Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1854-09-02
THE LATE DEFENCE OF s,L,srnr..


first impression which Silislra makes upon
any one accustomed,o the foriresses Of civil
lied Europe, is ore Of amazemeni q, that
place being fortress at all; the second i'm.
preston is, that being fortress, its works,
such as they are, cannot be any seriobs obs'a'
Gle to The proceedings Of a besieging army.
i had The good fortune OF finding the town
and works in the exact Sta;e in which The
Russians LETT them after the siege Vigorous
as has been the defence of the Turks they
are by far more energetic in repulsing the
attacks of an enemy than in repairing the
damage done BY that enemy's batteries.
Some OF the wolks were almost untouched,
While others presented TO the eye nothing
save confused heap of ruins. The chief
aud most interesting point is, Of course, the
Arab Ta6ia, on which the Russians spent
their chief strength, which they shelIed in.
cessantly and attacked almost daily with
storming coumnsof enormous strength, while
lis foundations were uplifted By mines Of
prodi2ious extent and power. The Arab Ia
ba is simple ear,hwork Of very moderate
dimensions, and high in from, and hanks,
open al the gorge, and defended by six pieces
OF artillery. or these cannon there were on an
average but two in use, for the rest were all
ways being dismounted and repaired. So ,ha,
as far ne artillery goes, the Russian storming
columns upon the Arab Tabia were kept a,
bay by two guns from that work, bu, these
were served with zeal, readiness and des-
patch that told upon the enemy worse than
whole battery under usual circumstances
would have done. But Col Geach, the com.
mander OF The artillery, who conducted ,he
defence Of the town, and with whom dis
cussed this subject, maintained that the ar
illlery, though an important element in the
defence of the place, could not have avaiIed
TO save it. The Arabs, Nubians, and Arm
outs, and their files, were the chief defence,
and the restless activity and the unerrins
aim OF these gallant men terrified the Rus.
slams nose than the fire of the artillery
They lay in the rear of the Tabia, and in
small ditch at its left flank, where they hat
dug holes in the earth, and then they kept
up an incessant fire upon the advancing col
nmns OF the Russians, singled out and allied
their officers, and spread terror and confu@
sion in their ranks. How these brave feowe
Jared, and what they lived on, God only
knows. Certain it is that they had scarcely
and food and refused 10 take it W hen offered.
On more than one occasion sheep and calves
were sen, from the town 10 feed The defen.
ders Of the Arab Tabia and the Arncnt ditch.
but each time they sent the animals back.
saying they were TOO busy TO think of cook
ing and eating. The care which they took
o: their guns and rifles was marvellous. DUR
ing the heaviest rains they managed 10 "keep
the powder dry" The Russian storming
columns were frequently unable TO fire shot
while solleY after voley was poured into
their ranks by the lean brown men that Law
at the rear of the Tabia aud in the Arnoa.
ditch. .-"
| have not YET done with the wonders of
the Arab Tabia. The Russians, in order ,c
di>odge the Aruouts from their ditch, carried
their own trenches within few Yards from
that paliry defense, which was formidable
only because the bravest men that ever lived
held ii. So near was the Russian ditch, that
The engineers threw the earth by shovelfuls
into the Arnout ditch. This was effected
with an enormous less 10 the besiegefs. On
one occasion Major Emmena. a gigantic
Hungarian, issued from the ditch leaning on
the pole OF a wagon, and challenged The
Russians in The other ditch 10 ccme Gu, and
fight him. They accepted the challenge by
taking hold Of one of his legs, and endeaTored
10 drag him into the quarters. But the Arm
outs took hold of his other leg, and pulled
him in their direction, while Major Emmens
utterly nnconcerued, fioulished his heavy
pole and laid il on he Russians. Skull were
cracked and bones broken whenever thai
formidable weapon descended, and thus be-
lug freed from his 'assailanls, the Amonts
drew Major Emmena over. That gallant
officers life was saved on this occasion, only
to Le lost on another.
Three days after the Tarlanie combat nj
the Arnout ditch, the Russians displtehed
two Of their formidable slorming columns Of
eish, baiaions each against the ATab Tabia,
and by The mere physical weight Of these
masses forced their way in. hand 10 hand
engagement ensued in the interior OF the Ia
bia, when the Turks fought with The fury of
madmen and The agility of serpenis. The
Russians meanwhile sought TO secure the can.
non. Perhaps they medialed a retreat, and
wished to carry of at least some trophies
fIom Silislria. They had ropes with them,
which they tied 10 one Of the pieces and
then commence pnlling it though the EN-
bTasure into the ditch below. Major En-
mana saw the attempt, rushed up TO the gun
and held il back. Russian officer, almost
| equal in size and strength TO the Hungarian,
attacked and wounded Major Emmena, just
as he was cutting The ropes. The two strong
men then turned against each other. They
fought and fell When The Arabs had driv'
en- the Russians back and cleared The Tabia,
the two antagonists were found deep by the
side OF the gun.
TIE TRoTIER ouT-TRoTfED, -"Do you
keep malches.u asked a wag Of retailer.