The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1867-03-21

pie disturbed at their trade, dis
patched still stronger detachment
against our pickets, which pro
cured them much larger profit
The service of the pickets thus be
came so dangerous that when {
person was sent upon it he ar
ranged his affairs before he set out
Such was the state of things il
the month of August. Some ac
tions had not changed the position
Of the army. About week be
fore the twentieth, the Gipsy wo
man, of whom | had often purchas
ed provisions, made her appear
ance. She entered my tent, and
entreated me to-leave her a legacy
in case should perish on the day
she had predicted; and offered to
engage, in case | should survive it,
to make me a present of basket
OF TOkay wine. This wine was
very rare in the army. thought
the woman silly. In my profes.
sion, a speedy death was by no
means improbable, but l had no
reason for expecting to die precise
ly on the Goth of August. Iva
gered two horses and fifty ducats
against the old woman's Tokay
wine, and the auditor of the regi-
ment, not without smiling, COM
mltted the agreement to writing.
The 2Oth of August arrived
There was no appearance of hos.
hlity. 1t was the turn of our reg.
lment to furnish a picket for the
night; but two of my comrades
were to precede me. The evening
came, and as the hussars were
about to depart, the surgeon an
nounced to the general that the Of
ficer appointed to the picket had
fallen dangerously i'll. The officer
who was next in turn before me
was ordered to take his place. He
hastily dressed himself, and pre-
pared to join his men, but his
horse, a good tempered and fine
animal, suddenly reared, and at
length threw his rider, who had his
leg broken by the fall. 1t was now
my turn. | set out, but, confess,
not in my usual good spirits.
I commanded eighty men, and
was Joined by one hundred and
twenty belonging to another regi-
ment, making in all two hundred.
Our stations were about a thou
sand PAGES in front of the right
wing, and were supported by a
marsh covered with very high
reeds. We had no sentinels in ad-
vance, and none of us dismounted.
We had orders to keep our sabres
drawn and caTbines loaded till day
break. All was quiet for an hour
and three-quarters, when we heard
a noise, and shouts of "Allah! AL
lah" and in an instant all the
horses of the front rank were over
thrown, either by the sudden fire
or the shock of from seven to eight
hundred Turks. They lost as many
on their side, both by the impetu-
osity of their charge and the fire
from our calbines. They knew the
ground perfectly well; we were
surrounded and defeated. They
often fired at random. received
many sabre wounds, as we'll from
friends as from foes; my horse was
wounded he fell upon
my right leg, and kept me down
upon the bloody sand. The flashes
of pistols threw some light upon
the carnage. l looked up and saw
our party defending themselves
with the courage of despair; but
ohO 1uiho, lhIOAlCdCCu WIFI Oplulll,
made horrible massacre. There
was soon not single Austrian but
was extended on the ground. The
conquerors seized the horses which
were yet serviceable, plundered
the dead and wounded, and then
cut off ther heads and put them in
to sacks, which they had brought
expressly for that purpose. My
situation was not very enviable.-
In the Seeker corps we were pref
ty well acquainted with the Turk
lsh language. l heard them urge
one another to finish before assist
ance arrived, and to not leave a
lucat behind adding that there
could not be fewer than two hun
1red of US. Hence, it is evident |
hey were well informed. While
hey passed and repassed over me,
my horse gave a convulsive move
nent, and my leg became olsen
gagged. determined to conceal
Al