The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-06-20
Plevna by Moonlight.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE BLOODY STRUGGLE
FOR ITS POSSESSION.
lTirnova Correspondence London Times.l

FOR ITS POSSESSION.
lTirnova Correspondence London Times.]
1t was, perhaps, strange, if not bizarre
fancy which led me one starry night,
when Luna was at the full, to the snow
clad summit of central height crowned
by a Moslem earthwork, from the ram
parts of which the eye could take in with
a single sweep the whole of the Plevna
position. The ghostly canopy of snow
aided the celestial light in making visible
the whole of that undulating landscape,
beneath which lie so many thousands of
the brave partisans of the Cross and the
Crescent Leaning against turf-lined
embrasure, l surveyed the death-like
thoughts wandered back to the incidents
the blood-stained details of which thrilled
Europe with horror at the sacrifices. with
admiration for the desperate bravery
with which they were accompanied. My
musings recalled the sultry day in July
when Schildner-Schuldne led brigade of
infantry from Karagash to occupy the
heights where l was standing; force of
cavalry, SO far in advance of the foot that
there was no communication between
them, wound through the mazy streets of
Plevna no enemy was there, and no warm
ing whisper was heard of the danger lurk-
ing unsuspected, but yet so near at hand.
The infantry follow at great distance in
the rear; they come on in a dense column,
without any of the skirmishers or advance
guards that a schoolboy would have sent
forward,-a blind, stupid reliance on the
fact that no word of warning had been
sent back from the cavalry in front. Now
occurs one of those strange accidents which
sometimes happen, and which make men
famous, when in simple justice they
Sh0ulS rnpniyo condan nation 0smap
Pasha, too late, as he has always been, to
save Nikopel = already fallen = enters
Plevna after the cavalry of the Gar has
passed, and before the arrival of the in
fantry moving in stupid blindness in an
enemy's country in solid column. The
Moslem learns the position of affairs, as
he is on friendly soil he craftily places
his men, and Schildner- -Schuldner enters
the trap. l seem to hear the rattle of
musketry and the groans of the suffering;
but it is soon over; nearly two-thirds of
the Muscovites lie dead or wounded, and
the Crescent scores the first success at
Plevna. Osman Pasha, who lost Nikopol
Ia virgin fortress and magnificent posi-
tion-through tardiness, is lauded to the
skies for skillful occupation of Plevna.
Such is human greatness-human history.
The 30th of July comes next, and l see
the hoary-headed Krudener, with an
army of $4,000 men, ordered to attack
$4,000 Moslems, well intrenched ON the
heights where | am dreaming. I almost
hear the protest against the mad COM
mand but the dotard Nepokoischitsky
and the pert young Prof Levitzky repeat
the order. Schahoffsky, with a mad de-
sire to win the St. Georges Cross, and
scarcely inferior in rank to Krudener,
commands one wing, the old veteran the
other. The dashing young Skobeleff,
with his brigade of Kazan Cossacks and
an infantry battalion of 700 men, is away
on the extreme left and in the advance.
There is practical insubordination on the
part of Schahofsky as he extends his thin
line to the environs of Plevna. SkoDelef
is there with his 700 men; they have
never been under fire before, and when
the Turkish shells begin to hail around
them they raise cheer and rush forward
without orders. A stern voice rings OUT
Haiti" the men stop as if by magic.
"Right dress I" came next; they correct
their alignment with the Moslem shells
dropping thick around them. Present
arms !" The order is obeyed, and these
new troops stand as if on parade, present.
ing arms to the foe, who is hurting death
upon them. A stiffness Of several min
utes. Don't you look like lot of d-n
fools?" cries derisive voice, as Skobelef
comes to the front. Yes" comes
from 100 voices as the men re-
sponded to their young general,
not yet 35, but who has been hit six
times in Central Asia. Will you wait
and obey orders in future?" is the stern
demand "We will p is the reply. Sko-
belief entered Plevna with those men, but
there was no support behind him and he
had to retire. Three hundred and forty
of his 700 men had fallen-170 of them
killed on the field; but he brought the
remnant away singing a national hymn,
and all his wounded-the only commander
who did, and for which he was compli-
mented by the Emperor. Schakofisky's
command was nearly annihilated Kru-
dener had failed in assaulting the celebra-
I'D Gravitza redoubt, and when darkness
came broken and half panic-stricken
remnant struggled back to the heights of
Poradim, and some of them ran to the
Osma Valley before being collected to-
gether.
Then was Osman Pasha's opportunity,
but he failed to improve 1T. His fatal lack
of initiative once more paralyzed his en-
ergies. Stiffness reigns around these
sternly-frowning heights until the 31st of
August, when Osman Pasha makes an at
tack, the object of which no one has ever
been able to comprehend, upon the Rus
sian batteries at Pelisat and Zgalince.
Three thousand Moslems paid for this
madness and Lovcha fell on the Sd of
September. On the 4th Osman Pasha's
reinforcements arrived (again too late) on
the heights near Lovcha They would have
saved the place had they been there the
day before. The 11th of September dawns
in thick mist, the Emperor Alexander's
birthday. His loyal army intends making
him present of Plevna to celebrate the
occasion. His Majesty has special stand
erected, from which he is to witness the
grand triumph. The history is well
known-the wretchedly planned attack
and still more wretched failure. Skobe-
left with twenty battalions. 1860 men,
takes two redoubts and breaks the Turk
ish center. The other attacks fail. Os-
man Pasha, relieved from pressure, hurls
his legions upon Skobelef, who, hard
pressed, sends for reinforcements re-
peatedly. He has lost 5000 men in
capturing the positions. For twenty
four hours he holds the Turkish army
at bay, sending all the while for
help, which the jealous gang at head
quarters rufuse to order to his assistance.
Grayitza falls by a sudden and unex-
pected assault by a mixed corps of Rus
SLAMS and Roumanians but Dobrovalsky, |
who so skillfully led the Russian right at
Lovitza, is killed in the assault. Six des-
perate attempts are made upon Skobeleff
before he Yields to crushing numbers. !