THE FREE CHASSEURS OF POLAND. 



a cure is effected by reducing the quantity of food, and regulating 

 the bowels. But it may be asked are there no other remedies be- 

 sides this negative class ? We might enumerate a long list, but shall 

 content ourselves by saying with Le Sage, " Je sais qu'il y a des 

 bons remedis, mais je ne sais si'l y a des bons medecins." 



THE FREE CHASSEURS OF POLAND. 



AT the first signal given by the brave spirit of Poland for their 

 gallant struggle, Julius Malachowski's proud heart beat high with 

 joy, and instantly responded to the cry. Living at the time in the 

 town of Konskia, the residence of this truly illustrious family, he 

 immediately organised the national guard. Then recurring to his fa- 

 vourite tastes, he conceived the idea of forming two battalions, which 

 he named the corps of Free Chasseurs. They were composed of the 

 best shots in the country, and were organised and equipped at his 

 own expense. These two battalions soon became the terror of the 

 Muscovites. Woe to the corps who passed within the range of these 

 riflemen, whose aim was as prompt as deadly. At each nightly 

 bivouac, more than one Russian officer was unable to answer to the 

 roll call, for these men were never known to miss those whom they 

 had singled out. This adventurous kind of war was what Mala- 

 chowski preferred ; his romantic heart panted for nocturnal s-urprisals, 

 sudden attacks, combats in which valour supplied the place of numbers. 

 As proud as intrepid, he could ill brook the regular warfare in which 

 discipline neutralizes individual daring. He loved and courted 

 danger as an enthusiast. Thus, the few exploits that distinguished 

 his short career, are strongly marked by his extraordinary character. 



The first took place at Pulawy. It was at the moment that the 

 Russian General Kreutz had just crossed the Vistula, and made an 

 eruption into the Palatinates on the left bank, in the environs of Kozienic. 

 In order to arrest the progress of the enemy, General Dwermicki, 

 who was marching from Worki upon Pulawy, ordered Colonel La- 

 gowski, of the second cavalry, to prepare an expedition against 

 Pulawy, where there was a regiment of Russian dragoons. Well 

 informed as to the enemies position, Lagowski selected one hundred 

 horsemen, under the command of Major Weilhorki, and one hundred 

 of the free chasseurs, led by Julius Malachowski, and on the 26th of 

 February, at ten in the morning, he divided this force from the vil- 

 lage of Lagora upon Pulawy. By eleven o'clock they were already 

 on the banks of the Vistula, opposite to Wlossoloice, near the resi- 

 dence of the " Garde forestier." In order to surprise the enemy 

 here, the Polish detachments separated from Malachowski, who was 

 ordered to advance, under cover of the brushwood, as far as the 

 Dutch farm of Pulawy, and to delay his attack upon the chateau until 

 the Polish horsemen should have opened their fire. The principal 

 effort was directed against the stables, in which the enemies' dragoons 

 were collected in great force. Scarcely had the fusilade commenced, 



