Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-10-12
HIS VICTORY.
Grand Story OF Skobelefrs Defeat oil
the Turkomans.

Grand Story OF SkobeIefrs Defeat of
the Turkomans
On the failure of the first expedition
sent against the Tekke Turkomans, in
1880, Skobelef undertook to subdue
them. This task was serious one, for
the Tekkes, like all fighting Asiatic races
when flushed with victory, were danger
Gus enemies and hard to beat When
the mud Notifications of Cock Tepe, in
which they had concentrated some twen-
ty thousand fanatical warriors, were in
vested by Skobeletf's small army ofabout
seven thousand of all arms-the remain
ing ten thousand men of the force being
occupied in keeping the communications
open-the real difficulties commenced.
Sword in hand, the Turkoman "Gha-
his" made furious sorties in bodies of
two or three thousand just before dawn,
falling hero cally on the parallels, APP
proaches, and preaching batteries, which
they more than once captured, driving
such OF the Russian troops as were not at
once cut to pieces, completely out of the
trenches, so that these points had to be
u,
the whole force often day and night un-
der arms. In one of these sallies Skobe-
leff's famous white charger, on which he
had made the Turkish campaign, was
killed under him, and he, himself was in
iminent danger. The loss of this horse,
which he took for bad omen, seemed
to shake his resolution somewhat. He
telegraphed to Tifis desiring that anoth-
er general should take command Gin
case he was killed" in the final assault,
which he proposed delivered almost i'm
mediately; and Gen. Pauloff actually left
for the purpose. Skobeleff said openly
that he would not survive if the attack
failed, aad significantly observed to his
staff "that if it did fail there was nothing
for it but their revolvers" The assault
was made by escalade, ut point mid
way between breach effected by the
batteries and one made by mine run
under a oastion or mud cavalier, some
three hundred yards distant from the
first breach. Now, the defenders ex-
pected the assault to be made by the
breaches, and had made every prepar-
alton to repel it at these points; and
thus they were taken altogether by sur
prise. On their being driven from the
rampant, which took some time to effect,
tIlS al tlllSly was uIdSSSN GlltOuSil GuO
breaches, and being mounted on the
wall, opened an effective cannonade on
the crowded interior of the inciente,
while the cavalry moved around outside
to cut off the retreat Of the fugitives.
Organized resistance having ceased, the
Russian infantry descended into the
enciente, and orders have been issued
to give no quarter, some six thousand to
seven thousand of the enemy were mas
sacred, an equal number being shot or
cut down by the Cossacks and dragons
outside while attempting to escape.
Many of the Russian officers themselves
were completely sickened by the
slaughter, which was horrible. The
Cossacks, as usual, spared no one, and
made no difficulty about cutting Women's
arms off to get their bangles, and SO
forth. AS contingents from the Aknai,
SAILOR, and other Turcomans who were in
Geek Tepe all the hordes having for the
time made common cause against the
Russians. this severe lesson, joined to
tie subsequent plundering of cattle and
all the available effects of the Tekkes,
completely broke the spirit of these
hitherto unconquered nomads. In a few
days all the tribes sent in delegates ten
dering unconditional submission. Skobe-
lC1l ) loss curing the siege anu ASSAULT
amounted to LOO killed and wounded,
among whom were many good officers,
and one General Petrosaievitch, man
of-considerable literary ability, who was
much regretted. The justification of
the massacre at Geek Tepe is that, the
Russians having determined to annex
Turkomania, a severe example was absO-
lutely necessary; a war Of very har-
RAISING and protracted nature wonld
otherwise have probably dragged on for
years involving great expenditure both
of men and money. And then, in the
srorming of fortresses held by warlike
and fanatical Asiatics, who invariably
expect to be killed if the place is taken,
isolated resistance is going on throughout.
Few of any Ghazis will accept quarter;
it is even dangerous to pass near them
when they are lying badly wounded.
On the conclusion OF the camprign Gen
eral Skobelef preparing to St. Petersburg,
wherei is said he was coldly received
by the empress. Anyhow he almost
Immediately applied for leave and went
to Paris, made his famous speech against
the Germans. and returned to Russia,
where he received al ovation on arrival
and en- route. His sudden death is gen.
orally thought to be rather mysterious;
and certainly no man alive seemed less
likely to die six months ago than Skobe-
left, and none more likely to be entering
upon a new career.