The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-12-20

GEN. SKOBELEFF'S STORMING AND
CAPTURE OF THE LOFT
CHA REDOUBT.
tplevna Cor. London Daily News.
The redoubt Skobeleff was attack
ing was double redoubt in the bend
of the Loftcha road down near Plev-
Ma. He had advanced his troops down
the slope of the mountain to within
easv range. AS the Turks Immediate
ly opened fire upon him from the re-
doubt. he returned the fire with Steadi-
ness and precision. putting his men
under cover as much as possible, his
cannon pouring IA steady stream of shell
and canister into the redOubt as well.
In fact he worked his cannon so much
that several peices have been spoiled.
He had evidently determined to risk
everything to capture this redOubt.
and if Plevna were not taken it would
not be his fault. For three hours he
kept up this fire, and just after kril-
on's second repulse. the Turkish fire
having somewhat relaxed, dominated
by the Russians. he thought the mo-
ment had come for making the as
sault.
He had four regiments Of the line,
andfOur battalions of SharpShOOterS.
Still keeping up his murderous fire,
he formed under it's cover two regi-
ments, the Viadimirski and the ZOO
zolski, in the little hollow at the foot
Of the low hill on which was built the
redOubt, together with two battallons
of SharDShoOterS. not more thOn l.2OO
yards from the scarp. Then placing
himself in the best position for watch
ing the result, he ceased fire and or
dered the advance. He ordered the
assaulting party not to fire. ana they
rushed forward with their guns on
their shoulders. with music and ban
ners flying, and disappeared In the fog
and smoke.
Skobeleff is the only general who
places himself near enough to feel the
pulse of Il battle. The advancing
column was indistinctly seen. a 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 hur-
ried forward a rival regiment to sup
port, and again watched the result.
This new force carried the mass fur
Their on with its momentum, but the
Turkish redOubt famed and smoked.
and poured forth such a torrent OF bull
| lets that the lines were again shaken.
| Skobeleff stood in this shower of balls
unhurt. All his escort were Killed
or wounded even to the little klrg-
niZ, who received 4 bullet i'll the
shoulder. Again he saw the line hes
itate and waver, and he flung his
fourth and last regiment, the Llbaus-
ky, on the glacis. Again this new
wave carried the proceeding ones
! forward, until they were almost on
the Scarp; but the deadly shower OF
bullets poured upon them; men drop
ped by hundreds. and the result still
remained doubtful. The line once
wavered and hesitated. Not a mo-
ment was to be lost, if the redoubt
was to be carried.
| Skobeleff had now only two battal-
ions of sharpshooters left, the best in
his attachments. Putting himself at
the head of these, he dashed forward
on the wavering, fluctuating mass,
and gave it the inspiration of his own
courage and instruction. He picked
the whole mass up and carried it for
ward with a rush and cheer. The
whole redoubt was a mass of flame
and smoke, from which screams,
shouts, and deep-mouthed believing
of the canon, and. above all the steady
awful crash of that deadly rifie-tire
Skobeleff S sword was cut in two in
the middle. Then a moment later
when just on the point of leaplng the
ditch, horse and man rolled together
on the ground, the horse dead OF
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 scarp and counter
scarp, over the parapet and swept
into the redoubt like hurricane
Their bayonets made short work OF
the Turks still remaining. Then q
joyous cheer told the redoubt was cap
tured and that ut least one of the de
lenses of Plevna was in the hands OF
the Russians.
But at what a sacrifice! In tina
short brush of a few hundred yards
5000 men had been eft on the hill
side, on the glacls, the scarp and thu
ditch-on fourth of his whole force
The Two Great Parties Tho Creonbac