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 bank 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 Kyiv 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.

The capture of Plevna by the troops of Alexander II turned the tide of the war against the Ottoman Empire.

The long siege claimed the lives of many soldiers on both sides. This victory allowed the Russian troops to open the road to Constantinople and free them from Turkish oppression. The operation to capture the fortress went down in military history as one of the most successful. The results of the campaign forever changed the geopolitical situation in Europe and the Middle East.

Prerequisites

Up until the middle of the nineteenth century, the Ottoman Empire controlled most of the Balkans and Bulgaria. Turkish oppression extended to almost all South Slavic peoples. The Russian Empire has always acted as the protector of all Slavs, and foreign policy was largely aimed at their liberation. However, following the results of the previous war, Russia lost a fleet in the Black Sea and a number of territories in the south. Allied treaties were also concluded between the Ottoman Empire and Great Britain. In the event of a declaration of war by the Russians, the British pledged to provide military assistance to the Turks. This situation ruled out the possibility of expelling the Ottomans from Europe. In return, the Turks promised to respect the rights of Christians and not persecute them on religious grounds.

Oppression of the Slavs

However, the 60s of the 19th century were marked by new persecutions of Christians. Muslims had great privileges before the law. In court, the voice of a Christian against a Muslim had no weight. Also, most of the local government posts were occupied by the Turks. Dissatisfaction with this state of affairs caused mass protests in Bulgaria and the Balkan countries. In the summer of 1975, an uprising begins in Bosnia. And a year later, in April, popular riots engulf Bulgaria. As a result, the Turks savagely suppress the uprising, killing tens of thousands of people. Such atrocities against Christians cause discontent in Europe.

Under the pressure of public opinion, Great Britain abandons its pro-Turkish policy. This unties the hands of the Russian Empire, which is preparing a campaign against the Ottomans.

The beginning of the war

On the twelfth of April, the capture of Plevna began and will actually complete it in six months. However, there was a long way to go before that. According to the plan of the Russian headquarters, the troops were to attack from two directions. The first group to go through the Romanian territory to the Balkans, and the other to strike from the Caucasus. In both directions there were insurmountable obstacles. prevented a quick strike from the Caucasus, and the "quadrangle" of fortresses from Romania. The situation was also complicated by the possible intervention of the UK. Despite public pressure, the British still continued to support the Turks. Therefore, the war had to be won as soon as possible so that the Ottoman Empire capitulated before reinforcements arrived.

fast advance

The capture of Plevna was carried out by troops under the command of General Skobelev. In early July, the Russians crossed the Danube and reached the road to Sofia. In this campaign they were joined by the Romanian army. Initially, the Turks were going to meet the allies on the banks of the Danube. However, the rapid advance forced Osman Pasha to retreat to the fortresses. In fact, the first capture of Plevna took place on June 26th. An elite detachment under the command of Ivan Gurko entered the city. However, there were only fifty scouts in the unit. Almost simultaneously with the Russian Cossacks, three battalions of Turks entered the city, which forced them out.

Realizing that the capture of Plevna would give the Russians a complete strategic advantage, Osman Pasha decides to occupy the city before the arrival of the main forces. At this time, his army was in the city of Vidin. From there, the Turks were to advance along the Danube in order to prevent the Russians from crossing. However, the danger of encirclement forced the Muslims to abandon the original plan. On July 1, 19 battalions set out from Vidin. In six days they covered more than two hundred kilometers with artillery, baggage, provisions, and so on. At dawn on July 7, the Turks entered the fortress.

The Russians had the opportunity to take the city before Osman Pasha. However, the negligence of some commanders played. Due to the lack of military intelligence, the Russians did not learn in time about the Turkish march on the city. As a result, the capture of the fortress of Plevna by the Turks passed without battles. Russian General Yuri Schilder-Schuldner was only a day late.

But during this time, the Turks had already managed to dig in and take up defense. After some deliberation, the headquarters decides to storm the fortress.

