The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1877-07-27
THE CZAR'S CAVALRY.
A Noble Body of Men-DraSOOns who
Fight IndiHerenGIy Mounted
on Foot Their Horses
and Equipments.

a Noble Body of STcn-DrnEoons Who
Fight IndiHerentIy 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 Masu-
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 wcedy, strengthened, close
coupled, pOwerfully-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
fanked, rather heavy-limbed, perhaps,
but without clumsiness-men, in fine,
of the stamp of our dalesmeD, 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 befallen me to see troop horses
so grand. Then saw handful of Uhlans
the men, take them as whole, run
ming a little smaller and lighter than the
dragons, but only a tritie sO-the horses
of equal substance; and another handful
of hussars, 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.
It 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 very
rudimentary, yet serviceaOle 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 little
way down, but extend the whole length
of the paunels. Both pommel and cantle
are high and cut out, so as to allow
current of air to circulate along the
backbone between the pannels. In front
are a pair of immense wallets which are
stuffed with belongings of man and horse.
Above the wallets is carried sheepskin
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
hav, packed very close in hay nets, hang
ing down on either flank. On the pannel
ends behind the cantle is carried small
round valise, much of the same shape as
that used by our cavalry, but without
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 pal
of boots, and one pair feathers for making
new legs to boots. Each third man
rarries a copper cooking-pot which fits
exactly over one end of his valise.
Above the valise is half 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 refolded daily, so that
fresh surface is always next the horses !
back, an admirable preventive of chafing. |
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 II
down on to the frame. There is no
breast-plate or crupper 10 the Russian
saddle, but leather band crosses the |
horses chest to keep the saddle in posi- !
ton. The headstall is simple, strong, |
and eminently practicable; there is no
gimcrackery of many buckles or brasses. |
The dragOon, who wears a kepr, a blue
tunic, and pantalOOns, with boots coming
Krink short rifle, not a carbine, in a
leather case slung on his back, with the |
butt on the right side and the muzzle !
above the left shoulder The nOn-cOm-
missioned officers carry no rifles, but are
armed with revOlveIs. The private dra-
COON has no pistols. He carries a sabre
without basket hilt. Indeed in the
Russian army there are few basket-hilted
swords. in a leather scabbard lined with
wood and tipped with brass, and bound
by brass rings. On the sword scabbard is
also the leathern sheath of bayOnet, for
use with the rife when the dragon Is
fighting OH foot. For the Russian dra-
COON is a dTagOon proper, according to
the original acceptation OF the term. He
is armed and trained TO fight indifferently
on foot or on horseback; you may call
him a mounted infantryman when he rs
on horseback, but ] should prefer to call
! him a dismOunteI cavalryman when he
is on foot. The Russian dragons march
| in sections of thrces, and at the order TO
| light on foot, the centre OF threes taxes
| charge of the horses of his two comrades,
! the sous capitaine of the squadron taking
! charge of the horse detachment, and
while striving TO avail himself of as much
! cover as possible, keeping also as near as
! 10. sibIe to the force fighting dismounted.
! To sum up the Russian dragoon has
| nothing about him that jingles as ne
rides-nothing that by sparkling could
! show his whereabouts afar off. He Is a
| plainly-dressed, workmanlike, practical
! looking soldier, with a genuine love for