Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1828-12-11
TorefgM Nesps.
THE RUSSIANS AND TURKS.

"
THE RUSSIANS AND TURKS
From me Literary C;r-cfe
we consider ourselves fortunate in being able tol
before the readers of our Journal the following ora
pho description of the war between the Russians and
Turks, Tor which arc indebted 10 friend n worry nl
liant, intelligent. and distinguished British officer We
have scldommet with picture OF military opcrotiors
possessed OF such characteristic spirit and knowing SO
little as we do of the combatants the Cossack and th
Moscm, their modes their feelings md their c,nduct
towards each other in the struggle for blood and vic
tory, we have read these details which place hcrn ~
most before our eyes with deep degree of interest
which, Htter ourselves will be nnrtcinatc d I'll
Us by the public at large. As sketch of manners r
not OF society we question that ever our great rival
the GorerHncm GGSaite, put forth Il more GENERALLY.
acceptable documcnt.-LEd l.. q.
Russian Camp before Giu,gsro }
on the Lo'rer Danube, 28H Jaiy. 1926
nave persevered thus far, in my attempts TO visit
the Russian army amateur for the purpose of
observing ITS operations against the Turks and arrived
in Nallachia, by way of Rotterdam, Franlar, yior
na, PeSh and llermanstadt. The former part of my
Journey was productive chiefly OF pleasure: but the
latter part, of many of the dsagrccabcs of iray,nr
-ior, IN my progress hlther from Austria have been
nearly Joted to death by the bad roads of Hungary
and narrowly escaped breaking my neck nv the yilcr
passes OF the Carpathiens of PENNSYLVANIA on the from
tiers OF Waacla;-I have been almost poisoned h,.
NTH Gevourcd by vcrmin, brood by tho sun have cy
posed myself To the contagious fever OF the country
"i ~ 'tidl IN'i uSt;lSe inc plague, which has
some time past been committing its ravagcs in Buchar
ct;-ndecd. have almost gone through fire and water
to attain the fuiimcnt of my wishes but have only n.
Danube
Hearing that frequent sor,ics were made nv N,
troops OF kuchuck Achmet from GiurQcvo obtained
the sanction Of The governor of the pTincipaitics 70
come here-hayc attached myself for the present ia
the corps OF the Russian army before that fortress aut
am Partaklng ofthe hospitality, and sharing the bacI
bread and inconvenience of the Cossack and Russian
soldier in hs bivouac before the enemy.
Behold me, then, under the influence OF n most
screening Nailachian sun, on Turkish ground. in the
very midst oi war and amongst total strangers While
even now employed IN writing TO Won, the rcn is occa
slonalv laid down for the telescope TO observe the mo
tons OF tho enemy; and such is the state of uncertain
y that ere many minutes are passed these inst ru
mcnts m1y be replaced by of a more offensive ia
ture and my occupation be less passive than it is n
this moment
cannot tell You what cat or drink for il has be
come RUE with me of late never TO inquire int,
the composition OF mess, even to look at it, if Il
can be avoided; but have soldiers fare and cypo
renee the greatest cyity from the officers particular
/ y from the commanding General. Kyitntfkv
ing Danube here runs nearly w. and T.. along thc
loot OF range Of Bulgarian hllls--is wide dccp nne
cnc!oses several islands between it's boundaries Or
IT'S r"ht bank Is Ruschuk fortress with LARGE oar
rson. end a very little lower down. on the opposite
sIe' forming sort % lfe dc pint, is the small bu
to!croby strong fortress Of Ciurpevo II il mn iroru
! ar work, built after European principles present.
three or four bastions towards the field has citadel
contains garrison Of 1000 or 1000 men, which ma,
DC increased NJ pleasure from Rutscluk and mounts
about 30 pieces of cannon.
To the north, distant about five miles and rc,rl,
parallel with DC aforementioned hills Is anofI 81
range Tor rnthcr the ground presents an inclination 70
the sou'h mt the foot OF which, and immediately on
poaitc 20 Giurgeyo three musccvifc rncaurnonts
whence the minarcts of the hitter place MS vol y.
those Of Rutcuk, are seen with the mixed eve Tho
intermediate space is orcn plain with ecarccl, any
undulation, and covered with small brushwood Indiai
corn long grass, and high hstlcs &C. nfordnO local
tiles for skirmshng to the oragers and oulposts OF
both parties.
thus disposed the troops may Ice said To- he confin.
uay under arms; the infantry are ALWAYS in souarc
they ca' drink and slecp in squrrc md M MICH, -,
| the most lnrlcmcnt weather never oGt that FORM
The General and Field Officers only have tents. sheds
or temporary hts, composed Of branches and hay are
erected for enc officers and The troops close % their
stations, under which thcy nrc allowed to rc in lc
middle q TIC day from The burning heat Of fine sun
which within tIe last ow DAYS has been 100 and IO5
OF Farcnhct IN the shade; and IS then onlv that a
portion OF the horses unsaddlcd 30 that I'm tho
event of an alarm ~ requires but little time TO nut the
whole force ~ march for rs position.
There Is scarcity Of provisions tIouoL the
~ OF the Bread "oi Oh" darkest hue is bad and IN
water which Is III tins country very Indifferent, is sup
piled from the ncighboring wells.
But tho Russian soldier is touUli tnro1 and mr.
dnary calculated so boar tho fatipues and hardsbp
|O war I'm the manner above alluded TO- subsi,tn, on
bod Of very inferior quality, he is constantly exposed
TO all wcahcrs, for here The burning heat Of the day s
generally succeeded by cold, damp chilly nights and
Tine thunder storms which certain seasons are so
frequent arc accompanied by torrents Of rain, which
INSTANTLY dCIugc the country with water. These to or
dnnry constitutions would he fatal, but ON HIM they
'ecmto have comparatively no effect. with an impli-
ct obedience 10 orders. the Russian H. rs II were
complete inlchino Careless aud thouqhtcss of dan
ggr indeed without exercising s rcaeoning ncullcs
ne moves when he is told and f1ts when hc is com.
nandcd nor viii he, under the scycrcs, fire. rorc un-
legs ordered 10 do so.
u was surprising oscc the perfect n1iGcrcncewith
which % regiment VI" 'ih"- dhv. stood ndcr q rnthrr