Siege of Plevna Skobelev. “The fall of Plevna decided the whole issue of the war

Siege of Plevna

The Russo-Turkish war of 1877-1878 became, to a certain extent, revenge on Russia for the heavy defeats of the Crimean War. In this war, the Russians were not opposed by the great powers of Europe, and, of course, it was given to the country with much less effort. But one should not think that the Russian-Turkish war was a cakewalk - the Turks, well trained by French and English instructors, fought very, very well in this war. An obvious example of the difficulties of the war is the siege of Plevna, which became its key episode.

The war began with a general offensive by Russian troops. After forcing the Danube near Zimnitsa, the Russian Danube Army launched a successful offensive on Tarnovo. On July 2, the Turkish command sent a corps of Osman Pasha numbering about sixteen thousand people, as well as fifty-eight guns, from Vidin to Plevna. Having made a forced march, on the morning of July 7, the Turkish corps entered Plevna.

After the capture of Nikopol, the Russian command sent a detachment of Lieutenant General Schilder-Schuldner to Plevna on July 4, numbering up to nine thousand people, with forty-six guns. This detachment, without conducting preliminary reconnaissance, approached the city on the evening of July 7, but fell under enemy artillery fire and was forced to retreat. His new attempt at dawn on July 8 to take Plevna ended in failure.

On July 18, the Russian command launched a second attack on Plevna. Against the Turks - the replenished Turkish garrison numbered twenty-two - twenty-four thousand people and fifty-eight guns - the corps of Lieutenant General N.P. Kridener - over twenty-six thousand people, one hundred and forty guns. But the second attack was repulsed. The Danube army went on the defensive along the entire front.

By the third attack on Plevna, the Russians had concentrated eighty-four thousand people, four hundred and twenty-four guns, including thirty-two thousand people and one hundred and eight guns of the Romanian troops. Osman Pasha also reinforced the Plevna garrison to thirty-two thousand men with seventy-two guns. However, Plevna's third attack also ended in a severe failure. Mistakes were made during its preparation and implementation. The fortress was not blocked from the west, which allowed the enemy to reinforce the garrison with reinforcements. The directions of the main attacks were chosen in the same areas as in the second attack. Artillery bombardment was carried out from great distances and only in the daytime. The Plevna garrison had time to restore the destroyed fortifications overnight and knew where the attack would follow. As a result, surprise was lost, and although the detachment of General M.D. Skobeleva managed to capture the redoubts of Issa and Kuvanlyk and come close to Plevna, but, having repelled four enemy counterattacks, he was forced to retreat to his original position.

On September 1, the Russian command decided to blockade Plevna. The siege work was led by General E.I. Totleben. On October 20, the Plevna garrison was completely surrounded. Then, in October, in order to break the connection between Plevna and Sofia, the Russian detachment of Lieutenant General Gurko captured Gorny Dubnyak, Telishche and Dolny Dubnyak. On the night of November 28, the Plevna garrison, finding itself in a complete blockade and continuous artillery bombardment, attempted to break through in the direction of Sofia, but, having lost six thousand killed and wounded, surrendered.

Forty-three thousand Turkish soldiers and officers were taken prisoner. However, the capture of Plevna cost the Russian-Romanian troops very big sacrifices(Russians lost thirty-one thousand, Romanians - seven and a half thousand people). Nevertheless, it was a turning point in the war. The threat of a flank attack was finally removed, which allowed the Russian command to release over a hundred thousand people to launch a winter offensive beyond the Balkans.

The fighting at Plevna revealed major shortcomings and miscalculations of the Russian high command in command and control. However, there has been significant development military art, especially the forms and methods of blockade and encirclement. The infantry, cavalry and artillery of the Russian army developed new tactics. A step forward was made in the transition from the tactics of columns and loose formation to the tactics of skirmishing chains. The increased importance of field fortifications in the offensive and defense and the interaction of infantry with cavalry and artillery were revealed, important role heavy (howitzer) artillery in preparation for an attack on fortified positions and the centralization of its fire, the ability to control artillery fire when firing from closed positions. The surrounding Bulgarian population provided great assistance to the Russian-Romanian troops. Plevna has become a symbol of the brotherhood of the Russian, Bulgarian and Romanian peoples. The heroes of Plevna did everything they could to win and brought freedom from five hundred years of Turkish rule to the fraternal Bulgarian people and other peoples of the Balkans.

