[Text: “Freedom for your life is like water
for fish, air for birds, abundance for the wild animals. Be ready to die with it rather than live without
it. When you have sacrificed all for it and have
won freedom, you have lost nothing, but gained everything." -Hungarian Poet and Revolutionary Pál Bozzai] In 1848, Europe was swept by a tidal wave
of nationalistic and liberal revolutions, heralding what was commonly referred to as
the ‘springtime of the people’. The revolution started in Palermo and Naples
before spreading to Paris on February 23, leading to the abdication of Louis-Philippe
and the proclamation of the Second French Republic. On March 13, the revolutionary fervour reached
Vienna, the capital of the mighty Austrian Empire. Klemens von Metternich was ousted from office,
and Emperor Ferdinand V, under duress, pledged to grant Austria a free press and a constitution. It was these revolutions in Paris and Vienna
that set off a chain reaction in Hungary. Led by national-liberal-minded revolutionaries,
who sought national independence, civic democracy, and bourgeois liberalism, the revolution was
surprisingly bloodless, and it seemed as if Hungary was on the brink of achieving its
goals. However, their hopes were short-lived. Following the suppression of the turmoil in
other territories, Vienna used its military might against the Revolution. This led to the Hungarian War of Independence. [Prelude to revolution] The Habsburg Empire, a vast and diverse land
of varied cultures, languages, and religions, was made up of numerous kingdoms and territories,
including Hungary, Austria, Bohemia, Croatia, and others. Hungary held a pivotal position in this sprawling
empire, as it was a semi-autonomous kingdom with its own parliament and legal system. With a population of over 14 million people,
Hungary and Transylvania held a significant status within the empire, and the traditional
upper class was made up of wealthy nobles, magnates, and prelates. However, the emergence of a new middle class,
including liberal nobles, intellectuals, and the bourgeoisie, began to alter the political
and economic landscape. The majority of the populace, consisting of
craftsmen, workers, and the peasantry, awaited reforms such as the end of serfdom and the
rise of democracy. Despite agriculture's dominance of the economy,
industry remained relatively small compared to the rest of the Habsburg Empire. In the 1820s, a new kind of Hungarian demand
emerged - one that was marked by a desire for cultural, economic, and liberal reforms. This period of change and progress was brought
about by a generation of forward-thinking individuals, many of whom came from the upper
nobility. The years between 1825 and 1832 saw a wave
of reform culminating in the last Diet of the states-general, which took place just
before the 1848 revolution. Croatia was a unique case within the Hungarian
Crown lands. Despite being subject to the authority of
the bán, a civil governor appointed by the Habsburg monarch, it enjoyed significant autonomy
with its own diet, the Sabor. General Josip Jelačić, the bán, was a powerful
national figure who, along with many members of the Croatian political class, did not want
to align with the Hungarians. The Croats, Slovaks, Serbs, and Romanians
were experiencing their own nationalist awakenings and were unhappy with the prospect of remaining
part of Hungary. Moreover, imperial agents were working to
sow discord between the country's various ethnic minorities and the Hungarian majority. Already before 1848, Vienna sent all Hungarian
conscripts to other provinces of the Empire: Galicia, Bohemia, Slovenia, and Northern Italy,
and they brought foreign nationalities to form border guard regiments. [Revolution breaks out] [Quote: “In Lajos Kossuth, I see the dangerous
madman who will lead this country to its ruin through revolution.” - István Széchenyi, Hungarian statesman] When news of the revolution in Paris reached
Hungary, it prompted Lajos Kossuth, a famous national politician and gifted orator, to
introduce his liberal-radical program at the Pozsony Diet. The leaders of the revolution crafted the
renowned "Twelve Points," which were a testament to the Hungarian people's will. The Twelve Points, consisting of a concise
69 words, demanded freedom of the press, an end to censorship, and equal rights for all. Each point was met with resistance from Vienna's
absolutist institutions and administration, but with the weakening of Vienna by the ongoing
revolution and dire state of the monarchy's finances, Hungary had the upper hand. The young poet Sándor Petöfi, only 25 years
old, penned the famous and flamboyant "National Song." The following day, the young revolutionaries,
