that the greater number of his countrymen serving in the ranks of the Russian army are animated by the same feelings as himself.

*

Captain Hodasevich was only nine years of age when, by request, which in the Russian meaning of the word signifies the same as by order, he was sent to the Military Academy in St. Petersburg, and educated for the profession of arms. Though not allowed during his stay at the academy to speak or to read the Polish language, he not only did not forget his native tongue, but cherished in his bosom that spirit of Polish patriotism which the protracted misfortunes of the country, instead of deadening, as is maintained by some, on the contrary tend to keep alive in the heart of the nation. Being employed during the late war in the army opposed to the French and English in the Crimea,

*The correct spelling of the name is "Chodasiewicz ;" but it is printed as "Hodasevich" in order to render the pronunciation of it less difficult to Englishmen, and as the name by which the author has been generally known whilst on the British Staff in the Crimea.

and having heard a rumour of the intended formation of a Polish legion to act against Russia, Captain Hodasevich seized the first favourable opportunity to pass over to the Allies with a countryman of his, Mr. Römer, both being actuated by the hope of attaining a position in which they would be able to serve their country-a hope which would have led to a far greater number of desertions among the Poles than actually took place, had any encouragement been given by the Allies. Employed on the British Staff, our author furnished the military authorities with the most valuable information and excellent plans relative to the state and the position of the Russian forces, and it is but just to add that his services were duly appreciated.

The name of Captain Hodasevich is thus honourably associated with the names of the various other Poles who have rendered eminent services to the Allies in the late war, such as Iskander Bey, now Iskander Pasha (Ilinski), whose exploits in the army of Omar Pasha are so well known; as Hidaiot, who, serving in the

same corps, and acting as interpreter to Captain Dymock at the passage of the Ingour, induced the Russian soldiers to fly, leaving their artillery on the ground, by addressing them in their own language with admirable presence of mind, and telling them that they were surrounded; as Sadyk Pasha (Czaykowski), who, with his regiment of Cossacks, fought so bravely on the Danube; as Colonel Kuczynski, Chief of the Staff of the Egyptian army at Eupatoria, who was ever foremost in the ranks against the Russians; as Majors Kleczynski and Jerzmanowski, who distinguished themselves in the Turkish army; and, lastly, as General Count Zamoyski, commanding the division of Cossacks of the Sultan, composed exclusively of Poles, among the number of whom there are many who had deserted from the Russian army, thus giving proofs of the strong vitality of the Polish nationality, and of that unrelenting hatred of the people against the Russians, which, according to Captain Hodasevich, was so strongly manifested during the war, that severe measures were taken to repress

it, and that the Russians used invariably to attribute their defeats to the agency of the Poles serving in the army, while the latter themselves, far from attaching any idea of disgrace to desertion from the Russian ranks, looked upon their escape from the hated yoke as nothing more than a continuation of that emigration which will never cease as long as the tyranny which now oppresses Poland continues to weigh upon the country.

THE EDITOR.

June, 1856.