Polish lancer

Puchner obtains Russian reinforcement and beats Polish Gen. Bem at Vízakna. (Feb 4). The Russian force of some 2,000 was requested earlier by Puchner and crossed into Transylvania from Wallachia (i.e., Rumania). The request for Russian help was resisted by Schwarzenberg in Vienna, who considered the appeal embarrassing to Austrian prowess, but endorsed by several Transylvanian Saxon interests. Schwarzenberg finally acceeded to the hard-pressed Puchner. The "Russian card" had its roots in the 1846 joint (Austro-Russian) suppression of a Polish revolt^*. With Polish emigres joining the Hungarians, the Tsar Nicholas felt a Hungarian victory would recreate his "Polish problem".

Bridge at Pisk

Making a comeback, Gen. Bem successfully attacks and routs "the imperials" at Pisk. (Feb 9) Austrian General Schlick evacuates Kassa, enabling the VII th (Görgey)and the Ist Army Corps (Col.Klapka) to meet. (Feb 10) This was the culmination of Görgey's Northern campaign. Defying the odds, he moved his forces through prohibitive terrain in the Northern mountains, eluding both the main Windischgraetz forces as well as Schlick's. Ordered to move East by minister Mészáros, he broke through the Austrian positions at Branyiszko for a push to Kassa. The attack was led by an Englishman, Richard Guyon ^**. Military historians consider Görgey's campaign ingenious. The triumph heralded a reconciliation between Görgey and Kossuth.

An interim Vojvodina government formed under the leadership of Metropolitan Josep Rajaçiç(Feb 16)

Kossuth prayer at Kápolna

Battle of Kápolna

Gen. Dembinski had been moving West from Szolnok. Leaving his main forces behind, his advanced units were engaged by a superior Austrian force at Kápolna (about 80 km ENE of Buda-Pest) and repulsed. Windischgraetz reported to Vienna : "the rebel hordes appeared at Kápolna in awesome numbers. I dispersed them and destroyed the large majority.(Feb26). The rest fled across the Tisza. I hope to be in Debrecen in a few days and take possession of the nest of the insurrection".

The report encouraged Vienna to promulgate new repressive measures, which-in turn- boosted the Hungarian resolve. The battle, however, put Dembinski on the defensive and he was soon removed from command.

Nicholas I and Francis I

^* In 1833 Czar Nicholas I and emperor Francis I (Austria-Hungary) concluded the "holy alliance" (termed "unholy" by some) to effectively cement the partition of Poland, in turn resulting from the Congress of Vienna.

^**The imperial officer corps had many foreign (Spanish, French, English etc) members and a number of these joined the Hungarian honvéd. Richard Guyon was one of these. In fact a contemporary Austrian commentator remarked "the Hungarian Hussar regiments have virtually become English colonies".