bolstered by an ever-growing crowd, printed the poem and the Twelve Points without authorization
from the censor. The Pozsony Diet witnessed a political earthquake
as Kossuth's party decimated the conservative opposition in both chambers. Wealthy circles were especially vulnerable
to scare tactics, and rumors of a peasant army led by Petöfi marching on the Diet played
a role in their defeat. Under mounting pressure, the Emperor eventually
caved in, and with the mediation of the sympathetic palatine Stephen, he ratified the crucial
laws of the Hungarian Diet. These laws, known as the "April Laws," validated
the revolutionary achievements and allowed for the formation of a Hungarian government
headed by Count Lajos Batthyány. On 11 April, the Diet was dissolved forever,
and the National Assembly, consisting of nobles, the bourgeoisie, and wealthy peasants, was
established through direct suffrage. Hungary underwent a significant transformation. It became a constitutional parliamentary monarchy,
although the Austrian Emperor still held the title of King of Hungary. The first National Assembly opened on 5 July,
consisting mainly of provincial nobility who had been elected in a general election. However, the national ideal also continued
to gain momentum, and ethnic minorities were becoming increasingly aware of their own identities. The repercussions of the national Slovak movement
in Upper Hungary, the Serbian push for autonomy, and the Romanian movements were felt throughout
the Austro-Hungarian conflict. Even the Transylvanian Saxons, who were better
off than the Romanians, were opposed to union with Hungary. The Croatian issue was the most significant
of them all. Jelačić, the Ban of Croatia, summoned the
Sabor and rejected negotiations with the palatine. This move favored Vienna's interests, as the
Austrian government provided Zagreb with the necessary funds to arm itself, with the goal
of crushing the Hungarian Revolution and its bid for independence. [Towards war] [Text: The fatherland is in danger! - National Message by Kossuth]] Austria had never been supportive of Hungary's
bid for independence but had been unable to stop it. However, Austria had recently gained back
some of its lost confidence. General Josef Radetzky led the Austrian army
to victory at Custozza on July 25, followed by the re-conquest of Milan in August. Order was also restored in Prague where Prince
Alfred Windischgrätz had crushed the 16 June Czech uprising and in Paris where the June
barricades had fallen. Austria was feeling strong, and it was time to play
the Croatian card against Hungary. When Jelačić occupied Fiume, which Hungary
considered its port to the sea, Hungary sped up preparations for war. A Hungarian national army, known as Honvédség,
was established. Legislation was passed to recruit 200,000
soldiers and provide 42 million in subsidies. They also bought armament and equipment factories,
broadened political and social rights, and increased patriotic propaganda. The government understood that Croatia posed
a significant danger. Major General Count Ádám Teleki was assigned
command over a 4000-strong army and moved towards the Muraköz region. War broke out on September 11; on that day,
General Jelačić’s army crossed the Croat frontier and began their march into Hungary. Faced with an army significantly larger than
his own, Teleki ordered a general retreat. Though Austria had not yet officially joined
the conflict and was still in negotiation with Budapest, Jelačić's war was clearly
aligned with Vienna's interests. In the midst of the conflict, the Palatine
attempted to meet with Jelačić, hoping to negotiate a resolution. However, when Jelačić refused to meet, the
palatine was unwilling to lead the rebellion and transferred his command to Lieutenant
General Jánosh Móga before leaving for Vienna. The main Hungarian army was positioned near
the village of Pákozd, stationed on the Transdanubian hills. It was here, on the morning of September 29th, [Battle of Pakozd] [Text: "Sir, give us rifles, give us bayonets,
and we will follow you!" - Croatian soldiers during the battle] Jelačić commanded a formidable force, comprising
over 51,000 soldiers, nearly 2,000 horses, and 48 artillery pieces, outnumbering the
Hungarian army positioned between Pákozd and Székesfehérvár. On the northern hills stood the Hungarian
army, led by Lieutenant General János Móga, who commanded a force of more than 17,500
soldiers, with 102 infantry companies, 15 cavalry companies, and 46 artillery pieces. Móga positioned his troops strategically,
with the Hungarian right flank positioned on the hills between Pátka and Pákozd, where
Lieutenant colonel József Milpökh commanded more than a third of the infantry, around
