The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-09-29
SKOBEL EFF F.
Storming and Reeapture Of the
Loytcha Redoubt.
FEELING THE BATTLE PULSE
The Young Russian Commander with
the Charmed Life.
HOW HEROES DIE.
Terrible Scenes Of Slaughter
Forced to Fall Back.
From tho Lon don Daily News ]

began. II was eleven O'CLOCK The General and his
staff were the ridge behind Radsovo They had
Just lunched moderate artillery ire was going on,
and the General had informed that the attack
would begin between two and three O'Clock, wnen sud-
denly lively fro head the skirmish line away
TO the left, in the direction Of the Lovtcha road,
followed by a heavy fusilade which soon swept
the road to the foot of the Rndisovo ridge,
and streamed up Its crest nearly to Radlsovo itself.
Everybody was surprised General Zotod looked
at his and said "It's yet time. What can 1t
besn Mounting my horse rode down the ridge be-
hind Radsovo where the fire seemed raging hottest,
10 try and make out what was. gong on. For some
limo impossible to ascertain whether the Turks
or Russians attacking. The fog and smoke were
70 thick tha. nothing could be 1t only by
the fusade that the progress OF the fight could be
judged. For nearly hour General Zotof did not
learn what it how it mad begun. As the time
for the Russian attack been fixed for between two
and three O'Clock, evident that it must be
Turkish attack and, afterward ascertained, 1t
began in this wiser
BEGINNING.
Skobelef and Emeritinsky, in order to begin the
attack their side upon the redoubt had TO advance
their troops to the hill Immediately fronting the
redoubts in the bend of the Sofia road 1t was from
this hill attack had been made upon SkobeleG
four days before and the hill had since been aban
doned by the TURKS except few skirmshers. Skobe-
left advanced eleven O'Clock to Jake possession Of
this hill. Tho Turks Immediately opened fire
upon him. THIS was the beginning of It.
have not yet been able to learn whether the
TURKS meant general attack upon the whole Russian
line, or whether IL a sudden movement caused
by SkobcleG's advance At any rate the Turkish at
tack spread from the Lovtchs road Pevna and up
the Radisovo ridge. In the middle OF this ridge is
low hill or hump. From this point down to the end of
The ridge, which is scarcely mile from Pleyna, the
Russians had planted twenty eight guns, the greater
part Of which not more than thousand or
thousand TWO hundred yards from the Turkish re-
loubs and trenches and were continual threat and
danger Turks. II that they had suddenly
decided to try carry the Radisovo ridge, and tho
lttack here directed principally against the hump
hill already spoken OF. opposite one OF their own
redoubts
ON THE LEFT
Will now relate the events which occurred the
Russian extreme left commanded by Prince Meritnsky
and General Skoboen. While the battle raging IN
front the right Of me 1t ragged with less fury
ronnd tho redoubs the other sfdc OF the Lovt-
cha road but up the moment of the second repuse
OF KriIof Skobelen had not yet made his assault Ho
had vel! prepared the ground, however. at four
O'CLOCK he had brought down twenty pieces OF artillery
10 the spur of ridge overlooking Plevna Not
than a thousand yards distant from the redoubt
volume oil smoke rising
and heard terrible thunder, which was not moro
than i've or six hundred yards away on my left II
was evident that Skoeeen risKing his artillery in this
advanced position, determined 10 make des-
perate effort to capture the redoub In front OF him.
THE POSITION ATTACKED
l have already described the positions here, and
only need refer to them to make the description
understood. The redoubt Skobeier was attacking
q double redoubt IN bend OF the Lovtcha down
near Plevna. He had advanced his troops down the
slope OF the mountain to within easy range. AS the
Turks Immediately opened fire upon him from the re.
he ned
cison, putting his men under cover as much poss
bic. his cannon pouring steady stream OF shell and
canister into the redouut as vol. In TACT he worked
his cannon much that several pieces have been
spoiled He had evidently determined to risk every
thing capture this redcubt, and Plevna
taken 1t would not be his fault. For three hours he
kept up this fire, and just after Krilon's second
pulse, the Turkish fire having somewhat relaxed,
dominated by the Russian, he thought the moment
had come tor making the assault.
