Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-12-28

w ID1S1bD DIOU
schamil the Cifcaelsn Leader.
II i. mos. certain tAat ~ { esassians win
take an active part in asyw4 occupied by
Turkey against Russia, andlat is certain that
in such an event we shall haf Of daring ex.
plot. on the part q sehaz their brave chief.
We have every reason - - ~ that schamil
has succeeded in bringing eesat : defensive
union between ali ths tribe9Si Caucasus, and
that he possesses theirunissftieted confidence.
Some accounts Represents ~ = being almost
an idol. and the people - i4lasiniag him to
have charmed life. Thsis S&ttssiasu indeed,
may well have been stirred spby his past ca.
reer. 4sS
The first time we heariof hmil i in 1892.
'Is4hat year, dsvout Muss} 80. ..Kassi Mol.
" leld schief coumasA d q baad Of s.es.
q 4. 1hetcAsptyiss. y = tribsa oi the
eastern cham. 40 eshSs 1battisg on the
Caspian and trarsr.s Ksi1s. Ka.i
tuau tuut WuScn - SeY~sSU1 - INC uIBueV nfass
itary qualities, although dashing leader. and
individually one Of the bravest Of the brave
He was brought to bay in 1891. by General
Rosen, at place called Gumri. Encircled on
all sides. almost the last scrap Of food devour.
ed, nothing remained in the opinion Of Kasi
Mollah, and about thirty Of HE most sealous
disciples, but to hew for themselves q path
through the Russian bayonets, TO freedom or to
Paradise-either alternative welcome one!
This resolution finally taken, they suddenly
emerged from the fastness they could no Ion.
ger hold. and burst upon the Russian troops
with the shock Of an avalanche, and the furi-
Gus discordant yells of troop Of madnen.-.
For one or two moments it seems that they
must escape, so far through the beleaguering
circle of their foes did they ciesve their dcs
perate way, before the momentarily .recoiling
ranks reclosed around them, and they fell by
twos and threes, wildly fighting to the last,
and riddled by musket balls and bayonet
stabs.
Kasi Mollah "died Nth his hand in his
beard. and last prayer mermuring from his
lips;" and his pupils perished wits him. all
save one, and he the bravest and The fercest
Of them all, who broke through the encircling
bayonets, dashed at headlong speed past the
most distant line OF running fire unharmed--
running suddenly up as he reached the angle
of mountain gorge. into which he knew none
dared to follow, shook his red scimitar. and
hurled defiant execralon in the faces of his
baffled foes, and the next moment, with an ex.
ulting shout of"Allah IL Allah" disappeared
in xhe dark mountain pass. This fortunate
horseman was Schaml, the future Inman
(preacher,) the prophet soldier of the Caucu
sus, whose escape. as jost described. many ol
his followers to this day firmly believe va.
due to the direct interposition Of the angel Ga
briel.
Schamil, who is one Of the dark k-eyed, dark
haired. partly Tartar race Il Tchotchentzes
was born at Tschirfrsksi,a . placs ofabout rhrc
thousand inhabitants; and after. his escap
from Gumri. he employed seversByears in per
ambulating the mountains Of the Lesghial
chain, preaching wherever he went with fervi,
eloquence upon the sacred duty devolved b.
God upon all true believers, to extirpate tn
intrusive infidel, and the paradisal reward
which death in SO high and holy cause mus
infallibly insure. The prophet call, as it wa,
deemed, to battle from the cupolas and minar
cts of the sublime and towering Alps, gradu
ally kindled the latent fanaticism OF the noun.
taineers to fame, which soon communicated
itself to the dwellers in the cities aud steppes
of Deghistan, and the adjacent valIies and
plain.
The story of Schamils miraculous escape
from General Roscn, by favor Of the archangel
Gabriel, was repeated from mouth to mouth
with endless variations and additions his da.
ring skill, and success a. soldier, confirmed
the illusions Of a credulous bigotry; and he
gradually drew around his standard. and to his
sway, the multitude Of rugged warriors whose
swords have inscribed SO many victories upon
the backs Of the Russian armies, and to thi.
hour presented an invineible front to theil
dismayed and practically discounted adver
sarics. !.
Many we'll authenticated instances of his da.
ring are related in number of Chamber ex
cellent Repository" published some months
since. One or two of these may interest the
reader at this juncture.
In 1e40, Schamil found himself surrounded
by General Grabbe. and $4,000 veteran Rus
sian troops, at Achulko. kind Of mud encamp
ment perched up on the top Of a rock on the
banks of the Koisu. The position of this
place was SO strong that the attempt to storm
it was abandoned after he loss Of Is 900 men
but Schami had soon deadIier foe than Gen
Grabbc. and his array to contend with-hun-
ger, verging upon famine came before a week
had passed. This was known in the Russian
camp. and the place having been strictly in.
vested on all sides, it was certain that the
hour Of surrender could not be delayed.
"On the last day but one of August, Gcner
al Crabbe learned, from an emaciated Lesghi
an whom his soldiers had caught whilst at
tempting 10 crawl past the biockading lines
that not particle Of food was left in Achulko
that Schamil Bey proposed to escape that very
night, with one or two chosen comrades, BY
means Of rope lowered down the face Of tn,
rock to the Koisu; and Achulko. he addet
would be surrendered Immediately afterward
A strict watch was Immediately ordered 10 b.
kept at the indicated spot. and directions wer