The Sun.
London, England, 1814-01-18 00:00:00

`fir Li )! CKS.

ErnTon,---If lou are of op.inion that the
inclosed letter, which was hurriedly written some
time ago: to a friend in England, contains any
thing which would interest your Readers, it is
very much at your disposal. 1 can say nothing is
it; favour except that it contains nothing but
truths, and that it was ‘rritten while the circum-
stances were yet fresh in the writer's memory.

CANTZU.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

DEAR SIR,—I have just returned from a tr:p to
the head-quarters of Gen. TETTERBORN, which
ha‘ afforded me more pleasure than any cruise I
have made for a long time. Yon will naturally
suppose that I did not let slip this occasion of
paying.my'respeets to the Cassacla ; that strange

race of men of whom we have heard so much of
late, and of whose savage virtues you know I was
always a warm admirer. This admiration, I can
assure you, has not been lessened by a nearer ac-

quaintance. Unlike the heroes of the day, the

Cossacks strike not at a distance only , their chaw
racter possesses features so intrinsically peculiar
as to excite admiration in the closest obserrer•
At least, I can safely say, such was my case ; and
if you can find patience to get through the im-

ntense epistle that I foresee is about to he manu-
factured for your edification, you will, I believe,
allow that my case is not likely to be a singular
one. From the official nature of my visits to the
head-quarters of the Russians General, I was al-
ways accompanied by an escort of Cossacks ; and

thus !lad the very best opportunity of closely ob-
serving them : and, indeed, one sees much of
them in a short time. Their actions, unshackled

by the bond of fa.bion, and their unsophisticated

naivete, give such a. transparency to their
Mat eharac-
,
tar at "he that runs may read ;" and thus even
a courier may come to know something of them.
With regard to their persons there is nothing
vere remarkable. In general they are stout, and
many have elegant and expressive countenances.
The old men wear their beards long, and the
young, for the most part,have mustachios. They
haVe t,ll a particular uniform, such as, I dare say,
you saw worn by the Cossack that was in London
some time ago. -But it is a rare thing thing in-
deed to sec the Cossacks in their uniform. So
fully do they infort'e the utmost privilege of
conquest, and so full a harvest has this war af-
forded to their inclinations, that he has indeed
been an unfortunate warrior that is.not decked in
a suit of French Imperial uniform. And, in fact,
at first sight, from their fine cloaks and shining
sabres (most of them of French Officers) you
would, at a, little distance, mistake a party of
Cossacks for a troop of French, were you not un-
deceived by their mode of riding. and the view Of
the ." long portending spear." In truth, a Cos-
sack (one of my escort, who had put to death,
la Cossaque, two gens-.d'armes they encountered),
dressed himself so completely in the garb of the

conquered, that, on his return to Bremen with his
fellows, the inhabitants mistook him for a French-
man taken prisoner, and,, accordingly, gathered
round him with shouts of triumph and reproach.
The quantity of clothes they carry, thus procured,
is astonishing, and suffers no increase or diminu-
tion according. to the season. It is the state of the
war, not of the weather, that regulates the ward-
robe of the 'Cossack. From the same source
these rovuig warriors derive considerable sums of
money ; and it is but doing them justice to say,
that in this particular (the love of gold) they
yield not to their more civilized brethren of the
west. Nor, to procure it, do they always square
their conduct by the strictest rules of European
justice; and I would be far from recommending
it to any one with a new coat, or a good display
of seals, to throw himself in the way of a Cos-
'sack ; unless, indeed, he happened to overflow
with that Christian charity whose delight is to give
away. From this circumstance, partly, but prin-
cipally from the immense numbers. of the enemy
that have fallen into their hands during the late
. campaigns, it has happened that the Cossacks
arc all rich,—few of the common inf!li possessing,
as I have learnt from the very best authority, less
than 200 Louis d'ors.
With respect to the mental qualities of these
warriors, there is one remarkable trait in their
character which cannot fail to strike every
stranger at first sight, particularly as it 19 one
which the common notions of the day would not
lead him to expect. What I allude -to is their
excessive mildness and good nature. This featoe

of their character appears to me infinitely more
prominent and conspicuous than I have ever re-
marked in any other class of men. elood hu-
mour and complacency eternally sparkle in their
eyes, and play upon their countenance. In their
intercourse with one another, to say that they

irate ust of too strong atl ekpfesstoti. i 46 thaii
hard vet spokiri with drert,irc;',.thd slightest

