Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-02-17

SHaMY1.-TNhe Caucasian leader who has so long
successfully resisted the Russians and is now the ally
of the Turks excites at the present moment great IN
terest in Europe. Much curiosity has been felt to
1ears his antecedens. We CLEAN the following part
culars from sketch of him in OF the recent num-
bers of the New York Tribune:
He was born in 1897, and at the age OF 81 became
the chief of the IschetschentZes, Crcasslan tribe
In person he is, of medium size with light hair; his
ewes covered by long and bushy ashes are full OF fire.
his beard though white, does not give him the appear
ance of age File very abstemious, eats little drinks
wafer and sleeps but few hours. For long time
the fastness of Akucho his residence, whence he
darted upon the foe. ''Mahomet the first, Shamy
is the second prophet of Allah :" is the war cry OF
Daghestan.
In 1889, the, Russian General, Grabbe, attacked
Shamyl in his retreat of Akulcho. The fortress was
dismantled by heavy artillery, but the Tschetschen-
yes did not suffer at all Sheltered in vaults and
vices, they rushed out 10 fire their deadly rifles, and
then disappeared Several assaults were thus repuIsed
by them, but nally the rocks were mined, and, at
the fourth assault after horrible boodshed, the Rus
slams took the fortress on the 22d of August. But
Shamyl was not to be found among the dead. With
few Murides he had rereated to the caverns OF the
mountains There they constructed kind of raft
which threw into the stream at the foot OF the rocks
They sprang on this floating conveyance, while they
were fred at from both banks of the river. All per-
ished but one who leaped into the current, reached
a sure spot and disappeared in the mountains This
was Shamyl. after this defeat, he visited the
tern tribes of the Caucasus, and preached among the m
the holy war against Russia, but without success.
On his return, he selected abode in the fortress
of Dargo situated in an almost impegnable position.
Grabbe attacked him there in 1912 When the Rus
sian army had completely entered the primitive for
ests and defles around Dargo, it surrounded by
the troops of Shamyl, and more than half of it de-
sroyed This was the mos; terrible defeat sustained
by Russia during this whole protraced contest.
no 70 ho diSost for bo
rial troops. The commanders changed again and
again. and finally Prince Worontzof sent there
with uni limited powers. AT that moment the power
of Shauly absolute and extensive. He ruled the
Lesghisns, the TschesehentZes the Awars, the Ksts
and the Kumngs. Shamyl not only warrior but
legislator, had established over the unruly princes
of these tribes, kind OF theocratic monarchy he
had united tribes hitherto hostile each other or
gained numerous military force, and in 1843 com
manded above 5000 of the best cavalry in the world
His body guard was then 1000 men. When Wor.
tontzoff took command of the Russian army his first
idea to avenge the defeat sustained at Dargo-
He cut roads through the forest, and indeed felleC
the trees entirely for miles of country Heroic feat
sin guarzed this campaign on both sides, but DargC
finally taken and destroyed in the course of thu
year 1845. In 1916, Shamyl descended with nearly
tw enty thousand horse upon the western side of thu
Ca ucasus, invaded the Kabardians, and not being q
BILE to bring them to his side pllaged the country
and returned to Daghestan without the Russian
| overtaklng him. Since that time WorontZoff ha
slo WY proceeded to enclose him in an iron circle AM
the area of his activity has narrowed and more
From time to time he has been wont to rush from
his retreat upon the enemy and to n1ict on him tn
severest blows, but has been BILE to carry on tn
war on large scale. visionary priest, an enthu
slastrc prophet warrior andlegislator, for momen
it Sc med his destiny TO become the sovereign of tn
Caucasus, and to the independence of hi
country against the encroachments and freebootin
ambition of Russia. More recently this has appear
ed impossible, and it now remains TO be seen whethe
1t can be revived by the events of the Turkish wal
One thing is certain and that is that whatever be tn
final result, the Russian arms in Asia will meet
more redoubtabe or heroic anita gonist than Shamyl