The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-09-05
A Turkish Joan or Arc.

THE last steamer from Trebizond
brought among her passengers Adile
Hanum (the Turkish lady, Adile). She
is one of the notable characters of the
recent war. She is a native of Bagdad,
and Mohammedan by religion. She
is rich and enthusiastically devoted to
her country and her faith, wears the
yashmak (veiD and is as brave as she
is fair. At the beginning of the war,
without any previous announcement,
she rode into the camp of Ghazi Mouk-
tar Pasha, at the head of fifty-six
mounted troopers. At first the Turkish
General declined to accept her services,
but as she persisted, and he learned
that she had great influence at Bagdad.
he gave her the command of the force
she had brought with her and of the re-
cruits she could induce to join her
ranks. At this time Meuktar Pasha
was awaiting the Russians on the Ar
menian frontier. The weather grew
cold and great were the privations and
sufferings of his army in that noun
famous and elevated region. Most of
the battles were fought on frozen
ground and among the snow-covered
tent. but it afforded little shelter against
the tcmpests of snow and slcet. The
patience she exhibited under severe
suffering and her hardihood seemed to
nerve the Turkish soldiers and to make
them more tolerant of the privations to
which they were subjected. Her great
est fault was her reckless courage. She
was literally the bravest of the brave.
When the word to charge was given,
nothing could restrain her impetuosity.
She was off like a streak of lightning,
and it was often necessary to send REIN
fOrcements to release her from the
dense mass of enemies by whom she
was surrounded. Her scimetar flashed
like thunderbolt on all sides, and her
troops, animated by her daring, fought
like devils. She took part in the bat
ties and sieges of Bayazid, Kars, Arda-
han and Horum, and on two occasions
was severely wounded. Of her fifty-six
men, twenty were taken prisoners, six
teen killed. and twenty lost and unac-
counted for. She won the rank of
Lieutenant, and was decorated with the
Order of the Medjidie for her exploits.
The Minister of War has received her
as a guest. The Sultan has sent word
that he desired to make her acquaint-
ance, and to present her to the Sultana
and the ladies of the Imperial harem at
Yildiz Kiosk. She is handsome wo-
man, as far as one can Judge of her
features through her diaphanous yash-
max, well-proportioned, erect in statue,
and decidedly martial in her bearing.
Although the Turks hold women in
contempt for their physical and moral
infirmity, there are no people who are
more subject to their influence, or over
whom women exert such absolute sway.
Pretty much all the revolutions in the
Empire have been started in the Sui
tan's harem, and there is rarely Min
isterial crisis which has not its origin
in those sacred precincts. tits no WON
der that Adile Hanum found such ready
and bold followers, or that she welded
such influence over the army. when
these facts are taken into consideration.
She is Mohammedan of the old school,
and rs jealous for the propagation of
the faith as Fatima. the wife of the
Prophet.-Oor Philadelphia Press.