Year: 1877




At the entrance of the pass the road
was wide enough, but as we advanced it
narrowed, and soon the defile reared its
rocky sides in perpendicular masses high
above our heads and close up to the mar
row causeway on both sides. On turn.
ing one of the curves of the road loud
report was heard in front, followed by
another and the order was given to close
up and quicken the pace, the reverbera'
ton of the guns rolling like thunder,
growing louder as we advanced. We
hurried forward, passed another curve,
descended a declivity, assembled another,
passed around turn to the right, and
the pass suddenly opened out into a
valley, presenting startling scene


About three miles in our front, on an
eminence that commanded the contlnua-
ton of the pass, was perched strong
earthwork battery whose guns were now
blazing away, and from the Flagstaff OF
which, with the aid of my eye glass, |
could plainly distinguish the Russian flag
Of st. Andrew. Along its front on the
slopes of the hills, and covered by thick
brushwood, could be seen the constant
aecking of smoke, which indicated rifle
fusiIade. About q quarter OF a mile on
this side could also be seen, by the
ascending columns of smoke, accompanied
with continual flashes, the artillery OF
Suleiman makihg vain effort To silence
the fire Of the fort, while slanting up the
hill could be seen the puff of the rifle
discharged as its Moslem owner (distln'
guished by his red tez) worked slowly
upward and onward, to gain a position
dominating the fort


When we got well up to the front and
the solid shot from the fort began play
ing baseball, with none Of uswilling to act
as catcher, Turkish officer; followed by
a single orderly, rode rapidly up, and,
casting a quick, scrutinizing glance at
our force as it moved past, halted our
regiment and one battery of artillery.
He was an ordinary-looking Turk, about
forty wears of age, sinewy, but with an
unusually sharp, bright expression OF
countenance. Beckoning Sellm Bey
toward him, who approached very re-
spectiully, he appeared to give him some
hurried orders, as | could see him ges-
ticulatinp toward the guns and pointing
up the slope, now dotted along nearly to
the summit with a fringe OF smoke
Selim saluted and turned away as the
horseman did the same, galloping back
to the front and soon the subject OF the
conversation was developed. The regi'
ment was ordered to follow the sklr-
mishers up to the mountain side, get the
guns up with them in the best way they
could, and to lose no opportunity 10
open fire on the fort. This was no joke
of an order, assure you, to get battery
of six guns and all its belongings up the
slope of mountain for about six hun,
dred feet, with no road, over rocks and
fallen trees, etc. However, with the
Turks there is no demur everything Is
"please God" or Inshallah," and soon
half the regiment was engaged in straight
ing out a sort of path, while the other
laid itself out to assist the horses and
artllerymen in pushing the pieces up
the Mill. BY ten o'clock that night we
had them in position and decent little
earthwork scraped up in front; whlle all
we waited for was sufficient daylight to
open fire.


While the men we're Strengthening
matters, asked the colonel who was that
officer who gave directions to him about
the guns. Selim answered that he was
Suleman Pasha. / was surprised, for
expected to seen the general surrounded
by brilliant staff; however, | had seer
Suleiman, and that was enough for me
Wrapping my rubber blanket abou
me, "turned in" on a lee side of {
rock and soon fell asleep, regardless o
scorpions or centipeds, and while thu
engaged soon fancied myself on Washing
ton street, somewhere in the vicinity Q
Old South. A crash and roar, as if tn
steeple of the venerable meeting-hous
had fallen upon me, brought me to m
ieet with bound and broke the charm
l was not in Boston quite the contrary
/ was on the Balkans, and not more tha
twelve yards from me was twelve
pound battery blazing away like Jury
the men stripped off and working ava
like devils. Along, down in front an
beyond the thicket was perfect blaze
fire, as the Turkish rifemen kept at
vancing and firing, under cover, while i
the valley and on the opposite slope tn
Turks were moving and firing in tn
same way. 1t was now broad dayligt
(3 a. m. and the Russian fort could
plainly seen, as it bleached forth shot an


she'll upon the assailants, and their il


fantry replied vigorously all along the
, position, doing dreadful work among til
advancing Turks; and they would hay


had it all their own way. were it not iC
the foresight Of Suleiman, who dlrecte