Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-12-07

From Europe.

The Russians-12,0 900 Muscorites put
aigh'-Fight-Guns taken--T Turk
aduance on Bucharest G'eat Brifai
ppacenbly disposed-France feels War
like Shanghas in the hands Of Inc 1ns"'
gents.
The United States Mail steamship Allan
tic which left Liverpool at 10 A. NJ, Oh
Wednesday, 18th ult, arrived at Ne'
York early on the morning Of the 29th.
From the seat of war We have only de
tails of the previous engagements, and re
ports that decisive battle had been fought
the details of which are still to come. VIC
tory, so far, has perched on the Turkisl
banner.
The only authentic statement OF any re
pulse the Turks have met with is, that on th'
morning of the 9th their force of Q 600 wa
compelIed 70 evacuate the Island in from
of the strong Russian position of Giurgero
With this trlAing check we have the details
of brilliant victory.
The BATTLE OF OLTENfTzA.-We have
now detailed accounts of this first encoun
ter between the Moslem and Russians. |
proves 10 have been an affair ,ofmuch mort
importance than at first stated. After ;
continued fire from midnight of November
1st, to daybreak of the Sd, the Turkish am
munition became exhausted-and with the
wild cries of Moslem warfare, the entire
Turkish force charged the enemy with bay.
onet and sabre, and scattered them at all
points The Russians left twelve hundred
on the field as killed or wounded, and were
driven back upon Bucharest, where hea'
Wy fire from the artillery of the place
brought up the pursuing Turks, who then
returned to Oltenitza and encamped upon
the field, their first care being to fortify the
position. The battle was fought within a
triangle of land formed by the waters of the
Argis and Danube. Only nine thousand
Turks were engaged, but they had occupi.
ed strong quarantine building. and an old
redoubt situated in the plain near the Dan.
ube, as well as the village. From this po-
sition they threw shot and shell with great
effect to the very entrance of a village
whence Gen. Dannenberg was directing the
attack.
A telegraphic despatch sent to the French
Government, and Immediately (on 18th
inst communicated to the Turkish Minis
ter at Paris, says that the Russians twice
drove the Turks from their position, but that
on the third day (by this dispatch called
November 4) the Turks dispersed the Rus
slams with the loss above stated. The Rus
sian loss in officers was particularly severe,
the enemy's marksmen having apparently
endeayored to pick of as many as they
could. 1t is particularly noticed that the
disabled officers are almost without excep-
ton wounded by the conical balls of the
chasseur regiments, organized on the mod
ell of the celebrated French chasseurs of
Vincennes. The Turkish artillery was
beautifully served. The Russians, too, stood
manfully to their arms, and the affair had
all the features of pitched battle. Omar
Pacha did not command in person. The
position of Oltenitza is very strong. The
gunners in Turtuka fired with such precrs-
ion during the battle, that the shots, passing
over the heads of the Turks, did great ex-
ecution among the Russians. Areport says
the Russians lost eight guns.
Referring to this engagement, a Vienna
letter of the 10th says: sit is not likely
that the following startling news will find
its way into papers, but you may rely i'm
plcitly on its truth. The victory of the
Turks (Which was owing to treachery,) was
more complete than is generally supposed.
The outposts nearest the river were Poles,
and they not only permitted the Turks to
cross without giving notice of their ap-
proach, but actually assisted them in the
work of ofdeath. The cannonade lasted, with
slight lntermission, twenty-eight hours
The date was a mistake,-the affair began
in the night between The lst and I'd, and
lasted to the Sd.
On learning the defeat Of Dahnenberg at
Oltenitza, Prince GortschakoR, without de-
Law, took measures 10 attack the Turks ere
thew had time to recover from the casual
ties of the former action. With this view
he left Bucharest on the 9th, at the head Of
$4,000 fresh troops, and accompanied by
his entire staff. advanced upon Oltenitza.
The Turks at that position were only 5000
strong less the hors de combat Of the previ.
GUS batte-probably 1000 in dead and
wounded. This left but 5000 to oppose the
Russian General, but the Turks being in
force higher up the river, would no doubt
come up in time to take part in the fray.
AT the date when our correspondent pre-.
pared his dispatch, Tuesday evening, l5th)
rumors were already flying thick that the
battle had been fought. One account sta
ted circumstantialty that the Turks had been
disastrously defeated, and driven across the
river. Another account stated, no less pos
,tively, that the Russians had met with a
terrible repuse. The locality of this battle
is vaguely called "the neighborhood OF
Bucharest" Another report says. "be-
tween Widdin and Bucharest" And a
third dispatch, promulgated by certain spec
ulators, said, "under the Walls OF Buc1a-
rest" and that "the Russians attribute to
themselves the victory" And yet another
account states that the fight took place at
Kraiova-which is the most likely to be
correct as we learn that on the Sd instant
the Turkish force at Kaafat was awaiting
reipforcements to march upon Krajova.
That battle has been fought appears
bioblv probable. From Vienna we learn
that fighting was certainly going on near
Bucharest, on the morning of the llth.
The Turks having crossed the Danube,
are established at ten points, namely, Kali
arasch, opposite silistria, at oltenitza, at an
island opposite Guitgevo, (but not at CUR
oeyo itself. which is still held by the Rus
Slams although enthusiastically lombard
ed by the Turks across the river at Sim
nitza at Turna, at Kalarasch, at Kalafat,
where they have $4,000 men; at Rustchuck,
and at Silistria. There are, besides, move.
ments along the Turkish side of the Dam