PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF GENERAL SKOBELEFF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7002, 26 April 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF GENERAL SKOBELEFF.

An . extremely interesting collection of reminiscences of this famous general have been given to the world by a Russian friend. - ■ Here is a characteristic statement _by Skobeleff in one of the many conversations with his friend which are reported in the volume :— "My first tutor was a German: an unjust, rude, mean fellow, thoroughly mean. I hated him as much as anyone can hate another. From that time Garmans have not been my bosom friends. Then once he struck me, a boy of thirteen, in the presence of a girl I admired immensely; struck mo without thei slightest provocation on my part. I forgot what I did. I sprang on him, seized him, and remained petrifled. And do you know what this fellow taught me? He taught that Germany was everything to Russia, that everything in Eussla had been done by Germans, and that Bussia must either obey Germany or perish. There was no universe, there was nothing but Germany. And I hated it from my heart." Skobeleffs patriotism, thus early established, found plenty of opportunity for exercise in his fighting enterprises in Central. Asia and elsewhere, as well as in the Balkan provinces. He was much more, however, than a fearless warrior and a great general. The view here given of his humanity is not less notable, and far more attractive, than the view of his bravery. Instance these two anecdotes :— One terribly hct day Skobeleff, who was driving a carriage/met a soldier dragging himself along under the scorching sun, and bending under the load of his heavy knapsack. . , " Hollo, comrade, it is hard work walking. "Yes, your excellency." ■ "Driving is more comfortable. The general here, more lightly clad, is driving, and you, poor fellow, have to walk and carry a knapsack too. That is not just, is it?'" - , n. , The soldier did not know what to reply. " Well, look hero; get in, and sit by my side. The poor soldier got quite confused. Was the general joking with him ? "Get in, I tell you." The delighted private stepped into the carnage. " Well, is it comfortable?" "Splendid,your excellency." ' " Whon you are made a general you will drive in a carriage of your own also." „ " How aro the like of me to become generals? " Why, my ancestor began as a common soldier and left off as a general 1 What part of tho country are you from?" ....,„., And here commoncod. a full inquiry into tho family and circumstances of tho soldier. Whon he reached his destination the man alighted, blesslng.the young general for his kindness. Of course, he told his story everywhere—it was repeated throughout the whole regiment—and when that regiment came under Skobeleff's command, they did not only know him, they already loved and were devoted[io him. j One day as he was walking along the Nicoeakaya, a strost in Moscow, a peasant threw hlmselt before him. "They tell me, general, you are he who is called Skobeleff." "I am he." " Thank you, sir; thank you for your goodness to me. You helped me out ot grew trouble. May God give you long life !" ...,,„» j . t " When, my 'feood fellow; what did Ido ? I don t understand." •'I wrote to you, little father, about my village commune. They were grinding me down, when »n old soldier told me, ' Wiite/ hu said, 'to Skobeleff ; ho will hear of it. you may be sure." So I wrote you a letter, and yon ordered our province not to touch me, so they lot me alono. Oh. thank you, my little father, my defender !" and the poor peasant dropped down at his feet.

Here is another anecdote which illustrates more than one of Skobeleff's good qualities :— One evening as I was walking through the camp at Jonrgievo with him, we passed a tont from which tho sound of voicesissued. All at once we distinctly heard Skobeleff's name mentioned. "Stop," he said; "it is very interesting to know what the soldiers say of me." " But if they should be abusing your "All the better; that would be a good lesson. Soldiers are very clear-sighted with all tneir simplicity. They aretha most impartial and pitiless judges ! .Notwithstanding that, thesß judges aro kept well in hand."' "Yes, and even whipped." " ±Sut not under me ?" he replied hotly ; I would rather shoot a man than flog him. No, there is nothing more degrading."; Meanwhile the conversation in the tent had really turned on generals. . "So, comrade, Skobeleff is thorough. He is a Russian born and bred. He is a regular fightingcock." . „