First seizure attempt

Russian troops attacked the city from two sides. General Schilder-Schuldern had no idea about the number of Turks in the city. He led the right column of troops, while the left marched at a distance of four kilometers. According to the original plan, both columns were supposed to enter the city at the same time. However, due to an incorrectly drawn map, they only moved away from each other. At about one in the afternoon, the main column approached the city. Suddenly, they were attacked by the advance detachments of the Turks, who had occupied Plevna only a few hours before. A battle ensued, which escalated into an artillery duel.

Schilder-Schuldner had no idea about the actions of the left column, so he ordered to move away from the shelled positions and set up a camp. The left column under the command of Kleinghaus approached the city from the side of Grivitsa. Cossack intelligence was sent. Two hundred soldiers advanced along the river in order to reconnoiter the nearest villages and the fortress itself. However, when they heard the sounds of battle, they retreated to their own.

Offensive

On the night of July 8, a decision was made to storm. The left column was advancing from the side of Grivitsa. The general with most of the soldiers came from the north. The main positions of Osman Pasha were near the village of Opanets. About eight thousand Russians marched against them at a front of up to three kilometers.

Because of the lowlands, Schilder-Schuldner lost the ability to maneuver. His troops had to go on a frontal attack. Artillery preparation began at five o'clock in the morning. The Russian vanguard launched an attack on Bukovlek and drove the Turks out of there in two hours. The road to Plevna was open. The Arkhangelsk regiment went to the enemy's main battery. The fighters were at a distance of a shot from the artillery positions of the Ottomans. Osman Pasha understood that the numerical superiority was on his side, and gave the order to counterattack. Under pressure from the Turks, two regiments withdrew into the ravine. The general requested the support of the left column, but the enemy advanced too quickly. Therefore, Schilder-Schuldner ordered a retreat.

Strike from the other flank

At the same time, Kridener was advancing from the side of Grivitsa. At six o'clock in the morning (when the main troops had already begun artillery preparation), the Caucasian Corps hit the right flank of the Turkish defense. After the unstoppable onslaught of the Cossacks, the Ottomans in a panic began to flee to the fortress. However, by the time they took positions at Grivitsa, Schilder-Schuldner had already retreated. Therefore, the left column also began to retreat to their original positions. The capture of Plevna by Russian troops was stopped with heavy losses for the latter. In many ways, the lack of intelligence and the inept decisions of the general affected.

Preparing a new offensive

After an unsuccessful assault, preparations began for a new attack. Russian troops received significant reinforcements. Cavalry and artillery units arrived. The city was surrounded. Surveillance began on all roads, especially those leading to Lovcha.

For several days, reconnaissance in force was carried out. Constant shootings were heard both day and night. However, it was not possible to find out the number of the Ottoman garrison in the city.

New assault

While the Russians were preparing for the assault, the Turks were rapidly building defenses. Construction took place in conditions of lack of tools and constant shelling. On the eighteenth of July, another assault began. The capture of Plevna by the Russians would mean defeat in the war. Therefore, Osman Pasha ordered his fighters to fight to the death. The attack was preceded by a long artillery preparation. After that, the soldiers rushed into battle from two flanks. Troops under the command of Kridener managed to capture the first lines of defense. Near the redoubt, however, they were met by overwhelming musket fire. After bloody skirmishes, the Russians had to retreat. The left flank was attacked by Skobelev. His fighters also failed to break through the Turkish defense lines. The fight went on all day. By evening, the Turks launched a counteroffensive and drove the Krinder soldiers out of their trenches. The Russians had to retreat again. After this defeat, the government turned to the Romanians for help.

Blockade

After the arrival of the Romanian troops, the blockade and the capture of Plevna became inevitable. Therefore, Osman Pasha decided to break out of the besieged fortress. On the thirty-first of August, his troops made a diversionary maneuver. After that, the main forces left the city and hit the nearest outposts.

After a short battle, they managed to push back the Russians and even capture one battery. However, reinforcements soon arrived. A close fight ensued. The Turks faltered and fled back to the city, leaving almost one and a half thousand of their soldiers on the battlefield.

