(Per Press Agency.)

Evening Post, Volume XV, Issue 211, 8 September 1877, Page 2

(Per Press Agency.)

Befoie the erid of J uly the Russians concentrated a hundred thousand troops around Plevna, enough to dispense with a garrison at Nicopolis ; they had completed the investment of Rustchuk, and advanced near enough to throw shells into the fortifications. The bombardment of Silistria caused several fires in the town. On 31st July the Russian right wing, which was 40,000 strong, attacked Osman Pasha at Plevna. The Turkish forces were estimated at 50,000. They occupied a series of positions which were naturally strong, and also artificially fortified in every available spot, forming a horseshoe in front of Plevna, with both flanks restinApn the river Tid. The Russian force consistea of the Ninth Army Corps under General Krudener. The thirteenth division and the thirteenth brigade of the second division, under Prince Schakosky, with three brigades of cavalry and 160 guns, were so arranged that General Krudener should attack the Turkish centre at Grivieka and the northern flank of the entrenched position over Rahova, while Scbackosky attacked Rahazevo, and General Skabeloff held in check the strong Turkish force at Locoa, which was the extremity of the Turkish lines. But General Krudener began the battle about half-past nine o'clock. After a long bombardment he succeeded in silencing the Turkish cannon at Grivieka, but could not .expel the infantry froiri the earthworks. He spent the whole afternoon in an unavailing endeavor to force the northern flank of the Turkish position, desisting after dark, Without having gained anything material, and having himself suffered considerable loss. Prince bchakosky about noon carried Rahazevo, planting four bittteries on the heights beyond, and bombarded the nearest Turkish position, which was an earthwork armed with cannon In front of an entrenched village. After an hours' cannonade he silenced the Turkish guns ; and his infantry, after a long and bloody contest, carried the earthwork at the village. The Second Turkish position, consisting of a redoubt and a series of entrenched vineyards, which was strongly held, was then attacked, and Ultimately carried, but with terrible effort and very severe loss, owing to the heavy Turkish artillery fire. The Russians moreover were unable to utilise the captured position. At 4 o'clock the reserve brigade was brought up, and an attack was made on a position umriediately covering Plevna. The attack continued until nearly sunset. The Turkish infantry was in great force in a continuous lino under the shelter of trenches, and despite the most stubborn efforts, no impression could be made upon that line. Two companies of Russian infantry worked round to the right of the * Turkish trenches, and entered the town of Plevna ; but it was impossible to hold it. The Russian batteries pushed boldly forward into the position first taken, and attempted to keep down the Turkish cannonade, which was crashing into the infantry in the open with fatal eflect ; Hut they were compelled soon to evacuate the hazardous spot. At sundown the Turks made a continuous forward movement and re-occupied their second position. Tho Russian infantry made a succession of desperate stands, and died like heroes. The Turks gradually retook everything they had lost. The fighting lasted long after nightfall. With darkness the Bashi-Bazouks took possession of the battlefield and slew all the wounded. The Russians hold the heights of Badazov, but the Bashi-Bazouks worked around to their rear and fell on the wounded of Radigerum. Retreat was compelled in the direction of Bulgarini. A correspondent telegraphs that Prince Schakosky 's division was utterly routed. He had not a man left to cover the retretft. The Turks struck without stint. They had the upper hand, and were determined to show that they knew how to make the most of it. They advanced in swarms through the dusk to their original first position, and captured the Russian caunon before the batteries could be withdrawn. The Turkish shells began once more to whistle over the ridge above Radishova, which was now crammed with the wounded, who had wended their painful way over the ridge. They wefe badly wounded, and mostly lay where they fell. Later, in the darkness, a baleful sort of whirlwind stormed over tho battlefield in the shape of