The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-07-11
THE BATTLE OF ARABIAN.
Shell Raining OIL the Devoted Town-How
the Russian StormEnR Party Carried the
Forty-Terrible Slaughter.


the Russian Storm!ng Party Carried the
F~orts-Terrible Slaughter.
Letters from Tifis give a graphic
sketch of the Russian victory at Arda-
han. On the first day of the attack the
capture of m outer fort was only re-
garded as a preliminary success. The
bombardment of the other forts began at
daylight the next morning, the storming
army being MI the time keptin readiness
to begin their assault whenever the bonn
bardmeut should have made a sufficient
number of breaches in the Turkish
stronghold. After two hours the same
guns that had been pouring their fiery
contents into the Arabian forts began to
pay their compliments to the city proper.
The Russian batteries, placed along the
adjoining hills, formed q semi-circle
around the beleaguercd city. Behind
these batteries stood The infantry, out Of
sight of the enemy. Shot and shell were
being poured into the streetso of Arabian.
when the Russian commander, as if
overcome with awe ut the havoc he was
creating, ordered the firing to cease, and
demanded the surrender of the city
without further bloodshed. The Turks,
however, asked for conditions hat could
not be granted. Once more the fearful
bombardment began, this time directed
simultaneously on the forts and on the
city. With a sharp field glass one could
see already the piles of corpses continu.
ally accumulating inside the forts, but
the Turks, with m obstinacy which
almost appeared srperhuman, answered
shot for shot. Only n fort remained
silent. Brave as were the Turks, their
shells, however, did little damage; most
of their shots did not even reach the
Russian batteries. Slowly, however, as
the incessant Russian firing c 'mmenced
to tell fearfully on the beleaguered city,
the enemy's fire grew fainter and fainter.
At once the order was given to the
storming columns to get ready for &C.
ton. It was already six o'clock i'll the
evening and only two hours were left
before dark, but the commander, Louis
Melikon, did not hesitate a m mute. The
signal for tie assault was given. The
right wing of the storming column under
General Heymann consisted of two bat
talions of infantry and one company OF
sappers. Heymann rode at the head of
his column. The vancouver was a hril'
liant sight seldom witnessed in border
warfare. Forward they rushed through
ravincs and valleys. Through another
ravine but leading to the same point two
regiments rushed forward ut the double
quick. The batteries followed the left
of the column. Two regiments from
Tihis rushed forward, each against q
fort. All the battalions moved along in
the form of a chain, the real covered by
q deep body of cavalry.
As the storming columns cameio sight
of the enemy n terrible fire of shot and
shell came from the Turkish ranks. 1t
was apparent, however, that their fire,
though heavy, was aimless. Entire
salvos of artillery flew over the heads of
the Russian infantry without doing the
least damage, and ten thousand car
tridgcs were fired off without hurting q
soul, so bad was the Turkish firing.
Slowly but steadily the Russians now
moved forward, not firing a single shot
for fully half an hour, Notwithstanding
the terrible fire directed against them
by the enemy. The moment they came
within proper range, however, they
aimed low and fired deliberately. This
GOODNESS at once stamped the assault as
a success. Not n single cartridge was
fired in vain the enemy suffering terri
bly. at last appeared to have lost its self
control. The Turks fired tremendously,
but MI to no purpose. All at once the
walls Of the doomed city looked like one
sea of fame, and then suddenly became
enveloped in clouds Of smoke. Slowly
but simultaneously the various storming
columns, now marching more quickly,
closed in upon the forts, more and more
encircling in a narrower compass the
entire line of the Turkish defense. The
nearer they approach the enemy the
more murderous become their fire. AS
they came upon the earth Notifications
their columns were massed closer and
closer. The Turks now saw that the
Russian attacks were irresistible ; that
they would soon have to take recourse to
the bayonet and engage in q hand to
hand conflict. At the sight of this the
Turkish infantry wavered. Whole regi-
ments threw their arms away and took
to flight. The artillerists, however,
kept to their posts, but most Of them
were killed at their guns Others aban.
Ioned their batteries without even spik-
ing teir mig nificent guns.
The city of Arabian is, however, di.
vided into two by the River Kura. On
the right bank, now made secure, are
the mansions of the rich, the palace OF
the pasha, the hospital, barracks and the
powder magazine. The other part Of the
city, with the citadel, warehouses and
number of government and other public
buildings, lies on the left bank. Two
bridges connect the two parts of the city.
As the Russian columns came over, the
citadel poured q terrific fire into their
ranks, causing severe losses. But regi'
ment after regiment rushed across the
bridge, and moved up to tho citadel.
The garrison became panic stricken, and
left tie poor artillerists to their own fate.
In the meantime the garrison that had
ran away from the other part of the city
were seen to cross the second bridge.
The Coss:.ck artillery sent a few shells
among tham, and hundreds of Turkish
soldiers were thrown from the bridge
into the water and drowned.
Fifteen minutes later q regiment from
Tifis also took possession of the second
bridge, thus cutting off the enomy's re-
treat. At that moment the most remark
able episode ever witnessed in warfare
occurred. Whole Turkish battalions
threw their arms away and jumped into
the water, so Us to save their nccks by
swimming. But even there the Russian:
were ready. They fired at the swim.
ming Turks from the bridge ana killet
them while in the water. A large number
who had taken refuge in the hospital ant
in the barracks continued firing from thu
upper stories of these buildings upon the
advancing Russians, but the soldiers 0
the Tifis regiments soon overpowcret
them also. The cavalry was now sent tt
the front to pursue The fugitive army
The infantry closely followed them. a
street fight of considerable magnitude
next engaged the attention of the com