" A fighting-cock ! What a comparison !" " Of course, no bird is braver thau a lighting-cock. Have you seen them sight, comrade?" They are wonderfully smart, and they are great dandies. A cook is afraid of nobody; that is why he struts about so. The cock is watshf al, he guards the light!" " Bat what do yon say to ours !" asked one of the soldiers, mentioning at the same time his general's name. . •'He's a'bagpipe," "A what?" , " A bagpipe. Let anyone who likes take him and blow on him from one end, ho will begin to speak at the other. A regular bagpipe. Bat that one is a cock. . Cocks like the day; as soon as he sees it dawn he crows and wakes everyone." Skobeleffwas in small danger of overhearing ill of himself. He appears to have always endeared, himself to' his men as only the greatest generals, and men who are more than great generals, can do, and his influence and examples made heroes of them all. It was said of Skobeleff that he would lead without hesitation tens of thousands to certain death. That is quite true. He was not sentimental, and when he undertook anything he carried it out remorselessly, without hppocritical regrets. Ho knen ho was leading them to death, and unuinchini;ly led. them, and did not send them. Ho was prepared to receive the first hall; he was first to encounter the enemy. Actions demand sacrifice, and once dete rmincd on the necessity of the action, he would shrink from no sacrifice. Skobeleff would often tell his men openly, 'lam sending you into death, comrades. Do you see that position ? It cannot be taken. And I do not intend to take.it. I want the Turks to concentrate all their strength on that position, whilst I get round to ■ them from over there. You will be defeated, but you will give my .decision the victory. Your "de*uh will be honourable and clorious. If you are beaten back —retreat; but only to attack again with renewed vigour. l)o you hear me ? As long as you are alive, fight to the last man." One must have been present to understand with what cheers those words were reoeiYod by the men thus despatched to certiin death. These were not passive gladiators condemned to death against their will, aud saluting their Caspar: they were comradet in arms taking a last farewell of their favourite general, and conscious that their death was really necessary, that it would be tho moans of victory. Of Skobelefi's own prowe33 and the valour with which he inspired his followers, abundant evidence is given in this volume, which treats in fullest detail •of the wonderful achievements of the general at Plevna. Instead of quoting more on this pojnt, however, we shall choose for the only other extraot we have space to print the following amusing episode in his visit to Bucharest after the third Plevna battle :— A young and fascinating Wallachian lady, vory eccentric besides, hearing of Skobeleff's arrival at Bucharest, and having been told all manner of miraculous stories about him, came here on purpose to see him. Skobeleff received a most extraordinary letter from her, in which she informed him of her intention of calling on him the next day to pay him a personal tribute of admiration. The letter was committed to tho dames, as usual, and the lady w«s completely forgotten. The followinc day General S , a very infirm old man paid Skobeleff a visit. This general was a very tiresome old oflicer, who bored SkoboletT wil.ha f all account of all the campaigns he had gone through, commencing almost with the century, and finishing with tho Crimea. Suddenly a footman announced » lady. !'\Yho is she?" Skobeleff inquired. Th 9 man handed her card to him, and Skobeleff recognised the name of the lady who had-written to him the day before. He was very much displeased. This .sort of thing was so very monotonous and wearying ; but, fortunately, he at once conceived a brilliant idea, by which, ho would get rid of this tedious guest and hi* Roumanian beauty at one and the same time. Knowing the weakness of his guest, he turned to him and said. •' Help me out of this difficulty, your excellency. A lady wants to see me. I have no time. Will yon receive her for me ? She has never seen me. Tell her whatever you like; say, for fun, that you are Skobeleff." . • S smiled. The idea pleased him immensly. . "If you don't mind, I will assume your character," he replied, and went out, whilst Skobeleff shut himself up and resumed his stHdies. The general atterwards told Skobeleff the result of the adventure. " What a little fool!" he exclaimed. "A conceited thing." I havo seen pretiier ones than that in Hungary, in the '48. What did she think of herself? There was nothing so very.wonderful about hor. I knew a girl at Szeeedin—oh ! such a girl:" " Well, what did she do ?" " She looked at me, burst out laughing, and wont away. She kept muttering somothing in her own language, but I did not understand her. A magpie !" The lady's version of the interview, which Skobeleff heard later, was equally amusing. ■•* You Russians have strange ideas of youth," she said to Genoral Tcherkessoff. ..*' What makes you think so ?" " Why. Skobeleff is a young general, according to you. " Well, I saw him. He is an old baboon, and a baboon,*tuo, who has lost his hair. A strange youth. I should liko to see whom they would call old." .Skobeleff, if he allowed himself a few flirtations, . was of. opinion that a soldier should, on no account engage seriously in them, or take to himself a wife—a conclusion at which, he appears to have arrived after finding it expedient to separate from his own wife. "Man cannot serve two masters," he would say; " war and the family are incompatible."