The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-11
Todieben's Triumph at Picvna.

After a five months siege, illustrated by
several heavy attacks and heroic defence.
Pcvna has fallen into the hands Of the
Gar, and the starving army of OsMAN
Pasha has surrendered to the far moro pow
,rful army by which it WAS cncompasscd.
The doom Of plcvna has for some time
,cen inevitable. OsNAN Pasha's army was
Unable Of itself To raise the siege. When
irst shut up its strength was about 10000.
while the bcsicging force was twice as
strong. The Turkish force has been
terribly weakened during these months 10y
anime and disease while the Russian army
ias constantly been receiving reinforce
ncnts, and has had an abundance II all
finds Of supplies. One Of the ablcst Of mod
rn military engineers, Gen. ToDLEBES,
lad command of the bcsicgiug host, and
no skill or audacity on the part of
my commander inside of Pleyna had
chance Of coping with the power
that ToDLEBEN welded against il. The
only hope of relief for the garrison OF
Plevna Law in the movements Of the armies
that operated outside of IT, under SuLEr-
MAN Pasha and MEHEMET ALI But, Ia
every attempt To advance toward the
Russian lines, these armies found them
selves confronted by superior bodies
of the invaders, and for some months past
SULEIMAS Pasha's efforts have been feeble
and useless. while MEHENlEr ALI. doubtless
kclng aggreved over his treatment by the
sultan, has done little more than call for
achievements and complain Of his inability
10 make any movement until he got them.
When the Russians laid siege to Plevna.
bhey anticipated its capture by cOdp Il,
force Their first heavy attack, last July.
was brilliantly repulScd by the Turks;
and SO confoundcd were the Russians
by the staggering blow they received.
that il took them six weeks to re-
over from IT, In September, they
made more desperate attack with much
arger force; but again they were driven
pack. and SO immense was the slaughter
hat ali further attempts OF the kind were
given up. TopLEBEN was then put In
charge Of the siege, and he pro-
.eeded to make a close and regular in
yestmcnt Of plcvna, with the object
IF reducing it in that way. For three months
the investment has been mpletc Prior to
that time supplies had been sent To- OsMAN
Pasha from the region between Sophia and
Widn; but neither food nor munitions has
an attempt TO force n passage. but failed
aud on another occasion a large supply
rain was captured 10y the Russians n il
approached Picvna. After thi- There was
nothing for him to do but hold out for
the relief that he expected from SULElMAS
Pasha and MrHENIEr ALI; Int. as this
lcycr reached him. and a- hc had
At last to give up all hope - H.
and n his army wa. rapidly pcri-hing boy
lunger, cold. and disease. bee nude final
desperate attempt on sunday last 10
break the Russian lines In the direction Of
Widin. The enemy knew Lee would have tu
some to this; they fell ON him, 'front.' flank
and rear; and, before the close of I'll" day
ais fami-hcd army, which had probably
iwndlcd to ono-half it, original strength
wa- compelled 10 surrender.
This j., in reality, the first important
Russian victory in war which hu- lasted
~ ;iine months. II has been a costly vie
tory to the invaders whose losses in the
various operations OF I'll" year are officially
reported at nearly one hundred Thousand
men.
There j. no doubt that tn" Car will
low seek To- enter into negotiations with
tho Sultan - secure raacr. IL viii 49,
show the Sultan that tho continuance of
ho-tilitcs must result in further disasters
10 his empire TIL" terms which the CIgr
has been willing TO onor, under the circuu-
stances that have now been brought about,
have recently boom Iubli.hcl but they are
such as the sultan cannot i,rcpt, aud he
must strugg against them until the Rs
slams win TAR greater Victories thau that oi
llrNna. Ii.r Russo 'lrkist war now enters