War in the East: A Military History of the Russo-Turkish War 1877-78

Quintin Barry

Helion and Company, Aug 15, 2012 - History - 576 pages

When Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire in April 1877, it was the fifth time during the nineteenth century that hostilities had broken out between the two empires. On this occasion the other Great Powers had done all they could to prevent it, although public opinion in the West had been shocked by Turkey's brutal repression of the Bulgarian uprising. The war was to be fought in two distinct theaters. In Europe, as on previous occasions, the Russian objective was to cross first the Danube and then the formidable Balkan Mountains before striking for Constantinople. In Asia, over territory also contested many times before, the Russians aimed to seize Kars and then Erzerum. At first all went well for the invaders, the Turks making no serious attempt to hold the line of the Danube, while a thrust south by General Gourko succeeded in crossing the Balkans by a pass not previously considered practicable. At Plevna, however, the Russian advance stalled in the face of the determined defense of the place by the redoubtable Osman Pasha. In Asia, meanwhile, after initial success, the Russian advance was halted by defeat at Zevin. Poor strategic judgment on the part of the Turks led to their failure to take advantage of the opportunity provided by Osman, even after the Russians had suffered three bloody defeats at Plevna. Eventually, after the town was closely invested, it fell to the besiegers. In Asia, the Turks suffered a major defeat in the battle of God's Mountain, and were driven back to Erzerum, while Kars fell to a brilliant assault by the Russian forces. These defeats marked the beginning of the end for the Turks. By January 1878 the Russians were over the Balkans in force, and the last viable Turkish army was surrounded and captured at Shenovo. Armistice negotiations led to a suspension of hostilities and to the treaty of San Stefano. The other Great Powers had watched the conflict with mounting anxiety and were determined to moderate the terms of San Stefano which had imposed harsh conditions on the Ottoman Empire. This, following tortuous diplomatic negotiations, they succeeded in doing at the Congress of Berlin in July 1878. This book, the first military history of the war in English for over a century, traces the course of the campaigns, examining the many occasions on which the outcome of a battle might have gone the other way, and the performance of the combatants, both leaders and led. The book considers the extent to which the parties applied the lessons of recent wars, as well as the conclusions that could be drawn from the experience of combat with the latest weapons. It also explores the complicated motives of the Great Powers in general, and Britain in particular, in bringing about a final settlement, which postponed the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire. The author's detailed text is accompanied by an extensive number of black and white illustrations, an impressive color plate section containing reproductions of paintings by artists such as Vereshchagin, plus black and white and color battle maps. Extensive orders of battle are also provided. This is the latest title in Helion's ground-breaking series of 19th Century studies, and will again appear in hardback as a strictly limited edition printing of 1,000 copies, each individually numbered and signed by the author on a decorative title page.

