Omaha daily bee., 1897-04-27
OLD HERO OF PLENNA.
Sketch of Osmun 4Pnsha, Head of the
Turkish Army.

Dispatches from the seat of war announce
that Osman Pasha has gone to the front to
assume command of the army OF Turkey
now invading Greece Osman Pasha is the
most distingL ished soldier in the service OF
the sultan. He was born at Tokat in 1882,
and is, consequently, 65 years of age and has
seen a great deal of service. Unlike many
high officers in the past or present of the
birth and education. When he rose to dis
tinctiol for his defense of Plevna he was
made the subject of many rOmance6; he was
an adventurer from various countries and
an apostate from several religions; one story
represented him as an American named
Crawford, and so, by way of contradiction,
the facts of his history come out.
Osman Pasha was educated under the di-
rection of his brother, Harsein Elfendl, for
many years professor of Arabic in the
afterward ertered = the military academy.
He left the academy in 1858, just in time to
take part in the Crimean war. He was ap-
pointed on the general staff and sent to
Shumla. After the Crimean war he was
appointed captain in the Imperial guard,
the flower of the Turkish army, and served
against the insurrection in Crete from 1866
to 1869. In 1876, on the breaking out of the
war with Servia. he was given command
of division, made mustur, or marshal, and
served with success, and in 1877 found him
self confronting the Russians, who had
crossed the Danube. The Turks early in the
war adopted the policy they again resort to of
changing their commanders. Abchel Kerim,
commandment chief, was removed, Mehemct
Ali was brought from Montenegro and ap-
pointed in his stead. Suleiman Pasha was
appointed commander in Roumelia, and Os-
man Pasha took command at Plevna, and
at Plevna the Russians sustained their first
repulse in the campaign. Mehemet Ali at
Shumla and Osman Pasha at Plevna en-
deavored to effect junction at Tirnova and
crush the Russians. Both sides were rein
forced, and, coming together on the 3Oth
OF July, 1877, two days of severe fighting
ensued, in which the advantage remained
with the Turks, who did not, however fol-
low up their advantage, and the Russians
afterwards retook their position.
The Russian army was powerfully rein
forced from Poland and other distant por-
tions of the empire. The Emperor Alex
ander and the Grand Duke Nicholas joined
the army in the field. Mehemet Ali ad-
vanced with great Turkish force and
drove the Russians beyond the river LON
The Russian right wing, which faced Plevna
was attacked by Osman Pasha, who was re-
pulsed. But since the first Russian demon
straton in front of Plevna in July Osman
Pasha had employed himself in fortifying
the place. He filed it with provisions which
he gave out would last a year, aud reinforced
the defenders.
In September the czar and grand duke ar
rived in front of the place, and on the 7th
PlnVnH
began, under the eye of the emperor Osman
Pasha held off the Russians and defeated
many assaults, and on the 14th of September
Pievna was partially invested and the siege
began, Osman Pasha commanding about
10000 men and $50 guns. The Russian army
was estimated at from $4,000 to $4,000 men,
with more than 400 field guns. During Octo-
ber Osman was driven in from outlying posts
and the Investment by the Russians made
more complete. On October 81 Plevna was
entirely surrounded On the 18th Of Novem,
ber Osman Pasha was summoned to sur
render. He refused
On the 9th of December. 144 days after
Osman Pasha's arrival at Plevna, foNty-five
days after the complete investment and
about sixty days after the arrival of his
last supply Of ammunition, Osman Pasha
determined to cut his way out. The Rus
siars knew three days beforehand of the
Intended sortie.a The Turks advanced from
the town at Z o'clock on the morning of
Monday, December 7, and hurled themselves
upon the first line Of investment, demolshng
an opposing Russian regiment and capturing
battery. The second line of investment
opened fire. thee Russians advanced with the
bayonet. a stubborn hand-to hand fight oc-
Cured the Turks were driven back across
the river Vld. .-pghsEe they took shelter under
the banks of the river and kept firing till
noon when woHl~~as brought that Osman
Pasha was wounded and would surrender
Russian commandey and the surrender was
effected In quarter of an hour. The fall of
Plevna virtually ended the war in Europe.
Osman Pasha was treated with great kind
ness by the grand duke and the other high
officers OF the Russian army. After the war
he was appointed commander in-chef of
the Imperial guard and marshal of the palace
He then performed a singular duty. Every
dish OF which the sultan Is to taste must be
first tasted by this high officer and then
sealed This precaution against the poison
ing Of the Father OF the Faithful was for a
considerable time taken by Osman Pasha
In 1878 he was appointed minister of war
was removed in 1880 and reapponted in 1881
and held the position until 1885. He has
long held the rank Of general in the Turk
ish army and was the representative of the
sultan at Moscow at the coronation of the
emperor, Nicholas IL.
The appointment of osman Pasha (he is
now called GhazD means a fight to the
death Unless weakened by the nroads Of
time, he will make war after a fashion to
hn Ia is Turk