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The five-month siege of Plevna was accompanied by three bloody assaults, which, however, did not lead the Russian army to the intended result. Then it was decided to go the other way: the famous military engineer Eduard Totleben advised the commanders not to resort to more assault attempts, but to proceed with the blockade of the city.

However, shortly before the start of the blockade, reinforcements arrived at the Turkish troops stationed in Plevna. In addition, provisions were significantly replenished in the city. Also, a decree of the Sultan was delivered to the city, which stated that in connection with the productive defense, the commander Osman Pasha - later, by the way, who received the nickname “Lion of Plevna” - was awarded an honorary title. At the same time, the Turks were strictly forbidden to leave the city. The siege of Plevna was strategically beneficial to the Sultan: while it lasted, the Russians did not pay due attention to what was happening in other places, so that at that time the Turks could work on strengthening Istanbul and Adrianople.

Osman Pasha was supposed to receive additional reinforcements in addition to those sent earlier, but this could not be done before the start of the blockade. The Grenadier Regiment under the command of Ivan Ganetsky joined the Russian army.

The blockade of the city proved to be a difficult undertaking, accompanied by many casualties. For example, during the battle for the village of Gorny Dubnyak - its capture was necessary to isolate the Turks - the Russians lost 3600 people out of the 20 thousand allocated for this operation.

Departure from Plevna. Unknown artist

After the capture of Gorny Dubnyak and another village, Telish, Plevna finally ended up in a blockade ring. Even provisions prepared in advance did not help the people of Osman Pasha: the soldiers began to starve, diseases dominated the city, which there was nothing to treat - the supply of medicines was also depleted. At the same time, Russian troops, more than twice the size of the forces of the encircled enemy, systematically attacked Plevna. The situation seemed hopeless, and the Russians offered the Turkish commander to surrender. However, Osman Pasha was adamant and said that he would shed the blood of both his soldiers and the soldiers of the enemy with great pleasure, rather than lay down his arms in disgrace.

At the military council, the Turks decided to try to break through the blockade and go towards Sofia. Before leaving, the army set up scarecrows in the fortifications in order to disorientate the enemy, and left the city on December 10. The battle that ensued between the Turks and the Russians did not lead to victory for the former. Osman Pasha was wounded and eventually taken prisoner, the morale of the soldiers was broken, and the Turkish army capitulated. Thus ended the siege of Plevna.

Monument to the heroes of Plevna on a 19th century postcard

It was planned to honor the memory of the dead Russian soldiers by erecting a monument near Plevna, but in the end it appeared in Moscow ten years after the events described. The monument-chapel can still be seen in Ilyinsky Square.

No one knows anything in advance. And the biggest trouble can befall a person in the best place, and the greatest happiness will find him - in the worst ..
Alexander Solzhenitsyn

In foreign policy Russian Empire XIX century there were four wars with the Ottoman Empire. Russia won three of them, lost one. The last war in the 19th century between the two countries was the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, in which Russia won. Victory was one of the results military reform Alexandra 2. As a result of the war, the Russian Empire regained a number of territories, and also helped to acquire the independence of Serbia, Montenegro and Romania. In addition, for non-intervention in the war, Austria-Hungary received Bosnia, and England received Cyprus. The article is devoted to the description of the causes of the war between Russia and Turkey, its stages and main battles, the results and historical consequences of the war, as well as the analysis of the reaction of countries Western Europe to the strengthening of Russian influence in the Balkans.

What were the causes of the Russian-Turkish war?

