, 1877-09-21
PLEVNA.

THE FIGHT or Au0. 31-A TURKISH ASSAULT.
Correspondence Lnnaon 4sfrs.
PonEp1N, Aug. 31.-About 8 o'clock my car
caught dull, scarcely audible humping, that
sounded more like horse stamping at flies
than the booming of artillery. Artillery It
proved 10 be, nevertheless, for lu few moments
1t grew louder aud clearer; unl looking toward
tho 1Ino OF low Hills In the direction Ut plcyna7
sonlc four miles distant, wc taw eovernl columns
Of white smokc rising bchina them, showing
where tho artillery was already bard ut work.
had not been at my new standpoint more
than i've minutes, when tho crest Of tho hill,
milo In front, suddenly erew black as with line
Of lux drawn along the sky. What WIS
its Wo applied our z)assest anu soon
Who Ind lust wacd the Till utter taking the
rctloubt bcllIua n.nl vas now preparing fur al,
assault OF the Russian centre. Their presence
there showed that the rcdoubt must hare been
aga!n captured by the Turks. though for n'tt1~
ute we could not make out whether they were
began to descend the hill right III our direction,
Us though determined to drive uur lott out Ut
pclisat, and turn It. THO battery to tho right
OF the village nav numbered up, and rctrcateu
asn esk sooe M p p posou owa poston e VIC 3
4 handful Of cavalry helEni tue 1lll, now became
rathcr dteagrccable. II We wcrc preseed back
On tho p'ain wu could see nothing. II We re-
probability of pelng cut of and obliged to
make y vide circuit to rejoln the nrtuy,
not to spcak vi Tbs probability uf being directly
N the Lrc of fire. In lss4 shan tlyo lninutes tbs
Turks began to descend tue lliI fu our direction,
not Will. rush. but lcisurely and without firing;
not in nlasaca nor llnes, but scattered aud 1af-
fuaetl. They came down shout halt way In this
manner, the flusatan artillery tearing up the
groups among tIlctn all tho time In tho most
sayai,c il,anlrr.
Twas Just beginning to think OF the expcdcncy
OF clearing out Wien thcr0 mss clsangc. The
Kusaia, infantry iEc, which had for tho last fire
minutes been very heavy about Zga!it,cc, nov 1c:
ganto roll along the hill crest in ur'lrccton, and
tho Turks. who we're just coming lntorangc, began
10 drop rapidly, do not know whether the
Turks originally intended to attack our left or
not, hut the faet j. that tlicrc was change In
tue direction Of the attack. This advance now
Eeercd IL tho left, aul went at the Russian
trcnrlica Oil this crest Ut tbs hills half way b.
tween prllsat aud zgaltnco, will, shout, open.
ing tire At tho sans time. Whcn they descend.
cd into the lfttls hollow and were lost to sight
| for time, whl1o the Russian trenches natnc1
a1nl sucked, storm OF balls IVES puused into
tho advancing Turks. rnia. must bare lasted
altcen Or twcnty minutes. during which ti1,r a
W. sun tllcn, begin tu Withdraw as they went
carrying otf tho wounded. But they had not
yet ha.i enough.
| Encouraged By their tucCc18 In taking tho rc'
| doubt, atl believing they could also taku this
linz, thoy had no sooner Withdraw from tl!e
| Russian fire that they Turned nrl went at II
again. They 4lyc.l down Into the "yal1ey U!
duath" tu struggle llleru amid anoka ami tlre
"a .!ratl.strusEc Of giants. for there Is nothing
tu chouse between Russian and turk Oh tlis
sore Vi braycrY. Many bctlica OF Turks weEt
fund within ten feet Ut thu Russian trenches
| The little Blupu% OIL the crest OF which tnt
| trenches were situated, WA literally coveFct
| viii. tlea1. counted svyen Oh = stIsscc Ut mol
R,urc than ten feet square. This battle her,
was terrible, but tAe Turks wsr6 again
| teElulsel, aud Ayafn they rctreated up The
hlll. It will har,liy be believed lhHt they wen
At It ngaln; aud yct they tlla So. 10 III
who hau watched tic two preceding ~
sauIts 1t 4ccue,i ma.lne1s, becau&u ",
Euuid scr that this Russian t!rc never slackcne,
| All instant, and that the Ruselan lne neye
| WuYeIel, willis We knrw tho Russian Tessrrel
were waitin9 bchlu1 ready 10 lal III Ut thu leas
'siKn VI wayertug.
Tue tcrne Ut earnaRe wa AgaIu repeated, bu
| 1t only lasted moment. The Turks, complete
| II blukcu, Withdrew sulleu!y Ar!ns, anl taktui
tinlc to c1Fry of their wuullaed ana many O
tl1clr de.d. Still lhSp held the resiouos, upo
Which they fell hack apparently with the tnteu
tloa Of holding 1t. but they xssr not allowed t.
remain loug thcrr.
rhe attack ou the scdouht In the hussia
ccutru had been equally unsuryrasfll ~ that VI
the Russian trenches un the lett. Thu Russlan
pursued taenl with 4 numerous nse, auu tilo
SIX conlpanle& went Ut tAenl with the haYoDc
and swspt them out Ut the reloubt like vi llsl
| wind,