Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-10
THE WAR IN TURKEY. :

Notwithstanding that the latest news from the
seat of war ON the Danube is 50 contradictory as
scarcely to afford any reliable information, place
the essential part of it before our readers in the
subjoined compilation derived from English news
papers, one of which, in remarking upon the dis
srepancies which characterize the different reports,
says:
$50 utterly improbable and contradictory many of
the accounts given that is waste Of time and type to
report them. While report says that Gortschakof
repulsed from before 0ltenitza another asserts that
he drove the Turks the Danube third says that
the Turks stormei Bucharest; fourth that they had
chased the Russians to the Pruth; fifth that Osten
sacken's division had the Turks hemmed in and they
were at his mercy sixth takes liberties with the geo.
graphy of the place. and relates that the Russians
retreating to Kronstadt an Austrian town. and that
body Of Turks had been dispatched through serya to IN
tercept them.
There other rumors improbable still, and we
thrown back the facts that already known that
100000 Turks north Of the river Danube that fight
ing, which resulted unfayorably to the Russians, had
taken place at several points that the Turkish forces
were victorious in Asia that the Russians were in ex
pectation Of strong renorcements, already the
Pruth and the Moslem commander was determined to
push until he had fulfilled his promise to drive the in
vaders from Turkish SOIL Probably action deserving
of the has been fought since the repuse Of Gorts
chakof from 0ltenitza. Skirmishes almost daily,
but they have weight the general issue. The
thusasm of the Turks since was known that the Sultan
will himself command the army exceeds all bounds.
The following is the document in which the Sultan Off
ciay his intention to take the field in person
1t read to Grand Council which was attended by
the Sultan, on the 31st of November:
"My worthy ViIer: cannot sufficiently congratulate
myself upon the zeal and enthusiasm Of my troops
the devotion and fidelity of all my functionaries sent
ments which subjects in general have never ceasei
the occasion of all the preparations that have taken
place. to show since the day that there appeared
probability that the difference between my Imperial
Government and Russia would end in
GAS regards the present--the state of being
tanty-I do not doubt in the least that every man is
ready to lend his support with eagerness and to fulfil his
duties.
s'As the real of this consists only in the
praseworhy resolution to maintain the sacred rights and
the independence of my empire relying upon the almighty
power of the Creator Of all things and invoking the holy
spirit of Prophet have decided, with Gods will
be present at the accomplishment of such duty in the
first days of spring.
1t is therefore advisable to provide at for the
preparations which my suite will demand and the first
general quarters of my guard will be at Adrianope 1t
urgent that all that is necessary for the troops which
will be under my command be prepared beforehand
"You must therefore, in concert with my Ministers,
hasten to take all the necessary measures
May the Most High, out of love for his Prophet,
der my empire victorious and triumphant all
sions; and may all those who contribute to the
of this task obtain happiness in this world and in the
next!"
The Turks have recrossed the Danube leaving only the
garrison Kalaat The latest despatch by the Atlantic
announcing the victory of the Turks Otentza when
attacked by Prince Gortschakof the 18th ultimo
the head of "a 900 men, is only partially confirmed 1t
appears that the issue of that attack though serving
check the Russian army the retirement of the Turks
the Danube The Turks manifested considerable
warke superiority for they repulsed greatly superior
Russian force efectualy that they enabled to
destroyed their own Notifications at Oltenitza.
From France have the important statement that
the Emperor is amassng troops between Sasburg and
Marseilles to be able, necessary to send off army
of 100000 in less than five days for foreign service
FROM THE LONDON TIMES OF NOVEMBER L.
appears that the reports transmitted Judgment
tho Turks at Oenitza, Of battle fought after
wards and Of the discontinue and of the Rus
slams, were all substantially true and that they pointed
not to single engagement variousy related but
res Of encounters the spot At the beginning
Of this month"; apparently the 3d. the Turks crossed
the Danube at Turkuka and advanced to the Walachan
village of 0tenitza, short distance from the river,
where they entrenched themselves In this position they
presently assaled by Russian division under Gen
Perlof, Tor Paulo which they repused. 1t then
that the Russians reinforced by the division of Gen. Dam
nenberg, renewed the attack upon Otentza the 4th
aud that they again defeated with still greater loss
Is probably the latter of these conflicts that the
report alluded which gave fourteen superior officers kill
ed item of the casualties the first encounter hay
ing been described less sanguinary After this the
Russians retreated upon Bucharest" reported from
which place. it is said Prince Gorschakof about
advance with the main body of his army to attack Ote-
nitza once more.
LONDON TIMES NOVEMBER IT,
telegraphc despatch Of Tuesday evening last from
Vienna reports that the Turks repulsed the attack
their position at Oltenitza the 11th" This would
to imply that the grand attack Of Prince Gortscha
kof on the Ottoman position has met with greater
than the attempts of Generals Pauo and Dam
nenberg before him. We without any authentic par
cuars Of this last engagement, but il will be recoect
ed that the Russian commander chief described
main body, 900 strong to retrieve the credit Of his
country the field of battle.
The Turks said have exceeded 900 in the
conflicts Of the 4h and 9Th and though they had doubt
less been considerably reinforced il is probable that
they could have mustered in such numbers those
tributed to Prince Gortschakof's army. Assuming
therefore, that the telegraphic information is correct
conclude that the division Of the Turks established
at Oten1a has succeeded in defeating every attack that
could be made upon it during the days eapsing since
its first Judgment including assault by Prince Gorts
chakof in person with all the force at his command
FROM THE LONDON TIMES or NOVEMBER 1S.
Bucharest the Russian headquarters about seven
teen leagues or between fifty and sixty miles, from ote-
nitza, the Danube where the Turks nrenched,
and where the llth they were to have received the
attack Of Prince Gortschakof with the Russian main
body We know that this attack repulsed, and
il is not improbable supposon that the Turks fol-
lowing up their victory advanced from their position at
0ltenitza and pursued the Russian columns in their
treat upon Bucharest This town said to be g in
flames in three places, possibly from tho effects Of
bombardment but there is nothing unreasonable in pre-
suming that might have been fred by the Russians
they evacuated it before their Thus far the
story contains little mprobabty for the division under
Prince Gortschakof the last Of the Russians