Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-09-26
THE EUROPEAN WAR.
COMPARING RESULTS.


| t1ict at Plevna, anu the only appearance
of active operations is TIE rambling
skirmish firing with an occasional shell
from some battery.
THE ACTIVE PREPARATION
1t is likely that the next battle of inn
portance will be fought near Biela
while the attack upon Plevna has been
turned into "a regular siege. Mehemet
Ali, with 125 battalions. 81 squadrons
and % batteries, is closely approaching
the position which the czarowitch has
prepared on the bank of the Jantra.
| The force of the Ottoman general III this
direction is
| MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND,
while the three corps Of his adversary
cannot muster more than 10000; but
| the czarowitch has the advantage OF
occupying earthworks and acting on
the defensive; besides, he is in posi-
ton to readily receive reinforcements,
and Mehemet Ali will meet strong re-
sistance if he attempts the offensive.
The situation is
FULL OF TERRIBLE INTERESTS.
The Russians contrary to general eX-
pectation in England that the war would
close in single campaign, are making
ready to go into winter quarters. Sup
plies of warm clothing are being rapidly
forwarded from st. Petersburg. To
guard the passages across the Danube
strong bridge-heads are being construct
ed at Matchin, Nikopolis. Hirsova and
Sistova. The Russians will have an
IMMENSE ADVANTAGE,
occupying an interior losition between
the divided forces of their opponents.
THE EXTENT OF THE SLAUGHTER.
A Bucharest correspondent writing
under date of Sept Dist, says the Rus
slams were paralyzed In the battle ofthe
18th before Plevna, and that their loss
on that day would exceed 10000 men.
The Russian medical staff is Overwhelm-
ed and great numbers of wounded are
literally rotting and fostering, being I'M
cared for AS for the ROumanlan army,
its surgical arrangements are utterly M
adequate. The surgeons make no con-
cealment of the fact that a wounded
mans time for being looked at comes
on an average two days after he has
been struck. The correspondent douots
whether the attack on Plevna can sue
ceed even after the arrival ofthe guard.
In spite of strong Russian sympathies.
he considers that the Turks surpass the
Russians both as private soldiers and as
generals.
THE OFFICIAL COUNT STILL WORSE.
The returns of the state muster-rolls
of the Russian force before Plevna.
furnish a CHASTITY commentary. On &C
count of the fighting on the 11th and
18th of this month the fourth army
corps, commanded by Gen. Zototf, has
suffered so severely that its battalions,
which should number 1000 bayonets
each, are now reduced to strength OF
800 men. The losses among the troops
with which Gen. Skobeloff captured the
redoubts near the Sofia road on the 18th,
and endeavored to retain them, on the
18th, amounted in these two days to
SIXTY PER CENT OF THE TOTAL FORCE.
One correspondent estimates, although
numbers, that the whole Russian army,
which stood on parade $4,000 strong
when it was reviewed by Prince Charles
on the day before the bombardme nt
commenced, now numbers under so,
600. The soldiers slain on the 18th and
18th still lie unburied between the Rus
sian lines and the Turkish intrench-
ments, as the Ottoman general has de-
clined to grant an armistice to bury the
dead. IN takinglthis course. he is with
In his rights, especially if it is believed
that the miasma from putrefying curpses
may breed pestilence IN the ranks of
his besiegers, but the refusal of a sus-
pension of hostilities for such purpose
is unusual IN modern war
THE TURKISH ARTILLERY
scarcely replies to the 800 guns which
are continually firing upon the works,
and it is said its ammunition is failing.
1t is not improbable that this may be
the case, for three Or four brigades OF
Russian cavalry are proving up the
Sofia road, and must prevent the az
rival of any conveys with fresh supplies
The drain upon the Ottoman magazines
since the commencement of the bonn
bardment must have been enormous,
and a fortnight has elasped since they
could be replenished. No one, except
the commander within Plevna, can say
how many rounds Of shell or what
number Of cartridges Osman Pasha still
l,o L. Of Z; Il