The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-21

officers who have visited his camp, have expressed
not only admiration but ast0nishment at the skull
displayed In al his arrangements of defence aud OF
tactics, and are confident that he will make stand
worthy of any European army. He displays the &C
tvlty OF youth in all his movements and eager to
commence tie contest
Omer Pasha is row fftytwo years old He is
little below the NE dunn height, but be has martial
pbysiognomy, full Of expression. He speaks with
equal facility, ServiaD Italian and German. He has
been frequeDsly offered portfolios Of state, by the
Sultan, but Away refused preferring TO remain In
the army After the insurrectiOn in Hungary, he
took in hand the defence of the refugees whose ex
tradition had been demanded by Austria and Rus
fla. He went in person to Shumla, where he made
the acquaintance OF Kossuth, and the other prn;ip
men beers Of the refugees and upon his arrival at
Constantinople he actively interviewed in their favor
with the Sultan He brought several OF them with
him into Bosnia and Montenegro, and confded to
them important posts. Several OF these distinguished
themselves, and have remained in the service OF
Turkey. The distinguished Hungarian officers
Deubinski and Klapka, who fought so nobly for the
indepeL deDce Of their country, were amongst this
number and they now have the com nand OF TO- 900
men in the camp OF Omer Pasha. There are other
foreign officers OF Distinction in his staff mostly re
fugtes from Russian and Austrian oppression, aud it
will be safe to predict that these men will show little
cowardice when placed once more face to face with
their old and hated enemy.
ADD PAsHA.
The Asiatic division of the Turkish army, that d.
vision of it which is now collected at Erzeroum
Mount Ararat, in Armenia, aud destined to prevent
invasion of the Russians from the northeast shore
of the Black Sea, commanded by Abdi-Pacha, an
Asiatc, of the same age and youthful activity as
Omer Pasha. This officers tactics will be half Eu-
ropeaD, balfAsiatic and his military education has
been such to well fit him for the kind of warfare
which be will be compelled to adopt in that country
and with the kind of soldiers under his command. II
is to him that are fockng the hordes of Crcassans
Georgians, Syrans Arabians, and other unciviized
tv.N hnva Th0 Iatf E.xhf hn,o
it is under the standard of the Prophet Nohamed
that they are called and the Circaadans and Geor.
gians, because Ike the Poles and Hungarians, they
have an old enemy to deal with. 1t is in the noun
tAiDs or the confines of Georgia that the skill of Abd
Pasba VII be first tried, and he is said to be pecu
liarly fitted for this kiEd of mountain warfare. He
has surrounded himself with staff Of officers of
like stamp, many of whom are Circassians and Geor
gians, and have already distinguished themselves in
the long contest which has been going on between
them and Russia.
scHAMYL, rHE oIRcAssIAN LEADER.
In the staff of Abdi Pasha, is Schamyl, the Crcas-
sian, the most remarkable and desperate man with
whom the Russians will have to contend. The fol-
lowing biographical details Of this man who has now
for SO many years successfully withstood the on
slaught Of Russian armies in the Caucasus and who
where his talents will be more fully developed will,
doubt be read with interest. 1t is derived from
source worthy OF credit
The first time we hear of schamyl is in 1892. In
u
chief command in the bands of Lesghians, Tcbet-
chentzes aud other tribes of the eastern chain and
the steppes abutting on the Caspian and traversed
by the Kosu. Kasi Moah's reputation for sanctity
er military qualities, although dashing leader, aud
Individually Of the bravest of the brave He was
brought to bay in 1882 by General Rosen, at place
called Gumri. Encrcled on all sides, almost the
last scrap Of food devoured, nothing remained in
the opinion of Kasi-Molah, and about thirty of
his most jealous disciples but to hew for them
selves path through the Russian bayonets, to
freedom or to Paradise either alternative q well
come one This resolution finally taken, they sud-
denly emerged from the fastness they could no
longer hold and burst upon the Russian troops with
the shock Of an avalanche and the furious dis ordant
yells Of a troop of madmen. For one or two brief
moments it seemed that they must escape, so far
through the beleaguerng circle of their foes did they
cleave their desperate way before the Momently.re
cong ranks reclOsed around them, and they fell by
twos ard threes wildly fighting to the last, rddled
died with his hand on his beard, and last prayer
murmuring from his lips;" and his pupils persisted
with him, all save one. and he the bravest and
fercest Of them all, who broke through the encjr-
cling bayonets dashed at headlong speed past the
more distant lines Of running fire unharmed-reined
suddenly up as he reached the angle OF mountain
george, INTO which be knew none dared to follow,
shook his red sciuiter and hurled def ant execra
ton in the faces Of his baed foes, and the next mo-
ment, with an exulting shout of "Allah II
Allah y disappeared in the dark mountain pass
Thisfortnnate horseman was Schamyl, the future
Imam (preacber)-the prophets oldier OF the eau
oasus whose escape, as just described many Of his
followers to this DAY firmly believe was due to the
direct jnterposition of the angel Gabriel! Schamyl,
who is one of the dark-baired, darkeyed, partly
Tartar race of Tchetcbentzes WIS born at Tschir.
skei, place Of about three thousand inhabitants;
and after his escape from Gumr, he employed seve.
raj years in perambnlatng the mountains OF the Les
ghian chain, preaching wherever be went, With fer.
vid eloquence, upon the sacred duty devolved by
God upon all true believers to extirpate the intrusive
infdel and the paradtal rewards which death In so
high and holy cause must infallbly insure. This
prophetcall, as it was deemed tn battle, from the
cupolas and minarets Of the sublime aud to wering
Alps gradually kndled the latent fanaticism OF the
mouDtaneers to q flame, which soon communicated
itself to the dwelers in the cities and steppes of
story Of Schamyls miraculous escape from General
Rosen, by favor OF the archangel Gabriel, was re-
peated from mouth to mouth with endless variations
and additions-his daring, skill and su scess as q
soldier confirmed the illusions OF credulous bigotry,
and he gradually drew around his standard and bent
TO his sway, the multitude of rugged warriors whose
swords have inscribed SO many victories upon the
bscks OF the Russian armies and to this hour present
an invncible front to their disnayed and practically
discenfted, adversaries.
Many we'll authenticated instances Of his daring
are related. One or two of these may interest the
reader at this jopcture In 1880, Schamyl found
himself surrounded by Gen. Grabbe, and t velve
thousand veteran Russian troops, at Achulko, kind
OF mud encampmept perched upon the top Of q rock
on the banks OF Koisu. The position Of this place
was so strong, that the attempt to storm it aban
Goned alter the loss of fifteen hundred men, but
Scbamyl bad soon deadlier foe than Gen. Grabbe
and bis army to contend with-bupger hunger,
yergipg upon famine came before week had passed
This was known in the Russian camp, and the place
having been strictly invested all sides, it was GER
tain that the surrender could not be long delayed.
On the last day but one Of August, Gen. Grabbe
learned from an emaciated LesghiaD, whom his col.
ders had caught whilst attempting to crawl past the
blockadrg lines that not particle of food left in
Achulk,, that Scbamyl Bey proposed to escape that
very night, with one or two chosen comrades, by
means Of rope lowered down the face Of the rock
to the Koisu; and Achulko. he added, would be
rendered Immediately afterwards. A strict watch
was Immediately ordered to be kept at the indicated
spot, and dfe ,tions were given TO awaken the Gen
trsl at whatever hour Of the night the capt of the
Isdoubed Schamy might &c effected.
Just before dawn, one--twc--three men were seen
TO cautiously descend by rope let gently down on
tte river side, as predicted, who were Of course in
Mt md hurried off In the Generals