To complete it was necessary to capture Lovcha. It was through her that the Turks received reinforcements and provisions. The city was also occupied by auxiliary detachments of bashi-bazouks. They did an excellent job with punitive operations against the civilian population, but quickly left their positions at the prospect of meeting with the regular army. Therefore, when the Russians attacked the city on August 22, the Turks fled from there without much resistance.

After the capture of the city, the siege began, and the capture of Plevna was only a matter of time. Reinforcements arrived for the Russians. Osman Pasha also received reserves.

The capture of the Plevna fortress: December 10, 1877

After the complete encirclement of the city, the Turks remained completely cut off from the outside world. Osman Pasha refused to capitulate and continued to strengthen the fortress. By this time, 50 thousand Turks were hiding in the city against 120 thousand Russian and Romanian soldiers. Siege fortifications were built around the city. From time to time Plevna was shelled by artillery. The Turks were running out of provisions and ammunition. The army suffered from disease and hunger.

Osman Pasha decided to break out of the blockade, realizing that the imminent capture of Plevna was inevitable. The breakthrough date was set for December 10th. In the morning, Turkish troops set up scarecrows in the fortifications and began to break out of the city. But the Little Russian and Siberian regiments stood in their way. And the Ottomans came with looted property and a large convoy.

Of course, this complicates maneuverability. After the start of the battle, reinforcements were sent to the breakthrough site. At first, the Turks managed to push back the forward detachments, but after a blow to the flank, they began to retreat into the lowland. After the inclusion of artillery in the battle, the Turks randomly ran and eventually capitulated.

After this victory, General Skobelev ordered that December 10 be celebrated as the Day of Military History. The capture of Plevna is celebrated in Bulgaria in our time. Because as a result of this victory, Christians got rid of Muslim oppression.

11/28/1877 (11/12). - The capture of Plevna by Russian troops. Surrender of the Turkish army by Osman Pasha

Discussion: 8 comments

I am surprised to read the description of this magnificent monument. BUT now this is a falsification: almost the entire monument was made of black granite, it sparkled in the sun and was really monumental. Now it's just a rusty layout, a fake. It hurts to look at this sacrilege!

I ask you to comment on the Wikipedia article, where it is reported that 1,700 Russian soldiers died during the capture of Plevna, but you have other data. Apparently you need to make a remark to Wikipedia about the unreliability of their data, and indeed the entire article written, as it seemed to me, in an anti-Russian vein.

Wikipedia writes: "80-90 thousand people took part from the Russian-Romanian troops, 1700 of them were lost during the breakthrough." The figure includes not only Russians, but also Romanians. And LOST does not mean killed, the wounded were also included in the losses. So I don’t see a contradiction with what is written in this article: “The capture of Plevna cost the Russians 192 killed and 1252 wounded.”

"80-90 thousand people took part in the last battle on the part of the Russian-Romanian troops, 1700 of them were lost during the breakthrough. Turkish losses, due to complete exhaustion and congestion, amounted to about 6000 people. The remaining 43338 Turkish soldiers surrendered ; a significant number of them died in captivity. At the end of the war, 15581 Turkish veterans from the army of Osman Pasha were awarded a silver medal for the heroic defense of Plevna. "
Do you think that the Russians and Romanians were counted together and killed and wounded, but how to count the losses of the Turks? After all, only the rest were taken prisoner, in your opinion, the wounded Turks were not taken prisoner? That they were allowed to die in Plevna, or were they treated like prisoners? And were the Russian veterans awarded?

Dear Ekaterina. The exact source of the Wikipedia data is not indicated there - a list of references is provided. Source of information used in this article: "Russian Heroes of the War of 1877: Description of the Russian-Turkish War". Translation from German. Moscow: Edition of the B. Post bookstore, 1878. (See: Collection: historical documents http://historydoc.edu.ru/catalog.asp?cat_ob_no=&ob_no=13875)
The figures given refer only to the last assault on Plevna. Of course, earlier there were losses that were not taken into account here: about 31 thousand people - according to the Sov. military enc. I have now included this clarification in the article so that there are no misunderstandings. Thank you for your attention to this issue.

