Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-11-13
THE TURKISH ARMY.


Herr Won Wickede, the military correspon-
dent OF the Cologne Gazette, contributes to
that paper some interesting particulars about
the turkish army. lo order. he says 10 form
40 accurate judgment as to the military value of
the Sultan's troops, an entirely different stand
ard should be taken from that which is usually
applied to disciplined European army. IF
We compare Turkish infantry regiment as re-
CARDS outward appearance, the mar e lvering
power OF Its soldiers. and the education of its
rhcers, with one OF the regiments of any of
the great European Powers, We shall find that
1t IS lmmeasuraby inferior. A squad of raw
landTher recruits has more martial air than
the best Turkish battalion of regulars that [
have ever seen. Ga open ground, where good
moLeuveriug is IN these days the most i'm
portaut element of success, the Turkish army
would be simply useless against we'll disci.
plined European force.
single German corps d'armee would beat
$1,000 Turkish troops in the open field. But
these badly clothed aud armed, ill-ookiug, un-
derslzed, slouchlng Turkish foot soldiers DOS.
sess many qualities which, under good leader
ship, would make them equal to the best SOL
dlers 10 the world. 10 the first place their
bodily wants are supplied With amazing facili-
ty,and their powers OF endurance are immense.
a cup of black coffee, sualI hard biscuit of
maize, and few handfus of rice boiled in
water, suffice TOR their daily sustenance, aud if
they get piece OF half dried mutton once or
twice week 10 addition, they look upon i. as
dellcacy: Their dress and equipment are
equally simple If shoes are scarce whole
company marches barefoot; and if there are no
cloaks In store, then men remain in their thin
jackets without murmur
During the last war 10 the east [ saw Turk
lsh battalions which had not received auv nav
for SIX months, whose clothing was in rags.
and among whom pair of sound shoes-eyen
among the ofhcers-was rarity and vet.
though thus wretchedy clad, and ratiooed in
way which would hardly supply soldier of
Westpha!la or Mecklenburg with breakfast.
these men marched tor weeks up aud down the
steep snow covered mountains of the Balkan.
blvouacked 10 the midst of storms, in snow and
10 ice, and never Arumbled at their fate or
shlrked their duty. The Turkish soldier never
oiinks any spirits ne never reasons, executes
all his orders obedienty y and submissively. and
regards all his sufferiogs and dangers as iuevi.
table dlspepsatloDs Of Providence which should
be borne without murmur.
Another of his characteristics is religious fam
atlclsn. Under the Influence of this sentiment
be shows extraordinary courage and determi.
patton, and it is probable that these qualities
will be strongly developed in the struggle with
the christian dogs" Of Bosnia and Hcrzepo-
Vina. However Il uch We may admire the cfi.
clency OF our present German army, it NAV be
doubted whether 10000 German troops in Her
zegovlua would DO as much as the same num-
Der OF Turks. If our men had to fight dav
and nlght against an indeiatigable enemy, in a
hat.desert country, without pay or sufficient
1000, badly equipped, mat@uveriug up and
down hill, Oh the borders of deep precipices, in
blazing sun or an icy hail storm, always with
out root to their heads, and often without
wood or water, their military looks and spirit
would soon disappear.
Another very important quality of most
Turkish soldiers is an innate -siebtedness
an alGost lnstinctively accurate measurement
OF distances, and the complete absence of ner-
vous excitement. This is the reason why 40
many OF them are either excellent shots or
could easily be made 30. 10 the Crimean war
the turkish lDfautry were for the most part
armed with old HINT muskets, in so decayed
state that 1t almost seemed impossible to take
aim with them, aod yet they shot better than
either the EDglish or the French.
This great quality 10 the Turkish soldiers
has also, as | have been assured by several
German officers who served 10 the Turkish
army as artillery Instructors, considerably ia.
cllltated their training as artillerists Like
most uocivilized pations, many Turks of the
lower classes have good hearing as we'll as good
sight. As is the case with the Cossacks, they
have sort of inborn instinct for la petite
Ruerre, and do excellent service in OUTPOST or
patrol duty if they are led by toleraby good
officers which is but seldom . i. /. On the other
haud most of the Turkish subalterus, and even
many staff officers, do not use maps or other
scientific appliances, so that 10 this respect,
even for mountain warfare, they would be
placed at great disadvantage in conflict with
we'll trained European army.