The Santa Fe weekly gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.T. [i.e. N.M.]) 1851-1854, 1854-07-15
THE COSSACKS OF THE DON.

ln an interesting letter from Sir Char
les Shaw, which appeared lately,ia the
Morning Chronicle, the writer states
that, while on the Continent in the win.
ter of 1913 ami 1924, he was much d.
sappointed at the appearance Of the Cos
sacks he there saw, so unlike 1.-THE descrip-
ton of them which he had read. They
were armed with the lance, sabre, and
pistols, and mounted on animals much
rcscmblingstarvc Highland ponies; and,
instead of being as soldiers, they more
resembled bands Of robbers. On inqui.
ry, he found these were not real Cossac.
ks, but peasants, whose houses had been
burned down by the French army, and
had followed in the rear Of the Russials,
in the uniform of CosSacks, for the pug
pose oflegalising their plundcring pro,
pensitics, Immediately after the abdi.
cation ofNapoleon, III the spring oflSl4,
he had an opportunity, at Paris, Of see.
ing the armies of Russia, Austria, and
Prussia: and certainly no troops caused
more wonder and admiration there, cc
were in better fighting order, than the
Cossacks, especially those Of the Don.
They were in general very handsome
men, their mothers having been stolen
from the CircassianS, They had q Imam
ly, independent look, and with manner
in speaking as if they felt so; while res
pectful to their hetman and officers, they
showed they had respect for thomsel-
yes. Their horses, though small, were
active and in the best condition, and :al.
together they were a superior class of
men. Though serving as privates with
the army, they were in some measure a
sort Of yeomanry, being equipped and
horSed at their own expense; their sys-
tenn, both civil and military, being es.
sentially democratic, clecting thcirown
officers, and being entitled to many pri-
vilegeS. At home their districts were
governed by corporations, they elected
their own municipal officers, they wero
subject to no government taxes, andwere
not liable to the conscription; but they
were bound to defend the frontier where
they we're located, and ableto serve with
.he Russian army in the field against a
national enemy. There they received
pay and rations, and full.libcrty to live
at free quarters on their friends, and to
plumber their foes when on the move.
These were tho 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. The
Cossacks in Paris were armed in many
different ways; the were ofvarious hues,
languages, uniforms, and personal ap-
pearance, having come from all the dis
tricts of the extensive frontier Of Russia;
but the finest body was decidedly the
Cossacks of the Don. Although all the
iCossacks were plundorers, they were
strictly honest with their own class, pre-
wing in practice that there was honor a
mong thieves, This was strangely OK.
) cmplifed when they were quartercd in
Paris, 1914. They established regular
parties, at days march from cachother,
! to forward their plumber from the banks
on the Seine to those Of the Don and tho
Wolga, and the shores Of the Caspian
and Azoif seas. But The riches Of
Italy, Germany, and France first paved
the way for the 'CossackS losing their
warlike character, Onthcir return homo.
after the war, with their pockets full Of
cash, they naturally wished to enjoy il,
fCancludcd on foerth pdecI