Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-03-01
PIeyna.

battle of Pleyna, is by Archibald Forbes,
the distinguished war correspondent
in st. NishozaS'.
Before daybreak on the last day of
July the whole force was on the move
to the front. There was 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 Schahvskoy and his
staff, which we accompanied, rode on
to 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 can
non smoke, all around it.
After an artillery duel of three
hours the prince ordered his infantry
onto the attack. The gallant fellows
passed as, 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 groan-
ing back and threw themselves heavily
down on the reverse slope in the vii
lage Of Radishovo, 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
infantrymen on the Turkish earth
works in the valley. The long ranks
on which 1 looked down tramped
steadily on to the assault. No skir-
mishing line was thrown out in adj
vance The fighting line remained
the formation, till, what with i'm
patience and what with men falling,
it broke into a 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
bristling line burst forth flaming vol
leys of musketry fire. The jagged line
sprang forward through the maize
fields. gradually falling into coneave
shape. The crackle Of the musketry
fire rose into sharp, continuous peal.
The clamor of the hurrahs of the fight
ing men came back to us on the breeze,
making the blood tingle with the ex-
| citement Of battle. The wounded be
gan 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 living wave Of
lighting men was pouring over them,
ever on and on. Suddenly the dfscon-
nected men drew closer together. We
could see the officers signaling for the
concentration by tie waving Of their
swords. The distance yet to be tray
ersed was but a hundred yards. There
was a 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 colonels torse 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 ava
lanche. Not many followers of the
Prophet got the chance to run away
from the cleaning Russian bayonets.
But there were not men enough for
the enterprise. 1t was cruel to watch
the brave Russian soldiers standing
there 1eaderless. sternly waiting 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 attack
ing troops had been driven back or
stricken down. All around us Che air
was heavy with the low moaning of
the wounded.