‘The Russo-Turkish War. 1877. Operations in Europe.’ [‎22v] (44/66)

44
May 1877. renewed on the 10th. The Turkish batteries were supported by two monitors
on the river. The town of Braila sustained no injury, but several shells fell
into the Russian camp.
Besides the artillery fire between Braila and Khiasett a constant exchange
of fire was also being kept up between the Russian batteries at Braila and the
Turkish gunboats on the river, and on the 11th a large Turkish ironclad
corvette, the “ Loufti Djelil,” four guns, commanded by Hassan Bey, trying to
emerge from behind the island separating the Old from the New Danube,
opposite Braila into the main stream, became engaged with the Russian
batteries. A shell from the latter penetrated the engine-room and its explo
sion ignited the magazine, resulting in the loss of the corvette with her comple
ment, given officially at 219 men. This Old Danube channel, called also the
Matschin Canal, afforded shelter to the Turkish monitors, and it was an object
\uth the Russians to concentrate the fire from the Braila batteries on the
mouth of the channel, so as to prevent the egress of the Turkish vessels. It is
also said that the destruction of the “ Loufti Djilil ” was due to carelessness on
the part of the Turks, and was not caused by the Russian fire.
From several rumours, giving no details, and not actually confirmed, but
all pointing in the same direction, it vvas becoming apparent before the end of
the week that Russian preparations on the left for passing a portion of their
loice across the Danube were in progress. On the morning of the 10th, 300
C ossacks were sent in boats from Khiasett to reconnoitre towards Matschin, and
became engaged with a detachment of the Turks. The fight was proceeding at
noon, and both sides had suffered some loss, but no further intelligence on the
subject had transpired at the end of the week. (Khiasett would appear to be
a 1 urkish village either on the island opposite Matschin at the junction with the
Danube of the Matschin Canal, or more probably on the main land opposite).
On the 10th, an engagement which lasted five hours took place between a
Roumanian battery near Oltenitza and a Turkish battery in front of Turtukai,
supported by two monitors on the river. The town of Turtukai was set on fire
by the shells, one monitor was much damaged and the Turkish fire was silenced.
he Roumanian casualties are given at one man killed, an officer and three
men wounded, but are probably considerable.
i *i T1 m re i IS as £ et r !° record of> a passage of the Danube in any force cither
jv he i in ks or Russians, but a Cossack reconnoitring party crossed near Braila
as already related, and parties of the former have crossed at different points
into 1 Rumania and inflicted some damage on the inhabitants, among other
places at Kalarasch, opposite Silistria, where they burned some huts and fired on
t ic peasants, and at 1 iketu, opposite Rahovo, where they burned the village
and some ships flying the English flag. As there were no Russian troops or
at cries at Oltenitza when it was fired upon by the monitors, and no soldier of
any nationality at Piketu or opposite Kalarasch when the Turks landed there
these proceedings annoyed the Roumanians, had much to do with the complete
abandonment of an attitude of neutrality by that province, and are said to
have been the cause of the bombardment of Widdin from Kalafat. On the
otliei hand, it is also said that the firing at Kalafat was begun by the Turks
Li any case, however up to the date of the commencement of the bombard-
That ovPnt 0S1 f‘ 10n ° f R °T ania a ? at War with Turke ^ was not stri ctly defined,
i hat e\ent, of course, put an end to all doubt. •
rn Jrf rd , S 0f the ® nssian ri S ht the first advanced guard of
Cossacks reached Ch.tdla near Bucharest, on the railway line between
Bucharest and J’loesti on the 6th. J
The last news of the week is that the Turkish movement reported last
revt^aTfHrks^hr^TTl^fl 0 ? 1 ' 8 t0 stren S tllen the centre was being
recXl to Widdin h in U 'r ef c " as concerned ; and troops were beini
recalled to YY iddin in anticipation of a passage of the Danube in force bv the
Russians between Kalafat and Turnu-Severin. On the other hand excent for
oppo&ite Rahovo, even rumour does not as yet take the Russians further west
w™11 tl,e r t 1 1 ; >f , t, ; cAluta - o »«
tion bv he Turkffh P f ’ e ' urkls h batteries at Bustchuk. The notifica-