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HUNGABT. 



HUNTINGDON. 



242 



to acknowledge the right of the new emperor to the sovereignty of 

 Hungary, and declaring that no allegiance was due to Francis Joseph 

 until crowned with the consent of the nation. But the Austrian 

 councils were now directed by men of firmer resolves ; and the 

 reply was a manifesto announcing the emperor's determination to 

 reduce the revolted provinces by force of arms. Windischgratz 

 marched into Hungary at the head of a large Austrian army, before 

 which the Hungarian forces were fain to retreat. The diet now 

 adopted the resolve of sending a deputation to the Austrian camp to 

 treat for peace. The deputation headed by the patriotic Count Louia 

 Batthyany accordingly went, but instead of treating, Windischgratz 

 seized them as traitors. Buda-Pesth was occupied by the Austrians 

 (Jan. 3, 1849), and the diet removed to Debreczin. The war went on 

 with varying success, but dissension broke out among the Hungarian 

 leaders both in the council and the camp. General Gorgei, who was 

 appointed to the command of one of the most important divisions of the 

 patriotic army, openly censured the proceedings of the national govern- 

 ment in addresses to his troops. The chief command of the army had 

 been given to a Polish general, Dembinsky, to the great annoyance of 

 the superior Hungarian ofiBcers, a majority of whom refused to serve 

 under him. Dembinsky was accordingly deposed by a council of 

 ofiBcers. The government was too weak or too infirm of purpose to 

 crush this insubordination. Kossuth repaired to the camp, but 

 instead of insisting on obedience to the government, he succumbed to 

 the decision of the ofiScera,and nominated General Vetter as commander 

 in the place of Dembinsky. Vetter however was soon made to give 

 way to GorgeL These internal disputes were paralysing the move- 

 ments of the main body, and might have been fatal, had not a renewal 

 of strength been brought by the courage and the successes of the 

 troops commanded by Damyanicj; and when they joine<I, a great 

 battle was fought at Szolnok, on the Theiss, followed by others at 

 Hatvan, Becske, and Issaszeg, in which the Auatriana were wholly 

 defeated. In Northern Transylvania the Hungarians, under the 

 Polish general Bem, met with brilliant successes, not only defeating 

 the Austrians under General Liiders, but driving out also the Russian 

 auxiliaries under Puckner. The Emperor of Austria having published 

 the outline of a constitutional charter by which the whole Austrian 

 empire was to be rendered ' one and indivisible,' and Hungary reduced 

 consequently to a mere Austrian province, with the loss of all its long- 

 cherished and peculiar privileges, Kossuth proposed to the diet to 

 declare the independence of Hungary. His proposition was carried 

 at once ; and on the next day, April 14tb, 1849, Hungary was declared 

 to be an independent state, and Koesuth was chosen to be president 

 of the provisional government, which was to conduct afiaiis until the 

 future form of government should be decided on. 



The declaration of independence was received with disfavour by 

 the Hungarian officers, and does not appear to have been welcomed 

 by the army generally or the great body of the people. It brought 

 matters to a crisis. The army after a series of successes advanced to 

 Buds, which after a short siege was stormed and taken. The govern- 

 ment, with the diet, returned to the ancient capital. Gcirgei, notwith- 

 standing his insubordination, was not only maintained in the supreme 

 command of the army, but appointed minister of war. Availing 

 himself of his additional power he removed from their commands 

 Dembinsky, Guyon, and other foreign officers, with such of the native 

 officers as were known to be attached to the government. He then 

 pronounced against the declaration of independence. His retention 

 as commander-in-chief and minister of war was of course incompatible 

 with the maintenance of the government. Kossuth wished to 

 remove him, but shrunk from the attempt. Resembling Lamartine 

 in the extraordinary power which his eloquence possessed over the 

 popular mind, Kossuth resembled him also in infirmity of purpose. 

 When promptness was most needed he hesitated. When decision alone 

 could avert ruin he wavered. He did so now, and the last hope of 

 Hungarian independence vanished. It may indeed be doubted 

 whether the utmost energy would not now have been too late. For 

 the Emperor of Russia, on the plea that the declaration of inde- 

 pendence threatened the dismemberment of the Austrian empire, 

 amjounced his intention to interfere. A powerful Russian army, 

 commanded by Paskiewitsch, crossed the Hungarian frontier, and 

 formed a junction with the Austrians under Haynau. Detached 

 bodies of Hungarian troops in vain attempted to check their progress; 

 and the main body slowly retreated towards Arad, leaving the capital 

 open to Haynau, who took possession of it. The Hungarian army now 

 concentrated in front of Arad, whither the government had removed, 

 Haynau quickly followed, and succeeded in crossing the Tfaeiss near 

 Szofeg, after a hard fought battle in which the national forces, under 

 Bem, were defeated with the loss of more than 10,600 men. 



The government now giving way to despair sought to open separate 

 negociations with the Russian commander; these proved unavailing; 

 and they then offered to invest Goi^i with full powers to treat for 

 peace. These he refused to accept ; and eventually they resolved to 

 appoint him dictator. Kossuth thereupon issued a proclamation, 

 August lltb, 1849, in which he announced his own i-esignation of 

 power into the hands of Gorgei, and the investiture of the latter 

 with dictatorial authority. Having solemnly ' before God and the 

 people ' charge<l Gorgei to do his best to save the national existence, 

 Kossuth fled into Turkey. Gorgei immediately concluded the 



OBOO. Diy, VOL. in. 



negoeiation he had already commenced with the Russian commander, 

 by agreeing as governor and dictator to surrender unconditionally. 

