Fraternity-Testvériség, 1975 (53. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1975-10-01 / 10-12. szám

lured Hussar officers in Hungary after liis return to his homeland.

A skillfully executed cavalry stroke had decided the fate of the battle of Gotha on September 17, 1757. The city was occupied by an allied Southern German- French force of 9-10,000 men. They were facing the Prussian general Seydlitz with his three cavalry regiments, hardly exceeding 2,000 men. Among these regiments was also the First Prussian Cavalry. Seydlitz dispatched a rider to the city who was supposed to have himself captured and report to the enemy that the main forces of Frederick the Great were advancing on the city and would start a general attack within hours. To support his “confession” the Prussian cavalry started an attack with much battle noise. The trick succeeded. Panic broke out in the ranks of the Southern German-French forces; they retreated without any order from the city, suffering heavy casualties by the raids of the pursuing Prussian cavalry. The excellent dinner prepared for the Court of Gotha and the Allied generals was consumed by the officers and hussars of Seydlitz in the Palace that night. This battle is described in tbe history of the First Prussian Hussar regiment in 1783 as follows :

"His Majesty (Frederick the Great) was completely satisfied with the behavior of the regiment and awarded the Pour le mérite order to all senior officers. At this occasion .. . Kovatsch (and several others) were severely wounded.”

His name is misspelled but without doubt he is identical with our hero.

On March 26, 1758, Frederick the Great appointed Colonel Michael Székely to general. His successor was Frederick William Gottfried Arnd von Kleist who was in charge of one of the battalions. In popularity, von Kleist was the equal of the renowned General Seydlitz. In view of his many military successes he had risen quickly in rank and had become the most famous general of the Prussian army by the end of the war. He was given a prominent place at the socket of the huge statue of Frederick the Great in Berlin.

On July 15, 1759, Col. Kleist reported in a letter from Gornich: “. . . 1 have formed a squadron of 80 horsemen .. . and equipped them with horses and uniforms at the expense of the enemy. I have (given) the command to lieutenant Kovats from my regiment and have given him some good sergeants. These people are still holding out very well, and gave witness of their bravery in hard skirmishes. I believe that l can utilize the newly recruited and established hussar unit in bold enterprises, occasionally in an

isolated manner so that they divert the enemy in a different <1 irection, for the H ungarian race seems to have an innate ability for raiding on horse.”

Thus, Kovats had become the commander of an independent cavalry unit which was called on December 19, 1759, by Kleist in a letter, as the “Corps of Kovatsch.” This unit, named after him, had achieved Europewide reputation by its surprise raids at the most unexpected places and by its reliable reconnaissance services. Besides reconnaissance and har- rassing raids, he participated with his unit in the battle of Markersdorf on August 2 and in the August 10, 1759 battle of Kunersdorf which, in the last moment, was turned to the favor of the Austrians by the irresistible attack of the Bethlen and Nadasdy hussars.

Kovats almost lost his life in a raid in November, 1759. Kleist’s regiment, reinforced by the independent units of Collignon-Courbiere, and Kovats unit, raided in Bohemia. The Cistertian monastery at Osseg was robbed by the French troops, fighting in Prussian service, for the monks refused to pay the ransom money. The role of Kovats is remembered by one of the Catholic [»relate as follows:

“The testimony of the prelate of Osseg stated that Kovats was not present at the time of the looting and he has behaved much more as a friend than as an enemy.”

Toward the end of the year, the First Prussian

Cavalry Regiment, together with its independent units, was put under Lieutenant General von Hülsen.

(To be continued)

GIVE A BOOK FOR CHRISTMAS

Just published in our “Hungarica Americana” Series.

László L. Eszenyi:

“FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH”

The life and heroic death of Colonel Michael Kovats “Master of Exercises” of Washington’s cavalry. English and Hungarian versions in one volume. Send orders with $5.00 in checks, money order, or cash to: Mr. L. Eszenyi, 3216 New Mexico Ave., N.W., Washington, D. C. 20016.

Author will contribute net profit to the “Museum and Archive Fund”

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