The New York herald., 1877-10-19
lHE Battle OF cHERKOVNE.
Attack on the Russian Intrenched
Positions Before Bjela.
MEHEMET ALpS ADVANCE CHECKED
Incidents Of the Battle Described by a
Herald Correspondent.
GRAPHIC WAR PICTURES

vonrrscHA, Sept p, 1877
After had finished writing last night heard that
acouncil OF had been held at the camp, At which,
under the presidency OF Mehemct ALI the commander
lnchief Salich Pacha Valentine Baker Pacha, Prince
Hassan, OF Egypt, and others present This fact
coupled with the arrival Of the long expected reinforce
ments, amounting whole DIVISION seemed conclu-
svc as TO the probability OF an immediate attack upon
the Russian position above Cherkovne. and aot every
thing In readiness for visit 10 the front at daybrcak
this morning. All through the night guns were being
sent tho ridges overlooking the valley and placed
In the pits and batteries prepared for them; the troops
who to take part In tho battle pushed for
ward 10 their positions tho reverse side OF the
hlls occupied by the Turkish artillery, so
rs to be ready for action al daybroak
As may be imagined. thero was not much
sleep for US last night had there not been 10000
heas with largo contingent OF s,i dsagreeabls
insects In tho mud 1oored den which does duty as
bedroom In the Bulgarian hovel which have ian
nexed" in this village Alter few hours of troubled
slumber, during which the vermn had 1t Nil their
way, got up and looked out. IL three O'Clock,
ana the dense mist which had settled over the coun
try yesterday still hung heavily down like black
pail; hour later thcre was heavy fall of rain,
which ceased at Ave O'Clock, but tho fog remained
thick AZ ever. Baker Pacha and his stan left their
camp at daybreak rode OF to the ridge whore the
tories werc TO DO placed Nothing had been done, and
no preparations had been made for the attack; not
gun was In position; not a man IN his place.
The energetic ex-Colonel of Hussars, whose
splendid sodiery qualities wore mover moro
apparent than they are now, Immediately
sent ono Of hts English aides galloping back to the
headquarters with q message stating what was,
rather what was not, going on The Pacha's reply
was that 1t not quito certain whether tho mist
was going to rise or not; and suppose after sending
back tho message he turned round and had forty
winks But at last the Turks began to move, and
directions were given to bring up the guns and man
tho batteries the mist slowly cleared away and tho
sun camc out, giving promise OF a brilIisnt day.
TURKISH TACTICS.
BY eight O'Clock tho fog had disappeared and the
Turkish troops commenced to about In all drec-
tions In full sight OF the enemy, thus giving ample
notice of their intentions Tho gross stupidity OF
such blunder was apparent to everybody, and did
not augur we'll for the success Of the undertaking
Instead Of taxing advantage OF the cover and conceal
mcnt OF tho fog to move the troops silently up to
their positions and run tho guns up to tho
batteries, tho officers responsible tor the
and then commenced to make their dispositions
under the eyes OF the Russians, who must have had
good laugh At tueir simplicity. The Russians them
selves well know how to make use OF a fog as they
Showed at lnkerman, and were probably ON the look
irenchmonts. II seemed quite probable that they
might themselves attack the Turkish position with
the coun,ry. they must have Ssen perecy amup @
but probably they had not sufficient lorco at com
mana inc event showed that they exercised wise
rs the Turks gave them good notice of their inten
tions they had every reason to DO satisfied with mat
ters as they Stood Baker and his officers actually
saw the Russians hurrying and ro their ridge
getting up their heavy guns, manning their empty
trenches and generally strengthening their position,
evldentIy quite aware OF the attack. Who say
what would have been the result had Mehemet All
nj mr. htc Init Af
friendly mist and delivered his assault before the Rus
SLAMS had time to complete their preparations? His
army might now be within sight OF Bjela, or at least
another half days march the road, and the lives
which would have been lost would not have been
rifced In vain
THE TURKISH PLAN OF ATTACK
The plan which had been under consideration at the
Chcrkovne into the valley through leading
toward the village and attack the wooded heights i'm
was to be made or the extreme right OF tho Russian
position, in order to draw away thor attention from
The main assault This plan was not carried out for
Bome unknown reason, but another one. invented at
the last moment by Riaat facha, the Chief OF Stan,
was substituted for 1t aud accepted by the Commander
in-Chiei with what result the sequel Will show. The
plan Of Rifaat Pacha, which thus superseded that
agreed upon after mature deberation overnight was
TO transform the intended ient on the right into
real attack throwing the whole weight OF the division
OF lsmai Pacha--a mixed DIVISION OF Turkish and
Egyptian troops-upon that flank of tho Russians
simultaneously. Some other attack-no seems to
know what It was to be or where made-wns be de-
livered. The time assigned to Ismail by Rifaat Tor
his march round to the right Of the enemys position
was Two hours, and as ho started at about pine
O'Clock the cannonade from the Turkish batteries
was timcd to begin at eleven.