31 thousand Russian losses are all losses - killed, wounded, etc., and not just those killed

We found something to compare with, on Wikipedia most of the articles are written in an anti-Russian vein, even if there are no Russians there)))

What's the matter? What if a person was not killed, but wounded so that he cannot fight, then he is not lost to the army? Or did he not lose his health in the battle? Why is it necessary to divide the losses into those killed and not killed? So the number of losses should also count those who were not killed!

140 years ago, on November 28 (December 10), 1877, the Russian army took Plevna after a long siege. The Turkish army of Osman Pasha was defeated while trying to break out of the encirclement and capitulated. The capture of Plevna by Russian troops was the key event of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, which predetermined the successful completion of the campaign on the Balkan Peninsula and the defeat of the Turkish Empire.

background

After forcing the Danube at Zimnitsa, the Russian Danube Army advanced its Western Detachment (9th Corps of Lieutenant General N.P. Kridener) to capture Nikopol and Plevna. After the successful assault on Nikopol on July 4 (16), the Russian command did not take any action for two days to capture Plevna, located 40 km from it, although there were no serious enemy forces there. The Russians could actually just enter the enemy's strategic fortress. While the Russian troops were inactive, the army of Osman Pasha advanced from Vidin. She made a forced march, having covered 200 km in 6 days, at dawn on 7 (19) she went to Plevna and took up defense on the outskirts of the city. The Ottomans immediately began to strengthen the defense of the fortress, turning it into a fortified area.

On the morning of July 8 (20) a Russian detachment under the command of Lieutenant General Yu. I. Schilder-Schuldner attacked the fortress. But the Turks repelled the attack. On July 18 (30), the second assault on Plevna took place, which also failed and cost the Russian troops about 7 thousand people. In the meantime, the Ottomans quickly restored the destroyed defenses, erected new ones and turned the nearest approaches to Plevna into a heavily fortified area with over 32 thousand troops defending it with 70 guns. The grouping of Osman Pasha created a threat to the Danube army from the flank. This failure forced the Russian command to suspend offensive operations in the main direction of Constantinople.

The Western detachment had to be increased to an entire army, more than three times - 84 thousand people, 424 guns, including the Romanian troops - 32 thousand people, 108 guns. The supreme leadership of Russia and Romania was also located here - Alexander II, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich and Minister of War D. A. Milyutin, the Romanian Prince Karl (he was formally the commander of the Western Detachment). In the middle of the day on August 30 (September 11), the third assault on the Turkish stronghold began. Skobelev's detachment in the 2nd half of the day managed to break through the enemy defenses and open the way to Plevna. But the Russian high command refused to regroup forces to the south and did not support Skobelev's detachment with reserves, which the next day, repelling strong counterattacks by the Turks, was forced to retreat under the onslaught of superior enemy forces to their original position. Thus, the third attack on Plevna, despite the high military prowess, dedication and stamina of Russian and Romanian soldiers and officers, ended in failure. There were errors in management. In particular, the intelligence of the Turkish troops and their defense system was weak, which caused the enemy to be underestimated; strikes were delivered in the same directions, where the enemy was already waiting for an attack and was well prepared; the interaction between the troops advancing on each of them was not organized; artillery preparation was ineffective; the breakthrough of the Skobelev detachment could not be used, etc.

The unsuccessful outcome of the offensive forced the Russian high command to change strategy. On September 1 (13), Tsar Alexander II arrived near Plevna and convened a military council, at which he raised the question of whether the army should remain near Plevna or whether troops should be withdrawn from the fortress. The chief of staff of the Western Detachment, Lieutenant General P. D. Zotov, and the chief of artillery of the army, Lieutenant General Prince N. F. Masalsky, spoke out in favor of the retreat. For the continuation of the struggle for the fortress, Major General K. V. Levitsky, Assistant Chief of Staff of the Danube Army, and Minister of War D. A. Milyutin advocated. Milyutin suggested abandoning direct assaults and breaking the enemy's resistance with a siege. Milyutin noted that the troops, not having large-caliber artillery of mounted fire, could not reliably destroy the defensive structures of the Ottoman army and succeed in an open attack. In the event of a complete blockade, success is guaranteed, since the Turkish garrison does not have enough supplies for a long struggle. Indeed, the enemy was already short of supplies. On September 2 (14), Osman Pasha reported to the high command that shells and food were running out, there were no reinforcements, and the losses had greatly weakened the garrison, forcing him to a dangerous retreat.