Historians identify the following reasons for the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878:

Exacerbation of the "Balkan" issue.
Russia's desire to regain its status as an influential player in the foreign arena.
Russian support for the national movement of the Slavic peoples in the Balkans, seeking to expand its influence in the region. This caused intense resistance from the countries of Europe and the Ottoman Empire.
The conflict between Russia and Turkey over the status of the straits, as well as the desire for revenge for the defeat in the Crimean War of 1853-1856.
Turkey's unwillingness to compromise, ignoring not only the demands of Russia, but also the European community.

Now let's look at the causes of the war between Russia and Turkey in more detail, since it is important to know and correctly interpret them. Despite losing Crimean War, Russia, thanks to some reforms (primarily military) of Alexander 2, again became an influential and strong state in Europe. This forced many politicians in Russia to think about revenge for the lost war. But this was not even the most important thing - much more important was the desire to return the right to have the Black Sea Fleet. In many ways, to achieve this goal, the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 was unleashed, which we will discuss briefly later.

In 1875, an uprising against Turkish rule began on the territory of Bosnia. The army of the Ottoman Empire brutally suppressed it, but already in April 1876 an uprising began in Bulgaria. Turkey dealt with this national movement as well. In protest against the policy towards the South Slavs, and also wishing to realize their territorial tasks, Serbia in June 1876 declared war on the Ottoman Empire. The Serbian army was much weaker than the Turkish one. Since the beginning of the 19th century, Russia has positioned itself as a defender of the Slavic peoples in the Balkans, so Chernyaev went to Serbia, as well as several thousand Russian volunteers.

After the defeat of the Serbian army in October 1876 near Dyunish, Russia called on Turkey to stop hostilities and guarantee Slavic people cultural rights. The Ottomans, feeling the support of Britain, ignored the ideas of Russia. Despite the obviousness of the conflict, the Russian Empire tried to resolve the issue peacefully. This is evidenced by several conferences convened by Alexander II, in particular in January 1877 in Istanbul. Ambassadors and representatives of key European countries gathered there, but common decision did not come.

In March, an agreement was signed in London, which obliged Turkey to carry out reforms, but the latter completely ignored it. Thus, Russia was left with only one option for resolving the conflict - a military one. Until the last, Alexander 2 did not dare to start a war with Turkey, as he was worried that the war would again turn into resistance of European countries to Russia's foreign policy. On April 12, 1877, Alexander II signed a manifesto declaring war on the Ottoman Empire. In addition, the emperor concluded an agreement with Austria-Hungary on the non-accession of the latter on the side of Turkey. In exchange for neutrality, Austria-Hungary was to receive Bosnia.

Map of the Russo-Turkish War 1877-1878

Major battles of the war

In the period April-August 1877, several important battles took place:

Already on the first day of the war, Russian troops captured key Turkish fortresses on the Danube, and also crossed the Caucasian border.
On April 18, Russian troops captured Boyazet, an important Turkish stronghold in Armenia. However, already in the period of June 7-28, the Turks tried to carry out a counteroffensive, the Russian troops withstood in a heroic struggle.
At the beginning of summer, General Gurko's troops captured the ancient Bulgarian capital of Tarnovo, and on July 5 they established control over the Shipka Pass, through which the road to Istanbul passed.
During May-August, Romanians and Bulgarians massively began to create partisan detachments to help the Russians in the war against the Ottomans.

Battle of Plevna in 1877

The main problem of Russia was that the inexperienced brother of the emperor, Nikolai Nikolaevich, commanded the troops. Therefore, individual Russian troops actually acted without a center, which means they acted as uncoordinated units. As a result, on July 7-18, two unsuccessful attempts to storm Plevna were made, as a result of which about 10 thousand Russians died. In August, the third assault began, which turned into a protracted blockade. At the same time, from August 9 until December 28, the heroic defense of the Shipka Pass lasted. In this sense, the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, even briefly, seems to be very contradictory in terms of events and personalities.