Bashi-Bazouks, who spared nothing, lingering on the ridge till the moon rose. The staff could hear from below on the still night air the cries of pain and entreaties for mercy to the bloodthirsty fanatics. It was indeed an hour to wring the sternest heart. Wo stayed there to learn if we could what troops were coming up the valley of the shadow ot death below, or whether there were indeed any at all to come. The Turks had our range before dark, and we could watch the flood of flame over against us, and then listen to the scream of the shells as they tore by us. The sound of rifle bullets was incessant, and the escort and retreating wounded were struck. A detachment at length began to come straggling up; but it will give some idea of the disorganisation to say that when a company was told off to cover some of tho wounded in Radishova it had to be made up of men of several regiments. About nine o'clock the staff quitted the ridge, leaving it littered with groaning men. Moving gently, lest we should tread on the prostrate wounded, we lost our way as we had lost our army. We could find no rest for the soles of our feet by reason of the alarms of the Bashi-Bazouks swarmiug in among the scattered and retreating Russians. At length, at one o'clock in the morning, having been in the saddle since early on the previous morning, we turned into a stubble-field, and, making oeds of the reaped grain, correspondent and Cossack alike rested under the stars. But we were not even then iillowed to rest long before an alarm came that the BashiBazouks were upon us, and we had to rouse and tramp away. What in the morning was a fine army was now a handful of weary Cossacks. General Krudener sent word in the morning that he had lost severely, and could make no headway, and that he had resolved to fall back on the line of the River Osma. Fightiug was renewed the following day, with further losses to the Russians. Tho defeat had a most demoralising effect. The panic extended through the Russian army as far as Sistova, where a few Cossacks arriving, said the Turks were closely following them . The people of Sistova thereupon rushed en masse across to Simnitza, followed by the Cossacks, who fled beyond. On the road they came upon a convoy of Russian transport waggons, and spread panic among the drivers, who, leaving their charge, ran in all directions. Next morning order was restored by the arrival of a large number of prisoners at Sistova, said to have been captured in an engagement by the army of the Czarewitch. The Russians killed and wounded were estimated at 24,000. The defeat completely disarranged the Russian plan of operations, and reinforcements were pressed forward. Osman Pasha did not follow up the victory, awaiting reinforcements. On the same day the Russians attacked Raouf Pasha at Eski Saghra. After seven hours' fighting Raouf Pasha retreated upon Karabondar ; but Sulieman Pasha coming up repulsed the enemy and recaptured Eski Saghra, taking several guns and iuflicting considerable loss upon the Russians. A despatch from Sukhum Kaleh, dated 2nd August, says the Turkish frigate Maumadich bombarded the Russian batteries at Techaintehera on the 30th ultimo, silencing every Russian gun. The Maumadich was considerably damaged, and several of the crew were killed and wounded. Near Tchamtcliira were GOO Turks in a criticol position owing to the advance of the Russian army. Ilobart Pasha embarked the entire force on Ist August, under cover of the guns of the fleet. This completes the withdrawal of the Turkish military from Caucasia. Ilobart Pasha has the command of the entire Black Sea forces, consisting of twenty men-of-war and transports. After suffering defeats south of the Balkans, the Russians strongly fortified Shipka Pass. 25,000 Turkish regulars were ordered from Batchum to Verna, and the Servian militia, to the number of 30,000, were called out and posted as frontier guards. In most districts the President's message is expected to dwell principally upon the labor question. Several members of the Cabinet are known to favor the law for providing for the organisation of a commission, having a due regard for the interests of all classes. The insurance losses by the St. John's fire are 6,700,000 dols. The workhouse of Samcol was burned, with seventeen inmates. The village of Salem, in Wisconsin, was destroyed by fire, communicated from Fort St.

