The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-03-22

ioNuds Luo thilJ NlCOoTleb WOu NY
the Czar's battalions, in June and
July, 1877. found Osman Pacha-then
little known man--in occupation OF
the fortress OF Widdin with forty
Thousand OF the bost troops in Turkey
and ninety guns.
But 80 soon ds Osman learned that
the invading army of the Grand Duke
Nicholas had crossed the Danube he
wheeled his army inland, until, on
July II, the village OF Plevna was
reached. His trained eye at once de-
tected that this was a place to be de-
Tended. On July 18 the Grand Duke
wired General Krudener to OCCUPY
Plevna as promptly as possible. I"
They reckoned without Osman.
General Schildner-S -Schuldner. sent
forward by Krudener according to the
Grand Dukes orders, found Osman
in possession OF Plevna and already
partially iutre1ched. Yet Schildner-
Schuldner, with $500 men, was fool
ish enough TO throw himself against
the Turks 10000. This attack-thc
first battle OF Plevna-signally failed,
tho Russian losing two.thirds of his
force and most of his baggage. 1t was
the first reverse sustained by the in.
vaders. and they could not under
stand it. They estimated the Turk
ish losses in this battle at four thou
sand, but one writer places it al two
hundred.
Worse followed. The Grand Duke
could not be made to believe that the
enemy was in serious force at Plevna.
So ten days later he ordered Krudener
to hurl his 10000 against Osman 8
100000. OF course, the inevitable
happened. The Russians lost 169 Of
ficers and 7136 mon, single regi-
ment having seventy-fve per cent. OF
its number killed and wounded.
Just as many people expect that the
real issue of the present campaign will
be decided around Ladysmith, so it
was seen that the orux of the Russo
Turkish war would be Plevna. After
July 80 came q six weeks pause. The
investment OF Plevna by an army
which, by September 6, numbered
95, ,000.followed. The siege operations
were directed by the veteran Todle-
ben, the hero OF Sebastopol, who,
though he had $50 guns, declared
Plevna "impregnable." For mean
while the battle of September IL, 1877,
had won for Osman the proud titlo of
Ghazi-"the Victorious"
The Czar in person witnessed the
rout Of his bravest battalions. In the
right attack 6000 victims were swept
to destruction before those blood
stained redouts. On the left Skobe-
left won a partial but wholly useless
success. In the final assault of this,
the most sanguinary conflict of the
whole war, tho Turks attacked with
only $500 men instead Of 1000, so
distressing had been their losses.
"There were," writes one who saw
it, walls and parapets built Of dead
bodies, erected by the Russians to
close the rear entrances of the works;
there were piles OF corpses aud manned
men; there were brooks and rivers of
blood" As the outcome Of twenty
eight hours fighting the Russian
losses exceeded 20,000l
Nevertheless, by October the Turks
began to be hungry. Inside Plevna,
including non-combatants, $4,000
mouths had to be fed. The soldiers
clothes dropped Off anj could not be
replaced, By mid October snow set
in, adding fearfully to the garrison's 8
sufferings, and the mortality from dis
ease became awful. Yet the Turks
behaved with heroic fortitude. No.
vember arrived, still in snow and sleet
and frost. "The Plevra camp, twenty.
five square miles in area, was a vast
cemetery" says one historian.
Two alleged attempts" to relieve
the heunconquered fortress failed lament-
ably. Osman found himself left to
his fate by grateful Sultan. On De.
cember he conferred with his di-
visional, brigade and regimental COM
manders on tho subject of sortie.
The Ghazi was in favor of it, though
knowing we'll how small the chances.
He could now place in line not more
than twenty-five thousand unwounded
men, to which the Russo -Roumauians
could oppose hundred thousand men
and 1872 guns. Small hope for the
Turks, but infinite was their faith in
Osman.
December 10, 1877, dawned cold,
foggy aud snowy. For the sortie every
individual of the "lost children" re-
ceived rifle, down to the buglers and
non-combatants. Each mau was given
130 cartridges, and each battalion re-
ceived q reserve stock Of 100000
cartridges.
The wheels Of gun carriages aud
tumbrils were muffisd with straw to
deaden sound, and the wounded we're
placed in OK carts. The long train
that accompanied Osman' noble hearts
out Of Plevna counted eighty eight
guns, HOO bullock carts an i 5000 pack
horses and mules. The regimentsl
standards were destroyed ere moving
out. for did they not bear on them the
names OF Crimean victories2
Osman commanded in person, with
Tahir Pacha as second. Their aim
was to GROSS the Vid and retreat over
the Balkans TO Soma. A little maize
porridge is not the best OF rations on
which to fight great battle. Still the
Turkish ranks presented q magnif-
cent appearance as they moved out OF
Plovna to cross the Vid by three
bridges. Then it was that Osmau
Ghazi, sword and pistol in hand. in