In the autumn of 1877, a key battle took place near the fortress of Plevna. By order of Minister of War D. Milyutin, the army abandoned the assault on the fortress, and moved on to a systematic siege. The army of Russia, as well as its ally Romania, numbered about 83 thousand people, and the garrison of the fortress consisted of 34 thousand soldiers. The last battle near Plevna took place on November 28, Russian army came out victorious and was finally able to capture the impregnable fortress. It was one of the biggest defeats Turkish army: 10 generals and several thousand officers were captured. In addition, Russia was establishing control over an important fortress, opening its way to Sofia. This was the beginning of a turning point in the Russian-Turkish war.

Eastern front

On the eastern front, the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 also developed rapidly. In early November, another important strategic fortress, Kars, was captured. Due to simultaneous failures on two fronts, Turkey completely lost control over the movement of its own troops. On December 23, the Russian army entered Sofia.

In 1878, Russia entered with a complete advantage over the enemy. On January 3, the assault on Phillipopolis began, and already on the 5th the city was taken, the road to Istanbul was opened before the Russian Empire. On January 10, Russia enters Adrianople, the defeat of the Ottoman Empire is a fact, the Sultan is ready to sign peace on Russia's terms. Already on January 19, the parties agreed on a preliminary agreement, which significantly strengthened the role of Russia in the Black and Marmara Seas, as well as in the Balkans. This caused the strongest fear of the countries of Europe.

The reaction of major European powers to the successes of Russian troops

Most of all, England expressed dissatisfaction, which already at the end of January brought a fleet into the Sea of Marmara, threatening an attack in the event of a Russian invasion of Istanbul. England demanded to move Russian troops away from the Turkish capital, and also to start developing a new treaty. Russia was in difficult situation, which threatened to repeat the scenario of 1853-1856, when the entry of European troops violated the advantage of Russia, which led to defeat. Given this, Alexander 2 agreed to revise the treaty.

On February 19, 1878, in San Stefano, a suburb of Istanbul, a new treaty was signed with the participation of England.

The main outcomes of the war were recorded in the San Stefano Peace Treaty:

Russia annexed Bessarabia, as well as part of Turkish Armenia.
Turkey paid the Russian Empire an indemnity of 310 million rubles.
Russia received the right to have the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol.
Serbia, Montenegro and Romania gained independence, and Bulgaria received this status 2 years later, after the final withdrawal of Russian troops from there (which were there in case Turkey tried to return the territory).
Bosnia and Herzegovina received the status of autonomy, but were actually occupied by Austria-Hungary.
V Peaceful time Turkey was supposed to open ports for all ships that were heading to Russia.
Turkey was obliged to organize reforms in the cultural sphere (in particular for the Slavs and Armenians).

However, these conditions did not suit the European states. As a result, in June-July 1878, a congress was held in Berlin, at which some decisions were revised:

Bulgaria was divided into several parts, and only the northern part received independence, while the southern part returned to Turkey.
The contribution amount has been reduced.
England received Cyprus, and Austria-Hungary the official right to occupy Bosnia and Herzegovina.

war heroes

The Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 traditionally became a "minute of glory" for many soldiers and military leaders. In particular, several Russian generals became famous:

Joseph Gurko. Hero of the capture of the Shipka Pass, as well as the capture of Adrianople.
Mikhail Skobilev. He led the heroic defense of the Shipka Pass, as well as the capture of Sofia. He received the nickname "White General", and among the Bulgarians is considered a national hero.
Mikhail Loris-Melikov. Hero of the battles for Boyazet in the Caucasus.

In Bulgaria there are over 400 monuments erected in honor of the Russians who fought in the war against the Ottomans in 1877-1878. There are many memorial plaques, mass graves, etc. One of the most famous monuments is the Freedom Monument on the Shipka Pass. There is also a monument to Emperor Alexander 2. There are also many settlements named after the Russians. Thus, the Bulgarian people thank the Russians for the liberation of Bulgaria from Turkey, and the cessation of Muslim rule, which lasted more than five centuries. During the war years, the Bulgarians themselves called the Russians "brothers", and this word remained in the Bulgarian language as a synonym for "Russians".
History reference

The historical significance of the war

The Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 ended with the complete and unconditional victory of the Russian Empire, but despite the military success, the European states put up a swift resistance to the strengthening of Russia's role in Europe. In an effort to weaken Russia, England and Turkey insisted that not all the aspirations of the southern Slavs were realized, in particular, not the entire territory of Bulgaria gained independence, and Bosnia passed from the Ottoman occupation to the Austrian one. As a result, the national problems of the Balkans became even more complicated, as a result turning this region into a "powder keg of Europe". It was here that the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne took place, becoming the pretext for the start of the First World War. This is generally a funny and paradoxical situation - Russia wins victories on the battlefield, but over and over again suffers defeats in the diplomatic fields.

