Verhovayak Lapja, 1954 (37. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1954-04-07 / 4. szám

randums to Washington, dated February 4, 1778, he recommended the formation of a Training Division of Hussars to be commanded by a colonel named Kováts, which division would serve to train officers in actual cavalry battles. Now this conception and training method was characteristically Hungarian and not Prussian. To train in battles, not as a forced necessity but as a calculated plan, is as old a Hungarian military principle as Hungary itself. Görgey 's winter campaign is still a standard model for the curriculums of all the military academies of the world.

Now it is rather peculiar that during all this time of planning and organizing Kováts was still without official recognition. He was with Pulaski at his headquarters, Pulaski addressed him as “Colonel” and his Master of Exercises, but without the official sanction of Washington.

Pulaski in all his memorandums to Washington mentioned the name of Kováts. He was reasoning, praising and recommending the cause of Kovats, urging Washington for an official recognition of our hero in the form of a colonelcy. We know of at least four such communications dating from November 1777 to March of 1778, but the only official reaction Pulaski was able to arouse was a letter from Washington dated January 14, 1778, in which Washington wrote: “As so much has been said of the character and abilities of Mr. Kovats, I have no objection to his employment in the capacity of Master of Exercise for a few months.” We note that Washington expressly calls Kovats a mister, though Pulaski termed Kovats in all his communications to Washington, “Colonel Kovats”.

All this was very disappointing, but things are sometimes just such. The relations between Pulaski’s headquarters and Washington seemed not to be very happy. Perhaps Washington had a subconscious objection to Pulaski’s command, which originated far away in Paris; perhaps it was his wisdom not to prefer foreigners unduly; but, in any case, his inhibition against cavalry was always more than enough reason to explain his attitude concerning Kovats.

Kovats, the professional soldier-organizer, and Pulaski, — 10 —

Kováts was given but two short years by Providence in which to forge his ideas into reality. The events of this brief period are fairly well known, thanks to his most industrious biographer Aladár Poka-Pivny.

The happenings of the first few months of his American life are unfortunately not known to us. It is reasonable to suppose that he arrived sometime during the summer months of 1777, but no record even mentions his name before the last week of that year. We cannot help but feel that no evidence could speak more loudly about the disappointments he experienced during this period than this complete silence. He was justified in expecting a “veni, vidi, vici” reception, and we are justified in wondering how, against all logic, he was not given his obvious appointment the next day. On the 29th of December 1777, he was still without official recognition and even forced to struggle for it.

The contrast between the expected and what actually happened is too great to explain without a multiplicity of reasons. In this particular case, there was a single reason, a definite and clear-cut one: Washington’s English-born prejudice in favor of infantry and against cavalry, which stopped a great dream in its inception, completely and with deadly finality.

Had our hero not been the character he was, his plans could not have survived such a disappointment nor could he have seen a way ahead through such an immovable barrier. But he was a soldier, and a hussar at that, quick, flexible, compromising in his methods and stubborn in his aims. He seemed to realize as early as September or October the impracticability of the direct approach; he compromised and found another way to the same goal. That is why and how we meet him by the time the first snow is falling in Pennsylvania, in the company and service of Count Casimir Pulaski.

Predestination seems to be the rule rather than the exception for the great and romantic figures of history. Count Casimir Pulaski was no exception either. His starting point, as a potential hero of liberty, was set so high by

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