a Redoubt.'[187]

How sanguinary had been the struggle which is here described in a few
commonplace sentences is manifest from the subsequent appearance of the
captured redoubt.

'The interior of this large work was piled up not only with dead
but with wounded, forming one ghastly undistinguishable mass of
dead and living bodies, the wounded being as little heeded as the
dead. The fire had hindered the doctors from coming up to attend to
the wounded, and the same cause had kept back the wounded-bearers.
There were not even comrades to moisten the lips of their wretched
fellow-soldiers, or give them a word of consolation. There they
lie, writhing and groaning. I think some attempt might have been
made, at whatever risk, to aid these poor fellows, for they were
gallant men, who, twenty-four hours before, had so valiantly and
successfully struggled for the conquest of that long-uncaptured
redoubt; and it was sad now to see them dying without any attempt
being made to attend to them. I could fill pages with a description
of this harrowing scene and others near it, which I witnessed, but
the task would be equally a strain on my own nerves and on those of
your readers.'[188]

But the Roumanians were not contented with holding their position.
Within 250 yards of the Grivitza was another Turkish redoubt whose fire
commanded the former, and that they attempted in vain to take on the
11th. Nothing daunted, however, they held their ground day after day,
and on the 18th they made another gallant but futile attempt to expel
the enemy from his position. 'It is said they will renew it,' writes one
of the spectators, 'and there is plenty of fight in Prince Charles's
gallant young army, but, in my opinion, there is little chance of
success unless they work up to the hostile redoubt by sap.'[189] On
September 24 they were progressing by trenches, and were only 80 yards
from the second Grivitza redoubt. 'Their fighting spirit and cheerful
endurance of hardships are admirable,' we hear. And again, on the 26th:
'The Roumanians are pushing forward their works against the second
redoubt with a perseverance and pluck worthy all praise, and which is
the more remarkable as the Russians are doing absolutely nothing on
their side.'[190] This contrast comes from the pen of the chronicler who
told the story of the twenty Roumanians being taken prisoners by five
Russia