The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-09-28

teahCh VAL HSciOuciS H. AAS OAo ACAi ~
him, and who preceded me, received
orders to take his place. He dressed
himselfin haste, and was proceeding tc
join his men, but his horse, generally
quiet creature, suddenly began to prance
and caper in such manner that he al
last threw his rider, who broke his leg
in the fall. 1t was now my turn. l set
off, but, | must confess, not in my
ordinary humor.
/ commanded eighty men, and was
joined by one hundred and twenty be
longing to another regiment, making in
the whole two hundred men. Our post
was about thousand PAGES in front Of
the line of the right wing, and We were
supported by marsh covered with very
high reeds. We had no advance senti-
nels, but not man was suffered to leave
the saddle; our orders were to remain
with drawn sabers and loaded carbines
till daybreak.
Everything was quiet till quarter be-
fore 10 o'clock, when We heard noise,
which was succeeded by loud shouts of
Allah" and in moment all the horses
were thrown to the ground, either by
the fire or the shock of seven or eight
hundred Turks An equal number
fell on their side from theimpetuosity of
the charge, and the fire of our carbines.
In the confusion that succeeded | re-
ceived eight saber wounds, as well from
friends as enemies; my horse was mortal
ly wounded; he fell upon my right leg,
and pined me to the ground.
The flash of pistols threw light upon
the scene of carnage. l raised my eyes
and saw our men defending themselves
with the courage of dispair; but the
Turks, intoxicated with opium, made a
horrible massacre of them. Very soon
not a single Austrian was left standing.
The victors seized the horses that were
still fit for service, pillaged the dead and
and then began to cut off their
heads and put them into sacks, which
hey had brought expressly for the pur-
pose.
My situation was not very enviable. |
In the regiment of Seeker We in gener-
Il understood the Turkish language. L
heard them encourage each other to fin
sh the business before any help should |
lrrive, and not to leave a single ducat
behind, adding that there ought to be
wo hundred. Hence, it appears that
heir information must have been very
,ood.
While they were passing over me,
While legs, arms, and balls were flying
'yer my head, my horse received blow
which caused him to make convulsive
My leg was disengaged,
nd conceived the idea of throwing
myself, if possible, among the reeds of
he morass. had observed that several
f our men, who had attempted it we're
AIKEN; but the firing had slackened, and
he darkness inspired me with hope.
had only twenty yards to go, but had
eason to apprehend that l should sink
n the morass. / nevertheless leaped
yer men and horses, knocked down
nore than one of the Turks, who extend
d their arms to catch me, and made
everal blows with their sabres; but my
ood fortune and agility enabled me to
each the marsh. l sank at first no
igher than my knees; in this manner /
'receeded about twenty PAGES among
he reeds, and there stopped with fatigue.
heard Turk exclaim, "An infidel has
scaped? Let us look for him.
at is impossible he can be in the mo
ass" replied the other.
know not whether they continued
heir conversation, but heard nothing
more; / tainted away with the loss of
,lood, and in this state remained sew
'ral hours; for wheE / came to myself
he sun was already high
had sunk into the morass up To the
waist; my hair stood erect when recol,
ected the carnage of the night, and the
9th of August was one Of my first ideas.
counted my wounds, which we're eight
n number, but none of them dangerous;
hey we're given with sabres, on the arms,
he breast, and the back As the nights
re very cold in that country, wore
hick pelissee, which deadened the blows.
was however extremely weak
listened; the Turks had long been
one. From time to time heard the
roans of wounded horses on the field of
attle; as TO the men, the Turks had Ia
AIKEN care of them.
/ attempted to extricate myself from
he place in which 1 then was, and this
accomplished in about an hour. The
l had left behind me on enter
ng, guided me out again. Though
7ar with the Turks blunts the edge of
felt an emotion of fear
then 1 cast my eyes beyond the reeds.
however advanced;my eyes we're direct
i IL 1