William Penn, 1961 (44. évfolyam, 3-16. szám)
1961-11-15 / 16. szám
PAGE 8 November 15, 1961 William Penn LINCOLN AND THE HUNGARIANS By EDMUND VAS VARY (This is copyrighted by the William Penn Fraternal Association and can not be reproduced in any way without permission.) INTRODUCTION The people of the United States are this year, in 1961, celebrating the centenary of the Civil War, with which the country is honoring the memory of that giant fratricidal war which lasted for four years. Although this struggle became the saddest chapter in the nation’s history, it has also brought forth blessed results. The Americans of Hungarian origin must have a part in these celebrations because there were hundreds of Hungarian soldiers in this war, many of whom sacrificed their lives for the greatest aim of the struggle: the preservation of the Union, the unity of the United States. The William Penn Fraternal Association, as the largest community among the Hungarians dispersed all over the world, wants to perform its duty, especially toward the memory of the Hungarian soldiers participating in the Civil War. The fact that this Association was able to grow to its present size and importance is due to the democracy of our country, its (constitution and laws. We, Americans of Hungarian origin, must never forget this. If 1861 would have marked the beginning of discord and disruption for our country, and not the continuance of steady strengthening and indissoluble union, who knows whether the United States would exist today, whether there would be enough determination and power at its disposal to halt those dangers which are threatening the world today? It is a great satisfaction for us Hungarians that there were m|any Hungarians who fought for the preservation of the Union. It is also a great satisfaction that there were Hungarians fighting in every war of the United States. Since Colonel Michael Kovats, second ranking officer of the famed Pulaski Legion in the Revolutionary War died a hero’s death before Charleston, South Carolina, in 1779, he was followed into their premature graves by hundreds of young men of Hungarian origin. Now the William Penn Fraternal Association places the wreath of grateful remembrance on the graves of those Hungarians who fought in the Civil War, while at the same time this organization also remembers all our blood-brothers who worked or fought in other fields, of labor, science, the arts or in everyday pursuits for our country, which, according to the immortal words of the great Civil War president, Abraham Lincoln, is the best hope of the world. Chapter One THE GREATEST HERO » One hundred years ago the number of Hungarians living in the United States was probably about three thousand, although the exact number will never be known. But if only a single Hungarian would have lived here, we would have found him in the Northern Army of Abraham Lincoln. The widely scattered Hungarians were mostly Kossuth emigrants, former soldiers of the lost Hungarian revolution of 1848-49. They were all poor people, but they had tasted war and knew what it meant to fight for the liberty and happier future of their country. Like everybody else in the United States, they also knew that the nation would probably not escape that fratricidal civil war which had been dangerously approaching for a long time. Although the war had not yet begun, nor had the Southern guns begun to thunder against Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor (this happened only in April, 1861), the Hungarians were already organizing groups of soldiers at the very start of 1861. Géza Mihalótzy, a former Hungarian officer, was organizing his “riflemen” in Chicago. He wanted to name his future regiment by the name of the President. In February he wrote to President Lincoln, asking his permission to name his group “Lincoln Riflemen.” The president wrote a few words on Mihalótzy’s own letter, stating that he “cheerfully” complies with the request, Mihalótzy later became a Colonel and died three years later. A bullet killed him in Tennessee. The greatest Hungarian hero of the Civil War was unquestionably Charles Zágonyi who was about 35 years old at that time. He saw service in the Hungarian revolution as a first lieutenant of the cavalry. He was an excellent horseman and distinguished himself in several episodes of the war. After several years of hardships, he lived in Boston as a riding master. After the events at Fort Sumter, he wanted to enlist immediately in the Northern Army, but for some reason he was refused. He then went tó the Middle West, where many Hungarians lived, especially in St. Louis and its vicinity. This city was the center of the hastily organized Western Department, with General John C. Frémont, the well known and popular Western pathfinder and former senator, who a few years previously was the first presidential candidate of the newly formed Republican Party, at its head. Frémont was glad to accept the experienced Hungarians into his organization. Zágonyi became a major and was commissioned to organize a group of horsemen as Frémont’s personal bodyguards. So many young men wanted to join the. new group that about two hundred had to be rejected. Their final number was about 160 men. It was with this small group that Zágonyi won the battle of Springfield, Missouri on the 25th day of October, 1861. On paper General Frémont had about 56,000 men, but they were dispersed and unorganized in the immense territory of the Western Department. Frémont reached St, Louis only at the end of July, 1861, where the rebels were already well-entrenched. They had almost 60,000 fairly well equipped soldiers who were perfectly aware of the importance of the territory and did everything in their power to secure it. At least one-third of the Frémont forces