Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/235

OPEKATIONS ON TilE DANUBK. 205 ruins the Turks stood retrenched ; and whether chap. they stormed it by day or by night, their masses ^' of columns were always met fiercely — were al- ways driven back with a cruel slaughter. Prince Paskievitch, the General commanding in chief, and General Schilders, who commanded the siege- works, were both struck down by shot and dis- abled. On the side of the Turks, Mussa Pasha, who commanded the garrison, was killed ; but Eutler and Nasmyth, now obeyed with a touch- ing affection and trustfulness by the Ottoman soldiery, were equal to the historic occasion which they had had the fortune and the spirit to seize. At one time they were laying down some new work of defence ; at another, the two firm lads were governing the judgment of the Turkish commanders in a council of war. Some- times, with ear pressed to the earth, they were listening for the dull blows of the enemy's un- derground pickaxes. Now and then they were engaged in dragging to his place under fire some unworthy Turkisli commander ; and once in their sportive and English way, they were busy in get- ting together a sweepstakes, to be won by him who should name the day when Silistria would be relieved ; but always when danger gathered in the Arab Tabia, the grateful Turks looked and saw that their young English guests were amongst them, ever ready with counsel for the new emer- gency, forbidding all thought of surrender, and even, it seems, determined to lay rough hands on the General who sought to withdraw with his