. .
semion or even tendenty to quarrel among them;
and this surprising inildneiS remains unruflied
evert Ir.! the most powerful motives : it yields not
to avarice -itself. So that when a foe falls in
battle, though perhaps by the united efforts of
several, whoever happens to seize the spoil:
lowed to possess it unmolested ; nor does any dis-
tribution take place, except from the voluntary
bounty of the first possessor. Nor is this display
of good humour only in their intercourse with
each other it extends to every one ; and a
stranger may examine their arms, dress, •and even
the beloved horse, without the slightestschance
of experiencing a 'look even of displeasure, much
less a refusal. So well is this known that the
very children may be seen sporting with the
cloak and even the beard of the peaceful Cossack :
" and children know,
" By instinct taught, the friend from foe."

It Will readily be believed, that men possessed of
hearts thus warm will not regard with indifietence
their nativeltind. In truth, so strong is thei r love for
every thing Russian (or rather Cossaque) that an
()Meer assured -me he had seen in sonic part of
Germany, • his Cossacks alight and kiss "the, Toot-
prints of the horses-of some of their countrymen
who-lrad recently passed the same road they were
travelling. The love they bear therr horses is pyo-
verbial ; nor is it surprisingthat the.fahhful animal
that has carried hint from..the banks of the Don
to the Weser, that has borne him safe end
victorious from so many fields, that has shared
all his dangers and comforts, his table,* and 'Lis
conch, should be 'to the Cossack an object of the
warmest affection. For my own part, while tra,
yelling with these brave fellows, when I consi-
dered that they had left their native land from the!
pu:est patriotism, and had traversed so - many
countries to assist to break in pieces the bands that
enslaved Europe, rcould never-divest myself of a
degree of tenderness which I never felt for any
other men who were strangers to me ; nor, to
speak the truth, could I refuse some -portion of
this good will, to their friends and companions,
their trusty steeds.
But this mildness of'the: Cossack is only the at-
tribute of peace ; it 'is but the 'calmness of the
summer ocean. , In the stormy scenes of battle
you can,no more recognise, in the terrible and un-
sparing warrior, the mild- being we have describ-
ed, than you can discover in " the howling Waste
of mighty waters" any of the soft and placid beau-
ties of the wave of July. It was my fortune to
see a specimen of this darker_ side of the Cossack
character. I hare already Mentioned that my es-
cort put to death two French d'armes. This they
did without the slightest necessity, (as they
were ten to two and could have easily made them
prisoners) and in the most barbarous manner,
cutting and mangling them in a most shocking
way. Though too late to save the poor wretches,
I, of course, endeavoured' to pievens them being
eat in pieces before my eyes ; but I Was soon
forced to retreat from my supplicating posture
by the lance of a Cossack pointed at myself :
Man camerad ► mein. camerad !" exclaimed be,.
striking violently on his shoulder, in which part
of his comrades had been wounded by one Of the
gens 'd'armes ;) and, immediately, as I retired
from before him, plunged his pike through the ex-
piring body..‘ Nor, must I forget to mention an-
other circumstance which , most strongly exem-
plifies
.their barbarity, and shows the -iffect of
habit in extinguishing every feeling of humanity
Before one of the French' soldiers was yet dead,
and while some of the Cossacks were yet mang-
ling him with their pikes and sabres, another-was
rifling his pockets, and a third and fourth got his
legs across a small tree that happened to be grow-
ing in tbe-street,t and by this horrid contrivance
tugged bif.his boots, which one of thern immedi-
ately put on ! lam not sure Whether these Cos-
,sacics had not received orders not to spare any of
the gens (ravines, hot, at all events, I doubt,
after their comrade had been wounded, if any or-
il,•rs would have induced them to save them.—
When they had finished the catastrophe they
came up to me with smiles on their countenance,
'and accosting •me by the usual appellation of
" camerad," held out their hands to give the
grasp of friendship and
.congratulation at my es-
cape, for they well knew that, but for their inter-
ference, the " Courier" would have been a good
prize for the Frenchmen. Nor must I omit to
mention, as an instance of their fidelity, that,
though they had information of some more of the
enemy being in the neighbourhood, and though
burning to serve them as they had done their fel-
lows, they would not leave me till they saw me
ready to enterthe boat that was to carry me from
their protection.
This leads me to notice their hatred to the
French.' This is boundless and unquenchable. The
very name of a Frenchman converts the • counte-
nance of the Cossack from being the throne of
benevolence into the seat of fury. Nay, so ter-
rible is their hate that it is not satisfied with the
inflictions of this world, hut would extend them
• even to the next. A Cossack, who observed in a
house in Bremen a picture of the death of Christ,
after attentively considering it for some timeotnd
devoutly crossing himself before it, exclaimed, in
his broken German, to the by-standers Jesus
ChriSt caput tar mid), caput fur dich,—nix caput
fttr Fransos :" " Jesus Christ died for me and
Ton—but not for Frenchmen 1." •
• Nor is their furious prowess in battle their
most valuable quality as a soldier. Their. vigi-
lance and acuteness,—'.'leir intelligence in pro-
.curing information, and their indefatigable' astir
vity„ are most conspicuous. Their wonderfu]
marches are universally known. General TET.
TENBoaN declared, that if the Emperor ALR7O
-ANDER would permit him to join Lord WEL.I.Io:
TON, nothing would give him greater. pleasure
than to pass through France and unjte
at the foot of the Pyrennees, -with a General

