RUSSIAN ETELD ARTILLERY. 
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everything from an artilleryman's point of view, I shall rapidly describe 
the actions in which I have taken part, either in command of a battery, 
half-battery, or division. 
I will first mention the passage of the Danube, on 15th June, by the 
artillery. 
I arrived at day-break at Zimnika with my battery (the 4th of the 
9fch Brigade), and, leaving it at this place, 1 proceeded to the ground 
where the fighting to secure the passage of the river was taking place. 
Three Russian 9-pr. batteries were in position on one side, and a 
Turkish battery on the opposite bank at Sistova, also a Turkish gun 
in the salient of a small fort on the northern side of the city. This 
piece was mounted en barbette , and firing slowly and accurately; all its 
projectiles fell within a small space, wounding two men, but without 
injuring any of the pontoons, which were ready for the crossing of the 
river. To counterbatter this Turkish gun, the three batteries above- 
mentioned fired 1500 rounds of common and shrapnel, at ranges 
between 2500 and 2950 yds., and another battery which was placed 
there for the same object fired 68 rounds. 
It is so difficult to dismount a barbette gun at a range of 2700 yds. 
that it seems to me preferable not to attempt it, and to economise the 
expenditure of such a great number of projectiles. It may happen 
that the object is attained by a lucky shot* but no certainty can be 
relied on. One may harass the enemies gunners, but at a range of 
2700 yds. shrapnel would be required, with a fuze adapted to that range. 
It is true that as the principal object was to occupy the enemy's 
artillery and prevent it from keeping up a fire on the troops crossing 
the river, the expenditure of ammunition was justifiable. 
I leave the reader to judge of the responsibility attaching to our 
artillerymen, as regards the small effect of their guns, when people but 
little acquainted with artillery science remarked during the action that 
our 9-pr. guns were not powerful enough, and that four batteries were 
unable to keep up a fight with one gun of the enemy—soldiers, and 
even gunners, expressed such an opinion ! At the same time that they 
were praising the accuracy of the Turkish gun, they were under-rating 
that of ours, in which we had the fullest confidence, and which, up till 
then, had fulfilled its object perfectly, when it was in the hands of 
people who understood it and appreciated its qualities.f 
* On 4th February, 1875, we were at Puent la Rcina after raising the siege that the Carlists had 
laid to Pampeluna; the latter constructed a battery in Santa Barbara de Manera, commanding the 
first named town; and, in order to counterbatter it, a field battery of the 3rd Regiment was placed 
on the hill of St. Gregory. After a few shots from the 10 centimetre guns, with which the battery 
was armed, notwithstanding the command of Santa Barbara, and its distance of 4300 yds., they 
silenced the enemy’s fire, and afterwards our spies affirmed that a Carlist gun had been dismounted 
and many of the detachments wounded. 
f This appears to afford an opportunity of relating what occurred on some occasions during the 
final period of our last civil war. In the lines of San Sebastian the Carlists had disposed in Arrafc 
Sain, in a screen battery, 2 guns of 7 centimetre, with which they were perpetually harassing San 
Sebastian by shots, which appeared very accurate owing to the enormous target offered by the 
town; and it was absolutely necessary to attempt to dismount these pieces. What trouble the 
artillery officers had before being able to do what was necessary! one steel gun of 15 centimetre and 
four bronze of 10 centimetre placed at some 2000 yds. from the Carlist battery only succeeded in 
silencing the fire of one of the 7 centimetre guns and in damaging that of the other. 
On the other hand, the Carlist of Antonenea, armed with two 9 centimetre guns was completely 
destroyed by the few shots fired by two 15 centimetre steel guns placed at 800 to 900 yds. from 
that battery. 
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