The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-03

! was the CoSSackS who contributed most
to the determination of the French in 1872
An enemy's train, however close it may
! be behind the troops, can never be sure Of
escaping the attack of the CosSackS.
They appear all of a sudden and attack
with lightning rapidity, but in the force
| of their shock they are inferior to the
regular cavalry. 1ne consequence is that
if they happe nto find themselves sud
denly face to face with regular cavalry
they dispense like cloud on the horizon,
but soon come back from an opposite di-
rectlon.
The Cossack fights as well on foot as on
horseback, and he is very skilful shot.
When a troop of Cossacks happens to be
surprised by superior numbers and can
not retreat or take up tenable position,
the men make their docile horses lie down
to serve as ramparts.
- war correspondent thus describes the
Cossack and his horse as he saw them
during the Russo-Turkish war: -One Don
Uossack is so like another that the idea
is difficult to get rid of that they have
all been made to order in one mould, and
that in case of accident their heads, arms
or legs are interchangeable. Friend Cos
sack is a little chap. about five feet even
on his heels, but at once sturdy and why.
His weather beaten face is shrewd,
knowing and merry. His eyes are small.
but keen; his mouth large, and between
it and his pug Dose-rather redder than
lie rest of his facets a tuft or wisp of
straw colored mustache. His long, thick.
straight hair matches his mustache in
color, and is cut sheer round by the nape
Of his neck. He wears a round oilskin,
peakless shake with knowing cock to
ihe right to maintain which angle there is
a strap around his chubby chin.
Below the neck the Cossack is all boots
and great coat exteriorly. The great coat,
which is of thick gray blanketing, comes
down below his knees; his boots come up
TO them. He is more armed than any other
man of his incnes in Europe, is our little
Cossack friend, and could afford 10 lose
weapon or two and yet be very danger
Gus customer.
weapon number one is the long black
fagless lance, with its venomous head that
seems to be itching to make daylight
through somebody. He carries a carbine
slung in an oiIcloth cover on his back, the
stock downward In ms belt is long and
we'll made revolver in a leather case. and
from their belts hang curved sword with
no guard over its hilt. Through the chinks
in his great coat are visible glimpses Of
sheepskin undercoat with the hair worn
inside Today at noon the thermometer
was over 20 in the sun. His whip com
pletes his personal appurtenances; he
wears no spurs.
He rides cooked up on a high saddle,
with leathern band strapped over it,
wiry little rat of a pony, with no middle
piece to speak of, with an eve neck and a
gaunt, projecting head, with ragged tanks
loose hooks, limp fetlocks, shelly feet and
a general aspect of knackerism.
"The Cossacl1s seem to be used indis-
crfminately for all sorts of work They
were the first to enter Roumania, they
ride about alone with dispatches. they
escort suspected spies, keeping the head
of their lances carefully within easy dis
lance of the small of the suspects back.
to be handy for skewering him if he
should attempt to escape. and CossackS
are placed on guard over the ships at the
GaIatz quay to prevent their attempting
departure.
''Dismounting and Stacking his pony by
a hobble on each foreleg connected by a
leather strap with another hobble around
the left hind leg above the hook. the Cos
sack takes up a position on the extreme
edge of the jetty. with his lance pointed
in the direction of the ship, as if he would
transfix it should it attempt to escape,
and mere he stands, self-contained. affa-
BILE. alert and with general aspect con-
veving the idea that he is patronizing that
rr-;+I J.,
view He will accept cigarette and ten
der you a light from his in the friendllest
manner. but you will never coax him to
take his eye for a single minute Off the
ship which he has in custody
Part of the Russian emperor's personal
hodyg,iard is composed of Cossacks, but
these. However, are not attired like the
wild spearmen of the steppes, although
they belong to that race and can use the
lance.
That a body of Cossacks should form
part of the imperial guard is not strange
when it is recalled how important the Cos
sacks have always been to Russian
armies. 1t was chiefly the to the Cossacks
that Napoleon owed his terrible failure
when he invaded Russia in ISL They
wrought fearful havoc, too, in the seven
ties' among the Turks. who dreaded them
far more than the Russian regular troops.
How implicitly he is trusted is shown by
Z little story narrated by Russian ofhcer.
During an expedition in Turkestan scout
renorted to the Russian general that
bodv of the enemy had occupied the VII
laee TO which the Russians were marching
10 rest for the night. The general was IN
no way alarmed. Turning to the officer
who relates the story. he said;
lieutenant. take ten Cossacks' clear
the enemy out and then prepare the rest
ing place for our troops.
ANY idea that the officer and his ten
Cossacks might not be allowed the oppor-
+un,.v o. preparing accommodation for
tbose who were TO follow never entered
rho generals mind. He knew his Cos
sacks.
The principal characteristic of the COS
sack is blind obedience TO orders. In TINS
respect he eclipses even the highly dis-
cinlined German. partly because, though
fearless and kindly. he is less lntelhgehr
II he were ordered by his officer to jump
over = precipice he would do ii without
n moments hesitation. Death has no ter
rors for the Russian soldier
There are no laws Of CONSUMPTION for
Cossacks in the Russian army. Every
Cossack is bound to serve for twelve years
fo,,r with colors, four in the first and
four in the second reserve. He also sup
plies his own horse Until quite receh'1S
they were called up for training three
lines while in the first and once WINE IN
the second reserve. each time for three
weeks