The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-02-16

with the title of "Ghazi" (conqueror, an
for several months Turks and Russians i
Asia were inactive
THE ADVANCE IN EURoPE.-Thec cam
paign in Europe was simultaneously pros
ecuted, and excited much greater interest
A Russian force had crossed the Danub
by bridges of boats at Ibraila and Galatz
on the 24th of June, and in the succeed
ing three days the whole army erosse'
and occupied Sistova, on the right banl
Of the river. No attempt was made Il
interfere with the movement The Turk
ish gunboats were not brought into ser
vice, and, indeed, some of them had beer
destroyed before that time by the enter
prise of the Russian soldiers The Turk
ish feet, while it has beea of great valu
in securing safe water carriage for supple
to the Turkish armies, has performed N
brilliant exploit.
The Russians, having crossed the Dan
ube without interference from the gun
boats which should have patrolled th'
river, were also allowed immunity from
assault by the Turkish army for threl
weeks after they had crossed to the right
bank. Their cavalry secuted the country
as far south as the Balkans, and Tirnova
was surrendered to a rowing body of cav
airy without resistance from the Turkish
garrison. A civil Government of Bulga
rians, under Russian commander, wa:
established there, aud proclamation wa:
issued which was understood to imply th'
detachment of Bulgaria from the Turkish
empire.
Soon after the occupation of Tirnova
Gen. Gourko, with flying column, crossed
the Balkans by difficult pass, and, after
descending into the plain, attacked in the
rear the Turkish troops which defended
Schipka pass, and forced them to fly in
confusion. 1t was feared at the time that
Gen. Gourko would advance on Adrian
ople, and, although subsequent events have
shown that he could have made the move
ment with safety, he would not have been
justified in assuming that the Turkish
commanders would prove as irresolute and
indolent as they really were. He had cap'
tured Schipka pass, however, and, as a re-
suit of few weeks almost bloodless cam
paigning, the Russians had secured the
passage of two of the chief lines Of natural
defenses of Constantinople and Turkey
proper.
The FIRST CHECK.-Nicopolis, on the
Danube, had surrendered at the first as
sault, July 16, although 0sman Pasha
with troops from Wiidin, was advancing
to the relief of the garrison, and was then
within short distance of the place. He
Immediately occupied Plevna, which after
wards became the scene of the greatest
battles of the war. he threw up earth
works and repelled the first Russian at
tempt to take the place July q. The
successes of the Russians led to reorgan-
ization of the Turkish War Department.
Abdul Kerim, commander on the Danube
and his patron, Ria Pasha, Minister OF
War, were dismissed. Mehemet Ali was
appointed to command the eastern army
on the Danube, and 0sman Pasha, at
Plevna, and SulGiman Pasha, transferred
from Montenegro to Roumelia, were given
full command of their respective armies
The Grand Duke Nicholas, impatient al
the check given to his advance by 0sman
Pasha, at Plevna, ordered another attack
on that place against the advice of Gene
raj Krudener, and on the Both of July q
direct assault was made without success
The losses of the Russians resulted in a
discontinuanee of all active operations fol
several weeks, while reinforcements were
being obtained. In the meantime Sulei-
man Pasha undertook to regain Schipka
pass, but did not attack the feeble garrison
with sufficient vigOr at first, and so ena.
bled them TO obtain heavy reinforcements
A destructive series Of fights for the pos
session of the pass followed, in which was
displayed the bravery and persistence of
both the Russian and Turkish soldiery
The pass, itself, was left in the hands of
the invaders, while its southern entrance
was blocked by Turkish troops.
ANOTHER DEFEAT AT PLEvNA.-Du-
ring August the Russians constructed line:
of contraVallation in front of Plevna, while
a separate army under the Casarwitch faced
Mehemet Ali east of the river Lom. Hero
the Russians were defeated in severa
skirmishes, but the Turks did not appear
to be strong enough to follow up their ad-
vantage and relieve 0sman Pasha at Plev
ma. The Emperor's birthday, September
| IL, was fixed for fresh attack on Plevna
and in the presence of the Emperor the
assault was made on that day. Genera
Skobeleff distinguished himselfby assault.
on the left, whereby, at great sacrifice ot
life, he took three redoubts; and on tht
right the large redoubt of Grivitza wal
taken by surprise, late in the evening, aftei
the Emperor had left the field. The re
doubts captured by Skobeleff were retaker
the next day. Gravitza remained in the
hands of the Russians and Roumanians
but it was commanded by other Turkisl
works, so that the result of the assault die
not advance the Russian cause in the
least. The Imperial Guard was then sum
moned to the seat of war, and Genera
Todleben, famous for his defence of Sc
bastopol, was invited to begin the reduc
tion of Plevna. He began regular ap
proaches, but apparently only for the pur
pose of diverting the attention of the Turk
while completely investing Plevna. Th
movements for this purpose led to the cap
ture Of Lovatz, in the southeast, by tn,
Russians. The only aid which Suleimar
received was from Sofia, by way of Or
chanie. Mehemet Ali, on the LON, mad
no real attack upon the Russians, ant
Suleiman Pasha wasted his strength il
vain assaults on Schipka pass. Supple
reached Plevna from Sofia early in No
vember, and soon afterwards Gen. Ghourk
spread his cavalry across the road. On,
after another the Turkish forts and town
on the line of communication between
Sofia and Plevna were taken by the Rus
slams, but not without heavy loss
FALL OF PLEvNA-From the middl
of November Osman Pasha was complete
ly shut up in Plevna. In the meantim
Suleiman Pasha took the place of Meheme
Ali on the LON, and the latter attempts
to organize at Sofia force for the relic
of Pleyna 0sman held out with grea
persistence until the 10th of December
when his provisions being exhausted, h
attempted to escape to Widdin. He Nigh
have succeeded in getting off a portion O
his force but that deserter informed tn
Russians of his intentions, for the latter
although forewarned and forearmed, ha
to fight desperately in resisting his al