The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-14

know" All this with the utmost gravity
And now good-bye-God be with you. And
remember WELL don't look behind. You will
take the path to the left, stick to 1t for
your own sake; there are real brigands on
the other side" i saluted and continued
my journey as war correspondent four
more days, when / met a Bulgarian consul,
who gave me shirt and sent me home by
rail.
WITH THE INSURGENTS.
On the way to Philipoppoli 1 fell in with
crowd of insurgents, prisoners of war,
just taken by Prince Ferdinands Frontier
Guards, six OF them-a patriarch, with long
white beard and hair. two full-grown men
and three boys below twenty, the youngest
no more than fifteen years old. They repre-
sented the several classes Of Macedonia,
including a lawyer, school teacher, pop
(priest), merchant and two farmers. The
frst-named gentlemen took it upon them
selves to report on their lucky venture
against the Red Caps, just come to close.
I'VE belong to the band of Mitew,'' they
said, 1.-THE most formidable of insurgent
leaders who ever fought the Turks, and
had orders to capture. destroy, the Turk
ish detachments guarding the Ueskul-Nish
Railway line and tear up the road. How
ever. the plan miscarried, for as we were
about to march news was received that
| two Turkish companies were closing upon
us from opposite directions, expecting TO
| get us between two fires in the course Of
| the night. In consequence A1itew aban-
| doned the village without moments de-
| lay and we retreated to the mountains
| dominating the high road, while Palanke
| Monastery, half a mile higher up. afforded
| excellent cover for our rear.
"The night passed off quietly enough, but
| at early dawn we noticed Turkish force
| crawling up to the village. Reserve your
| fire. ran Mitew's whispered orders through
the lines, until you can see the whites of
their eyes
1.-THE red caps kept marching on, If
| they had not the slightest idea of our where
| abouts. Suddenly a halt, word of COM
mand, white cloud, and hundreds of bull
lets whistled about our ears and forms.
"A second later the Turks continued their
march. The salute, as 1t were. had turned
out a mere waste of powder and lead. Of
our people not a single man was wounded.
Mistew then gave out the order: AT 150 feet
| throw three volleys into them. Then
| sharpshooting, man against man.
THE volleys, fired with deadly precision,
| did awful carnage, disconcerting the red
| caps to such extent that they threw
themselves down on the ground. AS we
were about to spring at their threats and
| cut them to pieces our Western advance
| guards signaized the on-march of the sec
| ond Turkish detachment. They were COM
| ing from the west No doubt 1t was planned
| to surround and decimate us.
ITO prevent annihilation Mistew ordered
a retreat upon Palanka' monastery, where
| we had no sooner established ourselves in
| strong positions when the Turks advanced
| in semi-circle, five to six men deep. In
| this wise they formed perfect target, but
| neither loss of men nor horrible wounds,
| inflicted every instant, seemed to make any
| impression whatever on the enemy, that
| sullenly forged ahead. A hand-to-hand
| fight was imminent, when Mitew gave the
| order: 'Bombsv"
| BOMBS ARE THROWN.
The speaker showed me bomb such as
are sold all along the Observation-Disclosures
frontiers by the dozen-small shells filled
with dynamite, or other explosive matter,
with few rusty nails, or leaden balls,
| thrown In. Then he continued his report
Immediately the fuses were lit and fifty
or sixty bombs thrown. The effect was
awful to contemplate, for dozens of Red
Caps were instantly killed and still more
J wounded. A panic ensued. The lines broke
up and the officers efforts to re-establish
order or persuade the men to continue the
fight were in vain. That was just as we
had expected.
1T was just then about, noon, and we
| laI IL
the enemy's losses were thirty dead and $50
wounded. We then advanced some fifty
PAGES, as far as we could go without ex-
posture. and did some sharpshooting but
the result being negative, Mitew ordered
! US to stop and lie down for a rest
Meanwhile more Red Caps appeared in
the distance and towards o'clock the ene-
my 600 strong at the very least; still
Mitew refused to retreat. We must con-
quer or de- he cried. However, he ordered
US to occupy the monastery, which is a
natural fortress of the first rank AS we
| did so the Turks advanced in quickstep
and firing was resumed on both sides with
| equal determination, while the losses were
about even. AT last the Turks pressed
so hard upon our flank that we were forced
to seek shelter in the inner court, where a
genuine surprise awaited us.
THE good monks had .thoughtfully laid
in supply Of first-class bombs and handed
them over ready for use at the moment of
| danger. They did more. They joined in the
dynamiting with astonishing dexterity We
| soon had the Red Caps the down
the mountainside They were brave enough
under fire, but could not stand explosives;
| who will blame them?
MONKS RAISE FLAG OF DISTRESS.
Just we were preparing for pursuit a
party of armed peasants FLASHED with the
enemy. The abbott had raised the flag of
distress and the patriots in the valley, as
Stunning that the monks were hard pressed
by the Turks. fastened to relief. Needless
to say, the fleeing red caps met hot re-
ception at their hands. Rifles. pixies. swords
and axes did horrible execution, and, placed