THE SURRENDER OF OSMAN PASHA.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1226, 7 February 1878, Page 3

THE SURRENDER OF OSMAN PASHA.

The steamer Tan j ore, which arrived at King Q-eorge’s Sound on the 27th ult., did not bring the usual despatches for the Melbourne “Argus,” but by favor of the “ South AustralianJßegister,” someEuropenn news was forwarded, including the following more detailed account of the fall of Plevna than has yet been received : In the grey of dawn on the morning of December 10th, Kasha Pasha marched out with a handful of bravo men, less than 30,000 in number, to cross the Yid in the direction of Oponez, and ho threw himself furiously on the positions held by the Russian grenadiers, who had lately arrived to strengthen that vital part of the line of investment. Advancing for a time under cover of their baggage train, which moved on their left flank, the Turks reached the first Russian redoubt held by a Siberian regiment. They made a rush at the trenches, literally sweeping out the Russians, and occupying the redoubt. The grenadiers were ordered up to the support of their comrades, and a bayonet charge was delivered in which the foes grappled man for man in a fearful death struggle. The Russians were too many for the wreck of the Turkish Brigade, which received no support from the main column behind. It was driven out and fell back towards Plevna. This episode occurred about 9 o’clock in the morning. Eor four hours more the two forces commenced pouring artillery and rifle fire into each other. The Turks, when their baggage train had been thrown into confusion-by shells killing and frightening the cattle, hud no longer any shelter, and lost heavily compared with the Russians. About 1 o’clock, Osman’s chief of the staff went to the quarters of the Russian General Granetsky, inviting him to visit the Ghnzi. Firing was suspended for lialf-an-hour, and then the white flag hoisted in rear of the Turkish position proclaimed the heroic defence of Plevna to be at an end. Russians and Turks advanced to meet each other on the bridge. They eyed each other with curiosity, not wanting in mutual respect. General Granetsky, of the Grenadiers, rode up towards the cottage where Osman, now wounded in the leg and disabled, awaited him. His suite could hardly force a passage across the bridge, so thick was tho gathering throng of men of all countries which blocked it. A short distance further on, in the direction of the town, he halted in front of a small house, which history will rank with the cottage outside Sedan in which Napoleon 111. surrendered himself to the Germans. Osman had virtually laid down his arms and could make no conditions. He had led out the last man from the redoubts, which he had made impregnable, but which the enemy had occupied before he was well out of them. There was no turning back, no going forward ; his army was now cooped up in a hollow, exposed to his own guns as well as to those of the Russians. Unconditional surrender was his hard choice, and he did not take long to make it. The capitulation -was drawn and signed in a few minutes. Osrnau knew just enough French to dispense with an interpreter, and ho was anxious to have it over before Prince Charles of Roumania, the rebel vassal of the Sultan as he called him, should come in his capacity of nominal commander-in-chief to claim his sword of honor, tho Padisha’s own gift to him. As soon as the Czar heard that tho act of surrender was complete, he sent his own carriage and surgeon to bring Osman back to Plevna. As he drove along tho road maimed, the respectful salutes of tho Russian officers and soldiers were made. The Grand Duke Nicholas then rode up. Osrean had been told it was he, and the two chiefs gazed at each other for a second or two. The Grand Duke broke silence by stretching out his hand, and complimenting tho wounded man on his defence of Plevna. “It is,” he said, “one of tho most splendid military feats in history.” As ho said so the officers of his suite endorsed the compliment with bravoes, and ull saluted the Ghazi, who, still gazing hard at his captors, raised himself with difficulty, bowed, and said a few words which were inaudible. He was dressed in a loose blue cloak, without any mark of distinction, and his red fez was also qqitp plain. Jn appearance he is large and strongly built, with an energetic face, the force of which is enhanced by a Roman nose, a thick black beard, and black eyes. Shortly after he had passed the Grand Duke, Prince Charles of Roumania rode up and repeated the compliments which had already been paid him. He again raised himself and bowed, but without saying a'word. At Qsman’s interview with the Czar next day he was taken to a small house, surrounded by a high stone wall, where the Czar with his suite was taking lunch and'waiting for his distinguished prisoner. Osman was lifted out of the carriage and carried through the portico into the room where his Majesty sat. As he passed every Russian officer, saluted him, and there were general cpies of (< Bravo Osman.” The Emperor shook hands with him, and paid him the usual compliments of tho victor to the vanquished, which Osman did not seem to hear. Then Ilia Majesty said that, as a mark of respect, ho had given orders that Osman’s sword should be restored to him. The prisoner was carefully carried out again, and with his sword at Ids side ho was driven through the streets of Plevna for the last time. Most of his stall laid meanwhile been remounted, and they accompanied him on his way through tho staring crowds of Russian soldiers, who in their excitement forgot that they had not broken bread since dawn —many of them had hardly eaten anything since they marched out of their trendies on the previous morning. Osman spent the night at his own request in Plevna, and it is said to have been the first he slept under a roof; his residence during the whole of the siege had been a tent close to one of the redoubts, with no fire, and in that redoubt the Czar and Prince Charles celebrated the victory with a TV; JJquw on an ajlav improvised of a Turkish gun carriage, Tho Imperial surgeon in attendance on Qsman having reported that he was lit toy t !| e journey to Bucharest, he started cm the Tuesday, sqon after hjs interview with the Emforqp. Hje t{r§t ptage wap to Begot, the

former headquarters of the Q-rand Duke; thence he travelled to Sistoya and Simnitza, and by easy stages was brought to Fratzi, the nearest station on the railway from Q-iurgevo to Bucharest. On the Sunday following there was great commotion excited in Bucharest by a report that Osman Pasha had died at Fratzi. One account said lie had died suddenly through loss of blood, and another that he had poisoned himself to avoid amputation, which, according to the Koran, is an eternal mutilation of the human form divine. Biographies of him appeared in several of the English papers on Monday morning, some of them flavoured with extracts from the Moslem Bible, and all, of course laudatory of the broken-hearted captive. The report got to Constantinople, and came back from there on Monday in a form which seemed to give it a final confirmation, when it occurred to some one at Bucharest to make inquiry, and he ascertained that Osman was perfectly unconscious of his own decease. He had borne the journey to Fratzi fairly well, and his wound —a flesh wound, by the way —was making good progress. On his arrival he had received through Lord Derby a message from the Sultan assuring him of his sympathy and admiration. This was sent at the special request of his Majesty to Mr Layard, who communicated to the Foreign Office. The brave fellows who followed him so cheerfully t the last suffered fearfully in the final sortie. The Russians estimated the Turkish loss in that morning’s work at 4000 men; but Colonel Wellesley, who has since made more careful inquiry, puts it at a much higher figure. He reports to the Foreign Office that there were 6000 killed, and that 4000 have presented themselves 'at the Russian ambulances to have their wounds dressed. Allowing 2000 for those who may still come in, the casualties would amount to 12,000 in all. Colonel Wellesley does not believe that there were 30,000 Turks engaged in the sortie. Consequently almost half of them were put hors de combat.