The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-06

sisted on his being properly attended to
without delay
Il have a vivid recollection of one
| glimpse L had of keuropatkin." said the
Russian officer already quoted 1T was
after one of the fercest fights before
Plevna. We had been repulsed with heavy
loss, and all seemed black and hopeless.
He was sitting UP on his little iron cot
In his tent, supported in the arms of his
favorite sergeant
His uniform was torn into shreds and
sprinkled with blood which dripped from
a badly arranged bandage that half ex-
posed a terrible cash across his forehead
He had been slightly wounded in the
sword arm too. and his face was as
white as chalk. He had barely the
strength to sit up and speak, but he in
sisted on debating re4uisitions for COM
missariat supplies, hospital comforts, and
other things needed By his men. We beg
ged him to 60 into the hospital, and at
last put him to bed by main force. But
next morning he was riding about the
lines, doing duty the same as ever"
In that campaign Kouropatkin won the
and file of the Russia narTny, for he
never sent them into danger without
leading them himself. and he invariably
thought OF their comfort before his own
the hallmark of all great generals
He had bluff, hearty way with him,
toe. which won their hearts. He would
slap a private on the back and shout:
Wei done BROTHER before the whole
regiment. II his attention was caught by
q brave deed or q smart piece OF work.
And, although stern disciplinaran when
necessary, ne would think nothing of
calling that same private into his tent and
giving him a ''three-hnger nip Of vodka
to dring the health Of the Little Fa-
Their" and keep out the cold.
When the Russians triumphed over the
Turks, kouropatkin shared the glory
which fell in such abundant measure to
the lot Of skobeleT, and, like his great
leader, was bitterly disappointed Ehen
united Europe barred him from leading
his victorious soldiers straight TO the
shining minarets OF the Golden Horn.
Later, still under Skobelefr, he bore the
brunt of the fierce fighting at eGok Tepe
the crowning victory Of Russian arms
in central Asia.
From 1863 to 1879 the Tekke Turcomans
defed the power of the Gar and inflicted
defeat after defeat on the inadequate
forces sent against them. In the latter
year. the long series of reverses culminat-
ed in the humiliating rout of Gen. La
zareff's army at Cock Tepe.
Skobeleff was chosen by the Car to re-
trieve the defeat. and his first act was to
telegraph to Kouropatkin, then stationed
on the Kudja frontier, to join him with
contingent OF his splendidly trained Turke-
stan troops. His march across central
Asia from Tashkent TO Bami excited great
admiration at the time and is still quoted
by military experts as one Of the out
standing feats of modern warfare. He
was twenty-six DAYS crossing a sandy.
waterless desert. and brought in his force
in perfect condition without having lost
a man.
The siege of Geek Tepe. the great
OF the Turcomsns, which had
been the scene of Lazareffs defeat. end
ed in a complete victory for the Rus
SLAMS, the PLACE being carried by storm
after furious and almost continuous fight |
ing for nearly a month. The Turocomans /
lost over 10000 men-more than half of
their force
During the siege said an Enslshman I
who was present, "kouropatkin had /
charge Of the advanced positions, and /
extraordinary courage and cool ,
ness. Unobtrusive almost to a fault, he /
superintended the mechanical !
part of the siege operations. while Skohe- |
eff applied himself to keeping the troops I.
in that rolicking, reckless mood he con !
sidered SO essential in the presence of the !
enemy
seated at the mouth of the mine, Sko-
belief used to time the progress Of the I
sappers underground tunnelling in the di- |
-ection of the fortress. If the officer in |
charge accomplished the specified por-
ion in less than the time fixed, he was /
kissed and caressed. and perhaps treat
I'd to champagne and vodka; If the re-
verse was the case, he was roundly |
abused before all his soldiers"
After the victory Of Cock Tepe Kouro-
Datkin pushed on across the desert almost |
to the Merv oasis in pursuit OF the fee
ng Turcomans. and created a good deal |
IF alarm in England. because il was |
houeht his troops were threatening Her
at. the key of Afgha nistan, and conse-
luently the key of India. Indeed. Kouro-
oatkin has often worried English Russo
ohobes. who regard him as the foremost |
advocate of the Russian advance to the |
frontiers of midland beyond II is /
Known that. with the assistance Of Col. |
Trodekoff. now a prominent general in /
Ma nchuria, he drew up an elaborate Sc
ret plan" for the invasion OF India by
xav Of Herat. which is fled at the Rus
sian war office.
After the death Of Skobeleff in 1852.
[ouropatkin was summoned from Central
Asia by the Car and given one high mill
airy office after another at St. Peters
,urg. his special work being to reorganizo
he Russian army. He was regarded at
irst az plain. bluff soldier who would
ever NEEDLE in politics. and consequent
Y everybody welcomed his advancement
Bat, to the chagrin OF the ministers. he
developed into an ardent politician and
aimed great influence with Alexander II.
nd later with the present Gar.
on the whole that influence seems To
AVE been wisely usei. Many Russians
env the common statement that Kouro-
atkin is the head Of the war party.
ma say that although he has always
;renuously advocated Russian expansion
n Asia. ne has invariably opposed
chemes likely. in his judgment. to lead
o war Certainly. he has often spoken
Eainst war. both publicly and privately.
ecleriug that nc witnessed more than
nough Of lis horrors. While governor
: Trans-Caspia. from, 1S70 20 lS9S, his
olicy was consistently peaceful. ard he