The Kanzas news., 1858-03-13
The Kanzas News.
sATURDAY:::;:::::::::MARcH 10, 1858.
The Armies of Europe. 6rr
Report of the american Military Gonnais-
A'F -. sa.,@ - az, T-..,o,

Report of the american Military Coaanass-
siossey sent to tie Crsnsea.
twill be remembered that, during the
late war between the Allied Powers and
Russia. three Americas officers, Major De-
Ia6eld, of the Engineers, Major Merdecai,
of the Ordinance, and Captain Mcclellan,
of the Cavalry, were sent by the Gov
ornme1it to the Crimea to derive all the in
formation theycould.concerning the strength,
efficiency and general organization OF the
cnmbatants. The american officers, in the
,nrocass of their investigation, enjoyed fa-
,;ciI;ties and advantages that may never again
be enioyed by similar commission. They
witnessed a siege which, for the ingenuity
d;snlaved. both in attack and defence, stands
upparalle!ed In the annals of war. They
we're allowed to investigate the defensive
MANS of the Russians and the offensive op-
erations of the Allies, and, being intelligent
and energetic men, they made good use OF
their opportunities. Capt. MeCfellan's re-
mort alone is a formidable quarto volume of
nearly 400 pages. It is devoted, almost
exclusively, to thorough examination of
the military organization of the leading Eu-
ropean Powers.
Capt. Mcclellan devotes large portion
of his report to the Russian army. And
one striking fact is presented, viz: That it
is organized solely with view to great mil
itary considerations, entirely untrammeied
by the necessities of interior police service
in time of peace. It's organization in army
CORDS, divisions, etc., is uniformly kept up
during peace it is located solely with ref
erenee to operations in foreign countries or
,on the frontiers, and is maintained in con-
slant readiness
Of the organization of the Russian army,
but little was known until the breaking out
of the Crimean war. and the facts now col
lected by Captain Mcclellan will be found
both new and interesting to the American
reader.
The Emperor, of course is Commander-in-
Chief of all the forces by sea and land. His
grand staff is composed of the heads of de-
partments, and his general aides-de-camp-
title which is merely honorary-are some
eighty distinguished officers, who have no
especial duty to perform. His real aides
de-camp are not limited in number, and are
composed of Major Generals, field officers
and Captains. There is, under the Russian
Government, "War Ministry" which is
divided into t'the office of the Minister Of
War; and ''The Departments" The lat
ter have each director, vice-director and
council of administration
The Russian army is divided into the
main army of operations. reserves, garrison
troops, irregular troops, gendarmery, model
regiments, and military schools.
The main army of operations is composed
of troops who have not completed their frs
term of service.
The general staff is divided into the gen
eral staff proper, and the topographica
corps. OF these, the first consists of II
general officers, 32 colonels. 48 lieutenant
colonels, 62 captains, and 78 lieutenants.-
The Typographical corps is composed of
general as chief. generals, / 5 field officers
81 captains and lieutenants, and eight com
panies of different strength, but amounting
to 456 sergeants and privates in all.
The Russian infantry is divided int
infantry of the liae, light infantry ant
rifles, comprised in regiments, as follows
19 of the guard, 10 grenadier, 4 carbineer
4e Uf the f1rr, and 4S light. There are aIst
the following independent battalions: Fin
land rifles of the guard, / of grenadier ri
hes, and rifles of the line. A Russian
regiment, in addition to its number, has
name-generally that of some province o
caty. and sometimes that of some distin
guished Prince, native or even foreign
Each regiment has four active battalions
and each battalion is composed of four com
panies. The complete strength of compa
ny is 4 officers, go sergeants, musicians
and from $50 to 936 corporals and pFivates
The strength of battalion of the line, o
light infantry, is 1,055 combatants, and o
battalion of guards, grenadiers, or of car
bineers, 1,079 combatants. The strengt
of a regiment of the line flour battalions
is 1857, and of a regiment of guards, 8,
294 combatants.
The Russian cavalry consists of cuiras
siers, dragons. lancers, hussars, and Cos
sacks. The cavalry are divided into cava
~ of the army, of which the former con
sists of 4 regiments of cuirassiers, 2 {
dragons, of lancers, of hussars, g {
Cossacks, and 81 independent squadrons
The latter-cavalry of the army-number
regiments of cuirassiers, of dragoou:
90 of lancers and is of hussars All th
euirassier regiments and all the cavalry G
the guard have six active squadrons per reg
lment; the Dragons of the line have te
active squadrons per regiment; all the re:
OF the regiments, except two of lancers an
two of hussars, forming the reserve ligf
cavalry division, } have eight active squad
ions. On the war establishment the fu
strength of each squadron is s officers,
sergeants, trumpeters, and 146 corporal
and PEivates- The strength of regimen
OF SIX ,squadrons is 1 ,034; of regimen
OF eight, 1877, and of regiment of te
squadregs, 1,729 combatants.
The Russian cavalry is composed of battel
les Of position, or heavy foot batteries, an
mountain batteries. A heavy foot batter
consists of six 19-pouhder guns. six ea
FOUNDER licornes, = officers, 312 men, an
s4l horses; or of four 19 FOUNDER gun.
iour 28-pounder feernes. with proportion
ate III. - =