The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-12-18 00:00:00

THE WAR.

THE SURRENDER OF PLEVNA.

PLErma Monday night.
A long, !owl ithont went up from the Ruashie army
when the white ff was seen and its signiticanee WWI
underatool —a joy. oos shout that swept over that
aseary plain, and was echoed hack mnnornngly by the
rugg.ed cliff: over hanging the scene. The
thrill of ~flaiiness in the shout showed bow deeply the
Russian soldiers ha! dreaded the long, weary waiting
through the winter months amongst snow and mint
runt the impregnal,le stronghold. It was clear that
a load had been lifted from every heart.

A moment later a Tnrkinh officer wan seen Ming
over the bridge with a white flag in hin hand. He rode
forward to General GenetAty, in command of the
Grenadier., halted a moment, and then rode back.
AA it turned out, he was an officer of inferior rank,
and returned becanoe General Ganetnky inntrncted
him to send an officer with the rank of teach& to
negotiate the term. of capitnlation. Then two
horoemeo came forward, each cam ing a white flag.
They rode am,e, the bridge and approached no. 7 here
wan a moment', convernation with General Skobeleff's
interpreter, and then wao announced that (Inman
himoelf was coming out, and two horsemen galloped
back.

'(}.man hini,elf
vominz !" Pltelaime.l all of us
with surprise. 'llls was in.lee.l an unlouked.for
incident

"At any rate we will give him a respectable recep-
tion," exelaimed one Russian officer, in the gallant
spirit of true chivalry.
"That we will." sahl another. "We must all salute
him, aed the soldiers must present nrrrig."
" Ile is certainly a great soldier." exclaimed
another. "and he ham made a heroic defence."
" He' is the greatest general of the age." said General
Skoheleff, " for he has saved the honour of his
country. I will profer him my hand and tell him

All were nnanimone in hie praise, and the butcheries
of Russian wounded committed by the Turkish army
of Piens& were forgotten.
All around me the ground was covered with grim
relic,' of battle. Here and there the earth was optorn
by the explosion of shells. Near me lay a horse
groaning and struggling in death. Close by, an ox,
silently bleeding to death his great, round, patient
eyes looking mournfully at no. Just before me was a
cart with a dead horse lying in yoke as he had fallen,
and a Turkish soldier lying alongside whose head had
been carried away. Another man wan lying under
the waggon, and around were four wounded men,
lying gazing tni at the murky sky, or covered up with
the hood of their ragged grey overcoat drawn over
their face.s. Not one of them uttered a sound. They
Inv there and bore their suffering with a calm, stolid
fortitude which brought tears to my epee. Just
behind the waggon the ground was ripped to pieces by
shell-fire, telling how these unfortunates met
their fate. The road and its edges were dotted here
and there with dead and wounded Turkish aoldiera,
oxen, horses, and shattered carts, and a few hundred
yards north of the road, the ground over which
Osman Pacha's sallying column had made that heroic
, charge, was literally covered with dead and wounded.
Russian doctors were already going about on the
field looking after the wounded, and giving them
temporary dressing, while waiting for the ambulances
to come up. _ _

_ The palm was broken at bud by shouts of "There
he.is ! He is coming," and I rode forward again to
the point of main interest. Two horsemen were
again approaching with a white flag, the hearer of
which 11,34 apparently merely a common soldier. He
wore a fee, a long flirty brown cloak, and very ragged
footgear. The other horseman wore a bright red fez,
which set off the officer's blue cloak. He vas clean
and natty, and had on fresh gloves. He was
comparatively young; with a round, rosy face ;
clean shaved. light moustache, straight nose, and
blue eyes. He did not seem over thirty-live years
old.

" This cannot be Osman Paths," NMI the general
exclamation. In fact it was not he, hut Ten Bey,
his chief of staff. Was it possible that this boyish.
looking face belonged to Osman's right hand man, who
must have played so great a part in the organization
and maintenance of Osman's mighty defence? It
seemed strange, but it was true. The Turks have the
merit at least f not being afraid of young men. I
saw no tottering grey-bearded officers in this captive
host.

