Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-12-20
The Fall Of I'Ievps.

Russia wins q great victory. The last
grand act in the operations against Plevna
closes with the surrender Of Osmsn Pashs
Last June, no one deemed it probable that
the great conflict would hinge upon the pos.
sessson Of little town near the Vid, un-
known in military annals, and almost without
q garrison. But the Russians by sending an
inadequate force against it, committed two
blunders at once; they made feeble attack
where the assault should have been decisive,
and they revealed to the enemy their plan of
operations Henceforth, in the eye of the
Ottoman, Plevna became place of vital i'm
porfance, to be held at any risk against the
hated Muscovite. Osman Pasha at once dis
cerned its capacity for defence. While the
old generals relied on stone walls, he acted on
the conviction that earthworks, defended BY
the breech loader and rifed gun, are prac.
ticaliy impregnahle. The Russian assaults In
July and September proved the accuracy of
his provision. These unfortunate expert
ments cost the Russi,ns probably $1,000
men, and certainly thwsrted their plan of
campaign, which contemplated the capture of
Adrianople, Is a sequel to the capture of the
Shipks Pass. Learning from experience, the
Russians, fortunately for themselves, had re-
course to regular siege operations. Reinforced
by the gallant Roumanians, they established
line of intrenchments in face of the Otto
man de;ences Then crossing the Vid, they
he Oh ,,<,usssox,. he corhis
and soon encircled Plevna in an iron grasp. %
strong as that which compelled the surrender
of Metz and Paris. This done. the fall Of
Plevna was only question of time.
1t is too soon to determine how far the OF.
toman Commander has fallen short Of his du'
ty. Although the Russians praise his valor,
1t is on record that he has acted throughout on
the defensive. If one feeble stack directed
against Palishat be excepted. 1t 10 . military
axiom that commander who defends where
he might attack, caritulates where be might
conquer. He might have ex 9ected aid from
Western Bulgaria, but when he allowed the
Russians to occupy the roads to Sophia ami
Widdin, he rendered 1t impracticable for an
army to nght It's way to his relief, and at the
same time made his escape impossible. This
was not Todleben's way at Sebastopol, who
prolonged q defence, which otherwise must
have been very brief.
The political and military results of the
great victory are immeasurable. 1t will re-
establish throughout Europe the respect for
the Russian arms, Of which her blunders in
Bulgaria and Armenia had well nigh deprived
her. It viii give . renewed impulae to the
demands Of the Russian people for the extinc.
ton Of the Ottoman power, and awaken the
Numbering hopes of every Christian race un.
der Turkish rule. 1t will cement still further
the Imperial alliance, and cause the -deepes,
anxiety among the governing classes in Grea,
Britain Regarded from military point o.
view, the Turkish disaster is almost irrepara
BILE. Il deprives her Of her main army at Z
moment when the Russians hold advanced
posts ut Hhipsa Pans and near Sophia, wheace
they may swarm into Roumclia and omplete
the work begun nearly two centuries ago.
when Sobieski rolled back the tide Of Turkish
invsnon.-(N. Y. Tribune.