sive lest the liberal constitution would benefit chiefly
the Hungarian element of the nation. They, therefore, encouraged by the
secret machinations of the Government of Vienna, took up arms, in order
to drag the country, which was preparing to take possession of her new
liberties, into a civil war. The Croatians, under the lead of Ban
Jellachich, and the Wallachs and Serbs, led by other imperial officers,
and yielding to their persuasions, rose in rebellion against Hungary,
and began to persecute, plunder, and murder the Hungarians living among
them.

Dreadful atrocities were committed in the southern and eastern portions
of Hungary, hundreds and hundreds of families were massacred in cold
blood, and entire villages and cities were deserted by their
inhabitants, just as had previously happened at the approach of the
Turks, and thousands were compelled to abandon their all to the rebels,
in order to escape with their bare lives. In the course of a few weeks,
the flames of rebellion had spread over a large part of the country, and
the Hungarian element, instead of enjoying the liberties won for the
whole nation after a bitter struggle of many decades, was under the sad
necessity of resorting to armed force in order to reestablish the
internal peace. The Hungarians now had to prove on the battlefield and
in bloody engagements that they were worthy of liberty and capable of
defending it.

The Government, which, by virtue of the new laws, had meanwhile
transferred its seat to Budapest, displayed extraordinary energy in the
face of the sad difficulties besetting it. As it was impossible to rely
upon the Austrian soldiers who were still in the country, it exerted
itself to create and to organize a national army. A portion of the
National Guard entered the national army under the name of _honveds_
("defenders of the country"), a name which became before long famous
throughout the civilized world for the brilliant military achievements
connected with it. The Hungarian soldiers garrisoning the Austrian
principalities hastened home, braving the greatest dangers, partly
accompanied by their officers and partly without them. The famous
Hungarian hussars, especially, returned in great number to offer their
services to their imperilled country. But all this proved insufficient,
and as soon as the National Assembly, elected under the new
constitution, met, Kossuth, who had been the life and soul of the
Government during this trying