The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-01-11
HOW PLEvsi fEll.
Graphic Pen Picture of the Attempted
SOrtie.
From the London Daily News.I

Osman Pasha had dnring the night
abandoned all his positions from Grivica
to the Green hill, and concentrated the
greater part OF his army across the Vid,
over which he passed on two bridges,
one the old and the other the new one
lately constructed. He took part OF his
artillery, some three batteries, and
train OF about five hundred or six hun
bred carriages drawn by bullocls. He
succeeded in getting his army, the ar
tillery, and part OF the train over yday-
break. The Russians say that to have
started with so large train Is "A proof
that he was deceived with regard to the
number Of the Russian forces, and that
he believed the Russian line, owing TO
the absence of Gen. Gourko, was very
weak on the Sophia road. and thought
another road along the Vid was virtually
open. 1t does not seem possible that
he could have been so badly informed,
and 1 am inclined to think the train was
taken to serve special purpose In the
fight. Indeed, the first thing the Rus.
slams perceived when daylight broke was
line of wagons drawn 10y buliocks adj
vancing upon them in close order across
the plain. The smooth open level Of
ferred every facility for such a maneuver.
The Turks Were behind these wagons,
which, piled full of baggage ana effects
of various kinds, afforded very fair pro-
lection from bullets.
The attack was directed against the
positions held by the grenadiers, north
of the Sophia road, whose lines extended
from the road to point opposite Opanes,
where they were Joined by the Rouman-
ian curving line through Susurla. 1t is
said the attack was made with 10000
rem, but [ doubt this, as there was
really not room for SO many to deploy
unless they had descended from the
heights OF Opanes and taken the Rou-
manian positions, and have not heard
that they did this. Nor did they even
attack the Russian positions south Of the
road, as they would probably have done
had they attacked III such force. At any
rate, the attack was a most brilliant and
daring one. The Turks advanced as far
as they could under cover Of their wagons,
while the Russians poured in terrible
fire on them from their Bordan breech-
leaders, scarcely less destructive than
the Peabody, and opened on the advanc-
ing line with shell and shrapnel. The
Turks then did splendid deed of
bravery, only equaled by Skobeleh"s
capture of the two famous redoubts.
Probably finding their cover beginning
to fail them, owing 20 the cattle being
killed or getting frightened and running
away they dashed forward with shout
upon the line of trenches held by the
Slbrersky OF Siberian regiment swept
over them like q tornado, poured into
the battery, bayoneted the attillerymen,
officers and men, who with desperate
heroism stood TO their pieces TO nearly a
man, and seized the whole battery The
Sibrersky regiment had been overthrown
and nearly annihilated. The Turks had
broken the first circle that held them in.
Had they gone on they would have found
two more; but they did not have time
to go on. The Russians rallied al
most Immediately.
Gen. Struko6. of the Emperors staff,
brought up the FIRST Brigade of Grena-
diers, who led by their General for
got his name, but the Russians will re-
member it-hung themselves upon the
Turks with fury. A hand-to-hand fight
ensued, man to man, bayonet to bayonet,
which is said TO have lasted several min
utes, for the Turks clung to the captured
guns with logged obstinacy. They
seem to have forgotten, in the fury of
battle, that they had come out to escape
from Plevna, and not to take and hold a
battery, and they held on TO the guns
with almost the same desperation with
which the Russian dead around them
had shown few minutes before. Nearly
all the Turks III the battle were killed.
Those III the fanking trenches open to
the Russian had, of course, very little
shelter, and were soon overpowered, and
began retreat, which, under the MUIR
derous fire sent after them, instantly be-
came fight. Some took shelter behind
the broken wagons and returned the
fire for time; but the majority made
for the banks of the Vid. where they
found ample shelter from the Russian
shells and bullets. They formed here
behind the banks, and instantly began
to return the Russian fire.
1t was now about half-past 8. and the
Turkish sortie was virtually repulsed,
but the battle ragged for four hours lon
ger. The losses inflicted from this time
forward were not great on either side,
for both armies were under cover. The
Turks were evidently apprehensive
that the Russians would charge and
drive tfem back in a mass into the gorge.
The Russians were resolved to prevent
another sortie; and so both sides kept it
up. Indeed, there seemed at first every
probability that the Turks would try it
again, though it was evident to any one
who knew the strength of the Russian
lines, and had seen this affair, that escape
was hopeless from the first, even though
Osman Pasha had had twice the num-
Der of men. For four hours the storm
of lead swept on as 100 guns sent forth
flame and smoke and iron. During all
this time we were in momentary expecta-
ton OF seeing one side or other rush to
the charge. We could hardly yet realize
that this WIS to be the last fight we
should ever see around Plevna, and that
when the guns ceased firing it was the
last time we should ever hear them here.
1t was strangely-impressive spectacle.
Behind us the plain, stretching away TO
the horizon, dark and somber under the
dull, lead-colored clouds of the black
November day. Before us the gorge