Körmöczi Katalin szerk.: Historical Exhibition of the Hungarian National Museum 3 - From the End of the Turkish Wars to the Millennium - The history of Hungary in the 18th and 19th centuries (Budapest, 2001)

ROOM 12. Revolution and War of Independence in 1848-49 "I Fall on My Knees Before the Greatness of the Nation" (Lajos Kossuth) (Katalin Körmöczi - Tibor Kovács S.)

39. Pistol set of János Damjanich (1804-1849), mid-19th century ket introduced into service in 1842 was the most modern longarm used. Flintlock muskets, an earlier type, were of course also used, and there were even percussion-lock muskets from Britain and Belgium in service. The honvéd cavalry adopted the weapons of the imperial and royal hussars. The most important of these was the hussar sabre introduced into service in 1824; this was used only by the men. Officers wore the 1845 cavalry sword, and in addition also had a pair of pistols. The firearm used by the men was the carbine, slung across the back by a broad leather sling. Also shown in the exhibition are the Austrian cuirassiers, the honvéd cavalry's main opponents, who were equipped with helmets, cuirasses and heavy cavalry axes. A favourite sidearm of honvéd chasseur officers was the socalled law students' sabre, favoured by university students. Of the foreign legions fighting on the side of the Hungarian war of independence, one of the best known was the Vienna Academic Legion, the members of which used the so-called legionaries' sword, a type differing from the others. From December 1848 the Habsburg army went on the offensive, as a result of which Pest-Buda fell into imperial hands. The Hungarian government and Parliament moved to Debrecen, and organized the defence of the country from there. The Hungarian troops commanded by József Bem, the Polish independence hero appointed to lead the Army of Transylvania, now achieved their first successes. As a result of Bern's victories, the Tiszántúl, the base of both the government and the army, was not threatened from the east. On March 31 command of the main Hungarian army was taken over by Artúr Görgey. In accordance with plans worked out by General Klapka, the honvéd forces launched an offensive on April 2. Two aquarelles by Mór Than (Fig. 36) commemorate the Battle of Tápióbicske, fought on April 4. The spring campaign brought a series of victories, but was unable to annihilate the main imperial army, merely to force it westwards. After relieving Komárom, the military leadership de-