A WOUNDED ENGLISHMAN'S STORY OF THE FIGHTING IN SHIPKA PASS.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 8, 24 November 1877, Page 3

A WOUNDED ENGLISHMAN'S STORY OF THE FIGHTING IN SHIPKA PASS.

Chicago, August 31.—The " Times " correspondent at Pera, telegraplis the statement of a wounded English offieor who Ins returned from Shipka Pass, who says that the preliminary useless and bloody assaults on the front of the Russian position have been abandoned, and the investment of the Russian right flank commenced. The natural obstacles encountered by the Turks are of tremendous magnitude. Quns have been dragged by band up heights almost impassable by unincumbered footmen. In the charges and counter charges at the position gained by the Turks on the Russian (lank, the rcsultswere murderous. On the slop.' in front of the Turkish guns defending the line of rifle-pits 210 Russian bodies were left within a space "."> yards square. Quarter was rarely given or taken in this attack. From the beginning of the assault on Shipka fighting has been often hand to hand, and the dead outnumber the wounded. The officer savs the Turkish and Russian soldiers are the bravest in the world, caring nothing for odds or death. Properly officered there is no limit to what they can accomplish. He thinks the losses on both sides in killed and wounded will reach the enormous total of 20,000, and that neither side has gained substantial benefit from the tremendous sacrifice. At the present moment, Shipka, owing to the deadlock, is of no value to either of the belligerents.