Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1877-11-01

BILE, savage yell, the whole mass OF
men strearned over the ditch, over
the scarp and counterscarp, over
the parapat, and swept into the
redoubt like a hurricane. Their
bayonets made short work of the
Turks still remaining. Then a
Joyous cheer told that the redonbt
was captured, and that at last one
Of the defenses of Pleyna was in the
hands of the Russians.
Skobeleff seemed to be the only
one among the Russian generals
who has studied the American war
with profit. He knows it by hears
and it will be seen by those who
have studied the great civil war
that, in this assault, Skobeletf fol-
lowed the plan OF the American
generals on both sides when at
tempting to carry such positions,
to follow up the assaulting column
with fresh troops, without waiting
fer the first column TO be repulsed.
If the position proves too strong
for the first column, then reinforce
ments are at hand before they have
time to break and run.
At sunrise the Turks began an
attack upon the captured redoubt,
and the storm of battle again ragged
with fury here, while all was quiet
everywhere else. The desperate
attacks of the Turks were repulsed.
Another attack was made, another
repulse and this continued all day
long until the Turks had attacked
and been beaten five successive
times. The Russian losses were
becoming fearful. General Skobe-
left had lost, he thinks, 1000 men
in attacking the redoubt. By the
afternoon he had lost 5000 more
in holding it, while his battalions
shriveled up and shrank away as il
by magic. One battalion of sharp
shooters had been reduced to 16O
men. A company which had been
$50 was now forty. An immense
proportion of officers were killed.
Only one commander of a reGi-
ment is alive (; scarcely head of a
battalion is lefr. Two officers OF
the staff are killed, one of them
was Verastchagin, brother of the
great artist. Another brother was
wounded. Gen. Dobrovolsky, COM
mander of sharp-shooters, was
killed. One officer was blown to
pieces by the explosion of a Gals,
son. Capt. Kurapatkin, chief OF
the staff, standing beside this Off
Ger, had his hair singed, and suf
fered a severe confusion. Only
Gen. Skobelef himself remained
untouched. He seems to bear a
charmed life. He visited the re-
doubt three or four times during
the day, encouraging the soldiers,
telling them help would soon ar
rive Plevna would soon be taken
victory would soon crown their ef-
forts ; telling them it was the final,
decisive blow struck for their coun-
try for the hoEor and glory of the
Russian arms; and they always re-
piled with the same CHEEKY shouts,
while their numbers were dwin-
ding away by hundreds. He again
and again sent for reiEforcements,
and again informed the commander
in chief that the position was un-
| tenable. The afternoon wore away.
, and no reinforcements came
Gen. Leyitsky, as [ have been in
formed, formally refused reinforce
ments either because he thought
the position, in spite OF Gen. Sko'
beliefs representations, was tena-
BILE, or because he had no rein
fercements to give. Gen. Krilof
on his own-responsibility. sent the
remnant of regiment which had
attacked the redoubt, which | saw
rush forward and then back
Through that Indian corEfeld.-
Of the $500 there were
barely 1000 left, so it was utterly in
capable of going into action that day
1 and even this regiment arrived toe
late.
Gen. Skobelef had left the redoubt
at four o'clock to go to his tent on q
woody hill opposite. He had been
there scarcely an hour when he was
informed that the Turks were again
attacking the right flank on Lovcha
road, Immediately above Plevna. He
galloped forward to, see, and was met
by all orderly with the news that the
Turks were also attacking the redoIbt
for the sixth time. He dashed for.
ward toward The redoubt in hopes o.
reaching it in time, but was met by q
strealh of his own men flying back
They were exhausted by forty-eight
hours incessant fighting, and were
worn out, hungry, and dying of thirst
and fatigue. Owing to the inactivity
Of the Russians during the day, the
Turks had been enabled to collect ar
overwhelming force, which had made
one last desperate effort and had sue
ceeded in driving the Russians out
One bastion was held to the last by i.
young officer, whose name L regret
i have forgotten, with q handful of men
4 Trey refused to fly, and were slaught
cred to the last man.