Russia regained its lost territories, the Black Sea Fleet, but never achieved the desire to dominate the Balkan Peninsula. This factor was also used by Russia when joining the First world war. For the Ottoman Empire, which was completely defeated, the idea of revenge was preserved, which forced it to enter into a world war against Russia. These were the results of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, which we briefly reviewed today.

From the appeal of the Bulgarian Central Committee to the Bulgarian people

Brothers! The hordes of Turkish monsters drowned our protest in blood and carried out those unheard-of atrocities for which there is no justification, atrocities that shook the whole world. Our villages were burned: mothers, loved ones, children dishonored and slaughtered without pity; priests are crucified; the temples of God were defiled, and the fields were strewn with innocent bloody victims. For a whole year we carried the martyr's cross, but in the midst of indescribable oppression and suffering, hope gleamed, strengthening us. The hope that never left us for a moment was the great Orthodox Russia.

Brothers! It was not in vain that we waited for her powerful support, a year has passed, she comes and asks for an account for the blood of the martyrs.

Soon victorious Russian banners will dawn in our country, and under their shadow the beginnings of a better future will be laid.

The Russians are going disinterestedly, like brothers, to help, to do now the same thing that they did earlier to liberate the Greeks, Romanians, Serbs.

Bulgarians! We will all meet the liberator brothers as one and help the Russian army...

COURSE OF EVENTS

During the siege of Plevna, four battles were given: the first three were attacks on the tour. fortifications, the fourth - the last attempt by Osman Pasha to break through the battle formations of the besiegers. July 20, 1877 the vanguard of the corps of General. Schilder-Schuldner numbering 6500 people. attacked defensive fortifications north and east of Plevna; the Russians lost two-thirds of their officers and approx. 2000 soldiers. The second battle took place on July 30, when Gen. Kridener with two Russian divisions (30,000 people) attacked the tour. redoubts to the north and east of the city; gene. Shakhovskoy commanded the offensive. The attack on the Grivitsky redoubt (north of Plevna), which turned out to be completely unsuccessful, was led by Kridener himself; Shakhovskoy by 17.30 captured two redoubts located to the east of the fortress, but before dark they were again taken by the Turks, and the Russians retreated, suffering defeat along the entire front. Their losses amounted to 169 officers and 7136 soldiers, including 2400 left lying dead on the battlefield. 11 and 12 Sept. an army besieging the city of 95,000 people. under the command of Grand Duke Michael attacked Plevna from three sides. Osman Pasha at that time had under his command 34,000 people. 11 Sept. the attack on the Omerbey redoubt was repulsed, the Russian losses amounted to 6000 people. Skobelev captured two of the six internal redoubts that protected the corner of the fortress from the southwest. 12 Sept. an attack on the second Grivitsky redoubt was repelled, and after a fierce battle, two redoubts captured by Skobelev were again occupied by the Turks. As a result of a two-day battle, Russian losses amounted to 20,600 people, including 2,000 prisoners, from the tour. sides - 5000. 10 Dec. Osman Pasha, at the head of a 25,000-strong detachment, with 9,000 wounded and recovering in wagons, tried to break through the Russian army besieging the city, which by that time amounted to 100,000 people. (under the nominal leadership of the Roman prince Karol, chief of staff - General Totleben). Having successfully crossed the river Wit, Osman attacked the Russian troops on a two-mile front and captured the first line of field fortifications. However, Totleben hastily sent reinforcements there, and the Turks, in turn, were attacked and thrown back in disorder across the river; Osman was seriously injured. Here the Turks last tried to gain a foothold, but were crushed and pushed back to Plevna; the city capitulated before the evening after 143 days of defense. In this battle, the Turks lost 5000, the Russians - 2000 killed and wounded. The Russian army continued its movement deep into the Balkan Peninsula.