consisted of “90-day soldiers” who enlisted for this short time only and already were ready to go home. The general had no weapons, no equipment, no money. In August a great tragedy struck the Department: the Southerners dispersed General Lyon’s army and the General himself died on the field. It seemed that the Western scene of operations would be lost for the Unionists, which would have been a fatal blow. Later events have proved that the fate of the entire struggle was being decided in the West. The rebels already occupied the city of Springfield. If the city remained in their possession, the situation would be really critical for the Northerners. The highly situated Springfield separates the Osage and Arkansas rivers and for this reason it became the key to the entire southwestern Missouri, dominating a territory of 60,000 square miles, which is almost twice as large as present day little Hungary. Nobody knew how many soldiers the Southerners had in Springfield. Frémont at first knew of about 300. Believing this, he gave permission to Zágonyi to attack the town with the 160 men-strong bodyguard, but when he was informed that the actual size of the rebel forces was much nearer two thousand, he revoked the permission. Zágonyi, however, pleaded with him, finally receiving the general’s permission to attack. Zágonyi’s horsemen knew full well the magnitude of the task they willingly undertook. Although it was announced to them that anyone might stay behind, nobody did. The 160 horsemen after a very violent fight chased the rebels out of Springfield, although the battle was fought on a heavily wooded territory. The bodyguard lost 16 men and 40 horses, while the loss of the rebels was 116 men. Most of the Southerners died of sabre blows. The victory at Springfield became the sensation of the day, reverberating throughout the entire nation. This was one of the first victories of the Northerners, who needed it very badly. At the beginning of the war, the fortunes of the Union were at a low ebb and a victory like this was a real boost to the morale. The illustrated weeklies published a number of drawings of the charge and two poets, George H. Boker and H. L. Gordon, celebrated it in enthusiastic poems. In spite of this victory, hardly two weeks later catastrophe struck the bodyguard: President Lincoln ordered its dissolution and Fremont himself was removed from his command of the Western Department. The reason for this was Frémont’s proclamation by which he freed all the slaves in the state of Missouri. President Lincoln considered this a premature step which might cause very serious political complications and for this reason asked Frémont to withdraw it. The general refused, and his instant removal was the result. This was the same kind of disobedience which General IVfacArthur showed toward President Truman: a commanding general’s disobedience to the supreme military commander. The presidents of the United States have always jealously guarded their privilege to retain in their hands the supreme command of the armed forces, because probably all of them believed in the old saying that war is such an important undertaking thaftts direction can not be given to military people. Lean times came for the members of the bodyguard. Frémont’s extraordinarily agile wife, Jessie, hastened to their help. She wrote a book (“The Story of the Guard”) and in this way she was able to donate several thousand dollars for their temporary support. W e know little about Zágonyi’s later life. Lincoln became reconciled with Frémont and in the spring of 1862 he gave him another command. Zágonyi remained with his general for a while, but in June, 1862, resigned his commission as colonel. Louis Danes, another foi'mer revolutionary officer in 1848-49, who was Zágonyi’s friehd, returned to Hungary and in a small book of his memoirs, published there, mentions that he corresponded with Zagonyi for some years. The hero of Springfield also wanted to return to the country of his birth, but since a number of railroad shares, his entire fortune, became worthless, he was unable to realize his cherished plan. The circumstances and time of his death are unknown. The City of Springfield, Missouri and Greene County remembered the centennial of the battle with appropriate ceremonies. The place of the charge has been marked for some years with a large granite memorial by a historical society, on which memorial the story of the charge is carved in large letters. (To Be Continued) Death Calls Member of Prominent William Penn Family Funeral services were held on October 24, 1961 for Mrs. Valentine Konyha, Sr., wife of the manager of Martins Ferry, Ohio, Branch 40 and mother of a member of the William Penn Auditing Committee. The deceased was laid out at the Heslo Funeral Home. The Rev. Dr. Robert Clark, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and the Rev. Arthur Varady, pastor of the Hungarian Presbyterian Church, officiated at the religious rites. Burial was in the Riverview Cemetery. Pallbearers Mayor John Laslo, Joseph Strama, John Gereb, Joseph Bartók, John Kovács and Paul Visnyanszky. Home Office Secretary Albert J. Stelkovics spoke a message of sympathy in the name of the William Penn Fraternal Association. Survivors are Valentine Konyha, Sr., husband who is manager of Branch 40, a daughter, Mrs. Helen McCarthy of Phoenix, Arizona, and three sons, Dr. Paul Konyha, Newark, New Jersey; George Konyha, Toledo, Ohio; and Valentine Konyha, Jr., Martins Ferry, Ohio, a member •of the William Penn Auditing Committee. We offer our sympathies to the husband and children of Mrs. Konyha. Centuries before Christ, Roman aqueducts carried 130 million gallon of water daily for the city of Rome. The carpet moth drinks no water . . . yet the eggs she lays contain 80% water.