He sail, thouan Pacha—" then stopped fully ten
seconds before he proceeded—" is wounded."
This was the find intimation we had had of this
occurrence. All expresso' their regret.
"Not severely, we all hope," exclaimed General
Skobeleff. - _

"I do not know," was the answer, with a pause of
a second between every word.
"Where is his Excellency ?" was the next question.
"There," was Tefik Bey's reply, as he pointed to a
small house overlooking the road just beyond the
bridge.
Then there VIM a pause while we scrutinised our
strange visitor, and he surveyed us, as it seemed to
me, with the most perfect calmness, but obvious
curiosity.
" Osman Ghazi has made a most brilliant and
glorious defence," said an officer. "We esteem
highly his soldierly character." The Turk gazed
steadily before him, and gave no sign that he had
heard.
We waited awhile longer. Some of the Turks on
the bridge walked forward, and came on to us, sonic
with guns hung over their shoulders, others with guns
in their hands. They walk about us and examine us
curiously. Thousands ~f them are on the cliffs, not
more than fifty yards distant, looking down on us
with composure, all with arms in their hands. One
will-directed volley would thin our Russian cadres
this side of the Vid very appreciably, for by this time
there must have been a hundred officers gathered
here, and the capitulation was by no means arranged
an yet. On the heights to our right we see the
Russians moving up to the redoubt on one side, while
the 'lurks were leaving it on the other. Presently
General Ganeteky arrives, and then the way is blocked
with waggons, deadihorses, and oxes. The men have
all been carried off, but inside the waggon near the
bridge I see one young fellow lying wounded. He
has laid himself carefully down there, with his cloak
wrapped around him, and his rifle and knapsack
under his head. He evidently take., pride in his gun,
• Peadbody, for it is very bnght and clean, and he
has put it carefully under hiva, so that it may not be
taken away. He did not think to part with it no
soon. He is scarcely seventeen, and the doctor who
has dressed his wound says he will not live till night.
When the General is about • hundred yards from
the bridge the crush is so great that we can advance
no further, and iodeed we do not wish, for it is in this
little house overlooking the road that Osman Ghasi
lies wounded. General Ganetsky, Strukoff, and some
others have gone to see him. I was unable to get in
owing to the crowd. The conference did not last more
than few minutes.

The terms of capitulation were easily arranged. The
surrender is unconditional. Osman consented at once.
If surprise expressed that he should have so suddenly
agreed, it is only necessary to state that he could do
nothing else.

We turned hack and over the bridge, and Osman
Pacha got into carriage and drove to Piero's. The
Grand Duke Nieholae with hie staff arrival a few
minutes; afterwards, and mussed the troops in review,
He was received with cheers. Halting, he spoke a
few words to the Grenadiers Which wore greeted with
the wildent acclamation. The Grand Ibilre has cer-
tainly the ;soldierly quality of kn ;wing how to speak
to soldiers. Then we pass again slowly across the
bridge.
The ncene had now changed. No more armed 'funks
were to be ;seen. The interview with Osman Parha
had taken place abut two o'clock. It was now three,
and the Turks had all laid down their arms. They
had obeyed the injunction literally, and each man had
simply laid his rifle down in the mud where he wadi
standing when the order reached him. The ground
was litter,, I with arms, the some Peabody-Martinis
that hail wrought such destruction in the itussian
ranks in July and September. The road lay thick
with them, and we rode liver them, trampling them
under our horses' feet and spoiling hundreds of them
Osman', army was not, however, all armed with
Peabodys.
We rode ;slowly on towards Plevns with the low hills
on our right eloping up toward Kirshina, and a valley
on nor left beyond which rose the heights of Oopanees
There was another halt in our slow onward progreu,
and the cry was heard, " Osman." f pushed forward
to find that it wan indeed Osman Penh*, who, having
heard that the Grand Duke was coming in that direr.
tion, had turned hack in his carriage to meet him.
I Isman Pacha wee escorted by fifty Cossacks, and
there followel him twenty-five or thirty Turkish
officers, all mounted on diminutive Turkish ponies.
They were all, or nearly all, young men. Scarcely
one among them ;seemed over thirty. Most htol the
faces ;If mere hiy students. 'Are these the Luis," I
inwardly exclaimed, " with seinen Osman Pacha hae
accomplished much wonders?"Phe Grand Duke rode
up to the carriage, and for some seconds the two chiefs
gazed into each other's farce without the utterance of
a word. Then the Grand Duke stretched out die
hand, and shook the hand of Osman Paella heartily
and said :

