The Press.
London, England, 1857-11-21 00:00:00

THE PRESS, NOVEMBER 21, 1857.

individuals of the same way of thinking, had succeeded in
prevailing upon the soldiers not to take the oath. It is
all a trick," said they; " they are forcing us to take the
oath, and Constantine has not renounced : he is in chains,
and Michael l'avlovitch, the chef of the regiment, too."
At the same time Alexander 13estajeff, Aide•de•Camp to
puke Alexander of Wurtemberg, who happened also to be
there, gave out that he had been sent from Warsaw with
orders not to allow the troops to take the oath. " The
Tsar Constantine," cried the conspirators, " loves our
regiment, and is going to add to our pay: if anybody is
not faithful to him, run that man through." They ordered
the soldiers to load their muskets and to take ball cart-
ridge, deprived the grenadiers of the colours that had
been brought out for the ceremony of the oath, and one
of the above specified officers wounded with his sabre,
first General Freederickz, then General Shensin, who
both fell insensible to the ground,—inflicted several
blows on Colonel Klivostchinskii, and also wounded a
grenadier and a noncommissioned officer who attempted
to resist him At last a part of the regiment, led by him,
ran out of the barracks, and, with colours displayed and
cries of " Hurrah !" carrying with them by force all the
officers and soldiers they met, streamed out in cont•
plete disorder to the Square of the Senate. Behind and
around it ran a crowd of people, also shouting " Hurrah
for Constantine !"--an acclamation which for this mob,
which had not read the manifest, had still all the force of
a lawful devotion. Another portion of the regiment, though
restrained by its officers and still remaining in the
barracks, nevertheless obstinately continued to refuse the
oath.
The intelligence was immediately conveyed
to Nicholas. and he acted with characteristic
energy. "Ifl am only to be Emperor for one
" hour," he had said, " I will show myself
" worthy of being so ;" and he kept his word.
Ordering the immediate concentration of the
loyal troops in the great square of the Winter
Palace, the Emperor, putting himself at the
head of the Palace Guard, led the way. Vast
crowds were collecting in the Senate Square,
and the Emperor, at once apprehending the
value of time to him, in order to enable his
troops to concentrate, resolved, says the
Baron Korff, " to divert the attention of these
" people by something extraordinary" :
" Have you read my manifest?" the Emperor began to
inquire of the people who surrounded him. The majority
answered in the negative. He Ihen took a printed copy
from some one in the throng, and himself began reading
it aloud, slowly and deliberately, with frequent pauses, and
explaining almost every word. The listeners with joyful
cries threw np their caps. To many of them the affair
appeared to be completely new.
• • • •
Again raising his voice, the Emperor began to say that
the duty of quelling the disturbance belonged to the
authorities; that no private person was to dare to inter.
fere, either by word or deed, in whatever might take place;
that he should judge of their love and devotedness by
their tranquillity and strict obedience to the orders of those
who alone knew what was to be done. Lastly, terminating
his address by advising them to go home, the Emperor
said, " Now give us room ;'' and with the greatest order
and in silence the crowd retreated to the edges of the
square, clearing that area in front of the palace which was
to lie occupied by the approaching battalion of the
Preobrajenskii Regiment of the Life• Guard. _ _ _

