At eleven o'clock on the momentous morning of September 11 a hot musketry fire was heard on the left flank, but owing to the thick mist the cause could not be ascertained at once, and it was not until 1 P.M. that Prince Charles received a report that General Skobeleff had already been hotly engaged for the last two hours, suffering severe losses. In the meantime the mist had lifted, and at 3 P.M. the attacking columns moved in good order against the entrenchments. After suffering terrible losses, the columns were obliged to fall back, leaving innumerable corpses to mark the line of their advance. Twice the Roumanian infantry reached the ditch of the death-dealing Grivitza redoubt; twice, despite the utmost gallantry, they were forced back. Prince Charles could no longer watch this desperate struggle without taking share in it, and galloped down from his post of observation to the spot where the survivors of his gallant troops stood. Animated by the presence and the praises of their leader, the soldiers demanded to be led once more against the hitherto impregnable redoubt.
It is nearly half-past five o'clock; the Prince is going to join the Emperor Alexander, with whom is the Grand Duke Nicholas, in order to report to him on the state of affairs. The latter recognised him from a distance, and met him with the anxious query, "How are things going?" The Prince could only reply that the attack had miscarried, although he had still hope that the first Grivitza redoubt may be taken. Whilst he is still conversing with the Emperor, who is very much affected, an officer of Cossacks rides up at full gallop with the news that Turkish cavalry has broken out of Plevna and is advancing along the Grivitza road! Everybody present implores the Emperor to retire immediately from his point of observation, and to return for safety to his headquarters. The Emperor cedes to the general wish and returns to Raditschewo, accompanied by a large military escort—a sad spectacle for those who were present. The thunder of artillery, the rattling of musketry continue apace although the day is drawing to a close. The Prince is still without any news concerning the result of the attack on the Grivitza redoubt, which he had ordered to be made. A battalion is drawn from the reserve for the protection of the Grand Duke and the Prince. A huge fire is lit, round which their Highnesses sit down with their staff. Everybody is more or less overcome by the excitement of the day, and conversation is at a standstill. Suddenly at nine o'clock a horseman appears on the scene. He brings the unexpected, and yet so anxiously longed-for news, that at half-past seven o'clock the Roumanians, by a last effort, had taken the Grivitza redoubt, and captured a Turkish flag and three cannon. Whilst at the same time four Russian battalions successfully advanced on the works from the south; but a second redoubt, constructed in rear of the first, proved too strong to be assaulted; thus the Russians were held in check.
The news of this success, which had been delayed owing to the officer having lost his way in the dark, acts like magic upon those present. The Prince immediately sends the joyful tidings to the Emperor.
General Skobeleff, whose independent advance was much criticised at headquarters, succeeded in taking two redoubts on the Green Hill, and demanded immediate support for his decimated force. This, however, could not be granted, owing to the distance (ten miles) from the reserve and the danger of the troops losing their way across country by night. The thunder of the guns and the rattle of musketry continued throughout the night, and only ceased at daybreak. The losses sustained proved to be enormous—16,000 killed and wounded, amongst them 2600 Roumanians.
A council of war, held the second day after the battle, in the absence of Prince Charles, decided to summon General von Todleben, the ever famous defender of Sebastopol, with the whole of the Imperial Guard; to desist from further assaults until their arrival, and to entrench the positions gained. A few votes (amongst others that of the Grand Duke) were even given for the withdrawal of the whole army behind the line of the Osma. The total want of initiative shown by General Krylow, who commanded the centre, led to his removal from the command of the Fourth Russian Corps, which was then given to General Pomeranzew. Prince Charles assembled his generals in the great battery near Raditschewo, and gave them orders to shorten the line enclosing Plevna; the counter-entrenchments which were ordered suffered considerable delay, however, as the Russian troops carried no entrenching tools.
The second Grivitza redoubt was attacked by the Roumanians on the 18th, but Prince Charles, who personally superintended the attack, was compelled to recall his brave troops, as the Turkish fire inflicted annihilating losses on the assaulting columns, who, nevertheless, succeeded in reaching the ditch of the redoubt. The losses amounted to 20 officers and 583 men killed and wounded within two hours.
General von Todleben arrived before Plevna on September 30, and at a council of war at once expressed the opinion that the Turkish army could only be forced to surrender by means of a blockade. Plevna must be completely surrounded before a blockade could be enforced, and at least two more Corps were needed for this purpose. A Cavalry Corps under General Gourko was formed to operate on the far bank of the Wid, and to prevent Turkish supply columns from entering Plevna on that side.
The Prince thus described the state of affairs in a letter to Princess Elisabeth, dated October 5th, 1877:
"The Imperial Headquarters Staff have at last realised the situation, and a large army is now to be concentrated here: several divisions of infantry, in addition to the Imperial Guard!
"All these troops will be placed under my command, a distinction which cannot be over-estimated from a military and political point of view. General Todleben is appointed as my second-in-command, with Prince Imeritinski as Chief of my Staff: they are both pleased at being under my command, the latter, indeed, had before applied for the post, whilst the former told me that he was happy to serve under a German Prince, and especially under a Hohenzollern. I replied that I felt complimented at having the celebrated defender of Sebastopol at my side, and that I regarded him as my military preceptor from whom I had much to learn. We are already excellent friends, and understand each other perfectly. I told him candidly what I thought about the attack of September 11th and the course to be pursued now, and had the satisfaction of hearing from him that my proposals were absolutely correct then, and are so still."