The National tribune., 1883-03-01
PLEVNA.
How the Most Desperate Battle of the Russo
Turkish War was Lost.
[Archibald Forbes in 81. Nicholas!


4rchibuld Forbes in S. Methodist
Before dlybreali on the last day oc July the
whole force was on the move TO the front
! There was a long halt in hollow where wa,
the village OF RadiShovO, into which Turk 5Si
shells flying over the ridge in front. caml
banging and crashing.
About midday Schahoy-koy and his staff
which we accompanied, rod. on to the ridge
between the guns. already III position there
and We surveyed the marvclgu, view below
us-the little town OF Plevna il tie center
! with the Turkish earthWork5. girlicd by can
non smoke, all around it.
After an artillery duel OF three hours. the
Prince ordered his infantry Oh t. the attack
! The gallant fellows pissed us, full Of ardor
with bands playing and cO!o.s flying, and
went down into the fell valley below For
three hours the demon OF carnage rcigned
supreme in that dire cockpit The wounded
came limping and groaning back, and threw
/ themselves heavily down on the reverse slop
III the village OF kaiisilJyo, in our rear. The
surgeons already haa set up their field hospI-
as and were ready for work
Never shall / forget the spectacle Cf tha,
assault made by Schab0vskoy's infautrymcH
on the Turkish earth-works in the valley. The
long ranks Oh which / looked down tramged
steadily Oh 10 thc a5-aIit. No slirmishIng line
was taGOWn cut ~ adF3.HCe. The fighting line
remained The forsna ION, tiIi. what with iuIpa-
tienCe and what with men falling il broke
into a ragged spray of humanity, aud sDr2cd
on swiftly, loosely, aud with no close cohesion.
The supports ran up into The fighting array
independently aud eagerly. Presently all
along the briStiing liBc burst forth flaming
volieys Of lnuskatry fire. The Jagged line
sPrang forward through the malze-fcds, grad
ual!y falling ~ a c0ncavc shape. The cr:lcklc
OF the muskctr% fire rose into a sharp, con-
tnuons peal The slamur OF the hurrahs OF
the lighting men came back to us on the breeze,
max ing the blood Jingle with the excitement
OF battle. The wound d BEGAN TO tricllc beck
down the gentle slope. Nc could see the dead
and the more severely wounGcd lying where
they had fallen, on the stubblt and amidst the
maize The living wave Of lighting men was
pouring over them. ever on and on. Suddenly
the disconnected mon Grew closer together
We c0u.d see the officers signaling for the con
centlatIOn by the waving OF their swords.
Tho distance yet L. be trstyerScd was bat "a
hundred yards. There was a wild rush, healed
by the colonel Of one of the regiments The
Turks in the work stood their gound and
fired with terrible effect into the wGiriwInd
that was rushing upon them. The colonel 5
horse went down, bat the colonel was on his
feet IN 81 moment and, waving his sword Id
his men forward on foot. But only for Il few
pace. lie staggered and leil. We could hear
the tcupcSi-"lSh of Wrath-haf howl, hsif
yci!-fsitH which hi5 men, bay0ncts II The
charge, rushci on 10 aycEgc him. They were
over lie parapet ana IN among 5he Turks Ike
aH overwhelming avalanche. Not Inany follow
cIs Of the Prophet got the chance 10 Iun away
from the cleaning Rus-iau la.yonets.
But there were not m"G cruHgh for the en-
terprisa. It was cruel To watch tie brave Rus
sian soldiers standing there icadcrlcss, ornly
waiting death for want Of officers so lead them
forward or 10 march them back. As the sun
set IN iuTid crimson. the Russian defeat baCame
assured. The attacking troops had been driven
back or stricken down. All around us the air
Was heavy with the low moaning Of the
wounded