THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ARMY. THE Turkish Army is divided into two distinct branches the active service or Nizam, and the reserve or Redif. The active Ottoman Army is composed of six corps d'armée, or camps, called Ordu, and placed under the command of a Muchir (Field Marshal). Each Ordu consists of two corps or divisions, under the command of a Ferik (General of division). Each division is composed of three brigades, commanded by Livas (Generals of Brigade). The Seraskier Pacha, or Commander-in-Chief of the Turkish Army, resides principally at Constantinople. He is a Vizir of the Empire. On extraordinary occasions, when the Standard of the Prophet is unfurled, the Grand Vizir in person assumes the command of the army, but accompanies it only a few miles beyond the gates of the capital. The whole Ordu is made up of eleven regiments, six of Infantry, four of Cavalry, and one of Artillery. Each Infantry Regiment is formed of four Battalions of eight Companies. The regulation strength of each battalion is 815 men, thus made up: 1 Commandant (Bin-Bashy). 1 Wing Agha or Major (Kol-aghassy). 16 Lieutenants (Mulazim). 8 Sergeant-Majors (Tchaoush Bashy). 8 Clerks or Fouriers (Beuluk Eminè). 815 Adding the Colonel (Mir Alaï), the LieutenantColonel (Kaimakan), and the Alaï Eminè, or officer who takes charge of the regimental accounts, the entire regiment of four battalions has an effective strength of 3,263 men. Rank in the Turkish army is distinguished by a Shemshei, or decoration worn suspended from the neck, and by the swords, which are perfectly distinct for every grade, from the Seraskier to the Corporal. Both are given by the Government on the first ap pointment of the individual officer or soldier, and, on promotion, are exchanged for others corresponding to the higher grade. The Shemshei worn by officers of the higher ranks are composed of brilliants, which, on quitting the service, they restore to the Government. The full dress of the superior officers of the Turkish service, which is seldom worn excepting during the two great festivals of the Beiram, and the anniversary of the Prophet's birth, is extremely handsome. It consists of a short blue tunic, similar to that adopted in the Prussian service, richly embroidered in gold, with two large bullion epaulettes. As no regulation exists on this point, the richness of the costume varies according to the taste and caprice of the owners. The Colonelcies of Regiments* are not conferred, as is the case in Great Britain, on old soldiers as a species of retiring allowance, but the officers of this rank in Turkey assume the active commands of their regiments. There is no brevet rank, and every step has its corresponding duties. Colonels are assisted by their Lieutenant-Colonels, and battalions are commanded by Majors, who are aided by Adjutants. In this latter rank there is a decided improvement on the practice of old armies, like those of England, in which the difficult and responsible duties of the Adjutant are performed by subalterns, often very young officers, and in the absence of the Lieutenant *Three Eras of Ottoman History.' Colonel and the Major, the command of the Battalion is taken by the senior Captains, who cannot possess the general experience in the regiment which an Adjutant has the means of acquiring. In the Turkish army the rank of Adjutant is higher than that of Captain, and most military men will probably admit that this is an excellent arrangement. All the Officers rise from the ranks, excepting those who have come from the military schools. Each Ordu of the Turkish forces has a preparatory school, and there are thus six military schools for the whole army, besides two superior schools, and one for the Navy. The former are directed by a LieutenantGeneral. Nearly all the private soldiers have learned to read and write. Each regiment of Cavalry is formed of six squadrons made up as follows 1 First Captain. 1 Second Captain. 2 First Lieutenants. 2 Second Lieutenants, 1 Farrier. 6 Sergeants. 18 Corporals. 2 Trumpeters. 110 Mounted men. 10 Dismounted men. Adding the regimental staff: 1 Colonel; 1 Lieutenant-Colonel; 2 Chefs d'Escadron; 1 Adjutant Major; 1 Major; 2 Surgeons; 2 Saddlers; 4 Farriers; 2 Imâms; the whole amounts to 934 men in each regiment, who must be reduced to 736, or 120 to each squadron. In the Turkish army the scale of command is gra duated as in the different European armies, to which its formation is closely assimilated; thus every 10 privates are commanded by an On-Bashy or Corporal; literally chief of ten or Decurion; 20 men form a section under a Tchaoush or Sergeant; 2 sections form a sub-division under a Mulazim or Lieutenant; 2 sub-divisions form a company under a Captain or Centurion, styled chief of 100, Yuz-Bashy; 8 companies form a Yabour or Battalion, each wing of which is commanded by a Kol Agha; the Chef de Bataillon is styled Bin-Bashy, Chief of 1,000. There is no Quartermaster in a Turkish Battalion; the duty is performed by any Officer whom the BinBashy may appoint for that purpose. To each Battalion there is generally 1 Djerah (Apothecary), 1 Physician (Hakim), and 1 Imâm or Priest. Four Battalions form a regiment or Alai, commanded by a Mir Alaï, with a Kaimakan or Lieutenant-Colonel under him. Between the Kaimakan and the Bin-Bashy, there is an officer styled the Alaï Eminèh, who takes charge of the regimental accounts. |