The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-01
THE BEGINNING OF WARS
CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH
FIRST SHOTS WERE FIRED.
II Is Extremely Difficult to Learn Who
Did IL. but There Is Always
Legion of Claimants.
London NJ. A. P

sons are engaged at the same time. or. X
the honor or the calamity belong to one
man Several claimants are always found for
the place.
The war between Russia and the allies be-
gan by the invasion OF Moldavia and
WaIlachia by a Russian army many months
before the diplomatic rupture occurred be-
tween Russia, France and England; and
many shots were fired before the Russians
faced their real antagonists But the first
shot fired between English and Russian
was in June, 1854. when a Captain Butler,
OF the Indian army, who was temporarily
attached TO the Turkish army, was recon-
noitering in the defenses Of Silistria, which
was besieged by the Russians. His voice
was heard outside the works by Rus
sian sharpshooter, who fired into an en-
brasure, killing Butler.
On the 7th of July. 1854. took place the
battle Of GuirgevO. on the banks Of the
Danube. and although the British army had
not arrived. here for the first time the Rus
SLAMS faced Englishmen, for the Turks were
commanded by General Cannon-a general
officer of the SepOy army Serving temper
arily as a PashaD A Captain Bent, leading
800 rifiemen. charged the Russians, driving
them from their tents and across the Dan
ube. And so Captain Bent would probable
have as much claim as any one to have
fired the first shot in the Crimean war
proper-that is, exclusive OF the earlier
Moldavian fights.
THE INDIAN MUTINY.
Early in May, 1857. the episode Of the
creased cartridges led up 10 some insub-
ordination among the troopers Of the Third
Regiment Of native cavalry stationed at
Meerut and commanded by Col Carmichael
Smyth. who was a severe and unpopular
officer Smyth ordered a parade for pur-
poses OF reprimand, and for troops to re-
ceive the hated new ammunition. Eighty
five troopers failed TO appear. a court
martial was held, and all the eighty-five.
with the exception of eleven youngsters
Qet of on account of their YOUTH, were
sentenced TO ten years hard labor i'm
prisonment.
on May 3 the sentence was executed on
the parade ground. the regimental armoreIs
and smiths Stacking leg-irons on the men,
while their comrades had 10 stand by and
see them degraded.
May 10 was a Sunday. and a blazing hot
day RumOrs were about that mischief was
brewing, but the Europeans took no pre-
cautions. The chaplain's chldren's ayah
besought her mistress TO fly. but her warn
fngs were disregarded. At evening church
time trouble was reported in the SepOy
lines. and Colonel F'innis, commanding the
Eleventh Regiment. rode down TO the Sc
poy camp. He was a popular, warm
hearted man, and much liked by Sepoys.
Strong in his belief In them. ne rode fear
leSsly straight in among them. He was
actually demonstrating with them when
young soldier of the Twentieth Regiment
discharged his musket at the colonel but
only wounded his horse. Again he fired
the bullet hitting the colonel in the back
killing him instantly. In a moment the
dead body was riddled with bullets. The
young trooper of the Twentieth had COM
menced the great mutinyl Within a week
from the time OF the report of his musket
Delhi was in the hands of the rebels and
india was on IRE almost from end TO end
THE CIVIL WAR n AMERICA
I know not the man who fired the first
shot in the civil war in America, but who
might have been that man and very nearly
was. Roger Pryor in recent years has been
a dweller in New York, and for time oc-
cupied a position on the judicial bench In
his hot youth, however, he was one OF the
young bloOds OF Virginia whose fervor
helped TO fan the flames that burst into the
awful eonhagration. BY curious coinci-
dence he was one of the party that demand
ed the surrender of Fort Sumter. With
breathless interest 1 listened TO him one
night as he told the story OF the eventful
day when he and his friends paid a visit TO
Fort Sumter with the demand that the
Northern troops should give the place up
Even when they are going to dght-even
When they are going 10 hang-in whatever
posluon and tragedy or life they may find
hemselves-Americans are thoroughly hu-
man 1 suppose IL is part of their demo-
cratic training under republic.
And IL that this Interview fatef,1I
with such awful cOnsequences-to end in
the destruction Of a million LIVESTOCK
place with pleasdntness on both sides The
garrison received the deputatiO in hos
pitable spirit; drinks even We're exchanged
But both sides took up their position with
mat lnTexible and iron determination which
Is another American quality
And then the COnfederates went away.
ana soon after the order was given that the
fortress was 10 be attacked. and that the
nrst shot in the fight was TO be fired
Lightly. dare say, these wild young fell
lows thought Of what they were about to
90 Tor If the men Of the South had not
Deen reckless daredevils they would never
nave provoked this strUggle-the end of
which was as certain as ANYTHING couId
nave been in history. Somebody suggested
70 Roger Pryor that his hand should have
the hOnor-as II was suppOsed-Of firing the
nrSt shot Though he was so Young and
so hot-headed. some good angel whispered
INTO MS ear that this might turn out TO be
one or those acts Of heavy and calamitous
responsibility that would haunt a mans
conscience and perhaps blight his life for
ever atJerWard, and he waved away the
pTonered honor. Another man too eagerly
TOOK II up. / cannot recall at this moment
What was this poor mans name. But it will
be easily remembered in America / un-
derstand that the awful act did have these
very results which Roger Pryor foresaw in
DNE VI muse moments or prophetic
sight that sometimes come TO men The
man who fired the first shot was bound TO
become known 10 the whole American
world. and was thereby a target of atten-
ton. attack. pity. 1t weighed upon and
overwhelmed him. and believe he felt for
long time like a marked and doomed
man; an Outcasr and an accused one How
II ended with him do not recall but / be-
LEV his death was tragic.
OTHER RECENT WARS.
The first shot in the Franco-Prussian war
was fred by a French soldier who was on
guard at Strasburg bridge. and blazed
away across the bridge at a party of Ger
mans. The incident occurred early in
August, 1870. a day or two before the En-
perOr Napoleon III formally took the field.
The bOmbardment Of Pou in Transcau-
casia. on April -, 1877, was the occasion of
the first shots fred in this war. AT the
same tine Hobart Pasha. in his yacht the
Rethymo, ran the gauntlet from Rustchuk
on the Danube, past the Russian guns at
Galatz- under the cover of night. Tie Rus
sian gunners detected the yacht. but the
Pasha kept well in under the shore so that
the gunners were unable 10 depress the
gun muZzles sufficiently TO take accurate
aim. and, after the RethymO had passed
the Pasha sent a shell into the Russian
camp At the same time there were .'af-
fairs OF OutpOsts' in one or two spots
where the Russians and Turks faced each
IN h. L m