‘The Russo-Turkish War. 1877. Operations in Europe.’ [‎15r] (29/66)

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The same correspondent stated that orders had been issued to the Feb - 1877 -
direction of the Adrianople railway to prepare for the immediate transport to
the interior ot 24 battalions, to be followed in a week by seven others.
A Vienna authority, writing in February, declares that all the efforts of
the Turks will not enable them to assemble more than 100,000 men in
Bulgaria.
In March the Turkish strength at Widdin (exclusive of a force of 40,000 March 1877.
men it was proposed to concentrate in an entrenched camp there), was given at
71 battalions of Infantry of the line, 12 squadrons of Cavalry, and 12
batteries of Artillery, told off into two divisions. In addition to these there
were five battalions distributed between Rustchuk, Palanka and Lorn, to keep
up the communications between the different fractions of the force lining the
Danube. The total strength of this force was given at 60,000 men.
VIII.
TURKISH FORTRESSES, STORES, &c.
Rustchuk .—Opposite side of the Danube to Giurgevo. About 100 Feb. 1877.
yards from the Giurgevo landing place, in the stream of the Danube, is an
island about half-a-mile in width, and distant some 700 or 800 yards from the
r Turkish side of the river. On it are the remains of two batteries facing
south, probably Russian ones of 1854. The island is a mile and a half below
the town of Rustchuk, opposite the terminus of the Rustchuk—Varna railway.
The enceinte of the Rustchuk fortress is of very ancient date and weak in
profile, the relief being about 25 ft. at most. It was out of repair, escarp and
counter-scarp crumbling into the ditch in many places. The fortress and forts
contained many powder magazines, badly protected and conspicuously placed,
in which much powder was stored. The Rustchuk forts were 12 in number,
none of them constructed to meet the requirements of rifled Artillery. Hence
Rustchuk is described as practically without defence, though affording an
unusually good position for an army of 30,000 to 40,000 men. The key of the
position is a hill on which a permanent fort, likely to be ready in two or three
months, was being constructed. This hill is commanded by another to the
south-east, about 600 yards to the west of the Rustchuk—Schumla road, on which
it is intended to build another fort. Of existing fortifications at Rustchuk, the
a most perfect were a redoubt on the banks of the river, about 300 yards from
the enceinte, and 200 to the north of the Rustchuk—Silistria road. It was the
intention of the Turks to arm the forts at Rustchuk with 240 guns, but in
February no guns were mounted except a few smooth-bores in the enceinte.
Of the 240 guns only a limited number were to be rifled (about 42).
The Turks had only 11 or 12 rifled guns of position north of Schumla.
54 had recently been landed at Varna, for which place 44 of them were
destined, and further cargoes of guns were arriving before the end of the
month.
There was no certain information as to the force at Rustchuk. It was
stated at 9,000 Infantry, and there were contradictory reports about the
presence of two field batteries of Artillery. It was allowed that the garrison
was very unhealthy, but there were only 120 men in hospital.
Turtukai .—An important point on the Danube, between Rustchuk and
Silistria, opposite Oltenitza; in itself a dirty little Turkish village, without
defences, troops, or telegraph.
Silistria .—The nominal garrison in February was 12,000 men, but there Feb. 1877.
were only 90 men in the hospital, so the paper force was probably in excess of
the real one. There were two field batteries, with light breech-loading brass
guns, probably of similar calibre to English nine-pounders, and no cavalry. The
fortifications of Silistria were inspected in February by an English officer, from
whom a report on the subject may be expected.