Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-08-04
Brilliant Spectacle,

And one not often seen by any American,
the annual review by the Emperor of the R u.s.
ssian Imperial Guard, at st. Petersburg, num-
bering some sixty thousand men. is thus descri-
bed in letter in the New Haven Register
The account will be read W it'll interest,":
ST. PETERsBURe, June, 1847.
"Every year this Review takes place at the
| Imperial City, preparatory to the departure of
the troops for their summer quarters. For a
bout four hours | had good view of the mag
nifcent sight, and my hurried pen will fail to
give you an adequate description ofits exceed
ing splendor. When arrived upon the ground
the troops had already begun to march. The
balconies and windows of the public building
and elegant private residences surrounding the
| field, were filled with ladies' and gentleman, and
the sides of the field itself covered with dense
mass of men, women and children. On one
side of the field gorgeous tent was pitched
upon raised platform for the Empress, and be-
fore her Majesty and the Emperor, the troops
were to pass in review. The panoramic view
of the whole field you can readily imagine was
beautiful. But to the Review itself, of this
great body of 100000 troops, who in part only,
compose the garde Imperiale of the Emperor
| Nicholas, and who are distinct from the main
| army of Russia, which believe numbers near
one million rank and file.
The foot soldiers, infantry principally, first
passed in review, marching by patoons Of COM
panies containing. perhaps, one hundred and
fifty men each, and in double order. As the
several platoons arrived opposite the Eem2eror,
the peculiar Russian hurrah went up the whole
length of the line, making the welkin ring
The soldiers were all picked men, tall, athletic,
and every one of them with heavy black NOUS
tache. They moved with mathe matcal pre-
cison, and whether on a slow or quick march,
seemed like pieces of mechanism, and their
muskets not varying. it seemed an inch, either
in the height or inclination given tn them. OF
all the marching have seen, and have seen
the American, French, Dutch and Prussian SOL
ders none will at all compare with the Russian.
The uniform of the infantry was blue and red,
not unlike our militia uniform in Connecticut.
1t was about two hours before the infantry had
passed in review, and then came the cav Try,
advancing in double order, by platoons of sixty
horses abreast; and here was a sight that beg
CARS description, and which, when l rcall it,
seems like magnificent vision. First came
company of Caucasian Princes, mounted uDon
black, coal black fiery steeds, with lolg names
and tails, almost sweeping the ground. The
CCa3casians were dressed in red garment fit
ting closely to the skin, and over this finely
wrought steel chain armor covering the entire
body, fell from the head loosely over their neck
and shoulders; upon their feet they wore
kind of sandal, and upon their legs leather leg
gins, similar to these of onr Indians warriors;
across their backs they carrieda bow with we'll
filled quivers; IN their hands carbine, and in
their girdles the savage looking yaghaigahm.-
They are fierce, though handsome looking
set of fellows. Next came the Tartars, upon
their ld-looking, fleet, little horses the horses,
all Of them, carrying their necks forward and
their heads high up in the air, as if snuffiing
the breeze, or, so Uniform was the line of heads.
as if they we're all drawn up by pulleys. The
costome of the Tartar soldier is a blue frock,
trimed with silver. and kind of skull car,
bound with fur; in his hand he carries spear,
the end Of which he rests upon the head, be-
tween the ears of his herse. Then cameihe
Cheralier Lnncers, splendid looking men, dres-
sed in white cashmere, with heavy and highly
polished brass breast plates, brass helmets sur
mounted upon most elegant horses. Regiment
after regiment passed by, each regiment with
different colored horses, and the horses in each
regiment so we'll matched in size, form, color.
and indeed every respect, that to distinguish
them, each had braided in his name his number,
upon a small plate. The Lancers are all pick
ed men, and are of the flower Of the Russian
army, the officers being of noble birth; and were
it not for the dIffernt colored pcnnants they
carry upon their lances, and the color of the
horses, no one regiment could be distinguished
from another, so nearly alike are they. Aftor
the Lancers, came the Imperial Hussars, in
their costume of red, with high fur caps and
mounted every one upon white steeds. This
regiment. 1t is said, is the favorite regiment of
the Empress. Then came the Imperial Car
bneers, mounted on black horses, and dressed
like the Laneers, except that their helmets and
breast-plates were Of steel, highly polished
Following thes came the Cossacks-ther black
steeds carrying thef heads high in the air.
The dress of the Cossacks is similar to that of
the Tartars, which have above described, ex-
cept in their caps, which are high and of fur;
their weapon is steel sharp pointed lance.
The rear of this immense body of cavalry,
amounting to over 80, 900, was brought up by
Regiments of mounted artillery, six horses,
three abreast, to each gun, and of sappers and
miners; and then came the baggage Wagons.
and the ponton train. But the greatest sight
was the marching of the horses attached to the
different regiments. Trey seemed like ma
chimes. You think it "stra nge," no doubt, and
yet t is no less 'strange than true," that every
horse in marching kept perfect time wih his
feet, tcih the music. | never saw soldiers on
DOT do it better-;n1eed, not SD well, for when
a quick, lively tune was played by the music,
every horse commenced trot and kept up the !
same uniformity, as before when on a walk.
And then to see those horses wheel by compa-
MES, and in double order, coming round with |
the precsl on of compass describing a circle |
it exceeded any thing ever imagined.
After the whole army, for the Imperial
Guard is organized as an entire and distinct
army, had passed in review before the Emperor,
the infantry left the field, and the cavalry re-
NAMED in full possession of it, and went through
with some evolutions. First the Caucasians
came at full run down to the field, and then
the other regiments in succession. After
this, the whole body stationed themselves at
some distance opposite the Emperor, in close
order, andat given signal half of this body, |
over $4,000 horsemen, started on a run and
sud lenly halted few feet in advance of the |