The Express.
London, England, 1855-09-07 00:00:00

REPORTS BY FRENCH PRISONERS IN

RUSSIA.

The Constantinople oorrespondeot of La Presse
writes :

A considerable exchange of prisoners has takes
place at Odessa. From some of the French officers
exchanged who have arrived at Constantinople some
curious particulars have been elicited.
These officers concur unanimously in doing justice
to the good intentions of the Emperor of Russia with
respect to themselves. His orders were full of kind
foresight, and bore the impress of • generous cha-
racter. For example, when the French officers were
sent to Odessa, the Emperor Alexander gave orders
that they should all receive fresh equipments (m my
of them wanted it badly enough) • their debts also
were to be paid if they had incurred any at the depot.
Unfortunately the Russian administration, which has
never enjoyed a very great reputation for morality,
maw in this an opportunity for a little profitable trade,
which it took care not to neglect.
At Odessa, either the commander of the detach-
ment, or the head of the police, or some other
Inectionary (I do not know the guilty person,
but I certify the fact), some one, in short, sent for a
dealer in ready made clothes, made a bargain with
him, and clothed the officers in dresses which they
value at about lb or 1R francs. The dress consisted
of a pair of trowsers, a paletot, and a cap made of
cloth. Many of the officers refused to put the dress
on. I cannot tell the amount of the sum allotted for
the purpose by the Emperor, but I should hesitate to
believe that he could have restricted his generosity to
the purchase of clothes of such ridiculous cut that
they excited general merriment on the debarkation
of the officers at Bamiesch.
I do not give you these details as matters of scan-
dal, bat to fulfil a duty, and to respond to the desire
of the Russian government itself. The orders from
St. Petersburg were, I repeat, highly satisfactory,
but they were not executed. Beside., I know from
other sources that by the desire of the Emperor
Alexander, the minister of Bavaria, to whom was en-
trusted the care of watching over French interest.,
begged the French government to send to Russia the
complaints which the prisoners might have to lodge
against the administration.
A lieutenant of the 10th Regiment of the line, of
the Bresson brigade, and the Hulse division, was pot
in the same apartment with a deserter from the
Foreign Legion. His complaints, addressed to the
Governor of Simpheropol, were made in vain. At the
hospital at Simpheiopol were two sons-lieutenants.
One belongs to the Chuseers-i-pied, the other to the
Tirailleurs Algeriennes. Both were taken in the
ditches at the Malakhoff. Each of them was pre-
sented with a shirt, as their own were bloody. When
they left they were obliged to give back the Russian
shirts in return for their own.

A captain of the 46th Regiment, of the Conston
brigade and the d'Antemarre division, was compelled
to travel from Bimpheropol to Kharkow, on foot, se-
cured with a chain such as is used for condemned
prisoners on their road to Siberia. The officer,
burning with indignation, tore off his epaulettes
and cross, and put them in his pocket.
At Bimpheropol, an officer of the god Regiment of
the Foreign Legion of the Basaine brigade, and Pate
division, was lying in the hospital. A Russian
officer askedi him to change . money with him, in
order, as he said, to have a piece of French money
as a souvenir of the war. The French officer con-
sented ' • but hearing that an English officer had
yielded to the same request, and bad never received
any equivalent for his money, he demanded instant
payment. The consequence was that the Russian
made off, and was no more heard of.
Instead of receiving their stated allowance of three
francs per diem, the French allure were paid only
two francs. It was only after an appeal to the Ba-
varian Consul that this was remedied, and the arrears
paid up.
Our officers had their torn clothes replaced by old
Russian garments, and their sabres were not returned
to them.
Amongst the Russian officers who made part of
the escort which acoompaniel the French officers
and soldiers, particular notice must be made of a
Greek named Palms.. This man was so filthy as to
be perfectly repulsive; he used a handkerchief,'
and at table he tore in pieces with his fingers the'
fowls which he placed before his guests. This man
Prima was one day in charge of 80 prisoners, under
officers and soldiers. He received for each soldier 20
copecks or 80 centimes (8 pence) a day. Meat, be it
observed, is scarcely worth in certain places 16 centimes
(three halfpence) a pound. When they halted, this man
took from the peasants a goat or a sheep, and gave
the animal to the soldiers. In spite of this measure,
the men were badly fed. When they arrived at their
destination, the soldiers reiterated the complaints
they had mid, on the road. To silence them, Palma
gave to each a silver rouble, or four francs, making in
the whole a total of 320 francs. We may be per-
mitted to suspect that this liberality proves that he
must have made a tolerable profit on the journey.
Tile money subscribed in the French army for the
use of the prisoners in many cues never reached its
destination. _ _

The result of what has transpired seems to be, that
everything which is transmoted through the etat
major paired is well managed. Nothing is lost.
Goode and money arrive to the of to whom they
are sent, even when he is on his road, if he is not too
1 far from Sebastopol. With this exception, all is dis-
order, sod feats of the oaten of those which I hays
1 related are of continual occurrence.

PRINCE GORTCHAKOFFS GENERALSHIP.

In the Dibata Colonel St. Arms analyses the
despatch in which Prince Gortchakoff explains and
excuses his late defeat on the Tchernaya. The gal-
lant writer does justice to the conduct of General
Read, so unhandsomely dealt with by one who,
placed by accident. or favour above him in the mili-
tary system of Russia, wu surpassed by him in every
qualification of a commander.
' The Colonel estimates in the following terms the
character of General Gortchakoff as the commander-
in•chiet of a large Independent body of troops:
' '

The not very brilliant campaign of this general in the
Danubian Principalities against the Turks, and his sad
battle of the Tchernaya, do not permit him to be counted
amongst those captains who are inspired on the battlefield
with sudden illuminations. He may be rather clawed
amongst the exact, and even learned tacticians, who know
perfectly well the military chess board and its rules, bat to
wt.om nature has refused the inspirations of genius. His
instructions, found on the body of General Read, are a chef
al'osuors of prudent prevision; bat we remark la them a
spirit of detail and minuteness calculated to shackle the
talent of those who were to execute them, by restricting
them to petty combinations. This spirit of exactitude and

detail dace not, it is true, always pre;ent a general from eon.
ceiviog extensive plans; but there is a wide difference be-
tween calm calculation and vigorous execution. In the
field of beetle the presence of mind of the :nosiest is the
most precious qsality, and Marshal Sault said truly that
inspiration is nothing elm than calculation instantaneously
I made.