Louis, which burnt for five weeks. One family perished. Several are missing. The Chinese question occupies columns of the American journals. The San Francisco Post of Bth August has a letter stating that hundreds of officers in the civil war are now earning a bare subsistence at the wash tub. Mehemet All's artUy at Hasfffad, which is opposing the Russian position on the river Lorn, numbers 40,000. The Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs has ssnt a circular to the Turkish representatives abroad, citing the barbarous acts committed by the Russians, and stating that It is necessary that the civilised world should become acquainted with these horrors, so as to express its indignation. The inhabitants of Ternis, near Tirnova. having, on the approach of the Russians taken refuge in a mosque, were burned alive in an enclosure* The Russians having met three hundred carts filled with fugitive families, destroyed them" with' cannon shot. They completed their work of extermination by massacring all the men and women they could find. In every suburb or village occupied by Russian troops tho dwellings of the Turks were given to the flames. The Bulgarians, excited by the example of the Russians, committed against the peaceful and resigned Mussulman population' acts of barbarity and outrages still more atrocious and more horrible than those perpetrated by the invaders. Ou the 6th a Turkish division from Lovatz occupied Selva unopposed. The Turks at Plevna received reinforcements of 4000 Albanian cavalry. The Russian forces aro between Selva and Tirnova, holding strong defensive positions. General Gourka is charged with the duty of protecting the southern outlets of the Balkan passes. Mehemet AH hasj appointed Rescind Pasha chief of the artillery, and Blumpsa commander at Varna. Both are Prussians. Eight squadrons of Russian 1 cavalry attacked Lovatz, and were repulsed, with 30tf killed and 600 wounded. A Turkish loan of two millions has been floated in London. A Bucharest telegram of 12th August says an eminent personage bore had an interview with the Grand Duke Nicholas, who admits that the troops were somewhat demoralised, and said there was no probability of the resumption of operations for three weeks, when reinforcements of 100,000 men are to arrive. The following were the latest despatches : — A large Russian army under the Czarewitch is facing Eyoub Pasha on the left, and Mehemet Ali on the right. The former is threatened from the direction of Kashar, and the latter from Osraan Bazar. EyoUb M believed to have forty-eight battalions of infantry, sixty-two squadrous of cavalry,- and fifteen batteries of artillery, while the army of Mehemet contains 60,000. Shakosky's aud Krudener's position is confronting Plevna, and DragomerofPs division is between Tirnova and Lovatz. This force is probably sufficient for protection, Jmt is utterly inadequate for the renewal of often-* sive operations. It is estimated nefw that from 60,000 to 70,000 Turks are on the Lovatsf and Plevna line, and they will take a deal of beating. On the Russian left, the flank of the Czarewitch's ! army, which is available for holding the line from the Danube to tho Balkans, numbers about 60,000, and is necessarily extended over a long front, so as to leave no gap for the Turks to creep through. The Turks are probably about; the same.strength ; but if Mehomet Ali chooses to take the offensive, he may concentrate at Rustchuk, Rasgrad, and Osman Bazar. The Russians must be ready to face him everywhere, consequently they must remain strictly ou the defensive. The river Lorn still virtually constitutes the line of the Rustchuk army. The head quarters of the 12th Corps have been moved beyond to Kadikoi. Tho head quarters of the Czarewitch, with the 13th Corps, have been advanced to Kahatjevat, thus confronting Rasgrad, while between Osman Bazar and Tirnova. The first division stands with the head quarters in Kosarevia* The correspondent with the Dobrudscha army telegraphs that malarial fever is doing its worst. Hundreds of sick are arriving at Tchernavoda daily. The majority nre from the neighborhood of Meajidge, where the steaming swamp poisons the water and air alike. Dysentery counts many victims, and in proportion as the season advances the sickness increases. A St. Petersburg letter states that 40,000 fresh troops arc already ou their way by railroad to the seat of war. The Guards follow in ten days. The force includes 8,000 cavalry, 56,0Cf0 infantry, and 250 cannon. Only picked regiments go to Bulgaria. Sulicnian Pasha announces the retaking of Karholga, the disarming of the Bulgarians, and the re-establishment ol order. He then captured Kalofer, which was defended by the Bulgarians in entrenched positions, and occupied Kalafor Pass. The rebels fled into the Balkans after loosing 500 killed. Eleven Turkish soldiers were killed and thirty-three were wounded. Despatches from Batum describe a great exodus of Circassians from the Caucasus iv consequence of the withdrawal of the Turkish expedition. 