The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-01-06
HOW pLEVNA FELL.
TME ArFEMpTEB seRTiE or osMaN
pAsHA AND TTs RESULTS.


Assia Fes ana Ftre-The silence After the
nattie-The Turkish Surrender.
EIiohdon Daily Newsl
PnHyrA, Monday Night, Dec, 10, 1877
The Russians knew ON Friday night
that Ostnan Pasha was preparing for
eeftie, and on their part made every
preparation TO receive him. The trenches
were kept full Of troops day and night
division and regiinental commanders
were advised to be on the alert, and
all the posts were doubled and trebled.
These measures were taken on Friday
night. but Saturday passed without any
movement being discernible among the
Turks. Osman Pasha had, however, re-
solved upon final effort TO break the
coils that were crushing him. Sunday
t,assea In the same way. The Russians
were anxiously on the watch with the
usual amount Of artillery fire, 10 which
the Turks have not replied for q long
time. For the last three or four days
the weather had been damp and cold,
with heavy broken clouds threatening
rain, and about noon on Sunday the
clouds thickened and the dark masses
discharged themselves in the first snow
storm OF the season, BY o'clock the
ground wac quite white, and the appear
ance Of the country had completely
changed. ] rode around the lines be-
tween the hours Of and 3 from drivica.
through Radisoyo to Brestovee, on the
15ofteha road, The sky was dark aud
lowering, but the atmosphere, white
with thickly falling snow, through
which could be caught glimpses of
Plevna, with many little columns Of
blue smoke rising over IT, telling Of
cooling dinners, and giving ii a warm.
cosy look. much unlike that Of q be.
leaguered city. The huts Of the Russian
soldiers were soon white, the soldiers
themselves going about joyously. some
cooking their dinners, others gathered
lii groups, singing at the top Of their
voices 9 welcome apparently to the first
snowfall. Perhaps II reminded them Of
their far.away homes. There the snow
IL long since many feet deep. Now and
then the boom OF a gun, muftled and
iEdistinct, like low growl, broke the
stiffness az 1t came through the snow
laden air.
sRoBEhEFF's ADVANCE,
The night wore slowly away, The
snowHtortn ceased and was followed by
dark clouds seudding swiftly across the
sky, with snow and then blast of sleet
AT 3 o'clock a Spy brought news that the
men OF Skgbeleff'B command had po-
sitivn on the side OF the Green Hill, and
that the krtShina fedoubta were being
Abandoned. He was very sure. he said,
shat all the positions along our side
would shortly be abandoned. Weuld he
no along and lead the way into the Kri-
Shina redoubts at the risk Of being bay
pneted Ii his words should not prove
tfueY Yes, he would, and orders were
given by Skobeletf for the troops to be.
gin to move cautiously forward and feel
al vra "
aHa the pnaitinna were talsen. Al laat
now II was certain that the Turks were
moving, and that the final decisive mo.
ment had come. Skobeletf or
dered the captured positions TO be
Instantly placed in q state Of de-
Tense, In case the Turks, repulsed and
not yet ready to surrender, should at
tempt to recapture them. The gray
light OF morning came. Ii was cloudy |
aud threatened more snow. Suddenly |
there was the booming of thirty or forty |
guns speaking, almost together.
followed instantly by that steady, |
crashing roll we have learned TO know
no we'll, The battle had begun. The |
giant, after defending himself four
months, hurling thunderbolt after thun.
derbolt upon his enemies. was now |
through the meshes he had |
TO be thrown around him, and |
waa III his turn attacking the trenches |
and earthworks which he had taught |
his enemies SO we'll to defend. We |
mounted our horses and rode toward |
The battle. It was in the direction OF |
the bridge over the Vid. on the Sofia |
road, and half an hours ride brought
Eas In sight OF the conflict.
CLOUDS AND FIRE.
"A terrible and sublime spectacle pre-
sented itself TO our view. The country
behind Plevna Ia q wide, open plain. into
which the gorge leading UP to Plevna
opens out like a funnel. The plain In
rocky bluffs or cliffs, along whose foot
lows the Vid. From these cliffs, for d
distance of two miles, burst here and
here In quick, irregular succession. an
cry spurts OF flame that flashed and
disappeared and flashed out again. II
waa the artillery fire of the Turks and
which from our point OF view
intermingled. The smoke,
round ia a circle toward the
Vid, rose against the heavy clouds
hat hung right up on the horizon, while
ow on the ground burst forth continu.
,us balls of flame that rent the black.
less Of the clouds like flashes Of light.
hing. Through the covering OF the
,moke could be seen angry spits of iire,
hick as fireiiies on tropical night,
Now and then through an irregular
,urving stream OF fire we had indistinct
ylimpses OF bodies OF men hurrying to
ind fro, horses. cattle, carriages run
ling across the plain, and above all the
nfernal crashing roll OF the infantry
Ire and the deep booming of more than
hundred guns.
COVERED BY THE TRAIN.
This Is what happened; II
Osman Pasha had during the night {
all his positions from Grivi- |
\ TO the Green Hill and concentrated ,
he greater part of his army across the {
ia. over which he passed on two |
ridges, one the old and the other the (
eW one lately constructed. He took
NJ of his artillery, some three batter
=. and q train of about tige hundred or
Il hundred carriages drawn by bull