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Nov. 17, 1855.]
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THE WAR. AtfOTHEB defeat of the Russians...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Nov. 17, 1855.]
Nov . 17 , 1855 . ]
THE L E A D E R . 1095
The War. Atfotheb Defeat Of The Russians...
THE WAR . AtfOTHEB defeat of the Russians by the Turks brings the war news of the past week—otherwise ofa very meagre character-to a grand climax . The 5 th of November—a day memorable in the history of the present war as being the anniversary of the repulse of the Russians at Inkermannwas the day on which this new discomfiture of the Czar ' s troops came to pass . From the brief telegraphic despatches already received , it appears that about 20 , 000 Russians were encountered by Omar Pacha on the rive Ingour , in Mingrelia ; and , afte r five hours of hard fighting , were routed with great slaughter . Che Turkish Commander forced the passage of the river at four points , against superior numbers , and has since pushed on to Kutais . Omar , who , on receipt of the news of General Williams ' s victory at Kars , had set out at once in considerable force from Souchum-Kaleh , has thus added another brilliant ornament to his previous achievements , and has rubbed off the rust which several months' inaction had gathered round his name . In addition to Omar Pacha ' s movement on Kutais , we learn that Ferdar Pacha has advanced towards the same place with 10 , 000 men . The Russian troops in Georgia ae said , to amount to the same number ; and it is positively stated that they are evacuating Lower Georgia , and entrenching themselves in mountainous positions . It is also said that they are making preparations to raise the siege of Kars , having sent the greater portion of their baggage to Alexandropol ; and that the Turks in the former city are still enabled to keep their communications open . Rumour , moreover , speaks of the Russians having abandoned Kutais and retired on Tiflis . " Without relying implicitly on all these assertions ( which , however , are not improbable ) , it is quite certain that the enemy is placed in a very serious position by the triumphant advance of Omar Pacha , and that the prospec ts of the beleagured Turks are greatly brightened . Le Nord publishes the following : — " Aide-de-Camp General Moura-vieff announces , under date of the 1 st ( 13 th ) of October , that , inconsequence of the strict blockade of Kars , desertions have recoiru menced ; the Lazis , with their chiefs , desert in numbers ; more than 100 have been taken by our troops , who also captured some banners . The inhabitants of Kars are distressed for provisions ; as regards the Turkish troops , they are on half-rations of bread , with a small allowance of meat . The choleni is very bad in the town . " Aide-de-Camp-General Mouravieff announces , in conclusion , that the 6 , 500 men hors de combat , convalescents , are dnily returning to the ranks , so that the regiments are giadunlly being completed . "Among the severely wounded , Lieutenant-General Prince Gagarin , Major-General Bronevsky , and Colonel Se re ' briakoff , give hopes of recovery . " Among the 4 , 000 Turks killed and wounded are two commanders of regiments , some superior officers , and a Pacha . " The full Russian report of the battle of Kars is published in the Invalide Jtusse of the 9 th of November . It says that the ltussians took twentythree cannon , but could only carry away four ; and that they took fourteen flags . They give their own loss in killed and wounded at 6 , 517 men ; that of the Turks at 4 , 000 . The news from , the Crimea is exceedingly scanty . The " season " is over ; and preparations for the winter , combined with the institution of a kind of police for keeping watch upon the enemy , are almost all that the chronicler has to report . The Allies have completed some very important works near Fort St . Nicholas , and have increased the number of batteries bearing on the northern forts . A sharp look-out is kept on the Tchernaya , some Rutssian deserters having reported that Prince Gortscnakofi' would attempt a general action before making a retreat ; and the Allies every night reinforce their advanced posts , and support them , with field artillery . The fire on both sides of Sebastopol is warm , the Allies and their enemy exchanging shots pretty freoly ; but there is no sign of the Russians leaving either the Crimea or the northern forta . The French troops have returned to their cantonments from the , Upper Belbck , where the country was becoming impracticable , and more troops have been sent to Eupatoria . Admiral Lyons has ai > rived at Constantinople ; and Admiral Bruat wap