1' It is customary in Germany to give the horses Inead in-
steal of corn.
..... ; 4T119:11iII of VeVenXit

Con dens as beti.7bild dii

:fic

ri st in Buiope.. With 5000 Cossaeks, be v!
ufidertalte -this bold manoeuvre ; and, in

when we Consider that the celerity of thejr

molts nearly. equals the usual
ing intelligence, thei6 is great feasibility in th(i

project.
In- their living., .thtxCossack s are very 'gross iii
theft diet, and cohniiit great eicesseS In drinkho.:
The quantity of spirits they swallow without in=
toxication is truly astonishing, It was picturestlue
(or rather grotesque) enough :to see my escoilL
ride Mounted in through the large doors of ill;
most every house on the road, "and, Swal4
lowing their glass of snaps each, gallop out•agaiii,
and pursne their journey • But one of the uk
remarkable circumstances in the ruanyeis of the
CossaAs, is their wonderiul. patience and betrdi:-.
hOod in enduring- all inclemencies. of vi-athi.r.
Never, by any-chance,. do they sleep ih a house;
but, stretched'on a few handfuls of straw beside.
their hofzes) and covered with their usual cloth-
ing, they spend the night in every climate and
season.

The camp, or hager of the Cossacks is a curious'
scene. Those .1 saw at Verden and Bretnerywere
constructed in the following manner. From the
nearest hedge they cut, with their swords,
branches six or o:l,ht feet long. One em. of these
they forced into the ground at an angle of ahmtt
sixty degreeS, and continueil planting them in this
manner close to one another so as to form
a large circular fold or pen, leaviag a small pp
for a door. These branches they then closely
interwove with straw of the thickness to
keep out a moderate degree of wind or rain. These
-stakes are of course inclined inwards, mill friiat
this cirsumstarice, as well as from the quantity of
straw they employ, it.is•obvions_ that one hai(at
least of this circle Avill he tolerably sheltered frogs
the weather. Around this all their pikes are snick,
in the ground, and look, at a lit:le distance) like
a grove of leagess saplings., Their horses also ard
stationed close by them, sometimes tied to a tree,
but more comthonly lett too-se -For the Cossack,
dearly as he loves his horse, thinks it quite sutfi-z
cient that he fares as %yell as his master ; and tic-
eordingly he alsO never enters a? 'house, unless
when, as I have already said, he bears his lord to
be regaled with a gliass of snaps. In this also the
habits (11 the horse and rider correspond, that the
horse is never unsaddled or stripped of -any of his
furniture, any more than his master is of his ma-
nifold investitures. At night they -have aliwap
large fires in the middle of these circles ; and it is
very picturesque to see the flames ascending front
the midst of their straw edifices, and the grizzly'
band of warriors seated around them on t,le
ground, recounting, perhaps with the wildest
gestures, tire feats of their fathers or themselves.-
And, in fact, the saute narrative may easily in-
clude the actions' bf son and lire toe nothing is
.more common than to see the offspring of two,
