Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1847-07-29
LETTER FROM RtfSsI.

We have received Letter lnpm a friend IN Europe
irom which (,hough mol ineuiod for publication VIZ
canno, iorbear making an extract The writer had hr
good fortune 10 be- present at The late review of the Rus
sian Imperial Guard, BY the Emperor AT ST Pecrs5urgh,
which Is composed Of CO, 900 men, and such dsrrp
tons seldom afforded the American reader. will be
read with interest -.Nem lidcen Register
Sr. PrrEgsnuRGu, June. 1917.
every year this Review takes place at the
Imperial City, preparatory 10 the departure OF the troops
for thor summer quarters. For about four hours had
good view OF the magnificent sight, and my hurried pen
Will tan me 10 gave You an adequate description Of
exceeding spendonr When arrived nron The ground
The troops had already began 10 mar h. The balconies
and windows OF the public buildings and elegant private
residences surrounding the field were filled with ladies'
with ladies and gentlemen aud thu sides OF the field IL
self covered with dense mass of men, women and ch
dren on one SIDE ol The field gorgeous tent was pit III
ed upon raised platform. f,r the Empress and before
her Majesty aud Inc Emperor the troops were To nas in
review The panoramic view of the whole fnll You
can roaoily imagine, MAS beauiila Bat 10 The Review
itself, OF this great body ol6O 600 rnps who IN pat on
" comp's The garde Inpeiaie of the Emm ror Niche
las and who distinct from the main army of Russia
which bel We numbers one million rank and
file.
he loot soldiers, infantry principally. first passed in
view, maf'hlng hy rlniools OF companies containing.
perhaps, one hundred and fifty each aud i. double
order As the several plu~ns arrived Opposite tho EN-.
fcro. the peculiar Russian hurrah went up the whole
length OF the line. making thu wclkn finy The sol
ders were all picked men. tall. athletic, and every one
OF them with heavy black mousache They moved
with ma hcmatoal precision, aud whether on 81 Nv or
quick march, seemed like pieces OF mechanism aud their
mnskets not varying, 1t secuted, inch either in the
height or inclination given 10 them. Ofall .hc marching
nave seen, and ! have soon the American, French,
Dutch and Pr'sslan soldiers, none will at all compare
with the Russian. ! he uniform ofhc infantry was hin,
and red. not unlike en- militia uniform in Connecticut,
II was about two hours before the infantry lad pass,d in
REVIEW and then came the cavalry advancing in double
order. by plaoons If sixty horses abreast and here was
sight that heg.nrs description, and which, when recall
H. seeis like magnificent vision First came n com
pany oi Caucasian Princes, mounted upon black coal
fiery steeds. with long and tails almost s,yecpup
The gr Iihd The Uaucasans dressed IN red rar
ment fitting closely 10 the skin. and over this finely
wrought steel chain armpr covering the body f II
from the head loosely the heck and shoulders upop
their feet they wore kad OF sandal, anl upon their lees
leather leggns, similar to those of Indian warriors
across then backs they carried bow with well filled
quvers; IN their hands cabno, and in then girdles tp
savage looking yaghtigaLn.
| They were n fierce, though handsome hooking So, Of
fellows Next came the 1arars. upon their wildsbok
ing, fleet, little horsesthe horses all of them Crying
ie'T nechs orwad aud their heads high up dc air
snuhhg The breeze, or so uniform the pAoi heads
as u they were all dra"nnp by pullcys Ihsoosume OF
the Tartar soldier is a blue trock trimmed sth silver
and kind Of skull cap, bound with fur his hand he
carries spear, the end Of which he esisupon the head
between the ears of his horse Then game the Ch,ra
ter Ldmcrs splendid looking men. dressed in white
sinerr, with heavy and highly pa,shod brass breast
plates, and brass helmets surnuuraed by the imreria
eagles, all mounted upon most elegant horses. Regiment
after regiment passed by, each feginen with different
cooreG horses and the horses u each regiment well
matched IN size, rn color, sm indeed every respect
that to distinguish Them capl had braided In his name
his number upon small pate The l.ancers are all
picked men, and Of lbe flower oil the r ssan army
the officers being Of noble birth; aud not for tho
different colored pennaos they carry upon their ances
and the color of the hors no one regiment could be dis
tin uIshed from anothr, nearly alike are they After
iis Lancers came tn Imperial lussas in lha costume
Of red, with high f caps aud mounted every one upon
white seeds Ihls regiment, IL is said Is the favor To
regiment Of The Emp,ss Then came the Imperial
Cabineos inInted black horses and dressed Ii he the
Lsncers eyept that their helmets and beaspaes were
of steel, behly polished. Following thu SO came the
Cus,achs then black s'eeds carrying their heads hlpl
the nv. The dress Of the Cossacks is similar to that
OF the ariars, which have above described except in
their als, which are high and Of fur their weapon
stes'' sharp pointed lance.
The rear of this immense body Of cavalry amounting
10 over 10000 brought up by regiments Of mounted
artillery, SIX horses, three ABREAST 10 each qua aud
o sappers and miners; and then The ggape wag
ons and the ponlon train. Bat the greatest ght wa,
the marching ol the nurses attached TO The different re
gments They seemed like machines, You think it
stangc, 70 doubt and yet lis oI,ss ''srange than
true" that every horse IN marching Kept perfect time
foot do II belicr-!ndeed, not well for when quick
lively tune was played by The music every horse com
inenced ol and kept np the uniformity Of step
as before, when On walk And then see those hof
ses wheel by companies, and in double ORDER coming
round with the precision Of compass describing circle
II exceeded anylh ng ever imagined
\ After The whole army. for the Imperial Guard is or
gained an entire and dsnc army had passed IN 10
view before the emperor, the infantry l, The field and
the cavalry remained N full possession of and went
through with some ev0utlOns First the Caucasians
full run down the feld and then the other re-
glmenis IN succession. Alter this The " hole body STA
Toned themselves al distance opposite the Emper
or, IN close order, and al given signal half Of this body
over l5OOO horseinen, started nun and suddenly
halted few feet IN advance Of the Emperor prcsen my
as they halted the sd ne compacneSs aud the per
feet ir1nl hcb they had betTe starting. few
evouIons; which have not tine 10 write about now.
finished the review of the day--a day which has done
much 10 impress on me the remark Of Napoleon, thai
with an army oi Russian soldiers he would conquer the
world
Tie spoke of the soldiers, not The officers of whom he
had not high opinion. The Russian soldier is a mere
machine, and has not thought beyond his hurch and
the tmperor-and for both he believes it his duty to
1--we or die Most Of he trmy is composed OF senS "
slaves and the pay Of The soldier is only abJu three dol
lars per dih"m. lie Is Ted upon bread and
kind OF soup, and great te day he is given
luxury. The pay Of the Russian officers is also very
small a Lieutenant gets but 400 nbes per annuIn
which is little than 500; Captain 700 rubles
and Colonel 1000 rlblfs. You ask how they hve?--
The Off GERS generally have competency beyond their
pay some few there who have not aud their cIndi-
is than the soldiers for the latter is provided
with uniform, and is fed al the expense of the En-