The Republican journal., 1877-08-23
The Battle of Plevna.

The correspondent of the New York
Herald, at the headquarters of Prince
Schackoskoy, gives the following account
OF the important battle of Pleyna, il
which the Russians suffered disaster, il
the last days of July
After my ride with Prince Schackoskov through
the feconolSSanceS OF the 10Th ult encaInped
near this village. The night which succeeded was
spent with tents struck and horses saddled wait
ing Tor the order to advance i'll anticipation Of the
commencement of fighting at sunrise
But Baron krudener had determined to wait vet
day longer III order to perfect his dispositions
and give his troops, who were much fatigued by
severe marching, some rest The Both was, there
tore, spent IN lnacton except that the troops were
drawn forward somewhat in order to be within
striking distance for the morrows battle
A general council of war was held at Pordn or
the afternoon of the Both to determine the plan ol
action to be followed in the operations of the next
day There were present Baron krudener Prince
Schackoskoy and the generals of divisions and
brlgadcs.
The RUSSIAN PLAN OF BATTLE
1t was decided at the council Of war that the ac
ton should begin next morning at five o'clock by
general Concentric advance on the Turkish posi-
tons i'll front OF Plevna. 1t was also settled that
Prince SchackoskoN and the general staff should
move forward at four O'Clock Several aides of the
Grand Duke Nicholas arrived and were detailed lu
various points to make observations, and after the
battle to carry reports OF the results back to the
Grand Duke at Tirnova.
The gravity Of the task before the Russian army
was fully recognized by the commanding Generals,
and, indeed by all the officers. RcconnoiSsanceS
had proved that the Turks were in greater force
than at first believed. Twenty thousand regll
lars had come from Widtin to reinforce Osnan
pacha, and the Turkish positions We're known to
be naturally strong and to have been still further
strengthened by art. Altogether the attack on
plcvna one of those serious undertakings that
call for the greatest ability and foresight in the
commanders and the utmost courage and entlur-
ance Ill the troops
The night Of the Both very wet and uncom
Portable The troops did not begin to march tor
ward before six O'Clock instead of four o'clock as
arranged the day before The number of infantry
combatants actually about thirtv-two thou
sand, with 100 field cannon and three brigadcS OF
cavalry.
oSlrIoN or THE FORCES.
Baron krudener was on the right with the whole
of the Thirty first division in his fighting line and
three regiments of the Fifth division in reserve at
karaiac Bugarski. He to attack i'll two col
umns, Il brigade in each. On the left was Schac-
koskoy, with a brigade of the Thrty-second division
and another of the Thirtieth division in his fight
ing line. Another brigade of the Thrtieth division
was in reserve at Pellsat.
The Turkish position was convex somewhat in
the shape of horseshoe, but more pointed. Baron
krudener was to attack the Turkish left flank from
.iiNica ~ tow''fu tne hlrff ~, ochickoskoN was
~ assault ril l' rom l'a'liSoN'' aiSo i""aru
'he hlIer au' -
~ 'iie iei, hallh ol lle att1ch St"ou okohelon
with brigade OF Cossacks, u battalion of infantry
'iil oilc oFttels ~ cope WIN inc iurkSli troops
on Sie .le iIoi ieN Ia 10 Loved ana hih9ef 'hehl
l!on interfering WIZ och4ehoskoE i''lek on 'he
iisnl ntih vi w, liSil ii'Hh i'aSutlnu WIS
P'''eu WIN WV '''' lcSlu'ch'o W Su'iu hi'ut
ener from counter attack.
MOVING INTO POSITION.
Schaskoskov's ripht column marched over p.li
sat and SpaIcnica The left coInmn headed STRAIGHT
for Radisovo The artillery Dushcd forward from
The first and workcd indepcndentIy Narchine far
ward wa tonnd the cavalry fornnosts on tbn SI,,-
line above pnGsot aud ON thn sloninr downs J'hn
infantry depornd as they advanced accor,linu 10
thn Rnssian nrarticr ON nnrn ~romnJ I'M, tnr
,no+;,n U,s IN .oL,l,n Of d,,lLo .,,nnorin. ,r;+b
r;ae cnmnan, il 'front.' IF aanb ba+tal;np
The Inc and rife comnonins have tbc Same
,vconun qbn rnn cnmn.nr i moIn IN AZ marks
men whose rifles are cited nm to 200 wards where
as thc rifles of thn companirs of tbn lime arr. only
sighted IN 10 800 wards thr mayimum tiro rance
Of the Prisson infantry in the Frnco( ;rrnan war
orkNlN" THE BATTLE On TIE klGlil'
Baron krudencr on the right, opened the action
at half-past nine o'clock bringing a battery into
fire on the Turkish earthworks above the village
At first il seemed rs if the Turks were surprised
did it was with marked vigor and giving as good
as they cot from krudenrr
l'levna Is IN the hollow of u valley lying north
and south. The ground winch lntcrvened between
US and TINS valley was sngularY diversified I'm
agne three great solid waves, with Their faces SET
tN0 "'i.l VI ~ i'' t'il''' '.ielplt' iIu' NV
Of the three and = 5g,I If If ar, th,. nli,ln Turl
ish positious of which thrr. seems to NE thrne-
one behind the other Although the central wave
or great undulation Of the ground is the widest it
is not the highest of the three 50 that one stand
ing on the crest of either Of thr others can lool,
down across thc intervening valleys info the uosi
tions ON thn crntrnl ,r,,-r
a,,,,. , ..,,,,.
i'H II NN" Hii'NDhA i"HlhA'
Blt then the Turks are astride of all three of the
waves The crest Of our wave. which is the ridge
above, Radisovo they do not hold. Thus far we
are fortunate. But on the northerly wave Of the
three namely, that against which Baron krudener
Is operating and which Is broader and tattrr than
OUTS "lu niole l'NG m SoPliiS PIH'e'u' II llic tA
ppnsit;on brbind rntrnnrhnd nnstion Rnth an M
i'r nf MS r;d,ra and Of th, central r;,l or ,.
VIZ c,,, dis,.nrn TIrrsh can,ns WITH tnnfs iii st'rd
;n,r hnb;nJ tha narthunrl,S If ;s ,Inar tbat thn,
i mar ;ntnI f., ,,,v. r. thny ,,,r HOLM il f,, thir
tonts st,ud IL n tbn,- b,I t,l,'.,, : lax, M tIl
,rrD,,,I in ,or,,otn;t,.