The Sun.
London, England, 1855-11-12 00:00:00

THE RUSSIAN ATTACK ON KARS.

Artisans' First Class Medals.—Charles Henry Gay,
London ; and J. Whyte, London.
Second Class Medals.—E. Brealy, London ; E.
Byant, London ; G. W. Castle, London ; A. Seaby,
London ; and J. Wallace, London.
Honourable Mention.— R. Clapham, Landon ; Miss
S. Morrisson, London ; J. Pryor, London • B. Smith,
London ; W. P. Jesse, London ; W. G. Thorn, Lon-
don ; J. Till, London ; Mrs. Lanigan, Fergerth, Ireland ;
E. Loysel, London; MacCallum and Hodson, Birming-
ham; Marion and Martland, London ; J. Medwent and
Co., London ; D. Mercier, Quebec, Canada ; Merryfield
and Sheridan, Toronto, Canada; Mitta Vadda, Hyder-
abad, East Indies ; R. Montanari, London ; N. Mon-
tanari, London ; Nicoll, London ; Nath. Peal, London ;
Poodomang-Conjoo-Mercoyer-Cauder-Meera-Saib, and
the Women of the Caste of Paruver ; Rah-Jarab, Tra-
vancore, India ; Rapshabye, Rohilcund, Raupore, and
the manufactories of Mysore and Calcutta, India Ma-
dame Rhodes, Quebec ; Mrs. Robertson, Nassau, Ba-
hama ; Suduk, Cashmere ; Suwent War4e, India ;
Scanbirth and Robinson, Toronto.

TWENTY-SEVENT/I CLASS.—MANUFACTURE OP MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS.
First Class Medals.—J. and J. Hopkinson, London ;
Webster.
Second Class Medal.—Bevington and Son, London.
Honourable Mention.—J. Scates, Dublin.
Operatives' First Class Medal.—C. Brusand, Lon-
don.

General Williams's Despatch.
( From a Supplement to Friday's Gazette.)
FOREIGN-OFFICE, Nov. 10.

The Earl of Clarendon has received a despatch from
Major• General Williams, her Majesty's Commissioner
with the Turkish Army in Asia, of which the following
is a copy :

