Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-08-28
The Eastern War.

thouph his losses are serious. | hold 10 my
conviction that Schipka is safe, sod that thus Is
defeated the great strategic scheme OF the
Turkish leaders to hem the Russians Wlthlo the
large tetc de popt in Bulgaria, with the ult'
mate intent of driving them over the Danube
The next few days will be full Of interest, like
those past. shall expect the Russians to take
the initiative 10 vigorous offensive policy 90
both aauks, and 30 relieve themselves from the
existing pressure, aud having done so, pursue
their design of sweeping the country OF tho
Balkans clear Of Turkish arnlcs.
The spirit and condition of the Russian SOL
diers are high and satisfactory. They may be
relied upon to fight good fight. The Russians
have been passing through dangerous crisis.
They had only so many mon to hold their
ground 10 Bulgaria pending the arrival OF re-
Inducements rendered necessary by the uneX
pected development OF Turkish lighting strength
These they have disposed hko fence around
the edge of the large area which they hau been
able TO occupy, owing to tho inactivity OF the
Turks 10 the early stages oil the campaign.
Dreading attacks ilom the right aud ltit on
Tirnova, the Russians kept body OF troops be-
longing to the Eighth Corps about that town,
availsble to strengthen any weak portion mat
might be threatened.
When Sulcimau Pasha took The village OF
Schipka there was thus not Russian soldier
available to reinforce the small force holding
the Pass nearer than lirnova, forty miles away
Reinforcemenis arrived in the nick OF time, but
IL. r.. ~ al >l-a n affair
of minutes, and if the Turks had struck all
round simultaneously, either the Schpka posi-
ton must have been left to its tate or some
other portion OF the fence line must have been
seriously endangered Thick, however, that
crisis is virtually past The arrival OF reinforce
mcnts, now flowing in in a steady stream
should enable the Grad Dukc TO breathe more
freely. TIE telegram concludes :-"iherc are
Indications that important diplomatic matters
are in progress.
A Bucharest correspondent tclegraphS SO
follows 1t is said that the bills around Schlp'
ka are covered with Turkish bodies, and that
their loss already has beea as great IS that OF
the Russians at Pevna.
The Enelish Embassy has received teIe.
gram cooGrmiug Mukhtar Pasha's account OF
the victory on Saturday.
A Vienna correspondent (elegrapis ihc 10!
lowing explanation Of Mchcmct Abs opera.
tons -
"The object Of the movement on Aghas lar
seems 70 have been to set between the positions
occupied by the Russians on the river LON
and those occupied by them from Tlroova to
Osu1an Bazaar. Although by the taking Of
AghasIar the right o! tue Russian position 90
the LON has been turned by the Turks, the
communication between the Russian division
on the LON and that on the road from Tirnova
to Osmau Bs11r has not been Interrupted. Tor
it Was farther behind, over the heights by ka.
ragacs ADD kali.koi. Two Divisions OF The
Thirteenth Corps are now ready to cooperate
against any iurther al pance OF the Turks from
Aghaslar. Popkol, near which these two dlvl
Siops are concentrated, Is strong Hawking rN.
sition. The Turk, II they advance from Aghas.
lar, cannot leave it aside, hut must either take
it or maroeuvre the Russians out OF It. Even
feeble demonstration from Bebrova, where
the right wing Of Sueiman Pasha's army was,
or from Osmau Bazar, which might be made
at any moment, would prevent the Russians
from drawing up largo reluforcements to oppose
an advance from Aghasar. From The partial
nature OF the engagements fought hitherto on
tho LON lino the Russians cannot be certain
whether it is the main force Of NlchemGt Ali
advance in that direction IL not made with
view to prepare for an advance from Osmau
Bazar, which, being along the main road would
seem far more likely movement for large
army than an adVace along the indifferent roads
and tracks leading from Aghaslar. From the
manner in which tho Russians arc pushing for
ward reinoroemcnts to the Schpka Pass it
seems they arc still confident Of being able to
resist any advance from the river LON or o.
man Bazar.'
The Moscow Gazette announces that Prince
Tcherkasski's removal from tue administration
OF Bulgaria is imminent.
a correspondent says "A desperate Gu
gagemcnt has just been fought about twenty
miles northeast OF kars, resulting in an un-
eauvocal victory for the Russians. The Turk
ish right attacked tho Russian lett, which rest
cd 90 plateau in front of Kuruk Dara at 3
clock this morning. The two armies fought
all day long. Tho weather throughout was mag
n6eent, and for fourteen hours attack, repuIsc
and counter attack continued. The Turks at
tempted to flank the right of the Russian defcn-
sive position, but wero defeated 10 each and every
attempt. Gen. Loris Melikoff commanded the de-
fence 10 person. lie was enthusiastically
oheered wherever he appeared. Both the Rus.
slams and the Turks were in full strength. |
was on the part of the latter an attack in force
to fully test the Russian position, but General
Melikoff was able to so mass his forces at the
point of attack when made 10 the open country
as to oppose man for man 10 his enemy.
THE efforts of the Turks to capture Kuruk
Dara were desperate, and certainly did not fail
from want of persistcncy.
'lhc first shock of the attack was received
by two regiments of infantry which had
reinforced the small force in occupation Of ku,
ruk Dara, and 10 these two ceiments the losses
were terrible, some companies being literally
wrecked. They stood their ground, however,
until relief came, and that Was the main thing.
These men gave the Turks their first check,
and checked they were at every point through
out the day.
THE rcpuso Of the attacking army was Do
eided. saw greater portion Of the fight and
the retreat of the Turks at niehtfal. The losses
90 both sides were undoubtedly very heavy, but
at this timo, within two hours Of tho cessation
of the fight it is impossible to accurately est,
mate the number Of killed and wounded
A telegram from Erzeroum, dated August
&c, reafirming the report Of the defeat Of the