Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-02-17

I ~ u
L----- standing. surround.
KunAN cossAck. ed with snow, and
transformed literally into statue OF
ice. He dies striding over the sandy
desert. and yielding up his last breath
with his last step; lie dies of his
wounds on the battlefield, or in the
hospital, at a distance of 5000 miles
from his native village-and In these
supreme moments the Russian soldier
is sublime
During General Gurko's expedition
through the Balkans, in the war with
Turkey, the infantry sometimes march,
ed without halt for thirty miles, and
then began at once to fight.
The Turkistan army, during its CAM
paign against Kinda in 1878, after
two months march through steppes
and the widest deserts, arrived on
May III on the banks of the Anu Da-
ria with only six men sick in the am
bulance, although the troop had suf-
fered during the expedition all imagin-
able privations.
The very first day the troop was
caught in the environs of the Dchisak
Mountains by blizzard, in which sew
eral of the natives following the army
as militiamen and camel drivers per-
ished of cold. Among the Russian SOL
diers no fatal accident happened,
thanks to the presence of mind of the
officers. who organized games, told the
men stories and tried to occupy them
In variety of ways, in order to pre-
vent them falling asleep. One com
mander of battalion punished SOL
der who had lost his horse brush SIM
ply for the purpose of showing the 9TH
er men that the blizzard was not to DO
allowed to interfere with the service.
In the regular Russian army the
Cossacks are the most picturesque and
interesting figures. This military force.
unique in its kind, forms in its present
state the connecting link between the
regular and irregular troops.
The military education of the Cos
sack begins while he is still In the era
die, for the first sounds that his ear
catches are the warlike words of the
songs In which he Is rocked to sleep.
All the Cossacks' children.s games are
of warlike nature. and almost be-
fore the boys have learned to walk
they are placed on horseback
The Cossacks are fine, tall men, with
bronzed compilations and very energet-
ic expressions; their women are re-
nowned for their beauty. The Cossack
and his strong little horse form one.
His costume Is simple and imposing,
without any glittering and useless or
naments that would only help the enc
my to discover him. He wears no
spurs, and all his arms are so well con-
trived that they never make the slight
est noise. 1t is said of them: "A hun
bred Gossacks make less noise than a
single regu'af saSalrY soldier snsxzgzs,.,,.
On active service the Cossack Is the
soul and the eye of the army, or, rath-
er, its pointer dog. He seems to smell
the enemy where no one even thinks
of his existence. The Cossack and his
horse do not know what fatigue means,
and no one knows when they rest.
Even when sleeping they seem to be
watching. and they are ever ready to
aNi- 40 SuCihAuo lle SoSSuChS nave
not their equals. They give the enemy
not moments rest night or day, and
always appear at the point where they
are least expected. Next to the terri
bic winter. it was the Cossacks who
contributed most to the determination
Of the French in 1912.
The devotion of the Russian soldier
tha (t1n1. 10 n
ties result in defeat, when his biscuits
are full of maggots. when his clothing
is made of shoddy and when his boots
drop to pieces, he reasons it out slowly
and can only come to the conclusion.
so pathetic in its simple faith, "Ah, Il
the Car only knew!'
Every one within his reach he free.
ly discusses, criticises and blames; he
half suspects that his generals may be
fools. and he is sure that his commits
saries are rascals, but no thought Of
censure ever crosses his mind against
the Gar. He never for an instant
doubts that the Car is his best
friend, and would correct all these
evils If he only knew of Them But
"i'S' az 1T leuSOllS, tle uttle T1tler
cannot know everything. and so there
is no help for him: he goes on doing
his duty faithfully, bravely and pm.
tiently. hoping that some day and In
some way, he knows not how, things
will go better.
On the other hand, the Car really
loves his soldiers and lie is paternal in
his treatment of them. He is not only
their ruler their COMMUNICATIVE chief,
but he is really their little father"
their friend and patron. He watches
their work, attends and assists at their
maneuvers, and is soldier with his
soldiers. He visits their hospitals,
talks with the wounded and with the
veterans, and his afectionate treat.
ment Of his crippled soldiers returned
from China produced great wave Of
popular emotion.
Out of Harms Way.