6600 troops, including two battalions of line infantry and eight guns. The Hungarian troops on this flank were strategically
positioned along the road to Bicske, with their right-wing leaning on the marshes from
Pátka to protect against encircling. The center was commanded by Major General
Franz Holtsche, where Móga placed more than half of his artillery with 28 guns. The left-wing, comprising 2,600 troops, was
commanded by Colonel Mihály Répásy, deployed on the southern shore of Lake Velence, to
prevent encircling. The reserve at Velence comprised a battalion
of line infantry, a battalion of Honvéd's, and three battalions of volunteers, with 400
hussars, led by Teleki. Móga used only 10,444 soldiers and 36 cannons,
as the left-wing acted as a reserve. In the dead of night, a Hungarian envoy was
sent to Jelačić's camp to urge him to call off the attack. However, the Ban was unyielding, and by late
the following morning, his troops had already approached Pákozd. Major General Johann Kempen von Fichtenstamm
led the Croatian left wing, consisting of 15,389 soldiers. The Schmidl division, commanded by Jelacic,
consisted of 20,961 troops and made up the center. The right-wing was led by Hartlieb and consisted
of 14,108 soldiers, lagging behind the other two divisions due to a delayed departure. Around 9:30 a.m., the vanguard of the two
armies clashed on the Croatian left. Captain Roknić, leading two units of Seressaner
skirmishers, engaged in a fierce firefight with the Kecskemét company of the 2nd Pest
Battalion. Roknić quickly informed his brigade commander,
General Josef Neustaedter, that without reinforcements, he would not be able to hold his position. Kempen ordered Neustaedter to dispatch two
companies of Leypold's battalion to support the Seressaners. As the battle raged on, more Croats advanced
into the valley, where another company of the 2nd Pest Battalion fought fiercely against
them for over an hour. The intense fighting led to a shortage of
ammunition for the Hungarian infantry. Major Imre Ivánka, who commanded this wing,
personally intervened to prevent his troops from retreating, ensuring they received additional
supplies of artillery. In the middle of the battle, the Croats abandoned
their attempts to carry out another direct assault against the Hungarian troops, opting
instead to surround them. Ivánka ordered a battalion led by Major Richard
Guyon to charge with bayonets towards the enemy-occupied scrubland. Despite taking heavy fire, Guyon's battalion
successfully captured the thicket before being met with a fierce counter-attack by Major
Terbuhović's second Ogulin Militia battalion, leading to a prolonged and violent exchange. By 11:30, Hungarian outposts located in the
center reported that the Croats had already infiltrated Pákozd, with Jelacic's Schmidl
division leading the charge. The Croatian artillery wing then opened a
heavy barrage of fire against the Hungarian center, causing the 1st Honvéd battalion
to retreat after suffering two direct hits. Móga, the Hungarian commander, responded
by relocating an artillery battery to higher ground and firing at the Croats advancing
beyond Pákozd. He also moved several infantry battalions
stationed in the rear to support his artillery on the right wing, while using hussars as
scouts on the left wing to assess the size of the Croatian army. Despite heavy artillery and musket volleys,
the hussars did not suffer significant casualties. On the right wing, Major Rezniczek led the
3rd Battalion of the 3rd Ogulin and 4th Slunj Borderguard Regiments, Captain Bogunović
led the 2nd Battalion of the 7th Bród Borderguard Regiment, and Lieutenant Lončar led the 3rd
Three Pound Infantry Battery as they climbed the heights to encircle the Hungarian forces. Kempen, with a battalion formed from the 3rd
Battalions of the 3rd Ogulin and 4th Slunj Borderguard Regiments, launched repeated attacks
into the forest to weaken the furthest right wing of the Hungarian army and divert their
attention, thus ensuring the success of the encirclement. Both sides hesitated to initiate combat, but
by 2 p.m., a Hungarian aide-de-camp named Major Count Antal Szapáry approached Kempen's
lines with a ceasefire proposal. Although Kempen was receptive to the idea,
the Hungarian artillery interrupted the conversation with a massive barrage. Kempen retaliated, and any possibility of
a ceasefire was abandoned. In the center, an hour-long artillery duel
ensued, while the Croatian vanguard advanced towards the Hungarian positions through the
vineyards. Hungarian infantry stationed above the vineyards
waited until the Croats were within range to open fire, causing significant casualties. Despite the Hungarian forces' resistance,
the Croats continued their advance. Meanwhile, Jelačić and his entourage met
