Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-09-20
THE EUROPEAN WAR.
PILING UP THE DEAD.

PILING UP THE DEAD.
Constantinople dispatches of the 18th
state that the Vizier has informed
Minister Layard that Osman Pasha de
feated the Russians Saturday, killing
and wounding 5000, and capturing sew
eral guns. The fighting before Pleyna
is still going on.
IN CONNECTION WITH THE FOREGOING
a Constantinople special repeats reports
current there last night, that the whole
Russian army had attacked the Plevna
lines, and were repulsed after desperate
fighting, loosing over 5000 men. They
then abandoned their positions, retreat
inc upon Sistoya and Tirnoya. Mean
time the ROumanlan corps on the north
east of Plevna were completely routed
with heavy loss, leaving nine guns and
a large quautity of arms and ANN uni
ton on the field.
THE RUSSIAN DISPATCH.
The Grand Duke Nicholas telegfaphs
to St. Petersburg, under date of Pore
din, Saturday: Con Friday evening the
Turks assaulted Grivitza, but, with the
assistance of the Russian and Rouma-
nian reserves, were repulsed. To-day we
continue shelling the enemys fortifca-
tons, and the town is burning. Accord
ing to reports received up to Friday,
239 wounded officers and 9,4S2 men
have passed through the hospitals since
Sept Z The number of killed is about
5000. The total loss is about 800 of
ticers and 12,500 men. Up to the
morning of Sept. II. the Roumanians
had lost about sixty officers and 5000
men killed and wounded The spirit
prevailing among Russians and Rou-
manians is excellent"
IT Is NOTICEABLE
that the Grand Duke Nicholas in this
telegram makes no mention of any
further battle Saturday. 1t seems prob
able that the Grand Nizier's announce
ment to Mr. Layard was merely a re-
capitulatiOn of the result of operations
before Plevna, particularly as the Porte
has since published telegram from
Osman Pasha. dated the 18th, and Civ
ing the Russian loss throughout the
operations at 700 to 5000
GRAvITzA.
A correspondent telegraphing from
before PleVna recOuntS q visit to the
Gravitza redoubt, showing that it is al
most untenable, the approaches to it
being swept by Turkish fire from re-
doubt only $50 yards distant. On We'd
nesday the interior of the Gravitza re-
doubt was still piled with dead and
wounded in a ghastly, indistinguishable
mass, the fire Of the Turks preventing
the approach of surgeons and litter
bearers.
THE CARNAGE.
London telegrams ofthe 18th say the
Russian losses by disease since crossing
the Danube have been sixty-fve thous-
and men and nearly the same number
have perished in battle. There is no
means of estimating the Turkish losses.
A Bucharest correspondent telegraphs
that the condition of the Russian camp
at Plevna is
SICKENING AND HORRIBLE
from the odor of the putrefying bodies
of the halfburied, or not buried at all,
slain, and the lack Of sanitary
ments. Between disease and battle
the Russians are melting rapidly away.
The losses from all causes at Plevna up
to Wednesday are over eighteen thous-
and men. The camps are filthy, the
food bad and insufficient, the water
poisoned by the presence Of
DEAD BODIES IN THE STREAMS,
and many cases of cholera are reported.
The disease is liable to become Epidemic
The enormous losses since the COM
mencement of the investment of Plevna
are producing dissatisfaction among the
soldiers, who think they are being use
lessly slaughtered. In the four assaults
on Tuesday twelve thousand men were
placed hors de combat The carnage,
up to Wednesday, makes it the most
destructive combat of the war. Three
unsuccessful attacks were made on
Tuesday, resulting in
A WHOLESALE MURDER,
costing 25 per cent. ofthe men engaged.
The Russians had to charge up glacis
five hundred yards without the slightest
cover. Three regiments Of eight thou
sand men Of the Fourth corps who
made one assault against the south front
Of the Turkish line were nearly ami
hilated. Two brigades left One-third of
their number behind when beaten
back.
NO PRISONERS WERE TAKEN
on either side. Thus far the fighting
has been a repetition of Schipka, the
combatants having changed roles, and
the Russians wildly beating on their
brains against the illimitable and almost
impregnable Notifications of the Turks.
1t is becoming evident that the success
ses Of the Russians before Plevna, are
not commensurate with
THE TREMENDOUS OUTLAY.
The works in the village of Grivica do
not command the main works Of Plev-
ma, which can only be reached by carry
ing three lines of defenses, each pro-
tected by a most intricate system of
earthwOrks. Plevna and the main
Turkish lines are five miles from the
Grivica redoubt. While the gain of the
Russians is important it is
NOT AT ALL DECISIVE
The general system of the Turkish
entertainments is untouched by the
gains of Tuesday and Wednesday. 1t
Is thought that the assault was made
prematureiy, owing to the day being
the Russian fete day and the near APP
proach of other Turkish armies. With
more time the Turks could have been
worn out by the bombardment or Os-
man would have run out of supplies.
Up to Wednesday
NINE DIFFERENT ASSAULOS
were made with the result of six repulses
q nd tho ca0tI1ra of Hva radO11btc