, "I compliment you on your defence of Plevna. It
is one of the most splendid military feats in history."
Osman Pacha smiled sadly, n,se painfully to his feet
in spite of hi., wound. said something which I cold
not hear. and then reaeated himself. The Russian
officers all cried, Bravo !" " Bravo!" repeatedly, and
all saluted respectfully. There was not One among
them who did not gaze on the Hero of Plevna with the
greatest admiration and sympathy. Prince Charles,
who had arrived, rode up, and repeated unwittingly
almost every word of the'Grand Duke, and likewise
shook hands. Osman Pasha again rose and bowel,
this time in grim silence.
lie wore a loose blue cloak, with no apparent mark
on it to designate his rank, and a red fez. He is •
large. strongly.built man, the lower part of whose face
is covered with a shod ',lack beard, without a streak
of grey. He has a large Roman nose, and black eyes.
The face is a strong face, with energy and deterinina.
tion stamped on every feature—yet a tired, wan face
also, with lines on it that hardly were graven so deep
I fancy five months ago and with a sad, enduring,
thoughtful look ,itit of the black eyes.
"It is a grand face," exclaimed Colonel
the French military attaché. "I was almost afraid of
seeing him lest my expectation should be disappointed,
but he more than fulfils my ideal."
"it is the face of 4 great military chieftain," said
young Skolieleff. " I am gla I to have seen him.
Osman Ghazi he is, and Osman the Victorious he will
remain, in spite of his surrender."
There may perhaps ho exaggeration in the Russian
estimate f Osman Pacha. History will judge. I hIITI3BI
Facto' had scarcely any officers of talent and
experience with him. He has borne the weight of this
stupendous defence on his own shoulders, a very
Titan, defying with his untrained and scanty levies,
the serriml legions of one of the greatest military
powers of Europe.

The Russians, says Varga,' Pair, talk big about an
immediate passage of the Balkan,' now that Osman
Pasha 1134 been starved into surrender. We think,
however, that they have reckoned without their snow,
which will impede extreme operations for some time to
come. Moreover, Suleiman Pasha is still on their
left flank, :in! a ante force will be required to contain
him. Lastly, if, neglecting him, they should never-
theless try and man+ on Adrianople, it will be
perfectly it. issible for Suleiman to embark his army
and anticipate them. The Roumanians and Ittnicovites
make a great fuss about the surrender of I'levna, but
it is by no means a similar feat to Medan. At Sr lan
the Germans beat the Frenchmen in a g,ssl stanil-tip
fight, whereas at Plevna the Russians have always
been beaten, and have only proved victoriou, at last
•becatise Osman had eaten his last biscuit.
the relative etrentl.h iil the litaasians and Tiirk,, there
i 4 not much to bra it about. Ac te, the inriertion that.
nO,OOO Turks, including sick and wounded, have been.
captured, we say, halve those tigurex.
A special envoy from Gmece has been sent on ai
secret mission to Russian heaibilitarterti.
The dourest de St. Petersherg state, the number of
Ten kid, prisoner, taken at Plexus to be 42,0t10, and of the
sick and wounded, 20,0110.
A tel-atani, dated lirzeroutn, December 12th, State*
that Me KIIITAI PASIIA has published a proclamation
threatening with death any one who does sot take part in
the defence of the town.

A telegram in the Maw Hetet, dated Burharest. Thurs-
day night states that a report is current there that •
derisive Russian victory ha, been fought tri the neighbour-
hot of Elena. anti that 12 Oen Turks had been taken
prisoner. This, however, requires confirmation.
The Berlin comes', onlent of the Times, with reference
to the goodion of peace, telegraphs on Thursday night.
that the Russians are expected to attempt crossing the
Balkans in force if the weather periuits„ after which they
will be ready to open negotiations with Turkey. In the
event of these negotiatmns being successful, the result
will tie communicated to the signatory Powers of the Parie
Treaty as a charge agreed upon between the two States
most immediately concerned.'
rim!

On Wednesday • thankoxiving sonrire was held by
the KUNKiILII4 in the presonoo of tho Emperor Alexander.
In the Turkish redoubt No 5, the spot where Osman
Midi& had WI Lead.quarcees during the siege. The
Emperor afterwards tool( lunch in Myrna.

REPORTED DEATH OF OSMAN PACHA.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Sunday, &10 p.m.
Osman Pacha has, it is reported, died en route to
Bucharest.
PEACE.

The Porte has sent a circular to the Powers,
reque..ting their mediation.
It is conaidered prolsahle that the request will meet
with a favourable reception.

INVESFMENT OF NISCH.
The Servian army has occupied Amilhen, in the
vicinity of Nisch. The investment of the place is in
preparation, and Beige guns are being placed in
position.

RUSSIAN DEFEAT.

Pita, Monday.

Italia Pasha announces a skirmish with the riervians,
and expresses the hope that he will drive the Aervians
across the frontier. The Russians have been repulied
at Arat Konak.

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