The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-12-27
THE FALL OF PLEVNA.
From the Chicago Tribune.l

been awaiting with varied feelings for
the past three months, has at last been
struck, and the only stronghold of the
Turks north of the Balkan mountains
has fallen into the hands of the Rus
slams. Plevna, the beloved, the impreg-
nable, wherein have been centered 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 as it does suddenly and
without any previous intimatiCn in 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 Engishmen who can
never overcome the national hatred of
the Russians engendered in the Crimea.
10 the rest of the civilized world the
of this morning will be welcomed
as mother step in the march of civiliza-
ton.
early eight months ago the Gear is
sued proclamation of war against Tur-
key, having previously endeavored vain
ly to procure by arbitration guarantee
from the Sultan that the Christian prov
inces would be protected from misrule
and persecution. An army was collect
o5 no ctiIxy oo oo1,11 ha ,,occiI,1o witt h
the meager facilities for transportation
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 Odd 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 a
diversion, was followed on the 26th by a
crossing at Simnitza. From this time
| forward there was continual succession
of Russian victories. Nikopolis was
captured, and an advances guard of cav
airy under Gen. Gourko penetrated the
| Balkans and spread alarm and dismay to
Ekrem, penning himself and his army
up in Schumla, allowed 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 hestirrine
herself to secure a voice In the fina-
treaty arrangements, and the English
journals were filed with appeals to the
| Government to join in the fray.
| It was at this critical juncture that the
| Turks seemed to experience a sudden
awakening, and to cast off in a moment
| the slothfulness and fear which had
| hitherto bound them. The young Sui.
tan, by a 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 considered as
| 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 Sonumla.
Only single division renamed 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 Osman
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 Entertainments. This great disas-
ter, in which the losses have been esti-
mated as high as 25, 900 men, caused an
immediate change of Russian tactics.
The headquarters were precipitately
I RI NJ tha
and all the regiments ON the march
southwark were turned in the opposite
| direction. It 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 a 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
| going to be done. But down in Buiga-
ria the net was gradually being woven
| about the victim. Day by day sources
OF supply were CUT off and new positions
taken by the Russians, while all the
time the ceaseless beat of shot and shell
has been heard and felt by the doomed
Turks. Escape was completely pre-
vented. If Mehemet Ali or Suleiman
Pasha had shown a little more strategy
or zeal 1t is possible that Plevna might
have been relieved or revictualed with
| out great loss. But, either from per-
sonal jealousy or incapacity, these Gen
erals have kept at safe distance.
Christmas Carols.
The singing of canticles at Christ
mas, now called carols, and which are in
tended to remind of the songs supposed