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Rh safely encamped on the southern bank of the Danube, and getting in readiness to assume the offensive. It took some days to accumulate the needed supplies and bring them over, so that the advance did not begin in force until after the middle of the month. But before that time General Gourko, with the advance and the 8th corps, had pushed forward on the road to the Balkans, heading first for Tirnova. The Russians had determined to follow the lines of the Yantra and Vid rivers in their advance to the south; both flow from the mountains in a northerly direction to reach the Danube, the Yantra coming in to the east of Sistova, and the Vid beyond Nicopolis to the westward. On the 5th July the cavalry occupied Biela, which lies on the great road, and on the 7th Gourko was in possession of Tirnova. The plan was for the 12th and 13th corps to form the left of the army and ascend the valley of the Yantra, while the centre followed the Great Road leading to the passes of the Balkans. The 9th corps was to compose the right flank, and after capturing Nicopolis, go up the valley of the Vid. The 11th and 4th corps were to form the reserve, and be sent wherever they might be most needed. The Emperor joined the army at Biela on the 8th or 9th. Gourko was soon reported past the Balkans; Nicopolis was captured by Baron Krudener; and every thing seemed to be progressing favorably for the Russians, who had not thus far met any considerable force of the enemy. News came from Constantinople that the Turkish government was greatly alarmed at the successful passage of the Danube by the Russians, and had removed and banished the commander of the army, Abdul Kerim Pasha.

The first check of the Russians was at Plevna. They had previously captured Nicopolis with its garrison of 7,000 men, having themselves lost about 1,300 officers and men killed and wounded. Orders had been given to