Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-02-01

In an interesting letter from Sir Charles
Shaw, which appeared in the London Morn
ing Chronicle, the writer states that imme-
ldiately after The abdication of Napoleon, in
| the spring of 1874, he had an opportunity
lat Paris, Of seeing the armies OF Russia,
Austria, and Prussia: and certainly no
troops caused more wonder and admiration
there. or were in better fighting order than
the Cossacks, especially OF the Don.
They were in general very handsome men,
Their mothers having been stolen from the
Circassians. They had a manly. indePen-
dent look, and with manner IN speat1pg
as if they felt so; while respectful to their
hetman and officers, they showed they had
respect for themselves. Their horses.
though small, were active and IN the best
condition and altogether they were su-
perior class Of men, Though serving -
privstes with the army, they were in some
measure sort Of fyeomanry, being equipped
and i,orsed at their own expense sssheirsys-
TEN, both civil and military being essen.
TALLY, democratic their zownioffi.
GERS, and being entitled to many privileges.
AT home their districts were governed by
corporations, they elected their, own muni-
cipal officers, they were subject to no Coy.
Eernment taxes, and were not liable TO the
conscription (; but they were bound TO de-
fend the frontier where they were located,
andiiable to serve with the Russian army IN
the field against national enemy There
thew received paw, and rations, and f0ll lib
erty to live at free quarters on their friends.
and to piunder their foes when on the
move. These were the men who had been
the rear guard of the Russians on their re-
treat to Moscow before Napoleon, and their
advanced guard in following the French
from Moscow to Paris. g.
The Cossacks in Paris were armed in MAJ
ny different ways; they were of various
hues, languages, uniforms, and personaiap'
pearance, having come from all the districts
of the extensive frontier of Russia but the
finest body was decidedly the Cossacks OF
the Don. Although all the Cossacks were
piunderers, they were strictly honest with
| theirown class, proving in practice thas
there was honor among thieves. This was
strangely exemplifed when they were quar-.
tered in Paris, in 1914. They established
regular parties, at days march from each
other, to forward their plunder from the
banks of the Seine to those of the Don and
the Wolga, and the shores OF the Caspian
and Azotf seas. But the riches of Italy,
Germany, and France frst paved the way
for The Cossacks losing their warlike char
acter. On their return home after the war,
with their pockets full Of cash, they natu'
rally wished to enjoy It, and from the Rus
sian territory being at that time greatly exc
tended, they did not find their former place
of residence now on the frontier; conse.
ouentIy war was not their daily employ.
ment, and they still wished to retain all
their privileges. The Emperor Alexander
recolIected that when Moscow was the seat
of the Russian Government, the nations OF
the Cossacks, then consisting OF immense
bands of robbers, had often changed the
Government of the Cars, and that the VI.
cinity of the Cossacks was one OF the chiet
reasons for Peter the Great changing from
Moscow 10 St. Petersburg. But be that as
it nav, it IS certain that whenever Alexan-
der found any body OF the Cossacks as'
tempting to restore or claiming the ENJOY.
meat of their privileges. he moved some OF
them to the most quiet part Of his domin'
ions, or he surrounded others with bodies
of his troops, and forcibly removed them to-
some disturbed part of his distant frontier,
then giving them ground on condition that
they defended bis frontier; but privileges
were done away with.
The Emperor Nicholas carried on the
same system, though with cleverness and
tact peculiar to himself; but while indulg-
ing his own despo:ic notion. he has knock
ed the fighting propensltes out ot the Cos
sacks, and they are now incorporated IN ms
army, subject to all the rules of regular and
severe discipIine thus, though in appear,
ance Cossacks, they have lost their natural
characteristics, and they are now consider
ed the worst soldiers in the Russian army
having proved themselves such in the Turk
ish war of 1928, 1929, and in the war a.
eainst the independence ofPoland in 1851
But still in spite of this reality, there IS,
out of Russia, sort of romance attached'
to the name and dless of Cossacks, from
the remembrance of what they were IN
1912, 1913, 1914; and perhaps increased
by Lord Byron's "Mazeppa," who, afer
being lady's page, joined that society. and
from their democratic government obtained
the rank of hetman or chief OF Cossacks.
and, joining himself to Charles XII. OF
Sweden against the Gar, was totally de-
feated by Peter the Great at the battle OF
Pultowa. Peter massacred many OF them
after the fight, and sent 10000 of them to
deepen the Lake OF Ladoga. where me
whole mlserably perished, and at the same
time exterminated other tribes.
But in making any remarks about the
Cossacks as soldiers, Sir Charles Shaw does
not include the Cossacks employed at the
Caucasus, or as they are specially called
the Line Cossacks. He says 81 believe
there are no better fighting men in the
world than these men but, from their COM
position, / believe in this war they will at
tach themselves to that party which proves
itself the stronger. Many Of the Cossack
tribes were so tyrannically treated by Alex
ander that they emigrated to Turkey, and
settled in the Balkan range of mountains;
but about 5000 of them in 1923, were tempt
ed by Nicholas to return, who sent them Off
at once to the Caucasus and Sea Of Azof.
Other four regiments of Cossacks, who had
behaved i'll in Poland in 1881, had many
Poles incorporated with them, and as apua-
ishment were sent TO the Caucasus SO it -
to be hoped proportion Of those may now
join the Turks"
A ReMARKABLE ScENE.-Died, in Strong,
Me-, of the malignant "throat distemper."
which baffied all the skill of physicians
on the Goth of November Thomas Henry,
aged 8 years--on the 26th, Abby Josephine.