with a lieutenant of the 9th (Miklós) Hussars regiment at a nearby farm to negotiate a ceasefire. However, their efforts were in vain, and Jelacic
rode to the vanguard to assess the situation and motivate his troops to attack. On the right, the Hungarian 60th Wasa Infantry's
1st Battalion attacked the Croatian battalion in the woods. The 1st Six-Pounder Infantry Battery provided
supporting fire, and the Bród battalion retreated down the valley. The battery's first volley caused significant
casualties among the Croatian troops. The battalion ultimately retreated from the
height, and the Hungarian battery began firing cannonballs at the Croatian baggage wagons
on the highway from the valley. They retreated in haste towards Pátka. Here, the baggage train ran into a half-battalion
of the National Guard commanded by Major Ferenc Vigyázó. They had been unable to link up with the main
army and now attacked the baggage train. The Croats fled, leaving behind a baggage
wagon losing valuable maps, ammunition and weapons. The 3rd Three-Pounder Infantry Battery, led
by Lieutenant Lončar, intervened and caught the Hungarian battery in the crossfire, forcing
it to retreat and abandon its position due to the lack of ammunition. The Hungarian unit suffered heavy losses from
enemy fire. Heavy fighting had been raging in the center
for some time, and it was evident that the Hungarians had the upper hand, driving the
Croatians back and holding the strategic high ground. Despite launching three charges, the Croats
could not prevail. During the third charge, the Hungarian artillery
inflicted severe damage on the Croat lines, leaving them in disarray. However, two Croatian battalions had managed
to advance towards the plateau without much resistance until Major Miklós Perczel and
his four companies of the Tolna Volunteer National Guards intervened. After a brief exchange of fire, the Croatian
troops fled. Around 4 p.m., Milpökh ordered a general
attack on the right wing. However, when the vanguard advanced, the Seressaners,
led by Lieutenant Vlaisavljević, misinterpreted the Hungarian's intentions and thought that
they were surrendering. At the same time, the Hungarians believed
the Croatians wanted to surrender, and as they approached each other, a misunderstanding
ensued. The Croatians seized their rifles and attacked
the Hungarians, killing 35 of them and taking one lieutenant and 12 privates prisoner. According to a Hungarian source, this was
not an accident but a trap set by the Croats to lure the Hungarian battalion into surrendering
and then massacre them. Despite the setback, the Hungarians maintained
the upper hand, driving the Croats back and causing them to flee. The Hungarians advanced so fiercely that they
forced the attackers to retreat as far as Pátka, almost pushing them into the lake. The Croatians retreated from the center after
taking continuous hits from the Hungarian artillery. Jelacic, still unaware of the situation on
the left, had no idea where Hartlieb's division was. Major Imre Ivánka attempted to halt the Hungarian
advance, but the 2nd Pest Battalion was unstoppable. It took a great effort to silence the Hungarian
battery, which was within firing range of the Croatians. Eventually, an officer was sent from the Croatian
side waving a white handkerchief, signaling a desire to stop firing. Ivánka replied that he was not the commander-in-chief
and sent an aid-de-camp to Móga, while engaging in conversation with the Croat officers. Reportedly, a Hungarian artillery battery
opened fire on the Croats, leading them to disarm and capture Ivánka. Nevertheless, the fighting did not resume
on this wing. By 3 p.m., the fighting had stopped everywhere,
and Jelacic shifted his focus to the defensive. In the rear, some unruly Croats engaged in
a wild sheep hunt, while others looted the village of Patka in revenge for their lost
baggage wagon. However, actual fighting had ceased. The first battalions of the Hartlieb Division
arrived late in the afternoon, with the 1st Battalion of the 3rd (Otočac) Borderguard
Regiment being the first to arrive, and the rest of the division arriving only after dark. For the number of troops participating in
the battle, the casualties were surprisingly light. The Croats lost approximately 190 men, of
whom 49 were killed. The Hungarians lost a similar number, though
no official figures are known. [Aftermath] [Text: “He runs away from his own victory!" - János Móga] The first clash of the Hungarian War of Independence
had a questionable outcome. However, it set the stage for the conflict
to come. Events transpired in Budapest, where the new
military commander and provisional palatine of Hungary arrived on September 25, three
days before the battle. It would lead to all-out war.
