Order of battle, 1770

A volume of order of battle of the second Russian army against the Turks, with Count Panin's instructions, 1769. Russo-Turkish War (1768-74). 

The diagram of manoeuvres from order of battle into march formation is accompanied, on the same sheet, by an explanation, ‘Renvoi’, of the movements. The Notebook gives an account of the strength of the Turks and Tartars whose numbers surpassed those of the Russian army, and describes the implacability of their religion which caused them to wish to exterminate Christians and their churches; the three ancient maxims are enumerated and explained by which the Turks still waged war; their habits of opium taking to the point of losing reason; the performance of the Russian artillery which was superior to that of the Turks; an account of their small arms; the use of the sword in combat; a discussion of the Turkish order of battle; a comparison of the Turkish and Russian cavalry tactics; after which follow eighteen instructions and an account of what to expect in battle with the Turks, never to pass more than one night in camp without constructing redoubts and fortifying them with artillery; the duties of Generals and officers; order of march and order of battle, etc. It is probable that this is a copy of Panin's original instructions.