The New York herald., 1877-09-16
THE WAR.
Reported Retirement Of the Rus.
SLAMS from Tirnova.
SKOBELOFF DRIVEN BACK.
Desperate Assaults as Despe-
rately Repulsed.
HEAPS OF DEAD"
Osman and Suleiman Pach9S
Both Claim Victories.
DOUBTFUL TURKISH STATEMENTS.
HEAPS OF DEAD"
Osman and Suleiman Pachas
Both Claim Victories.
DOUBTFUL TURKISH STATEMENTS.
[BY CABLE TO THE HERALD

lBY CABLE TO THE HERALD.
LONDON, Sept. Is, 1877.
There seems hardly room for doubt that
the weeks operations about Plevna did not
result as favorably tor the Russo -Roumanian
army as was expected in view of the reports
from Russian sources.
REPORTED RUSSIAN EVACUATION OF TIRNovA
Mehemet Ali telegraphed to Constanti-
nople, under date of Thursday, that the
Eleventh Russian army corps had evacu-
ated Tirnova and proceeded in the direc-
ion of Bjela, to reinforce the Twelfth and
Thirteenth corps.
GENERAL sKOBELOFF's RETREAT
The Daily Nesrs issued special edition today
containing the following despatch:- II
BUCHAREST, Friday Night, Sept. IA, 1877.
"I left the battle field before Pievna at noon yes
terday. The two redoubts taken by General Skobe-
lofr on Tuesday evening were held twenty-iour
hours. On Wednesday the Turks made six attacks,
and finally, about six O'Clock in the evening" drove
him OUT He lost three cannon which he had
mcnts several times, but General Levitsky refused
Shem, thinking General Sk0beoir had enough men
to hold the redoubts. Finally General Krilolr on
his own responsibility sent the remnant OF regi-
ment which had attacked tile lower redoubt, near
Plevna, and whose effective strength was reduced
TO 1000 men, utterly unit to 60 into battle.
REINFoRcEMENTs ALL TOO LATE.
seven this regiment arrived few minutes too
late, and another regiment sent from the headquar.
fers OF the stair to reinforce him arrived when
General Skobelor already had retreated. The loss
OF these redOubts is disastrous Tor the Russian at
tack, as it seems that the Russians In possession OF
these two redOubts and the Grivica rcdoubt had
counted upon recommending the offensive imme-
dately. This Is now impossible until the arrival Of
reiniorcements.
THE GRIvICA REDOUBT FULL OF DEAD BODIES.
''When | lett tho battle field all was quiet except
light artillery fire. The Russians are still in pos
session of the Grivica rcdoubt, which was under
acontinual. heavy IRE from the Turks This re-
doubt was visited by Colonel wellesley who says 1t
u heaped full Of dead Russians and RouManians."
TURKISH BULLETIN FROM PLEvNA.
The brief Turkish bulletin about affairs ut Pevna
reads :-"Since Friday the Russians have made
continuous assaults but have been repulsed We
have recaptured the two redoubts ON the Lovatz
road which recently fell into the encmys hands I"
This comedies with the only detailed narratives yet
received and with the later Russian bulletins.
OsMAN PACnA's POSITION
Friends OF Russia have reason to fear therefore
that the capture Of the Grivica redoubt Is OF much
less significance than was ut first represented. III
30, Osnan Pacha may await his reinforcements
without fear of further immediate molestation.
These reinforccments are, according to Vienna
despatch. already on the way from Sofia, whence
most OF the reserves have been sent across the
Balkans to Orchanie."
ANOTHER ALLEGED RUSSIAN DEFEAT.
despatch from Shuma, dated Friday, says:-
BOSNIAN Pacha has attacked the Russians in great
force at Dubnik Ton the road from Pevna to Sofia,
where they had fortified themselves IN order to
prevent him from receiving support. The Russians
were badly beaten and have lost several thousand
men, besides nine guns"
sULEIMAN PACIA ON RADErZKY's LEFT.
The following description OF Suleiman Pacha's
positlon written ten days ago, is probably still
correct in the main:-"Suelman Pacha's army in
Guiding the reinlorcements just received, keeps up
It's original number Of AZ, 900 men, with ample field
artillery and mountain guns. Upon his right and
left he has established sixteen guns which give the
Russians no rest night or day. Although he can
not sufficiently command the ROAD from Gabrova
into the Russian ortifcatons to prevent their re-
ceving supplies he can and does make them have
anything but an easy time within their intrench-
ments, which are exposed to his murderous flank
Ing fire, that entails very heavy losses.
AN UNPLEASANT DILEMMA.
general Radctzky cannot break through the force
before him and descend into the plain any more
than Suleman Pacha can drive him out OF his posi-
ton and make Il swOop upon GabrOva and the coun-
try beyond. SO matters will in all probability re-
main until some important change occurs in the
vicinity Of Shuma and Plevna."
suLEIMAS's LATEST CLAIM.
Suleiman pacha, teegraphing from Shipka, Fri
day, claims that his Crcassans penetrated to Elena
on Thursday, where they defeated Il body of 500
Russians killing 1fty-twO Several more Russian
cannon In the pass were disnounted ON Friday.
WEAKENING OF TIE CZAREwIrcu's ARMY.
Report says that the Czarewitch's forces have
been weakened to reinforce the Pcvna army
that they arc no match for Mehcmet Ali, and this
seems to be corroboratcd by the Russians steadily
retrogradlng on the whole, whatever may be the
fate Of Plevna, the time IL rapidly slipping away in
which the Russians might retrieve the ortunes OF
the European campaign, now as seriously compro-
missed as the Asiatic one.
sEMI-oFPIcIAL GERMAN STATEMENT.
The National gazette, OF Berlin, most positively
denies that Germany in any way Influenced Servia
and Roumania to participate In the war.
A TURKISH DECLARATION.