Our artillery, which had so bravely fought, and which had to answer the terrible fire of the numerous artillery of the enemy, as well as to check the strong attacks of the Russian columns, were obliged often to change their place, to concentrate, and disperse, as occasion required. It was in one of those evolutions, that a battery, posted near that commanded by captain Hilderbrand, was required to change its position. The bombardier Kozieradzki was sent to give orders to this effect. He was on his way to execute this commission, when a ball carried away his arm. That brave man, however, continued his way, thus severely wounded, reached the battery, executed his commission, and then fell from the loss of blood. The following incidents of this battle-field deserve to be mentioned, as indicating how little of national animosity mingled with the feelings of the combatants. It was often seen that the wounded soldiers of the hostile forces who happened to be thrown in each other's vicinity, would drag themselves towards each other for mutual relief, and engage in friendly conversation. 'Why,' would a Polish soldier say to the Russian, 'why are we shedding each other's blood? The cause for which we have taken arms is that of your happiness, as well as our own.' The Russian soldier could only answer, with tears of shame, 'We have been driven to march against you.' No stronger example could be given, of the kindest dispositions of the Poles towards the Russians, than the treatment of the latter in our hospitals. They were nursed and fed, like our own wounded, by the hands of those benevolent and patriotic females who had devoted themselves to these holy duties. On leaving those hospitals, the Russian soldiers swore never to forget the kindness they had experienced.] CHAPTER XI. Passage of the Vistula to Warsaw.--Disposition of the Polish forces on its left bank.--Appointment of general John Skrzynecki to the chief command.--Proclamation.--Prompt attention is given to the re-organization of the army, the arsenals and manufactories of arms, the fortifications, &c.--Deportment of the commander in chief towards the army.--General enthusiasm of the nation.--The patriotic offers of the Polish women.--New regulations established for conferring orders of merit.--Disorderly state of the Russian army.--Attempt of Diebitsch to bribe the Polish soldiery.--General view of the encouraging circumstances of this epoch.--The insurrection in Russia under Yermolow.--View of the state of the Polish forces when general Skrzynecki took the chief command.--He presses the organization of the new forces.--Their distribution and that of the general forces.--Positions of the Polish army and the detached corps.--Russian position.