Russo-Turkish War of Liberation 1877-1878

Chapter Two - Russo-Turkish War of Liberation 1877-1878

Start and course of the war

As early as the autumn of 1876, the Russian government called up partial mobilization and set off preparations for the forthcoming war. Two armies were set up – the Danube and Caucasian. The Danube Army under the leadership of King Nikolai Nikolaevich, the Emperor's brother, totaled 190,000 men, while the Caucasian Army amounted to 80,000 men. The number of both armies had increased in the course of the military actions.

The Ottoman Empire mounted an army of some 500,000 men armed with the most up-to-date weapons for that time. Western military missions worked within its army as well. The better part of the Turkish troops was stationed on the Balkan Peninsula. In the course of the military actions, the Turkish Danube Army reached up to 380,000 men.

At the final stages of the military preparation, Russia was joined by Romania with 40,000-strong army, Montenegro with 25,000-strong army, and following the defeat of Pleven, Serbia with 56,000-strong army.

On April 20, the Russian Chancellor King A. Gorchakov informed the Russian diplomatic corps that Russia was forced to protect the dignity of Europe. Two days later, on 12 April 1877, the war was declared in Manifesto by Emperor Alexander II, which was read out in Chisinau.

In April – June, the Russian troops were deployed along the river Danube. On June 10, the Lower Danube unit led by General Zimmermann advanced towards the river between the town of Braila and Galac. Running after the retreating Turkish units, he reached the Cherna Voda – Kyustandja. This first crossing of the river Danube to the south was conducted with the purpose of misleading the Turkish command with regard to the location of the main Russian deployment. Having studied carefully the fortifications, the Russian side decided to attack at Svishtov. This important assignment was entrusted to General Dragomirov and the 14 th infantry division under his leadership.

On June 15, the Russian troops advanced towards the river and crossed it over on to the Bulgarian side. The successfully conducted military operation opened the way for the quick crossing of the main part of the Danube army and its deployment on the seized base. There the Russian troops were divided into three units – Eastern Unit under the leadership of the Crown Prince Alexander Alexandrovich, Front Unit under the leadership of General Gurko, and Western Unit under the leadership of General Kridener.

The 70,000-strong Eastern Unit had the task to advance eastwards and to block the big military bases at Razgrad, Rousse, Shoumen and Varna, without trying to seize them. The 12,000-strong Front Unit, having Bulgarian volunteers in its ranks, had to make progress towards the Turnovo-Stara Plana passages in the central part of the Balkan Mountain. The Western Unit had the task to take over Nikopol and to set the conditions for the advance westwards. It totaled 35,000 men.

At the outset, the military activities went along the plan. The Eastern Unit advanced successfully reaching the rivers of Yantra and Cherni Lom. There it started operations related to its positioning in implementation of its task. The Western Unit seized Nikopol but some delay enabled Osman pasha and his troops, which had left Vidin, to take over the town of Pleven. The first attempt by the corps of General Shildner-Shuldner to gain command of the town failed on July 8. The Front Unit was most successful. After liberating Turnovo, it progressed towards Hainboaz, took over the sub-Balkan valley, and attacked the Turkish positions at the Shipka passage in the rear from the south. At the same time, the Gabrovo unit of General Derozhinski was advancing from the north. On July 7, the Russian army gained command of Shipka. This was an exceptional victory due to the fact that the Shipka passage was the main communication link between North and South Bulgaria in the central part of the Balkan Mountain. Three days later, on July 10, the Front Unit seized Stara Zagora.

The success of General Gurko and his decisive march had forced the Turkish command to transfer the 40,000-strong army of Syuleiman pasha against him. It had the task to take over the Shipka passage again, to join ranks with the army of Osman pasha, and to pull back the Russian army beyond the Danube River. In the fights at Stara Zagora on July 19, the Bulgarian volunteers and Russian troops demonstrate miracles of heroism, but under the pressure of their superior enemy were forced to draw back and to focus their efforts on safeguarding Shipka.

The defense at Shipka was entrusted on General Stoletov. His unit was composed of the Orlov regiment and five volunteers' divisions. The total number of men defending Shipka was 5,500. The Briant regiment joined them later. This unit was confronted by the 30,000-strong troops of the Syuleiman Pasha army. The most violent fighting took place in the period of 9-11 August. At the most critical juncture when defeat was in sight, 205 shooters were sent over by General Radetzki. The defense grew stable and the plan of the Turkish command failed.

The military actions of the Western Unit continued in the meantime. On 18 July, the town of Pleven was attacked for a second time. Despite the huge death toll, however, the town remained in the hands of the Turkish troops. The third attack took place at the end of August 1877. The victims on the Russian side were 15,000, but Pleven could not be captured this time again. After the third attack, the Russian command imposed a complete blockade on the town. For the purpose, General Totleben was called up from Russia. He managed to disrupt all links of Osman Pasha with the outside world. Having lost perspective, the Turkish troops made attempts to cut through the blockade on 27-28 November. The failure forced Osman Pasha to capitulate and on December 10, the town of Pleven was seized by Russians.

The takeover of Pleven was a turning point in the course of the war. Despite the difficult winter conditions, the Russian army attacked the Balkan through the Western Unit under General Gurko, the Troyan Unit under General Kartzov, and the Shipka Unit led by General Radetzki. In the wake of the capture of Sofia on December 23, the unit of General Gurko advanced towards Plovdiv. At the same time, General Kartzov liberated Karlovo and the sub-Balkan fields and united his troops with those of General Gurko. On January 4, 1878, Plovdiv was captured, while the troops of Osman Pasha retreated in panic towards the White Sea.

On December 27-28, the unit of General Radetzki defeated the 22,000-strong army of Veysel Pasha at Shipka-Sheinovo. The united Russian forces advanced eastwards. Odrin was seized on January 14, 1878.

The Lower Danube Unit of General Zimmermann also undertook some offensive actions. Alongside the Eastern Unit, it first had the task to block the rectangle Silistra-Rousse-Shoumen-Varna. Dobrich was captured on January 16, and Silistra fell into Russian hands on February 10.

The military defeat of the Ottoman Empire had forced the Porte to ask for armistice. It was concluded on January 19, 1878 in Odrin.