The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-06

supposed to have his own ideas re-
garding politics and military disci-
pline; but the private soldier who
thinks out the best way to do his work
and shows energy in coping with new
situations is the one who gets pro-
NOTED in the Russian army-not the
one who does absolutely nothing ex-
! cept obey orders.
Education in the Army.
Skobeleff used to do all in his power
to stimulate the intelligence of his
soldiers. Any man who hit on bright
idea during campaign could take it
direct to Skobeleff and if it seemed
good to him he would adopt it, even
though it might involve radical
changes in his plans
At the siege of Cock Tepe, Skobe-
left would sit all day long at the
mouth of one or other of the numer-
Gus mines, watching the progress of
the saDpers who were tunnelling I'M
| derground in the direction of the for
| tress. If he noticed a sapper who
| worked with intelligence as we'll as
muscle, and who thought out ways to
J lessen the toll and increase the result
| he would kiss and caress the sapper
and perhaps treat him to champagne
| or vodky. But he would roundly
| abuse the men who worked faithfully
| but stupidity.
| This is typical of the attitude of the
Russian officers toward their men, be-
cause every Russian officer to-day
| tries to model himself on Skobeleff.
| An enlisted man is not expected to
| obey all orders blindly when it is
| manifestly absurd to do so. He is
supposed to use his intelligence and
act for himself if the conditions were
misunderstood by the officer giving
the order, or if the conditions have
| changed since the order was given.
Initiative is always encouraged and
promptly rewarded in the Russian
service, whatever may be the rank of
! the man who displays it.
Russian Courage.
The courage of the man behind the
Russian guns has been amply proved
time and again. No nation can point
to heroic deeds of it's fighting men
which cannot be paralleled from the
annals of the Russian service. Eng
| lishmen are justly proud of the logged
pluck of Moyse. Sir Francis Doyle's
t'drunken private of the Bluffs, who,
having fallen into the hands of the
Chinese during the Opium War, was
ordered, on pain of death, to perform
the "roton" to a mandarin. He re-
fused, saying that he would not pros
trate himself before any Chinaman
alive, whereupon he was Immediately
knocked on the head, and his body
thrown on a dunghill.
That incident has almost an exact
parallel in the behavior of a soldier
of the Pereslaff Dragons. who was
captured during the I<hivan campaign,
to whose ''kibitka" (audience tent he
was taken
II only kneel to God and the En-
peror," said the Russian.
"Take him outside and fog him with
leather whips" commanded the khan.
1t was done. After over a hun
bred storkes the man tainted. He
was revived and taken back to the
"kibitka." but again he refused to
kneel or pay any kind of reverence
to the enemy.
Then the khan, mad with rage, sub
jected him to favorite Turcoman
punishment. A sword was plunged
into a 'brazier until it was white hot
and then passed in front of his eyes,
at the distance of about two inches,
burning away his sight forever. Still
the blind hero. in his agony, adhered
to his resolution, until at last the khan
drew dagger and stabbed him to
the heart.
This story is told to recruits in the
Russian army as an example of the
manner in which they should uphold
the honor and prestige of Russia
among her enemies.
SeIf-Sacrifce Taught.
To teach them to be ready to sacri-
fee themselves cheerfully for the
Gar, they are told of the heroic
conduct of company of infantry III
the Khokhandese campaign. The ar
tillery was badly needed at the front
in one of the battles, but its advance
was stopped by deep ditch. Instant
ly the foot soldiers threw themselves
into the ditch and filled it up with
their bodies, so that the guns could
gallop over them and engage the
enemy.
Dogged determination is the main
characteristic of the Russian soldier,
as it is of the Russian nation. He
is used to reverses, and they make lit
tie impression on him. No soldiers
have been more frequently beaten
than the Cars, but in the majority
of cases they have won in the end
Week after week and month after
month their furious assaults on
Plevna were repulsed with terrible
losses; but Plevna was ultimately
taken.
No series of campaigns was ever
more disastrous than those against
the Turcomans in the years from
1873 to 1879. During that long period
the Russians had to bear UP under an
uninterrupted series of reverses, which