Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-10-25

Skooeieu seemed 10 De the only one
among the Russian generals who has
studied the America war, with profit.
He knows it by heart: and il will be
seen by those v no hare studied the great
ciyi war that, II, this sssault, SkobeleH
followed the plan Of the Ameircsn gsn-
erals On beth sides when attempting 10
carry snch positions, to follow Up The
asssulting column with fresh troops,
without wsiting for, the FIRST column to
be repulsed. IT the position proves too
strong for the, frst column, then REIN
forcements are at hand before they have
| time TO break and run. '''---
At sunrise the Turks began an attsck
upon the captured redoubt, and the
storm Of battle again ragged with fury
here, while all was quiet everywhere
else. The desperate attacks Of the Turks
were repulsed. Another attack was
made, another repulse; and this contin.
ued all day long until the Turks had at
tackled and been beaten FIVE successive
times. The Russian losses were becom-
ing fearful. General SkobelefF had lost,
he thinks, 1900 men in attacking the
redoubt. BY the afternoon he had lost
5000 more in holding it, while his bat
talions shriveled up and shrank away as
II by magic. One battalion Of sharp
shooters had been reduced to 160 men.
A company which had been $50 was now
forty. An immense proportion Of off,
GERS were killed. Only one command
er of a regiment was alive; scarcely a
head of a battalion is left. Two officers
Of the staff are killed, one of them was
Verastchagin, brother Of the great ar
tist. Another brother was wounded.
Gen. Dobrovolsky, commander Of sharp
shooters, was killed. One officer was
blown to pieces by the explosion of a
caisson. Capt. Kurapatkin, chief of the
staff, standing beside this officer, had
his hair singed. and suffered severe
confusion. Only Gen. Skobele himself
remained untouched. He seems to bear
a charmed life.
He visited the redoubt three or four
times during the day, encouraging the
soldiers, telling them help would soon
arrive: Plevna would soon be taken:
victory would soon crown their efforts;
telling them it was the final, decisive
blow struck for their country: for the
honor and glory of the Russian arms;
and they always replied with the same
CHEEKY shouts, while their numbers were
dwindling away by hundreds. He again
and again sent for reinforcements, and
again informed the chief
that the position was untenable. The
| afternoon wore away, and no reinforce
ments came. Gen. Levit>ky, as have
been informed, formally refused rein
forcements, either because he thought
the position. in spite Of Gen. Skobeleffs $
representations. was tenable, or because
he had no reiniorcements to give. Gen.
krilof, on his own responsibility, sent
the remnant Of a regiment which had
attacked the redoubt, which saw rush
forward and then back through that
Indian cornfeld. OF the $500 there
were barely 1000 left, so it was utter
ly incapable Of going into action that
day: and even this regiment arrived too
late.
Gen. Skobelef had left the redoubt at
four O'Clock to 60 to his tent on woody
hill opposite. He had been there scarce
ly an hour when he was informed that
the Turks were again attacking the right
flank on the Lovcha road, immediately
| above Plevna. He galloped forward to
see, and was met 5y an orderly with the
news that the Turks were also attack
ing the redoubt for the sixth time. He
dashed forward toward the rcdoubt in
hopes of reaching it in time, but was
met by a stream Of bis own men fying
back. They were exhausted by forty
eight hours incessant fighting. and were
worn out, hungry, and dying OF thirst
and fatigue. Owing to the inactivity of
the Russians during the day, the Turks
had been enabled to collect an over
whelming force. which had made one
last desperate effort and had succeeded
in driving the Russians out. One posi-
tion was held to the last by a young Of
ficer, whose name regret have for
gotten, with handful Of men. They
refused to fly, and were slaughtered to
the last man.
II was just after this that met Gen.
Skobeleff, the first time that day. He
was in fearful state of excitement and
fury. His uniform was covered with
mud and filth: his sword broken: his
Cross of St. George twisted round on
his shoulder: his face black with pow
der and smoke; his eyes haggard and
bloodshot, and his voice quite gone. He
spoke in hoarse whisper. lnever be-
fore saw such q picture Of battle as he
presented. saw him again in his tent
at night. He was quite calm and COL
lectea. He said Il have done nv
best: l could do no more. Nv detach-
ment is half destroyed; my regiments do
not exist: have no officers left: thew
sent me no reinforcements, and have
lost three gans." why did they re-
fuse you reinforcements Who was to
blame :" Il blame nobody" he replied.
1T is the will Of God"