Meanwhile, this dense mass of people of the
lowest orders, " a whole masquerade of vice
" and debauchery meditating crime," was gra-
dually increasing and collecting round the
mutinous Moscow regiment, which stood
massed round the statue of Peter the Great.
Shouts for " Constantine and Constitution "--
which they took for Constantine's wife—were
raised amid deafening cheers. The gallant
old general Miloridovitch mounted his horse,
and, attended by an aide, rode boldly up to
the rebels, in spite of Orloff's advice :
He was followed, on foot, by Baslihtskii alone. They
struggled through the crowd and stopped at about ten
paces from the revolted soldiers. The people gave way
before the horse, thus clearing a space in front, but
thronging densely on the three other shies. Here the
old warrior, the hero of Lecco, A instetten, Borodino,
Krionoe, Calm, lirienne, La Fere Champenoise, was at
last on his true stage. Brave, fearless, accustomed to speak
to the Russian soldier, respected by him, he buret out
into a powerful harangue, and at last, to prove that he
would have been incapable of betraying the Cesarevitch
Constantine, he drew from the scabbard the sword which
he had received from him as a present; he turned the
blade towards the insurgents and began to show it to
them, and read in a loud voice the words that were in-
scribed upon it, " To my friend Miloradovitch." All this,
together with his famous name, his valiant look, his breast
covered with stars, and which had remained unviolated by
a wound after fifty battles, acted powerfully on the soldiers:
they stood drawn up to their full height, with shouldered
firelocks, and gazing timidly in his face. But suddenly
the raised arms of Miloradovitch sank like lead to his
sides, the trunk bent heavily over, the horse gave a leap
forward, and the rider fell into Bashatskii's arms.
Eakheyskii, a retired lieutenant, who was standing, dis-
guised, in the crowd behind the Count's horse, glided up
to him, and discharged a pistol, with the muzzle almost
touching him, into his side, just under the cross attached
to the cordon of St. Andrew which he wore. Besides
this inevitably mortal wound, Miloradovitch received

another tolerably deep one from a bayonet in the back On
the trial of the rebels it was discovered that the latter
been inflicted, at the same instant as Ksklinvskii's
shot, by another officer, who affirmed, however, that he
had only intended to wound the horde, in order to oblige
the Count to retire.

This was the first shot fired. An immediate
attack of the cavalry on the rebels was repulsed
with ease. Affairs were now assuming a
serious aspect. The diplomatic corps thought
so, for they deputed the Hanoverian Minister,
Count Dotnberg, to express to the Emperor
their desire to join his Majesty's suite, as
" a still more powerful confirmation before the
" people of the legality of his rights." " Tell
" them," said the Emperor, " quit cette scene
" est une al aire de famine, it laquelle l'Europe
" n'a rien u demeler." But in spite of this
assumed confidence, the Emperor felt no
little anxiety. Orders were sent to prepare
for the secret and immediate removal of the
Imperial family from the Wiator Palace. The
Empresses were in despair. Maria Feodo-
rovntt, frantic with grief, " made no secret of the
" most melancholy apprehensions." And
there was indeed cause ; for the Grenadiers of
the Guard, a most loyal regiment, seized with
one of those unaccountable caprices in mo-
ments of great public panics, had sud-
denly mutinied and declared for Constantine,
and, though checked in their design to seize
the Imperial family, their revolt was felt to
be a most serious defection. Their determi-
nation to seize the Imperial family was skil-
fully designed, and frustrated by the merest
accident—the arrival at the palace of an addi
tional regiment sent by Nicholas to insure the
safe-keeping of this important post. Frus-
trated here. the Grenadiers marched off en
masse. As they came out of the gates of the
palace, they met the Emperor riding in
alone to assure himself of the safety of
his family. The Grenadiers, rushing hastily
along towards the great square, do not appear
to have recognised bim :
In some degree of doubt, but still withont suspecting
the truth, he endeavoured to stop the soldiers and draw
them up into some order. On his command of
" Halt !" they cried out, "We are for Constantine !" "In
that case, there is your road," coolly replied the Emperor,
pointing with his hand to the Senate Square, and com-
manding the troops to make room to let the Grenadiers
of the Life Guard pass between them. The latter, stream-
ing past him on both sides of his horse, soon mingled
with the rest of the insurgents. It was evidently Provi-
dence itself that inspired the Emperor with this idea.
By preventing the possibility of scattered attacks on the
part of the rebels, suddenly occurring at various points,
and at the same time scenes of bloodshed under the win-
dows of the palace, and by concentrating their whole
assemblage into one spot, and thereby facilitating their
ultimate defeat, this step alone, it may be said, decided the
fate of the day.

