The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-08-25
A Roman Camp I'm the cas.a.u.


A work by DR.. Wagner, a German travelle
in the Caucasian mountains and the country o
the COssacks, from ls43 TO 1896, has the sub
Joined impressive sketch of the appearance Of
Russian camp and the life Of soldier:
"Until | had become accustomed to it
this mournful stiffness was indiscribably
oppressive TO ME, especially when remem
bered the scenes had witnessed in III,
camps and bivouacs Of the Atlas. Wher,
were the gay recruits, who celebrated with
music and dancing the day on which the lo
OF the consumption fell upon them Where
were the bivouac orators, the droll story
tellers, the punsters and blagueurs, who
used to keep their comrades laughing hal
the night through, around the watch.hres?
"Of all those animated ever-moying pic.
lures presented in the French camp, where
the spectator is every moment surprised and
amused by the quick inventive spirit and
lively Imagination Of the soldier, whether
1t express itself in witty inscriptions stuck
over the tents, or the erection, by unlesrn.
cd but not unskilful architects, of classic
monument, pantheon, or perhaps me-
mortal 10 Abelard and Heloise, made out OF
the boughs Of trees, or in the incessant fire
of jokes kept up by party of grenadiers
round a Kissing fying-pan---of all these
ebullitions Of spontaneous mirth, there is
not a trace in the camps Of the Russians;
and the only consideration by which | at
all console myself for their loss, was in the
freedom from the impertinence of which
the French soldiers are so often guilty to.
wards the civilian. Even the inspiring in
fuence Of the Vodka seldom makes Rus
sian forget the respect due TO a superior;
and when completely drunk they will sill
carry their hands to their caps, and stagger
on one side to allow any one to pass whose
dress implies his claim to a respectable rank
in society.
"What most surprised me in the camps
OF the Caucasus was, however, that OF GER.
tain hour all was changed as if by magic,
and the deep oppressive silence suddenly
gave way to music, song and dance. At
Jalta it appeared to me very remarkable
that the soldiers employed at the works in
the ha-bOr, every evening went back sing
ing to their tents; and had I not seen their
gloomy faces, ! might have mistaken their
songs for the expressions OF genuine cheer.
fulness. But when ] noticed that no smile
ever lit up their whiskered faces as they
sang. inquired how it happened that they
were seized every evening with this extraor-
binary musical humor, and received answer,
that it was standing order that they should
sing every evening when they had done
their work. More than once | have met
with men bawling with the utmost power
Of their lungs, whom | knew to have been
singing out" in different style few hours
before, under the vigorous application OF the
stick.
''lneffaceable was the impression | re.
ceived from what | had witnessed at great
er review at Vladikankas. 1t was on the
9th Of March, that the whole garrison OF
this important place Situated close to the
foot Of the Caucasus, on the farther side)
marched out to the inspiring sound Of mar
tial music, to great open place where the
review was TO be held. The day was cold
and gloomy, the earth covered with snow,
the mountains wrapped in clouds and fog.
Each grey coat carried on his back linen
bag, which appeared well filled; and at
length they all halted, shoulder to shoulder
like a wall--stroDg bony figures, broad
snub-noses, coarse sun-burnt faces looking
out stolidly between the lines Of glttering
bayonets. Suddenly, al the word of COM
mand, they all threw themselves down in
the snow, and remained on this cold couch
for some time, while the music was playing,
and the General Baldwin, gallopping about
among the recumbent ranks. Then there
was another word Of command, and, as If
seized by sudden impulse Of mirth, up
sprung about twenty men and began to sing
one snatched from his pocket little pipe,
on which he played, and then the whole
body Joined in tumultuous chorus. The
Russian spectators were amazingly delight
ed at this sight but some Circassians who
were present, and looking on with great in
terest, showed plainly enough, in their
eagle-eyes, their scorn Of the whole display;
and when all the Russians present doffed
their caps to the General, these proud
mountaineers gave no sign OF salutatlon."