The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-05-31
SCHAMYL AND THE CIRCASSIANS.
Wars with Russia-SRIIi and Heroism of
SchamyI-Town of suisum Kuleh-Char-
pctcr of the People.

Circassia, ON the nortbt astern coast of
the Black sea, and about 100 miles from
Batonm. 1t was once o place of some
Importance, and is supposed to be the
historic Sebast polls. IL Was captured
by the Russians in 1871, and its deca-
dence has datel from that time. The
region about is sparsely settled, the
whole province probably not containing
more than about 100, 900 souls. Recent
dispatches reported that violent com
bat had taken place there, the Russians
being driven ont. Ten thousand natives
joined the Turks, while the town was
set on fire by them, and the Notifications
seized. "All the surrounding coun-
try," says dispatch, is rising in sup
Russian repulses have also been received.
Eight thousaad troops, 800 Circassiaus,
$4,000 rifles and some mountain batter
les have been dispatched to that country
from Con tantinople to aid in an ilsur-
rection i'll TIE mountains of the Caucas-
us. In the meantime it is reported that
the second son of ScAamyl, who lives at
st. Petersburg as an officer of the impe-
rial guard, Ia been sent to the Circas-
sian country to take part i'll appeasing
the reiel ion which h0sbrOken out there.
1t is also cur.ously stated that Schamy's
eldest son has been sent out by the
Turks to command the CircIssiaus. 1t
Will therefore be matter of interest to
learn of the remarkable career OF
Schamyl and of the tribes whose chief
tain he was for twenty years.
The people of the Caucasus have long
been known as warlikp, adventurous
and i-barbarous race This region
is about 700 miles long, and varies in
width from sixty to 100 miles. No other
couutry on the flobe contains so many
different nations or tribes. In StrabO's
tine seventy dialects were spoken. At
present there are. more than 1OO-Per-
sian, Turkish Finis and Teutonic words
being amoIg those that are found. The
prevailing religion is the Mohammedan,
but Christians are enumberedamongt them.
For century and n Lalf they were pitt
up into an infinite number OF clans
OF petty tribes, when the aggression of
Peter tho Great incensed them into or
ganization, and in 1885 the encroach-
ments of the Russians had become so
great ttat the war cry was sounded, and
it has seldom been silenced since I he
Russians have, on the other hand, been
greatly incensed at the barbarism shown
toward the Chris ians of Georgia In
1871 the Circas ian lead L was made
prisoner and put TO death. War follow
ed more bitt L and desperate THAI ever.
One # their chieftains, thirty or- f rty
years ago, after years of hard fighting
against the Rus ians, fell at Himri, with
all his friends except one dead around
him. This young ,urvivor was Schamyl.
He WAS thirty-seven years Of age, said to
have been a silent and earnest man,
learned beyond his people, aud believ,
ing himself inspired from Allah. Th Y
afterward called him "TLe Prophet
Warrior of the G ,ucasus.
His survival of the great conflict at
Himri had so much of mystery in it f I
his people that he ua3 regarded by them
with reverence, and not long afterward
he was again the sole survivor OF a bat
tie, and eventually established himself
i'll full and complete authority over the
people. He made his headquarters at Il
place built upon almost mace ssible
rocks i'll the mountains, and fortified it
with trenches, earthen parapets, and
covered ways. So great did his power
become against the Russians that in
1889 the Gar Nicholas, irritated by his
boldne5s and defiance, sent Il powerful
army against him, with orders to capture
Schamyl alive or dead. A great bat
tie was fought, in which the Russians
suffered enormous lJsses and Schamyls
force was annihilatei, but Schamyl HIM
self escaped. But it was Pyrrhic vic
tory. Every tribe in the Caucasus was
enraged and i'll arms against the czar,
and hel ced t. strengthen the cause of
Schamyl. He adopt 4 the guerrilla
! system Of warfare, and in that the noun
! tains and ravines gave him further aid
| The Russians could not cope with him.
He continually encouraged them to cross
the boundary linz, ,a4d when they had en-
| tangled themselves among the mountains
of the Ia ines the Circassians would
shoot them from the overhanging rocks
above. On one occasion the Russians made
a formidable attack, but were repulsed
with loss of 1000 men. The car was
greatly mortified, and sent another army
and new general. 1t was nearly ami
hi ated, and the general-prince came
near being made prisoner.
Schlm, | then assumed the offensive,
ana i'll 1913, 1850 and 1853 made irrup-
tions into Russian territory, at one time
driving them back eight leagues. Attel
the Crimean war Russia renewed opera.
tons III the Caucasus, and continued
them until 1859. Her army seized the
Circassian stronghold and drove Schamy
to mountain fort near the Caspian Sc 1,
Here he made n last desperate struggle
but was captured md taken to st. Peters
burg a prisoner, wh-re lie received con
sidesate treatment. The country wa!
conquered-at least Russia considered
that the Georgian Christians would nC
longer be persecuted-and pc ce ha'
since prevailed. In 1864 about 200, ,OOi
Circas ians removed to Turkey, ar,
made their home ON the western anC
northwestern shore of the Black sea
English eulogists of those people have
! called them the haudsomest, bravest anC
noblest of mankind; others have pictureC
them as semi i-barbarous bands of out
laws, living entirely by plunder, giyel
to polygamy, and selling their daughter
in Turkish markets to the number
! sometimes, of l 1000 year.
: Schamyl did not remain long in ST
, Petersburg. Russia assigned him resi-
, dence in Kaluga, 100 miles from Mos
l COW, with pension of about $4,000. L
} January, 1870, he went to Mecca, Arabs
l and soon afterward to Medina, where h
3 died in March, ,1S71.-NelO YOrkIri6uat
A Brave MOntenegrin WOmaD.