THK FREE CHASSEURS OF POLAND. 



when Malachowski and his chasseurs were before them. Blockaded 

 in their stables, the Russian dragoons sustained the assault, and kept 

 up a galling fire upon the assailants from the roof and windows. 

 Resolving to terminate the affair by a dash, Malachowski rushed upon 

 the principal gate, that was strongly barricaded, forces it, and bursts 

 into the stables. The sight of one of his bravest officers cut down at 

 his side does not stop him; he charged the Russians home, who 

 struck with such daring intrepidity, threw down their arms, and sur- 

 rendered at discretion. One hundred and twenty-two horses fell into 

 the hands of the Poles, who made two hundred and sixty prisoners, 

 among whom were the Russian captain, Sakinin, and four of his 

 officers. The enemy lost nine and thirty killed, the Poles only five. 

 This brilliant expedition gained Malachowski the rank of lieutenant- 

 colonel and the cross of the Polish order of Merit. But the young 

 hero was not long fated to enjoy his well merited honours. After 

 the battle of Grochow, Field Marshal Diebitch having made a move- 

 ment to cross the Vistula, Sicrawski's corps was detached to dispute 

 the passage, or at least to annoy him in the construction of the bridges 

 and boats necessary for the operation. During the whole of this 

 month, in which the belligerent forces confined themselves to a guerre 

 de partisan and countermarches, Julius Malachowski gave not the 

 enemy a moment's rest. At night, when others gave themselves up 

 to repose, throwing himself into a boat with some of his followers, he 

 continually annoyed the Russian bivouacs, surprised the detached 

 corps, and spread terror throughout their cantonments. Then suc- 

 ceeded the victory of Dobre, where the star of Skrznecki, so brilliant 

 at its rising, in one day changed the face of affairs. The Poles, in 

 their turn, became the assailants, and pursued the Russian army 

 under the very walls of Liedlee. Diebitch was in his turn reduced 

 to act upon the defensive, and renounced the passage of the Vistula. 

 Sierawski's corps found itself in consequence enabled to advance. 

 The general had orders to pass the Vistula and to second the opera- 

 tions of Devernicki, who was advancing upon Volhynia. Sierawski- 

 obeyed, but on his arrival in the vicinity of the enemy, he found him- 

 self opposite to a force of four times more numerous than his own. 

 Unawed by this immense disproportion, he nevertheless attacked, but 

 in spite of the valour and the ardour of his young troops, he was 

 soon obliged to sound a retreat. Driven from a forest that had 

 for some time sheltered him, the Poles were on the point of being 

 surrounded and made prisoners, when Major Wielkaski with some 

 subdivisions of cavalry, and Julius Malachowski with his chasseurs, 

 arrived to their assistance. A panic had seized the troops of Sier- 

 awski, and Malachowski with his military coup d'ceil, convinced that 

 victory was out of the question, sought at least to lessen the disasters 

 of a defeat, and devoted himself to destruction to save the army. 



Alone with his free chasseurs, covering the retreat of his brothers 

 in arms, they showed an imposing front to the enemy, and kept him 

 off by a well sustained and murderous fire. Sustaining thus for 

 several hours the retrograde movements, he enabled Sierawski's corps 

 to reach Kasimierz. Although this position was totally unprovided 

 with facilities for retreat, Malachowski proposed, nevertheless, to de- 



M. M. No. 93. 2 O 



