The New York herald., 1877-12-26
Ak-Palanka Captured by the Ser
vians After a Sharp Struggle.
ERZEROUM BELEAGUERED.
A French Officer Cashiered for Language
Hos tile to MacMahon.
frr CABLE TO THE HERALD

BILE story Of the state Of things prevailing
in and around the captured town. Before
the recent great storm Plevna was simply
charnel house. Modern warfare has no
parallel for it. and its horrors can only be
compared to those which followed in the
wake of Genghis Khan or Timour, as their
savage Tartar hordes swept over and desc
lated Asia.
DOGS DEvouR THE DEAD AND WOUNDED.
The famished dogs, of which there are
always large numbers in every Turkish
town, were feeding on the corpses OF the
dead and the bodies Of the still living
wounded. The savage howls Of the greedy
brutes as they tore the putrid flesh Of the
dead or crunched the bones between their
teeth, the cries and groans of the wounded
as they vainly struggled with the dogs might
be heard for miles around and made the soul
sick.
HORROR UPON HORROR.
Birds were pecking at the skulls, hopping
from body to body with beaks and plumage
besmeared with human blood and scream
ing with fendish delight. Dogs fought
among themselves, and bird struggled with
bird for the possession Of morsel of human
flesh and the most indescribable horror pre-.
vailed.
HIDEous SPECTACLE.
In one house alone thirty-seven dead and
ffty-three wounded Turks were found.
some of the latter in half decomposed
and putrid state, and the wounded in con-
dition that can be more easily imagined than
described. Some of the wounded were able
of food that were found in the hands OF
the dead, devouring it with feverish avid.
ity; but thousands of them were utterly
helpless and awaited death or succor with
listless fatalism.
DEAD AND WOUNDED PILED LIKE WOOD.
Eighteen hundred prisoners were huddled
together on the bank of the Vid, and the hor.
rors Of their position equalled those of the
great plague which ravaged Europe in the
fourteenth century. Living and dead were
piled together promiscuously in heaps like
wood, and carted away. There were only
three carts available for this work, and the
confusion was indescribable
STAIN ON osMAN's BRAVERY.
Osman's bravery is stained and black
| cned by his treatment Of the Russian
| wounded that fell into his hands His
| gallant defence of Plevna for moment
blinded the victors and Europe to the fact
that oil prisoners were butchered by the
troops under Osman's command.
FATE wREAKs VENGEANCE ON THE BUTCHERS.
The Bucharest correspondent Of the HERALD
says that fearful retribution has overtaken
| q part of Osman's army which was caught
on the march by that dreadful snow storm.
Fate seems to be wreaking vengeance for
the slaughter Of the Russian wounded,
whose corpses lie unburied on the hills
around Plevna.
THE sERvLANs CAPTURE AK-PALANKA
| A despatch from Belgrade reports that
the Servians on Monday, after eight hours
severe fighting. captured Ak-Palanka to-
gether with three Krupp guns and a large
quantity OF ammunition and provisions
The Turks lost many killed and some pris.
oners.
BoMBABpING N1scH.
Prince Milan was present on Monday
when the bombardment OF Nisch was com
menced.
ENcrRoLING ERzEHouM.
An Erzeroum despatch says the Russian
lines have been pushed forward and that
Erzeroum is almost invested. The Russian
infantry is massed in tho northern part Of
4 the plain. The bombardment of the town
and the consequent interruption of tele
graphic service are imminent.
4 THE IBRAIL BRIDGE TORN AWAY BY ICE.
An official telegram received in st.
Petersburg states that sudden drifting OF
ice on tho Danube has torn away the bridge
| at Ibrail A Russian steamer is frozen in,
and is unable to approach the bridge. The
Grand Duke Alexis announces that COM