The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-09-13

Correspondence of the London Daily News.
BUCHAREST, Aug ,. 1t was the evening of the
battle of Plevna. The sun was going down be
hind the smoke -manted heights in glow of lurid
crimson. The dusk was fast settling on of the
bloodiest battle-ieds of the century-closing in
round the batteries whose guns were still firing,
round detached parties of Russian soldiers who
were doggedly maintaining the fight against the
swarms Of Turks who formed ring around them,
firing tercely into their midst, round the dead and
the wounded lying thick the stubbles, on the
grassy slopes in the hollows among the maize
plants and the oak copses, round the knots Of
wounded who had crawled for cover to the leesde
OF the grain stacks on the fields and who lay there
| IN the unSpeakable agony of waiting for the in
evitable doom which they knew too well was to
befall them, round the groups Of miscreants tramp
ing about the battle field intent wrcaking that
| doom on the detenceless wounded, and stopping
ever and anon to perpetrate some barbarity Prince
Schackoskoy and his staff stood on the summit Of
the ridge above the village of Radisovo, which
| crammed with wounded men. The fate Of the
| battle had hung on the scale for some time. but
now all hopes OF success had gone. There was no
| reserve among us in the Acknowledgement that
| the attack had been a failure, all the concern
| now was to do what was possible towards
mnnsing the results OF that failure. There
was no conversation mems hearts too
| heavy for talk. We sat about on the knoll
gazing down into the pandemonium below. The
| General alone and apart paced up and down a
little open space in the oak copse gloom settled
on his face All around us the air was heavy with
| the low moaning of the wounded, who having
limped or been aided thus far out of the fight had
| cast themselves down to gain a little relief from
| the agony Of motion. There not even water
| for them. for Radisova is all but waterless village
| and what water trckled in tiny rll from the
! fountain behind the village was struggled for ea
| gery by the parched and tevercd wounded who
| crowded around it. coveting with longing the
agony of which the reader can never know, few
| drops OF the precious fluid. The darkness closed
! III around us. and the enemy seemed bent on fol
| lowing the example of the darkness. We had
| been on this ridge for a long time beyond the
| range OF the enemys batteries. but these We're
| advanced, and we were once more under fire
! Through the darkness could see the flashes Of
| the cannon shots-t they must be back now in
| the position on the knoll below - the position
| where, four hours ago. the Russian soldiers had
| charged home with the bayonet, and whence two
| hours ago the Russian cannon had been firing
| \ second more and nearer and nearer came the
whistle of the shells with swiftly gradual crcs-
| cendo into a scream as they sped over us and
| crashed down into the village in the valley behind
| US: and yet nearer there the flashing of the
musketry fire in the darkness; one could watch
| the streaks of flame fore-shortened down in the
| valley there. and nerves tried by a long day of
| toodlessncss, excitement. fatigue and exposure to
| sun and the chances OF the battlefield quivered
| under the prolonged tension Of endurance as the
throbbing hum of the bullet sped through or over
the struggling group. No man dared to say to that
Slclll lowering CIllci tullE MS npdrU Inefe III the
bitterness Of disappointment that it was a bootless
| tempting OF fortune to linger longer this ex
| posed spot. nor did any care to cult for the
| sake OF greater safety the cOmpanionship which
| had endured throughout the day. 50 we fingered
on till our senses became dullcd. and till some
dropped OFT into slumber regardless Of the scream
of the shells and the hum Of the bullets 1t was
humane object which SO long detained the gen
| cral in a position so exposed There was no force
available TO line the height and cover to ever so
| little extent the wounded lying on and behind it
| from the Bashi- Bazouks who too certainly were
| prow!ing in the vicinity, and ever coming nearer
| and nearer. An attempt had indeed, been made
to get together detachment Of infantry for this
| purpose, and bugler, at the generals order per
Slstcnty sounded the assembly, but the result was
merely to gather handful of stragglers from half
a dozen different regiments: and although but a
not be collected, the general his staff and es-
cort took up for the time a kind Of informal fore
| post duty and there We waited till the pale calm
moon rose and poured the sheen of her white radi
ance over the battle field. While ii was vet dark
there had been no cessation of the firing both ar
| tlllcry and muSketry. and now that heaven was
holding candle to hell, the fire waXed warmer and
| brlsker. Up from out of it. with broken tramp
came Il detachment silent, jaded powder grimed
| There could not have been a company all told: a
lieutenant marched at its head, and it was the
remnant, so far could be gathered, the sole rem
nant. of one of the finest regiments of the Thirty
second Division, that had crossed the ridge over
which its debris was now stessly trailing itself
| three fine battaliOnS strong.