St. Landry democrat., 1886-03-13

eOusly nant offer, saying that he hat
seen too much OF the awful realities OF
| war, and wanted no mimic reminder O1
| them.
Some striking testimonies in similar
direction are to he found in the popular
writings of Mr.. Archibald Forbes, the
well-known special war correspondent
of the Daily News, who has also been Il
soldier himself. He is most enthusi
asst c admirer of military bravery, and
is, in fact regarded with esteem by both
| officers and men. More graphic des-
| anywhere to be found than those given
| by this eye witness. His especial hero
was the Russian General Sk0beletf,
whom, with the American Stonewall
acksen, he considered the two greatest
soldiers of modern times. Bnt he thus
depicts Skobeleff's assault on the de-
fences OF Pievna, ia 1871:
'''Ihe assalting column moved for
ward, rifles on shoulders, with music
playing and banners flying. But the
Turf isll redoubt famed and smoked,
and poured forth such a torrent of bull
lets thar the Russian line was staggered.
On the painting soldiers poured steadily
that deadly shower of Turkish, bullets
men we've falling in hundreds, and the
issue swaytd tuand fro in the balance.
Skobeltif had now in reserve but two
hatalionS Of ritleifien. but they were
picked men. the best Sui,liers in his
command H.. reached the warerin.4
tiuckluaiing mass, swaying there in the
hell fire, aud sent, thrilling and tingling
through II, the sublime inspiration of
his own high courage. The whole re-
dan It xylS n, li..n nf H.,upn and
smoke, from out of which rose screams.
shouts, cries OF agony and defiance,
along with the deep-mOuthed below
ing OF the cannon. and the steady, aw-
full, ruthless crash OF the deadly life
fire. Skobeleft's sword was cut in two
in the middle, as he waved it above his
horse rolled on the ground the horse
shs tand done with, the rider alive and
unarnIed. Skabeletf sprang nimbly to
bis ii ct with q shout. Then. with a
sharp, savage yell the whole mass of
men streamtd after the white coated
leader across the ditch, up the face, over |
the parapet and swept down the redoubt |
like whirlwind. There ensued few |
fierce moments OF desperate hand to |
hand lighting; then numbers and the |
bayonet captured the redoubt. But at |
what sacrifice In that short rush of a
lew iluuuIeu yafuS oUUb men ilau gone |
down. By the afternoon of the 18th
1000 more of his men had gone down.
lie had lost 90 per cent of his command -
After this massacre, /, loss of 5000 Rus
slams alone, the Turks took that re-
i"ubt, SD that the awful slaughter had
'een fruitless in it's object. What Il
world of suffering and woe was inyolv-
ii III this single episode of war!
Last year, in the Soudan, the English
't1cers and their soldiers had to expe-
fence other barren horrors-po"r Cor
Ion and many other brave men were
he sacrifices. Lives and agony utterly
wasted, and worse than wasted
Surely the leaders of rank and socie-
y who scorn IS peace at any price,"
'Iight, at any rate, to strive earnestly
or tile utmost results that can be eff
ected by international law and diplo-
macy to diminish these agonlzing sac
lfices Of the bravest members OF their
'wn order, even it they are not sutfi
ienily moved by the snffrrings of oller
lass of their fellow creatures Herald
t Peace and international Arbitration.