, 1877-07-25

immense army for so narrow a stage, and
for operations that must converge towards
a single point.
(FRoM A MILITARY CORRESPONDENT
SIMNITZA, June 81.
The various places where the Danube
can be crossed easily have often been de-
tailed. One OF these is opposite and near
Simni.za. Leaving the town, a mere mud
heap turned into dust by the sun, and
turning towards the Danube, there is FIRST
a sharp descent, where the roadway and
wheeled vehicles on it are nearly concealed
by dust, driven by every breeze and every
wheel, then a few feet just uncovered by
the waters, but still full Of little streams
and pools. For some distance a mile or
SO down the river this flat is perfectly open,
but afterwards it is fringed with willows
hanging their delicate arms over The water
and with tamariSks, now in full, but deli
cate purple flower.
Under the shade of the willows and
tamarisks there were collected last night
about 6 o'clock boats and men. At IL
o'clock those men began to pass over to
the Turkish side. Both during the cross
ing and afterwards they suffered seriously
from the fire of the two batteries Of the
enemy and from rifle fire. One gun,
standing alone, fired with steadiness and
precision, aud created some damage In the
boats but though the men suffered, the
boats went and came, until men enough
were collected to hold their own when
morning daWned. Still the Turks made
a feeble resistance, for a resistance must
surely be feeble which cannot prevent
208 boats from passing to aud fro on o
broad river like the Danube DragumirotPs
Division Of the Sth. Corps was the first to
pass, with its brave, smiling faced COM
mauder.
A little sheltered cove on the opposite
bark was TIE landing place, and continues
to be so, for while | am writing Prince
Mirsky s Division is still fastening over,
and the Turkish guns are all gone, the
last round being fired from their side Of
the river a little after 1 o'clock to,day.
On the Turkish side the bank presents
low cliffs and steep declivities, then rises
step by step, hll after hill, some just
round elevations, others rolling upwards
in gradual ascent, but always forming per-
fectly defensive positions which might be
contested step by step, but were, in fact,
but feebly contested. On the light of the
Russians, opposite Sis!Ova, have stood all
to-day three batteries of field artillery,
firing slowly on the frontier position on
the flat, and helping TO crush the OPPOSE
ton of the Turks. TO the left of the
landing place, concealed among the will.
lows. are more batteries, and on the lett
of all Horse Artillery. From that posi-
ton on the left one can see a whole fleet
of Turkish craft, one of them a war yes
sci. How comes it that these all lie IDLE
on the broad Danube when Turkeys dead
LEST foe is passing? Between l and 2
O'Clock to-day the first Russian gun was
fcIried over on a stage supported by two
pontoons, and by that time the column OF
WOUNDED ceased to pass. The character
of the resistance may be estimated by the
fact that, so far as is known at present,
there are only 40 wounded, and, giving
a fair proportion Of killed, it may bo said
that the Russian loss has been about 200,
an insignificant number for 50 great a
success as making good the footing of the
Russian Army on the southern side OF the
Danube.
BUCHAREST, June 80.
Further details from the scene OF the