The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-11-06 00:00:00

ROUMANIAN GALLANTRY.

Ilrurn's United Servim Magazine for November contains
an extremely interesting article by Captain Sainsbury,
entitled" With the Roumanians in the '77 Campaign." from
which we extract the following thrilling account of one of
the most remarkable episodes of the siege of Plevna. Cap-
tain Sainsbury, who was with the Roumanians in the 1877
campaign, happens to have been the only correspondent who
accompanied them on September 11, in the attack on the
Grivica Redoubt, one of the two keys to the Tjlrkish post.'
tion at Plevna. At great peril Captain SalusMry reached
the summit of a ridge overlooking the terrible onslaught :

"Down the steep slope came the Roumanian in-
fantry, most of them with their rifles slung useless
across their backs, their hands being engaged in assisting
their legs, scarcely firing a shot. Over their heads
their own artillery's shells whistling and crashing into
the great redcubt. Into their ranks, like hail, the
bullets and shells from the Turkish guns . . . Like a,
needle through linen in the hands of a skilled semp-
stress, so the iron and lead through the advancing
Roumanian ranks. Down—down--down—never to
rise again—man after man—but with the survivors
the cry is ever Forward ' Even in the death agony
chivalry prevails in the Roumanian hero's breast. An
officer falls—l have his name in my note-book—and
his faithful servant rushes to his side.
" Here, take my great-coat, you'll want it before
you reach Constantinople,' cries the master, and the
servant catches it up, and wish a heart-broken sob
again runs to the front. Another bullet finds a billet
—the servant falls and, falling, throws his recently-
acquired heirloom to a comrade, with the exclamation
from his lips, about to close for ever, Take care of it;
it was my master's.' As the officers fall the non-com-
missioned officers close up and take their places.
Noble was the conduct, splendid was the example of
th 2.faP.T.f sa.r
ho leaving their usual,places. rushed
their men. Without an exception the more lowly in
rank backed up their leaders with equal bravery.
"It was more than war—it was more than magni-
ficent—it was the repetition of the spirit that prevailed
in the breast of that gallant of days long gone by
—you know the lines: '"Make way for liberty," he
cried—he made way for liberty, and died.' One young
officer, a child in years, a man in behaviour, I was
told, actually succeeded in touching the redoubt with
his hand, and was only prevented from obtaining en-
trance by death. There were not many left alive to
back him up. There was a 'sharp rattling roar of
musketry, a great angry victorious roar of cannon,
and suddenly a dreadful stillness. The calm after the
storm. A few poor soldiers came up and helped to
bring in some of the wounded. The Turks reopened
fire with shrapnel. I led the mournful cortege to
the place where I had advised some of the am-
bulance to take up a position lt was a
pitiable sight. As we wended our way back other
wounded joined us; some died as soon as they came
within reach of medical assistance. One incident
is recalled to my mind, as I look into my note-book.
There I find, written in pencil, a couple of messages
I volunteered to deliver. They were written on the
field just before the commencement of the action.
Both messages were loving remembrances from brother
to brother. In the one case one brother was an officer
in a regiment but recently arrived at the front, and
the other an officer in another regiment that bore a
conspicuous pax tin the day's doings. They had not
seen each other for some time past. A little later I
met a wounded officer of the regiment to whom the
gentleman of whom I was in search belonged. After
expressing my regret to see him in such a plight, I
asked him, Can you tell me where I shall find
of your regiment ? He burst into tears, and could
only say, He was my dearest friend ; ' but he pointed
a finger to Heaven, and I needed no further reply. I
did not seek the living brother again—on the contrary,
I could not have faced him with the bad news; he
would learn it fast enough without my being the
bearer. . In the second instance both brothers were
killed, and neither knew of the other's death. May
they rest in peace.
"It was dusk when I rode away from the battle-field,
and, in a complete daze, left my horse to his own will
as to the road taken. My brain was in a whirl; the
din of battle was in my ears ; the scene of slaughter
like a picture before my eyes; and above all and
through all reigned supreme, death-like, mysterious
calm. I moved, as it seemed, in an entirely different
world. I felt as I should feel if I were a,bsolutely
the last living creature in the universe. Suddenly I
turned a corner and found myself in the presence of
a group-of officers belonging to the staff of General
Cernoki, who was amongst them. In reply to a ques-
tion as to where I had been all day, I related the
result of the attack. They would not credit me;
but Baron Liegnitz, a distinguished Prussian officer,
assured them that he was certain that my estimate
of the loss would be under, rather than over, the
mark. Then a gloom settled upon the party. None
of us spoke. Presently two or three officers on horse-
back joined us as if sprung from the ground. One of
them spoke 'in a strange unearthly voice. General
my brigade is annihilated. Would to God I were with
the majority. It was Colonel Augheleses. He spoke
as one whose every hope, aim, and object in life were
departed. Many of the group questioned, with trem-
bling lips, the Brigadier concerning relatives or friends
who belonged to the regiments under the Colonel's
command. To what a number, alas! was the answer,
He is dead,' given. Then a minute's perfect calm.
Then I heard issue from here and there in the group,
sobs, vainly endeavoured to be suppressed—the re-
quiem of many gallant departed. The chivalry of
Roumania had sustained its first serious loss." . .