Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-05-20
From a London Paher.
RUSSIAN ARNlIFS

=
part of the Russian army, and particular
ly in the new raised militia, it cannot bu
be interesting to our readers, TO learn tn,
character and strength of this comp,neni
part OF an army and a nation on which thu |
hopes OF the Con tolerated Powers mus
now, in considerable degree rest. The
name of Cozacks in general, and applied |
to all those tribes, which follow the same |
irregular and almost optional method of !
warfare. The particular bodies of the |
Cozacks are distinguished from each other,
not by the different nations which compose
them, but by the places they respectively !
inhabit. Thus the Don Cazacks .a.c their
name from the r'vcr Don: he Ouralian
cozacks from the Ouraiian mountains, the
& zacks of the Ukraine form The name
Of the country; and the T. ,p r.,visn CO.
zacks from the tar;,ctS oe the Dncister,
as the word Il peruvian, or more proper
", Zaporogtzl- signifies in the Russian lam
guage, "pe"ple living beyond the cata
racts" The two former are chiefly the
coi0nists of Greet Russia. and the two lat
ter are formed o Malo-Russians, these
wear no boards The Zaporavians shave
even their heads, and leave only a small
pee 4 hair upon the crown, long en- urh
to reach tn nose, and h,'id" M ms IL -
ufoH rT'crU hin = Not is ohtosifc TO chill
FcPf'figS .
There was a time when no woman whate-
yer was permitted to live in their society,
and though they began lately to have more
interc urse with the sex, still they retain
strongly the marks of their former fernci-
ty. They may be called, with great pro-
pr'ety, gang of desperate outlaws, of rob-
bers, and all sorts of publ C offenders. who
are suffered To exist merely on account of
the mischief they do to an enemy
The C"zacks of the Ukraine and the Don
Co2aCES, are more advanced in civil.zati-
on the latter are seen sometimes with and
sometimes without boards; but the former
exist now merely III name, applied indis-
criminately 10 all the inhabit mis- Excep-
ting she Cozacks of the Ukraine, and the
Zaporavians, the Tartars and Calmucks
are SO intcrspersed with all other Cozacks
that they form the most conspicuous and
prominent feature III them The Calmucks
seem to be the real descendants of the an
clent Scythians, VINO dweit on the bords Is
OF the Don CTanais )--rhcir features
are broad and fat, with a pair of small, fie
ry. piercing eyes. They are of small sta
ture, very robust and active, and expert in
tire use OF the bow and arrow, which they
SUI use ihcy are extremely skilful in
managing unruly horse, and are hired OK
Pressy Tor the purpose by horse contrac-
WI - WI NiN NV Wlp nave 10 choose these
animals out of the wild studs bred chiefly
by the land proprictors in Little Russia.
a Caimuck rides straight into the midst of
these ungovernable creatures, and after
the horse is singled out which is to be Ia
ken, he throws loop round his neck, with
such deXterity, that, though the distance
is considerable, as the ferocious animal
viii not suffer any one to approach near
him he seldom misses his aim. No sooner
does ihe loop fall upon the horses neck
than the Calmuck tastens with amazing ra-
pidity the other end of the rope to the sad
die he sils upon, III such manneras to pre-
vent all possibility of the horses csca Din,-
The unruiy savage. thus surprised, strug-
giles hard, but the horse which the Calmuck
rides, takes such position by the directi-
on oil the rider, that the strength of the
captive IS exhausted, and ne, at length.
suffers himself To be led away, and is soon
tanned. L nc lartars, whC arc like CAL
mucks In their persons, are so intermixed
with them as to be seen every where tope-
Their. They dcvOur raw, whatever amin
food comes IN their way, or, as thcv eat
their spare horse caTcases, without anv
other preparation of the flesh than warm
Ing 1t under the saddle of the horse they
RIDE upon They have generally several
horses with them, so that their provisions,
''N Wy "'N'''iS "! u t'iIllSs proceed with
them without any incumbrancc. Both these
nations or tribes are extremely numerous
among he Don Coz .cks, and altogether
form those terrib warriors, whose aspect
alone rs sufficient to dismay an enemy not
accustomed to the sight of such boards of
sayages
The Cozacks are a necessary amen
dage to the Russian regular army they
are its guides and satellites. 1t is their
particular business 10 obtain Intelligence
from the enemy, which they do sometimes
III the manner that Calmuk takes a wild
horse. As soon as Cozack comes near
enough to the object of his search, he
throws loop round his waist, fastens it
tohis saddle and gallops Of with the pri-
soner. In this way also they transport
their prisoners, and drag them through
the rivers they have to cross. All the out
posts are formed chiefly of the Cozacks.
hey arc constantly on the look out, and
cut conspicuous figure in skirmishes
Their dlight in blood and love Of booty
form the main spring of all their actions,
and the Cozack seldom hesitates 10 attack
friend or foe IT he sees the probability of
plumber. They are armed with a long
lance, gun, brace ofpistols and q sword,
something in the shape Of Turkish sabre.
Ihough IN their military appearance they
preserve certain degree Of uniformity,
still as their dress is ACCORDING, tn tbeir fann