Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-12-19

/
regiments reached the Danube
they were forwarded to the line,
which were gradually being form
ed around Osman's position
Strong works were thrown up, ant
all preparations made for close
siege. The Car was too impa'
tient to await the slow results Of in.
vestnent, and on Tuesday, Sept
III, the second grand attact was
made. Twelve battalions assaulted
the Grivitza redoubt in the face OF
a whitening fire from repeating
rides. They were destroyed by
hundreds. 1t was impossible to
live in that storm of lead, and only
few escaped death by timely re-
treat. The Roumanians, jeered at
by the Russians as soft-hearted and
woI thless, behaved with astonish-
ing bravery, and under the eyes OF
the Emperor himself, charged the
Turkish positions, and fought with
a reckless valor equal to that of
their more rugged allies. All the
afternoon the battle ragged. AS
the Russians were moved down,
others took their places, until, sick
ened and dismayed by the fruitless
slaughter, the commanders with
drew their men. At later hour
in the evening two fresh brigades
attacked the weary Turks, and sue
ceeded in carrying two redoubts (;
but on the following day the Rus
SLAMS were, after furious contest,
in which General Skobeloff dis
tinguished himself, forced to aban-
don the captured positions. The
total number of Russians and Rou-
mainians in the battle was about
$1,000, and Of Turks about $4,000.
The losses of the Russians were
estimated al 1000, and of the Rou-
manians at 1000. The Turkish
losses was much less, but it is diff
ficnlt to arrive at correct estimate.
The Russians then gave up the
idea of storming Plevna, and pro-
ceeded under the direction of the
great engineer, Todleben, to sur
round Osman with an impregnable
line of Notifications, and thus cut
him off from supplies and reinforce
ments. The works built under the
direction of General Todleben, are
on a scale which alone would place
Plevna among the great sieges of
history. The Russian line of in
Vestment was thirty miles long,
md defended throughout with
great care, every part being occu-
pied by infantry, no part being left
% cavalry. From Grivitza round
% the Lovatz road all remained
ust as it was at the time of the
asst attack upon Plevna. The ar
illery occupied the ridge before
with the guns extended
Town the line of Plevna. Skobe-
offs line guarded the Lovatz road.
from there the line extended to
he Vid, and it then crossed the
sophia road about mile from the
fridge over the Vid. Thence it
,assed parallel to the river until
ust below Ocanes, where it again
rossed the Vid, and moved round
owards the Grivitza redoubt, until
bout mile in front Of Grivitza.
he Turkish positions measured
rom the Grivitza redouht to the
ridge over the Vid eight miles
rom the Krishiua redoubt to the
,ucova redoubt about five miles.
heir line was of an irregular, oval
hape, within n circumference of
bout twenty miles. The force of
90, 900 men which the Russians :
ad around Plevns enabled them I
, fill two lines of continuous
renches around the whole line of
lvestment as full as it is conven- {
INT for men to lie in trenches. ,
Osman was surrounded by circle I
G could not break though. His
rmy was on short rations, while
nat of the besiegers had abundant
applies. On Monday, Nov. IL. {
he Turks made desperate at
'mpt to surprise Gen. Skobeloff,
ut the Russians, warned in time, g
,ceived the ASSISTANTS with a heavy h
re. and drove them back. T
The Russians continued to make q
rides west of Plevna, and about c
week ago they acquired control 3
the territory between the Isker s.
I'd Ogust rivers. This rendered r
almost impossible to send aid to n
sman. and he attempted to break n
rough the Russian lines, with the o
suit above stated. :,
PLEvNA. d
A feature of the topography of Il
ulgaria, between the meridians Of
listria and Widin, or that por- r,
IN representing the actual thea r,
r of war, is the peculiar trend a
ID direction OF the rivers. These a,
reams have their sources in the
ain chain, or its foothills, of the al
llkan range, aud flow northward RI
more or less tortuous courses ot
the Danube. Within the area A
tually occupied by the contend
2 armies there are four chief q,
,ers, the most easterly one, which M
s its mouth near Rustchuck, be- G.
Z the LON, and the most wester- f
which empties into the Danube re
nrly opposite Turna-Magurelli, W
the Vid. Between these two lie to
, Jantra and the Osma, both large ia
important rivers. Plevna is te
II