This failed however and in 1849 he volunteered for the war against the preussians - participating in the battle at Fredericia july-06-1849. After the war he had different jobs, but ended up being a prison employee - and later on prison inspector in a prison for women. In 1891 he received the order Ridder af Danneborg - which is the second most important danish order.

As chessplayer his name is attached to Froms Gambit 1.f4,e5 - due to this game M Mollerstrom vs M S From, 1862, which was puplished in Schachzeitung in july-august 1862.

Part I

MARTIN SEVERIN JANUS FROM, inspector of the penitentiary of Christianshavn, Denmark, was born at Nakskov, 8th April. 1828, and received his first instruction at the grammar school of Nykjöbing. He was gifted with a rare intelligence, and made rapid progress in his studies; but through his precocious and strongly developed independence of character he became involved in a dispute with his teachers, and left school without passing his examinations for the University. On the breaking-out, soon after, of the war with Germany for the possession of Schleswig, he entered the army as a volunteer, served in the brigade of Colonel Rye. of the 6th battalion, and, among other actions, was present at the battle foujht for the redoubt of Trelde, on the 6th of July, 1849, at Fredericia.

While in the Statistical Office From made the acquaintance of 0. Möllerström, who then (1851) was the strongest chess player of Copenhagen, and by him he was initiated into the mysteries of the chess board It was soon apparent that he was possessed of no common aptitude for the game, and, to the great surprise of his instructor, after the lapse of but one year, he turned out more than a match for him. From that moment and during the course of the following twenty years, the period within which his career as a chess player properly falls, he was without a rival among the chess players of the North, and when in the year 1865 the new Copenhagen Chess Club was organised, he, as a matter of course, became its president. Among Danish players who at this time came nearest to him may be cited G. Nielsen, S. A. Sörensen, and Ludvig With. He never chanced to break a lance with H. Möller, who left Copenhagen in the same year, 1851, and went to Jutland.

It is therefore very characteristic that From, like Morphy, scarcely ever plays King's Gamhit, neither Knight nor Bishop Gambit, whereas gambits on the Queen's side occur constantly. From's play combined rapidity with soundness, and he very seldom committed a blunder. However, the energetic braimvork which he put into his play affected his nerves, and after a protracted game with an able adversary he was not quite in good form. With the constructive theory of chess he occupied himself only as far as it interested him to discover new points of view, and to enter upon a new course, but his general knowledge of the theory of the openings was altogether very limited. It may be owing to these circumstances that at the great tournament in Paris, 1867, he did not arrive at a result corresponding to his real strength, such as it appeared in single combats with v. Heydebrand u. d. Lasa, and other prominent foreign masters.

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