The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-08-09
THE RUSSIAN DasASTER.

Close upon the serious disasters t.
the Russian arms in Asia comes III
news of a crushing defeat in Europe
which has apparently ended In rout
The Russians, beaten in two days
battle at Plevna, have not only beer
compelled to retire. but have beer
driven fairly over the Danube int
Reumahia, SO that their plans for the
present campaign have been thrown
| into the utmost confusion. The re-
ports of the two days battle at Plevns
are conflicting in many of their de-
tails, especially as to the numbers Ell.
gagged and the extent of the loss, bu,
they all agree in the essential point oi
decided Turkish victory. As fal
back as the 10th of July, the Ninth
Corps Of the Russians was attacked i'm
the vicinity of Pleyna by Osman Pa
sha, and 80 severely handled that il
had to fall back and await reinforce
ments. The Eleventh Corps was sent
to its relief from Rustrhuk, and, after
a long forced march, effected a june
ton, the small force which had been
garrisoning Nikopolis also joining
them, its place having been filed by
contingent from the Raumanian
army. Ii was over a week before I i
army could resume the offensive
Marching snathward again, 1t enccun-
tered Osman Pasha's forces, 50, G9a
strong. securely intrenched near Plev-
ma, the Russians numbering GoOoO
The battle commenced July 3lth with
a terrible artillery duel, in which the
Russians, being in the open field, suf-
fered severely. Under cover of their
artillery, the infantry attempted to
storm the intrenchments, but without
success, and at nightfall the Turks
held their position, having recovered
some of their outwOrks from which
they had been forced. The next day
the Russians resumed the attack, but,
although they fought with the utmos,
desperation and performed prodiyies
of valor, they We're defeated in hand
to-hand engagement and compelled to
retreat with loss, according to O.man
Pasha's bulletins, Of 5000 killed and
l6 600 wounded, besides heavy loss
of war material. The Russians have
fallen back 10 Sistova in disorder, and
il is reported are pouring back into
Roumania, while the Turks hold their
position awaiting reinfcrcaments. Al
last accounts, the Roumanians were
ordered across the Danube, but they
Will add nothing cf consequence To
the Russian strength. Had the Turks
been powerful enough to follow up
their advantage, they might have
crushed the Russian right wing, aud
perhaps ended the campaign for this
summer. 1t never rains, but ii pours.
On the same day Of the defeat OF the
Russians north Of the Balkans, the
Russians south attacked Raouf pasi !.
and after seven hours tighing cap
tured Eski-Saghla, but Suleinnan Pa
aha, coming up with q fresh forco de-
feated the Russians with heavy loss
and recaptured the place. The crush
inc defeat in Bulgaria will now NOR.
than ever leopardiae the small Rus
sian force In Roumelia, a. they are
hemmed In by two powerful Turkish
armies, which may cut Off their sup
plies and retreat 1t IL not cheering
outlook for Russian success thia sum
mer.
In searching for the causes ol this
surprising series of defeats. 1t seelns as
II the Russians had made the same
mistake in underestirnating the num-
bers and strength of the Turks that
the North make in the first two year.
of the War with the Southern Confed
eracy. The North did not achieve de
cided success until il realized the actu-
al strength and fighting quality Of the
South, and Mr.. Lincoln called ont
''tle SOC, 900 more" who oyercame the
Southern forces by overwhelming
weight of numbers. The Russians
have all along affected to aespise the
Turks and their ability to fight, and
have disposed their forces as if they
expected that the Turks would moi
dare to meet them in the epcn field
but would gradually fall back to Con-
stantinople, where they could be at
tackled en- Daosss. The statement made
some time since by the London Times,
that the actual force Of the Russians
IN the vicinity of the Danube only
numbered zoo, 600 men is undoubtedly
correct. This force, which woyld have
been powerful in concentration, has
been weakened by constant division.
There Is one small force in the Dob
rudscha, another at Rustchuk, anoth-
other in the vicinity of Widdin, anoth-
er south of the Balkans, and the last
was in the neighborhood Of Pleyna
until /, was despersed the other day by
the victorious Turks. The latter have
also been compelled to divide theiI
forces to observe the Russian divisions
but in every case they have met them
man for man, and have had the addi-
tionai advantage OF fighting on the de-
fcnsive, some of their divisions hold
ing almost impregnable fortresses and
Others fighting behind strong intrench,
ments. armed with the very finest
American long-range rifles. and their
works protected by heavy Krupp guns
Events have shown that the Turkish
soldiers are as desperate fighters rs the
Russians; that they are just as well il
not better armed; that they are led by
experienced German and Hungaria,
officers In many instances; and thai