The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-06-10

from the interior-4O, 900 STRONG. In
November Of that year Peter himself
piloted the first merchant ship into his
new harbor. He gave the captain exemp.
tion from customs and also presented
him with 600 ducats BE would have
civilization, and 1t should oonstst Of or.
der by force, Of commerce and interna-
tiouality.
For several years Charles XII prose-
cuted his wars in Germany, but in 1706
he was again ready to turn his attention
to Russia. He made his way to Vol
hynia, destroyed the electoral states with
extortions and acquisitions and made
wide ruin in the country. The GEAR
awaited the coming Of his foemen in the
Ukraine, while King Augustus. his half
treaoherous ally, stood on his guard in
Lithuania. But for the present. Charles
attacked neither the one nor the other
He turned rather into Poland and Sax
ony, leaving behind him o small force
to hold the conquered territory. It was
in the midwinter Of 1908 that he at last
issued from Saxony with al army Of
43, 900 men and marched on the Me
men.
Having crossed the river, Charles first
encountered the Russians at Grodno and
came near taking the ozar prisoner.
Peter adopted the same tactics pursued
by Alexander with Napoleon 104 years
afterward. He receded into the interior
in the direction Of Moscow, and the
Swedes came after him. When Peter
made overtures for peace, Charles re-
piled, II will treat with the car in
Moscow" Peter answered Ny brother
Charles is going to be Alexander, but he
will not find Darius in me-.
The next stage Of the Swedish march
was to the Berezina. Soon afterward, at
Golotsvin, Charles attacked and routed
30, 900 Russians in battle, but their
courage showed him that he was fight
ing rising foe. After the battle the
Swedes were almost hopelessly involved
in the Russian forests and swamps. At
Dobroe he fought second battle, and
the car was again overthrown, but the
Swedes lost heavily, and the fall had
already come before they could resume
the invasion. Meanwhile division Of
10, 900 men under General Lowenhaupt
was delayed and was intercepted and
defeated by the GEAR in person. Only a
wreck Of Lowenhaupt's army succeeded
in reaching the camp Of Charles. The
car for his part returned to Smolensk
as victor and entered the old town
with salvos Of artillery and other sig
nails Of rejoicing.
Already the king Of Sweden found
himself the victim Of his own impru-
denoe. He moved into the Ukraine un-
der the persuasions of the celebrated
hetman, Mazeppa, immortalized in By
ron's poem. But the Inhabitants Of the
Ukraine did not rise in favor Of the
Swedes, and Mazeppa himself became a
fugitive and had great difficulty in get
ting the remnant Of his forces united
with those of Charles on the Dnieper in
the dreadful winter of 1708-0. Already
the same scenes were enacted in the
Swedish camp as were to be witnessed
on larger scale in the French campaign
of 1912. The same horrors were repeat
ed. The Swedes began to freeze to death.
The crows that would have eaten them
were frozen dead ON their bodies.
With the opening Of spring, 1909, the
czar followed his antagonist. It was
now the countercharge. Baturin, the
capital Of Mazeppa's hetmanate, was
taken. Charles got himself to the town
Of Poltova and there awaited the arriv-
al Of the Turks and Poles, who were
never to come. In June, 1909, the czar,
with 10000 men, protected by intrench-
ments, offered himself for battle. The
Swedes were by this time reduced to
fewer than 10000, and these were
weakened by suffering and privation to
the point Of exhaustion. Only the fires
Of the Morse Sagas still famed in the
breast Of Charles and warmed his SOL
diery. Peter had 70 cannon and Charles
only 4. Meanwhile the Swedish king,
wounded in the heel, had been sub
jected to severe surgical operation,
30 that he could not ride on horseback.
He ordered himself to be put on litter
on the day Of battle and drawn from
place to place, according to the exigency
Of the fight.
The battle Of Poltova is one of the IA
nous conflicts Of history. The qualities
Of the czar came out in his address to
his soldiers. He said: 1.-The moment is
come. The future Of our country is to be
decided. You must not say it is for Pc
ter we fight. No. It 10 for the empire
,onfided to Peter. It Is for Russia. It is
Tor the orthodox faith, for the church
IF God. As for Peter, know that he is
ready to sacrifice his life for glorious
md prosperous future for Russia
The battle was begun by the Swedes.
They rushed to tie attack with the fury
If madmen and took TWO redoubts. The
,zar and the king were both in the
midst Of the melee. Peter had his hat
'hot through, and Menshikof had three
,orses killed under him. The Swedes
Ought like the men Of Thor, but their
Iavage onsets could not avail Men
Ihikof, in the whirl Of the lines, got on
he Swedish rear and planted himself
between the main body and their camp.
The Russian artillery fire in front swept
Town everything. The horses of Charles
litter were killed, and his halberdiers
'arried him hither and yon according
o his orders until Of the "a all but three
we're shot down.
At length disorder ensued, and the
,wadaa fed Chpr1as h;rnoo1f t,a;rr.