The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1877-07-20
THE CZAR'S
Noble Body of Men-DraEOon. Who
Fight EndiHereniIy Mounieh or
on Foot Their Horses
and Equipments,

A NobI Body of Men-DraEOons who
Fight EndiHcrenuy Mounted or
on Foot Their Horses
and Equipments,
Mr.. MacGahan. of the London Daily
News, who recently witnessed a review
of the Russian troops near Turnu Magu-
relli, writes as follows of the cavalry:
The artillery moved off and the de-
tachment of dragons came up. The
Russians do not claim to have any tech
nically "heavy" cavalry of the line.
There used to be a whole division of
cuirassiers which were very heavy cav
airy, but there remain of cuirassers now
but three regiments, and these belong to
the imperial guard. But the Dragons |
saw were virtually heavy cavalry-Cav-
airy indeed as heavy as any in Europe.
Horses seventeen hands high, neither
clumsy nor wtedy, strengthened, close
coupled, powertully-quartered, noble
crested, with small, well-bred heads, and
the stamp of immense power and leonine
courage pervading the whole frame,
Men tall, square-shouldered clean
hanked, rather heavy-limbed, perhaps,
but without clumsiness-men, in fine,
of the stamp of our dalesmen, who fur
nish the best troops to Our household
cavalry, only for the most part of greater
breadth of shoulder and massiveness of
limb. | will frankly aver that it has
never yet belallen me to see troop horses
so grand. Then | saw a handful of Uhlans
the men, take them as a whole, run
ming a little smaller and lighter than the
dragons, but only a tritle so-the horses
of equal substance and another handful
of hu3sars, the men ~perceptibly slighter
and shorter than the Dragons, yet still
big men, the horses hardly so tall, but
with almost as much power. The Rus
SLAMS, as they have technically no heavy
cavalry of the line, so they have techni-
cally no light cavalry of the line; the
Cossacks constitute their light cavalry.
1t is a fair question for discussion whether
it is wise or otherwise to have all the
regular cavalry thus massive, for really
no other expression conveys so truthful
an idea of their character.
The Russian cavalry saddle is q very
rudimentary, yet serviceable article for
practical works. 1t consists simply of a
wooden frame raised ON two wooden pan
nels, which fit the horses back, lying
lengthwise on either side Of the back
bone. The only leather about the saddle
are the flaps, which come only a little
way down, but extend the whole length
of the PANELS. Both pOmmel and cantle
are high and cut out, 81 as to allow a
current of air to circulate along the
backbone between the PANELS. In front
are a pair of immense wallets which are
stuffed with belongings of man and horse.
Above the wallets is carried a ~sheepskiD
pea.coat, above that again the cloak,
neatly folded, not rolled, and the whole
is covered by the horse-rug, which en-
velops the wallets and their superstruct-
ure, and being carried back to the cantle,
furnishes also the seat of the saddle,
there being no leather seat, as in our
military saddles, above the wooden frame.
Behind the wallets, or rather, perhaps,
behind the top of the pommel, the dra-
coon carries rations for two days, bread,
rice, salt, &C., in canvas bags made for
the purpose. Behind him, across the
cantle, hangs also in canvas bags on
either side his borse's ration of grain for
two days, with two days allowance Of
hay, packed very close in hay nets, hang
ing down ON either flank. On the PANEL
ends behind the cantle is carried a small
round valise, much of the same shape as
that used by our cavalry, but without a
flap. In this and in the wallets the
dragoon carries the following kit: One
uniform tunic, one white tunic, three
shirts, two pairs draws, one sleeping com.
forter covering head and neck, one pair
of boots, and one airleathers for making
new legs to boots. Each third man
carries a copper %cOOking-pot which fits
exactly over one end of his valise.
Above the valise is half a tent d'abri,
with one of the stakes. | should have
said that above everything in front are
strapped the picket pegs and ropes, which,
however, seem TO be very little used.
Underneath the saddle frame is a felt
blanket folded four-fold, which does duty
for our numna. 1t is refoldeddaily so that
, fresh surface is always next the horses
back, an admirable preventive of chatting.
One inch-broad leather girth maintains
the saddle In its place with the aid of
another passing under the horses belly
some distance further back. A surcingle
keeps the rug in position, and straps it
down on to the frame. There is no
breast-plate or crupper TO the Russian
but a leather band crosses the
horses chest to keep the saddle in posi-
ton. The headstall is simple, strong,
and e%minently practicable; there is no
yimcrackery of many buckles or brasses.
The dragon, who wears a kepr, a blue
tunic, and p~antaloons, with boots coming
10 to the knee, carries a breech.loading
Krink short rife, not a carbine, in a
Gather case slung on his back. with the
on the, right side and the muzzle
Ibove the left shoulder. The non-cem-
nissioned officers carry no rifles, but are
rmed with revolvers. The private dra- {
Don has no pistols. He carries a sabre
'ithout a basket hilt. Indeed in the '
army there are few basket-hilted 1
words, in a leather scabbard lined with !
God and tipped with brass, and bound |
y brass rings. On the sword scabbard is q
80 the leathern sheath of a bayonet, for t