The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1878-01-20
TURKISH BARBARITY,

nuTNHNipH Ni itn hiNHNlbh ~" s'FIihl'
nun.n,iou ~ the rusbs-Unrd Fate
~ pn Oid hehUulnnit,
Ihp Cleveland (Ohiu) Herald says
that the following thrilling letter was
wu.tpu by Russian officer OF the
Guards 10 u relative In this city The
writer had no idea when he wrote the
letter that n would ever appear In
mint u circumstance which gives II
additional interest. The heart. rending
account OF the fearful mulllatlon OF u
gallant young brother officer confirms
the worst account We have heard OF
IurEah barhunty. The latter II dated
daled Headquarters Of First Division
OF the Guards at PleVna, October &c;
have Just returned this morning
from six days expedition on the So
phu road. Our Object was TO capture
lhp two fortified villages of Dabnik
and Trlsh, important to Osman as
Fn.llcr for the conveys from Orcha-
uIrh, DAOnik our second division took
d. the point OF tie bay0nct, after u
huasl.tO breast bloody conflict. This
wns on the 2lth. Our losses We're
heavy three thousand killed aud
wounded, but these 1T least were cared
for 10y friendly hands. The Turkish
losses were rs heavy, besides three
thousand prisoners fallen into our
hands
Four jays later our first brigade, to
which my regiment belongs, was or.
Ggred toward Telsh, eight miles from
Dabuik. Our first squadron, com.
mQuded by my friend : moved for
wand, accompanying IA regiment OF in
faulry and two light field picces They
met overwhelming forces OF Turks,
and after heavy struggle fell back 10
pwuit Inducements We were or
Gefad, and, 81 being disabled, | took
change OF lpr second rquadr0u. About
t.uro miles ahead We overlook the
remnant OF our III fated iirst squadron
---.ul 800 men, hardly 10 remaining,
suG six officers missing We stopped
hlta moment, aud then Cauteied on
along II path that every moment 0tN
come moie!y thirk} streWn with
dead Wounded we saw none. The
nearest bodies were only parity strip
ned OF their clothes and their heads
cut oil, but the further we rode tine
ghastlier grew the sight. The dead
Turks lay IN they had fGlIen, hut cur
ponr comrades had been robbed and
mutilated, some in a manner too hor'
rihe TO describe.
Coming to u place where the road
somewhat widencd, about two miles
from the Tu,sh, We halted and after
driving away and cutting down in a
short sISigmish q party Of Turks WIZ"
were Lusy robong our dead, we stop
ned in form before going on. a. l
rode along the front, shouting out orN
der9 10 my mea, An agOniAink cry for
helm arrested my attention. | locked
around. Nothing tut heaps OF dead
everywhere. or course none needed
me, But bark once more, and Sgaln
and again these pi'eous cries. Ha'tly
dism0unting, threw The bride over
NY sound arm and ran toward >ome
bushes from behind which the
suuuds proceeded, and there, in a
small pool of ciolted blood, lay that
which | first failed 10 recognise rs a
human being, though human II Ger
tainly was in It's pite0us cries, ana the
seemingly gloved hands that clutched
air and earth in their ag0Ey' Inc
rest from the waist upward, was one
inass of raw, quivering iesh--the face
feuturele-+, eyelids and eyes cat out,
Tie nun faYed alive, all but the hands,
whose white akin at first gave the I'M
preston of their beiEg gloved. ms
CHASTITY object lay rev steps from a
dead horse, one of cur Cwn regiments
golden bays. Faint ut heart oeh'
over The sufferer, evidently one OF oui
own men, hut now mangled oeyonu
recognition. He prayed for death with
his poor torn lips, and IN minute
more W, our surgeon, ami two more
of our officers were by my side.
made room for W., who stopped tor
few seconds over our cOmrade, apC
then rising sadly shook his head
marmuring, ono help"
A sudden impulse prompted me &c
seize the poor helpless mana III NY
own, aud pressing il whisper "A Few
words of comfort At the sounu
came the sudden appeal: "Nicolaii fol
old friendships sake SEND pu'is'
through my heart" TINS voice souhde'
strangely familiar, yet could not rec
oguize it, "Who are you?" alexis D
Alexis, my old schOOlidate, VINO had
few hours ago shared my breakfast Wy
or bivOuac fire, and then rode away
handsome and bold, ut the head OF gu
first squadron. He had fallen wounu
eel, helpless, his horse shot under nm
AMI the fieudish Turks were slo"l!
tUrguFiug him to death when our ap
prOagh drove them away. Clasplnl
my hand In his he still beggeu 10
death. My revolver was empty, ul7
charged in the seattle few moments
before. Looked at w, who sileutl.
drew cut his, and shuddeIing IN e7er,
nerve, placed the muZzle against .
breast AMI, with averted face, iire'
twice IN succession, while presseu VI
poor hand In mine. We wrapped NH
zap IN my cloak aud placing him II
TIRE shallow ditch, rolled q boulder owe
hin, aud then, with our hands sti
moist with his blood, we swOre neve
o. empty the last chamber of our pl'
Tolls, but always TO reserve shot u
ourselves aud friends should any Ut U
wounded, have to be left behind Ma
quick death-a soldiers DEATH
ours
As rode away / thought OF 3
young wife and my own, few week
iTiies, one widowed, the other llEel
% be, and ms heart burned with indil
nAtiOn within me as thought how
The face of saTfaIe wsged by u
IuW -. afNrN