Great credit is due to Nicholas for this happy
thought, for once having got the great body
of the insurgents together in one spot, his task
was comparatively easy ; and, as Baron Korff
says, "it decided " the fate of the day. Rein-
forcements from different posts in the city,
then no longer threatened, were now rapidly
pushed up in support of the Emperor, who
felt himself strong enough to take the
initiative. An effort, by appeal to their
loyalty, was made to bring the rebels to
reason, and a curious proof of the light
in which the rebels regarded the whole affair
was offered by the reply of the Marines of the
Guard, whom the Grand Dike Michael endea-
voured to recall to their duty :

The Grand Duke rode straight up to the seamen, and
addressed them with the usual salutation. From the rebel
ranks resounded the friendly acclamation of," We wish you
good health, your imperial Highness !" " What has
happened to you, and what are you thinking of?" continue('
he. And the sailors began to explain that, a fortnight
before, when nobody had even heard of the illness of his
Majesty the Emperor Alexander Pavlovitch, they had been
suddenly told that he was (lead ; that then they had been
ordered to take the oath to his Majesty Constantine
Pavlovitch, which they had (lone without a murmur; and
that now, at last, they wanted to make them swear again to
another Emperor, assuring them that the first would not
have their oath and refused to reign. " How can we, your
Highness," said they, " incur such a sin or 4 our souls,
when the person to whom we took the oath is still alive,
and yet we do not see him ? If they begin to tamper with
the oath, what will remain sacred ?" In vain did the Grand
Duke endeavour to convince them that Constantine Pavlo-
vitch had really of his own free will renounced the throne;
that he, the Grand Duke, was a personal witness of his
having done so, and that precisely on that ground he had
himself taken the oath to the new Emperor. "We are
always ready to believe your Highness," answered the
blinded victims of the false suggestions of their immediate
superiors; " but let Constantine Piivlovitch himself come

• •:.•

1139

and affirm his renunciation to us ; as it is we don't know
even where he is." All further reasoning remained inef•
fectual. The iirand Doke was obliged to return without
success, and not with•mt having run imminent risk of
paying with his life for his gallant attempt.

Every effort proved in vain. The men were
becoming daring and the mob bold. The
time for action, not for parley, had arrived,
and Nicholas ordered his artillery to the front.
The mutineers opened a rolling tire of mus-
ketry ; but their courage and consistency was
about to be put to the proof. Four guns were
unlimbered within point-blank distance. The
Emperor gave the word to load with ball :

The Emperor rode up to the front and saluted the sol•
diers. " The guns are loaded," reprted Sukhozanet, in a
voice so low that nobody else could hear it ; " but without
ball; the ball cartridges will soon be here."

In the meantime the audacity of the mutineers, rein-
forced by the Grenadiers of the Life• Guard, had risen to is
still higher pitch. They increased the violence of their
irregular fire, and the bullets were whistling round the
Emperor himself. He was looking fixedly at lienkendorff,
who stood at a little distance oft'. Remarking that the
latter was reprimanding several of the soldiers for ducking
their heads when they heard the shots, he inquired what
was the matter, and, on hearing the answer, he set spurs to
his horse, which carried him forward right into the thick-
est of the fire. At a yet earlier moment, the mob, slightly
inclined to disturbance, and led away by the example of
disorder, had been pelting the troops from behind hoardings
and ronnd corners with logs of firewood and stones ; now
several individuals of the lower class, bribed with money
and brandy, began openly to run over to the rebels. At one of
the volleys fired by the latter, the Emperor's horse shied
and bolted aside ; and his eye was then struck by the tact
that the crowd in his immediate neighbourhood, which at
first he had not been able to persuade to cover their heads,
was beginning to put on their caps and look at him with a
somewhat insolent air. "Caps off!" cried he, with ir.-
voluntary severity. In one moment every head was bare,
and the crowd streamed away from him.

