The Osceola times., 1877-10-20
The Battle Of Biela.

| \ correspondent of tne LONDON DaiIy
Telegraph telegraphs from the Turkish
| headquarters on the river LON, Septem>
Der Is.
This morning the Turkish forces ad>
vanced to take up positions beyond No-
diska, and at 10 a. m, Sabit and Baker
Pashas were making reconnaissance on
our right, the Ottoman Marshal and his
staff intending to pay visit to Ahmed
/ Eyoub Pasha, in order to see that com
mander's part of our general movement
carried out. At ii a. m. We all started
to have look at what was going on in
| front, and especially TO examine the
,o.ition which Baker Pasha had proposed
should be occupied After discussing
the auestan thoroughly the Turkish
! Marshal lie US, and soon afterwards we
saw Sabit Pasba's division advancing
upon our extreme right. Suddenly some
guns opened ire upon the enemy, and
| looking in the direction marked out by
the bursting shells, we perceived body
of Russian troops, consisting OF a regiment
of cavalry and two batallions of loot,
accompanied by four cannon. Both sides
soon began to fire away at each other
with the greatest vigor, and infantry
were hurried up to the scene of action
by Moslem and Muscovite.
While observing the movements of
Sabit Pasha one of our little group OF
spectators happening to look round espied
a couple of Cossacks on a hill about three
thousand Yards away from us. He at
once called attention to the fact and in
few minutes we saw eight more make
their appearance, and then whole
squadron taking up positions on the crest
OF the high ground referred to- some OF
our horses were sent under cover OF a
wood to observe the enemy, but they
| had hardly been gone moment when a
strong force ofiniantry and cavalry came
| over the hill, upon which the Cossacks
| had been discovered moving to the right
| front, and behind all six guns, which
were Immediately unlimbered and made
ready for their work The Turkish com
mander. after due consideration of the
Russian preparations, dispatched two
batialions of infantry into wood an the
left, and two more into vineyard on
the right, and after ordering up some
reserves thought enough had been done,
being under the impression that the
Muscovites would not dare to approach
any nearer However, he was III error,
as the enemy began to push forward
briskly, and We soon saw their guns ex-
changing shots with our batteries at
distance of not more than one thousand
yards. The infantry never came to close
quarters, and all that was ineligible to
us lookers>on was that a Russian bat
talon was descending into a ravine lead
] ;,. r.n,l Aal,t pasha'a that
some time attcrward the Turkish guns
seemed to be firing further back; but
lust before IT was dark they appeared to
have advanced again, and that we then
saw line of skirmishers going quickly
forward
From this it may be concluded that
Ssbit Pasha's first line was urged on too
rapidly, and was consequently driven
back, but that reinforcements having ar.
rived the advance was renewed, and the
wished for positions secured. An incident
occurred in the course of the day which
is worth noting. A Circassian-who
, must certainly be allowed to haye pluck
if no other good quality-came out of the
wood on the left, and coolly rode up and
| down in front OF the Russian cavalry
, taking a shot at them at every turn from
Winchester rife, with which ne was
armed. The Muscovites naturally re
turned the fire, hut the Circassian's lucky
star was in the ascendant, and he retired
!, from the unequal duel unharmed 1t is
40 rare thing to find anything worthy
of commendation in these wild tribes that
am glad to he able to record something
in their favor,
, The serious part of our work. however.
, was now to begin, as there was no doubt
the Muscovitas were threatening our po-
!, sitions in great force. Fortunately, some
more infantry and another cannon arrived
to reinforce us. Three battalions were
sent forward, and the fresh gun being
at once placed en- barbette, soon made the
: Russians move away. The greater part
7 of them retired to the back of the hill,
) their retreat being covered by heavy
= fire from their artillery, but some had to
: make their way along road exposed to
: a scorching fire from our left. This they
; tried to silence by heavy continuous
; stream of shrapnel but finding it useless,
: the Muscovite foot found themselves
compelled to charge our right. The
attack was unsuccessful, however, and
the enemy was much exposed to our
) rifles as well as, at times, to the effects of
sbrapnel The ravine have before men,
toned now became so filled with smoke
that even the flashes of the rifles could
not be seen. Several of our battslions
had been coming up for some time, and
were at once pushed into the wood on
one side and the vineyard on the other,
until there was no danger of any further
Russian onset As the combat ended
only with daylight, there was no cnance
} of discovering what the losses could have
been; but think the Turks must have
suffered severely from the shrspnel, and
! that the Russians must have sustained
heavy LOSSES from the close and concen.
,rated mu,ketry ire, especially ~ they
we're taken in flank both from the wood
and vineyard ! shall never forget the
din kept up by the rifles to-day; it was
by far the loudest ! have yet heard. The
Turks are now two miles IRON Biels,