SKOBELEV UNDER PLYEVNA

... He was exceptionally popular in Russian society. “Our Achilles,” I.S. said about him. Turgenev. The influence of Skobelev on the mass of soldiers could only be compared with the influence. The soldiers idolized him and believed in his invulnerability, since he, who spent his whole life in battles, was never wounded. The soldier's rumor "certified" that Skobelev knew the conspiracy word against death ("in Turkestan he bought from a Tatar for 10 thousand gold pieces"). Near Plevna, a wounded soldier told his comrades: “The bullet went through him (Skobeleva. - N.T.), nothing for him, but wounded me.”

N. Troitsky

IRREGULAR "HOORAY!"

At the end of November, the Turks left the fortress and tried to break through the Russian defense lines in one of the sections and join up with the main forces of their army. But they failed. With the reserves of Russian troops quickly approaching from other sectors, they were stopped, attacked and surrounded.

On command, the troops quickly moved apart, and as soon as the Turks rushed into the open space, forty-eight copper mouths threw fire and death into their continuous and crowded ranks ... Buckshot with an evil whistle burst into this living mass, leaving another mass along the way, but already either motionless, lifeless, or writhing in terrible agony ... Grenades fell and exploded - and there was nowhere to escape from them. As soon as the grenadiers noticed that the fire on the Turks had the proper effect ... they rushed at a quick step with a bang. Once more the bayonets crossed, once again the copper mouths of the guns roared, and soon the innumerable crowd of the enemy overturned into disorderly flight... The attack was brilliant. The retreating almost did not shoot back. Redif and Nizam, bashi-bouzuks and cavalrymen with Circassians - all this mixed up in one sea of horses and lavas, irresistibly rushing back ...

At the head of his best camps, himself in front, Osman Pasha rushed to try to break through our lines for the last time. Each soldier following him fought for three... But everywhere... a wall of formidable bayonets grew in front of him, and an uncontrollable "Hurrah!" thundered right in the Pasha's face. Everything was lost. The duel was coming to an end... The army must lay down its arms, fifty thousand of the best combat troops would be expelled from Turkey's already significantly depleted resources...

Nemirovich-Danchenko V. I. Year of the war. Diary of a Russian correspondent, 1877-1878, St. Petersburg, 1878

ALL RUSSIA JOYS

The battle on November 28 with Osman Pasha decided the fate of his army, which so staunchly resisted all the efforts of our weapons for almost 8 months. This army, with its worthy commander at the head, among 40 thousand, surrendered to us unconditionally ...

I am proud to command such troops and I must tell you that I cannot find words to adequately express my respect and admiration for your fighting prowess.

Bearing with full consciousness of sacred duty all the difficulties of the blockade service near Plevna, you completed it with a battle on November 28, like real heroes. Remember that I am not alone, but all of Russia, all her sons rejoice and rejoice at your glorious victory over Osman Pasha ...

Commander of the Grenadier Corps, Lieutenant General P.S. Ganetsky

A. Kivshenko. Surrender of Plevna (Wounded Osman Pasha before Alexander II). 1880. (Fragment)

RUSSIAN WINNERS

Emperor Alexander, who was in Tuchenitsa, having learned about the fall of Plevna, immediately went to the troops, congratulated them ... Osman Pasha, the "Plevna lion", was received by the sovereign and his senior commanders with distinction and delicacy. The emperor said a few flattering words to him and returned the saber. Russian officers rendered the captured marshal high reverence at every opportunity.

On December 11, the Russians entered the conquered city, surrounded on all sides by mountains, lying completely in a hollow, opening only to the west ... The sanitary situation of the city was simply terrifying. Hospitals, mosques and other buildings were overflowing with corpses, dying sick and wounded. These unfortunates were left without help and charity; it required great energy and dedication to separate the living from the dead and establish even the slightest bit of some kind of order.

