Prince Charles attended a council of war at the Russian headquarters in Plojeschti on June 1, 1877, and, whilst discussing the advance into Bulgaria, casually pointed out the strategic importance of the junction of the roads at Plevna. The Grand Duke urged the Prince to cross the Danube near Widin as soon as possible, but Prince Charles was unable to comply with this request until the material necessary for bridges had been collected.
The Czar arrived at Plojeschti a few days later with a suite of over 700 persons, amongst them Prince Alexander of Battenberg, then a subaltern in the Hessian Dragoons. In a private interview with Prince Charles the Czar expressed his intention of lending Roumania, which already owed so much to Russia, a helping hand, but declined to enter into the vexed question of Roumanian co-operation in the war. A curious incident occurred during the Czar's return visit to Bucharest, when a large bouquet, thrown from a house, fell close by his carriage. The Czar started back, fearing a bomb, and only the ready tact of Princess Elisabeth covered his confusion.
An important conversation took place between Prince Charles and Gortchakoff, who definitely expressed the opinion that, though the Delta of the Danube was essential for the development of Roumania, Russia wants one of its arms, the Kilia. The Prince declared that his first object was to preserve the integrity of his country, and that any extension of the frontier after the war would be only a secondary consideration. Gortchakoff appeared to be firmly of opinion that the war would be short and glorious. He could not, therefore, agree with the openly expressed wish of the Headquarters Staff for the co-operation of the Roumanian army.[21] The reports of the first engagements did not, however, fully bear out this belief; for, though successful at other points, the Russians were beaten in Asia at Bajaset, and were forced to withdraw from that town, whilst Mukhtar Pacha compelled General Tergukassoff to retire to Igdir.
"From Prince Charles Anthony, June 11th, 1877.
"At last the situation has somewhat cleared, and the presence of the Czar under existing conditions may possibly be an important starting-point for future developments. The declaration of independence is perfectly justified; it is a fait accompli, which must, in any case, be reckoned with hereafter. At the time this declaration took place, four weeks ago, I feared a considerable increase of the complications already existing, and could hardly become reconciled to it. However, I always remembered that your course of action must be based on motives of which we must be ignorant. Your wisdom in seizing the right moment is again confirmed. The foreign Press, although extremely surprised, has become more or less reconciled to the altered situation, and even the English papers have bridled themselves with decency....
"In my opinion the material military successes of the Russians will be in Asia; the moral successes in Europe; and the conception of a moral victory is so elastic that I see no reason why the war should be prolonged beyond reasonable limits.
"The creation of a united State—Roumania-Bulgaria—of course with the freedom of the Danube to the sea, would be a magnificent creative idea, only the deep-seated difference of the nationalities gives rise to weighty considerations."
On June 28, 1877, the Grand Duke arrived at Simnitza, where the Fourteenth Division had collected a number of boats preparatory to effecting a crossing, aided by a vigorous cannonade the day before along the whole line of the Danube. The Volhynian Regiment embarked at 2 A.M. in absolute silence, and had barely landed when an alarm shot was fired. A short engagement terminated in the retreat of the Turkish force, and, in spite of hostile fire from the artillery, General Dragomirow succeeded in assembling the whole of his Division on the farther bank of the river, with the loss of about 30 officers and 700 men. The construction of a bridge was commenced from both banks simultaneously, though several sections were destroyed by a sudden storm. The bridge at Braila remained intact, and was crossed by Prince Charles on foot the following day.
Notwithstanding the fact that Roumania had so far taken but a small share in the campaign, Prince Charles was able to supply the Russian headquarters with trustworthy information about the enemy's movements, especially with regard to the garrison of Widin, under Osman Pacha, who was now reported to be on the march to Rahova with fifteen battalions and two batteries. Though an advanced party of Cossacks seized Plevna on July 8, they were unable to retain possession of that town, a couple of Turkish battalions from Nikopoli forcing them to retire on the following day.