The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-08-04
THE EASTERN WAR;.
RUSSIANS DEFEATED
AT PLEVNA.
The Army Utterly Routed
Four Fifths of the Troops
Wiped Out.

vivid description of Tuesdays battle, show
ing the extent Of the Russian disaster. He
says the Turks advanced in swarms through
the dusk on their original position, and
captured the Russian canpl y.s Before the
batteries could be withdrawn ne Turkish
shells began once more to whistle over the
bridge above Rsdishava and fall into the
village behind, now crammed with wound
ed. The streams of the wounded vending
their painful way over the bridge were in
cessant. The badly wounded mostly lay
where they fell. Later in the darkness a
baleful sort of kraukentraeger swarmed
over the battlefield in the shape of Bashi
Bazouks who spared not Lingering there
and on the bridge till the moon rose the
staff could hear from below, on the still
night air, cries of pain and entreaties for
mercy, and yells of bloodthirsty fanatical
triumph. 1t was indeed an hour to wiring
the sternest heart. We stayed there to
learn, If it might be, what troops were
coming out of the valley of the shadow of
death below, were there indeed any at all
to come. 1t did not seem TO be the case.
The Turks had our range before dark, and
we could watch the flash of fame over
against, and then listen to the scream of
the shell as it tore by US. The sound of
rifle bullets was incessant and the escort
and retreating wounded were struck. The
detachment at length began to come strag-
Cling up, but il will give an idea of the
| disorganization to say that when a COM
pany was told off to cover somewhat the
wounded In Radshova it had to be made
up of men of several regiments. About 8
o'clock the staff quilted the bridge, leaving
1t Uttered with groaning men, and moving
| gently lest we should tread on PROSTATE
wounded we lost our way. AS we had
lost our army we could find no rest for the
soles of our feet by reason of clans of
Bashi Bazouks swarming in among the
scattered and retiring Russians.
At length at one o'clock in morning,
having been in the saddle since o'clock
on the previous morning, we turned into a
stubble field and making beds of the reaped
grain, correspondent and Cossack alike
rested under the stars. But we were not
even then allowed to rest. Before o'clock
an alarm came that the Bashi Bazouks
were upon us and we had to rouse and
tramp away. The only protection of the
chief of what in the morning was fine
army, was now q handful of wearied Cos
sacks. Gen. Krudener sent word in the
morning that he had lost severely and
could make no headway, and had resolved
| to fall back on the line of the river Osma.
There had been talk (his troops being
fresh) of renewing the attack to-day with
his cooperation, but it is plain statement
of fact that we have no troops to attack
with. The most moderate estimate is that
we have regiments, say 5000 men, out of
our three brigades; a ghastly number beat
ing Eylan or Friedland. This takes no
account of Gen. Krudener's losses. We
too, retire on the Osma river about Bula-
reni and with the best of our weak strength
cover the bridge at Sis.ova. One cannot
in this moment of hurried confusion, re-
alize all possible results of this stroke so
rashly courted. Not Russian soldier stands
between Tirnova and the victorious Turkish
army in Loveca and Plevna, and weak
division of eleven corps stands between
Tirnova and the Shumla army. l look on
Prince Schakasky's force as wrecked, as nc
longer, for this campaign, to be counted al
a fighting integer. 1t is not ten days since
the thirtieth division crossed the Danube in
the pride of superb condition. Now what
of 1t is left is demoralized and shat
tered. SO on this side of the Balkans there
remains but the 9th corps, already roughly
handled once at Nikopolis and once a
Plevna one division Of the eleventh corp
and the Rustchuk army. Now if the Rust
chuk army is marched west against Plevns
the Turkish army of Rustchuk is let loos,
on Russian communications TO Tirnova
One can not avoid the conclusion that tn,
advance over the Balkans is seriously com
promised. The Russian strait is 80 baC
that scattered detachments have beer
called from out of Roumauia, and tn,
Roumanian division commanded by Gen
Manu-, which crossed day or two ago a
Nikopolis, has been called up to the line o.
the Osma river. An aid-de-camp of Crane
duke Nicholas was present at the battl,
and at once started for Tirnova with evi
tidings. We are just quitting this bvouat
and falling back on Bulgaria with all speed
leaving Bulgarian villages to the tender
mercles of the Turks. AS close learr
that on our left Gen. Skobeloff was very
severely handled, having lost three hun