Alexander II supported Milyutin. The council members decided not to retreat from Plevna, to strengthen their positions and wait for reinforcements from Russia, after which they planned to start a proper siege of the fortress and force it to surrender. To direct the siege work, the well-known engineer-general E. I. Totleben, who became famous during the defense of Sevastopol, was appointed assistant commander of the detachment of the Romanian prince Charles. Arriving at the theater of operations, Totleben came to the conclusion that the Plevna garrison was provided with food for only two months, and therefore could not withstand a long blockade. General Zotov returned to his former duties as commander of the 4th Corps. All cavalry was subordinated to I. V. Gurko. These changes have improved command and control of troops. The western detachment was again reinforced - the newly arrived Guards Corps (1st, 2nd, 3rd Guards Infantry and 2nd Guards Cavalry Divisions, Guards Rifle Brigade) joined it.

Departure from Plevna. December 1877. Painting by an unknown artist published in the English illustrated magazine The Illustrated London News in February 1878.

Siege

General Totleben skillfully led the siege work. To reduce losses in the troops, he ordered to dig strong trenches, build comfortable dugouts, and bring far-flung hospitals closer to the front. Artillery was to carry out a thorough sighting, and then move on to the methodical destruction of enemy fortifications.

Russian-Romanian troops surrounded Plevna from the north, east and south. In the west and southwest, the enemy had the opportunity to pass. Especially important for the Turkish garrison was the Sofia Highway, through which Osman Pasha's army received the main supplies. For the defense of this communication, the Turks fortified the points of Gorny Dubnyak, Dolny Dubnyak and Telish. To completely block the enemy garrison, it was necessary to cut his communication with Sophia. First, small cavalry detachments of Krylov and Loshkarev were sent here. However, this was not enough. It was necessary to take enemy strongholds on the highway. This task was to be solved by the newly formed detachment under the command of I.V. Gurko.

E. I. TOTLEBEN. Engraving from a photograph (1878)

The Gurko detachment was a very powerful force, the whole army - 50 thousand people with 170 guns. It was based on the guards, who had recently arrived at Plevna. They decided to strike the first blow at Gorny Dubnyak, where 4.5 thousand Turkish garrison sat with 4 guns. Turkish troops occupied good positions on the hills, fortified with two redoubts and trenches. To attack enemy positions, 20 battalions, 6 squadrons and 48 guns were allocated. The troops were to attack simultaneously in three columns - from the north, east and south. At 8 o'clock on 12 (24) October, the Russians attacked the enemy. It was impossible to attack the enemy at the same time. The right column was the first to move forward, the other columns moved late. The guardsmen, participating in the battle for the first time, bravely went on the offensive in close formation and suffered unreasonably large losses. The Turks were able to repel individual attacks by Russian columns. As Gurko noted: “... followed by a number of individual attacks. All units, met with extremely destructive fire, could not reach the main redoubt. By 12 o'clock, our troops took the Small Redoubt and surrounded the Big Redoubt, but due to heavy fire, they could not break through further and lay down.

Gurko decided to resume the offensive in the evening. At this time, our soldiers, using dashes and crawls, singly and in small groups accumulated near the redoubt. For movement, the soldiers used the folds of the terrain, ditches, ditches and pits. By 6 p.m., enough troops had accumulated in the ditch to attack. They were in the dead zone, could not fall under enemy fire. When dusk came, our troops stormed the redoubt. During the bayonet battle, the enemy was defeated and capitulated. However, the victory came at a high price. The losses of Russian troops amounted to 3.3 thousand killed and wounded. The Turks lost about 1.5 thousand killed and wounded and 2.3 thousand captured.

