The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-12-15
TURKS Is SoLhLERs.


sr's Days
Fighting from day to day 81. 'cessiully'
the Turkish army isgradually regainlng
for itself that name in militsfy history /
which it used to possess. 1t twas always |
known that the Osmanli were brave
the record of their deeds for hundreds OF
years told that; but great question had .
arisen whether they had to any extent
become enervated and enfeebled. 1hefe /
were not wanting those who were READY 1
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 Turkishline. rememberhOw thisvas
shown at the first serious battle when
was fought-namely, that at Grainada
There was line of hills on which the
Serbs stood, overlooking the vast plain
which runs down to the clty OF Nlsch
On the summit Of this ridge was the Ser
Wan artillery, behind were the white
houses of the pretty little village, with
its church, school and doudfe As the
Turks advanced the Serbs, who might
easily have remained inside their trench
es, and, in fsct, have thrown up many
more earth-works, actually came down
the slope to meet US. There was no ne
cessity at al for their doing so, but they
felt that they were quite equal to the
hated wearers Of the fez, and they wanted
to fight them. Then cane 9 sharp rifle
Ere, and for half an n5,.F !. .-7srssfy Wrought
battle, while the Turks were gradually
pushing up the hill.
The Seryians began TO discover that
their foes We're, after all, not TO be despisod
and they presently sought shelter. But,
to their amazement, that, too. was OF no
avail; up came the Turks leaving many
man on the hard rocky ground vet stil
going on, to the dismayof the blue-coated
Serbs. who could do nothing % stop
them. VoHeys even failed to hinder the
Moslems for a moment; and what was
OF consequence at this time,
some guns that the Turks had dragged
up to the summit Of a neighboring bin
began to play upon the trenches with in
creased effect. The village Of Granada,
too. was in fame, the air was alive with
shells. that still advancing line Of Turks
was sending up such storm OF bullets
that the whistle of the missiles was
everywhere heard and the Seryians could
stand it no longer They had not eX-
pccted this Somebody 4,ad told them
they were invjncible-that the Ottomans
would fee before the blue banner of lib
ertv with its cross and It's crown: that
the hill of Granada was impregnable,
and that no troops in the world could
ascend the long, weary slope Yet the
Turks were coming, were close TO the
trenches, were beginning to cheer and
take little runs which would presently
bring them into the defenses themselves.
1t was too much. The Serbs felt that
they must retreat; and, alas for all
their prestige, these bold Highlanders,
who had been c0moared to Camerons and
+ Campbells, who had sworn to die Tor
their country, and had sung ever so
many patriotic hymns, got cut of the
trenches. and. without more ado, threw
down their rifles and retre8ted. But
they were not even then allowed To de
part in peace. Those feztopped children
of tyranny actually cheered louder than
ever, and, rushing past the trenches into
the village, shot dow9 he sons OF Seryia
. by scores. Nor were they content with
this, for they pursued them that night
as far as Derbent, giving many soldier
of Tchernayef to the crows aud the dogs,
and only resting when night came on,
with the intention Of doing the ike next
day-a promise which they carried sut
with terrible effect. The Seryiaus never
liked to meet them after that.
On the other hand the Turk contin
ued to make war in his own stolid fash
ion. Had he been well led, he would
have gone straight TO Belgrade, and the
whole business would have been settled
forthwith As it was, nothing but his
own logged courage saved him. tt has
always been beautiful sight to see him
90 into battle.
I never saw a man finch. although
sometimes the fire was terribly heavy
and the ground was covered with the
dead and dying. Understand me, | am
not referring now to the Bashi- Bazouks,
who invariably had important business
in another direction when they were
wanted for the Gght but simply TO the
drilled troops. Yet even the sofia bat
talions, which had been drilled at Bey-
cost, just opposite our embassy at The
rapia, had caught the true spirit of the
soldier, who went into action like men.
l well remember striking instance OF
this on August ed. 1t was toward
even when Tchernayefs newly-arrived
Russians were trying to fight their way
up the face of our position at Resavic.
/ It was clear somebody must stop them
and they were sheltered from our guns
/ by the woods below. The sofia were
called up, got into line. dressed and or
dered to double down the hill For a
moment there was comparative silence /;
nAught but the rattle Of musketry and
artillery was heard. The priests were
gathering inspiration. 1t was their first
battle field. Then with one voice they
shouted " Allah p and with this religious
appeal they dashed into the woods. III
Jared it with Russian and Serb that day,
for the softas went on. passing between
the trees and searching for the foe, whom
when found they incontinently de-
stroyed. There was no more cheering
till we reached The village at the end OF
the wood and the last Serb had fed.
/ Then there was another loud shout. which
told that the priests had won their
maiden fight and were victorious. 1t
was always the same the Turk seemed
ever anxious for the fray The difficulty
was to make him keep under cover. l
do not think the officers on the other
side had any such difficulty. No Turk
ever shotof his ownhandto avoid the bull
let's of the infidel; he might notgo forward
orroo4 cs,aaI TiI-o orauarali "