Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1828-12-10

rages, but lies considerably TO the west and .l,or
ther beyond the intended line Of march. Ii runs from
orsova and Belgrade, through Nissa Sophia Tartar
Bazsrlk md Phillippopols and thence G,llo,vs the
course OF the Martha To Adrianope Tho road thro'
Chouma to AdrianopS is the centre one THAT Il,
tine right runs from Rudschuk Sestova and passes
'hrnegh Teruova, kabrova, Kczanlik Esky Saora
ana Iezzar- Mustapha, TO the Maritzs and Adriauope.
while the one on the lel out FROM Haiiy- Ocioo
baznrlik, and passes through Kazliiiy Pravady' Al
oos, onnr Faluh, aud kirk-kilissis, TO the Same
pot But OF all these the most practicable route is
that which leads from The fotresses OF Rudschul and
SihstTia. through Rasgrod, Chouma for Esky- Junal
Carnabat, and Pupasly to Adrianople The distance
from Chouma to Carnabat, however which IL rccl,
on"d about 10 miles, presents obstacles of 80 formula
bic nature, that, though in themselves inspera
bic to perseverance, and enterprise handful of mon
may give ncaculhb,c annoyance TO an inva,linr mr.
my, aiu n'ict upon Il losses almost with inn,
puntv. Every one acquainted with apc;,nt b;.,o,r
Is aware how roughly Hannibal was handled in tho
course OF his passage across the Ans by the wild
tribes nhabilng the rcceeses of these mountains how
many peris he encountered how rrowly he cscaped
total destruction; and with how much dlicu,v h ,,,
able notwithstanding all his genius resources and pr
Scncc OF -ind, TO save hall of the army with which nc
ma begun the ascent and entered the defilcs Nor
Is II csS notorious that Napoleon who had no enemy
at alto encounter, executed similar cntcrnriz.. nj tb
very Grca' hazard, and descended into the plain vi
ms army considerably reduced in numbers and in
state OF total diSorganaation Independently OF ali
opposition indeed, the utter subvcrsiou of order and
discipline. produced by attempting TO march REGULAR
army through mountain dcflcs is Of itself no small evil
nay source OF hazard, where an enemy il tn br m
countored the moment the invaders dcbouche from tb,
pass ana IN the case where uttack may be effect
ed IN the deflcs themselves this DISCRIMINATION
Lead 10 reverscs OF the most fatal description We
may add, that from Carnabst to Adranople vhirb ia
likewise about seventy miles, the country though di
vested GIFTS grnndcr features, presents many strong
positions AMI points of Defence ofwhich an enemy ne
quainted with the country could scarcely fail to avail
himself ana winch would enable him at every step to
oppose with advantage tho progress of an invader
But bad as are the roads through these mountain
denies, they are not impracticablc to the transit of
artillery, since tho Porte has recently transmitted
through them 200 additional pieces of ordnance for
the defence OF Choumla and Siistria. These Lov,,-
yer, DE it observed, transmitted by the Govern
mcnt OF the country in time fpcace-how different
may be for the invaders should their every stop h
disputed, when the heightened lines of cannon of
'umors and ~ carriages lont,ed with provisions md
Provcnder-tor men and cattle equally have their
food carried along with them-will be checked nj
every rocky prccpice every narrow pass bv the
fierce defenders of the Moscm throne In such
struggle the NATURAL obstacles that render the nss;l
ants so formidable, parayse the cxertions of tho ne
sailed; anu neither numbers discipline will rain
tle oay because, IN such situation they cannot bn
brought INTO action. But even the cannon which the
Forte sent by lardto Cboumla and Sstrin were ONLY
pieces of small culihre 10 others could hsvc b,,,
thus transported and, accordingly the heavy ORDNANCE
required for the orresses north Of the Balkan have
always been transmitted by Varna and thence
INA
must transport by and must land in RuucIa tbcir
heavy artillery or the Gar will have nothing bu,
muskcts and Xpoundcrs with which to battle the
Seranio.
With respect to the Turkish fortrcsses, they hovo
not We believe, been constructed ON any thine Ike
scientific principles and those who have examined
Lis!e' Naenciennes, or Bcrgcn-op- Zoom, would pro-
o9oiy Dc inclined to form very contemplate opinion
oil even Chounlla ITSELF But the natural dctenccs OF
rocky positions, though only surmouncd with thick
walls, NaT!'ct with hasons which Vau;an or Cocbnrn
would have snecrcd al with the utmost dsdain hqvo
often proved 70 the Turks barlicrs of STRENGTH Which
neither the courI9e, the discipline nor the numbers
al their enemies have enabled hem 10 break thron ,h
or nothing, indeed are 10 the Ottomans more dstu
gnIshed than the indonuable energy with which they
defend their rGde unscentic fortresscs and f,r,Gcd
campo In tins respect they somewhat resemble tho
Spanards, VINO often redeem their misconduct in The
hcld by the obstinate herosm with which they fi~ht
oehnd walls, and under cover Of intrcnchmon,s; and
Who IN the late Pcninsular war innort1Ised ,bor,
serves by the decnccs OF SaTagossa and Cicroun On
the Danube, for example. Brailow after vast slsuob
Ter OF the bcFcGera. surrendered; md such was the
terrible nature OF the defence. that the garrison was
allowed 10 march Off, With oil the honours Of war
Tor SIstTln' still more important fortress which
occupies the attention Of large division Of tho Rus
sian army, while smother division cries aloud for
succOur apprchcnsive Of movement in is rear
ny the PaShn vino comlnands i'll Wlddn. All tLisl
and more ~ bctrd the Autocrat; and bcc1rc HIN, nrn
Narna and CIoumln, ind the Bulkan.
Farna IS the sea, and Choumla the land kew of
itur'1lia When tlc Russians after So. O. sec,
years occupation OF Bulgaria attacked the latter PLACE
III i8lo, the PnsIa, after they had retired in disnv
md prccPtately retracd beyond the Danube. wroic
TO the sublime Porto that he had cut off as MANY Rus
sian heads would fonn bridge 30 the Inoon-ao
oriental hyperboe, doubtless but even in lie oxaroer
alton, significant enough Of the loss sustained bv tbc
assallons before this rude and admirably situated for
tress. Even in the late operations on the same
ground tho Russions must have had many thousands
placed mrs ne combat, since nil the attacks made bv
inc De"cged have been characterized by the mos,
furious impctuosity, and some of thoin hive bccn
crowned with complete success so much go that the
nominal assaants were first reduced 10 act on the !
defensive; 2dly to concentrate their forces abandon
ing FOR the time all idea Of investments and lastly 10
quit the works they had constructed and ret rent tn n
distance Of about seventeen miles Vnrnn thonnb !
loss indebted to natural position is ar;cialy strong
cr than Choumla, and can only fall by Il combined ond
ably conducted attack, by both sea and land. 10 |
such an attack n ~ now exposed aud, if we NAV !
credit the accounts which the Russians think In from