The Turkish inhabitants retired before him; and the fortresses on his right and left yielded at his approach. His progress resembled more a holiday procession than the advance of a hostile army, till his career was stopped by the strong fortresses of Schumla and Varna. Having organized the siege of Schumla, which he left in charge of the com mander-in-chief, and also that of Varna which he entrusted to Prince Menschikoff, the emperor set out by sea for Odessa "to wait until the arrival of reinforcements should enable him to undertake some enterprise worthy to be distinguished by his pre sence at the army." The Porte now began to put forth all his strength in the defence of these important fortresses. Schum la stands in the very gorge of the Balkans; and is inclosed by a range of heights in the form of a semicircle, on which was formed the intrenched camp of the Ottomans. These heights being very steep, are impracticable on all sides except on the east, where the city is defended by redoubts, and by a wall which surrounds the intrenched camp. In this Thermopylae of Turkey her principal army was concentrated, and entrusted to the command of the Seraskier Hussein Pacha, one of the ablest generals in the empire. Varna was also strongly reinforced by the arrival of the Capitan Pacha, who took the command of the garrison.
In the meantime Brailow had capitulated after a desperate resistance. Two days before its surren der, an attempt was made to carry the place by storm, which totally failed, the Russians having been driven from every point with the loss of nearly 2000 killed and wounded. So hostile, however, were the inhabitants of Brailow to the authority of the czar, that they all, amounting to 13,500 souls, quitted the city with the garrison.
The Russian advanced guard, under General Ru diger, pushed forward to Eski Stamboul, for the purpose of cutting off the communication of Schumla with the capital, by occupying the roads to the Bal kan, and thus preventing supplies from reaching the besieged. After several severe conflicts the Rus sians maintained their position at Eski Stamboul, and also accomplished the construction of three re doubts. On the 25th of August, however, the Turks made a desperate sortie upon these redoubts, at tacking at the same time both wings of the Russian army, and also the camp at Eski Stamboul. The night was dark and tempestuous, and the Russians were under no apprehension of such a visit. The first redoubt was carried by surprise, and its garri son with general Wrede put to the sword. The two other redoubts were destroyed and several cannon carried off. Both sides in their bulletins claimed the victory; but though the Turks were latterly repulsed, the Russians were compelled to retreat from their advanced position, and concen trate their forces before Schumla. By these vigor ous attacks, however, the Turks succeeded in con veying supplies both of men and provisions into the besieged fortresses. Hussein Bey, on the morning of the 9th of September, again attacked in great force the right and centre of the Russian line.
" Thrice (says the Russian bulletin) did the Turks approach the two Russian redoubts, and thrice did they throw themselves into the trenches;" but they were repulsed with considerable loss. The Rus sians soon after withdrew their head-quarters to Jenibazar, on account of a scarcity of forage, where they stopped only one day and prepared to retreat towards Bazardjik. Hussein immediately quitted his entrenchments at Schumla with 70,000 men in pursuit of the enemy; and with the intention also of raising the siege of Varna. Varna, however, had fallen, and Hussein confined his operations to harassing the Russian army in its retreat to the Danube.* The operations before Varna were repeatedly in terrupted by sorties from the• garrison, who seem to have neglected no opportunity of impeding the enemy's advance. Admiral Greig had also block aded the fortress by sea, and had captured fourteen Turkish vessels, which were stationed under the batteries. The emperor returned to Varna early in September; and the Russian operations being completed, the garrison was summoned to surren der. The flag of truce sent into the fortress was followed by a temporary suspension of hostilities. The Capitan Pacha had an interview with admiral Greig on board his flagship; but, as the Turks appeared to be merely desirous of gaining time, the negotiations were broken off. This conference, however, was fatal to Varna, as it afforded an op portunity to the Russians to tamper with the fide lity of Yusuff Pacha, the second in command. The fortress was surrendered on the 11th of October, it was said at discretion, owing to a sudden panic in the garrison. It is, however, alleged that Yusuff Pacha, on the appearance of a small party of Rus sians, who had pushed forward into the place, ordered his troops to lay down their arms without having obtained the concurrence of the Capitan Pacha. This chief retreated into the citadel; but was next day allowed to retire with 300 of his fol lowers. Omer Vrione who commanded the Turks in the neighbourhood of Varna, immediately re treated beyond the Kamtchik, where he was after wards joined by the grand vizier, who had left the capital with 10,000 troops on the 20th of August, but who did not arrive at Schumla until the Rus sians were preparing to retreat.t In Little Wallachia the Turks, under the Pacha of \Vidin, suffered a severe defeat on the 26th of Septemher. Advancing with 18,000 men against the positions of General Geismar, they were so warmly received, that the action continued during the day without any decisive result, and both par ties retired. At nightfall, however, the Russian general surprised the Turkish camp, and his impe tuous attack was followed by a complete rout until the Turks reached their entrenchments at Kalafat. From this position they were also driven across the Danube; and the Russians fortified and garri soned the place to prevent further incursions into Little Wallachia.