Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-11-11
The Troops Of England, France, and Russia
Compared

Although we have now been tor more than sli
months at war; it is only within the last few
weeks that we have found opportunity OF
testing the actual military capacities Of the en-
envy, or Of ascertaining the value of those I'M
provments lately introduced into our own SER
vice. Both these point however involve ques-
tons of much Importance We ourselves ARE
entering into European war after an interval al
forty years. and our adyeTSaries represent ma
ton which has claimed and received eNtraordi-
nary credit both Tor military aptitude and mar
ta prowcss. 1t Is true that the Russian sol
diers were occasionally spoken OF with dlspar-
agrment half starved and spIdtless sefs,
whu-e physical weakness must necessarily dis
qualify them from vigorous action, and even II
high military authority among ourselves de
scribed them a. men TO whom British soldier
would be disposed to present 'brcad rather than
the Bayunct." But ON the whole, the contra
~ opinion obtained the greatest currency, ana
the Russian army was ext"llcd as model OF
efficiency. Even if the individual soldier was
somewhat STUPID. it was said that his logged
obstinacy and blind courage rendered him Tor
midable while the general organization of the
army was described n leaving nothing to be de-
sired. The staff arrangements were perfect, the
cavalry exceeded in strength and quallfy that
of any other nation, the artillery wis admirable,
and the whole system constantly revised In eve
~ particular according to the latest discoveries
OF science or experience. Now, without deny
learn of our enemys prowess, think two OF
three conclusions can be safely drawn from the
events OF the Iast month
The Russian soldier is certainly neither weak
nor iamishcd Our correspondent reported ap-
parently with some little surprise, that the men
taken or left upon the field of battle were almost
uniformly strong and muscular, in the prime of
youthful life, well fed and sufficiently clothed.
There traces of any such physical inca
pacty was, perhaps, expected. Possibly the
food Described rs forming their daily rations
might seem Indifferent to those who lived upon
sound beef and pork, but 1t was clearly nutri-
tous enough to keep the consumer in good work
ing order. The equipment OF the men was good,
scrviccnble and devised with proper appreci-
alton of n soldiers real wants. Every man has
his warm trousers worn inside Il pair of strong
well made boots, while his outer clothing CON
sisted of long, loose great coat, which might,
we should think, prove rather cumbersome i'll
any rapid evoutious but which clearly left easy
room for the play of the muscles. Most of the
arms taken were found To be excellent of their
kind, and the workmanship OF the guns in par
ticular excited general admiration. In one res
poet the most desirable arrangement had been
adopted: 'lhr uniform OF the officers was scarce
" distmguishable from that of the men, so that
their lives were not exposed to any cxtraordi-
nary risk. Altogether, the individual Russian
soldier proved to be rather above the standard at
which he had been rated.
In respect, however, of the organization, man
agement and efficiency of the army at large, the
conclusions suggested are of different kind
We look in vain for any peculiar excellence in
those departments which had been much
praised. The artillery, indeed was well served,
but, as it had been placed in position before hand
the range had been carefully taken, and as
the gunners had little to do but to load and fire,
no credit can be assumed for the result, nor
such conduct be compared to that of our own
artllerymen under Clrcum stances ot "A tar more
arduous kind. The ineflciency of their cavalry
appeared most remarkable. Although they out
numbered us greatly in this arm, they turned the
advantage to little or no purpose, nor dld Their
numerous sQualrons venture upon trial of
strength even with our handful of troopers. We
do not read indeed, Of ii single saber wound be-
my inflicted throughout the day. The only horse
men spoken of respectfully the Cossacks,
who, in their agility, intelligence, irregular
tune aud individual self reiinnce seem like
mounted Annkees. As to the staff of the
army ar the ability displayed in command or ma
nuuverug, can only observe that every pro-
cccdng of the Russians appears like blunder.
Tn the other hand, we may truly say that all
the refirms recently introduced into the British
service have proved To b. improvements indeed.
Our soldiers fight none the worse, and behave
none the WORSE for having been treated with
greater consideration. The decplne of the ar
my was never better although corpora. punish
ment has been almost abolished, and it Is PLAIN
ennngh that men who have been encouraged to
attend schoolmastcrs, and treated like reasuna-
bile beings. can march against battery with
irst much tearlcssness IL those trained under
the mere brutalizng system OF past days. With
regard to new fire arms, the conclusion is en-
trcly satisfactory. As it happened the battle
on our side is decided by th, bayonet alone but
the effort of the Mimic balls Is described fully
equal To expectations, while the weapon itself
has proved Just convenient for the rough and
ready work of IA campaign the clumsy old
muSket which it superseded.
Without any wish to disparage am enemy we
feel compelled To say that the Russian army APP
pears much less formidable than it pre>um-
ed tob be. Though the victory of the Alma cest
dear, the result was due less To the tenacity
of the resistance than the strength of the posi-
ton. The Russians never crossed bayonets |
with H., nor did they stand up in defence of
their rebuilt when once we had got to close |
quarters with them. The most creditnbe point
of their management the success with which |
they carried off their guns; and Prince Men
schkoif may certainly be pardoned for losing
his carriage, considering that he saved his artil |
lery. But upon the whole, the first encounter |
of the forces of great European powers, after
long an interval OF peace, did not add anything |
To- the reputation of that State which had atyane-
ed the greateSt pretenec to military excellence.
Both the French and English displayed qualities
which attracted universal admiration. The
French >urmounted obstacles of ground with in
conceivable alacrty, aud fell upon the enemy
with an impetuostv which nothing could resist
\" movement could possibly have been better
planned, better executed, or more brilliantly ac-
compli,hed than that by which our brave allies
turned the Russians left. The British moved
up to the very mouth, of the guns with the
StcadlncSS of a div iSion on naralp and Stormpl