ACHIEVEMENTS OP FIELD ARTILLERY. 
119 
The first action of the campaign had ended successfully, and a great 
moral effect had been produced. No small share of the success was 
due to the steadfast behaviour of the artillerymen, who had waged 
an unequal struggle all day with a gallantry that made their feat one 
of the most celebrated features of the campaign. 
The War between Servia and Bulgaria in 1885. 
For our next illustration we must refer to a combat fought under 
widely different circumstances, and yet in one respect closely i^esembling, 
as far as the force engaged is concerned, the one we have dwelt on just 
now. 
During the late Servian and Bulgarian War, at the battle of Sliev- 
nitza, an incident occurred which not only is interesting as an example 
on a small scale of exceptionally gallant behaviour on the part of a 
small force of artillery, but is invested with a special importance in our 
eyes, because it enables us to form some idea of the effect which 
shrapnel of modern type scientifically used is likely to produce. 
Lieut.-Colonel D. D. T. O’Callaghan, R.A., 1 has called attention to 
this example, the most valuable we have had in recent years of an 
artillery duel which, though but what would have been termed a very 
minor incident on one of the great battle-fields, in the absence of war 
experience with our improved weapons may justly claim our attention. 
At Slievenitza we find the Bulgarians with an inadequate force 
defending a long line. The Servians, in place of assailing the weak 
flanks of their opponent’s position, made repeated attacks on their 
opponent’s centre where Prince Alexander had massed his best troops. 
These assaults were met with the greatest courage and stubbornness by 
the Bulgarian infantry, who were ably supported by their batteries, 
and were invariably repulsed. We are assured that the Bulgarian 
artillery was very admirably handled, and it is as a sort of sample of 
how well it bore itself that the incident we are about to describe has 
been quoted by Colonel O’Callaghan. 
At one period of the action two Servian batteries (8 guns) opened 
fire on the left centre of their opponents at a range of about 1500 
metres, and Prince Alexander detached two guns under Captain 
Matthieff 2 to engage them. It will interest the officers of our Auxiliary 
Artillery to know that this officer was a reservist, and up to the out¬ 
break of hostilities had been pursuing the even tenor of a barrister’s 
profession. 
His method of procedure is, however, worthy of the attention of the 
most experienced soldiers. 
Selecting a position for his two guns which had just been occupied 
by some Bulgarian tirailleurs, he was able to ascertain the range with 
a near approach to accuracy. Then he led his two guns forward so as 
to derive all advantage which a fold in the ground could give them, 
and thus, partially protected, he unlimbered, and ran them by hand on 
1 See £ ’An Artillery Duel,” by Lieut.-Colonel D. D. T. O’Callaghan, R.A. No. 14, Vol. 
XVIII., “ Proceedings,” R.A. Institution,. 
2 Colonel O’Callaghan walked over the field of battle with this gallant officer a few days after the 
fight and saw by the wheel-marks exactly where the guns had been brought into action, and the 
still recent evidences of the struggle. 
