The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-12-14
TIKI FALL OF PLEvNA.
[From the chicaao rribune. ]

Turks north of the Balkan mountains
has fallen into the hands of the Rus
SLAMS. Plevna, the beloved, the impreg-
nable, wherein have been conferred all
the hopes of the fading Ottoman empire,
was surrendered Internationally, accord
ing to our dispatches, after a sharp as
sault Sunday morning. The announce
ment, coming IA it does suddenly and
without any previous intimatiCn i'll the
shape Of renewed general fighting, Is no
less surprise to those who have had
continued confidence in the ultimate tri-
umph of the Cars warriors than to the
smaller number whose delight has been
the occasional successes of the only
two Turkish Generals whose career
has not been a series of uninterrupted
defeats. 1t is only common fairness to
assert that. aside from a few rebellious
Russian provinces, the only sympathiz-
ers with the Turkish cause have been
the English holders of Turkish bonds,
and that class of Englishmen who can
never overcome the national hatred of
the Russians engendered in the Crimea.
To the rest of the civilized world the
news of this morning will be welcomed
as another step in the march of civiliza-
ton.
Nearly eight months ago the Gar is
sued proclamation of war against Tur-
key, having previously endeavored vain
ly to procure by arbitration a guarantee
from the Sultan that the Christian prov
inces would be protected from misrule
and persecution. An army was collect
ed as hastily as could be possible with
the meager facilities for transportation
and sent across the frontier into
Roumania, while another force
was dispatched around the eastern
shore of the Black sea into Asia
Minor. Two months were occupied in
getting these troops into position, and
on the 22d of June the passage of the
Danube was made at Braila, the total
number of available troops in Roumania
at that time being about 100000. This
movement, which was only intended as
diversion, was followed ON the Goth by a
crossing at Simnitza. From this time
forward there was continual succession
of Russian victories. Nikopolis was
captured, and an advance-guard of cav
airy under Gen. Gourko penetrated the
Balkans and spread alarm and dismay to
buC RdbSb VI tllC CAPITAL LILO Olu boCiddl
Ekrem, penning himself and his army
up in Schumla, allowed a Russian corps
to march without opposition across Bull
garia. The Grand Duke established his
headquarters in Tirnova, at the very foot
of the mountains. Every indication
pointed to a speedy conclusion of the
campaign and a certain victory for the
Russians England began bestirring
herself to secure voice in the final
treaty arrangements, and the English
journals were filed with appeals TO the
Government to join in the fray.
1t was at this critical juncture that the
Turks seemed to experience sudden
awakening, and to cast off in a moment
the slothfulness and fear which had
hitherto bound them. The young Sui
tan, by great effort of responsibility,
and contrary to the insidious advice of
his Ministers, several of whom have
since been suspected of open treachery,
ordered the Lerdar Ekrem under arrest
and Mehemet Ali at the head of the
Schumla army. At the same time he is
sued instructions to Osman Pasha, who
had hitherto remained according to ord
ers quiescent at Widin, to advance upon
the enemy at all hazards. The result
showed the extreme wisdom Of both
these orders. The Russian forces had
by this time become scattered in a long
desultory line from Simnitza TO Gabrova,
and, worse than that, had grown so self
confident that they scarcely considerable
foemen worthy of their steel the Turk
ish soldiery who had never so much as
dared to oppose foreign invasion.
One corps had branched off to the east
ward, and were already pressing care
lessly in the direction of Schumla.
Only single division remained near the
point of crossing of the Danube, and
against this Osman Pasha flung his
troops on the 10Th of July, compelling
them to withdraw. This was the first
serious reverse sustained by the Rus
slams, and even then the latter did not
anticipate any important check; hence
only portion of the Eleventh Corps
was recalled from the Jantra to cope
with the new enemy. Two weeks
were allowed to elapse before the
Russians sought an engagement
an interval long enough to allow Osmon
Pasha to thoroughly intrench himself in
the hills about Plevna. The first great |
battle of the war took place on the 29th |
of July, and, to the inexpressible aston
ishment and dismay of the Russians,
they were repulsed with immense slaugh-
ter. Again and again they stormed the |
heights, but were each time driven back,
to learn finally the simple but stern les
son that even the Turks could fight be- |
hind intrenchments. This great disas-
ter, in which the losses have been esti- |
mailed as high as %, 900 men, caused an
immediate change of Russian tactics.
The headquarters were precipitately |
moved back to point near the Danube,
and all the regiments on the march |
southwark were turned in the opposite
direction. 1t was now time for the Rus
SLAMS to concentrate and consider.
After several Intellectual attempts to !
dislodge the Turkish commander, it was
determined TO commence regular siege,
and Gen. Todleben, the venerable hero
of Sebastopol, was called to take charge
of the operations. Days, and weeks,
and months passed, and readers of the
newspapers have long since passed the
stage of wondering if anything more was