The Fall of the Great Republic (1886-88)Coverdale, Henry Standish
History
The Fall of the Great Republic (1886-88)
Coverdale, Henry Standish
Imaginary wars and battles
Many thousand prisoners were taken, among them a few who had become
known as leaders in the different revolutionary organizations. Kopf
was caught hiding in a farm-yard, near Harrisburg, several days after
the battle; he was sent to Germany for trial. Herr Liest had been
killed during the first day’s battle. Wagner escaped, and has never
since been heard of. It is thought he perished of starvation, or was
killed during one of the raids which were frequently made by small
bands of outlaws on scouting parties of the allies during the summer
and fall. O’Halloran was captured during the pursuit after the battle.
He had thrown himself into a ditch, and tried to conceal himself by
hiding in a pool of mud and water, with his head covered by the weeds
which grew from the sides of the filthy drain. He was dragged out and
almost immediately recognized by an English soldier who had once met
him in Ireland. He was court-martialled on the spot, charged with
responsibility for the order to his followers to give no quarter to
their prisoners, and shot at sunrise the following morning. A few other
prisoners, who were proved guilty of murdering wounded and helpless
men, were similarly tried and executed. Several thousand, who had been
known in Europe as professional plotters and agitators, were sent back
to their respective Governments in irons for trial on account of old
offences.
Zealous effort was made by the allies to discover and arrest the
mysterious leader whose edicts, emanating from the “Council of Seven,”
had been so powerful in the early days of the revolution. Nothing was
ever found to furnish even a clew to his identity. There are those,
even now, who believe that he is still living, hidden in obscurity
and seclusion, and ready to seize the first opportunity which chance
may afford him to resume his warfare on organized society. But this
is not likely. Whether he still lives, or whether he perished in the
bloody closing of the revolution, the mystery in which he purposely
enshrouded himself at the beginning of the struggle still hangs over
him, and there is no real ground for the expectation that it will be
ever lifted.
The revolution was at an end. For two months there was skirmishing
and occasionally a fierce contest that might almost be called a
battle between detachments of the allies and disintegrating bands of
socialists or dynamiters who had taken refuge in various fastnesses of
the land. It was six months before the last of the privateers which
they had fitted out to ravage commerce was captured, and the seas
were once more pronounced safe to trading vessels. But so far as any
organization or real strength was involved, the struggle at Gettysburg
had been conclusive. One by one the cities and forts of the whole country
were garrisoned by the allies. The land was put under martial law.
XVII.
FOREIGN OCCUPATION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account