Hungarian Victories, April 26, 1849

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This item, occasioned by the news reaching Cologne that the Hungarian revolutionary army had taken Pest and Buda (here as well as in other military reports, Engels uses its German name — Ofen), was printed in the special supplement to the Neue Rheinische Zeitung No. 283 dated April 27; however, the supplement came out on the morning of April 28, 1849, as is pointed out in Engels’ next war review (see this volume, pp. 350-51).

Hungarian troops occupied the city of Buda; but its fortress still remained in the hands of the Austrian garrison and was captured only on May 21, 1849. after a prolonged siege.

Cologne, April 26. In the confused news reaching us today from the Hungarian theatre of war via Vienna and Breslau, three clear, definite and undeniable facts stand out:

(1) The imperial forces have evacuated Pest and Ofen;

(2) The Hungarians have won a victory between the Gran and the Waag;

(3) Komorn has been relieved.

The battle itself took place between Leva and Neutra, and it was Wohlgemuth who suffered a complete defeat. He was forced to retreat five miles. Görgey thereupon marched on Komorn with his entire force and, according to the latest news, reached Neuhäusel and Sz. Peter on the Waag, an hour from Komorn.

No credence can be given to a martial-law report that the encirclement area of Komorn has been re-established.

The outposts of the Magyar vanguard are reported to be already at Tyrnau, five miles from Pressburg. According to other reports they are two miles from Pressburg, and people claim to have seen them even on the March a few hours from Vienna!

Ofen and Pest were completely evacuated on the 21st and 22nd. The imperial headquarters was last located in Gran from there it has probably been transferred to Raab.

In the south, the Magyars are overrunning wider and wider areas. They are even threatening Semlin on the Turkish frontier, as the Wiener Zeitung admits.

The Hungarians are reported to have invaded Wallachia from Transylvania and defeated the Russians.

In short, the Magyar revolutionary army is advancing victoriously on all fronts. The entire might of all the 36 million Austrians has been frustrated and the victorious army which in Welden’s words “amazed half Europe” has been baulked by the daring and enthusiasm of a small nation of barely five million people. The imperial forces are learning once again in Hungary the lesson they were taught at Jemappes and Fleurus 50 years ago : it is unwise to make war on revolution!