had only to pick off the officers, and we were at
their mercy. This plan they accordingly carried
out. None of us ever expected to see nightfall
when we went into action. Thus it happened
that, though but a young man at the time, I was
senior officer of the Lichtenstein regiment, as
fine a body of men, I venture to say, as are to
be found in the service.

We had suffered a good deal since the
beginning of the war, and our force was
reduced from its original strength of one
thousand to about seven hundred and fifty sabres,
but the men were true as steel, and eager to
revenge the death of their comrades. The time
of which I am going to speak was the latter end
of March, immediately after the battle of Szolnok,
a town upon the right bank of the Theiss,
before which we had just sustained a tremendous
defeat. Prince Windischgrätz, the Austrian
commander, was falling back as rapidly as
possible upon the river, and the Hungarians, under
Görgei, were in hot pursuit. Though much cut
up, our fellows did not lose heart, and the
retreat was conducted with tolerable order.

My Lichtensteins led the advance. With us
marched a corps of engineers, and the waggons
carrying pontoons, upon which it was intended
to cross the river. Behind us we could hear the
distant thunder of the guns, which told of the
stubborn resistance still offered by our comrades
to the Hungarian pursuit. We had arrived
upon the bank, and were making every preparation
to construct the bridge, when an orderly
with despatches dashed up to the front, and
inquired for me. He was the bearer of an order
to lead the cavalry immediately across the river,
as the Prince had received information that
Szentes, a petty market town, of purely local
importance, separated by a small wood from the
left bank of the Theiss, was held by a considerable
force of the enemy, who might embarrass
the passage of the army next morning, or at
any rate keep us in check until Görgei came up,
when, taken between two fires, our utter
annihilation seemed certain. If, on the contrary,
we could manage to put the river between us
and our pursuers, we should be secure, for their
hastily raised levies were unprovided with the
means of crossing its rapid stream. I was,
therefore, to reconnoitre Szentes, and carry it at all
hazards, before the arrival of the Prince.

To read was to obey. Leaving the engineers
to construct the bridge, I summoned my men,
and as there was no time to look for a ford, they
were compelled to swim the river. Some loss
was experienced in the transit, a few were
carried away by the violence of the current, but
nearly all finally reached the left bank in safety.
It was now dusk. Parties were sent out
instantly to reconnoitre the town, pickets were
thrown into the wood, and we got ready for
immediate action if the report of the scouts should
render it advisable.

Now, I should state that, though the majority
of the Lichtensteiners were men upon whom I
could implicitly depend, there were some few
Hungarians in the regiment in whose fidelity to
their oath I did not place perfect trust. I had
had no particular reason for this doubt; all the
men had fought well and bravely in the actions
which had occurred, and no signs of disaffection
to the emperor had been noted. Still, I thought
it best to be upon my guard, and had, therefore,
some days back, privately desired the captains
to see that none of those whom I distrusted
were appointed to any important charge. They
were especially forbidden to place them on
pickets. The arrangement had worked well;
none of the Hungarians were told off for outpost
duty; or, if they were, always in company
with others whose fidelity was unimpeachable;
and the men were believed not to have perceived
the precaution. In accordance with this rule, I
was justified in supposing that the pickets now
in the wood between us and Szentes were all
well-affected men.

Towards nine o'clock our scouts returned.
They brought with them a couple of peasants
whom they had found gathering twigs and fallen
branches in the wood. Two active Bohemians,
well acquainted with the language, had changed
clothes with the prisoners, and by this means
penetrated without trouble into the town. They
reported it occupied by about one thousand
men, mostly peasants, armed with scythes and
flails. The news of our defeat at Szalnok had
apparently not yet reached them; but although
no suspicion of our vicinity appeared to be
entertained, too many were about to render an
immediate attack prudent. I called the officers
together, and we agreed to assault at midnight.
The men were dismissed for a couple
of hours to get their suppers, and obtain a little
rest after their laborious day's march. A very
short time elapsed before the troops had their
fires lighted and the camp-kettles swinging over
the cheerful blaze. Some superintended the
cooking, while others picketed the horses, and
refreshed the poor brutes with water and such
scanty forage as was at hand.

I have seldom seen a more picturesque scene
than our little bivouac presented to me as I lay
wrapped in my cloak by the fire, enjoying my
after-supper pipe. The night, though cold, was
fine but dark. As there was no moon, all the
light afforded by the sky was given by the stars,
which seemed to shine out with unusual brilliancy.
Before me rolled the rapid waters of the
Theiss, across which came the clink of the
pontoneers' hammers, as the bridge grew
beneath their practised hands. Around us the
men were mostly sleeping, for the poor fellows
were tired with the forty-mile march from
Szolnok. The flickering blaze of the fires was
thrown up against the dark background of wood
and thicket, and brought out here and there in
strong relief the figure of some energetic spirit,
who, too excited to rest, was pacing to and fro,
and meditating, perhaps, whether the next hour
or two might not see the close of his earthly
career. I felt convinced that the peasants with
whom we should have to deal in attacking
Szentes would fight desperately enough, and
that no easy task lay before us; but I had great