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A study of the events around Plevna shows clearly what a brave but ill-trained army can do and what it cannot do under modern conditions. From the point of view of strategy that is, the conduct of the great operations of a campaign Osman's defence of Plevna yields lessons of equal interest.
Perhaps heaven holds different explanations, graduated to rising intellects, from parsons upwards. Moses Lump will be satisfied with a gold chair, and the cherubim singing, 'holy! holy! holy! in Hebrew, and ask no further questions. Abdullah Ben Osman's mouth will be closed by the kisses of houris.
At length two of their guns stuck fast in a marshy spot, and as several men and horses were shot in the attempt to extricate them Broadwood wisely ordered them to be abandoned, and they were soon engulfed in the Dervish masses. Encouraged by this capture, the horsemen of Osman's command daringly attacked the retreating cavalry.
Meanwhile, as we have said, busy preparations were being made by General Graham who had arrived and taken command of the forces to offer battle to Osman's troops.
The village was burnt and the ammunition blown up. The next day the force started on its return march, after burning and destroying Osman's camp and the three adjoining villages. No attempt was made to pursue Osman Digma or his Arabs.
With uplifted sword he then approached the horse that stood tied to a stake in the middle of the circle. Trembling, and neighing anxiously, it saw the hero bearing down upon it at a full gallop; then Osman's sword glittered in the air, and the horse's head fell to the ground, severed from the body by a single blow.
That is to say, I may have seen her once or twice, with Osman, when we happened to pass the veiled woman and her husband on the street, and I believe she did stand still and look after us. I thought, at the time, it was on Osman's account, and probably it was. How could the rich lady have turned to look at the poor lad Mohammed Ali? And now to other matters.
To be in the open air on such a night was good for the weak breast of an invalid, and Osman's father was therefore not surprised when his son expressed a desire to pass the night in the garden pavilion, in preference to remaining in the close apartments of the palace.
It is not indeed for nothing that Osman's latest successor, and all who hold by him, distinguish themselves from other peoples by his name. This Greek strain has often been reinforced since his day and mingled with other Caucasian strains.
Already the long curve of the outer Turkish lines spread along slopes which formed natural glacis, while the ground farther afield was so cut up by hollows as to render one combined assault very difficult. The strength, and even the existence, of some of Osman's works were unknown. Finally, the Russians are said to have had only 32,000 infantry men at hand with two brigades of cavalry.
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