News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-03-23
THE YOUNG RUSSIAN GENERAL.
Too Much Vino at His Dinner-A
Boyish Freak-PersonaI Notes,

Too Much Vino at His Dinner-A
Boyish Freak-PersonaI Notes.
1t is now claimed that the speech in
press OF the young Russian General,
Skobeleff, which caused SO much excite
ment in Germany, was caused by wine
dinner with too much wine. A CORE
spondent says:
General Skobeleff is no weighty poll
tician. He is a soldier, only thirty
eight years old, who has not had time
yet to understand that the commander
of an army has more responsibilities
than q mere sub-lieutenant, and when
under the influence of wine is q mere
boy.
The Pail Mall Gazette reproduces
some interesting "reminiscences of Sko-
beliefs career. The story of his ex-
ploits in the Bulgarian campaign in
cludes all that was most exciting in the
war which brought the Russian arny
within sight of the minarets of SIAM
boul. From the day when 'sto show
the stuff he was made of, he swan his
horse across the Danube while General
Dragominoff was forcing the passage at
Slmnltza, to the time when he could
with difficulty be restrained from march
ing into Constantinople as soon as the
British fleet entered the Sea of Mar
mora, he was the most prominent actor
In the drama. He became legendary
hero of the campaign, and in the minds
of the common people, he almost mo-
nopoi1zed its glories. He was always
in the forefront of the hottest battle
four horses were shot under him in ten
days, but he was only wounded once,
and after being in constant expectation
of death for months he returned home
safe and sound. His white uniform was
to his soldiers as the white plume of
Henri Quatre at the battle of Iyry, ST
have heard the soldiers speak Of him."
says Lieutenant Greene, Gas General
under whom they would rather fight
and die than fight and live under an
other. They had often to die-some-
times fifty per cent. of his command
persisted but he spared no exertion to
minister to their wants and to supply
their needs. His division was the best
fed and best clothed and best armed in
the army. He was always with them
in the most exposed positions in the
fight, sleeping with them in the
trenches and looking after all their ne
cessities in the camp. In Short" says
Lieutenant Greene, che succeeded so
thoroughly in making himself one with
his division that his men responded to
his thoughts as readily as the muscles
obey the will. I doubt if more thor
oughly ideal relation between General
and his men has existed since the days
of Cromwell"
His custom of wearing white, as If to
court the bullets of his enemies, his
reckless personal bravery and the
strange custom of his always "going
into battle in his cleanest uniform and
fresh underciothing, covered with per-
fume and wearing q diamond-hilted
sword, in order that, as he said, he
might die with his best clothes on, !"
gained him the reputation of wild
daredevil, which somewhat obscured
his real capacity as general. In real
ity they only showed how thoroughly
he had OWNED that secret of power
which lies in fascinating the imagina-
ton as well as of appealing to the rea-
son of men. When he was sent to take
Geek Tere and subdue the Tekkes many
shook their heads and predicted that his
impetuosity would be his ruin. So far
from that being the case he displayed
the utmost caution, acted with the
greatest elaboration, refused to move
from July to December, until he had
made all his preparations, and after he
had carried on camels to the trenches
no fewer than l, SIS, 600 rounds of am
munition, to say nothing of several
thousands of heavy shot and shell, he
laid seige to Geek Tere and captured
that hitherto impregnable stronghold.
he had 1O,UUU troops against 4O, GOO
Asiatics, and he achieved the conquest
of the Akhal Tekke country with loss
of 937 men. Only once in that cam
paign did SkobeIeff display his usual
recklessness. After the fortress had
fallen he was riding through the coun-
try with his escort when he met several
Tekke. He asked who they were. They
answered, Friendly Tekkes." Chow
can I believe your word ?" he asked
again. "Tekkes never lie," was their
confident response. "Well," replied
Skobeleff, 'if that is the case 1 will
send my escort homo and will return
accompanied by you" He was as good
as his word, and his trust in the word
of the nomads was not misplaced.