Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-09-07
THE EASTERN WAR.
The Fighting in schIpIta Pass.

LONDON, Aug. 30.
A Daily Neps correspondent, tele-
graphing from the Schipka Pass, gives a
detailed account Of the Russian attempt
to capture the redoubt which the Turks
constructed to sweep the road in the
Russian rear. This redoubt is still un-
taken, and it constitutes great danger to
the Russians, as 1t gives the Turks pos
session of a ridge running parallel to
that up which the road winds, 1900
yards distant. The redoubt enfilades
the road in several places and the Turk
ish infantry have been extending along
this ridge, which is thickly wooded and
can practically render the road impassa-
Bile. 1t was on this road that Gen.
Dragonieroff was wounded, and that to-
day Gen. Dragetsky was killed, at a
point fully nine miles on one side of the
summit of the pass. Men are picked off
by Turkish skirmishers two miles be-
hind the pass. 1t will be seen, there
fore, that the Russian position still re-
mains most critical in spite of reinforce
ments.
Gen. Radetzky attacked the Turkish
redoubt from the direction of the Pass,
and also from the Gabrova side. There
was continuous musketry and artillery
fire for hours. The Russians had ad-
vanced under cover of the trees, which,
however, were too small to afford good
shelter. In short time they arrived
within fifty yards of the redoubt. Here
they found that the Turks had cut down
the trees around the redoubt, making a
barrier over which it was almost impos-
sible to pass. They gathered around the
edge and suddenly made a rush for it,
but we're driven back with fearful loss.
The soldiers became entangled in the
masses of brushwood and trunks and
limbs of trees, over which they were
obliged to scramble while the Turks
poured in a terrible fire upon them. AT
this short distance it moved them down
like grass. OF the first assault against
the redoubt, in which one company was
engaged, very few got back to tell the
tale.
Gen. Radetzky sent reinforcements
and the attack began again, but disposi-
tions were made to place large force in
such positions that it could pour heavy
fire into the redoubt, to cover the assault
until the assailants we're almost up to the
parapet. This attack seemed almost on
the point of success, for the Colonel in
command said if the reserves were given
to him he could take the redoubt The
officer in command of the reserves let
them go, but they were nevertheless re-
pulsed.
The next assault was made under the
eye of Radetzky and part of his staff.
Gen. Dimetriotsky, Chief-of- staff, placed
himself at the head of the storming bat
talon, although he had to be supported
by two men, as he had Just previously
been stunned by the earth thrown up by
an exploding shell. The Russians dd-
vanced steadily; they rushed over or
through the abatis; they even got into
the redoubt and actually held it for a
few seconds but were driven out again.
They surrounded the place on all sides,
pouring into it a terrible fire, but were
again driven back.
In the meantime the Turks, to support
the defense, began in their turn to attack
the Russian position in the pass from the
front and rear. The Russian losses
must be very heavy, for the fight con.
tinued until late at night, and the
wounded were coming back steadily all
the time. To sum up, the attack has
been unsuccessful.
The Standard has an Adrianople dis
patch dated one o'clock this morning
which says: Troops are pouring to the
front at the rate of 5000 per day. These
battalions come from Batoum. Large
numbers of Albanian volunteers are ar
irving to join Sulieman Pasha. They
have exchanged their old guns for Mar
tint Henry rifles. Nodecisive action will
take place at Schipka Pass until the ar
rival of reinforcements on one or botl
sides.