The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-06-14
COLT IN THE CAUCASUS. ,

1lu We find the following interesting an.
eodoM illustrating the value of a recent
American invention, in an English paper
of the 18th February: d. = bsrzf..
In-Dag 4 stan. al young Besghian chief
being severely wounded during one, OF
the. frequent razzias of the Russians,
took refuge in a ruined sakli, in order
to apply bandages to his wounds While
thus employed he was discovered by a
party of twelve dismounted dragons,
who Immediately gave chase on his ta-
king fight. Being fleet Of foot, for a
short while he outran' them, during which
time such of them as had their carbines
loaded, fred at him Intellectually Hav-
ing crossed one of the flexible bridges,
common in that country, and which was
over a rapid torrent at the foot of a
mountain, the fugitive finding himself
unable to proceed much further, and
having time to put his arms in order,
stood at bay under projecting rock
With yells of delight and uplifted sabres,
the Russians approached the bridge
The foremost nearing him cried. ''Yield,
dogl" Z" Not whilst L have twelve lives
at my girdle,p cried the undaunted
mountaineer. The Russians in the rear
laughed loudly at the boast; but he in
advance fell dead, pierced through and
through by bullet, nearly at the feet of
the Lesghian. The second soldier STUN
bled over his dead comrade, and as, he
rose received shot which caused him to
fall severely wounded. The next seeing
the same weapon, which had twice been
discharged, still pointed, rushed on but,
to the surprise of the Russians, third
shot was fred at him; untouched, how
ever, he was about to cut down the
Lesghian, when fourth discharge scat
tered his brains on the rocky parapet,
and lis lifeless body tumbled into. the
torrent beneath. Three of the Russians
had now fallen. What devil of a pis-
tol is this, that speaks SO often P" cried
the survivors to each other. The Lesghian
still stood firm, merely folding his pelisse
of sleeps skin round his left arm, ready
to receive a blow, a precaution not 5un-
needed, since now two Russians, abreast,
were on the point of assailing him Ger
tain of their prey, these advanced more
cautiously than their predecessors. This
time, two deliberate shots brought them
down right and left ); each fell pierced
near til ; region of the heart, The re-
manning soldiers were amazed. i7 The
Lesghiap, faint with loss of blood and
feeling his strength fast =ebbing, now
drew forth another pistol, a moment un
observed by the enemy, and rapidly fired
three shots at the group of Russians,
some fifty yards distant at the otherend
of the bridge. Owing to his sight being
now dim,, only one shot took, effect,
wounding one of the dragons in the
shoulder. Let US fly" they cried " it
is the Evil Spirit of the mountains; he
would kill our whole army."a According
ly they precipitately fed, just as the
Lesghian sank; down exhausted at the
foot of the rock At distance they
ventured to look back GO 1t hath van
ishedin the mist, p cried the superstitious
Museovitee. .a, s'u.s f65t i 1--5
The Lesghian chief was succored by
some of his own people, and ere long
recovered from his hurt, as did the wound
ed Russian. At his bridal feast some
four months after, the pistols, which were
a pair of Colts revolEers and were a gift
from an American traveller. Captain
K-to the youthful hero of the Cau-
casus, were handed round amid the gen
.eraf benediotions of1athe party. The
bride is said even to have kissed them,
saying, "Ah my Dehemet, were all the
brave Circassians armed like thee, there
would not be so many fearful maidens
and bereaved widowsin Daghestan." - =.
: The Russian prisoner, soon reconciled
by kind treatment to his position, has
had the cruel horsehair t removed from
his heel, and has often cleansed and load
ed those identical specimens of the fatal
weapons, destined to effect such a revo-
tuition in the.warfare of the world. a'
The story of g devils pistol was
long told among the simple Russian
soldiery, when conversing on their
march, as the winding column assembled
some interminable mountain, or when
the grateful Samovar (kettle) gave prom
ise of tea, at the close of their days
journey. Now, the partial introduction
of the arm among the officers has in
some degree dissipated the telling effect
of the story, but many still devoutly be-
lieve that the young Lesghian chief was
no other than the Prince of Darkness
himself, out ON sporting expedition for
the express purpose of bagging Russian
soldiers. oS -sa.7.sz I;sd g9a@i-H
=-------i t5:R -8-algliI yas- 1..i,ssol;
+ A tuft of horse-hair is commonly in
serted by the Circassians in the heels of
their prisoners, in order to create such
degree Of lameness as to prevent their
escape. fa.m aEsH azs2sa.Es eaier
? i The simplicity of. many of the Rus
sian soldiers is, almost touching in its
childness. 1t. is against the Gar that
we are making war, not against these
unfortunate beings.
A SLIGHT ERRoR.-A gentleman of
.Douot was going out in his carriage to
make some calls with his wife, when he
discovered that he had left his visiting
cards. He ordered his footman, re-
Gently come into his service, to go to
the mantle piece in his sitting room, and
bring the cards he should see there
The servant did as ordered, retaining
the articles to be used as he would be