO finding out
my poor, prosecuted wife, and TO save her
and restore her 10 me, bringing her safely
over the frontiers of our unfortunate country,
where the sanguinary wrath of impions
might was raging with unrelenting cruelty.
such was the nature of the perilous under,
taking, Your heroic mother, embarked in and
carried out successfullyat the peril OF her own
life. Blessed be her memory
| feel profoundly afflicted at the sad intGlli-
gence Of the great misfortune that befell you
In losing your sight, and praying you TO rest