 Accordingly, on the 17th of August, his army 24,000 strong, with 

 150 guns, laid down their arms. Gorgei directed the officers of the 

 various garrisons and detachments scattered throughout the country 

 also to surrender ; most obeyed, but a few refused. Their resistance 

 was of course unavailing, and the war was virtually at an end. A 

 large number of the officers and soldiers as well as civilians suc- 

 ceeded in escaping into Turkey, where they were hospitably received. 

 Austria and Russia made a united demand that the refugees .should 

 be given up to Austri.i, or at least expelled from Turkey, but the 

 Porte nobly refused to do either, notwithstanding the threats of the 

 Northern powers to use force ; and England and France having 

 announced their intention to support the Sultan's determination by 

 sending a fleet, if necessary, the refugees were permitted to remain 

 without further molestation. 



In Hungary the suppression of the revolution was followed by a 

 series of trials and executions, attended by circumstauces of extreme 

 cruelty. The country has been continued under military rule, until 

 quite recently. All the national privileges have been abrogated, and 

 the people have been subjected to a succession of severe coercive 

 measures. Almost the only permanent benefit which has been 

 secured by the revolution appears to be the abolition of the feudal 

 privileges and distinctions, which have not been reimposed, and are 

 not likely to be, as it is not the policy of the govenimeut to restore 

 the power of the nobles. 



HUNGERFOIlD, Berkshire, a market-town and the seat of a Poor- 

 Law Union, in the parish of Hungcrford, is situated on the river 

 Kennet, in 61° 25' N. lat., 1" 31' W. long., distant 27 mUcs \V. by 3. 

 from Reading, 64 miles W. by S. from London by road, and 61 J miles 

 by the Great Western railway. The population of the town of Hunger- 

 ford was 2255 in 1851. The living is a vicarage in the archdeaconry 

 of Berks and diocese of Oxford. Hungerford Poor-Law Union con- 

 tains 21 parishes and townships, with an area of 95,867 acres, and a 

 population iu 1851 of 20,131. 



The town of Hungerford consists chiefly of one long street, in the 

 centre of which is the market-house. The streets are lighted with 

 gas and paved. Besides the parish church there are chapels for 

 Wealeyan and Primitive Methodists and Independents. Near the 

 church is the Free Grammar school, which in 1851 had 54 scholars, 

 of whom 9 were free. The annual income from endowment is 201. 

 and a house. There are also National schools and a savings bank. 

 A county court is held. The town is dependent on agriculture. 

 The market is on Wednesday. There are four fairs in the course of 

 the year ; two of them are sheep fairs. The Kennet is not navigable, 

 but the town possesses water communication by the Kennet and Avon 

 Canal. The river fishery is strictly preserved. 



HLJNS, HUNNI, the name given by historians to several nomadic 

 Scythian tribes which devastated the Roman empire in the 5th 

 century. These people inhabited the plains of Tartary near the 

 borders of the Chinese empire for several centuries before our era, 

 and were known to the Chinese by the name of Hiong-nu, and also 

 Han. They made many incursions into China, and it was to put a 

 stop to them that the Chinese built their great wall, about two cen- 

 turies B.C. In aftertimes they became divided into the Northern and 

 Southern Huns. The Northern Huns, defeated by the Chinese about 

 A.D. 93, emigrated westward as far as the Volga, where they met tho 

 Alanni, or Alani, another powerful Scythian tribe, which they routed 

 and drove beyond the Tanais, or Don, The Huns then encamped iu 

 the plains between the Volga and the Tanais, and as far south as the 

 ridge of the Caucasus, where they remained for more than two cen- 

 turies. Under the emperor Valens they first crossed the Cimmerian 

 Bospborus, drove before them the Ostrogoths and Visigoths, and obliged 

 the latter to cross the Danube, when the emperor granted them lands 

 in Thrace. The Huns were joined by numerous other Scythian 

 hordes, and were looked upon with equal dread by the Gothic and 

 Teutonic nations and by the Romans. Their features and general 

 appearance are described by the Roman historians as hideous and 

 repulsive, and their manners as savage in the extreme, (' Ammianus,' 

 b. 31.) 'The Huns being now on the frontiers of the empire, had 

 frequent wars with the Romans, and their incursions were dreadful 

 though not lasting. After the death of their chief, Attila, the various 

 tribes under his sway quarrelled among themselves, and, being attacked 

 by the Goths, were driven back beyond the Tanais. Part of them 

 settled in Pannouia, to which they gave the name of Hungary, but 

 the present Hungarians, or Magyars, came from a diflTerent and much 

 later immigration. Under Heraclius many of the Huns embraced 

 Christianity. After that period their name is no longer mentioned 

 iu history. 



HUNTINGDON, the capital of Huntingdonshire, a market-town, 

 parliamentary and mimiclpal borough, and the seat of a Poor-Law 

 Union, is situated on the left bank of the river Ouse, in 52° 21' N. lat., 

 0° 11' W. long., 59 miles N. from London by road and by the Great 

 Northern railway. The population of the municipal borough in 

 1851 was 3882; that of the pai-liamentary borough was 6219. The 

 borough is governed by 4 aldermen and 1 2 councillors, one of whom is 

 mayor ; and returns two members to the Imperial Parliament. The 

 livings are in the archdeaconry of Huntingdon and diocese of Ely. 



