The bombardment lasted with varying intervals of a few hours at a time from the 6th to the 11th September, comparatively little use being made of the infantry and cavalry on most parts of the line. The general positions were much the same as at the time of the second battle of Plevna, Skobeleff having the extreme left. The Roumanian army was posted among the hills to the northwest of Grivitza, while Krudener with the 9th corps was to the south of Grivitza, with his line extending round to Radischevo. General Kryloff with the 4th corps was to the left of Baron Krudener, while General Skobeleff, as before stated, held the extreme left, which extended round to the Loftcha road.
The Russians were disappointed at the slight effect of their artillery on the Turkish redoubts, especially where the siege train under Krudener had been pounding all day at the Grivitza defences. On the extreme left Skobeleff was impatient at the slow work of the artillery, and determined to make use of his other forces. After firing awhile with his heavy guns at the redoubts on the Krishin heights, he closed in within short range, and then sent the 5th and 8th regiments to attack the Turkish infantry, which was deployed along the line of the Green Hills. He drove back the Turks until he was fairly within range of the guns of Krishin, which of course made his position untenable, and he was forced to retire. At one time he was within 1,500 yards of Plevna, but he could not retain his position as long as the Turks were still in possession of their redoubts. But he hung on to the southern knoll of the Green Hills in spite of repeated attempts to dislodge him.
The 8th and 9th passed without any important change in the relations of the contending armies. The Turks on the Grivitza ridge did not reply to the Russian fire on the 9th, and consequently Prince Charles thought they might have been driven out. or possibly the guns were disabled.
