sticulated, and wrote
concerning the Luetzowers. Both troops were equipped entirely by the
patriotic gifts of individuals. The contributions for the volunteer
rifles were collected by Heun. Betwixt the Luetzowers and riflemen there
was a friendly and manly emulation; the contrast of their dispositions
displayed itself; but whether more German or more Prussian, it was the
same ray of light, only differently refracted. The old contrast of
character in the citizens, which had been perceptible for a century,
showed itself, firm, cautious, and vigorous; and enthusiastic feeling
with loftier aspirations. The first disposition was mostly the
characteristic of the Prussians, the last of the patriotic youths who
hastened thither from foreign parts. Very different was the fate of the
two volunteer bodies. From the 10,000 rifles who were distributed in
every Prussian regiment, arose the vigour of the Prussian army; they
were the moral element in it, the aid, strength, and supply of the body
of officers; and they not only contributed a stormy valour to the
Prussia army, but gave an elevation to the character of the nobles
which was new in the history of the war. The irregulars under Luetzow,
on the other hand, experienced the rude fate that overtakes the
inspirations of the highest enthusiasm. The poetic feeling of the
educated class attached itself chiefly to them; they included a great
part of the German students, of vehement and excitable natures; but
owing to this they became such a large and unwieldy mass that they were
scarcely adapted to the work of regular warfare, and their leader, a
brave soldier, had neither the qualities nor the fortune of a daring
partisan. Their warlike deeds did not come up to the high-raised
expectations that accompanied their first taking arms. Later, the best
portion of them were absorbed in other corps of the army. But among
their officers was the poet who was destined, beyond all others, to
hand down in verse to the rising generation the magical excitement of
those days. Of the many touching, youthful characters that figured in
that struggle, he was one of the purest and most genial in his poetry,
life and death: it was Theodore Koerner.

But even in the great city where the volunteers were preparing their
equipments there was no noisy din of excited masses. Quickly and
earnestly every one did his duty. Those who had no money were supported
by comrades who had been strangers to them, and met the