On July 20, 1877, the advance guard of Krüdener's corps, 6,500 strong, under Schilder-Schuldener, attacked the defences to the north and east of Plevna. The Russians advanced with impetuosity, and carried some of the advanced trenches, driving the defenders back to the outskirts of the town, but their heavy loss, and a failure of ammunition compelled a retreat, and the Turks rallying, drove them from the positions they had captured, and pursued them for some distance. The Russians lost two-thirds of their officers, and nearly 2,000 men.
The second battle took place, July 30, when General Krüdener, with 30,000 Russians in two divisions, assailed the Turkish redoubts to the north and east of the town. Schakofsky had command of the latter attack, Krüdener himself leading the assault on the Gravitza redoubt on the north. Krüdener was absolutely unsuccessful. Schakofsky by 5.30 p.m. was in possession of two of the eastern redoubts, but before nightfall these were retaken by the Turks, and the Russians retired, defeated all along the line. Their losses amounted to 169 officers and 7,136 men, of whom 2,400 were left dead on the field. On the 11th and 12th of September, the investing army, 95,000 strong, under the Grand Duke Michael, attacked Plevna on three sides, Osman Pasha having now 30,000 men under his command. On the 11th an attack on the Omar Tabrija redoubt was repulsed with a loss to the Russians of 6,000 men. The attack on the Gravitza redoubts resulted in the capture of the "Bloody Battery," which the Russians held till the end of the siege. On the south-west, Skobeleff captured two of the six inner redoubts which protected that angle of the fortress. On the 12th, the attack on the second Gravitza redoubt was repulsed, and the two redoubts captured by Skobeleff were retaken, after a terrible struggle. The losses in the two days' fighting amounted to 20,600 including 2,000 prisoners, on the Russian side, on that of the Turks to 5,000. Of these, 8,000 Russians, and 4,000 Turks fell in Skobeleff's attack.
On December 10, Osman Pasha, at the head of 25,000 Turks, accompanied by 9,000 convalescents and wounded in carts, attempted to cut his way through the Russian army, now 100,000 strong, under the King of Roumania, with Todleben as Chief of the Staff. The attempt was made on the east of Plevna, and was directed against the Imperial Grenadiers, under General Ganetzki. Having successfully crossed the Vid, Osman charged down upon the Russians, on a line two miles in length, and carried the first line of entrenchments. Todleben, however, hurried up reinforcements, and the Turks were in turn attacked, and driven back in confusion across the river, Osman being severely wounded. Here they made their last stand, but were overpowered, and driven into Plevna, which before evening capitulated, after a defence lasting 143 days. In this engagement, the Turks lost 5,000, and the Russians 2,000 killed and wounded.
Podhaic.
Fought 1667, between 10,000 Poles, under John Sobieski, and 80,000 Cossacks and Tartars who were besieging Kaminiec. The Cossacks were totally routed and forced to evacuate Poland.
Podol (Seven Weeks' War).
Fought June 26, 1866, between the advance-guard of Prince Frederick Charles' army, and the Austrians, under General Clam-Gallas. The Austrians were defeated and driven out of Podol, after severe fighting, in which they lost heavily. The Prussians took 500 prisoners.
Poitiers (Gothic Invasion of France).
Fought 507, between the Franks, under Clovis, and the Visigoths, under Alaric II. Clovis and Alaric met in single combat, and Alaric was slain, following which the Goths were utterly routed. By this decisive victory, the province of Aquitaine was added to the Frankish dominions.