Contents

• Acknowledgements: 18
• Preface: 19
• The Congress of Paris: 20
• images within the text: 21
• Political and Social Reform in Russia: 25
• Prince Bismarck Russes et Turcs: 29
• The Ottoman Empire: 33
• Prince Gorchakov Russian Foreign Minister Hozier: 35
• The Eastern Question: 42
• Count Ignatiev Russian Ambassador to Turkey Russes et Turcs: 43
• Suleiman Pasha Hozier: 49
• The Approach to: 51
• Benjamin Disraeli Earl of Beaconsfield British Prime Minister Hozier: 56
• Recourse to Arms: 63
• Queen Victoria: 64
• Henry Layard British Ambassador to Turkey following the transfer: 67
• The Russian Army: 74
• General Dmitri Alexeievich Miliutin Ollier: 75
• Russian Cossack officers summer 1877 Rogers: 81
• The Ottoman Army: 86
• Recruits from Salonika arriving in Constantinople to be clothed: 87
• Abdul Kerim Pasha Hozier: 93
• Command of the: 97
• Hobart Pasha: 98
• Plans of Campaign: 104
• General Obruchev Russes et Turcs: 105
• Sketches of Turkish war activity at Rustchuk Illustrated London News: 111
• The Barboshi Bridge: 117
• Cossacks on the road from Galatz to Barboshi Illustrated London News: 118
• The Crossing of the Danube: 124
• LieutenantGeneral Dragomirov commander of the Russian 14th: 126
• Russian troops landing at Sistova Strantz: 132
• Gourko: 136
• Tsarevich Alexander commander of the Army of Rustchuk Hozier: 138
• Gourko and his staff near the Shipka Pass Album della Guerra Russo: 144
• Krüdener 1: 149
• 2: 150
• 4: 151
• 5: 152
• 6: 153
• 10: 154
• 12: 155
• 13: 156
• 14: 158
• Osman: 159
• Mukhtar: 170
• Batum: 187
• Zevin: 194
• Eski Zagra: 202
• Cossacks cutting telegraph lines The Graphic: 203
• Suleiman at Shipka: 212
• The Shipka Pass viewed from the south a nearcontemporary view Springer: 216
• Colour plates: 226
• Site of the battle fought on July 18 1877 in front of the Krishin Redoubt: 226
• Episode from the Battle of Telis October 24 1877 V Mazurovsky 1888: 226
• 21: 227
• Prince Hassan son of the Khedive of Egypt and commander of: 232
• Cerkovna: 243
• The Battle of Sinankoi September 14 1877 Strantz: 245
• Lovtcha: 252
• The Assault: 263
• Aftermath: 280
• MaySeptember 1877: 289
• Catastrophe on Gods Mountain: 300
• The Camels Neck: 314
• The Storming of Kars: 321
• Gorni Dubnik: 331
• Baba Konak: 342
• The Fall of Plevna: 351
• Elena: 364
• Tashkessen: 377
• Philippopolis: 386
• Shenovo: 396
• The Great Powers after Plevna: 405
• 23: 410
• 24: 411
• Armistice: 413
• 25: 414
• San Stefano: 421
• The Congress of Berlin: 431
• Conclusion: 441
• 29: 449
• 31: 450
• 33: 451
• Strengths of Russian Infantry and Cavalry Regiments 1877 452: 452
• Order of Battle Russian Army of the South March 3 1877: 453
• Order of Battle of the Roumanian Army March 1877: 460
• Order of Battle Russian Army of the Caucasus March 1877: 462
• Bulgarian Legion May 1877: 465
• 34: 466
• vii: 468
• Order of Battle Russian Army at Plevna July 30 1877: 470
• Ammunition Expenditure of the Russian Army at the Second Battle of Plevna July 30 1877: 472
• Order of Battle Turkish Army of the Danube August 1877: 475
• Order of Battle of the Roumanian 3rd and 4th Infantry XIII Order of Battle Turkish Army of Plevna September 6 1877: 479
• List of the Turkish Fortifications and Positions at Plevna with XV Order of Battle Turkish Army of the Danube October 1877: 482
• Disposition and Strength of the Turkish Army of the XVII Bulgarian Legion October 1877: 488
• xvii: 489
• Order of Battle Turkish Army of the West November 1877: 490
• Order of Battle Turkish Army of Plevna December 10 1877: 493
• 18: 497
• Glossary: 498
• Notes: 503
• 20: 505
• 25: 506
• 33: 507
• 42: 508
• Bibliography: 521
• Index: 525
• 63: 526
• 136: 527
• 227: 528
• 263: 529
• 342 351 364: 531
• 396: 532
• 19: 533

About the author

Quintin Barry is a solicitor and retired Employment Judge. He has also held a wide varirty of offices in both the public sectors, including the NHS and local radio. Following a lifelong interest in military and naval history, he is the author of a number of books in both fields. These include an acclaimed two volume history of the Franco Prussian War of 1870-1871; a history of the Austro Prussian War of 1866; and the first modern history of the Russo Turkish War of 1877-1878. He has also written a number of books of naval history, including a well reviewed account of the war in the North Sea in 1914-1918.

Bibliographic information

• Title: War in the East: A Military History of the Russo-Turkish War 1877-78
• Author: Quintin Barry
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Helion and Company, 2012
• ISBN: 1907677119, 9781907677113
• Length: 576 pages
• Subjects: History / Modern / 19th Century