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RUSSIAN FIELD ARTILLERY. 
water, we placed fascines, but No. 3 wagon stuck in tke ditch and 
delayed the five other guns from crossing, so I left the command of 
them to Captain Tischiuski, and galloped with three others to the 
railway, placed my battery on the line and opened fire, with shrapnel, 
on the retreating enemy. It may appear strange that I should use 
this projectile instead of common shell, but I could not help it, because 
No. 1 gun was already loaded with shrapnel from the first position, and 
after much firing it is very difficult to unload a projectile from the 
chamber. But it seems none the less strange to me, that in passing 
over the drains the fuze in the shell was not put in motion by such 
severe jolting; and, later on, I discovered that a loaded gun may be 
moved without any danger ; thus, when passing the defile of Dalboka, 
of which anon, all the guns were loaded with shrapnel. Nos. 2 and 3 
guns fired with common shell. 
At the same time as the infantry was attacking the Turks, the 
light troops took them on the left flank, and the cavalry completed 
the rout of the enemy, which sought safety in a disorderly flight. 
Thus terminated this first action, which made a very favourable im¬ 
pression on the minds of all in the column. 
Let me now make a few remarks on the field glasses used by the 
field artillery. 
On a regulated scale, each section is supplied with field glasses ; 
those used now, by Wadnej & Co., are not bad, but they are not 
repaired annually, as they are in the navy; this is absolutely 
indispensable to remedy the defects which the weather, and wear and 
tear naturally cause. 
It would be better, in my opinion, if batteries were supplied with 
a good telescope, provided with a tripod, which could be carried in a 
gun carriage, limber, wagon, or wherever considered most suitable. 
The utility of this instrument will be proved later on, and I hope 
that this idea may be warmly supported in all artillery circles, wherein 
the inefficiency of our field glasses* is known. 
The action of Jeni Saara, which commenced at 8.30 a.m., terminated, 
at 2 p.m., by the complete rout of the Turks. The city, station, 
redoubt, and wagons, we left five furlongs behind us. The column was 
allowed a halt—the batteries being placed near the river. 
The column shortly received orders that within two hours it was to 
march for Karabunar, at which place an important concentration of 
the enemy's forces was taking place. These had delayed the Grand 
Duke Leuchtenberg in his march, and a collision was imminent. 
In consequence of this warning, we cleaned our guns, which had 
become somewhat leaded, and we took stock of the ammunition. My 
battery had expended 10 common and 20 shrapnel a gun—in all 240 
rounds. When the practice is good, the rate of firing becomes 
* It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of good binoculars for the officers, and of 
first rate telescopes for the batteries; the former may be the property of the officer, as is the case 
with us, but it is necessary that they should be assisted in this expense by a proportionate grant 
of money, as should also be done in the case of books and plans, &c, As regards the telescope for 
a battery it should be a portion of its equipment, 
