Not the least interesting and important of the many great eruptions of 1848 was the revolution
which broke out in Vienna early in the month of October. Indeed it may be said that in a great
measure the fate of at least continental Europe hung upon the upshot of this mighty struggle.
Nearly six months have now elapsed since this conflict took place and still to the best of my
knowledge no account of the exciting scenes which occurred there have yet appeared before the
public with the exception of one or two letters published in the newspapers of the time. The
following short narrative contains the substance of a journal written on the spot. It describes
only the events of which I was an eye-witness and is not encumbered with reflections which I
leave my readers to make for themselves. This book is a reprint of the original publishe in
1849.
