Victory at Schipka-Pass!


During the Ottoman-Russian War of 1877-1878, after two battles at the Shipka Pass that were bloody for both sides but victorious for the Russians...



... in the Balkan Mountains the Russians under General Josef Vladimirovich Gurko...



... succeed on January 9, 1878 the entire army of the opposing commander Suleyman Pasha...



... over 32,000 strong, to encircle and to capture!



The battles for the strategically important pass had begun in July 1877 when the Russians managed to take the Shipka Pass and prevent the Ottomans from coming to the aid of an Ottoman army besieged in the town of Plevna (Pleven)...:





General Nikolai Grigorevich Stoletov was responsible for defending the important pass...



... who had almost 6,000 men and 25 cannons at his disposal:

10 companies of the (36th) Orlovsky Infantry Regiment...



... four Sonias (= four hundreds) of Cossacks)...





... as well as the first 5 companies of a recently formed Bulgarian volunteer corps...:



**continued next post**

Part II:


The first attempt by the Ottomans to force the crossing over the pass took place on August 21, 1877. The Russians were able to repel a total of twelve assaults by August 23!



From September 9th to 17th, 1877, the Ottomans try again with reinforcements brought up - again they are bloodily repelled. The far outnumbered Russians are fighting like devils!



The Ottomans suffered the heaviest losses and from now on had to confine themselves to observing and occasional cannonade of the Russian position.

At the beginning of 1878, the defenders of the pass went on the offensive themselves...



... supported by the approaching Russian main force under General Gurko...





... the meanwhile 43,000 strong Ottoman army under Osman Nuri Pasha...



... forced to capitulate in Plevna (today Bulgaria)!



Tsar Aleksandr II came specially to receive the surrender of the wounded Osman Nuri Pasha...:



Completely encircled and aware that no more help can be expected from Osman Pasha's troops in Plevna, Suleyman Pasha now also capitulates...:



The Russians continue their advance towards Constantinople (Istanbul)...



The next picture shows the victorious Russian officers...:



On the highest point of the Shipka Pass, where General Stoletov was stationed, there is a monument today...: