Engels in Neue Rheinische Zeitung May 1849

From the Theatre of War

Source: MECW Volume 9, p. 406;
Written: by Engels about May 5, 1849;
First published: in the Neue Rheinische Zeitung No. 291 (second edition), May 6, 1849.

The Hungarians continue to advance. They are said to have already made incursions into Styria (near Fürstenfeld on the Raab), into Moravia (near Friedland on the Jablunka) and Galicia (near Raycza on the Moravian border). On the 29th Raab was still in the hands of the imperial troops; since then it is thought to have been abandoned. Pressburg was fortified by the imperial troops; according to some reports it has already been evacuated.

In the south, the imperial troops must be in a bad way. They are said to be evacuating Fünfkirchen, between the Danube and the Drava. Jellachich’s corps, it now appears, was completely scattered, and two regiments of Croats were taken prisoner and put into the ranks of the Honveds. A report also mentions the encirclement and capture of Simunich.

Bem’s troops are really in the Banat, near Lugos and Karánsebes and are threatening the fortresses of Arad and Temesvar.

The rumours about the expansion of the Magyar army are beginning to assume fantastic proportions. They say that 250,000 Magyars are under arms. While Görgey was fighting Wohlgemuth with a force of 45,000, 18 battalions attacked Jellachich, and in addition to this, Dembinski’s corps, the strongest of all, has not been in action since the battle of Kapolna. Guyon and Klapka are now in command at Raab. The Hungarian Assembly has been convoked for May 10 in Pest. The Russians, 8,000 strong, are said to have entered Cracow.