The Arkansas Advocate

Sketch of Skrzynecki.

General John Skrzynecki was born in Gallicia, in 1787, and studied at Leopol. When the French armies entered Poland in 1806, Skrzynecki, then nineteen years of age, left his father's house, and enlisted in the 1st regiment of infantry, commanded by Colonel Kasimir-Malachowski, now General of Division, who lately covered himself with so much glory. At the opening of the memorable campaign of 1809, in the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, under Prince Joseph Poniatowski, Skrzynecki was raised to the rank of Captain in the 16th regiment, then formed by Prince Constantine Czartoryski. In the campaign of Moscow, in 1812, he was appointed Chief of Battalion; and in 1813 and 1814 he gave repeated proofs of his talent and intrepidity. It was in the hollow square of his battalion that Napoleon took shelter at Arcis-sur-Aube, when the regiments of the young guard gave way. The Polish soldiers transferred the precious deposit to the French corps, which arrived soon after, and Skrzynecki charging the enemy, under the eyes of the Emperor, beat them back with considerable loss.

Appointed Knight of the Legion of Honor, and of the Military Order of Poland, Skrzynecki returned to his country with the remnants of the Polish troops and obtained the command of the 8th regiment of infantry, in the 2d brigade of General Ignacio Blumer, the same who received eighteen balls through his body on the night of the 29th November. Skrzynecki has distinguished himself on several occasions since the commencement of the present campaign and his brilliant conduct in the great battles of February have raised him to the highest distinction a soldier could pretend to.