On December 15, the emperor left the theater of operations, returning to St. Petersburg, where he was received with indescribable enthusiasm.

MONUMENT TO THE HEROES OF PLEVNA

From an appeal to the troops about the opening of a voluntary subscription to the monument to the heroes of Plevna

Serving as a tribute of deep respect to the memory of those who fell in this battle, the erected monument will serve to maintain high military feelings in future descendants: valor, courage and courage, and for the peoples of the Balkan Peninsula - a reminder that they owe their freedom, new life to the Christian generosity of the Russian people, who redeemed their release by the blood of faithful sons.

After three unsuccessful assaults Plevna, its siege began. Under Plevna, the sovereign summoned an engineer-generalTotleben E.I., on September 15 (27) he arrived in the army. “There will be no fourth assault on Plevna,” said Eduard Ivanovich. Totleben was a recognized authority in the conduct of a serf war, he was supposed to develop a plan for the siege of Plevna.

Russian soldiers were ordered to vigorously dig in. For the complete encirclement of Plevna, it was necessary to capture fortified points Mountain Dubnyak, Dolny Dubnyak and Telish; block the Sofia-Plevna road in order to tightly lock Osman Pasha in the city.

Totleben E.I. ordered General Gurko I.V. seize the Sofia Highway and occupy all the space on the left bank of the Vid River. On the same day, he ordered General Zotov to occupy the Lovchinskoe highway, to fortify south of Brestovets on Ryzhaya Gora, and to other units to arrange a demonstration in the direction of Plevna. And all the other troops of the Western Detachment were ordered to demonstrate that day. Totleben and his staff worked tirelessly, sending orders to the troops and developed dispositions for each unit separately.

Attack by the troops of General Gurko Mountain Dubnyak was carried out successfully, but cost four and a half thousand disabled Russian soldiers and officers. Of course, too high a price ... Totleben and many military leaders again started talking about the need for more thoughtful army actions, the need for careful artillery preparation for an attack, about reconnaissance, finally, as an obligatory prerequisite for an attack. It was necessary to take two more settlements, which stood on the Sofia highway.

Gurko developed a disposition for mastering Telish mainly by artillery fire. Totleben gave the following order to Gurko’s detachment on this report: “I fully share the considerations of Your Excellency, set out in report No. 28 on October 13, regarding the need to capture Telish and at the same time mainly an artillery attack, avoiding an assault if possible ...” In addition, Totleben also ordered the actions other units entrusted to him in order to strengthen the connection between all parts. Totleben attached particular importance to the actions of the 16th division of Skobelev M.D. as the most reliable in all respects.

The sad experience of taking Gorny Dubnyak was too expensive to repeat it: twenty-five thousand selected troops, with the most heroic courage, with the able leadership of the talented General Gurko, were barely able to capture two weak Turkish redoubts, which were defended by small detachments of the Turks. Why resort to such a method of taking fortresses when there is an excellent way - to starve to death and force them to surrender.

Chief of Staff of the Gurko detachment General Naglovsky on the eve of the attack Telisha reported in a report to the command that during the capture of Telish it was planned to fire 100 shells per gun, a total of 7200 shells. Approaching the position, the infantry and batteries must dig in. Alexander II, the commander in chief, a large retinue surveyed Plevna and the Turkish position from the lunette of the Kaluga regiment.

The artillery attack of Telish began, the batteries fired volley after volley, but the Turks almost did not answer them, hiding from the fire in dugouts. But the concentrated volleys of several batteries, directed first at one, then at the other Turkish redoubts, made a strong moral impression on the enemy, and the losses were sensitive, of the order 50-60 people per day.

At 12 o'clock, in accordance with the disposition developed by Totleben and Gurko, Skobelev made a demonstration along Zelenaya Gora towards the Krishinsky Heights. But soon he retreated, and silence fell on all the lines, only from the direction of Telish came the muffled cannonade, which had lasted for two hours.

