The daily gazette., 1877-08-04
Pile " M a.
Full Details of the Great
Russian Defeat
A RASH BATTLE AGAINST ODDS,
AN INTRENCdED TURKISH FORCE
ATTACKED BY INFERIOR
NUMBERS


Heroic and Successful Charges of
the Russian Infontry-Krudener
Held IN Check by the Turkish
Rtght-the Turn Of the Tide
Recapture Of the Lost Positions by
the MoslemS-Rout Of the Mus
couite-Ierrible Scenes Of Car
nage-7he Wounded Bmchered-l
Russian Loss 7,000-Great DAN
ger of the Entire Russian .Army
Another Russian Defeat Re
ported-A Demoralized .Army-I
The Flight to Sistova-Wounder
Left on the Field.
LONDON, August 4, 1877.
The disaster to the Russian arms in
Western Bulgaria IS recognized at its
full magnitude as the details of the bat
tie at Plevna come to hand.
HEAVY WORK AHEAD.
On the 2Sth July, Prince Schackoskoy
had taken up his headquarters in the
village of Karajac-Bugarski, twelve miles
east of Plevna, he having marched from
the foot of the Belkans in six days.
The Russian scouts sent forward at
various points touched the Turks at
Radisovo, Tusevica, Bogot and Slatina.
At night 6kobeloff returned with the
news that Looca and the villages between
were occupied by Turks, and it was evi-
dent that their forces had been greatly
strengthened.
POSITIONS OF THE FoBCES.
The Russian line was long one and
aiming a concentric attack on the posi-
tian at Pleva. The Turkish position lay
in a semi-circle around Plevna, both
fianks resting on the River Vid. with its
foreposts at about five miles from the
town. occupying the villages, from north
to south, of Plizitzo, Bukova, Radisovo,
Turcirici and Bogot, and its extreme ad.
vance at Crivica.
A CHASE OF MADMEN.
1t is a veytible chase Of fighting men, i'm
PEELED by a burning desire to get forward
and come to close quarters with the enemy
who is firing at them from behind the shell,
ter of the epaulment. Presently, all along
the face of the advancing infantry mel
burst burst forth Aaring volleys of musketr.
fire. The Jagged line springs forward
through the maize fields, assuming con.
cave shape. A Turkish position is neared
The roll Of rife fire is incessant, yet domina-
ted by the fercer and louder turmoil Of th
artillery above.
THE ROAR OF THE FIGHT.
The ammunition wagons gallop up
the cannon with fresh fuel tor the fire. Tn
guns redouble the energy of their firing
the gunners working like demons. Tn
crackle of the musketry fire rises into
sharp peal. The clamor Of the hurrabs o
the fighting men comes back to us on tn
breeze, making the blood tingle with tb
excitement OF Une Tray.
RUSSIAN DISCRIMINATION.
ga detachment at length began t.
ito come stragghng up, but it will Civ
an idea of the disorganization to say
that when company was told Oft t.
cover somewhat the wounded in Raids
hava it had to be made up OF men of sew
eral regiments. About 8 o'clock the stat
quilted the ridge, leaving it Uttered
with groaning men. Moving gently les
we should tread on prostrate wounde,
we lost our way as we had lost our army
We could find no rest for the soles o
our feet BY reason of alarms of Bashi
Bazouks swarming in among the scat
tered Russians. At length, at one o'clocl
in the morning, having been in the sad
die since six O'clock on the previou
morning, we tur ned into stubble field
and, making beds of the reaped grain
correspondent and Cossack alike restet
under the stars. But we We're not evel
then allowed to rest. Before 4 o'clocl
an alarm came that the Bashi- Bazouk
were upon US, and we had to rouse an
tramp away. The only protection of tn
chief of what in the morning was a i'm
army was now handful of Cossacks
General Krudener sent word in tn
morning that he had lost severely an
could make no headway and had re
solved to fall back on the river Osmf
There had been talk, his troops bein
fresh, of renewing the attack to-da
with his cooperation, but it is a plai
statement of fact that we have no troop
} to attack with. The most moderate e
innate is that we have lost two reg
ments, say 5000 men out of three brig
ades. A CHASTITY number beating Eyla
or Friediand. This takes no account I
General Krudener's losses. We, too. r
tire on the Osma river, about Bulgaren
, and to the best of our weak strengt
cover the bridge at Sistova. One cal
not, in this moment of hurried confusio
realize all the possible results OF tn
stroke so rashly courted. Not Russia
soldier stands between Tienova and Il
victorious Turkish army IN Il VEGA ar
=. Plevna, and only Weak division OF Il
Eleventh Corps stands between Tirno'
and the Shumla army.
L look on Prince Schackoskoy's for
:, as wrecked, as no longer for this cal
~ paign to be counted as lighting integ'
1t is not ten days since the Thirtieth {
3 vision crossed the Danube in the pri
' of superb condition. Now what Is left
it is demOralized and shattered. So
. this side of the Balkans there RENAL
nd hut, the Ninth oOrpS already rough