THE BATTLE OF PLEVNA.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 439, 13 September 1877, Page 3

THE BATTLE OF PLEVNA.

On July 31st the Russian right wing, 40,000 strong, attacked Osman Pasha at Plevna. The Turkish, force was estimated at 50,000. They occupied a series of positions which, naturally strong, were also artificially fortified in every available spot, forming a horseshoe in front of Plevna, with botli fi.mlra resting on the River Via. The Russian force consists of the nirfch army corps under Q-encral Krudiner, of the thirteenth division, and the thirteenth brigade of the second division under Prince Sehakosky, with three brigades of cavalry and 160 gunß. It was arranged that General Krudiner should attack the Turkish centre at Grivaca, and the northern flank of entrenched position over Rotova, while Sehakosky attacked Radagevo, and General Skaboloff held in cheek a strong force at Lacoa, which was the extremity of the Turkish lines. General Krudiner began the battle about half-past nine o'clock. After a long bombardment lie succeeded in silencing the Turkish cannon at Grivaca, but could not expel the infantry from the earthworks.- He spent the whole afternoon in an unavailing endeavor to force the northern flank of the Turkish position, desisti/ig after dark without having gained anything material, having himself suffered considerable loss. Prince Sehakosky about noon carried Radizen, planting four batteries on the ridge beyond, and bom- i barded the nearest Turkish position, which was an earthwork armed with cannon in front of an entrenched village. After some hours' cannonade he silenced- the Turkish guns. His infantry, after a long and bloody contest, earned the earthwork and village." The second Turkish position, consisting of redoubt and series ot entrenched vineyards, strongly held, was then attacked, and ultimately carried, but with terrible effort andvery severe loss, owing to the heavy Turkish artillery fire. The Russians, moreover, were unable to utilise the captured position. About four o'clock the Reserve Brigade was brought up, and an attack made on the position immediately covering Plevna. The attack was continued until nearly sunset. The Turkish infantry was in great force in a continuous line, under shelter of trenches, and, despite most stubborn efforts, no impreasio.i could be made upon that line. Two companies of Russian infantry did work round to the right of the Turkish trenches, and entered the town of Plevna, but it was impossible to hold it. Russian batteries pushed boldly forward into the position flr3t taken, to attempt to keep down the Turkish cannonade, which was crashing into the infantry in the open fatally, but were compelled soon to evacuate the hazardous spot. At sundown the Turks made a continuous forward movement, and reoceupicd their second position. The Russian infantry made a succession of desperate stands, and died like heroes. The Turks gradually retook everything they had lost. The fighting lasted long after nightfall. With darkness the Bashi-liazouks took possession of the battle-field, and slew all the wounded. The Russians held the heights about Badogio, but the Bashi-Bazouks worked around to their rear, and fell on the wounded collected in the villages of Radigiva,na, A retreat was com- ■ pelled in the direction of Bulvariu. A correspondent telegraphs that Prince Schakoskv's division was utterly routed. He had not a man" left to cover his retreat, and the Turks Btruck without stint. They liad the upper hand, and were determined to shotv that they knew how to make the most of i'. They advanced in swarms at dusk, in their original first position, and captured the Russian cannon before the batteries could be withdrawn. Turkish shells began once more to whistle over the rido-e above Radishona and fall into the village behind, now crammed -with wounded who had wended their painful way over the ridge The badly wounded mostly' lay where they fell. Later, in the darkness, a baleful sort of "krankentranger" stormed over.the battle field in the shape of Bashi-Bazouks who spaied nothing. Lingering on the ridce till morn lose, the staff could hear from below on the still night air the cries of pain and entreaties for mercy made to the bloodthirsty fanatics. It was indeed an hour to w ung the sternest hearts. We stayed there to -earn if it might be "what troops "were coming up this valley of the shadow of death below whether there were indeed any at all to come. The Turks had our range before dark, and we could watch the flashes of name over against us, and then listen to the scream of the shells as they tore by us. The sound of rifle bullets was incessant, and the escort and retreating wounded were struck. A detachment on the height began to come straggling up. It will give some idea of disorganisation to say that when, a company was told off to, cover some of the wounded in

Radischood, it had been made up" of men of several regiments. About nine o'clock the staff quitted ths ridge, leaving it littered with groaning men. Moving gently Jest we should tread on the prostrate wounded, we lost our way as we had lost our army. We could find 110 rest forthe soles of our feet by reason of the alarms of Bashi-Kazouks swarming in among the scattered and retreating Russians. At length, at one o'clock in the morning, having been in the saddle since one o'clock on the previous morning, we turned into a stubble field, and, making beds of reaped grain, correspondent and Cossacks alike rested under "the stars. But we were not even then allowed rest before an alarm came that the Bashi-Bazouks were upon us, and had to rouse and tramp away. What in the morning was a line army was bow a handful of weary Cossacks. General Krudiner sent word in the morning that he had lost severely and could make no headway, and had resolved to fall back on the line of the river Osma. Fighting was renewed .on the following day with further losses to the Russians. The defeat had a most demoralising effect. The panic extended through the Russian army as far as Sistova, where a few Cossacks arriving said the Turks were closely following them.. The people of Sistova thereupon rushed en masse across to Sirminitza, followed by the Cossacks, who fled beyond. On the road they came upon a convoy of Eussian transport waggons and spread the panic among the drivers, who, leaving their charge, ran in all directions. Next morning order was restored by the arrival of a large number of prisoners at Sistova said to h?,ve been captured in an engagement by the army of Cezarwitch. Thj Russian killed and wounded was estimated at 24,000. The defeat completely disarranged the Eussian plan of operations. Reinforcements were pressed forward. Ostnan Pasha did not follow up the victory, awaiting reinforcements. Exchange.