Biography of General Richard Guyon

 

Sources and explanations Of all the judicial murders perpetrated in the name of the law, not one has left so deep an impression of Austrian perfidy upon the Hungarian people, as that of Count Louis Batthyanyi, one of the richest landed proprietors in Hungary, universally revered for his patriotism and the excellence of his private character. He was the friend of Count Szechenyi, and like that great legislator, a man of moderate views, cautious in his language, and favourable to a union with Austria, believing it to be the most efficient barrier against Russian aggression; and like him, he did everything in his power to arrest an appeal to arms, by accepting the dangerous office of mediator between the King of Hungary and the people. Notwithstanding he neither cherished or aided the design of separating Hungary from Austria, and never took up arms against his Sovereign, he was accused of high treason, insulted with the mockery of a trial, and shot as a traitor; " Eljen a haza" were the last words of the noble patriot, as he fell pierced to the heart by the bullets of the Austrian soldiers. He died as he lived, calm, majestic, and innocent, worshipped by his nation, respected by the world, and leaving his assassins to the just detestation of posterity. This blood will be a curse on those who shed it, and men who sully their victories by such crimes, have conquered in vain.—See Spencer's Travels In Turkey and Russia. (Routledge and Co., London.) The Soldaten Freund, and other German military papers in their criticism on this battle, admit that the victory was gained by the skill, energy, and bravery of General Guyon "General Guyon, whom I succeeded in the command of Komorn, was one of bravest soldiers in the Hungarian army, and vindicated the martial honour of Hungary by his brilliant attack upon Manneworth."—Memoirs of the War of Independence in Hungary, by General Klapka, late Secretary at War to the Hungarian Commonwealth, and Commandant of the Fortress of Komorn. The Honveds, or home defenders, are foot soldiers representing a constitutional military force, somewhat resembling our noble and efficient British Militia. Recent events seem to confirm the opinion, now passed into a proverb, that truth is a rare visitor at the courts of despots. When Liprandi's corps last year advanced on Eupatoria, and was speedily repulsed by the victorious Omar Pasha, the author of the Russian dispatch described this defeat as a "successful reconnaissance." So, too, in the "massacre at Hango," diplomatic language, unexampled in its ingenuity, is called into action, to shelter falsehood, and screen barbarity. See Hungary and its Revolutions., (Bohn's Standard Library). It is asserted that Guyon, on this occasion, was deliberately doomed by Gorgey, the intended sacrifice of whom would have been followed by the surrender of his troops. The contrary happening however, and Guyon possessing, as it were, a charmed life, Gorgye's purpose (if he held such purpose) was necessarily postponed. Proofs, however, to the unprejudiced, are required, to give any distinct explanation of this (alleged) premeditated double treachery. This is extracted from a reliable communication we have "received, but, as Guyon's doubts had long been known, we venture to question the all as proving too much even for General Gorgey. Vide Rural and Historical Gleanings from Eastern Europe, by Miss H. A.  Birkbeck (Darton & Co. London), in which attractive volume a masterly sketch of General Klapka will be found. This distinguished General, at the early age of 29, led armies to victory, and displayed such signal proofs of genius, both in the council and the battle-field, as to almost rival Napoleon in the glorious days of his Consulate. We may well lament that his services, and those of General Lyon, are at this present crisis lost to the Sultan's army. See General Klapka's recent work, The War in the East  (Chapman & Hall, London), which suggests many points of public interest beating on the present contest in the Crimea. The above episode, which presents so striking and romantic a portraiture of our British Hero, is derived from an agreable volume, Hungarian ,Sketches, by Mortitz Jokai, published by Constable and Co., where some interesting matter regarding the Hungarians will be found. Turkey and Russia, by Captain Spcencer.  