expected on the 10 th , with all his sailing vessels , bringing 8 , 000 of the Imperial Guard , on their way to France . Fifty vessels laden with corn , from the Sea of Azoff and the Black Sea , have passed through the Bosphorus . A letter from Kamiesch , bearing elate October 25 th , gives the following particulars of the projected winter arrangements : — " A . portion of the English cavalry only is to remain in the lints which are being built near Balaklava , and the rest will be conveyed to Constantinople , whence it will be sent to Ismid and Silistria . You may accordingly expect very soon the landing of 3 , 000 cavalry at Constantinople . The allied fleets are not to remain in the Black Sea . They are to winter , with the exception of a few screw ships , in the Bosphoius . The transports about to start for France with troops will not return to Kamieseh or Balaklava . It is even said that a portion of the fleet will proceed directly to France . " The Duke of Newcastle left Trebizond on the 1 st inst ., for Constantinople . He is expected to return to England about the commencement of December . With reference to the operations on the Dnieper , we read as follows in a telegraphic despatch from Prince Gortschakoff , dated Nicholaief , Oct . 31 st : — " The camp on the spit of Kinburn , between the suburb and the fortress , has been broken up by the enemy . It is still impossible to determine exactly the strength of the garrison they have left in Kinburn . Their light vessels , though in smaller number , continue at their anchorage in the Bay of Otcbakoff , or cruise in the liman , entering the embouchures of the Bug and Dnieper , and taking soundings , but without ascending very far up those rivers , or even to the points they reached when they first appeared . The fleet , the number of which has again slightly decreased since yesterday , is moored in the same position . " THE ACTION BEFORE KARS . General Williams has communicated to Lord Clarendon the annexed detailed account of the memorable defeat of the Russians before Kars on the 29 th , of September : — Kars , Oct . 3 . " My Lord , —I had the honour to announce to your lordship , on the evening of the 29 th ult ,, the glorious victory gained on the morning of that day by the Sultan's troop- ; on the heights above Kars , over the Russian army commanded by General Mouravieff , and I now beg to furnish your lordship with the principal incidents of that sanguinary battle . " Your lordship will perhaps recollect that in my despatch , No . 123 , of the 28 th of June , I stated that the Russian General , after his second demonstration against the southern face of our intrenchments , which is flanked by Hafiz Pacha Tabia and Kanli Tabia , marched South , and established his camp at Bugah Tkirne , a village situated about four miles from Kars . Knowing that General Mouiavieff served in the army which took Kars in 1828 , I conceived his last manoeuvre to be preparatory either to a reconnaissance , or an attack upon the heights of Tahmasb , from whence the Russians successfully pushed their approaches in the year above cited . " Whilst , therefore , the enemy ' s columns were in march towards Bugah Tikme , I visited those heights with Lieut - Colonel Lake , nnd after studying the ground decided upon tlie nature of the works to be thrown up ; these were planned and executed by Lieutenant-Colonel Lake with great skill and energy . I enclose for your lordship ' s information a plan made by that officer , of the town and its neighbouring heights , which are situated on the opposite side of the rivor of Kars Chui , over which three temporary bridges had been thrown to keep up our communications . As all verbal descriptions or bird ' a-eye views of ground convey but an imperfect idea of any locality , I beg to enclose a sketch made by Mr . Churchill , which will , I trust , teud to elucidate my description . " Your lordship will observe that whilst our camp and magazines in the town were rendered as sufo as circumstancoa would allow , tlie hills above Kars commanded nil , and were therefore tlie keys of our position . ' The intrenchmonts of Tahmasb , being those nearest the enemy's camp , domanded the greatest vigilance from all entrusted in their defence ; General Kinety , a gallant Hungarian ollicer , commanded tho division which occupied this eminence ; he waa assisted by Major-General Hussein Piicha and my aide-de-camp , Mnjor Toendale , who has actfd aa his chief of tho stuff . .... u At four o ' clock on the eventful morning of the 29 th , the enemy's columns wore reported to be advancing on the Tahmasb front . They were throe in number , supported by 24 guns ; the first or rig ht column being direeted on Talimaab Tabia , the second on Yukaek Tabia , nnd tho third on tho breastwork called Rennitton Lines . Ab t-oon as tho first gun announced tho approach of tho enemy , the reserves wore put under arms in a central position , from which succours could bo despatched oithor to Tahmasb or the English lines . "The mist and imperfect light of tho duwning day induced the enemy to believe that he -was about to surprise us ; lie advanced with his usual steadiness and intrepidity ; but , on getting within range , ho wob saluted with ft
