Alexandria Gazette

The Eastern War.

A Bucharest dispatch says the landing of an Egyptian Brigade near Sulina detains Zimmerman in the Dobrudja with a larger force than was intended to be left there, and shows the effect of bolder counsels at Constantinople.

An Athens dispatch says the province of Salonica and the coast district from Olympus to the terminus of the Adrianople Railway has been declared in a state of siege by the Porte. Arms continue to arrive here, and volunteers literally from the four corners of the globe, but owing to the state of affairs in Bulgaria, there will be no movement at present.

Several special dispatches state that Hobart Pasha has left a subordinate to superintend the embarkation of Caucasians, and has gone to Sinope with most of the fleet. It is believed he goes thence to the Danube.

The Porte is preparing winter clothing for the troops and taking other measures in anticipation of a winter campaign. A later telegram from Mukhtar Pasha gives the Turkish losses in Saturday's battle at 130 killed and 339 wounded, and the Russian loss as 1,500 killed.

A correspondent at Yeni Saghra telegraphs, under date of August 16, as follows: I went with the Turkish army on the 14th instant to Chain Baghez. At Lancli, two hours and a half from the Pass, I saw the bodies of one hundred and twenty persons who had been murdered by Cossacks and Bulgarians. Among the victims were two women, one very beautiful and young. She had been killed and thrown, naked, into a pool of water. I saw families, including children, who had been thrown into a well. The houses of these people and the handsome embroidered dresses showed that they had been rich. In one house women and young girls had been shut up and subjected during ten days to outrages by Cossacks and Bulgarians.

The Bulgarians, when they heard of the arrival of the Turkish army at Chain Baghez, carried off the Turkish women and children, from three to thirty years of age, and fled to the Balkans. The victims of whom I spoke above were all collected together and murdered in succession. Many more were butchered, but I have not had time to go and see them.

A correspondent telegraphs under date of Sistova, August 18th, a detailed account of events which caused Gen. Gourko's retreat. The account shows that even independently of a retreat being necessitated by the disaster at Plevna, Gen. Gourko's forces were overwhelmed by the superior forces of the Turks, and although the Russians gained a brilliant victory at Yeni Saghra on July 30th, Gen. Gourko was compelled to retreat on the following day, although in sight of Eski Saghra, where he was obliged to leave the Bulgarian legion, who were operating as a separate body, to their fate. Of the Bulgarian legion, which was originally 1,600 strong, only four or five hundred managed to reach the Shipka Pass. Exclusive of the Bulgarian loss, Gen. Gourko lost 3,000 men in the two days' fighting of the 30th and 31st of July. During Gourko's retreat through the narrow Dalboka and Hainkoi passes, which was accomplished on the 21 instant, the wounded died like flies from the jolting of their conveyances and exposure. Pole men succumbed from fatigue and sunstroke.

The Russian cavalry is now all on this side of the Balkans. Shipka Pass is strongly fortified. Armed with twenty-eight guns and garrisoned by a regiment of the Eighth Division. Two regiments hold Hainkoi Pass, which presents a series of formidable defenses.

There are few troops for the present at Drennova and Gabrova.

A brigade of the Fourteenth division is at Tirnovo. Reinforcements are moving south to strengthen the detachments holding the passes. Cavalry is advancing against Osman Bazar.

Gourko's defeat seems partly to have arisen from the same cause as the other Russian reverses, namely, the dividing of his forces, so as to allow the Turks to take them in detail. Thus the News correspondent, who has exceptional facilities for information, gives the following as Gen. Gourko's plan of operations: The right column, consisting of the Bulgarian Legion, two batteries and three regiments of cavalry, were to march from Eski Saghra. The central column, under Gen. Gourko himself, consisting of the rifle brigade, a regiment of Cossacks and four batteries, marched from Kazanlik. The left column of five battalions of infantry, two batteries and some Cossacks marched from Hainkoi Pass, the objective point of all three columns being Yeni Saghra. The result of this division was the destruction of the Bulgarians at Eski Saghra and the rout of Gourko, who had, however, previously effected a junction with the left column. The account of Gourko's defeat of July 31st shows that he marched upon Dzuranli, on the road to Eski Saghra, ignorant of the fact that 30,000 Turks confronted him and stopped the road leading into the latter place.

The Turkish batteries swept the road with a persistent fire. Nevertheless, Gen. Gourko came into action, sending forward five battalions of infantry, covered by artillery. He had forty-eight horses killed in one battery, and eight in another. The Turks made desperate attempts to turn Gen. Gourko's flanks, which, however, were repulsed by the assistance of Prince Leuchtenberg's cavalry, who had cut their way out from Eski Saghra, where the Bulgarians were beset by 20,000 Turks.

Gen. Gourko, small as was his force, resolved on an attempt to succor them, and in the meantime determined to maintain his position. But his resolution quailed before the appearances of two massive columns of Turks marching on his flank and rear, and he had to leave the Bulgarians to shift for themselves and make good his own retreat.