Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-06-02
Circassla's Struggle Against Russia.

CircasSia's Struggle Against Russia.
The cable dispatch that the porte haC
resolved to send Shan,yl, a younger sol
of the great Shamyl to the Caucasus
recalls the most striking phase of tht
continual march for hundred years o
the Russians to the lands to the south o
them, In this march the brave and hardy
Crcassians have always been the lion,
in their path. After a most romantic
history, in which the names Of Prone
theus, Deucalion, 'yrrha, the Argonsuts
Nesostris, and the Egyptians, the Scy
thlans, Mithridates, Pompey ahd Trajab
the Arabs, Tartarsand TuTkomans figure
Ciscassia, in 1905, ovOrthrew the rule o.
the khans of the Cfimca, and became the
allies Of the Turkish sultan In 1875
the Circassians were declared independ
ent, bnt they have always retained al
affection for their old masters. In 1881
Russia acquired the kuban border, and
for eighty years afterward waged war
fare on the bold mOuntaineels, whose
heroic struggles to maintain theirtreedom
are not excelled in the history of any
people. In 1854 the Turks built the
fortress of Anapa, and thence melted the
Clrcas'ians to insurrection against the
Russians. The fortress was captured by
the Russians in 1907, buthvo years later,
by the treaty of bucharest, was restored
to the Turks, who availed themselves
Of the peace that followed to convert
the Circassians to Isamism. In
1929 Anapa again fell into
the hands of the Russians and
with it the country. The Circassians,
however. refused to recognize the ses
sion, and then began the struggle which
has made them famous, and gave to the
world one of the greatest leaders-Sha-
myl the father of the young man whom
the Turks now propose to send to his ma
tive land tOStiruphis countrymen against
their historic enemies and oppressCrs.
Sndmyl, the elder, was born about 1871,
and died at Medina, Arabia, in 1871.
He first appears in 1873, as subordinate
in religious war against the northern
inidels. In 1884 he became leader and
organized his grand warfare against
Russia, which lasted for nearly thirty
years. His first victory was over Gene
raj lyelitch, in 1899, at AkuIgo. His
forces were supposed to be crushed and
himself killed, but he reappeared soon
afterward and renewed the struggle.
The fighting at Akulgo was Of the most
desperate character, and for three days
the conflict was hand to hand, After
tye years OF guerilla Warfare the Gar
Nicholas sent % large amy into the
cogniry, which Shamyl opposed with
one Of equal numbers. The Russian
campaign was toiled and q new pAu Of
action was introduced against tie brave
mOuntaneers. All attempts 10 a1lug
them to pitched battle, Ia which they
had shown themselves the equals, il not
the superiors, OF the Russians, were
abandoned, and detachments sent
against isolated spots Wherever a
footing was obtained, there a tort was
erected. But this plan also failed. The
Circassian- kept up their offensive opera,
tions, and in ! $40 they swept the chain of
Russian forts and returned to their noun
tains laden with plumber This victory
was repeated in 1913 and 1880, and in
1853 they drove the Russians back rom
eight leagues Of territory. During the
Crimean War Russia had her hands full
elsewhere, and Shamy was compar-
atively inactive. As soon as the treaty
of Paris was signed the ear reopened
the war Shamyl held out hcroiclly tor
three years, but the capture of Neden
in April, 1859, virtually decided the con.
test Shamv retired to The mountain
fastness of Ghunib, near the Caspian sea.
Here on September 9th, after one OF the
most desperate conflicts OF history, he
was forced to surrender, and carried
prisoner to Moscow and st. Petersburg.
With this battle all active efforts to main,
tain the independence of Circassia
ceased. Shamyl was treated with dis
courtesy by the Gar, who
settled pension of 10000 rOubles upon
him. In 1870 the old hero repaired to
the shrine of Mahomet. where he died
the following wear. Although subject
to Russia, the Circassans have not aban-
doned their hopes offreeing their country
with the assistance of their old allies.
the Turks. In 1856 they sent
a deputation to Constantinople
imploring the suItan'S protection