crushing fire of artillery from all points of the line . This unexpected reception , however , only drew forth' loud , hurrahs from the Russian infantry as it rushed up the hill on the redoubts and breastworks . These works poured forth a fire of musketry and rifles , which told with fearful effects on the close columns of attack , more especially on the left one , which , being opposed by : i battalion of 4 o 0 Gliasseurs , armed with Minie rifles , was , after long and desperate fighting , completely broken , and ^ ent headlong down the hill , leaving 850 dead on the field , besides those carried off by their comrades . " The central column precipitated itself on the redoubts of Tahmasb and Yusek Tabias , where desperate fighting occurred and lasted for several hour .- * , the enemy being repulsed in all his attempts to enter the c ' osi-d redoubts , which mutually flanked each other with tlieir artillery and musketrv , and made Urrible havoc in tho ranks of the assailants ; and it was here that Generals Krmty and Hussein Pacha , together with Ma or Teesdale , so conspicuouslv displayed their courage and conduct Lieutenant-General Keeeii rPaclia also repaired to the scene of desperate strife to encourage the troops , and was wounded in the shoulder , and had two horses kilie . l under him . " The right column of the Russian infantry , supported by a batterv , eventually turned the left ( lank of the intrenched whig of the Tahmasb defences , and whilst the Russian battery opened in the rear of tho closed redoubt at its salient angle , their infantry penetrated considerably behind our position " Observing the commencement of this movement , and anticipating its coasequeiices , Lieut .-Col . Lak ; , who had taken the direction of affairs in the English Tabias , was instructed to send a battalion from Fort Lake to the assistance of the defenders of Tasmasb , and at the same time two battalions of reserved were moved across the flying bridge and upon the rocky height of Laz Jeppe Tabia . These three reinforcing columns met each other at that point , and , being hidden from the enemy by the rocky nature of the ground , confronted him at a most opportune moment ; they deployed , opened their fire , which stopped and soon drove back the enemy's reserves , which were then vigorously charged with the bayonet , at the same moment when General Kmety and Major Teesdale issued from the redoubts at Tahmasb and charged the assailants . The whole of that portion of the enemy s infantryand artillery now broke and fled down the heights under a murderous fire of musketry : this occurred-at half-past eleven , after a combat of seven hours " In this part of the field , the enemy had , including his reserve , twenty-two battalions of infantry , a largo force of dragoons and Cossacks , together with thirty-two " Whilst this struggle which I have attempted to describe , was occurring at Tahmcsb , a most severe combat was going on at the eastern position of the Hue , called the English Tabias . "About half-past five o ' clock a . m ., a ' llussian column , consisting of eig ht battalions of infantry , three regiments of cavalry , and sixteen guna , advanced from tho valley of Tohakmak , and assaulted those small redoubts , which , after as stout a resistance as their unavoidably feeble garrison could oppose , fell into their hand .-, together with the connecting breastworks , defended by townsmen and mountaineers from Lazistan , whose clannish flugs , according to their custom , were planted before them , on tho epaulments , and consequently fell into tlio enemy ' s hands ; but ere the tiring had begun in tln . s portion ot the li-ld , Captain Thomson had received ordera to send a battalion of infantry from each of tho height * of K . radagh and Arab Tabia to reinforce tlie English linen . I his reinforcement descended the deep gully through which Hows the Kars River , passed a bridge , roccixtly thrown across it , and ascended the opposite pivdpitouH bank by a zicrzng Path which led into tho line of works named oy tho Turks Jngliss Tabias ( the J'lng lish liatioriu . s ) . liieir arrival was as opportune us that of tho reserve directed towurd Tahmasb , which I have had tho honour to describe in the former part of this despatch ; these battalions , joined to those directed by Iiieutunaui-Uoloiicl Luke , gallantly attacked and drove the ltu »» iuns out of tho redoubts ut the point of the bayonet , after tho artillery of tho enemy had been driven from those line * l > y tho croes lire directed from Fort Luko and from Arab Tubiu and Kurudugb , by Captain Thompson . Thin ofllcur deserves my best thanks for having seized a favourable moment to remove a heavy gun from the eastern to the wcntern extremity of Karudagh , and with it inflicted severe loan on tho enemy . "After tho Russian infantry was driven from tho Knglish redoubts , tho whole of their attacking force of cavalry , nrtiUory , and infantry , retreuted with precipitation , plied with round shot from all tho batteries buurlng <>» tla-ir columns . During tlieir temporary buco . wh , howovor , tji e oncmy captured two of our light khjm , wltu t \ '" mortality amongst our horses from fiimiiio P r « v « nU-ci our withdrawing from their advanced I ^'"" . ll ° ? Z carried off his wounded , ami "" V , ^; /^ , „ - loft » 68 of tho latter within » nd ' ¦ ' ¦« ' » , trenchments : and his rotrout occuri < i J ¦ ' before tho assailant * of T « l . ia » . b w « » ' « , ''' „ ' „ fl " With rw . nl to tho ^ ; , tE a « .. u !« l courage , Chance of success h ' P «™™™ , J tho KrellU . gallantry . KtffoJ ^ UmS i U / loft on tho Aold more Uuu >
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 17, 1855, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_17111855/page/3/
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