The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-12-02
OTTOMAN SOLDIERS.
The Different Races from which the Turk
ish Army Il Draw1s

In no army in the world, perhaps,
except our Indian army. is there to be
found n greater variety of race and hue
than in that of the Sultan of Turkey.
In one essential only is uniformity re-
quired--that of religious belief. To
the follower of Mohammed alone is it
permitted to bear arms in defense of
the dominions Of the Padishah, and, il
fate DEGREES, to become chihid, q
martyr for the faith. No Christian ar
Hebrew subjects may enter the cont
blatant service of the Sultan. but they
render tribute for exemption in the
bedel askerieh, or military tax.
Foremost among the peoples which
furnish the best material to the Turk.
ish army is the peasantry of Anatolia.
Of hardy and Industrious race, singu.
larly patient and long suffering under
trial and privation, tho Anatol an bat
talions have always been among the
most trustworthy soldiers of the Sultan.
The best troops with which Mehemet
Ali in the Bulgarian quadrilateral con-
frontcd the Russians in 1877 were from
Anatolia. Their disciplined bravery
was the admiration of all who wit.
messed their conduct in action. Me-
hemet Ali himself thought rather
better, perhaps, of his Bosnians and
Herzegovinians. Hardy and enduring
as the Anatolians, they often showed
more fiery courage, due probably to
their Slavonic blood, and. in tho hands
of officers capable of leading them,
would have proved irresistible. But.
thanks to the ignorant rashness Of
Suleiman, their magnificent battalions
were decimated at the Shipka. 1t was
with the remnants of the Bosnian regi-
ments that Baker sub ;cquently covered
the disastrous retreat of Suleiman's
army by Ichtman and Tatar Bazardjik.
With the occupation of Bosnia and
Herzegovina by Austria this element
of military strength has been lost to
tho Sultan. Almost on an equality
with these first two were the troops re-
cruited among the descendants Of the
old Turks settled in the country north
and south of the Balkans-the troops
with which Osman held Widdin and
Plevna and the country to tho west
petuous than the Bosnians, they did
not yield to them in the stubborness
with which they would advance to or
repel attack. War largely diminished
their numbers, and some (not many)
have remained in Bulgaria and Rou-
melia. Tho majority Of the survivors
have returned into Asia. from whence,
| five centuries ago, their ancestors
crossed over to spread the terror
and power Of the Ottoman name
in Europe. The Mussulman Bull
| garian, the Pomak, lacked many of
the better qualities of the true Turk;
and there is evidence that some of the
worst crimes committed during the
atrocity time of 1876 were the work,
not of the descendants of tho old Otto
man Turks. but of the Pomaks. Fol-
lowing these came the Albanian con-
tingents to the Turkish army. Here
three very diverse elements were found
under one designation. varying in cour-
age and submissivencss TO discipline.
The best of these men are the Tosks
(the race which gave some of its most
renowned and distinguished leaders to
the Greek insurrection of 1826) Of lower
Albania and Epirus, the country of the
Souliotes and Ali of Tepelen. After
them may be reckoned the Arnaouts OF
northern Albania and the Ghegas OF
the center. These last were held IN
little esteem by the Turks ish command.
ers. by reason of their want Of disci.
pline and the difficulty of controlling
them in garrison or among the Chris.
tian population. They are, besides,
much under the influence of the desire
for piatcika, or loot, and the prevalence
of vendetta between the members OF
different families and tribes often rem.
dercd it difficult to preserve peace
among the northern Albanian regi.
ments. For this reason they have
always been among the first troops dis.
banded after war.
Coming after these men, but ut some
distance, are the Syrian Arabs. The
Syrian troops that formed portion OF
Mehemet Airs army in 1871 showed
very little ardor in fight, and many ol
them took advantage of any skirmst
to intlict on themselves slight wounds
to escape service that was dis
tasteful to them. Among the most
worthless of tho contingents SEM
from Asia to reinforce the army in
Europe in 1877 was that composed o
Zebecs. drawn from tho country be-
hind Smyrna. These picturesque bu
| cowardly and blood thirsty warriors
were utterly useless against the enemy
In the field; but woe to the prisoner
who fell into their hands. Long be
fore the war had terminated they were
sent out of Bulgaria. to the great relic
of the Turks and the population gener.
ally. But tho element which most com
pletely belied its reputation was the
Circassian. Vain-glOrious and trucu
lent, the conduct of tho Tcherkess
throughout the war was bitter dis
appointment to the Turks. A more
unfortunate hospitality was never exer
cised by the Turkish Government thar
when they gave refuge to those noun
taineers Of tho Carcasus after theil
subjugation by Russia. Planted alonl
the banks Of the Danube and in thu
Dobrjs in the hope that they would h,
useful against Russian invasion, the,
proved \ scourge to their neighbors
and were dctested alike BY Christian
Turk and Tartar. Cattle-lifting wa,
common with them. but horse-stealinl
was preferred. So systematic werl
their arrangements for passing OIL
their booty that they completely evadet
the ordinary authorities. who. how
ever, were suspected Of being in collu
sion with them. They never could b,
got to face the Russians in open fight
but occasionally stampeded thei]