The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-10-14

all was quiet everywhere else. The des-
perate attack of the Turks was repulsed.
Another attack was made, another repulse
aud this continued all day long until the
Turks had attacked and been beaten five
successive times. The Russian Losses wers
becoming fearful. Gen. Skobeleff had lost,
he thinks, ., 900 men in attacking the re-
doubt. BY the afternoon he had loaf 3,oUO
| more in holding it, while his battaiishs
| shrivelled mp and ehrank away ns If by
! magic One battalion Of sharpshooters lad
been redHced to sixty men. company
which had been $50 was now 40. Az i'm
mense proportion of officers were killed,
Only one commander of regiment Is
alive; scarcely u head of a battalion is LETT.
Two officers Of the If are killed, one Of
whom was Verastshagrin, brother of the
great artist. Another brother was wounded.
Gen. Dobrovolsky, commander OF sharp
shooters was killed. One officer was blown
to pieces by the explosion of q caisson.
Capt. Kurapatkin, chief of the staff, stand
ing beside this officer, had his hair singed,
and suffered severe confusion. Only
Gen. Skobelt Fl himself remained untouch-
ed. He seems to bear a charmed Hfer-He
visited the redoubt three or four times
during the day, encouraging the so!diers,
telling them help would soon arrive Pev-
Ma would soon be taken; victory would
soon crown their Efforts telling them it
was the final, decisive blow struck for
their country; for tue honor and glory Of
the Russian arms; and they always replied
with the same CHEEKY shouts, while their
numbers were dwindling away by hun
-dfeds--He- again and again sent for rein.
forcements, and again and again informed
the Commander-in-Chieft that tho position
was untenab!e. The afternoon wore away,
and no achievements came. Gen. Levitt
eky, SO / have been informed, formally
refused reintorcements either because he
thought the position, in spite OF Gen.
Skobelef's representations, Was tcnab!e.
or because he bad no reinforcemeDts To
give. Gen. hrilof on his OWE RESPONSE bil-
ity, sent the remnant of q regiment " hich
had attacked the reduubt, winch Nv rush
forward and thea back through that Indian
corutield. OF the 2 500 tueTo were barely
900 left, go it was utterly Incapable OF
going into action that day ; aud even this
regiment arrived too late.
Gen, Skobels fl had left the redouht at 4
O'clock to go to his tent on woody hill
opposite. lie had been there scarcely
an hour when he was Informed that the
Turks were again attacking the right flank
on the Loftcha road, Immediately above
Plevna. lie galloped forward to see, and
was met by al orderly with the news that
the Turks were also attacking the Iedoubt
for the eixth time. He dashed forward to
ward the redoubt in hopes of reaching it in
time, but was met by q stream OF his own
men flying back. They were exhausted by
forty. eight hours incesssnt fighting, and
were worn ont. hungry, and dying of thiret
and fatigue. Owing to the inactivity of the
Russians during tue day, the Turks had
been enabled to collect an overwhelming
force, which had made one last desperate
effort and had succeeded in driving the
Russians out. One bsstion was held to the
lsst by young officer, whose name regret
have forgotten. with handful of men.
They refused to lily, and were slaughtered
to the last mar.
1t was Just after this that l met Gen
Skobeleff, the fret time that day. He was
in fearful state of excitement aud fury.
his uniform was covered With mud and
filth; his sword broken his Cross of st:
George visited round on his shoulder his
face black with powder and smoke his
eyes hsggard aud bloodshot, aud his voice
quite gote. He spoke IN a hoarse whisper.
never before Jaw such picture If battle
as he presented. / saw HIM again in his
tort at night. He was quite CAIN and col
lee ted. He said: 81 have done my beet
could do no more. My attachment Is half
destroyed my regiments do not exist: l
have no Ulcers left they sent me no
endorsements, and have lost three guns
''Wh! did they refuse you reinforcement t.
Who y as to blame7' II blame nobody"
he repiIed at is the will of God"