Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-10-26
TURKISH ATROCITIES.
Horrors Of the war in Bulgaria.

written by a Frenchman. E. Barrois,
who is a chevalier of the Legion of
Honor, and was formerly an officer Of
the French army in Algeria. He has
resided for some years at Mitrovltza, a
locality where it may be supposed that
civilization has penetrated, as it is the
present terminus of the railway from
Salonica. The iirst letter is dated
Mitrovitza, July %, 1876:
| have already written to-you that, on
account Of the barbarolls acts committed
here, I had ,heen obliged TO take refuge
in Uskub in order to put my family in
comparative security. / entered the
city, and perceived that, notwithstand-
ing the cries of the Christian women
and children, it was being pillaged for
the benefit Of the Mussulmans. Taking
courage and provided with horse load
ed with two sacks of pears, and disguised
as a Bosniak, resolved to see what
was passing in, the neighborhood of
Mltrovitza and between Now Bazaar and
Sientza. Early on the 9th 1 took a
cross-road that 1 knew, so as not to
meet the outposts, and arrived at the
place where. formerly there was the
large Village Of Toulnia Dobriva. 1t
was now thoroughly destroyed, not by
war, but by pillage. l was met by
some old men, who showed me a place
to which l could scarcely go on account
of the odor. One hundred bodies lay
dead in the sun, all in a state of putre-
faction. The heads of both sexes and
OF all ages were separated from the
trunks. The horror Of the sad sight
made me leave it as soon as possible,
and 1 went toward little church which
[ knew to be about five kilometres dis
tant northward on the side of Novi
Bazaar. Here the same spectacle met
my eyes, but it was worse, as the
number Of the victims was greater.
Leaving there with beating heart,
went toward a village between Sienna
and Now Bazaar to find shelter for the
night. On the slope of wooden noun
tain | found traces Of struggle and
shreds of clothing. A little further on
in clearing saw soldiers of the regular
army busted in burying pieces Of Christian
bodies, which were for the most part
naked. l stopped at some distance off,
not knowing whether to reveal myself
or to take another direction, but I had
been seen by sentry, who ordered me
to approach. An officer called Ahmet
Efendi came up. Not wishing to betray
myself, [ spoke Bosniak to him, and
gave him about two measures of pears.
I then approached the soldiers. The
officer said to me, half in Turkish and
half in Bosniak, ''Bu-ish me debro"
(this affair is not good). The Bashi-
Bazouks," he continued, 'have acted
very badly in this country, for they have
killed all the subjects Of the Sultan, and
have pillaged and carried off everything
they met with, so that we find nothing
more, not even an egg, to eat. 1t is
trightful. The Sultan does not know of
these atrocities. This poor people have
all the winter long transported for us
provisions and munitions without
claiming para. Why kill them? Why
did not the Bashi-Bazouks come TO
make war against the Servians?" This
was company Of reaifs from Antola,
who had been charged with the duty Of
acting as burying party.
After an hours march, met troop
of women and children going toward, a
black gorge in the mountains. These
poor people fled at my approach, and it
was only after much trouble that made
myself recognized as a Christian. An
old man, almost naked, approached me.
and as soon as he saw that was indeed
a Frank, and not an enemy, fastened to
reassure the women and children. and
conducted me to cave where there
We're about sixty or seventy people of
both sexes, but not a sound man amOno
them. AT first 1 saw nothing but
yawning and obscure hole, perhaps a
den Of bears, for these animals are very
numerous in this part of Bosnia. They
then lighted a piece of pine wood, and
l could distinguish all these wretched
and half-naked people, busy roast
Ing green maize, the only food
they had, for the plunderers had
not left them even a pot in which to
cook any thing else. l had some small
change, which placed in the hands of
the eldest; but before accepting it he
consulted with the others. .u.said
he, ''if we be found with this money
they would believe thab we had more
and would kill u.s." Leaving these
wretched people, I assembled a steep
hill, where expected to find Gabrova
which is situated at the entrance of a |
large and fine plain.
1 had still five hours to go before
reaching Mitrovitza, and followed the
plateau, where [ expected to find four
Christian hamlets, although it is need !
less to say that they no longer existed. |
Their ruins can be recognized from afar
by the focks Of crows which hover over
them. Before arriving at Mitrovitza, !
fearful spectacle awaited me. Some |
gypsy children We're occupied butcher
ing, with long knives, poor Christian
who had come to town to buy -four for
several families at Mitrovitza who were