Russians about Serbian cowardness once again

Dreaming of Belgrade, to confess, I never expected to meet in him a lot of joyful indifference; It seemed to me that the war for freedom and independence of the country attracted the entire young and healthy population of Serbia, and, consequently, Belgrade, to the battlefield. But in fact, I saw the opposite: crowds of healthy people wandered aimlessly in the streets from corner to corner or idly sat in front of coffee houses.

In the front, we met two Russian officers who had just returned from the army. It was the first meeting with eyewitnesses of the battles that were before; it is clear that the meeting interested us.

- Well, what, how are you doing in the army? - we asked the officers. 

 - Things are bad - the Russians answered

|Officers relayed details of recent battles; the Serbs were characterized by them as cowards, constantly retreating, and the Turks - by the brave, advancing. The officers told us that the Russians are simply unhappy victims,  whose casualties that perish in every battle, without any benefit to either themselves or the army. |

 - A lot of Russians were killed, many wounded. 

- So it's hard to survive? - Beginners were interested.

- Difficult - the seasoned said.

Our physiognomy stretched out.

- So the Serbs are fighting badly?

- God forbid! Almost everyone has to be driven into battle.

- How to drive?

- With a saber, a revolver.  

- How about the telegram of general Chernyaev himself that the Serbs fought “like Lions”? 

Experienced officers burst out laughing.  

- What?!

- Where are you going now?

- We will ask for a vacation, to Russia.

Parted. The cheerful mood of the volunteers disappeared.


Translated from Russian memories.
Help with translation by Stopserbophilia blog.



 

 

All Russians were killed, all coward Serbs flew away

Quotes from translated memories of Russian volunteers in Serbia in XIX century:

1)  Русские и сербы в войну 1876 года за независимость христиан (А. Н. Хвостов)

Summing up, we see that the causes of discontent of Russians against the Serbs are very diverse; some say we have come to fight for Serbia, to help them, but for us here is no room, the food is bad, and they do not pay a salary for several months. Serbs ask, why you're here, who called you? Not only do not allow entering their housing, but refuse even a shelter for the wounded, they give us neither supply nor the horses, we had to trudge on foot, almost dying of hunger, or the flow of blood and without wound dressing. Serbs themselves cowardly run and do not want to fight, leaving us in the lurch; shot at Russian officers when they stopped them and forced to go fight. The wounded were not only picked up but serbs, demanding money, traded them for removal from the field of battle. And this serbs did with those who left everything, came to shed blood for them. We defended every inch of Serbian land, and without Russian help the Turks would have been a long time in Belgrade. Look at these Serbs, which they clean, as though on parade; we in comparison with them look like laborers.

Finally, in the entire administration of the Serbian is complete mess, and that no use will be achieved. Generally named hundreds of the most diverse of all displeasure about Serb ; do not forget to mention even of the driver, who do not want all the going rate, as staff spoiled them, and about the washerwomen taking for washing very expensive.

No, be damned this country, where we are not appreciated; we are the hapless victims of illusions, inspired by the vile magazines that did not give us a clear idea of the situation of the country, and at the same time, of course, all sorts of curses rained. So was said, cursing their fate, by educated people who could understand the region, but imagine what could feel, say and do the less educated people who came, closed eyes, stand up for their faith in Christ and help "brothers"; a crowd without a clue about the situation and the country, anywhere.They have seen and come to the conclusion that Serbia all in all - a single crime, meanness and treachery.

These charges are presented as the largest and monstrously improbable that many of the Russian could lose all faith in the moral qualities of the Serbs.

2)  В пороховом дыму: роман в 3-х частях (Николай Николаевич Каразин)

Fever ravaging the ranks of Serbian troops ... thinning of combat losses and even without them few ranks of the Russian teams of volunteers. Between here and there like a black cat ran, an no hour passes without quarrels. And these, and others feel hard, and they are both pointing fingers at each other.

Serbs - cowards, they run and leave the battlefield alone Russian, they die in vain, in vain - "an example of bad acting." The Serbs are dissatisfied with their volunteer companions: Russian officers, they say, are too strict, a lot of demand. If not agreed, than Russians must be divided. They collected all Russians, formed separate companies and battalions - a stronghold and the only strong force timovsko-Moravian troops. This stronghold has twice changed its composition ... It has been a month since we did not come out of the line of fire. They are starving in their positions; sick, feverish heat and delirium, they go to the Turkish position, and take them and die ... Old, hackneyed song: "Serbs, they say, is not supported." This goes some epidemic, a wholesale self-destruction.

3)  Сборник материалов по русско-турецкой войне 1877-78 г.г. на ..., Volumes 8-10

 Volunteer Chiefs actively insisted that Serbs are cowards, they hate and envy Russians; confirmed cowardice of their abundance of awarded crosses of Russians and the relatively small number of the Serbs; their hatred was confirmed by the latest example, it consists in the fact that in one of the barracks of the Belgrade citadel Russians sleep without straw on the bare floor, or rotten straw, while in the same barracks, the Serbs are sleeping on beds and beds with a fair linen.

See also:
 Girkin-Strelkov on Serbians
 Russian peacekeeper in Kosova about Serbs