The crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1877-1878, 1877-12-20
THE FALL OF PLEVNA.
An Account of the Desperate Fighting.

<th VI tht
Full particulars of the capture of
Plevna are sent by correspondent at Bo-
got. 1t appears that council of war held
on Saturday last, 1t was decided that the
moment had arrived to attack Pevna by
storm. The following day a terrific bonn
bardment began and at early dawn on Mon
day general action commenced. Six col
umns Of attack were formed, each muster
ing 1900 men, and u reserve consisting of
no less than 10000. The fire of the Russian
siege guns suddenly ceased and the Russo
Roumanian storming columns threw them
selves against the advance Turkish re-
doubts. There they met with desperate re-
sistancc. After exchanging volley after
volley with telling effect. a hand-to-hand
fight ensued. No quarter was claimed or
given. When the first rcdoubts were cap
tured not Il prisoner was taken. The storm
ing columns then advanced on the inner
lines where the main force Of Osman Pa
sha's army was massed. The Ottoman chief,
seeing that further resistance would be
useles, ordered Il retreat northward to-
ward Widdin. At this critical moment the
Russian and Roumanian field artillery re-
serve advanced rs far as the heights imme-
diately commanding the upper portion of
Plevna and opened an enfllading fire which
made terrible havoc among the Turkish
troops in the valley who were proceeding
to attack the positions just occupied by the
enemy. The Russian batteries attacked
over and over again, but in vain, the object
of these repeated onslaughts being to divert
attention from the main body that was ad-
vancing in the opposite direction. In the
heat of the fray 0sman Pasha placed him
self at the head of his troops, and pressed
forward as far as Oponesch, situated about
three miles from Plevna, with every hope
of breaking through the Russian lines.
But before he could do so he was met by
the Russo -Roumanian reserve. Oponesch
lies on the right of the high road that bor-
ders the river Vid and large reserve force
had been posted there in expectation that
0sman Pasha would attempt to retreat on
Widdin. This force was well supported by
artillery that had been placed on the heights
in front of Dolni- Etropol. twas in plain
between 0ponesch and Dolni- Etropol that
0sman Pasha and his brave followers met
with their disaster. Russian guns swept
down whole companies and the ground was
soon covered with dead and dying. Here,
too, Osman himself was badly wounded In
the head and fell senseless from his horse
receiving further injuries from his fall
Seeing their commander hors de combat,
and possibly supposing him to have been
killed, the Turks began to lay down their
arms. The Russians had already entered
Plevna. Victory was in their hands. Ten
thousand dead and wounded Turks lay on
the field. Not vestage of provisions was
anywhere to be found. The civil popula-
ton had hardly enough food for day, and
the ambulances had barely accommodation
for few hundred wounded. The number
Of prisoners is estimated at 10000. Four
hundred guns were captured. The Russian
and Roumanian loss is considerable but the
| figure is not yet known. To this account
Of the fall Of Plevna must add q few words
destined to throw some light on this all
important event. l hold, on indisputable
authority, that, shortly after the last re-
pulse of the assailants, Prince Bismarck
expressed the opinion that the next attack
would probably be more successful. as the
Russians would receive good advice. A bun
die of documents. supposed to be plans for
the siege Of Plevna, since then reached
Russian headquarters from Berlin and there