Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-08-09
Plevna.

Plevna.
The following vivid account of the
| battle OF Plevna is taken from the ex.
citing story, ..Where was Villiers?n BY
| Archibald Forbes, the distinguished
war-correspondent, in the March 81,
Nicholas. The description gains addi-
tional interest from the fact that Mr..
Forbes was the only journalist who wit
messed this terrible fight.
Before daybreak on the last day of
| july the whole force was on the move
to the front. There was n long halt in
a hollow, where was the village of RAJ
dishovo, into which Turkish shells. fiy-
ING over the ridge in front, came bang
ing and crashing.
About midday Schahovskoy and his
staff, which we accompanied. rode on
10 the ridge between the Guns, already
in position there, and we surveyed the
marvellous view before us-the little
town of Pleyna in the center with the
Turkish earthworkS, girdled by cannon
smoke, all around it.
After an artillery duel of three hours.
the Prince ordered his infantry on to
the attack. The gallant fellows passed
rs, full of ardor, with bands playing
and cOlorS flying. and went down into
the fell valley below For three hours
the demon of carnage reigned supreme
in that dire cockpit. The wounded
came limping and oroaning back, and
threw themselves heavily down on the
reverse slope in the village of Radishovo
in our rear. The surgeons already had
set up their field hospitals, and were
ready for work.
Never shall forget the spectacle of
that assault made by Schahovskoy' in
fantrymen on the Turkish earth-works
in the valley. The long ranks on which
looked down tramped steadily on TO
the assault No Skirmishing line was
thrown out in advance. The fighting
line remained the formation, till, what
with impatiencc and what with men
falling. it broke into q ragged spray of
humanity, and surged on swiftly, loose
~, and with no close cohesion. The
supports ran up into the fighting array
Independently and eagerly. Presently
all along the bristling line burst forth
flaming volleys of musketry fire. The
jagged line sprang forward through the
maize-fields, gradually falling into a
concave shape. The crackle of the
musketry fire rose into II sharp. contin-
uous peal The clamor of the hWrahs
of the fighting men came back to us on
the breeze, making the blood Jingle
with the excitement of battle. The
wounded began to trickle back down
the gentle slope We could see the
dead and the more severely wounded
lying where they had fallen, on the
stubble and amidst the maize The liv-
Ing wave of fighting men was pouring
over them, ever on and on. Suddenly
the disconnected men drew closer to-
oether. We could see the officers si9-
mailing for the concentration by the way
ING of their swords. The distance vet
to be traversed was but hundred yards
There was wild rush, headed by the
colonel of one of the regiments The
Turks in the work stood their ground
and fired with terrible effect into the
whirlwind that was rushing upon them
The colonies horse went down, but tho
colonel was on his feet in moment,
and, waving his sword, led his men for
ward on foot. But only for few PAGES.
He staggered and fell. We could hear
the tempest-gush of wrath-half howl,
half yell with which his men, bayonets
at the charge, rushed on to avenge him.
They were over the parapet and in
among the Turks like an overwhelming
avalanche. Not many followers of the
Prophet got the chance to run away
from the cleaning Russian bayonets.
the enterprise. It was cruel TO watch
the brave Russian soldiers standing
there leaderlesS, sternly awaiting death
for want of officers to lead them for
ward or TO march them back. As the
sun set in lurid crimson. the Russian
defeat became assured. The attacking
troops had been driven back or stricken
down. All around us the mir was
heavy with the low moaning of the
w~-'~A-