The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1884-04-10
The War Correspondent.

The Ohio Legislature has done a
proper act in making provisions for the
return of the body of j. A. MacGal an,
the famous American war correspond
ent, from the cemetery at Scutari, on
the BosphOrus, TO the family burying-
plot, in Perry County, Oh o. j. A. Mac
Gahan was one of the brightest men in
journalism; but so mode t was he that
no one ever heard his many daring feats
in the search for news from his own
lips. He was at the law school at
Brussels when the Franco-Prussian war
broke out in 1870, and he turned his
es toward the field at once. After
the war he made his memorable ride to
khiva, the story of which lives in his
admirable book, campaigning on the
Oxus." Another turn of the wheel
found him in Cuba, where he remained
until the settlement of the troubles
arising out of the Virginius affair.
Thence he fastened to England and
sailed with Allan Young in the Pandora
for the Arctic regions, penetrating to
Peel Strait. 1t was voyage of great
hazard. Allan Young was knghted;
MacG ahan published book, Under
the Northern Lights
MacGahan was sitting in his rooms
in London one afternoon in the spr ng
of 1876. The first rumors OF the mas
sacres in Rulo aria were contained in
paper that was brought to him. He
real the brief dispatch and acted on the
impulse of the moment. He put on his
hat and walked around into BouI ere
street, and when he returned quarter
of an hour later he had closed CON
trait to 90 at once to Bulgaria for the
Duty NeUS. MacGahan left the follow
ing evening. In a months time he had
put new face on the Eastern Ques-
ton" The great struggle between
Christian and Turk was no longer
confined 10 the petty quarre's OF a
few monks over key and q silver
STAR" as defined by Kinglake, but as
sumed propo ons that could lie dis
cerned IN every dub and drawing room
of imperial London. Englishmen saw
every II ocning staring them in the eyes
in their most enterpriS;ng Journal the
legend, 'Mos EN- MaSsacres in Bull
garia." MacGahan had begun his ride.
He visited Batak and painte in cold
type what he saw. He held up the
figure of Aschmet Aga so that all Eng
land saw in him the counterpart of
Mana Sahib. The dead Bulgarian girls
in the shambles at Batak, and twenty
| other pillaged towns cried out for ven
geance through h pen. All Christian
Eu ope rose IN their cause. The lingo
ministry sent its fleet to the Dardanelles,
but dared not land a man or fire
single gun. Popular England repudi-
atcd 1.-The unspeakable Turk" in Ian
l. 10
| England was forced to leave the
''Sick Man to his fate. MacGahan's
| letters forced that attitude upon
| BeacOnsfield. The willy Premier rose
in his place in the Commons and de-
nounced the charges as fabrications
intended to destroy sympathy for
England's old ally-the Turk. Next
he caused kilograms to be forwarded
from Constantinople discrediting the
Daily Mans letters. But Mac,iahan
rode on forward, and wrote sheaves of
letters. Our Government directed Eu-
gene Schuyler, American charge DAT
flares at Constant nople, to visit the
scenes of the atrocities. He found
everything as MacGahan had described
it, and reported to the Washington
Government. In every Ham'et Ma
Gahan said: 1.-The Gar will avenge
this. Courage, people; he will come"
Two months more and the Russian
army was modified at Kischeneff, and
the Gar reviewed it. Then the order
to cross the Pruth came, as had been
foretold. Attached to the staff of the
Commanding General, MacGahan rode
through Eoumania. and crossed the
Danube among the first. Through the
varying fort mes of the war he wrote,
rode and laughed, Some o. this work,
now fortunately preserved in perma-
nent form, is equal to anything of its
kind in our language. The assault of
| S1obeleff on the Grav.tza redoubt,
known as the battle OF September IL, is
a masterpiece of wrting. When Plev-
ma fell and Gourko crossed the Balkans,
MacGahan accompanied him. His
horse threw him. but he was at the
hand-to-hand fight in the Shipka pass,
and wrote OF it in words that breathed
of fire and smoke. This accident
famed him for life. but did not check
his ardor nor quiet his pen. Adrianople
next. and finally the spires and m narets
of Constantinople! AT San Stefano,
suburb OF the capital on the sea OF