Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-09-12
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FOREIGN.
Fridays Battle.

LONDON, Sept. IA special dated
Poredin, August 81, contains the fol-
lowing BOSNIAN Pasha's attack on
the Russian positions at Pelisat and
vicinity was one Of the most hardly.
fought battles of the war. The Turks,
early In the fight, captured Russian
redoubt one mile in front Of Pehsat.
In the course Of one hour this re.
doubt was taken by the Turks, retA-
ken by the Russians, and taken again
~ the turks. The Russian left wing
was driven back on Pelisat, in. front
OF which trenches had been dug and
were lined with troops. The Turks
advanced as though determined to
drive our left out Of Pelisat and turn
1t. The Turks began to descend the
hill in that direction, no4 with rush
but leisurely, and without firiAs ! not
in masses or lines, but scattered ana.
diffused. They came down about
halfway in this manner, the Russian
artillery tearing up the ground all the
time In the most savage manner. The
Russian infantry fire, which for the
last five minutes had been very heavy
about ZgAlence, now began to roll
along the hill crest in our direction,
and the Turks, who were just coming
into range, began to drop rapidly.
The Turkish advance now veered to
the left and west of the Russian
trenches on the crest Of the hills be-
tween Pelisat and Zgalence with a
shout opening fire at the same time.
The Turks descended into a little hol-
low and were lost to sight for time,
while the Russian trenches famed
and smoked, and storm of balls was
poured into the advancing Turks.
This must have lasted fifteen to TWEEN
ty minutes, during which time fear
full loss of life must have occurred.
Then We saw the Turks begin to
withdraw, carrying off their wound
ed. The Turks had no sooner with
drawn from the Russian fire than
they formed and advanced again.
Many dead bodies of the Turks were
found within ten feet Of the Russian
trenches. The little slope, on the
crest of which the trenches were sit
uated, was literally covered with
the dead. l counted seven on a space
of not more than ten feet square. -
The battle here was terrible, but the
Turks were again repulsed. 1t will
hardly be believed that the Turks
went at it again, and yet they did so.
1t seemed madness, because we could
see that the Russian fire never slack
ed for an instant, and that the Rus
sian line never wayered, while the
reserve were waiting behind ready
to fall in at the least ign of wavcring.
This scene Of carnage was again re-
peated, but only listed moment
The Turks, completely broken, with
drew snllenly, firing aud carrying of
They fell back on the redoubt which
they had first taken apparently with
the intention of holding it, but they
were not allowed to remain long
there. Another attack on the Rus
sian center had been equally as un-
successful as that OH the Russian
trenches on the left. The Russians
pursued the retrcating Turks with a
murderous fire. Then six companies
went ut them with bayonet and swept
them out Of the redoubt like whirl-
wind. At four o'clock the Turks
were on the retreat every where, and
the Russians occupied the whole of
their first positions, besides pursuing
the Turks q short distance with cav
airy. The Russians were about TO-
600 strong. Their loss is estimated
ct 500 and the Turkish loss at 1000
killed and wounded.