The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-07-17
THE WAR.
Nieopolis Captured After a Dss-
perate Battle.
CARRYING THE HEIGHTS BY STORM.
The Turks Then Hastily Evaouate
the Town.
GREAT BATTLE AT FEBDITCH
A Russian Victory Suddenly
Turned Into Defeat.
THE WONDERFUL RUSSIAN ADVANCE
THE WONDERFUL RUSSIAN ADVANCE.
Marvellous Deeds of ValOr and Reckless
ness Performed by the CoSSacks.
NO MERCY FOR ASSASSINS.
Avenging the Poor Dead Women
of Batak.
IpT CABLE TO TIE HERALD.

DF CABLE TO THE HERALD.
LONDON, July II, 1877.
The news from the seat of war this morn
ing is exciting in the extreme. A great
battle has been fought at Febditch, south Of
the Balkans. The Russians met with a de-
sided check. Nicopolis was virtually cap
bured on Sunday by the taking of tho
heights commanding the town, and it's
evacuation followed yesterday. The con-
sternation of the Turks at the dashing adj
vance Of their enemies seems to be very
great throughout the entire empire.
CAPTURE OF N1copoLIs.
The HERALD's special correspondent at
Sistova telegraphs, under date Of yesterday
have been preparing for determined effort
to capture Nicopolis. The fact Of their
holding only one point of crossing at Sistova
and bridge Of more than doubtful strength
rendered it absolutely necessary that they
should extend their control of the river bank
Sp stream.
BETTER PLACE TO CROSS
IA crossing at Nicopolis possesses many
advantages over that at Sistova. The rivers
current is not rs strong. and number Of
small islands fronting Turna-Magurelli are
very favorably located for bridging pur-
poses. In reality Nicopolis was the selected
point for the original crossing of the
Danube, but circumstances and the Turks
forced the adoption of the Sistova line.
THE TURKISH POSITION.
''The batteries at Turna- Magurelli had re-
duced Nicopolis to ruins; but the two hills
on which the town was built completely
sheltered the Turkish forces from the Rus
Iian FIRE. Therefore, it became necessary to
attack the town and position from the Bull
garian side of tho river.
DOUBLE PURPOSE.
''For this purpose considerable force Of
-..fantry was massed west of Sistova, and
nuring the concentration these troops
served to cover the crossing. When the
Two corps had established themselves in the
direction of Bjela and Tirnova the covering
body was prepared to move on Nicopolis.
PROSPECTS OF A FIGHT.
d. 80 H.
strengthening their position and preparing
to defeat the clearly apparent object of their
enemy. All the indications, therefore,
pointed to bloody struggle for the posses
sion of Nicopolis, and, to speak truly,
neither side seemed over-anxious to begin
it. The threatened failure of the Sistova
bridge and the frequent Interruptions of
traffic, necessitnted by the repairs, forced
the Russians to make the attack.
STRENGTH AND YET WEAKNESS.
1.-THE extensive swamp and lake west of
Sistova interfered considerably with the
Russian advance, although it afforded
o decided protection against Turkish
attack from that side. The Cossacks
had been skirmishing and scouting for
more than two days in the direction of
Plevna and Nicopolis, and their operations
and activity masked the preparations of the
attacking column very effectually.
Forward!
"Finally the order for the Russian ad-
vance was given, and after IN arduous
march around the lake and toward
Nicopolis the contending forces came into
collision. The Turks had taken the pre-
caution to cover their position by
double lines of pickets, supported, ut inter-
walls, by several companies of picked troops.
This was to guard against the raids of the
Cossacks, whose enterprise has impressed
itself thoroughly upon the Turkish mind
These lines of pickets made what might
be termed formal show of resistance, and
slowly retired on the main body.
GIVING AND TAKING.
GAS soon as tho Russians came within
effective range of the Turkish position they
were met by a severe artillery fire, which,