The Wilmingtonian., 1886-10-23
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2s, 1850.
Russia,s Tremendous Army.

sia can dispose equal 2, 4s4, 900 combatants."
Nothing in ancient, medieval, or modern |
military records can equal such colossal fig |
ures.
Outside of the undisciplined hordes of |
Zenghiz Khan which were mostly innumer-
able struggling swarms of Gothic, Hunnic,
OF Tatar cavalry without semblance of dis
cipline we have been generally taught to be-
lieve that the two million (2,317, 600 accord
ing to Herodotus) of Persians that invaded
Greece under Xerxes to be the largest gath
ering of disciplined soldery that the worlds
record can show. In the twelfth century
during the crusades, when England, France. |
aud Germany Joined their forces with East
ern European principalities for the purposes
of their ill-eombined and ill-arranged oppo.
sition to Saracenic influences in the East, the |
total of the Christian forces in some in
stances showed very high numerically; and
the Grand Army of Russian invasion under
the Great Napoleon, in more modern times,
would if augmented by the number of the
French troops left at home come almost up
to the figures of the Persian army that re-
oeived its wonderful coup at Thermopyla.
In the France -Prussian War the total oil
the opposed armies was unusually large
though not by any means equalling the ag-
gregates in our armies during the War of
the Rebellion. The totals called for the
Federal army from April Is, 1851 to Decem-
ber 10, 1854 were 2 942, 74S, aud the num-
Der obtained was 1890. 4O1 The army was
the largest during the summer Of 1865, when
not quite 900 900 men were enrolled and
on service. The Southern armies at no time
hardly excelled one balf that number in the
field. 1t can readily be perceived then how
even our large figures dwindle alongside the
colossal Russian figures of 2,4sS 900 under
arms to-day
The following detailed statement in regard
to the make up of this. tremendoes force is
given. SIN the course of the last l6 years
the Russian infantry has been nearly doubled
and the regular cavalry has been reinforced
by 104 squadrous. The army of the first line
inclusive of its Cussack contingent, is com.
posed of $50 battalions, sos squadrons, and
35s batteries, forming total of 1,20t, 900
troops of all arms. The reserve, with the
first and second ban of Cossacks, can put
into the field 500 battalions, Gj4,OO men
and it must be noted that this reserve con.
sists of well drilled and officered veterans,
perfectly capable of fighting in the first line
and not to be confounded with the 6SS bat
talions and 70 squadrons of the territorial
militia, which can be only called out by
special imperial ukase Exclusive of this
territorial militia and inclusive of the naval
forces, the mobtlzable masses of which Rus
sia can dispose equal 9, 4SS, 900 com batants.
A detail of Importance to be remarked in
connection with the Russian military organ
ization is the immense proportion of it's cav
airy element, which represents |, ,130 SQUAD
rons-G0S in the first and j22 in the second
line. 1t must be remarked also that the
cavalry in Russia is genuine institution and
not at all an institution on paper, as many
are inclined to represent. The Russian cav
airy soldier is not recruit stuck on the out
side of horse before he was conscripted. He
has ridden horse from his earliest childhood,
and when he leaves the colors, after the ex-
piration of his term of service, he mounts at
home, aud until too old to leave his iireside
passes fully half his time in the saddle Ac-
cording to the plan presented and executed
by the Russian Minister of War, Count Mil
ioutine, the entte cavalry is being trans
formed into mounted infantry. An idea
borrowed from the Circi ssians, say those
who forgot, if they ever knew, that this in.
stitutiOn was first practiced in America dur
ing our civil war, and was much Knocked at
then by certain brilliant British military
critics, who suggested also the introduction
Of mounted troops into our navy. II is posi-
BILE, however, that in this case the men of
Daghestan were, for Russia, the inspirers Of
the innovation which, in the fist instance
was adopted by the Cussasks and gradually
has been imposed as the tactics of the whole
Russian Army 1t is not likely to be appli.
cable in countries where, as in France and
Italy, the ground is cut up in hedges, fences,
and'diches, but it secures a wonderful su
periOrity to the power able to use it on the
vast plains of Prussia, Poland, aud Russia.
1t requires great number OF horses and
great number of men who can ride, and Rus
sia can dispose of both. In France the sad.
die horse has almost--eomparatively speak
ing, Of coursC disappeared to make way
for the draught horse, and the Frenchman,
as a rule cannot ride, so no such organiza-
tion here is possible, and, although Germany
in both respects is superior to her old en-
a., &c INF To-, l., -