Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1915-05-11
SHEER VALOR AND LEADERSHIP
MADE TWO AUSTRIAN GENERALS
Psuds Secretly Formed Polish Legion Defeated Cossacks and
Without Orders Took Kielce-Many Professional Men in His
C0mmand-Fscher Gained Promotion Through
Gallant Defense of Bukowina

L lOoS
the first part of the month of August,
before the Austrian armies under GEN
erals Dankl and Auffenberg undertook
their first offensive and victorious &C
ton across the frontier of Russian
Poland, much surprise was caused by
the news that division of young Pol
ish sharpshooters, many of whom had
just outgrown boyhood, had on dark
night surrounded division OF Cos
sacks, had killed every man, had
marched as far as the city of Kielce
and had taken possession of it. Many
people in Austria heard of this strong
corps of volunteers, which in the
course of the war has developed to
an important factor, for the first time
when the news of that successful ex.
petition was published.
The newspapers, it is true, had
taken notice about year before the
war, when these young volunteers had
marched past the aged emperor IN
the park of Schoenbrunn and had
shown themselves in their comely uni
forms with excellent arms in the
streets of Vienna But 1t was gener-
ally assumed that they belonged to
some kind of military preparatory
school, such as exist in Switzerland
Only very few were aware that this
corps was intended to play an I'M
portant role in the eventuality of war.
The way in which the corps was
formed was a secret, and the appear
ance of "The Polish Legion" which
has earned fame and honors wherever
it served the purposes of war, came
as a surprise to most people. The
history of the corps is a reawakeninG
of the romance of old times.
Founded on Hatred of Russia.
The Polish Legion was called to
life by single man, whose talent for
organization was paired with viru-
lent, burning hatred against Russia,
with the Unborn, indomitable will to
rescue his country from the Russian
yoke Joseph Won Pilsudsky-that is
his name-was revolutionist so long
as he lived in Warsaw, one of a party
which attempted to realize the old,
never abandoned dream of resusci-
tated free Poland.
During the revolution of 1905, the
biggest and most dangerous for Rus.
STA in recent times, Pilsudsky fought
on the barbados of Warsaw in the
foremost lines of his compatriots. The
attempt to burst the Russian chains
failed, like all previous efforts, be
cause the Poles we're too weak to
resist unaided and alone. The result
for the leaders was a dungeon in 81.
IBERIA or the gallows. PiIsudsky and
many others escaped this fate. He
managed to cross the Austrian from
tier and settled In Galicia, where he
found fertile field for the cultivation
Of his ideals.
He decided that the Austrian Poles,
who enjoy equal rights with ali the
subjects of the dual monarchy, must
help him to liberate their oppressed
brothers living across the Vistula.
Pilsudsky began by addressing him
self to the very young and he sue
ceeded in waking their enthusiasm.
The Polish Nationalists and the So
eialists were the first to answer to his
call and their young sons and broth
ers enlisted without tarrying in the
Jungschuetzen-Vereine (young mems
shooting clubs), which he established
everywhere Their Immediate aim
was to make the young men hardy
and to teach them the use of weapons
the liberation of Russian Poland
their ultimate scope. The latter was
never admitted officially. The Aus.
trian government therefore was not
bound to interfere, not even in times
Of peace.
Takes KieIce Unbidden.
Then the war broke out The en-
thusiastic leader assembled his forces
in Cracow, and as the Polish Legion
did not form part of the army at that
time he chose dark night and
marched his 1900 well armed men
across the Russian frontier on his
own responsibility. anxious to prove
that the young Poles were worthy OF
DElUS LdhCi1 lliO tit my = ~ tSs2S@N
was the combat with a division OF
mounted Cossacks and the occupation
of Kielce. in which undertaking infan-
try helped
The Polish Legion held the city
three weeks. and when it had to with
draw before an overpowering Russian
force it fought bravely and caused the
enemy heavy losses. The Austrian
army leaders admitted that the young
corps had fully proved its valor and
Pflsudsky's activity was officially sane
toned. The Polish Legion had made
its way.
Pilsudsky was especially anxious to
add a cavalry corps to the Legion
He began with six horses and at the
end of two months he had two squad
rons. He asked for artillery. and as
no others could be spared the army
authorities gave him twenty old guns
that had to be fired with gunpowder.
However, he had an excellent artillery
officer who obtained splendid results
from those old guns.
In the meantime he continued to en-
list young Poles, and the victory Of
Kielce proved so great an attraction
that very soon his forces numbered
three regiments instead of one. And
then something happened which the
Austrian army had never before wit
messed This man, who had not served
as an officer. not even as a soldier.