Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1865-03-29
SUWARROW, THE RUSSIAN HERO.

He was in person miserably thin, and
five feet one inch in height. a large
mouth, png nose, eyes commonly half
shut, few grey side locks, brought over
the top OF his bald crown, and small nm
powdered queue, the whole surmoun'ed
by a. three-cornered felt hat, ornamented
with green fringe, composed the I" head
and front" of Field-Marshal Suwarrow
but his eyes, when open, were piercing,
and in battle they we're said to be territi-
cally expressive. When anything said or
done displeased him, wavy play of his
deeply-wrinklsd forehead betrayed, or
rather expressed his disapproval. He had
philosophical contempt for dress, and
might often be seen drilling his men in
shirt-sleeves. 1t was only during the Sc
verest weather that he wore cloth, his
OTTER garments being usually of white
serge turned up with green: These were
most inditferently made, as were his
large, coarsely creased, slouching boots;
one of which he very commonly dispensed
with, leaving his knee-band unbuttoned,
and his stocking about his heel. A huge
sabre and single order completed his
ordinary costume, but on grand occasions
his field marshal's uniform was covered
with badges, and he was fond of telling
where and how he had Won them. He
often arose at midnight, and welcomed
the first soldier he saw moving with a
piercing imitation Of the growing of a
cock, in compliment to his early rising
1t is said that in the first Polish war,
knowing spy was in the camp he issued
nr1arc fnrc An offaot> Of oo.1, IL,
enemy, expecting it in the morning, were
cut to pieces at nine at night-Suwarrow
having turned out the troops an hour be-
fore by his we'll know cry. The evening
before the storm Of Ismail, he informed
his columns: Is
"To-morrow morning, an hour before
daybreak, mean to getnp. shall then
give one good cock-crow, and capture Is
mailp
When Segur asked him if he ever took
off his clothes at night, he replied:
"No! when get lazy, and want to
have comfortable sleep generally take
off one spur"
Buckets Of cold water were thrown
over him before he dressed, and his table
was served at seven or eight o'clock with
sandwiches and various messes which
Duboscage describes as detestable Co.'S
sack dishes; to which. men paid sthe
mouth honor, which they would fain DENY,
but dare not,S lest Suwarrow should con-
slider them effeminate. lie had been
very sickly3i in his youth but by spare diet
and cold bathing had strengthened and
hardened himself into first-rate condition.
English ale was his. tavorite drink. Sol
diers, indiferently from any regiment,
were his servants. His food, straw for
he used no bed) and lodging we're the
same as theirs. He saluted as they did !;
dispensed with his pocket handkerchiets,
like them would be seen half-naked, air.
ing his shirt and dressing himself at a
watch-fre, among a crowd of them in
short, he adopted all their habits. De-
scending to be their friend and model, he
did not only what they were obliged to
do, but whatever it was to their advan
tage should be done; and they were
proud to initiate the man who was not less
their comrade than their commander,
and the companion of princes. The con-
straint of duty was unfelt-obedience was
3 delight to them. They called them.
selves his children and him their father;
md while he attended to their wants like
me, his familiar :iests with them, or in
heir presence. made every condescension !
convey some lesson.