Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-10-25
A Fight fora RcdOubt.

A correspondent of the London Daily
.feTs. who dates his letter from the left
wing Of the Loftcha road, writes:
The redoubt Shobelcf was attacking
was double redoubt in the bend of the
Loftcha road down near Plevna. He
had advanced his troops down the slope
OF the mountain to within easy range
As the Turks Immediately opened fire
upon him from the redoubt he returned
the fire with steadincss and precision,
putting his men under cover as much as
possible. his cannon pouring a steady
stream Of shell aud canister into the re-
doubt as well. For three hours he kept
up this fire, and just after KfilofTs Sec
ond repul>e, the Turkish fire h,ving
somewhat relaxed, dominated by the
Russian, he thought the moment had
come for making the assault. He had
four regiments of the line, and four bat
talion> Of >harpshooters. Still keeping
up his murdcrou, fire, he formed un der
its cover two regiments, the Vladimirski
and the Zooxol>ki, in the little hollow at
the foot Of the low hill or which was
built the redoubt, together with two bat
talions OF sharpsbooters, not more than
twelve hundred yards from the scarp.
Then, placing himself in the best posi-.
tion for watching the result, he ceased fire
and ordered the advance. He ordered
the assaulting party not TO fire, and they
rushed forward with their guns on their
shoulders, with music playing and BAN
ners flying, and disappeared in the fog
and smoke. Skobelef is the only gem
eral who places himself near enough TO
feel the pulse of battle.
The advancing column " as indistinct-
~ seen, dark mass in the fog and smoke.
Feeling, as it were, every throb of the
battle, he saw this line begin to waver
and hesitate. Upon the instant he hurled
forward rival regiment to support, and
again watched the result. This new
force carried the mass further on with
ITS momentum, but the Turkish rcdoubt
famed and smoked, and poured forth
such a torrent Of bullets that the line.
was again shaken. Skobeleff ff stood in
this shower Of balls unhurt. All h,s es-
cort We're killed or wounded, even to the
little kirghiz, who received bullet in
the shoulder. Again he saw the line
hesitate and waver, aud he flung his
fourth and last regiment, the Libausky.
on the glacis. Again this new wave car
ried the preceding ones forwa ard, until
they were almost on the scarp; but that
deadly shower Of bullets poured upon
them; men dropped BY hundreds, and
the result still remained doubtful. The
line once more wavered and heritated.
Not u moment was to be lost, If the re.
doubt was TO be carried.
Skobelefi had now only two battalions
Of sharpshooters left, the best in his de-
taehments. Putting himself at the he ad
OF these. he dashed forward on horse
back. He picked up the stragglers; he
reached the wavering, fiuctuating mass,
and gave il the Inspiration OF his own
courage and instruction. He picked the
whole mass up, and carried it forwa ard
with rush and a cheer. The whole re-
doubt was a mass Of flame and smoke,
from which screams, shouts and erie. of
agony and defiance arose. with the deep
mou,hed believing Of the cannon. and.
above all the steady, awful crash Of that
deadly rife frc. Skobeleffs 5 sword was
cut IN two IN the middle. Then a mo-
nent later, when just on the point Of
leapsng the ditch. horse and man rolled
together to the ground, the horse dead
or wounded. the rider untouched. He
sprang TO his feet with a shout, then
with formidable. savage yell. the whole
mass OF men streamed over the ditch,
over The searp and counterscarp. over
the parapet. and swept into the rcdeubt
like a hurricane. Their bayonets made
short work Of the Turks still remaining.
Then = joyous cheer told that the re-
doubt was captured. and that at last one
Of the deiences Of Plerna was in the
hands Of The Russians.