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# Skobelev instructs NCOs to raid a Turkish trench at night and bring back the dead
- URL: https://theparnassian.com/en/voennaia-literatura-konechno-sovershenno-osobyi-mir/
- Published: 2017-05-11T14:09:39.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-02T18:55:53.000Z
- Author: Alexandr Radayev
- Tags: The East, Books, Observations, Humour

Military literature is, of course, a world entirely apart. Let me quote one witty passage about Skobelev.

Having gathered the non-commissioned officers in his tent, he proposed that they creep by night into a Turkish trench and frighten the Turks away from the Russian camp: "Get to the trench as quietly as you can. Twenty paces off, shout hurrah, and the drummers will beat the alarm. Throw yourselves into the trench, bayonet whoever comes to hand, drive the Turks out of it. Seize their rifles. For every rifle I will pay three roubles myself. The whole strength of the Turks is in the rifle. They are not soldiers. Take a man's rifle away and you have done harm; kill him but leave them the rifle, and they will not turn a hair. They will find a new man at once… In withdrawing, bring back not only all the wounded but the dead as well, if there are any. Remember that if you leave even one of them there, you had better not show yourselves to me. I do not want to set eyes on you. Be Christians."

It all adds up. Bayonet the Turks as thoroughly as you can, but be sure to bring back the dead, so that everything is done in a Christian manner.