Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-06-15
THE RUSSIAN SOLDIER.



ErCndent, SAYS in Youths Companion :
The Russian soldier in the field is man
uf many virtues AT home in peace, In.
deed, he has but one vice 20 speak Of.
re will get drunk when he can, and keep
drunk g long as he can.
Drink does not make him dangerous,
but simply adds to his child-like amia-
bIlity. He tumbIes about badly, but
quietly picks himself up, and staggeTs
on TIL the next tnmble sets in. He is
eager to hug every one he meets, and his
enthusiasm for kissing and calling all tho
world brother. when he is in his cups,
would be grotcsque were it not de-
grading.
The Russian soldier needs no iron
handed discipline TO keep in order. He
Is docile by nature, and he obeys his
officer, whom, indeed he addresses as
little father, as IL he were a child.
He Is contented in hardship; heat takes
no eject ON him, and he has become well
Injured to cold. His weakest point in
campaigning is his susceptibility to home
sickness.
When the Russian armies were lying in
front of Constantinople, in that long,
weary inaction between the treaty of San
Stefano and the treaty Of Berlin, thous-
ands " soldiers actually died of nostal-
gia, or inconsistencies. Dependency of
mind lowered the bodily tone, and they
seemed simply to fade away.
Tho Russian soldier, when the home
sickness is not upon him, is right
merry hearted fellow. All day long the
camp re-echoes to the voice of song.
Russian vocal music is real singing, not
the horrible ear-splitting falsetto, which
the serviaas and BuIgarians insanely rO-
gard as vocal harmony.
Tie Russian comic songs are full Of
snap" and vcrve; and they always have
B rattling chorus in which every one
within hearing joins; while the singer
accompanies the strains Of his chorus
with ludicrously fantastic break down,
IN which he seems to dislocate every
joint In his body. The plaintive melo-
dies vibrate with a strange pathos, that
swells the heart Of the listener, even
though he may understand nothing OF
the words. And the grand chant with
which the massive columns move forward
into battle glows with the true fervor of
lighting ardor. There is legend Of a
battle-song so heart-stirring that it in
spired Mennonites to violate their tenets,
and fight like men possessed.
The Russian soldiers are almost wholly
without book learning. Not above %
per cent can read, and a still smaller
percentage have any knowledge of writ
ing. Their religion, which is fervent, is
mixed with superstition. But their ex-
ternal devoutness is unremitting. They
live chiefly on soup, thickened with
little meat, much meal and anything
that fortune may offer on the march in
the way of vegetables. This soup
II made in large complexities, one
Of which cooks for each COM
pany; and when the soup is ready
each company marches up to his
own particular kettle. every man with his
pannikin in hand, into which the cook
bales q ladleful. When all are supplied,
the company re forms, and there is sung
3 long grace before meat. which / never
knew omitted or curtailed, even when,
IS on the Shipka Pass, the enemy's bull
lets would be whistling over the cooking
place, and occasionally rattling against
The kettles.
Throughout every regiment is a sprink
ling Of foreigners. whose loyalty is not
- be relied on, but with this exception
the Russian soldier is whole soulcd de-
voted adorer of the czar. The express
slon constantly in his mouth as regards
tie future, just as clcrgymen are won't
70 say, "God willingn is eff God and
the car willl'' They are TO him the ar
biters OF his destiny. eff God and the
czar will, have heard q Russian SOL
der say, tsthat / return home, oh, how
happy / should be; but If they decree
that must die here in > foreign land,
their win be donep'
The bravery of the Russian soldier adj
nits Of no question. He Is stupid, poor
fellow, and requires to be shown what
" II wished that he should do; he has
10 idea of initiative or of acting for him
self ON pinch; but he may be relied on
to 20 forward while an officer stands up
IS lead him, and he will hold his ground
till ne falls. He may be relied on against
falling q victim to panic; he is too stolid
md unimpressible for that. IL one
halt Of Russian army were slaught-
cred ii the morning, the other half
would suilenly rally and be ready to con-
front the prospect Of being slaughtered
that same afternoon. In the bloodiest
battles OF the old world, Borodino, Ey-
an, Eriedland, and the Plevna combats
IS july and September, 1877, Russian
troops have been combatanta But the
spectator OF battle in which Russian
soldiers are participants always feel half
sorrgfor them, half angry with them.
They have no lighting versatility or indi-
xidual Ingenuity IL their flank Is turned,
well, God and the car has willed the
misfortune, and they endure it passively
tIll the maneuver sweeps away ell who
have not fallen.
Unless there are officers to order him,
the Russian soldier has no more idea Of
helping to form the new front in such
a emergency than he has Of usurping
be crown Of the great white czar. He
Nas not even that appreciation 81 the
aWa1
Russia il The most rank astounding
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