Archívum - A Heves Megyei Levéltár közleményei 15. (Eger, 1998)

TANULMÁNYOK • KÖZLEMÉNYEK - Hajagos József: Knézich Károly aradi vértanú (1808-1849) • 157

Nearly all the male relatives of the Kneziches on the father's and mother's side served in the imperial army. One of the uncles on the mother's side, Báron Johann Benko von Bojnik was one of the generals in the imperial army in 1848. The three Knézich brothers alsó followed the family tradition, they became professional officers, too. It was only the youngest brother, János who survived the revolutions and wars of independence in 1848-49. He fought in the imperial military force in Hungary. József, the eldest brother lost his life in April 1848 in Italy while fighting against the Italian revolutionaries. Károly's life took another turn, different from that of his brothers'. While his brothers fought in the imperial military force, he became one of the generals in the Hungárián Army fighting against the Habsburgs and then after the defeat of the fight for independence he ended his life as one of the martyrs of Arad on the 6th October 1849. In his path of life, different from that of his brothers the following factors were of great importance: his experience in Galícia, his family life, his devotion to his soldiers and alsó to trustworthiness and honesty. The revolutionary events found him in Eger. He was stationed here with his corps, the 3rd battalion of the 34th infantry regiment, where he served. His wife, Katalin Kapitány, was alsó from Eger, whom he had married in 1844. In May 1848 with his battalion he was subordinated to the Hungárián government. First his corps was commanded to Zómoly County to restrain the discontented Slovakian peasants. In August 1848 his battalion with 4 companies was sent to Bácska and until January 1849 they fought with the Serbian rebels. In the struggle at Bácska many officers lett the Hungárián Army, among them Károly's younger brother, János. During the battles at Bácska Károly Knézich pro ved to be one of the most reliable deputy commanders. His battalion, whose commander he was from September, belonged to the most outstanding ones, despite the fact that two thirds of the men were recruits. In January 1849, when the troops withdrawn from Bácska entered the region of Middle Tisza, Károly Knézich was already a brigadier. On the 5 March 1849 the Hungárián troops withdrow from the Southland and won a glorious victory over the imperial troops. For his behaviour during the combat Knézich was rewarded and promoted to become a colonel. Knézich took part in the successful April counterattack in the 3rd army corps, the commander of which was János Damjanich. In the battles at Tápióbicske, Vác and Nagysál ló Knézich commanded one of the two divisions of the corps. With his excellent troops he brilliantly stood his ground in the above listed battles, but he rendered his greatest services in the battle at Komárom on the 26th April 1849. Knézich commanded those fi ve brigades which early in the morning captured the Austrians' fortifications with a bayonet assault. For his performance he was rewarded again and to substitute for Damjanich leaving the army he was appointed the commander of the 3

Kl corps. On the 7

n of May he was promoted again and became a generál. Though he was the commander of the 3

ld army corps, at the siege of Buda he yielded the commandership to the division commanders, for he was informed that his brother was among the defenders. By yielding his commandership Károly wanted to avoid the possibility that his brother could eventually lose his life at his instruction. Finally on the 21

st May his brother, uninjured was taken prisoner by the 184