, 1877-08-26

| TIRE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL GUARD.
N<.r York Times.
The vast military preparations now going for
ward in Russia seem likely to bring the troops
OF the household brigade into the field again,
after q comparatively long interval Of inaction
! which has Of late years been faroritc subject
Of banter with the wits Of the St. Petersburg
press. But ii the pacific reign OF the present
Gar has furnished little active employment to
the Life Guards, it was far otherwise in the
days OF hts predecessors. The first definite ap-
pearance of the t'Leib- -Gvardia II in history
VAS in the form Of the notorious Preobrajenslt
(Transfguration) Regiment, jnstly styled by
Voltaire - the PTsntorian Guard Of Russia" by
whose influence the revolution which DESTROYED
Peter III. in 1712, to make room ior Catharine
IL, was mainly effected. Around this nucleus
grew up By degrees an organized household
brigade, which, under the able care OF Alexan-
a small army when the Napo1eonic war broke
out In the most desperate battles OF
that great conflict the Russian Guards
figured conspicuously. At Austcrlitz, in
1905. the terccst struggle OF the
Russian Imperial Guards, when. in the words Of
an eyewitness, @tthcy fought man to man, SO
mingled toecther That the infantry on either
side burst not fire for fear OF killing their own
men.'' At Fricdland, in 1907, when the French
onset drove back the Russians to the entrance
Of the town, the Foot Guards checked the roat,
and rcpu1scd the assailants with great slaughter;
nut the advance Of the French reserves over
threw these gallant troops in their turn. At
BoEodino, in 1872, they bore the brunt Of the
fight with firmness which excited the aln1ira-
ton Of Napoleon himself; while at Lcipsfc, in
the autumn Of the ensuing Year, 1t was the Cos
sacks OF the Guard who troke ke!lerman's
cuirassiers, and rctook.the ridge OF Aucniayn
with it's battery OF tWenty-six cannon. During
the fierce short etT11gglc Of 1914 the Russian
Guards greatly distinguished themselves; and
the fall OF Paris they were pronounced by 1nnre
than one competent judge to be the finest
troops on the ground.
The accession Of Nicholas, who regarded an
army as costly toy,-admirabie for show, but
Liable to be spoiled by actual usc,-lcft Il long
blank In the annals OF the Life Guards. Their
share in the Crimean war was merely nominal,
and since its close they have never been in the
field at all; but, nevertheless, they are not like
~ to be found wanting when called upon. Some
portions Of the famous brigade, inl1ced,-su |
as the Mated and iac&-bootcd ''Olga Cuirass- |
icrs,' y wearing ponderou6 helmets sllrmouutcd |
by gilt eagle, the tt Maria Paylovna Cossacks,,
gay in silver and blue, and the scarlct-frocked |
Crcassians, with their pointed helmets and |
chain-1nail hoods,-are paipablr intended more |
for ornament than for hard service: but there t
can be no question as to the quality OF the forty
five battaiions Of infantry that delled aloug the
Admiralty Plain at St. Petersburg, in Derem-
ber, ISL, under the keen graz eyes of Count !
Won Moltkc, with steaotncss and precision !
which ELECTED looks Of approval even from such |
rigid critics IS Gems. Aivenslebcn and Ftn Wcr-
der. Should they be sent to the front, the |
heavy rains and short provisions OF Bulgaria will
undoubtedly Try their mettle; but when once
With the enemy on pttched field |
they are tolesablJ certain to g1ye good account
of him.