The suburban citizen., 1900-03-24

" IL the timO Wn6u tue eyes Ot
N the world were eagerly bent
~ toward the Ladysmith OF
Natal, a writer in the Lon.
don Daily Mail thought it we'll to re.
call the not less heroic defence, twenty
two years ago, of what might be called
"the Ladysmith of the Balkans"-
Plevna. The early victories won by
the Cars battalons, in June and
July, 1877, found Osman Pacha-then
little known man--in occupation of
the fortress Of Widdin with forty
thousand of the best troops in Turkey
and ninety guns.
But so soon as 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 IS the Grand Duke
wired General Krudener to occupy
Plevna as promptly as possible. "
They rockoned without Osman.
General Schildner-S -Schuldner. sent
forward by Krudener according to the
Grand Dukes orders, found Osman
in possession of Pleyna and already
partially intrerched. Yet Schilduer-
Sohuldner, with $500 men, was fool
ish enough to throw himself against
the Turks 10000. This attack-tho
first battle Of Plevna-signally failed,
the 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 ut four thou
sand, but one writer places it at 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's 5
100000. OF course, the inevitable
happened. The Russians lost 1863 of
fcers and 7l36 men, single regi-
ment having seventy-hve 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 crux of the Russo
Turkish war would be Plevna. After
July 80 came a six weeks pause. The
investment Of Plevna by an army
which, by September G, numbered
95, ,000followed. The siege operations
were directed by the veteran Todle-
ben, the hero of Sebastopol, who,
though he had $50 guns, declared
Plevns ''impregnable." For mean
while the battle ofSeptember IL, 1877,
had won for Osmau the proud title of
Ghazi-"the Victorious.
The Gar in person witnessed The
rout of his bravest battalions. In the
right attack 5000 victims were swept
to destruction before those blood
stained redouts. On the left Skobe-
left won partial but wholly useless
success. In the final assault of this,
the most sauguinary conflict of the
whole war, the Turks attacked with
only $500 men instead OF 1000, so
distressing had been their losses.
"There were" writes one whc 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 and 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 Turk
began to be hungry. Inside Plevna,
including non-combatants, 5000
mouths had to be fed. The soldiers
clothes dropped off ana could not be
replaced. By mid October snow set
in, adding fearfully to the garrison &
sutferings, and the mortality from dis
ease became awful. Yet the Turks
behaved with heroic fortitude. No
yember arrived, still in snow aud sleet
and frost. "The Plevra camp, twenty.
five square miles in area, was vast
cemetery" says one historian.
Two alleged attempts" to relieve
the unconquered fortress failed lament.
ably. Osman found himself left to
his fate by a grateful Sultan. On De-
cember 1 he conferred with his di-
visional, brigade and regimental COM
manders on the subject of sortie.
The Ghazi was in favor of it, though
knowing well 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 a hundred thousand m en-
and 482 guns. Small hope for the
Turks, but infinite was their faith in
Osman.
December 10, 1877, dawned cold,
foggy and snowy. For the sortie every
individual of the "lost children" re.
ceiyed rifle, down to the buglers and
non-combatants. Each man was given
13O cartridges, and each battalion re,
ceived a reserve stock OF 1901 900
cartridges.
The wheels of gun carriages and
tumbrils were muflisd with straw Ia
deaden sound, and the wounded were
placed in OK carts. The long train
that accompanied Osman' noble hearts