Routledge, and Co. Look at Austria's present policy in the Danubian Principalities. Entering that distracted country, under the assumed form of a generous protector, she has so crushed and trodden down the unhappy people with her iron heel, as to cause them to pray for the restoration even of Mahomedan yoke. See The Edinburgh Review, for January, 1853, for a full and enlightened exposition off the Hungarian crisis, which breathes a noble spirit of freedom, and is distinghuished by a brilliant eloquence, not unworthy of the pen of England's great Historian. A spirited drawing of this event was given in the Illustrated London News, of Dec. 29th, 1849, a copy from which forma a frontispiece to this memoir: and for which privilege we beg to offer our acknowledgements to the liberal proprietors of that unrivalled paper. See The Honved. Chapman and Hall, London. At the commencement of this celebrated battle, General Guyon commanded the centre, and as the battle changed, Bem remained with the centre, and Guyon took the right wing. As an officer of artillery, Guyon is eminently distinguished; and as a successful general of cavalry has probably never been surpassed in the present age. See Hungary and its Revolution. Bohn's Standard Library Colonel, now General George Kmety, formerly a distinguished officer ire the Austrian service, a Hungarian by birth.  He served in the campaign in Italy, and was sent into Hungary by order of the Austrian Government, and commanded to take his oath to observe the laws of March, 1848. A few months later he was absolved from his oath by Austria; but, though not a politician, he knew the value of his honour, refused to accept the absolution, and remained faithful to his country and to his word.  He was in the army of the upper Danube throughout the campaign, and has since written a refutation of the false statements of Gorgey.  He now commands, with rare ability and heroism, a division of the Turkish army at Kars. To surrender a true believer to his enemies, whatever may be his offence, is in Turkey an unpardonable crime. The Mahomotans are neither involved in the impiety of Atheism,  nor the darkness of idolatry, and their religion, false as it is, has many articles of belief in common with our own, which will facilitate our labours in diffusing the true faith, and dispose them to receive it. Forster's Mahometanism Unveiled. See .Memoirs of an Hungarian Lady, by Therese Pulskzy, 2 vols. Author of travels in Circassia, and for some time Aide-de-camp to General Guyon. To the honour of the British press) the heroic achievements of General Guyon, in the cause of constitutional freedom, have been recorded with feelings of national pride, and his claims on our government repeatedly, but, hitherto, ineffectually advocated. English horses, saddles, sabres, and five-and-twenty horsemen were placed at the disposal of Guyon, that in case of an attack by the Russians, Kossuth and the principal Hungarians might cut their way through the enemy Our readers may be interested in learning that this noble lady who has sustained with rare fortitude so many severe trials and persecutions, at the hand of the Austrian government, is now a resident of Damascus. Should circumstarlccs direct her steps to this country, the land of her husband's birth, we doubt not that many of the members of our female aristocracy will manifest for her and her chidren some sympathy .and interest. A Persian word, signifying rays of the sun or glory. For an interesting portrait of the Druses and their habits, see Eothen. Presents or money Bribes. Eclectic Review Duncan's Campaign in Asia.  2 vols. Presents or money Bribes. Iskender Bey, Count Brainski, a Pole by birth, served under General Guyon at the great battle of Temesvar, where he had three horses killed under him; after the fall of his unhappy country in 1831, he emigrated to England and France, and, panting for glory, started for Circassia, where, by the side of Schamyl, he performed prodigies of valour, against his natural enemies the Russians. Quitting Schamy, he went to Turkey, where, on embracing the Mahomedan religion, he entered into service. In 1849 he came to Transylvania, to engage in the war of independence, and had several times the good fortune to save the life of General Bem. The rank of pasha has been recently conferred on him by the Ottoman General, for his brilliant services with the Turkish array at Eupatoria. The Arpachai is a rapid river, flowing close to the village of Hajji-baramlu, which, after winding round the base of an abrupt rock, adds its waters to the Araxes, and ultimately with the Cyrus, falls into the Caspian Sea Vide Morell's Neighbours of Russia Times' Leader, Sept. 7,1854. "Our correpondent's" graphic description of this scene, recalls to out mind one of these glowing passages in Mr. Morriers  attractive Romance, "Ayesha," a work which time has not yet robbed of its interest, abounding in wit and skilful delineations of Western character, blended with an almost unrivalled knowledge of those magnificent realms which is long diplomatic residence as Consul-General at the Court of Teheran afforded him unusual opportunities