UNKNOWN

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 2018, 13 June 1885, Page 4

UNKNOWN

( irtni/ mid J\<uu Mtiyiizw ). A hTCDY of the career of the late Russian general, cikobelell, a'lords the oppoi tunity of reviewing the operations of modern warfare from a point of view which is often regarded— vi/, that of subordinate commander. His wa-i an ardant, fearless, enteipiising niture that marked him out as .a successful lea ler of men, and Ins first object when he entered upon a mihtaiy careei was to fit himself to be so. With this in \i'.w he succeeded in getting himself sent in 1569 to Central Asia, the only field wlmh presented itself at that time for gaining experience feofoie the cn.iny. J»ut it wag not for some ycira lato that lit- •>!« veal set vice, in connection with the e\ peditiou to Khive in 1873. He there led the advance guard of Lomikin's column, winch, k.iviug Mang'shlak, in.an.hcd 400 miles in twenty ono days across an unknown country, chiefly deacrt, in Knngaid In the fmther advance in Kirn i, Sko'ielelr liad many oppoitunitus of showing Ins gallantry in repeate 1 encounters with tli • enemy. On theoccision of the attack of the city gate he lead th" ns-,uilt an<l succeeded in forcing his way in. Another column, which had ma' died from Tohikishhi, on the Caspian, was not so fortunate; lie was r.b iged to tuin hick in nud-desei t for wmt of wat-i Ueminl X uitinAiin, who commanded the whole expedition, was anxious to fnd out if the route there fiom Khiva wvs practicable. Skobeleff volunteered to undcrtvke the reconnaisunce. He set out accordingly without any escort at all ncceompinied by three fuendly Kirgix, himself in disguise, and only returned to Khiva after ton days' absence, when he had been given up as lost by hia comrades. He lidd succeeded in avoiding the Turcomans and i caching the point at which the column had turned hick, ridu.g altogi'thei 378 miles across a hostile country, not knowing from day to day where he would find sufficient watei for his lioise and himself. For this dashing exploit, which exhibited so well his rem.irk.ibie eneigy ami resource, he received the Cio>s »t ht. (Jcoigp, the ambition of cveiy Kiisiim soldier, and it was the decoration lie most valued amongst the many he, was destined suliMj<|ueutly to receive. At Makhram, for the ritst time, he was able to >n.\ke piactical u^e of the store of vain ible knowledge gained by him in this w,iy, by nuking K.utfiiiann .ncijtiaitite 1 v\it!i the plan of afctick adopted it fie hittb of Feroze bcih, to which th" situation hire ,i re innrknble resumblance. The result «a' one of the most decisive and complete victoiics ever lnllictcil upon a native niniy i'» Cmtril Asm During these operations in Khnkand the thaincterNlics which maiked out Skolx-h IT later on as a successful kadei of men were clearly dis cernilile. Already he came to he kiso-.i h as a commandei who appreciated his men nt their true value, and de?mcd no pain c » too great to ensure their being properly fed and clothed and caicd for. No match was e\er commenced before he had satisfied himself that eveiy detail connected with the operation was complete, tin column properly organised, eiinippcd. ami provided with transport, the route cxploied, and an .ample supply of writer ai landed. During the match he was constantly on the move, passing from one p';!t'O'i of the column to another with a chcerfnl word for e\ try one ; or, on the first sign of an enemy's approach, far in front of all his tioop?, gla^s in hand, eagerly reconnoitering for himself. As Governor of Adrianople SkobelefF gave evidence of his high administrative capacity ; the city was a model of order, the discipline of the troops was stiictly m untamed, and the Tuiks had good reason for re the departure of Akh Pasha when he left with his division foi Mdtataldp, which was destined to be the limit of his advance. On Man.h 3rd the Tieaty of Sin Stef.mo was siu'Hil, anil was a htavj blow to Skohe le(F, w!)o1ia<1 a^sociatid luin--elf wannlv M'lth thu Slavonic cause, and could not reconcile himself to the policy of abandoning the heiitnge of Peter the Gnat when all hut within the grasp of the victorious army, which was forced to retiaiv it-* -steps from b -fore the very gatts of Cnn.xt.intniople. At the beginning of 1880 vSkobtlerT was called to the commai dot a ficsh cxptditioi 1 , to be oieaniscd at TchikiMdar, His high qualities us a brave and dashing leader had been Mifhuentl) dcmoiistiated by his previous biilli.uit Ciiiicr, ,m I eaperi illy by his behaviotn on the hard fought fhlds of Bulg.uia and Turkey three years previously. Rash he may attunes have bcu, hut reckless he was not, and his rashness, \vhin it wfts dispa\cd, had more of method and calculation in it thin was geneially reco^ni^ed. Dining the expedition he was now entrusted with there was no trac» of it Skohelt ff arrived at Tcliikinhlar raily in M.iy, and moved off ns soon as he wan satisfied that all tho nriangeim uts weie complete. On .fune 23rd lie oct uj)icd linini, and remained there thiec weeks, which weie spent in making it weenie ft om any attack of the Tckkes. lie then set out with a small forte and marie hi mself a icconnaissaiicc of the enemy's position at (Jeok Tepc, returning when he had done this to Bami Here lie icmained until the beginning of December, occupied in securing his com munication with the Caspian, and collecting suihcient stores for his final ad vance. At length he continued his march as far as Samur, situated o-x miles from Geok Tepe, where he arrived on December 14 th, and there formed a fresh base. Not without much haid fighting .and serious lo^ts the ap proaches were htc.adily pushed up to the Mclnity of the walls of Geok Tcpc, nnd When the eolu.nus of a^ault, three in number, had been got teady for the nd Vance, the wall was breached by a mine, nnd the place cariied by assault in spite of deteummd lcsistance It was SkobclelVs system to stnkc haul and continuously until all resistance was at nn end \ but we do not care to dwell on the wholesale slaughter which accom panied and followed the assault, still less to attempt any justification of it. This dccl of aims, a° bnllitut as it was successful, was the crow ning one, and the last of his distinguished c.aieer. He was, at the time it took place, only thnty eight years of age, but he held the rank of Lieutenant Gen< lal, and enjoyed the complete confidence of the army and the nation.

The Astouislici and I'.ualyser is the name of a m\» paper jii<it started in Caibondah 1 , Kaims. A SruANi.t, \\ kddisc —At the gaining table tilt- Duke of Richmond inuured a <ltht of honour to Loid t'adogan, which lie was unable to pay, and it was agreed that hia son, a lad of fifteen, who boie the titic of Karl of March should many the still younger daughter of Lord Cadogan. The boy was sent lor from school, nnd the giil from the nursery, and the ehildien were told that they were to be inained on the fipot. The girl had nothing to say ; the boy cried out, "They are suiely not going to marry me to that dowdy " Hut married they weio. A post chaise was at the door, the biidegioom was packed off with his tutor to inaki the grand tour, and the bride sent back to her mother. Lor. l March .remained abroad for several ycara, after winch he returned to Loudon, a well educated, handsome young man, but in no haste to meet his wife, whom he had ne\ er seen except upon the occasion of their ha^ty marriasje. One nijrht at the opcia Ins attention was at tracted to a beautiful yonny lady in the boxes. "Who is that?" he asked of a gentleman beside him. " You must ho a sti anger in London," was the repl), "not to know the toast of the town, the beautiful Lady March, Thn earl wont straight to the box, announced Imtwlf, and claimed his bride. The two fell in lo\e with each other on the spot, and lived long and happily togethei ; and when the husband du>d she also died of a broken heart within a few mouths.