This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 edition. Excerpt: ...from any pretensions to reign. Persia, though a warlike kingdom, has scarcely any force which can be considered a regular army. There is a body of 2000 or 3000 horse guards, called Goolam, composed of youths of distinction, who assume, however, the title of royal slaves. A larger body of 10,000 or 12,000 ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 edition. Excerpt: ...from any pretensions to reign. Persia, though a warlike kingdom, has scarcely any force which can be considered a regular army. There is a body of 2000 or 3000 horse guards, called Goolam, composed of youths of distinction, who assume, however, the title of royal slaves. A larger body of 10,000 or 12,000 cavalry have lands assigned them round the capital, and are ready to attend the king when called upon. But the main force of the Persian armies has always consisted of their highland tribes, led by their khans. The number which can be called out on an emergency is estimated at 150,000, 200,000, or even 250,000. They possess many of the qualities of good cavalry troops, are well mounted, skilful horsemen, personally brave, and inured to hardships. They handle their arms with the greatest dexterity, but have not the least idea of discipline, tactics, or the art of war. A late traveller compares them to " an army of wild animals from the jungle, led on or scared by accidents." They are arrayed, indeed, according to their tribes, under their khans; but the review of a corps consists merely in causing the troops to march past individually, to show their persons and equipments. They will often, as humour leads, abscond in large bodies, or turn back without seeing an enemy. Through these defects they are altogether unable to bear the shock of disciplined European troops, and have always been vanquished in pitched battle. But as voltigeurs or light cavalry they have scarcely their equals in the world. They hover round an enemy, cut off his provisions and water, make sudden onsets, and insensibly wear him out. The most formidable regular army, when once involved in the heart of those endless and trackless plains which compose the interior of...
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