LIVES OF THE POLISH HEROES. 513 



In the nights of the 25th and 26th of March it was resolved that 

 the conspirators should leave their country house,, after having rallied 

 round them all the peasantry devoted to follow them, and their friends 

 and servants, armed all of them for the most part with scythes and 

 lances , the plan was to march directly upon Rosienia, the capital of 

 the district, and to carry the town by open force. 



The 25th of March, at five in the evening, Julius Gruzeweski was 

 already in motion. He set out from Kelmy with four hundred scythe 

 bearers, fifty cavalry, and one hundred hunters by profession, and took 

 the direction of Rosienia. About mid-way Jynatius Slaniewicz, and 

 Kalinowski, formed a junction with him, and together they attacked 

 the town about an hour after midnight. When this little band burst 

 unexpectedly into the streets, so great was the terror of the Russian 

 garrison, that, though they were numerous and well-armed, they made 

 no attempt to defend themselves, and surrendered as prisoners of war, to 

 a detachment ten times at least their inferior in numbers. 



The news of this dashing exploit, executed in a few hours, resounded 

 on every side. The conquerors found in the magazines of Rosienia 

 2.000 firelocks, and 50,000 roubles in the military chest ; they imme- 

 diately arrested all the Russian employes, and installed a provisional 

 government, composed of Kalinowski, of Julius Gruzeweski, and of 

 Jynatius Slaniewicz. On the same day they addressed a manifesto to 

 Lithuania, in which they appealed to every patriotic heart to second 

 a movement, the commencement of which had been so decisive. In 

 this document they skilfully enumerated the wrongs entailed upon the 

 people by the Moscovite yoke, invoked the old recollections of the 

 Jagellonian dynasty, and tingled in their ears, the magic words of 

 country and independence. This manifesto dispersed, first through the 

 neighbouring districts, and afterwards in the other provinces, stirred 

 up the entire population. In less than ten days the whole of Lithuania 

 was in arms. 



However, the patriotic triumvirate had been but three days in posses- 

 sion, when the Russian Colonel Bartolomy, having re-appeared before 

 the town with a force of 1,200 men and four pieces of cannon, the 

 insurgents were obliged to evacuate the town ; but eight days subse- 

 quently, they retook it by assault, and obliged the enemy to take 

 refuge in Prussia. 



Now masters of the whole district, they organized the insurrection 

 in concert with the notables of .the country, and placed at its head a 

 man whose influence was all powerful, and invested him with a dictator- 

 ship, which was to cease when the crisis had passed. This man was 

 Eezechiel Staneiwicz, who justified the choice of his fellow- citizens, 

 and who shewed himself equal to his perilous undertaking. 



From the day of his installment in office, Julius Gruzeweski and 

 Kalinowski resigned their provisional functions. Henceforwards but 

 the leaders of detachments, under the orders of him whom they had 

 raised to power, their condition was confined to courting the post of 

 danger, and the most perilous enterprizes. Julius Gruzeweski performed 

 prodigies at the head of one hundred horsemen, raised and equiped at 

 his own expence. In order to meet such an outlay he disposed in 

 Prussia of a rich numismatic collection, which, at great cost and labour, 

 had been collected by his ancestors. 



The Otho's, the Caesar's, the Titues of the cabinet of Kelmy, were 

 M. M. No. 83. 2 M 



