The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-04


through Radisovo, into which many Turk
ish shells were falling They few over tho
ridge occupied by our cannon.
WHERE Is KRUDENER?
BY this time-one oclock--our infantry
had nowhere been engaged. General Baron
Krudener, on the right flank, had gained
much less ground than we had. He seemed
little further forward than at the beginning
of the battle, whereas we were at compare
lively close quarters and within striking
distance Kriidener was behind, either be-
cause his attack was not pushed energeti-
cally or because he was encountering OBJ
stacles which we had not met.
TIE BLuNDER THAT BROUGHT DISASTER.
Now, Kriidener is regarded as a slow
soldier and an unenergetic man. We swore
at what seemed his inertness but it was not
swearing only. Schackoskoy, in his inn
patience, determined to act Independently
and to strike the Turks single handed. If
Kriidener were slow, Schakoskoy was rash
If the whole force was too small for the
work, how much more so was one-half that
force!
THE SECOND PERIOD.
About half-past two the second period Of
the battle began. To ascertain whether the
artillery had sufficiently prepared the way
for the infantry to act Schackoskoy and his
staff rode on to the ridge where our bat
teries were firing. He had to dismount
precipitately under hurricane of she'll fire
which the Turkish gunners directed against
the little group.
INTO THE JAWS OF DEATH.
Along and anxious inspection seemed to
satisfy Schackoskoy and the chief of his
staff that the time had come when the in
fantry could strike with effect This con-
clusion was arrived at in the face of the fact
thatw had on our flank only three brigades,
oil told, one Of which constituted the re-
serve. In other words, we were about to
launch twelve thousand or fifteen thousand
men against intrenched positions held by
an immensely superior force and nowise
crushed by our preliminary artillery fire.
OVER THE RIDGE.
Two brigades Of infantry were in the
Radisovo valley behind the guns of Cen
eral Tchekoff's brigade-the Thirty-second
division on the right, the First brigade of
the Thirtieth division on the left. The
leading battalions were ordered to advance
over the ridge to attack.
WE, ABOUT TO DIE, DO CHEER.
The order was hailed with glad cheers,
for the infantrymen had been chatting at
their inaction, and the battalions, with swift
step, streamed forward through the glen
and up the steep slope behind, marching
in company columns. The rifle companies
led the way. The Russian artillery had
afforded active support to this movement
by firing with increased rapidity over the
heads of the advancing infantry.
THE ARTILLERY FIRE
1t was maintained with such vigor that it
completely covered the column when the
infantrymen had crossed the crest and were
descending the slope and crossing the in
tervening valley to the assault Of the Turk
ish position. Just before reaching the crest
the battalions deployed into line at the
double quick, and crossed in this forma-
ton, breaking to pass through the intervals
between the guns
MANY DEAD ON THE GROUND.
The Turkish shells whistled through them
as they advanced in line, and the men were
already slain in great numbers, but the long,
undulating line tramps steadily over the
stubbles and crashes through the UNDER
growth on the descent. Beyond, the skir-
mishing line is thrown out in advance II
ZEAL OF THE RUSSIAN INFANTRY.
The fighting line retains the formation
for time, until under the combined infu-
ences of the impotence of the men and
their rapidly thinning ranks, it breaks into
a rugged spray of humanity and surges on
swiftly, loosely and with no close cohesion.
The supports are close up and run up into
the fighting line independently and eagerly.
CHASE OF MADMEN.
1t is veritable chase of fighting men,
impelleS by burning desire to get forward
and come to close quarters with the enemy,
who is firing Mt them from behind the