After such different phases, a revolt
which threatened to assume gigantic pro-
portions demanded a less sudden termina-
tion. But the rebels had no clear'y defined
object in view ; they had no heart in the affair ;
and if four-fifths of them did not exactly know
what they were fighting for, nine-tenths were
ignorant of the real details of the event they
were prepared to oppose. The consequence
was inevitable. As soon as the plans of the
Emperor were arranged, undisturbed by any
further outbreaks in the city, and with his
enemy en masse before him, a general attack
was ordered ; the artillery, opening fire, ad-
vanced rapid!), to the front, the cavalry and
Guards pressed the rebels on either flank, and
at the first charge they broke and fled. The
victory was complete. Resistance does not
appear to have been thought of; the men
rushed madly away, hid themselves in cellars,
and flung themselves over the bridges of
the Neva. In a few hours the revolt was
quelled.
Baron Korti's narrative ends abruptly here.
There is room for an appendix,detailing the re-
sults of this victory, upon which much misrepre-
sentation has been given trt the world. After
this result, the strength of the Emperor was
that of the giant—ho was irresistible ; and it
would have been only an act of justice to his
great reputation to show to the world that
this strength was not exerted beyond the limits
required by Law and Order.

A Hundred Years Ago. An Historical Sketch
—1755 to 1756. By James Hutton.
London: Longmans.

THIS volume is remarkable for the indepen-
dence with which it is composed. Though
both amusing and instructive, it is obviously
written for the sake neither of amusement nor
instruction to any one except the author. It
has pleased him to preserve certain memo-
randa of the impression produced upon his
mind by the study of a particular period. He
does not seem to have thought much of the
sensation which his book might create. It is
rather the work of a contemplative mind regis-
tering results for its own sake than of a pro-
fessed litterateur writing for immediate profit.
Yet we believe that Mr. Hutton will reap
where he has not sown, and that a large share
of popularity will be accorded to his present
volume. It is not often that books afford us
so perfect an insight into the character of the
author, or that strong opinions are conveyed
with so little obtrusiveness or dogmatism.
Mr. Hutton's philosophy is certainly a some-
what bitter one—of that kind to which the

