The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-09-20
THEBATTLE OF PELBAT.


A special dated Poredin, August 5lst,
contains the following account of the bat
tie of Pelisat;
Osman Pasha's attack on the Russian
positions at Pelisat and vicinity was one
of the hardest fought battles of the war
The Turks early in the fight captured a
Russian redout, one mile in front of Pc.
lisat. In the course of one hour this re-
dout was taken by the Turks, retaken by
the Russians, and again taken by the
Turks. The Russian left wing were driv-
en- back on Pelisat, in front of which
trenches had been dug and we're lined
with troops. The Turks advanced as
though determined to drive our left out
of Pelisat and turn it. The Turks began
to descend the hill in that direction, not
with rush, but leisurely, and without
firing; not in masses or lines, but scattered
and diffused. They came down about
half way in this manner. the Russian ar
tillery tearing up the troops all the time
in a most savage manner, the Russian in.
fantry fire, which had for the last five
minutes been very heavy about Segalince,
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 went at the Russian trenches on
the crest of the hills between Pelisat and
Segalince with shout, opening tire at
the same time. The Turks descended
into little hollow and were lost to sight
for time, while the Russian trenches
famed and smoked, and a storm of balls
was poured into the vicinity ofthe Turks,
This must have lasted l2 or 20 minutes,
during which time fearful loss of life
must have occurred. Then we saw the
Turks begin to withdraw, carrying off
their wounded. The Turks had no soon
er withdrawn from the Russian front than
they formed and advanced again. Many
dead bodies ofthe Turks we're found with
in ten feet Of the Russian trenches.
The little slope on the crest of which
the trenches were situated was literally
covrred with dead. counted seven on
place of not more than ten feet square.
The battle here was terrible, but the
Turks were again repulsed. 1t will hard
ly be believed that they went at it again,
and yet they did so. 1t seemed madness.
because we could see that the Russian
fire never Stacked an instant, and that
Russian line never wavered, while the re.
serves we're waiting behind ready to fall
in at the least sign of wavering, This
scene of carnage was again repeated but
only lasted a moment. The Turks, COM
pletely broken, withdrew sullenly, firing
and carrying offtheiI wounded and many
of their dead. They fell back on the re-
doubt, which they had first taken, appar-
emily with the intention of holding it,
but they were not allowed to remain long
there. t.n e',
Another attack on the Russian center
had been equally as unsuccessful as that
on the Russian trenches onthe left. The
Russians pursued the retreating Turks,
with a murderous fire. Then six compa-
nies went at them with bayonets and
swept them ont Of the redoubt like a
whirlwind. At four o'clock the Turks
were in retreat everywhere, and the Rus
slams occupied the whole Of their first po-
stions, besides pursuing the Turksa short
distance with cavalry. The Russians were
about 10000 strong. Their loss is estima-
ted at 500 and the Turkish loss at 2,090
killed and wounded. 2..,....v. . /.