302 
RUSSIAN FIELD ARTILLERY. 
We rapidly perceived that our position was a very bad one. The fire 
of the infantry, the threatening of the cavalry, and the gradual moving 
of the Turkish artillery from left to right, showed us that we formed 
the objective point of the enemy. To prepare for a new attack from the 
cavalry we changed front by throwing back the left. Colonel Wulfert 
now arrived, sent by General Gourko, who perceived that the battery 
was without an escort. The Colonel examined the position and gave 
orders to ensure the safety of the battery, which limbered-up and 
advanced at a trot to a new position, in which we had the advantage 
of having all the edge of the big wood within shrapnel range. On the 
right, in the direction of the left Turkish gun, there was a well, and 
behind it a small cleared space. In this direction we had a clear field 
of sight, but on the right and left the ground was so covered that it 
was quite possible for the enemy to advance to within 150 paces of us 
and be hidden from our sight. General Gourko sent an aide-de-camp 
with an order for us to open fire on a column of infantry hurrying past 
the corner of the wood. 
As I have mentioned, from the battery we could only see the 
top of the wood, and it was necessary to advance, but we chanced to 
come on a sunken road. This communicated with the high road, and 
crossing our right wing led towards the right wing of the Turks; it 
was a road made by the rains and torrents—a fissure, with scarped 
walls, 6 ft. wide and 3^ ft. deep. 
The battery opened fire in the direction of the margin of the wood, 
which was very easy from our position, but we did not know the result 
of our firing. Two more guns then reinforced the Turkish battery and 
opened on us, making up the number of the enemy^s guns to eight. The 
infantry fire against us increased in intensity, and, to avoid useless loss 
of life, we dismounted the drivers. 
No. 6 battery, which had remained in reserve, took up a position 
about 1100 to 1200 yds. on our left, and its front formed a right 
angle, or thereabouts, with ours. A shrapnel shell burst high above 
our heads, and the fragments passed over us harmlessly; not so, 
however, the infantry fire, which wounded or killed one of our men 
every minute. We decreased the elevation and bored the fuzes shorter. 
At about 25 paces on our left there suddenly appeared some men of 
the regiment Sjevski, as if they had sprung out of the ground; we did 
not know whether they were part of a small attacking force, or 
whether they had arrived as escort to the guns. On our right flank a 
line of skirmishers of the regiment Elencki was retreating. Suddenly, 
the artificer of No. 4 gun, who was on horseback, shouted out (( the 
Turks !” “ the Turks ! ” “ there they are S ” and pointed with his finger 
to a maize field. There was no doubt of it; at 300 paces from the 
battery, among the stalks of the maize, we clearly distinguished the 
red fez—the moment was critical. 
Once more the order went forth, case shot,” and hardly were we 
loaded when the Turks discharged a volley right in our faces, and we 
received a shower of bullets. 
“ No. 5 gun,” “■ No. 1,” “ No. 8,”—thus, at the same time, were heard 
the voices of the three Nos, 1 of these guns^ and the reports of the three 
