The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-03
Osman Pasha,
Hero of Plevna.

and were so packed with men that 1t
was said they stood shoulder to Shout
der in the rifle pits and lay spoon fash
ion in the bitches at night around the
entire circuit. Osman Pasha could
not have escaped had he ever had
notion it would have been wise to re-
treat. He had had word from Constan-
tinople that no more re-enforcements
could be sent him an he as>advised to
retreat. He politely but stoutly said
he would hold his bitches, believing
that a retreat would so dishearten
his troops that they would lose during
the rest of the engagement. He replied
that it were better to fight the way
out and save the few than to run away
with the whole army. This was what
he called the morale of the soldier. He
would not bulge, and the longer he re-
fused to try and get away the more
impossible 1t became for him to even
attempt to do it. He was in desperate
straits when he made this reply to the
sultan. His army was already willing
ly accepting half rations-two ard one
half pounds of meat daily to each ten
soldiers and corn and meal in equally
scant allowances. He knew that he
was surrounded with a compact circle
of rifles and guns and that each fort
of the Russians on the hilltops was con-
nected with the other by telegraph
to storm a corner which he thought
might be weak, and the moment the
firing would begin all the batteries of
the investment would be turned upon
that point
Osman Pasha knew that Turkey
would never get together such an army
again if he surrendered without
fight Skobeleff knew that the fate of
the war was practically Ringing on
the fate of Plevna. He would sit be-
fore it and wait. Osman Pasha had
thought he was building net, but soon
found it had been turned into a trap
largely through the failure of the sui
tan to send reinforcementS. He had
his original 1000 men, less those who
had been shot. Skobeleff had been
Joined in early November by all the
new corps which had been summoned
from Russia, and all his battalions had
been brought up to their full strength.
The two armies simply camped and
the Turks built themselves wooden
houses inside the walls and prayed as
they starved. There were many slight
with the last one-but great when
taken by themselves. The Russian
spies brought word that the provisions
in Plevna were almost exhausted and
that no new supplies had been received
for six weeks. 1t was evident that the
end was coming and the Russian army
was alive with expectation concern
ing the new bent the tactics of the
man within the walls would take. They
had learned from the day that they
had seen the great herd of cattle driven
through the gates that Osrnan Pasha
was greater as the corner became
closer. They would not have been sur
prised to see the very ground open
and a food of provisions pour forth.
Skobeleff, in his mud hut in the side OF the
earthworks of the investment, heard one
morning that Osman Pasha concentrating
his forces on the plain behind the Vd All
night the enemy was watched and toward
daylight Skobelef gave orders for his wing
to be ready to move. His men got under way
and were half way toward the vid when dawn
broke. The Turks were on the plain opposite
to them. The skirmishers were far in ad-
vance. fighting and running for chance to
fight. 1t was evident that the Turks were go
ing to make their last effort to get out of
Plevna. The Russians fed before their terri
BILE vengeance, and Skobeeff from his po-
the face Of such fanaticism. "They are born
soldiers-those Turks" he exclaimed, as he
dashed to the front of battalion which was
wavering in the face of the killing. Never
,, was sortie more skillfully prepared. How
should like to be in command of 1t, and have
my name remembered in connection with it.
This was the estimate of the enemy-it al
ways has been the estimate of the neutral
who looks upon war merely science 1t
was not. however. successful. The Turks tore
hoes in the Russian lines. They cut to
pieces battalion after batta1ion-these men
who had gone hungry for six weeks and
whose clothing had been half soaked off by
the rains and SHOWS. The Russian shell fire
p,owed lanes through their ranks and the
Russian rifle fire moved them down as with
q scythe. The slaughter might have so much
telling of trees in forest as for its influence
upon the bravery of Osman Pasha's men.
They threw themselves upon a section held
bv
apets slaughtered their defenders to the last
man in a momentary hand-to-hand conner,
carried with a rush the battery in the rear,
bayonetted the Russian artilierymen and with
demon fury slew on as II determined to cut
their way through the whole Russian force
The center Of the Russian first line was
thus broken in Turkish occupation. The
gunners to the left fired shrapnel into the
Turks but they were in turn surrounded and
forced to abandon their position For time
one Russian brigade was bearing the brunt
of the assault delivered by the whole Turk
ish army. The lunettes it held were full of
dead and dying. The soldiers were exhaust
ed by their efforts to oppose the Turkish
rushes. second regiment came to save the
Siberian. 1t threw itself valiantly into the
midst of the slaughter house, and in less
than five minutes all three of the battalion
commanders and half OF its company chiefs
were either killed or wounded. 1t ran thus
until nearly noon, and it seemed that Osman
Pasha was to win the day-making the fight
of the campaign with men whose faces showed
Sne lack OIL IOOQ anu WHOSE uuiloImS Weie
nothing but strips and rags. He cut his
path, foot by foot and was gaining rapidly
when the Russians poured host into the
breach they had made and the tide began to
turn. The Turks started to retreat and then
broke into q rout. This was the signal for
the whole Russian line to move forward
The Turks began to slack the pace Of their
firing, and soon the shots from the Russian
batteries were not answered at all. The
smoke gradually lifted from the field Of bat
tie and there a silence Osman's fierce
sortie had failed-but failed with heroism
Osman made complete surrender. The
army of Plevna, which was forced to lay
down it's arms after a gallant, obstinate and
historic fight, consisted of ten pashas, 100
infantrymen and gunners, and 1,200 cavalry
men. This army lost 5000 In the sortie, and
the Russians remember Plevna, for 1000 of
its soldiers, who were left on the mountain
sides, 10000 who died of sickness and 1872
who persisted during the engagements Of the
sortie.
Osman met Nicholas after the capitulation.
on his horse. They gripped hands and Mich
olas said to osaan, who has now gone to
wage war With the Greeks: General, know
you for your noble defense Of Plevna. 1t has
been among the most splendid examples Of
skill and heroism in modern history" Osman
stood up, his face twitching from the pain
from a wound and saluted. The Russian
officers greeted him with shouts.
His face Is the face of a great SOLDIER"
was the estimate Skobelef mode Of Osman.
He has the heavy jowl Of stolid, logged reso-
luton. He is brave, merciless, a Turk of the
old type, who can make out OF an undrilled
mob Of fanatics a terror to any civilized
army.