Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-12-05
THE TURKS AS SOLDIERS.


4 Charge That Bwspt both Russian
and serb g. fore 1.-The WTetched
COmmIssRTiRt Nystem OF the
troops of the Sultan.
London Telegraph
Fighting from day to-day sue
cessfully, the Turkish army is grad
ually regaining for itself that name
in military history which it used to
1t was always known that
The Osmanli were brave = the rec
ord Of their deeds for hundreds Of
years told that; but a great ques-
tion had arisen whether they had
to anv extent become eneryated
and enfeebled. There were not
wanting those who were ready to
assert that in Crete the Turks had
given unmistakable signs of want
Of vigor, and the Servians at the
beginning of the campaign believed.
without doubt, that their militia
was quite the equal of the Turkish
line. remember how this was
shown at the first serious battle
which was fought-namely, that q
Granada. There was a line o
hills on which the Serbs stood
overlooking the vast plain whicl
runs down to the city of Nisch
On the summit of this ridge wa
the Seryian artillery, behind wer
the white houses of the pretty lit
tie village, with its church, schoo
and douane. AS the Turks ad
yanced the Serbs, who might easil,
have remained inside their trenches
and, in fact, have thrown up man
| more earthworks, actually cam
down tbe-slope to meet us. Their
was no necessity at all for thei
doing SO, but they felt that the
were quite equal to the bated wear
ers OF the fez, and they wanted t
/ fight them. Then came a shar
rifle fire, and for half an hour
hardly fought battle, while th
Turks were gradually pushing u
the hill.
The Servians began to discove
that their foes we're, after all, nc
to be despised, and they present.
sought shelter. But to thei
amazement, that, too, was of n
avail; up came the Turks, leavin
many a man on the hard rock
ground, yet still going on, to tn
dismay of the blue-coated Serb
who could do nothing to stop then
yolleys even failed to hinder tn
Moslems for o moment; and, VIII;
was of consequence at this tim
some guns that the TAFka ha
dragged up to the summit Of
neighboring hill began to play upo
the trenches with increased etfec
The village of Granada, tuS; WI
in 6amts, the air was alive wit
shells, that still advancing line
Turks was sending up such
storm of bullets that the whistle
the missiles was everywhere heart
and the Servians could stand it n
longer. They had not expecte
this. Somebody had told the
they were invicible-that the OFT,
mans would flee before the bll
banner of liberty with its cross an
! it's crown, that the hill Of GramaC
was impregnable, and that !
, troops in the world could ascer
the long weary slope. Yet IL
= !, Turks were coming, we're close
, the trenches, were beginning
!, cheer and take little runs whiC
: would presently bring them in
n the deienses themselves, 1t W
d too much. The Serbs felt that th
must retreat; and, alas for all the
$ prestige, these bold Highlander
who had been compared to Car
erons and Campbells, who HI
!, sworn to die tog thejr country, al
had sung ever SO many patriot
hymns, got out Of the trencht
and, without more ado, threw dov
their rifles and retFeated. b
they were not even then allowed
depart in peace. Those fez-topp
children OF tyranny actually cheer
louder than ever, and, pushi
n past the trenches into the villal
!, = shot down the sons Of Servia
scores. Nor we're they eonte
~ i'll Az. e.. 4l,ox, ,.,,,.s,,od ilt