Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1883-03-12
plevna.


war correspondent. in the March 81.
Nicholas. The description gains adj
ditional interest from the fact that Mr..
Forbes was the only journalist who
witnessed this terrible fight.
Before daybreak ~ the last day of
July the whole force was on the move
10 the front. There was n long halt
in hollow. where was the village of
Radishovo. into which Turkish shells,
flying over the ridge in front, came
banging 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 below us-the little
town Of Plevna 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
us, full of ardor, with bands playing
and colors flying, and went down into
the fell valley below. For three hours
the demon of carnage rcigned supl eme
in that dire cockpit. The wounded
came limping and groaning back, and
threw themselves heavily down on the
reverse slope in the village of Radish-
ovo, in our rear. The surgeons already
had set up their field hospitals, and
were ready for work.
Never shall i forget the spectacle of
that assault made by Schahovskoy's 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 impatience and what with men
falling, it broke into ragged spray
of humanity, and surged on swiftly,
loosely, and with no close cohesion.
The supports ran up into the fighting
array independently and eagerly.
Presently all along the brstling 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 a
sharp, continuous peal. The clamor
of the hurrahs of the fighting men came
back to us on the breeze, making the
blood tingle with the excitement of
battle. The wounded began to trickle
back down the gentle slope. We
could see the dead and the more Sc
verely wounded lying where they had
fallen, on the stubble and amidst the
maize. The living wave of fighting
men was pouring over them, ever
on and on. Suddenly, the discon-
nccted men drew closer together
We could see the officers signal
ing for the concentration by the
waving of their swords. The distance
yet to be traversed was only hundred
yards. There was q 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 colonel's horse went
down, but the colonel was on his feet
in moment, and, waving his sword,
led his men forward 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 gleam-
ing Russian bayonets.
But there was not men enough for
the enterprise. 1t was cruel to watch
the brave Russian soldiers standing
there leaderless, sternly waiting death
for want of officers TO lead them for
ward or to lead them back. AS the
sun set in lurid crimson, the Russian
defeat became assured. The attack
incr traarc had haoxa driua., Laal. -.