The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-09-06
The Russian Defeat at Plevna-A
Manned and lOurnful Procession.

If ever there was causcless human
slaughter, it occurred in front of the
Turkish Notifications before Plevna. The
whole country passed through is 80 desti.
tute of fuel that saw some Russian
camps where the soldiers were cooking
over fires built with bundles of wheat
from the adjacent fields. The Russians
have been compelled, in many instances, to
use this newly gathered wheat for fOragipg
their horses. saw no wells on my route,
and the only water was found where natu-
raj springs had been walled up with stone,
and q slab with pious Turkish inscrip-
ton placed over the stream.
At three in the afternoon, after leaving
Sistova, l was resting near one of these
natural fountains, when long line of am
bulance- wagons, enshrOudcd in dense
clouds of dust, appeared over hill in the
distance. As the head of the line reached
us and halted by the fountain, leaned
of the heavy battle fought the day before,
in front Of the Turkish Notifications
around Plevna. The ambulance-wagons
gradually gathered, until the large space
around the spring of cool water was COW
cred with these convcyances, filled with
human beings mangled in every conceiva.
BILE form, who gasped for . drop of
water. Some could not drink, as the
attempts to swallow brought gushcs
of blood from gaping wounds in
the throat and chest, which pre-
vented them cooling their parched
tongues covered with the horrible dust
which rose at the slightest movement
upon the roads. Weary with this sorrow-
full scene, mounted my horse and pushed
on. A short distance from the fountain I
encountered second ambulance train,
loaded like its predecessor. For two
hours they continued to pass me, and then
came still longer trains of country trans
port carts, loaded with the less severe
cases, intermixed with an apparently
endless stream of ammunition wagons,
surplus baggage carts, and camp equi-
pages, until finally the road became COM
pletely blocked by the indiscriminatc
mass of horses, carts. wagons and man.
glcd humanity, streaming toward Sis.
tOva. was compelled to lead my
horse to q hillock by the roadside
and wait for an opportunity to
pass on, az we'll as to allow my wag-
on to come up. For more than an hour
l stood there watching the passage of this
motley caravan, and bcheld the hun.
drcds of gallant fellows roll by in open
springless carts, with blazing sun pour
ing down upon their blood stained forms,
with choking clouds of dust parching
their burning Threats, and settling in
masses upon their agOnizcd cOuntcnanccs,
until they ceased to look like human
faces. While waiting for the road to be
cleared, we were often asked if there were
no troops coming to the rescue, and many
were the bitter comments made on the fol-
ly of dashing those brave fellows against
the vastly superior M0elem force, strong
ly intrenchcd on the height before Plevna.
One officer who was badly wounded had
led the extreme advance in the assault on
the Turkish intrenchments. He had PEN
etratcd far into the M0slem lines, and said
if he had been properly supported they
could have carried the positions; but
the column was not strong enough, from
want of troops or gencralship, and the
Turks, finding this out, turned upon them
and drove them back with fearful loss.
Not more than half of that column came
back" was the mOurnful close of the
wounded officers statement. learnt here
that the battle of the previous day had
lasted from morning until night, the Rus
sian attack being made on both wings Of
the Turkish line, under the command Of
03sQs AItlOeUCES WIN lou 010 IAk0t III V6F.
son. while the Russian left was command
ed by Gen. Prince SchakofIski. I've
could not do anything with them; they
were too strong for u.s." was the universal
remark of officers and soldiers, and their
cruel wounds told how wrathfnlly they
had endeavOred to carry out the senseless
orders to carry Plevna by storm.
The above quotation really tells the
story of the battle. The immense mum.
bers of ammunition and transport wagons
suggested momentarily Russian retreat
but the Absence of artillery refuted this
idea, and saw that the ammunition wag-
ons were empty, and were evidently going
for supplies, while the other wagons con-
tained the tents and camp equipage of the
dead aud wounded, which were no longer
needed at the front. While was waiting
at this place poor fellow died In one Of
the wagons, and was buried by the road.
side. At last, after the stream hal been
passing me for four hours, I was enabled
to pursue my journey, and short distance
from my last halting. piece came upon .
mOurnful scene. The dead body Of another
Russian soldier lay beside IN open grave
by the roadside, while party Of Bulga-
Rams were saying their funeral service.
am assured that the orders to attack ct
Plcvna were given by the Grand Duke
himself; II %, he alone is responsible, for
the orders wcTe carried out ss CALAMITY e
any men could have done in the same I'd.
we're circumstances. The present posi-.
ton Of the Russian Army before Plcvna IL
Z rood On0. and. had they remained ON the