The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-03
FAMOUS TURKISH
SOLDIER.

Osman Pasha, who held the flower
of the Russian army in front OF PleVna
and saw the Turkish scimiter and she'll
NOW down 10000, has been sent to com
mand the troops of the sultan In the
fight with Greece. This move was
made at Constantinople on the receipt
of the word that Salonica was threat
ened. There had been d1scourag1ng
reVerses for Hands troops. 1t is salc
there was need of spirit In the host
under the crescent. The Greeks had
battered down the frontier forts and
were laying plans for the capture OF
the base of supplies of the turbaned
army. 1t was necessary to make
dash at once for Larissa, the head
quarters of the Greeks, and to follow
that campaign with offensive work all
along the line Turkey saw the des-
perate bravery of its ancient enemy.
Its counserors remembered the inspira-
ton the bearded hero had been to the
garrison which checked Skobelef OH
the banks of the Vid and stopped the
march of 10000 men until starvation
made him show the white flag. There
was a crisis at hand, and the Turks
want Osman Pasha and Allah side py
side when their armies are in need.
He has left for the field. 1t remains
to be seen whether the sagacity which
puzzled all Europe when he was at his
prime has held its own. He has passed
to the down side Of his years and come
to be siXty-five and is no longer the
young general whose strategy was SUI
ficiently amazing to make him consplc-
uous in the history of military achieve
ments He has been soldier all his
life. He came up from Tokat to the
war schools at the capital. He fought
all over the Crimea. Crete felt his power
years ago. He was match for the
best of the Russian leaders twenty
years ago being in command of the
Fifth army corps of the sultan. HIS
name was sort of weird terror among
the Cossacks. and time and again over
In the Balkans a shout that Osman
Pasha was at the front sent the BAR
barians fleeing like towards and leav-
ing their rifles in the trenches. He felt
the sting of defeat at Scalevitz and his
magnificent army was delivered to the
Russians at Plevna, but there was more
glory in the heroism of his defeat than
there was in the victory of Skobelef.
His conduct gave him place in his
tory-made the story of Plevna a tale
of courage which is related around the
world
1t is supposed that Greece will suffer
with him in the field. They know as
we'll as anybody that there is probably
not a better fighter living today than
he is. His campaign in the Turco-
Russian war was managed with such
consummate skill that for long time
the generals on the other side insisted
that he was not a Turk, but some
European who had joined the Mussul-
mans and had taken this name to con-
ceal his identity. 1t was commonly
claimed at he time that he was Marshal
BaZaine. He checkmated each move
of the Russians, and during the long
time that he held back twice his own
force, with better guns and better
soldiers, he did not lose an inch. Rus
slams time and again planned sorties
to get the heights about Plevna, to
beat down the redoubts, but just as
frequently the Roumanians, Vladimirs
and Cossacks came back with their
ranks cut to pieces and their dead
covering the hillsides Gen. Todleben,
who won his laurels at the defense Of
SebastoDol, was called into the Bull
garian field, and he put his wits into
the great scheme of starving Osman
PaSha from his citadel. He held al
most hourly conferences with as fierce
an army staff as ever mapped whole
sale death, and he congratulated him
self that the man Of terrors had not
enough food to last his host of 10000
another week. He missed his judg-
ment The very next day the men with
the glasses were dismayed to see
herd of 5000 cattle driven up to the
back gate of the fertilization and into
the garrison. Osman Pasha had fooled
the council-he had expected the siege,
and his supplies were kept grazing in
the forest a nights drive from the
seat of action. He rode among his
men, spoke with them and held prayers
that the great Mohammed should
watch them. His devoutness increased
the fanaticism of the rank and file,
and there was not a man in the place
who did not need the curb to keep
him from going forth to die in single
combat happy to lay down his own
life to get the life of a dog who scorned
his God.
Cen Skobeleff was busy sending
back word from his intrenchments that
Plevna could not hold out week
longer This was in September. He
repeated the same messages in October.
He did not seem to be so confident In
November, and in the latter days OF
that month, either at his own request
or by direction of the minister of war,
he was given assistance. There appear
ed at his side all the best men of the
army Grand Duke Nicholas came,
with his knowledge Of active campaign
ing. The divisions all over the empire
were searched for warriors who knew
the game-to join the conference in
front of Plevna and help in the plan
To rout the Turks. The siege had
lasted nearly three months, and time
and again word went back to Moscow
and ST Petersburg that the princes of
Russia army rad fallen in skirmishes,
and that their bodies had been hacked
by the furious demons from within
the town, who slipped out in the night
to make an attack, or who rushed out
to meet detachment Of attackers and
leave not SO much as messenger TO
return to tell the story of the hand
to-hand Savagery of the MoslemS. Gen.
Skobeleff occasionally marched few
yards nearer the stronghold, but he
found that each top that he was per-
mitted to take was not considered es-
pecially important by Osman Pasha-
In fact. a point which put the Russians
in a particularly good place for them
to be shot by his riflemen.
Gen. Skobeleff made his first attack
upon Plevna in September. His loss
of men was frightful, and the Turks
captured many Of his biggest guns. It
was estimated that fully $4,000 soldiers
never came back from that march, and
Osman Pasha was as comfortable in
Plevna as ever. The Russians gained
a bit in the matter Of distance, but
after they carried out their sick and
buried a portion Of their dead, they
saw they had been fighting for ground