eal, for the right
wing of the enemy was composed of the Prussian army." The Poles fought
with desperate valour. Kosciuszko himself records the name of a Polish
sergeant who, "when both of his legs were carried off by a cannon-ball,
still cried out to his men, "Brothers, defend your country! Defend her
boldly. You will conquer!"[1] The charges of the Polish reapers went far
to turn the tide of victory; but the overwhelming numbers of Prussian
soldiers, and of scientific machines of war in a ratio of three to
Kosciuszko's one, carried the day against the Poles. Kosciuszko's horse
was shot under him, and himself slightly wounded. Only two of his
generals emerged from the battle unscathed. The rest were either killed,
including the gallant Wodzicki and another who, like him, had been one
of the earliest promoters of the Rising, and the others wounded,
Poninski redeeming by his blood a father's infamy.

[Footnote 1: _Kosciuszko_. Periodical Publication.]

There was no choice left open to Kosciuszko, if he would save an army
composed for the most part of inexperienced volunteers, but to order a
retreat. This retreat was carried out in perfect order. The field was
strewn with Polish dead, whom, after the withdrawal of the Prussians,
the villagers piously buried in their parish church. There, too, on the
battlefield, lay so many corpses of Prussian soldiers that Frederick
William expressed the hope that he would gain few more such costly
victories. It was at the close of this disastrous defeat that Kosciuszko
for a moment gave way to despair. An officer of his--Sanguszko--met him
wandering stupefied over the battlefield when the day was lost. "I wish
to be killed," was all Sanguszko heard him say. Sanguszko only saved his
general's life by gripping him by the arm and forcing him within the
turnpike of a village hard by, where the shattered Polish ranks had
taken refuge. This was, however, but a momentary faltering of
Kosciuszko's soul. On the morrow of the battle he was once more sending
his country summonses to a renewed courage and calling up a fresh
general levy.

The proivisional government of Poland was the while negotiating with
France and Austria. It was hoped that France would support the Rising
financially, and persuade Turkey with French encouragement to declare
war on Russia. France, preoccupied with internal revolution, had no
thought to spare for Polish affairs, and her assistance was never
gained. Nor had the