Recently they have been involved in a nice battle. His company particularly distinguished itself by charging against an army that outnumbered them ten to one. Hour after hour they are taking prisoners, and the army of Naples seems to be disintegrating. He hopes the war will soon end and he can meet his parents. He has called in sick so he won’t have to see Prince Schwarzenberg.
Geschrieben in Fermo[a] den 6ten Maÿ 1815[1][b]
Mir geht‘s ziemlich gut, meine lieben Eltern: dieser Tagen hatten wir eine recht schöne affaire[c] – meine Escadron hat sich besonders durch eine Attaque auf eine 10 mal so starke Cavallerie Abtheilung ausgezeichnet . .[2] Mein Pferd mein Csákó, die stark blessirt wurden,[3] und 2 flache Hiebe die ich bekam, sind meine Beute übrigens habe ich ziemlich viel verlohren.[d]
Wir bringen alle Stunden Gefangene ein, und die Napolitanische Armée scheint sich ganz aufzulösen. – Könnte dieser Krieg nur bald enden, wie bald würde ich in denen Armen meiner lieben Eltern sein. — Ich habe mich krank gemeldet, um eine Excuse zu haben – augenblicklich nicht zum Fürst Schwarzenberg gehen zu müßen, welches ich jetzt unmöglich thun kann — da wir alle Tage mit dem Feinde uns schlagen. —[e] Bitt um den Seegen, Meiner guten Mutter küße ich die Hände. ‒ Steph
[1] Széchenyi’s underlining with wavy line.
[2] Széchenyi’s scoring.
[3] Inserted afterwards.
[a] An Italian town in the Papal States, near the Adriatic Sea.
[b] This letter was also copied for Ferenc Pap by István Toronyossy, secretary, at the request of Ferenc Széchényi.
[c] According to the testimony of Brigade Commander Count Stahremberg, Széchenyi gained particular merit in the fighting around Macerata on 4 May. Pushing forward on the road to Civita Nova, he held off the Naples cavalry guard with his company for more than an hour. He did not move from his position until the Austrian advance guard arrived. By this action he caused so much damage to the enemies that they were forced to flee by side roads, leaving their chariots behind and disrupting the march of other Neapolitan troops. See also SzIN 1. XLI and 109.
[d] According to Ferenc Pap’s letter to Ferenc Széchenyi dated 31 May 1815, Széchenyi suffered three wounds, none of which were dangerous.
[e] See the previous letters regarding his transfer to the general staff.
Recommended reference:
István Széchenyi to his parents, Fermo, 6 May 1815. Edited and annotated by Szilvia Czinege. Published in Correspondence of István Széchenyi. Digital edition. Edited by Szilvia Czinege and Zoltán Fónagy. https://szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu/ Abbreviation for further references: SzIL-Digit.