The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-04-02
One Against Three

AN EPISODE IN Il BOSNIAN WAR.
1t happened in the valley of the Spre.
cha, between Dolnjar Tuzla and Haul
Pirkovac. On the road, and on both
sides, a furious conflict was going on,
which spread itself by degrees into the
neighboripg forest, whittier the retreat
ing Turks were holly pursued by our
men.
After an hours skirmish 7 suddenly
remarked that I and q handful of brave
fellows had separated ourselves from
the rest, and although we still heard the
sound of distant firing, we had entirely
lost sight OF our companions and Of the
Turks, with the exception of those who
were directly ahead of US. Here we
were, about fifteen men against nearly
twenty Turks My friend P called
to me suddenly, in the thickest of the
fight, to withdraw my men, as the Turks
were in the majority, and we had gone
too far from our center. GA little
while longer" I shouted, "and perhaps
we shall receive help" The firing con
tinued with the greatest rapidity; the
balls struck the trunks of the trees, or
flew Kissing through the branches, which
fell to the ground. Suddenly, as if by
agreement, the iriug ceased; the am
hamilton on both sides was exhausted.
We faced each other with unloaded
firearms.
No sooner did the Turks see that we,
too, were without ammunition than they
sprang from behind the trees and\ fell
upon us like wild beasts, shouting
"Allah!" The foremost of our men
beat down the cimeers they brandish-
ed with their bayonets !; those in the
rear began to run away. "Back !
back !" l cried to my men. Those who
remained surrounded me, and we re.
tired as we'll as we could, facing the
enemy when they approached too near.
Soon one and then another of u COM
pany fell. But then came a misfortune.
The wood suddenly brought us to a
steep precipice, from which there was
no escape. Here the Turks reached us.
Their cimeters came down upon us like
hail. Our square of glittering bayonets
defended rs well enough, while the
Turks, dispensing themselves like a
swarm of wasps, a~ttackedus one byone.
Fighting with the courage Of despair,
we mounted again slowly, but the Turks
pressed on us with such fury that We
felt it was all over. In about ten min
utes only five of our men remained to
face seven strong Turks "Brothers,
let us die g.oriously ; there is no help
for u.s." I cried, and threw myself,
sword in hand, against my nearest op-
ponent. My companions followed my
example. Then ensued a short but ter
rible struggle. How it happened that
I found myself, all of a sudden, fighting
three Turks, I don't know ; and I cana
remainder where and how my friend
was killed. I only know that I ran
ran as fast as Icould-knowing that cold
death, in the form of three sharp cine
ters, was behind me. If the Turks
reached me I knew they would cut me
into a hundred pieces. I wondered
that, running so furiously, I had time
to repent having left our troops so far
behind, that 1 had spent the last charge
from my revolver. What was n
sword against three cimeters sharp as
razorsi Ny head swan, my heart felt
as if it would burst But look A
help from God! Not far from me was
an officer, with his head leaning against
the trunk Of tree, MORALLY wounded,
dying ; but nea him was my life, my
only help "a revolver! In q moment
It was in my hands, and I had taken up
my position behind a tree. The revolv-
or had six barrels, and was charged
with four balls.
Suddenly the three Turks faced me
with their menacing blades; between
me and them was only the small trunk
OF q ~beech-tree, which was our mutual
shield. Bang went my revolver, and
the nearest Turk rolled backward on
the grass. Bang ! again, and the second
Turk, who was trying to get behind me,
uttered a wild cry. At this moment the
third Turk, Selling him under the arm
with his left hand, drew him, with
herculean strength, before him as a
nkield, and, covered in this way, ap-
preached me with uplifted cimeter.
Ny strength was almost exhausted.
For the third time I fred, but the con-
tents, instead OF entering the body Of my
antagonist, lodged themselves in that Of
the shield Turk. "You are lost |" I
thought to myself; and, springing from
behind the tree which had 80 happily
protected me until now, I ran a few
steps farther, hoping to induce the Turk
to throw away his shield, as I dared not
spend my last charge on chance. So it
happened. The Turk ran after me with
the CELEBRITY of a wolf. But I was al
ready behind q tree, and for the fourth
time I fred. With eyes starting out of
his head, my deadly enemy staggered,
the cimeter fell from his hand; he sank
with a slight groan, to the earth.
I turned away with the reflection,
"Where am I now ?" "In the forest"
was the answer. cam ! far from my
company" Heaven only knows"
How I got rid of my enemies I have re
lated but I was not yet out Of danger.
Standing in the fathomless forest, I
did not know if I were nearer to my
compaa ons or those dreadful blood
hounds who, if they met me, would hew
me to pieces with their swooping
blades.
Meanwhile the sun began to sink, and
It became darker and darker in the for
est. An oppressive silence reignedaon
all sides; not a breath stirred-no sound
Of bird or animal. It was quite impos.