Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-06-30

lne river 10 W1Skl. IalQ down III
the boat and let her float, thinking
I could pass as a piece of drift or
loose boat coming in sight of Wis
Xxi took the paddle to get well over
to the Southside, but Russian bat
terry opened on me from the heights
seven miles from the river. A AZ
inch shell struck my boat and
knocked it from under me; being a
good swimmer, l swan under
water for a mile and then came up
and fioated on my back as if / was
dead, but using my hands as pad
dies under my back to approach the
shore. 1t was well that took the
role of a corpse as a Turk told me
afterward that hewas going to shoot
thinking l was spy. However, l
landed and was politely shown
to the headquarters of my friend
Mudhat Pasha. I laid before him
my statement of the condition of the
enemy and showed him how it was
possible for him to send the bulk of
the troops from Wiski to Sitski cross
the river and whip out the enemy,
as he was busy getting ready to
cross himself and would not expect
an attack. My plans were laid be-
fore him and as he knew that / had
been a soldier under Beauregard he
at once accepted them. I had so ar
ranged as to have both armies cross
the same night, but about 2 miles
apart-to prevent observation both
crossed in row boats. When day
broke each observed the other and
they at once formed line of battle in
the manner as shown on the map
the crescent for Turks and the cross
for the Russians; observe that instead
of isolating the wings of each army
the centre of the line is formed
with the men in the boats. The
boats were held in line by man in
the bow and stern of each boat hold
ing to the gunWale of his neighbOr,
the shore ends being held by ropes.
In this manner the Turks advanced,
the Russians awaiting the attack.
Soon they were engaged and the
fight went ON beautifully. The
heavy batteries could not do much
as there was as great danger of hit
ting friends as foes. / was full of
enjoyment at the grand sight GER
tainly the most wonderful battle of
modern times. After three hours
hard fighting the Turks in the boats
who were up the stream became
panic-stricken and their line of boats
was broken. They floated helplessly
in the strong current toward the enc
my, throwing their guns overheard.
Instead of the boats becoming mex
tricably entangled they fortunately
kept quite a good line. The Rus
slams took this movement as fierce
attack, as volley after vOlley failed
to check them. As the Turks did
not reply but silently kept up an
apparent determined advance, the
Russians, thinking this was to be a
hand to hand tussle to the death in
the water, now took apanicand they
went helplessly, drifting down the
loo l. no II
and taking their oars took up the
persuit with vigOr. They soon over
took the enemy, and now began the
most remarkable proceeding that
ever occurred in warfare either
ancient or modern. The Turks hav-
ing no arms when they overlook a
Russian boat capsized it, gathered
the struggling inmates by the back
of their necks and held their heads
under water until they were drown
ed. No quarter was given or taken.
Both lines being broken by this
occurrence the men on shore
ceased their firing and watched the
combat ON the river in amazement. |
When the last struggling Russ had |
ceased to churn the water with |
his heels these on either shore went |
to work with renewed vigOr. AS |
shown by the position on the map,
the Turk was Outnumbered on the |
north and the Russ on the south, so
but few who were on the wrong side
of the river escaped. Mudhat Pasha
swan his horse across in safety. In
this action the Russ lost twO-fourths
and the Turk three-siXths of their
several commands. Finding that
these folks were getting rather too
curious in regard to the manner in
which / sought war news | swiftly,
and securely skunk away.
/ take it that this correspondent
is little ahead of others in the way
of news asthey have notas yet learn
ed of this great battle, nor of any
Russians ever havingpu foot on the
of the river.
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