Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-10-26
what Has Been Accomplished in the
RussO.TurkiSh War.

1t is now possible to comprehend what has
been done in the East since the Russian
armies began to move on Turkey during the
last week of April and the opening of May.
The campaign comes to an end with the sim
ultaneous siege of Plevna and Kars. The
fighting began in ASIA in May and June, and
while everything was inactive in Roumana
Melikoff promptly attacked and drove Moukh-
tar Pasha upon Kars and thence to the neigh
borhood of Erzeroum. But his fault lay in
trying to do too much even with his greatly
superior force. Had he fallen upon one point
at time, instead of trying to carry on three
sieges together the whole of Armenia would
doubtless have fallen into Russian hands but
in attempting SO much he necessarily scattered
his forces and exposed them to assault in de-
tail by the Turkish commander who was not
wanting in enterprise TO follow up the advant-
age thus offered him. While laying siege to
Batoum, Ardahan and Kars and making a
sudden movement by which Bayazid was cap
tured the Turkish forces rallied and thrice
administered repuse to the Russians before
Batoum, besides driving them out of Bayazid
Then Moukhtar Pasha fell upon them vigor-
ously in the field in their scattered condition,
and after defeating them in three pitched bat
ties forced them to raise the siege of Kars and
abandon the country for their own. In a
great battle fought on Monday, the 10Th inst,
however, a sudden turn of fortune uudid at
one blow all the previous successes of the
Turks, and placed the contending forces ex-
actly where they were before Gen. Melikoffs
ata1
this contest Moukhtar Pasha's army was vir-
tually annihilated and his colleague, Ismail
Pasha, has retreated preciptately across the
frontier, pursued by Gen. TergukasofT The
total losses of the Turks, including the divis-
ion which surrendered to Gen. Lazareff on
the following day, are estimated at 10000
men, seven generals, forty-one pieces of can
non, and three-fourths of their stores and ma
terial of war, while Kars is again threatened
with siege; and even reported to be invested
on one side.
The war in European Turkey has up to this
time been fruitless in consequence of a con-
fessed lack of generalship. Too much royalty
is what it is called. One man-Osman Pasha
has by his surprising skill and courage
brought the vast Russian schemes practically
to naught. The passage of the Danube pro-
longed as were the preparations for it, was at
last effected with celebrity and signal success,
and greatly to the surprise of Abdul Kerim
| Pasha, the Turkish COMMUNICATIVE Chief, sew
enty years old and without either courage or
enterprise. By the capture of Nicopolis,
which was feebly defended the great danger
of relying on single pontoon bridge for their
supplies was obviated, a second bridge being
rapidly thrown across the Danube at that
point, and the entire south bank of the river
to Sistova being occupied and fortified. From
these two bridged points Sistoya and Nioop-
olis-which were securely in the hands of the
Russians by the LIST of July, they began the
movement southwardin the direction of Schip.
ka Pass which is the most important pass Of
the Balkans. The road from Sistova to Schip
ka was occupied by the Russians before the
old Turkish commander realized what was be
ing done. Then Tirnova and Gabrova easily
fell into their hands, and next Schipka Pas
was attacked in front and rear simultaneously
10y Gen. GOurkho, who led two divisions o.