of obtaining." The view over which his eye wandered was, perhaps, one of the sublimest in Asia, in point of extent, and one of the most interesting in point of locality. It encompassed a region which might be called the scene of man's first appearance on earth, and brought to his mind that portion of scriptural geography which has been traced by no less a geographer than Moses. Whilst his eyes wandered towards the magnificent and verdant Georgia, watered by the Gihon, the second river, and the Euphrates the fourth, he asked himself' could this have been the chosen garden of Eden ? He saw the sublime Ararat towering before him like a white cloud, in unrivalled grandeur, whilst the misty plains of Erivan, and the three churches of the Armenian monastery vanished in the distance; he could distinguish the green and swelling pasturages of Aberan, the heights of Aligez, the rival of Ararat, and could trace the windings of the flowing Araxes, and its junction with the Arpachai. Who could behold such a scene, and remain uninfluenced by religious impressions?  Remembering, too, that over the region which was then spread at his feet like a map, had wandered the 10,000 Greeks on their return to their own country, immortalised in the interesting narrative of Xonophon." This was the propitious moment to decide the contest, and General Guyon, assembling all the Tunkish cavalry at hand, bore down at the head of 4000 lancers upon the dying Russians. With a loud shout the Turkish cavalry broke into a trot, and then into a gallop; General Guyon, accompanied by some officers of his staff, riding far a- head of the Turks, to encourage them by his personal prowess. On arriving at the top of a small eminence, the cavalry came suddenly on a Russian infantry regiment. At this sight the advanced ranks of the Turks reined in, throwing thereby confusion into the whole body. The Russians opened a harmless fire, and were preparing to retreat, when the dastardly cavalry, utterly panic-stricken, deaf in the greatest disorder, leaving General Guyon alone with his personal staff. This movement of the cavalry threw the Turkish infantry into disorder, which was increased by the general flight of the Bashi-Bazouks, who, terrified at the execution of the Russian guns, dashed in wild retreat through the ranks of their countrymen. The flying enemy now reformed and again advanced to the attack; the helmets of the Russian dragoons glittered in the distance, and the panic engendered by the cavalry spread to the infantry; the whole Turkish left wing disbanded, and fled in a confusion quite indescribable from the field of action, not two men remained together, and the whole country was clotted with fugitives. The Russian loss however, was immense; no less than 111 officer were killed or wounded, or received contusion.  Duncan's Campaign with the Turks in Asia. General Guyon was nearly being taken prisoner by a party of Cossacks in the neighbourhood of Hadjivelekioi, and owes his escape to his having cut off the top of a Cossack's lance, whilst desperately defending himself; and to the swiftness of a favourite Arab horse which he rode on that day. One act of short-sightedness on the part of Lord Aberdeen in neglecting, at the commencement of the war, to secure the services of distinguished Indian officers may be here recorded, In the autumn of 1853, when India was calm and undisturbed, Colonel, now Major-General Outram (a worthy disciple of Clive and Wellesley) was political resident agent at Aden, within a fortnight's journey of Constantinople. Had this brilliant commander, statesman, and diplomatist, been sent to Kars, there is little doubt he would have effected in 1855, in conjunction with General Guyon, what Omar Pasha will accomplish in 1856 - the complete destruction of the Russian army in Asia. With his unrivalled knowledge of Eastern policy and unbounded influence over the Asiatic races, he would, in all probability, have converted deceptive Persia into a useful ally? and laid the foundation of future security against Russian intrigue in the East by the formation of an Anglo-Indian army, composed of Seikhs and Goorkas, accustomed to all varieties of climate, and uninfluenced by the prejudices of " caste." The moral effect of such a colossal force would have rendered Russian power harmless; and the transit of such an array, now that railroads and the electric telegraph are in operation in India, could have been far more easily accomplished than in 1801, when Lord Wellesley sent an Indian army to Egypt for foreign purposes. Two or three adventurers, unworthy of that nation which has been called " the hope and fear of Europe." General Guyon is still at Constantinople unemployed.

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