50,000 people and 150,000 cattle are awaiting embarkation at Sukhuiu Kaleh. Hobart Pasha improvised a jetty by mooring small vessels lengthways. A frigate and transport arrived at Batum with 1000 and 900 emigrants respectively ; none were permitted to lnnd at Batum ou account of the lack of accommodation and provisions. All go to Trebizond. The Russians succeeded in stopping the exodus from one district, and drove the people back with great cruelty. It is reported that all the men who participated in the insurrection arc to be sent to Siberia and their women and children given to the Cossacks. An English steamer arrived in port from Bulgarem, reports a rumour from a Russian source, which asserts that Bulgaria, while remaining a vassal of the Porte, will bo placed under the Mussulman Prince Hassan, son of the Khedive of Egypt, who is spoken of as the future sovereign of Bulgaria. He was educated in Germany, and the suggestion of his name as Prince of Bulgaria is regarded favourably at Berlin, and he will be supported by England. Prince Eugene of Leichtenberg, who commanded a force of dragoons ana Bulgarians under General Gourka, when compelled to evacuate Eski Saghra, had to cut his way out, with a loss of 800 men. It is rumoured that General Ignatieff has fallen into disgrace, and that the passage of the Balkans was mainly resolved ou in consequence of his assurance that with the Turks anything might be ventured upon. The Russian Government say, moreover ? that they have been misled on certain other points concerning the state of things in Turkey. The Grand Duke Nicholas was south of the Balkans when the defeat at Eski Saghra occurred. He was compelled to make a hasty retreat. The Russian reinforcements to Asiastic and Caucasian armies are stated to be 90,000. 15,000 crossed the frontier and occupied a strong position north of Ani, threatening the right flank of the centre of the Ottoman army. The Russian centre is divided into three columns at Ani, Gilvema, aud Kurukdara. The numbers iv all are 66 battalions of infantry, IQ batteries of artillery, and 8500 cavalry. Ismail Pasha is west of Bayazid . General Terguksasoff is on the frontier at Karadoudok, with 18 battalions of infantry, 7 batteries, and 7 regiments of cavalry. Mukhtar Pasha telegraphs that 1000 Karapaka horsemen defeated two Russian battalions near Ardahan. Mukhtar telegraphs that several hundred Russians were killed in an ambuscade in Kault, south of Ani. The Russian outposts near Ani were defeated, with a loss of 1000 killed. "The Turks withdrew on the approach of the Russian reinforcements. AMERICAN NEWS. Fearful riots have been caused by strikes all through the States at the end of July. At Chicago and St. Louis three-fourths of the manufacturers have stopped . The military were called out, and fired at the mob at Chicago, killing fifteen, and wounding over fifty. Kioto have occurred at Harrisburgh, Columbus, Toledo, ' Detroit, Scanton, Pittsburgh, Omaha, Jackson; also in Dianopolis, and a score of other towns. At Baltimore 8000 miners struck. Cabinet Councils have been held in Washington to devise measures for safety. Detachments of military men were sent in all directions. The destruction of property was enormous. The crops in the Western States are splendid. The wheat average is higher than usual. At San Francisco a mob of hoodlums arranged a plan for exterminating the Chinese and burning the docks of the Pacific Mail Company, which brings Chinamen to the country. A vigilance committee prevented any outbreak. Detachments of soldiers were sent along the central railway lines to secure the safe transit of the mails and passengers. At Baltimore, St. Louis, and other places, the strikers signed requisitions for eight hours. At Reading six people were killed. A compromise was effected in the beginning of August, and work was resumed. The Jado Indian war continues. Geueral Gibbin attacked the Indian camp at Big Hole

Basin, and after a severe struggle, routed them. The troops losi 70 of all ranks, and the Indians 100. It was one of the hardest fought battles of the kind. The Indians arc retreating.