Ma address by advising them to go home, the r.mperor -- - r .
said, " Now give us room;'' and with the greatest order lows of the palace, and by
ageinto one spot, sod
their whole rushed madly away, hid themselves in cellars,
assemblage ud thereby facilitating their
and in silence the crowd retreated to the edges of theand flung themselves over the bridges of
alone,
step defeat,
ultimate this
square, clearing that area in front of the palace which wasthe Neva. In a few hours the revolt was
fate of the day.
to be occupied by the approaching battalion of the quelled.
Preobrajenskii Regiment of the Life• Guard. Great credit is due to Nicholas for this happy
Meanwhile, this dense mass of people of the thought, for once having got the great body Baron Korirs narrative ends abruptly here.
lowest orders, " a whole masquerade of vice of the insurgents together in one spot, his task There is room for an appendix,detailing the re-
I " and debauchery meditating crime," was gra- was comparatively easy ; and, as Baron Korff sults of this victory, upon which much misrepre-
dually increasing and collecting round the says, "it decided " the fate of the day. Rein- sentation has been given to the world. After
nuititious Moscow regiment, which stood forcements from different posts in the city, this result, the strength of the Emperor was
massed round the statue of Peter the Great. then no longer threatened, were now rapidly that of the giant—ho was irresistible ; and it
Shouts for " Constantine and Constitution "-- pushed up in support of the Emperor, who would have been only an act of justice to his
which they took for Constantine's wife—were felt himself strop enough to take the great reputation to show to the world that
raised amid deafening cheers. The gallant initiative. An effort, by appeal to their this strength was not exerted beyond the limits
old general Nliloridovitch mounted his horse, loyalty, was made to bring the rebels to required by Law and Order.
and, attended by an aide, rode boldly up to reason, and a curious proof of the light
the rebels, in spite of Orloff's advice : in which the rebels regarded the whole affair A Hundred Years Ago. &n Historical Sketch
He was followed, on foot, by Baslintskii alone. They was offered by the reply of the Marines of the
struggled through the crowd and stopped at about ten Guard, whom the Grand D —1755 to 1756. By James Hutton.
Dike Michael endea-
paces from the revolted soldiers. The people gave way London : Longmans.
before the horse, thus clearing a space in front, but voured to recall to their duty :
thronging densely on the three other sides. Here the The Grand Duke rode straight up to the seamen, and Tuts volume is remarkable for the indepen-
old warrior, the hero of Lecco, Amstetten, Borodine, addressed them with the usual salutation. From the rebel dente with which it is composed. Though
Ktasnoe, Calm, lirienne, La Fere Champenoise, was at ranks resounded the friendly acclamation of," We wish you both amusing and instructive, it is obviously
last on his true stage. Brave, fearless, accustomed to speak good health, your imperial Highness !" " What has written for the sake neither of amusement nor
to the Russian soldier, respected by him, he buret out happened to you, and what are you thinking of?" continued i
into a powerful harangue, and at last, to prove that he he. And the sailors began to explain that, a fortnight instruction to any one except the author. It
would have been incapable of betraying the Cesarevitch before, when nobody had even heard of the illness of his has pleased him to preserve certain memo-
Constantine, he drew from the scabbard the sword which Majesty the Emperor Alexander Pevlovitch, they hail been randa of the impression produced upon his
he had received from hint as a present; he turned the suddenly told that he was dead; that then they had been mind by the study of a particular period. He
blade towards the insurgents and began to show it to ordered to take the oath to his Majesty Constantine
floes not seem to have thought much of the
them, and read in a loud voice the words that were in- Paylovitch, which they had done without a murmur; and
sensation which his book might create. It is
scribed upon it, "To my friend Miloradovitch." All this, that now, at last, they wanted to make them swear again to
together with his famous name, his valiant look, his breast another Emperor, assuring them that the first would not rather the work of a contemplative mind regis-
covered with stars, and which hail remained unviolated by have their oath and refused to reign. " How can we, your tering results for its own sake than of a pro-
a wound after fifty battles, acted powerfully on the soldiers: Highness," said they, "incur such a sin or, our souls, fessed litterateur writing, for immediate profit.
,
they stood drawn up to their full height, with shouldered when the person to whom we took the oath is still alive, Yet we believe that Mr. Hutton will reap
firelocks, and gazing timidly in his face. But suddenly and yet we do not see him ? If they begin to tamper with
where he has not sown, and that a large share
the raised arms of Miloradovitch sank like lead to his the oath, what will remain sacred ?" In vain did the Grand
sides, the trunk bent heavily over, the horse gave a leap Duke endeavour to convince them that Constantine paylo. of popularity will be accorded to his present
forward, and the rider fell into Bashetskies arms. vitch had really of his own free will renounced the throne; volume. It is not often that books afford us
Rakievskii, a retired lieutenant, who was standing, die- that he, the Grand Duke, was it personal witness of his so perfect an insight into the character of the
pitied, in the crowd behind the Count's horse, glided up having done so, and that precisely on that ground he had author, or that strong opinions are conveyed
to him, and discharged a pistol, with the muzzle almost himself taken the oath to the new Emperor. "We are with so little obtrusiveness or dt.ginatism.
touching him, into his side, just under the cross attached always ready to believe your Highness," answered the
to the cordon of St. Andrew which he wore. Besides blinded victims of the false suggestions of their immediate Mr. Hutton's philosophy is certainly a some-
this inevitably mortal wound, Miloradovitch received superiors; "but let Constantine Piivlovitch himself come what bitter one—of that kind to which the
~. .
• '
Alir .