The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-08-09
THE RUSSIAN R0UT.
Vivid Description of the Retreat
from PleVna.
Between Six and Seven Thousand Men
Killed and Wounded.
Troops Recalled from South of the
Balkans.
THE BATTLE OF PLEVNA.
Vivid Description Of Thursdays Fight

IL dCCOuuJ VI lHuTbudg D DdlJleJ WulCl
conveys a vivid idea of the extent of the
Russian disaster. The correspondent is
with Prince SChackoskoy's command:
And now all hope of success anywhere
was doubt,nor did chance offer to make
the best of defeat. Prince Schackoskoy
had not a man left to cover the retreat.
The Turks Struck without Stint,
They had the upper hand for once and
were determined to show that they knew
how to make the most of it, They ad-
vanced in swarms through the dusk on
their original first position and captured
the Russian cannon before the batteries
could be withdrawn. The Turkish shells
began once more to whistle over the ridge
above Radishova and fell into the village
behind, now crammed with wounded.
The streams of wounded vending their
painful way over the ridge were inces-
SAINT. The badly wounded mostly lay
where they fell. Later, in the darkness,
baleful sort of krankentraeger swarmed
over the battlefield in the shape of Bashi-
Bazouks, who spared none. Lingering
there on the ridge till the moon rose, the
staff could hear from below, on the still
night dir,
Cries Of Pain and EntreatIes for Mercy,
and yells of blood. thirsty, fanatical tri-
umph. 1t was indeed an hour to wiring
the sternest heart. We stayed there to
learn, if it might be, what troops were
coming out of the valley Of the shadow
of death below, were there indeed any at
all to come. The Turks had our range
before dark, and we could watch the
flash of fame over against us and then
listen to the scream of the shell as it tore
by us. The sound ofrife bullets increas-
ed and the escort and retreating wound
ed were stuck. A detachment at length
began to come struggling up; hut it will
give an idea of the disorganization to say
that when a company was told off to
cover the retreat Of the wounded in Rad
ishva, it had to be made up of men OF
several regiments. About9 8 o'clock the
staff quilted the ridge, leaving it
Uttered With GrOanIng Men,
and moving gently, lest we should tread
l,on the PROSTATE wounded, we lost oul
way,as we had lost our army. We could
find no rest fur the coles of our feet by
reason of the alarms of Bashi-Bazouks
swarming in among the scattered and re-
firing Russians.
Atlength at l in the morning, we turn.
ed into a stubble field, and making beds
of reaped grain, correspondent and Cos
sack alike rested under the stars. But
we were not even then allowed to rest
before the alarm came that the
BashLBazOurkS We're Upon Us,
and we had to rouse and taamp away.
The only protection of the Chief, of what
in the morning was a fine army, was now
a handful of wearied Cossacks. General
KruGener sent word in the morning that
he had lost severely and could make no
headway, and had resolved to fall back
on the bed of the River 0sna. There had
been talk, his troops being fresh, of re-
newing the attack to-day with his COOP
Grafton: but it is plain statement of fact
that we have no troops to attack with.
The most moderate estimate is that we
have lost two regiments-say five thous-
and men-out ofthree brigades-a ghast-
ly number, beating Eylau or Friedland.
This takes no account of General Kru-
dener's losses. We, too, retire on 0sma
River about Bulgareni, and, to the best OF
our weak strength, cover the bridge at
Sistova.
Possible Results Of the Defeat.
One cannot, in this moment of hurried
confusion, realize all the possible results
of this stroke, 80 rashly courted. Not a
Russian soldier stands between Tirnova
and the victorious Turkish army in Lor-
eca and Pievna, and only weak division
of the Eleventh Corps stands between
Tirnova and the Shumla army. l look
on Prince Schsckoskoy's force as wreck
ed-as no longer for this campaign, to be
counted upon. 1t is not ten days since
the Thirteenth Division crossed the DAN
ube in the pride of superb consideration.
Now what Of it is left is demoralized and
shattered. So ON this side of the Bal
kans there remains but the Ninth Corps,
already roughly handled once at Nikopo-
lis and once at Plevna; one Division of
the Eleventh Corps and the Rustchuk
Army. Now if the Rustchuk Army is
marched northwest against Plevna, then
the Turkish Army of Rustchuk is let loose
on the Russian communication to Tirno-
va. One cannot avoid the conclusion
that the advance over the Balkans is Sc
riously compromised. The Russian
strength is so bad that scattered detacb-
ments have been called up from out of
Roumania, and the Roumaman Division,
commanded by General Manue, which
crossed day or two ago at Nikopolis, has
been called up to the aid of Osma River.
An ald-de. campo of Grand Duke Nicho-
las was presents at the battle, and at once
started for Tlrnova with the evil tidings.
We are just quitting this bivouac, and fall
ing back on Bugareni with all speed,
leaving the Bulgarian villages to the ten
der mercies of the Turks. As close |
learn that on our left General Skobeloff
was very severely handled, having lost
300 men out Of his single infantry battal-
lion.
Another Account Of the Retreat.
LONDON, August 9.-The Daily News
with Prince Schackoskoy's
force, telegraphing from Simnitza under
date of August l, givesan account of the
retreat. He says the road from Poredin
70 Bulgareni was numbered with broken
and retracting troops, wholly destitute of
order, officers without soldiers, soldiers
without officers, without cohesion and
mostly without arms. Alta narrow bridge,
near Bulgareni there was wild confusion
Ind complete block. Tumbrils, ambu-
ance wagons, provision wagons, officers
,olechoes led horses and carts filed with
all were jammed in an indescri-
Iable chaos. There had been wounded
N along the road. hut the bulk Of the