BEM, JOSEPIT, commander of the army in Transylvania during the Hungarian revo tion. 1848-49, was b. at Tarnov, in Galicia, 1795. After a course of adventure in Poland, he went to France, where he resided for a considerable time, earning a liveli hood by teaehing.mechanics and mnemonics. In 1848, after failing in an attempt to organize an insurrection in Vienna, be joined the Hungarians, and was intrusted with the command of the army of Transylvania, amounting to 8000 to 10,000 men. Ile at first experienced sonic cheeks from the Austrian army, but afterwards defeated them at Ifer mannstath and the bridge of Piski ; and finally succeeded, in Mar., 1819, in driving both them and their allies, the Russians, back into Wallachia. Having thus made himself master of Transylvania, lie proposed, by amnesties and general mild rule, to gain the adherence of the German and Slavonian population, especially in Wallachia; but his propositions were not entertained by Kossuth and the Hungarian commissariat. After expelling the troops under Puchner from the Banat, B. returned into Transylvania, where the Russians had defeated the Hungarians. Here lid Veorganized his forces, and did all that was possible in his circumstances to prevent the union of the Russians whit the Austrians, but his efforts were unsuccessful. After failing in an attempt to excite
an insurrection in Moldavia, lie was defeated in a battle near Sehaszburg, where he was opposed to three times the number of his own troops. At Kossuth's request, he now hastened into Hungary, where be took part in the unfortunate battle near Temesvar. Bctreatim,* into Transylvania, he here defended himself for some days.against v_ vastly superior force, and then made his escape into Turkey, where be embraced, from politt cxl motives, the profession of Islam, was raised to the dignity of a pasha, and obtained a command in the Turkish army. In Feb., 1830, lie was sent to Aleppo, where, after suppressing the sanguinary insurrection of the Arabs against the Christian population, he died of fever, Dec. 10, 1850. B. was in private life characterized by the benevoleace of his disposition, and, as a military leader, was distinguished by courage, presence of mind when in extreme danger, and remarkable rapidity of movement..