The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1877-09-28
FIGHTING In SHIPKA PASS.
Vigorous, Work-Suleiman Pasha Di-
recffng n Battle.

Vigorous W0rk-Suleiman Pnsha Df-
recting n Battle.
At the entrance of the pass the road
was wide enough, but as we advanced 1t
narrowed, and soon the defile reared its
rocky sides in perpendicular masses high
above our heads and close up to the mar
row causeway on both sides. On turn
ing one of the curves of the road q loud
report was heard in front, followed by
another, and the order was given to close
up and quicken the pace, the reverbera-
ton of the guns rolling like thunder,
growing louder as we advanced. We
hurried forward, passed another curve,
descended a declivity, assembled another,
passed around a turn to the right, and
the pass suddenly opened out into a
valley, presenting a startling scene.
About three miles in u front, on an
eminence that commanded the continual
ton of the pass, was perched a strong
earthwork battery whose guns were now
blazing away, and from the flagstaff of
which, with the aid of my eye glass, l
could plainly distinguish the Russian flag
of st. Andrew. Along its front on the
slopes of the hills, and covered by thick
brushwood, could be seen the constant
fiecking of smoke, which indicated a rifle
fusilade. About q quarter of a mile on
this side could also be seen, by the
ascending columns of smoke, accompanied
with continual flashes, the artillery of
Suleiman making a vain effort to silence
the fire Of the fort, while slanting up the
hill could be seen the puff of the rifle
discharged as its Moslem owner (distin,
guished by his red tez) worked slowly
upward and onward, to gain a position
dominating the fort.
When we got well up to the front and
the solid shot from the fort began play
ing baseball, with none of III willing to act
as catcher, a Turkish officer, followed by
a single orderly, rode rapidly up, and,
casting a quick, scrutinizing glance at
our force as it moved past, halted our
regiment and u battery of artillery.
He was an ordinary-looking Turk, about
forty years of age, sinewy, but with an
unusually sharp, bright expression of
countenance. Reckoning Selim Bey
toward him, who approached very re-
spectfully, he appeared to give him some
hurried orders, as | could see him ges-
ticulating toward the guns and pointing
up the slope, now dotted along nearly to
the summit with a fringe of smoke.
Selim saluted and turned away as the
horseman did the same, %galloping back
to the front and soon the subject of the
conversation was developed. The regi-
ment was ordered to follow the Skin
mishers up to the mountain side, get the
runs up with them in the best way they
could, and to lose no opportunity to
open fire on the fort. This was no joke
of an order, / assure you, to get a battery
of six guns and all its belongings up the
slope of a mountain for about six hun
bred feet, with no road, over rocks and
fallen trees, etc. However, with the
Turks there is no demur everything is
50 please God" or "Inshallah," and o o
half the regiment was engaged in straight
ing out a sort of path, while the other
laid itself out to assist the horses and
artillerymen in pushing the pieces up
the hill. By ten O'Clock that night we
had them in position and a decent little
earthwork scraped up in front /; while all
we waited for was suficienG daylight to
open fire.
While the men we're Strengthening
matters, l asked the colonel who wa that
officer who rave directions to him about
the guns. Selim answered that he was
Suleiman Pasha. i was surprised, for /
expected to seen the general surrounded
by a brilliant staff; however, l had seen
Suleiman, and that was enough for me.
Wrapping my rubber blanket about
me, / "turned il" on a lee side of a
rock, and soon fell asleep, regardless of
scorpions or centipeds, and while thus
engaged o fancied myself on Washing
ton street, somewhere in the vicinity of
Old South. A crash and roar, as if the
of the venerable Westinghouse
fallen upon me, brought me to my
Ieet with a bound and broke the charm.
[ was not in Boston quite the contrary,
[ was on the Balkans, and not more than
yards from me was a twelve
pound battery blazing away like fury,
,he men stripped off and working away
ike devils. Along, down in front and
the thicket was a perfect blaze of
ire, as the Turkish rifemen kept adj
and firing, under cover, while in
he valley and on the opposite slope the
were moving and firing in the
anne way. 1t was now broad daylight
8 a. M and the Russian fort could be
seen, as it bleached forth shot and I
bell upon the assailants, and their in 4
replied vigorously all along their
doing dreadful werk among the ,
dvancing Turks and they would have
ad it all their own way were it not for
be foresight of Suleiman, who directed
ur battery to be placed in its command
~ position. Our fire being 50 plung- Z
" and direct, necessarily drove the {
gunners from that side of the I
rt opposite to the side that engaged us, !
the nearest side being unable to |
Efficiently elevate, had to endure our /
lnnonade, but revenged themselves as I
ell as they could upon those showing
lemselves in the valley. c
This "sort Of thing" went on in the a
me manner for three days and nights, \
Jleiman continually working his bat 8
ries upward on both sides, covering all C
W movements from the old positions, 4
| he conceived everything to be COM g
etc, when, on the morning of the fourth o
v, the valley sounded with the shouts II
"Allah" as the Turks rushed to the N