Plevna

Plevna, a town of Bulgaria, 19 miles S. of the Danube and 85 NE. of Sophia, with 14,474 inhabitants. Here in 1877 Osman Pasha, the Turkish general, after defeating the Russians in several engagements, entrenched himself against their reinforced and superior numbers early in September, and repulsed their endeavours to take the place by storm; but, after making an unsuccessful attempt to cut his way through the investing Russian army, he was compelled, provisions and ammunition running short, to capitulate (10th December) with 42,000 men and 77 guns. The siege cost the Russians 55,000 men, the Roumanians 10,000, the Turks 30,000. See W. V. Herbert, The Defence of Plevna (1895).