THE BATTLE OF PLEVNA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 216, 12 September 1877, Page 4

THE BATTLE OF PLEVNA.

On the 3 1st July, the Rusaion right wing, which was 40,000 strong, attacked Oernan Pasha at Plevna. The Tuikish forces were estimated at 50,000. They occupied a series of positions which ware naturally strong, and artificially fortified in every available spot, forming a horaeshoe in frout of Plevna, with both flanks resting on the river Vid. The Russian force consisted of the Ninth Army Corps under General Krudener. The thirteenth division and the thirteenth brigade of the second division under Prince Schakosky, with three brigades of cavalry and 160 guns, were co arranged that General Krudener should attack the Turkish centre at Grivieka, and the northern flank of the entrenched position over R;thova, while Schackosky attacked Rahazevo, and General Skabeloff held in check the strong Turkish force at Locoa, which was the extremity of the Turkish lines. But General Krudener begs»n the battle about hair-past nine o'clock. After a long bombardment, he succeeJed in silencing the Turkish cannon at Grivieka, but could not expel the infantry from the earthworks. He spent the whole afternoon in an unavailing endeavor (o force the northern flank of the

Turkish position, desisting after dark, without having gained anything, material, and having himself suffered considerable loss. Prince Sohakosky, about noon carried Rahazavo, planting four batteries on the heights beyond, and bombarded the nearest Turkish position, which was aa earthwork armed with cannon in front of aa entrenched village. After an hour's cannonade he silenced the Turkish guns; and his infantry, after a long and bloody contest, carried the earthwork at the village. The second Turkish position, consisting of a redoubt, and a series of entrenched vineyards, which was strongly held, was then attacked, and ultimately oarried, but with terrible effect and very severe loss, owing to the heavy Turkish artillery fire. The Russians, moreover, were unable to utilize the captured position. At 4 o'clock the reserve brigade was brought up, and an attack was made on a position immediately covering! Plevna, The attack continued till nearly sunset, The Turkish infantry was in great force in a coniinu-r ous line under the shelter of trenches, and despite the most, stubborn efforts, no impression could be made on that line. Two companies of Russian infantry worked round to the right of the Turkish trenches, and entered the town of Plevna; but it was impossible to hold it. The Russian batteries pushed boldly forward into the position first taken, and attempted to keep down the Turkish cannouade, which was crashing into the infantry in the open with fatal effect; but they were compelled soon to evacuate the hazardous spot. At sundown the Turks made a continuous forward movement and reoccupied iheir second position. The Russian infantry made a series of desperate stands, and died like heroes. The Turks gradually retook everything Shey had lost. The fighting lasted long after nightfall. Wiih darkness the Bishi-Bazouks took posseseion of the battlefield, and slew all the wounded. The Russians hold the heights of Bidazov, but the ßashi-Bazouks worked around to their rear, and fell on tha wounded of Radigerum. Retreat was compelled in the direction of Bulgarini, A correspondent telegraphs that Prince Schakosky's division was utterly routed. He bad not a man left to cover the retreat. The Turks struck without stint. They had the upper hacd, and were determined to show that they knew how to make the most of it. They advanced in swarms through the dusk to their original position, and captured the Russian cannon before the batteries could be withdrawn. The Tutkiah shells bagan once more to whistle over the ridge above Radishova which waa now crammed with the wounded, who had wended their painful way over the udge. They were badly wounded, and mo3tly lay where they fell. Later, in the darkness, a baleful sort of whirlwind stormed over the battlefield in the shape of BashiBazouks, who spared nothing, liugerintr on the ridge till the moon rose. The staff coulJ hear from below on the still night air the cries of pain and entreaties for mercy to the bloodthirsty fanatics. It was indeed an hour to wring ihe sternest heart. We stayed there to learn if we could what troops were coming up the valley of the shadow of death below, or whether there were indeed any at all to come. The Turks hod our range before dark, and we could watch the floo.l of flame 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 at lengib began to come straggling up; but it will give some idea of the disorganisation to suy that when a company was told off to cover some of the wounded iv Radishova it had to be made up of men of saveral regiments. About nine o'clock the staff quitted the ridge, leaving it littered with groaning men. Moviog gently, lest we should tread on the proßtrate wounded, we lost our way as we had lost our army. Wo could Sad no rest for the soles of our feet by reason of the alarms of the Bashi Bozoukß swarming in among the scattered and retreating Russians. At lengib, at one o'clock in the raorningr, having been in the saddle since early on the previous morning, we turned into a stubbie-fia^ aa( } ) ra uking beds of the reaped grain, correspondent ami Cossack alike restel under the stars. But we were not even then allowed to rest long before an alarm came that the Bashi-Bazouka were upon v.», and we had to rouse and tramp away. What in the morning was a fine army was now a handfull of weary Cossacks. General Krudener sent word in the morning that he had lost severely, and could make no headway, and that he had resolved to fall back on the line of the river Oeraa. Fighting was renewed on the following day with further losses to the Russians. The defeat had a most demoralising effect. The pauic extended through the Ruasiau army as far as Sietova, where a few Cossacks arriving, said the Turks were closely following them. The people of Sistova thereupon rushed en masse across to Simnitzi, followed i>y ibe Cossacks, who fled beyond. On the road they came upou a convoy of Kussiun transport waggons, and spread panic among the drivers, who, leaving their charge, ran in all direction. Next morning order was restored by the arrival of a large number of prisoners at Sistova, said to have baen captured ia an eugugement by the army of the Czarewitch. The Russians kilted and wounded were estimated at 24,000.

The defeat completely disarranged the Russian plan of operations, and reinfbrcementa were pressed forward. Osman Pasha did not follow up the victory, awaiting reinforcements.