and even three, generations in the stne troop.
Among the very troops now under CTenetal TEr-
TENBORN, there is a reverend white-bet,rded pa-
triarch 0106 years of age, whose
,sons and grand-
sotid, to a considerably. number, all follow the
footsteps of their s'airtly sire !--Besides these
roofless pens, some of the more luxuriant Cos-
sacks sdmetimes erect little straw huts covered
top :—but this is only when they have much lei.
sure, and are likely to remain in the same place
for a considerable time.

But I must, perforce, finish this terrible epistle,
else von will henceforth dread my quill as ranch
as a •Frttliehman dreads the spear of a cossack.—
I shall, therefore, forbear adding to your labours
by a limg string 6f apologies for bad writimt',
in-
correct style, &c. &c. To be candid, 1 think I
'd serve no small degree of praise for having-
perided so much time and paper, solely, my dear
Sir, for your edcation..
I •
remain,sdear Sir,,
With aching bead and cramped fingers,
Your's truly,
* * *

His Majesty's ship --, River Elbe,
Dee. I, 1813.

BREAD.—This day the LORD MAYOR, after in-
specting. the MealweigherS returns, ordered that
an advance of one halfpenny on the quarters loaf
should bike place on Thursday next:

An application was made to the City Coal and
Corn Committee, on Saturday, to permit sokne
coal-ships, that had been got into the. West India.
Docks, to. unload there, for the benefit of to e
public.
The LORD CHANCELLOR still remains confined
to his Louse litith the gout in both' his feet.
All Petitions for Private Bills left at the Par-
liament-Office with the Clerk, on or hefoYels=s-
day the 15th day of February next, will be re-
ceived on Tuesday the Ist day of March next; the.
day appointed for the House of Lords to,meet.
The following anecdote does such honour •to
the sentiment and feelin of the Russian arn.)7.
and its Commanders, that we arc pleased to hare
an opportunity of giving it a place in our Jour-
nal •--" W 1 on their march between Rastatlt
avid Baden, they approached the place where the
great TURENNE was killed. The no less illustrious
MOREAU had, in one of his campaigns, ny:irked
the spot• by a simple monument. In front of this
monument the Russian Imperial Guards mounted
'a guard of honour during the whole of the. 24
hours that the troops were passing.. The n,strc h
past the monument was conducted with drums
beating ancl,, bands playing. This anecdote nv-,y
be relied-on, and would, of itself, be a refutation
of the odious , epithet of barbarians, with whi.7ll
that real barbarian, BoONAPARTIS, has dared to
designate'his congutrors of the North."
A SKAITING ANRCDOTE.--A. few clays since' .a
tradesman of -Bath ltaving, ventured on the Ken-
net and Avon Canal, they ice near one.of the
'feeders giving way, he was soused nearly to his
middle in the water,. to the no small morimeut of
the spectators, as no material injury accrued.
A sand-boy being told that it was Mr. the
tailor, who was thus immersed, archly remarked,
as the unfortunate drippler passed by, "
Measter, you had better been at home minding
you hot goose than ha' oet!,.,k.t. hkre for a cold dtick.".