The second blow was inflicted on Telish. On October 13 (25), our troops attacked an enemy stronghold, but without success. Then Gurko decided to take the fortification with an "artillery attack". The fortifications of the Turkish garrison and the surrounding area were studied. The gunners prepared firing positions, and the corresponding engineering preparations for the offensive were carried out. Artillery preparation was thorough - 6 hours. A strict order of artillery preparation was established: from 12 to 14 hours - a powerful fire strike with all artillery; at 14 and 14 hours 30 minutes - three volleys with all artillery, and then methodical fire; at 1630 hours - three volleys, then methodical fire again; at 18 o'clock - the last three volleys. Ammunition consumption was provided for 100 shells per gun. It was planned that if the enemy did not lay down after such a powerful fire strike, then the troops would storm from three sides. Such careful preparation led to success.

On October 16 (28) the assault on Telish began. The attack involved 4 brigades and 72 guns. The powerful and well-aimed fire of the Russian batteries demoralized the Ottoman troops. After a 3-hour artillery preparation, 5 thousand. The Turkish garrison capitulated. Russian losses did not exceed 50 people. On October 20 (November 1), the enemy surrendered Gorny Dubnyak without a fight. On the same day, the advanced units of the 3rd Grenadier Division, which arrived in Bulgaria, approached the settlement northwest of Plevna - Gorny Metropol, interrupting communications with Vidin. Thus, the blockade of Plevna became complete.

The Turkish command decided to release the army of Osman Pasha. For this, 25 thousand groups began to concentrate in the Orkhaniye region. However, this plan of the enemy was destroyed by the actions of the Gurko detachment. The general began to move towards Orkhanie with the aim of defeating the enemy corps and securing a path to the Trans-Balkan region. The Turkish command, not daring to enter into an open battle with the Russians (the stability of the Turkish troops in open battle was doubtful), withdrew troops from Orkhaniye to the fortifications near Arab-Konak. Our troops, having reached this line, stopped. They completed their main task. The blockade of Plevna was secured and our troops took up a convenient position for the future movement for the Balkans.

The location of the Western Detachment by October 24, 1877 and the completion of the blockade of Plevna. Map source: N. I. Belyaev. Russian-Turkish war 1877-1878

Surrender

By the beginning of November, the number of Russian-Romanian troops near Plevna reached 130 thousand people, 502 field and 58 siege weapons. The troops were divided into six sections: 1st - Romanian General A. Chernat (consisted of Romanian troops), 2nd - Lieutenant General N. P. Kridener, 3rd - Lieutenant General P. D. Zotov, 4 th - Lieutenant General M. D. Skobelev, 5th - Lieutenant General V. V. Kataleya and 6th - Lieutenant General I. S. Ganetsky.

The position of the Turkish army became more and more difficult. Stocks of ammunition and food came to an end. From 13 (25) October, Turkish soldiers were given 0.5 rations each. The fuel has run out. Thousands of soldiers were sick. October 22 (November 3) the high command in Constantinople allowed to leave Plevna, but it was too late. However, it was no longer possible to stay in the fortress - the supplies ran out, and the demoralized soldiers were afraid of the Russian offensive, they left their posts for the night, hiding in the city. Osman Pasha on November 19 (December 1) convened a military council. Its members made a unanimous decision to break through from Plevna. The Turkish commander expected to cross to the left bank of the Vid River, strike at the Russian troops in a northwestern direction on Magaletta, and then move, depending on the situation, to Vidin or Sofia.

On the night of November 27-28 (December 9-10), his troops set out from Plevna. Wagon trains followed the troops. Osman Pasha was also forced to take with him about 200 families from among the Turkish inhabitants of Plevna and most of the wounded. The division of Tahir Pasha crossed the river. View and, lining up in deep columns at 7 hours and 30 minutes, attacked the positions of the 3rd Grenadier Division in the 6th sector. Despite all the precautions taken, the crossing of the Turkish army was a complete surprise for the Russian command. 7 companies of the 9th Siberian Grenadier Regiment could not withstand the attacks of 16 Turkish battalions. The Turks drove the Russian grenadiers out of the trenches, capturing 8 guns. By 08:30, the first line of Russian fortifications between Dolny Metropol and Kopana Mogila was broken. Under the pressure of desperately attacking, superior forces, the 9th Siberian Regiment withdrew to the second line of defense. The 10th Little Russian Regiment moved to help him, but he also could not stop the enemy and was overturned. Ottoman troops captured the second line of defense around 9 o'clock.

