The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-24
THE WAR.
Sixty Thousand Russians Across
the Danube.
CONQUEST OF THE DOBRUDSCHA.
Two Desperate Fights Secure q
Foothold.
CAPTURE OF MATCHIN.
The Turks Evacuate the
Town at Night.
ENGLAND READY TO ACT.
The Condition Of the Entire Military Admin
istration in Confusion
A BATTLE IN ASIA.
The Turks Evacuate the
Town at Night.
ENGLAND READY TO ACT.
The Condition Of the Entire Military Admin
stration in Confusion
BATTLE IN ASIA.
[DY CABLE TO THE HERALD. I

[BY CABLE TO THE HERALD
LONDON, June "a, 1877.
The announcement of the crossing of the
Danube on Friday, as telegraphed by the
HzRALD correspondent at Galatz and for
warded to New York yesterday morning, is
fully confirmed from Vienna. The details
sent to the HERALD were much fuller than
given in any London journal yesterday.
Further particulars Of the great events at
Ibrail and Galatz reach here this morning
from the HERALD Vienna Bureau.
THE GROUND SURVEYED IN ADVANCE.
The programme was adroitly planned and
carried out. It had been ascertained by
Russian spies that the Turkish forces at
Matchin were in no condition to oppose
crossing, if made in force, and that only
struggling bands of bashi-bazouks were to
be met among the low lands along the river.
cossAcKs THE FIRST TO CROSS
Accordingly before dawn few barge-loads
of Cossacks were sent across from Galatz
to Ghiacet. The crossing was assisted by
small steamers, which performed the jour.
neys with the barges as rapidly as possible.
In this manner sufficient number of these
brave horsemen were soon across and
mounted.
THE MOVEMENT COVERED BIZ A1TLLERY.
They remained close to the river, having
their sentries out to give notice Of an ap-
proach Of the enemy. The guns in the
forts at Galatz fully covered the cavalry,
and the gunners stood ready to serve their
pieces at signal from the Cossacks. So
far as can be learned, the building Of the
bridge at Galatz partakes of the nature of
feint, because the great body of troops
crossed into the Debrudscha at Ibrail.
THE PASSAGE AT 1BRA1L.
Meanwhile the same movement had been
made at Ibrail. The barges at this place
were not so large as at Galatz and many
valuable Cossack ponies either fell or leaped
from them into the river, but they were
mostly saved by being lassoed and thus
towed to the shore. In some instances the
horses swan ashore at the call of their mas
sers, who remained on the barges.
FORMED ON THE ENEMYs TERRITORY.
After considerable delay several hundred
men were landed and formed on a grassy
slope about a quarter of a mile from
the river, the intervening land being SO
marshy that the horses were led over it
with great difficulty.
DAsHING INTO THE DoBRuDscHA.
All being ready at both points, the tele-
graph was put in requisition from Ibrail
md q simultaneous movement took place,
he Cossacks advancing with great rapidity
into the Dobrudscha.
DIFFICULTIES AT IBRAII.
The force landed at Ibrail had by far the
more difficult task, for they were compelled
TO extend their line to the utmost, while
the detachment from Galatz advanced along
the main road and larger paths, outside of
which it would be impossible for an enemy
to approach or to flank them, because of
the marshy condition of the country.
JUNCTION EFFECTED.
In less than two hours the two lines of
horsemen had formed . junction, the dis
lance between Galatz and Ibrail, measured
on the inside of the bend in the river, being
only eighteen miles. Thus was formed
Gordon of Cossacks between the rivers bank
md the enemy.
THE CossAcK TO THE FRONT
The prominent part which the Cossack
vas thus made to play in the first real ag-
gressive movement into the enemy's terri
tory in Europe is worth noticing It fully
iustifes all that has been written about the
important service which he, rs horscman,
Is likely to render to Russia in the war.
This brings the Cossack squarely to tho
front and makes of him what the Uhlan was
to the troops of Prussia, 'Tfclaircur par er-
scllencs."
THE BRIDGES LAID ACROSS.
Under cover of this Cossack Gordon the
pontoons were towed into position and the