The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-09-13
By CAPT. ROLAND F. ANDREWS

toOpynrh., 1917, BY Mcclure Newspaper syndIcu

The battle of PultOwa (or Pultava), |
fought In 1909, wins place as one OF
the struggles which have fashioned the
world into what it Is today, because
1t broke the power of the Swedes, then |
the dominant nation of northern Eu-
rope, and really brought into being |
the vast Russian structure Of the pres |
ent time. Byron sings Of 1t as:
Dread Pultowas day
When fortune left the royal Swede
And Napoleon found In 1t the basis
for his prophecy at st. Helena that
Europe would become either all re-
publican or all Cossack.
II has to be remembered that two
hundred years ago Russia was but a
paltry, feeble world figure, just emerg-
ing from seml-barbarism under Peter
the Great Chancellories then reckoned
Russia little more than they now reck-
on TimbuctOo. On the other hand,
Sweden was a really great and power
full nation, with extensive holdings
now mostly In Russian possession.
Her people were Germanlc, as the
Russians are Slavonic. Had Sweden
won at Pultowa and continued her
course of good fortune in the world,
the central European empires In the
war now raging would possess an ally,
the resources and stamina of which
might well be held to insure them vic
tory.
Russia in 1909 possessed a pOpula-
tion Of less than 100000, but the
genius of Peter was building it into
au empire. Charles MI of Sweden
viewed the rise with concern. 1t was
his avowed purpose to smash the
growing state and reduce 1t to con-
dition of subjugation such as it had
known under the Tartars and the
Poles. There would be no more Rus
sia. No such commanding military
genius as Gustavus Adolphus, Charles
was nevertheless 81 brave and resolute
general, holding at his command
great army composed Of soldiers as
fine as any known to Europe. He
would, he declared, take Moscow, and
dictate terms of peace to Peter In the
Kremlin.
Charles set out from Alstadt, not
far from Leipsic, In September, 17O7,
ut the head Of $4,000 men. He marched
through Poland. Count Lewenhaupt
with 10000 more debarked at Riga.
A third army of $4,000 had station in
Finland. Charles was therefore In po-
sitiOn to bring against the czar 10000
of the most formidable troops known
to civilization. Napoleon, in his St.
Helena memoirs, bitterly condemns
Charles for his failure to keep his
forces consolidated, failure which
indeed seems to have been grave
tactical error and for which Charles
paid bitter price.
He left 10000 men at Warsaw, win
tered at GrodnO and in the following
June crossed the Minsk, fought and
defeated force of 10000 Russians on
the left bank Of the Beresina, beat
10000 more near SmOlenskO and was
within ten days march Of the capital
where the cZar was already formu-
lating proposals Of peace, when he
quilted the high road to march toward
the Ukraine that he might form a
junction with Mazeppa, who had with
him 5000 men. Thus his line of com,
munication was left exposed for 4OC
leagues, protected only by Lewen,
haupt, who with large force and
an invaluable convoy of supplies
marched a full twelve days march
behind his lord. Napoleon condemns
this disposition as inexcusable blum
dering.
The czar meanwhile had collected
: a force Of 100000. In personnel 1t was
much inferior to the cOnQuering
Swedes, but 1t seemed to learn stead
mess and generalship from its defeats
In September Peter with an over
whelming force Of $4,000 fell upon the
floundering Lewenhaupt, who wa:
striving to join Charles in the Ukraine
For three days Lewenhaupt struggled
> against the impossible odds, flnall!
cutting himself loose, but abandoning
his cannon and ammunition, together
with his convoy of provisions, anC
reaching Charles with only 1000 Of hi
original 10000. On very short ra
tfons the stout-hearted SwedeS pulled
through the winter in the Ukraine, ad
vanclng in the spring until the!
: brought up against the town Of Pull
4 iowa, which commanded the passe
to Moscow and which had been mad
by the Russians a great depot Of sup
l plies. 1t was heavily fortified, its gar
rison resisted sturdily and Peter, keen
ly alive to the Importance Of the post
D advanced to its relief in June wit
: an army of 10000 men.
I Possession of Pultowa would Civ
Charles the supplies he needed S
sorely, as well as a secure base TO
his operations against Moscow. ii
~~~~-~~~~~~~~~~~~-
= OId.Tlme Humor.
h Upon one occasion Lord Chathar
It asked Doctor Hennjker to define "wit,
o and received the reply, "Wit is wha
/ pension would be if given by you
, Ao 1,Oy,r bJYpohln cnrVont-