The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1878-01-10

appeared intermiRgled. The smoke
running round in circle toward the
Vid, rose against the heavy clouds
that hnng right on the horizon, VII lie
low on the ground burst forth con-
tinnous balls of fame that rent the
blackness of the clounds like tlashes
of lightning. Through the covering
of the smoke could be seen angry
spi!s Of fire thick as fire flies on q
tropical night. Now and then
through an irregular curving stream
of fire we had indistinct glimpses of
bodies OF men hurrying to and fro,
horses, cattle, carriages running
across the plain, and above all the
internal crashing roll of the infantry
fire and the deep booming Of more
than hundred guns.
COVERED BY THE TRAIN.
This is what had happened: Os-
man Pasha had during the night
abandoned all bis positions from
Grivica to the Green Hill and con-
centrated the greater part of his
army across the Vid, over which he
passed on two bridges, one the old
and tie o.hor the new one lately con
s,ructed. lie took part of his artil-
lyry, some !hfee batteries, and a
train IF about five hundred or six
hundred carriages drawn by bullocks.
He succeeded in getting his army,
the artillery and part OF the train
over by daybreak' The Russians
say that to lave started with so large
u train is a proof that he was deceiv"
ed with regard to the number of the
Rus. ian forces, and that he believed
tic Russian line, owing TO the ab-
sence of General Gourko, was very
weak on The Sofia road, and thought
another road along the Vid was vir-.
'uaI!y open. 1t does not seem posi-
BILE that he could have been SO badly
informed, and | am inclined to think
that the train WAS taken TO serve q
special purpose in the fight. Indeed
the first thing the Russians perceiv~
ed when daylight broke was a line Of
wagons drawn by bullocks advancing
npon them in close order tacross the
l'laln. The smooth, open level offer
ed every facility for such a man@-
uvre. The Turks we're behind these
wagons, which, piled full OF baggage
and effects Of various kinds, afforded
very tair protection from bullets.
THE aRENADIERs MEET DEATH.
The attack was directed against
the positions held by the grenadiers,
north of the Sofa road, whose lines
extended from tho road TO a point
opposite Opanes, where they were
joined by the Roumanian curvirg
line through Susurls. 1t is said the
attack was made with 10000 men,
but l doubt this, as there was really
not room for so many to deploy un-
less they had descended from the
heights Ut Opancs and taken the
Roumanian positions, and have moi
heard that they did this. Nor did
they even attack the Russian posi-
tions south Of the road, as they would
probably have done had they attack
ed in such force. At any rae the
attack was most brilliant and dar-
ing one. The Turks advanced as tal
as they could under cpver Of theil
wagons, while the Russians poured
in terrible fire on them from theil
Berdan breech leaders, scarcely lest
destructive than the Peabody, anc
opened on the advancing line will
shell and shrGpnel. The Turks tier
did a splendid piece of, bravery
only equalled by Scobelolf's capture
of two famous redonbts. Probably
finding their cover beginning to fai
them, owingto the cattle being killed
or getting frightened and running
away, they dashed forward with &