Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-08-09


heretofore foreshadowed as the one
likely to be selected has resulted in the
disaster of Plevna. The purpose of the
Russian generals obviously was to wheel
around their right and left wings to a
line parallel with the Balkans, taking
Tirnova as the pivot, and thus force Os,
man Pasha and Mehemet Ali back
across the mountains on their respective
lines of retreat. This accomplished, and
Osman Pasha and Mehemet Ali pre-
vented from effecting a junction by the
forces under General Gourko, which
were meanwhile to establish themselves
south of the Balkans, the Russian cam
paign would have been beyond
THE DANGER OF FAILURE
or serious interruption. The promenade
across the Danube and to and over the
Balkans while the Turks remained idle
in their camps and fortresses was per-
haps sufficient to justify the idea of the
Russians that they had only to advance
to insure that the Turks should retreat.
1t was this feeling which led the Russians
into
THE FATAL AMBUSH OF PLEvNA
a fortnight ago, and which on Tuesday
led them to send an inferior force to
avenge that disaster on the victorious
army in fortified positions. The result
is that all is chaos again, as far as our
knowledge of the situation is concerned,
and that news dispatches from the front
are full of panicky or exaggerated
rumors, dictated by the hopes or fears OF
either side. But the salient fact is un-
questioned that the Russians have been
checked, and their campaign cannot
make any progress until they have
shaken off Mehemet Ali and Osman
Pasha from their Hanls, and mean
while
GOURKo's TASK
south of the Balkans is rendered more
and more serious daily by the concen-
tration and organization of Suleiman
Pasha's forces. The Roumanian rail
way is monopelized by the dispatch OF
reinforcements from the camp of re-
serves at Kischeneff. 1t is alleged that
the Dobrudscha will be almost wholly
evacuated and Zimmerman's corps will
return via SistOva to the central army.
The czar has decreed fresh levies at
home, all of which means that the mill
tary promenade has been turned into
an affair of life or death for the Rus
ed if there is power in Russia to crush
them.
THE TURKISH PLAN
is believed to. be for Osman Pasha to
fight his way eastward, and Mehemet
Ali to advance westward upon Tirnova
while Suleiman Pasha endeavors to
force the Russian position at Kazanlik;
but in doing this Osman Pasha must ex-
pose his left flank to the risk of being
turned from the direction of Nikopolis,
thus facilitating the Russian plan OF
pivoting on Tirnova and forcing him to
retire behind the, Balkans. Mehemet
Ali would incur the same danger from
the Russians between Rustchuk and
Rasgard, while Suleiman Pasha must
attack the Russians in positions of their
own choice. The supposed Turkish
plan does not look very promising un-
less the Russians aid it by
MISTAKES LIKE THOSE AT PLEvNA,
but it may with sllillful handling serve
to keep the Russians in check until the
campaigning season is over, which
would be for the Turks the next thing
to absolute victory. Both Russia and
Turkey are submitting to a terrible
strain ON their resources to win de
cided advantage in this campaign
Meantime it would seem from the ap-
parently well authenticated reports OF
murder and rapine by Bashi-Bazouks
Bulgarians, and Cossacks that the war is
cruelty which threatens to make it a
war of determination for all inhabitants
of the territory involved, whether
Christian or Mohammedan.
IN ASIA,
the intention of the Russians to advance
from Ardahan, as reported last week, is
confirmed by news that their outposts
have already pushed on as far as Pen
mex At the same time another di
vision is marching to Ardanusch, which
commands the road from Batoum tC
Olti A third column of apparently
fresh forces is occupying the line of the
Adiara river, south Of BatOum. This
points to an evident intention to ad
vance possibly on Erzeroum, Or to carry
out a wide-sweeping flank and real
movement on
MUKHTAR PASHA'S ARMY
before Kars, which will be covered by
attacks in front conducted by Melikoff /
forces at kurukdara, supported by Gen
Tergukassof, who is believed to be
somewhere on the river Araxes, south
of Kars The latter plan is more prob
able than the advance on Erzeroum, if
indeed, the whole movement on Olti is
not feint to distract Mukhtar's atten
ton from what is going on in front: but
as feint might be converted into a
real attack, Mukhtar cannot afford tc
ignore it. He will therefore be forced
to detach a Considerable number o.
men from the main army to guard
THE BASE OF THE TRIANGLE
formed by Ardahan, Kars. and Olti
whilst the Russians are able to direct
their operations from the apex Arda.
han, against any portion of the base
and assisted by General Tergukassof
cut Mukhtar'S com nunieation with
Erzeroum and force him to fall back
upon or into kars. Telegrams from
Constantinople report that portion Of
the Turkish Batoum army is embarkine
for Varna to reinforce Mehemet Ali, sc
that the porte must feel sufficient conf
dence in the strength of Mukhtar Pasha's
central column and positions to throw
upon it the entire burden of resisting
Melikoffs second invasion.
A correspondent who left the Russian
camp before Plcvna, on Thursday, saws
the Russian advance guard is within
six miles of Plevna. The main body
occupies strong position nine n lie.
further east, on range of hills running