At four o'clock on October 16, Totleben received a report that Telish had been taken, the garrison completely capitulated along with Izmail-Khaki Pasha and 100 officers. Our losses were the smallest. It remained only to take Dolny Dubnyak in order to complete the complete taxation of Plevna. And now Osman Pasha is so surrounded that any attempt to break through from Plevna or to Plevna is doomed to failure: everywhere he will be met by fortified positions with Russian troops. The breakthrough will cost him dearly if he dares to make it.

Two guard divisions of General Gurko I.V. knocked out the Turks and from the redoubt Dolny Dubnyak, forcing them to retreat to Plevna. After that, Plevna was completely blocked.

Thus began the planned siege of Plevna. Osman Pasha was surrounded. His army was left to its own devices by the military council in Constantinople.

By the end of November 1877, the besieged units found themselves in a critical situation: food supplies were exhausted, epidemics raged, soldiers deserted. The Bulgarians increasingly crossed the front line and obtained important information. On December 9, 1877, a Bulgarian came to the headquarters of the Russian army and said: “The last supplies have been distributed. The Turkish population on carts leaves the city, heading towards the Vit River.

Near Pleven there was a "horseshoe" of enemy defensive structures. This "horseshoe" had six defense sectors (sectors). The total length of the enemy position reached 40 kilometers. It began north of the villages of Opanets, Bukovlyk and the Tuchenitsa River, then turned south along the Tuchenitskaya Hollow, Uchin-Dol, the Zelenite-Gori and Kyshin areas and ended in the west by the banks of the Vit River.

The position on the sixth sector of the siege, on the left bank of the river Vit, was occupied by the grenadier corps; the first brigade of the 5th Infantry Division with two batteries; the 4th Romanian division with all its artillery; 9th Kazan Dragoon; 9th Bug Lancers; 9th Kiev Hussars and 4th Don Regiments, as well as the 7th Horse Artillery Battery; 2nd Don battery and a regiment of Romanian cavalry.

Early in the morning of December 10, 1877, in the sixth sector, the besiegers were unexpectedly attacked by the Turks, led by Osman Pasha. The Russian outposts retreated. A signal tower soared high into the sky, and drums sounded the alarm throughout the Russian rear positions. Half an hour later the Turks appeared in front of the Russian trenches. With exclamations of "Allah" they rushed to the attack. They were met by the grenadiers of the Siberian regiment. A fierce hand-to-hand fight ensued. The Russian soldiers did not retreat. Having mastered the trenches of the first line, the Turks rushed to the battery of the 3rd grenadier artillery brigade.

Guard Osman Pasha reached the second line of Russian trenches. But here she stumbled upon reinforcements that had come to the aid of the Siberians, at the Little Russian Grenadier Regiment, which immediately rushed into a swift bayonet attack.

The Turkish units sought to break through to the north, to the Danube. The 9th Cavalry Division prepared for battle in case the enemy managed to break through. On the left flank, the Turkish arrows were met Arkhangelsk and Vologda regiments. The Turks again concentrated in the center of the Russian defense. It was there that the Russian reserves were sent.

Russian and Romanian artillery carried out powerful artillery preparation. Then the infantry went over to a decisive attack. At this moment, Osman Pasha was wounded. There was a rumor that he had been killed. The ranks of the enemy trembled. To the sound of the drum, the grenadiers went on the general offensive. In hand-to-hand combat, Private Yegor Zhdanov knocked down the Turkish standard-bearer to the ground, taking away the regimental banner from him.

The Turks rolled back to the Vit River. A traffic jam arose on the bridge, wagons and people fell into the water ... After a while, the enemy raised a white flag. Acting Chief of Staff of the Turkish Army in Plevna Tefik Pasha began negotiations, saying that Osman Pasha was wounded and could not come.

The Turks agreed to unconditional surrender. Surrendered into captivity 10 Turkish generals, 2 thousand. officers and 30 thousand soldiers. The victors captured rich trophies: artillery, ammunition, carts. So ingloriously for the Ottoman army ended the last battle near Plevna, which was destined to become the city of Russian military glory.