RUSSIAN FIELD ARTILLERY. 
295 
the same moment the columns of smoke which were rising from that 
direction shewed ns plainly that the Turks had established there a 
battery of four guns, the first rounds from which were directed at our 
reserves, and at the main body of the column, which was continuing to 
advance] at the third shot, the projectile fell into a battalion of the 
regiment of Elencki, wounding the Major and several men, the next in 
the midst of No. 4 battery, which opened fire and attracted the fire of 
the enemy to itself, which fire, it was plain, was directed in the same 
way as ours, viz., on the place from whence the smoke arose. 
The enemy's projectiles passed high, and fell in rear of the 
battery without causing any damage, except one which fell between 
Nos. 3 and 4 guns, and another which mortally wounded a driver. 
Our shooting also was not much more accurate. Perhaps some 
may wish to attribute this to the. state of mind of our men, but they 
behaved very well, considering that this was their “ baptism of fire." 
All worked well, both intelligently and with coolness, as if at drill, and, 
with few exceptions, no troops could have shewn more presence of 
mind on their first coming under fire. 
The small effect of our shooting may be attributed to local causes; 
the long grass and crops, which were not cut, offered a great obstacle 
to our observing the effects of our shots. The enemy's battery was 
placed in a depression of ground, as we found out afterwards, and could 
not be seen on the horizon ; between it and us there was no conspicious 
object which could serve us as a guide by which to correct our 
elevations ; and lastly, they were beyond the effective range of shrapnel. 
All our shell burst, but we knew that the damage done to the enemy 
was disproportionately small. 
In the meantime we despatched a light attacking column, under 
Lieut.-Colonel Skugarevski, from the left wing against the enemy's 
battery close to the town, which was defended by a brisk musketry fire. 
No. 6 battery, situated on the left of No. 4, covered this advance, keeping 
up a fire on the town and its environs. This attacking column 
(guerrilla ) came up on the left flank of the enemy's battery, which was 
obliged to limber up. 
We now made an advance by batteries] No. 4 advanced about 
350 yds., No. 6 about 700 yds., and No. 4 finally took up a position 
at the same distance off as this last. The attacking column dashed 
against the city, and after a struggle drove the Turks from it. 
At 12 o'clock the batteries were informed that the Turks were 
concentrating in the railway station at the south side of the town. 
No. 4 limbered up and advanced at a smart trot obliquely to the left 
for about 950 yds., taking up a favourable position, from which we 
could distinguish the station, the buildings round it, and the Turkish 
troops; we opened fire at once at 1200 and 1300 yds. range. 
> It was quite easy to observe the effect of each shot, thanks to local 
circumstances, and we could judge which shot fell over or under, also 
the distance short and above plane that the shrapnel burst] hence 
we employed the latter projectile. At the third shot from our battery 
we observed smoke issuing from the station ] probably the enorrpous 
stacks of wood collected there caught fire first, and this communicated 