CHARMED LIFE.
He had four regiments Of the line and four battaons
OF sharpshooters Still keeping up his murderous fire
he formed under its cover two regiments the viadi-
mirsk aud the Zoozolsk, in the little hollow at the
foot OF the low hill on which built the rcdoubt,
together with two battaons OF sharpshootcrs, not
more than LOO yards from the scarp Then placing
himself 10 the best position for watching the result
ceased fire and ordered the advance. He the
assauting party not TO fire, and they rushed
forward with their guns on their shoulders, with
music playing and banners lying, ard disappeared In
places himself enough TO feel tho pulse OF a bat
tie The advancing column indlstincty SEEN
dark mass in the fog and smoke. Feeling as It were
every throb Of the battle, he this line begin TO
waver and hesitate. Upon the instant he hurled for
ward rival regiment TO support and again watched
the result THIS new force carried the mass further
with ITS momentum; but the Turkish redoubt famed
md smoked aud poured forth such torrent OF bullets
that The line was again shaken. Skobclen stood
IN this shower OF balls unburL. All his
Killed wounded. even 10 the little Kirghz, who
ceived bullet In the shoulder Again he the line
hesitate and waver, and he flung his fourth and last
regiment the Ibausky, the gacs Again this
new wave carried the preceding ones forward, until
they were almost on the scarp but that deadly shower
OF bullets poured upon them; men dropped by hun
dreds, and the result sun remained doubtful. The
line once more wavered and hesitated Not moment
TO be ost " the reooubt 20 he carried
FORWARD ONCE MORE.
Skobeen had only Two battaons OF
sharpshooiers left, the best in his detachments
Putting himself at the bead of these, he dashed tor
ward ON horseback He picked up the stragglers: he
reached the wagering 1uctuatng mass gave the
Inspiration OF his own courage and instruction. He
ar sad a cheer. The whole redoubt was a mass of
lame and smoke, from which screams, shouts and
cries of agony and dehauce arose, with the deep
moutbed believing OF the cannon. and above
all the steady. awful crash OF that deadly rife FIRE.
Skobelef's sword was cut IN TWO IN the middle. Then
moment later, when Just on the point of leaf ing the
ditch, horse aud man rolled together to tho ground
the horse dead or wounded, the rider untouched He
sprnng TO bis feet with shout then with formida-
be- savage yell the whole OF over
the ditch, over the scarp and counterscarp, the
parapot, and swept INTO tho redoubt like hurricane.
Their bayonets made short work OF the Turks su re-
manning Then a joyous cheer told that the redoubt
captured and that at last one OF the dccnces OF
Plevna was in the hands OF the Russians
sKoBELEFF THE REDOuBT
Having seen as much as have seen Of the Turkish
infantry Dire from behind trenches and walls, thought
IT beyond 1csn and blood 10 break IL, belief
which had been strengthened by Krion's repulsc,
(Which | had just witnessed. skobeieM proved The
contrary, but at what a sacrifice In that short rush
OF q few hundred yards, 5000 men had been lett
on the hillside on The glacis, tue scarp,
and the ditch--oncfourth OF his whole
force l believe that Skobelef looks upon
such attacks upon such positions almost criminal,
and dsapproved highly the whole plan OF attack on
Pevna; but he believes that Il an attack TO be made
II can only be done in TINS manner and that although
the loss OF may be great IL IS better that the
should be incurred and The victory than hall
Loss with certainty OF defeat. SRobee TO bo
tho only one among the Russian generals who has
studicd the Amer can with profL He knows IL
by heart and II will be seen by those who have studied
the great civil that IN this assault Skobee fol-
lowed tho plan OF the American generals on both
sides when attempting to carry sucn positions, to fol-
low no the assulting column with fresh troops, with
out waiting Tor the first column TO be repulscd II
the position proves TOO strong Tor the FIRST column