However, the Turks were already exhausted, they fell under the crossfire and could not develop the offensive. At the beginning of 11 o'clock, the 2nd brigade of the 3rd grenadier division (11th Fanagoria and 12th Astrakhan regiments) approached from the side of the Gorny Metropol. As a result of the ensuing counterattack, the Russian grenadiers recaptured the second line of fortifications occupied by the enemy. The 3rd brigade was supported by the approaching 7th Grenadier Samogitsky and 8th Grenadier Moscow Regiments of the 2nd Division. The Russian reserves arrived in time and brought down on the enemy from three sides. The Turks retreated to the first line. Osman Pasha was waiting for the arrival of the second division from the right bank of the Vid, but its crossing was delayed by convoys. The Turkish troops lost even the appearance of mobility, taking with them carts with civilians and the wounded, having lost even a minimal chance of breaking out of the encirclement of the most combat-ready part of the army. The defeated Turkish troops, having not received reinforcements, could not hold on to the first line. By 12 o'clock in the afternoon the enemy was driven out of the first line of fortifications. As a result of the counterattack, the Russian troops not only repulsed 8 guns captured by the Turks, but also captured 10 enemy ones. Turkish troops lost about 6 thousand killed and wounded in this battle. Russian losses left about 1,700 people.

Unsuccessful attempt to break through the army of Osman Pasha

General Ganetsky, still fearing a new attack by the Turks, did not plan to pursue the enemy. He ordered to occupy advanced fortifications, bring artillery here and wait for a new enemy offensive. However, the situation was radically changed by the initiative of junior commanders. The 1st brigade of the 2nd grenadier division, which occupied the fortified position of the Dolne-Dubnyak detachment, seeing the retreat of the Turks, went forward and began to cover them from the left flank. Following her, the rest of the troops of the 6th sector went on the offensive. Under the pressure of the Russians, the Turks at first slowly and in relative order retreated to Vid, but soon the retreating ran into their carts. Panic began among the civilians following the carts, and it spread to the soldiers. At that moment Osman Pasha was wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Pertev Bey, commander of one of the two regiments covering the baggage train, tried to stop the Russians, but to no avail. His regiment was overturned, and the retreat of the Turkish army turned into a disorderly flight. Soldiers and refugees, guns, wagons and pack animals crowded in a dense mass at the bridges. The grenadiers approached the enemy at 800 paces, firing aimed rifle fire at him.

It was a disaster. In the remaining sectors, Russian troops also went on the offensive and, having captured the fortifications of the northern, eastern and southern fronts, occupied Plevna and reached the heights to the west of it. The 1st and 3rd brigades of the Turkish division of Adil Pasha, covering the retreat of the main forces of Osman Pasha's army, laid down their arms. The wounded Osman Pasha, having lost hope of a successful breakthrough, sent his adjutant Neshed Bey to the Russian command at 13:00 on November 28 (December 10), 1877, announcing his surrender. 10 generals, 2128 officers, more than 41 thousand soldiers surrendered.

Dmitriev-Orenburgsky N. D. The last battle near Plevna on November 28, 1877

Osman Pasha presents a saber to General I. V. Ganetsky

Results

The fall of Plevna was of strategic importance. Turkey lost an entire army, which fettered the further offensive of the Russian troops beyond the Balkans. This made it possible for the Russian command to release more than 100,000 people for an offensive in the Balkans, which on the whole predetermined Turkey's defeat in the war.

The Romanian army also released the main forces and was regrouped. A large group was thrown at Vidin and Belgradchik. On December 10 (22), Romanian troops took Arnar-Palanki, located on the Danube. The main forces of the Romanian army in January 1878 blocked Vidin. On January 12 (24), the Romanians took the outer fortifications of the fortress. Vidin himself capitulated after the armistice.

Skobelev Park in Plevna

Monument to the Heroes of Plevna at the Ilyinsky Gates in Moscow

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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 that had been 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.