GOURKO, JOSEPH VLADIMIROVICH, COUNT (1828-1901), Russian general, of Lithuanian extraction, was born on Nov. 15, 1828. He entered the imperial bodyguard, rose rapidly in the service, and at the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish war of 1877 he was placed in command of the van of the Russian invasion. He took Trnovo on July 7, crossed the Balkans by the Hain Bogaz pass, debouching near Hainkioi, and, notwithstanding considerable resistance, captured Uflani, Maglish and Kazanlyk; on July 18 he attacked Shipka, which was evacuated by the Turks on the following day. Thus within sixteen days of crossing the Danube Gourko had secured three Balkan passes and created a panic at Constantinople. He then made a series of successful reconnaissances of the Tunja valley, cut the railway in two places, occupied Stara Zagora (Turkish, Eski Zagra) and Nova Zagora (Yeni Zagra), checked the advance of Suleiman's army, and returned again over the Balkans. In October he was appointed commander of the allied cavalry, and attacked the Plevna line of communication to Orkhanie with a large mixed force, captured Gorni-Dubnik, Telische and Vratza, and, in the middle of Novem ber, Orkhanie itself. Plevna was isolated, and after its fall in December Gourko crossed the Balkans, totally defeated Suleiman, and occupied Sophia, Philippopolis and Adrianople, the armistice at the end of January 1878 stopping further operations (see Russo-TURKISH WARS). Gourko was made a count, and dec orated with the 2nd class of St. George and other orders. In 1879-1880 he was governor of St. Petersburg, and from to 1894 governor-general of Poland. He died on Jan. 29, 1901.