THE TUEKIsn FORCES
The forces available TO Menemet ALI for the attack
were Prince Hassan's corps d'armee comprising q
division Of his own Egyptians and Turkish division
composed OF the rcinforcements recently arrived un-
der the command OF Ali Pacha saiich Pachas division
OF Turks, and the right Of tho rurkisn the
vision OF Sabit Pacna and odd brigade. The art-
iery OF the Turks consisted OF twentyour Krupp field
pieces, OF which ten were in position the centre,
three on the lett and five the right All placed
In gun pits and batteries on the spurs Of the ridge
juttng out INTO the valley and overlooking the Rus
Sian position The longest range between tho hostile
batteries was perhaps nearly i've thousand metres and
the shortest not more than fifteen hundred. Besides
these one battery OF SIX guns was Kept in movement,
and two mountain howitZers with tho
Egyptians to the right attack.
The Russians had action according to the estimate
formed by the Ango-rurksh officers present, twenty
tour guns-that ls TO to say, three batteries there
being eight guns to Russian battery. Tho pieces
were all Of HEAVIER calibrc than those OF the Turks
and were most admirably served during the day.
THE RATTLE OF CnBRKovNE
AT ten minutes past eleven tho nrst shot was fred
from tho Turkish battery the centre OF tho line and
announced the commencement Of the battle. had
been waiting patiently in my quarters, with my horse
saddlcd and Dridled beside me, aud tho moment the
sound Of the gun reached me mounted and of
the direction OF the sound. stopped for moment
at tho headquarter camp to make inquiries and was
told that every one had gone to The Kowga fight l
galloped along the ridge and then cut across deep
iaviue TO The next one, the wooded spur on which l
knew the batteries had been constructed. Clouds Of
white smoke floating above the trees and the sharp
ring Of the Krupps told me thar was the right
wood, passing reserve battery oil artillery mbered
and ready for start ana pressed straight toward
the CURING smoke Presently another sound, not to
be heard with as much Indifference the bang OF
the krupp met my cars; II was tho sound of burst
Ing shells. had como within range oil the Russian
guns before had laid eyes upon the Turkish bat
teries ana confess that my first impulse to get
out Of the wood as quickly as possible. After
menps reflection during which two shells cnmc
crashing into the wood close by. making my horse
1nsG 70 s 81 Sn
In action is not the pcasantest or quetest place In
the world, and put spurs TO my horse to out OF
the forest as soon as possible, although had no
alternative but 10 ride straight the direction from
which the shells came. gaop of few hundred
yards showed me the daylight ahead, and emerged
on long stretch OF open ground sIoping upward
from the edgo OF the wood. On tho crest Of
the ridge immediately In front OF was a
large Turkish redoubt from which treme ndous hro
was now opened, and tho Russian batteries were
replying vigorously, the shells which aimed
high whisng over it and bursting IN the wood. Tho
road along which had come was exactly IN tho limo
of nre, and was not sorry to get Deneath the COM
parnlive shelter OF the slope beneath and In rear OF
the Turkish guns All along the ridge, to tho right