Kars, October 3, 1855.
My Lord,—l bad the honour to announce to your
Lordship, on the evening of the 29th ultimo, the glorious
victory gained on the morning of that day by the Sul-
tan's troops on the heights above Kars, over the Russian
army commanded by General Muravieff, and I now beg
to furnish your Lordship with the principal incidents of
that sanguinary battle.
Your lordship will perhaps recollect that, in my de-
spatch No. 123 of the 28th June, I stated that the Rus-
sian General, after his second demonstration against the
southern face of our entrenchments, which is flanked by
Hafiz Pasha Tabia and Kanli Tabia, marched south, and
established his camp at Bugah Tikme, a village situated
about four miles from Kars. Knowing that General
Muravieff served in the army which took Kars in 1828,
I conceived his last manoeuvre to be preparatory either
to a reconnai,sance, 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 Tikmd, I visited those heights with
Lieut.-Colonel Lake, and after studying the ground de-
cided upon the nature of the works to be thrown up ;
these were planned and executed by Lieut.-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 river of Kars Chai, over
which three temporary bridges had been thrown to keep
up our communications. As all verbal descriptions, or
bird's-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, tend to elucidate
my description.
Your lordship will observe that whilst our camp and
magazines in the town were rendered as safe as circum-
stances would allow, the bills above Kars commanded
all, and were, therefore, the keys of our position. '
The intrenchments of Tahmasb, being those nearest
the enemy's camp, demanded the greatest vigilance from
all entrusted in their defence. General Kmety, a gal-
lant Hungarian officer, commanded the division which
occupied this eminence ; he was assisted by Major-
General Hussein Pacha and my aide-de-camp, Major
Teesdale, who has acted as his Chief of the Staff.
Throughout the investment, which bas now lasted
four months, the troops in all the redoubts and intrench-
meets have kept a vigilant lookout during the night,
and, at their appointed stations, stood to their arms long
before day-dawn. In my despatch, No. 155, of the 29th
ult , I informed your lordship of the arrival of the news
of the fail of Sebastopol, sad of the landing of Omer
Pacha at Baton r. I also acquainted your lordship with
the fact that the Russian General was engaged in send-
ing off immense traitie of heavy baggage into Georgia,
and showing every indication of a speedy retreat • this
in nowise threw us off our guard, and Lieutenant-Colo.
nel Lake was directed to strengthen many points in our
extensive and undermanned lines, and amongst other
works the tabia bearing my name was constructed.
At four o'clock on the eventful morning of the 29th
the enemy's columns were reported to be advancing on
the Tahmasb front. They were three in number, sup-
ported by 24 guns ; the first or right column being di-
rected on Tahmasb Tabia, the second on Yukseh Tabia,
and the third on the breastwork called Rennison Lines.
As soon as the first guns announced the approach of the
enemy the reserves were put under arms in a central
position, from which succours could be despatched either
to Tahmasb or the English lines.
The mist and imperfect light of the dawning day in-
duced the enemy to believe that he was about to sur-
prise us ; he advanced with his usual steadiness and
intrepidity; but on getting within range he was saluted
with a 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 a battalion of 450 Cbasseurs, armed with
Miuie rifles, was, after long and desperate fighting, com-
pletely brokep, and sent headlong down the bill, leaving
850 dead.on the field, besides those carried off by their
comrades.
The central column precipitated itself on the redoubts
of Tahmasb and Yuksek Tobias, where desperate fighting
occurred and lasted for several hours, the enemy being
repulsed in all his attempts to enter the closed re-doubts,
which mutuady flanked each other with their artillery
and musketry, and made terrible havoc in the ranks of
the assailants ; and it was here that Generals Kmety
and Hussein Pacha, together with Major Teesdale, so
conspicuously displayed their courage and conduct.
Lieut. General Kereen Pasha also repaired to the scene
of desperate strife to encourage the troops, and was
wounded in the shoulder, and bad two horses killed un•
der him.
The right column of the Russian infantry, supported
by a battery, eventually turned the left flank of the in•
trenched wing of the Tahmasb defences, and whilst the
Russian battery opened in the rear of the closed re-
doubt at its i•alient angle their infantry penetrated con-
siderably behind our position.
Observing the commencement of this movement,
and anticipating its consequences, Lieutenant-Colonel
Lake, 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
Tahmasb, and at the same time two battalions of
the reserves were moved across the li3ing bridge
and upon the rocky height of Laz Jeppi Tabia.
These three reinforcing columns met each other at
that point, and being hidden by 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 infantry and artillery now broke an 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
reserces, 22 battalions of infantry, a large force of dra-
goons and coreacks, together with 32 grins.
Whilst this struggle, which I have attempted to
describe, was occurring at Tahmasb, a most severe
combat was going on at the eastern position of the line,
called the English Tabia.
About half-past five o'clock a.m., a Russian column,
consisting of 8 battalions of infantry, 3 regiments of ca-
valry, and 16 guns, advanced from the valley of Tehak-
mak, and assaulted those small redoubts, which after as
stout a resistance as their unavoidably feeble garrisons
could oppose, fell into their hands, together witk the
connecting breastworks, defended by 'townsmen and
mountaineers from Lazo tan, whose clannish flags, ac-
cording to their custom, were planted before them
on the epaulments, and, consequently, fell into the
enemy's hands ; but ere the firing had begun in
this portion of the field, Captain Thompson had re-
ceived orders to send a battalion of infantry from
each of the heights of Karadagh and Arap Tabia
to reinforce the English lines. This reinforcement
descended the deep gully through which flows the
Kara River, passed a bridge, recently thrown across it,
and ascended the opposite precipitous bank by a zigzag
path which led into the line of works, named by the
Turks, Ingliz Tabiars (the English Batteries). Their
arrival was as opportune as that of the reserves directed
towards Tahmasb, which I have had the honour to de-
scribe in the former part of this despatch ; these batta-
lions, joined to those directed by Lieutenant-Colonel
Lake, gallantly attacked and drove the Russians out of
the redoubts at the point of the bayonet, after the artil-
lery of the enemy had been driven from those lines by
the cross fire directed from Fort Lake and from Arab
Tabia and Kararlagh, by Captain Thompson, This
officer deserves my best thanks for having seized a
fai•ourable moment to remove a heavy gun from the
eastern to the western extremity of Karada,gh, and with
it inflicted severe loss on the enemy.
After the Russian infantry was driven from the Eng.
lish redoubts, the whole of their attacking force of ca-
valry, artillery, and infantry retreated with precipita-
tier), plied with roue d shot from all the batteries bearing
on their columns. During their temporary success, how-
ever, the enemy captured two of our light gnus, which
the mortality amongst our horses from famine prevented
alsovented
our withdrawing from their advanced positions.
carried off his wounded, and many of his dead ; yet he
left 363 of the latter within and in front of these en-
trenchments ; and his retreat occurred at least an hour
before the assailants of Tahmasb were put to flight.
During this combat, which lasted nearly seven hours,
tl:4 Turkish infantry, as well as artillery, fought
with the most determined courage ; and when it is
recollected that they had worked on their intrench-
ments, and guarded them by night throughout
a period extending to nearly four months, I think your
Lordship will admit that they have proved themselves
worthy of the admiration of Europe, and established an
undoubted claim to be placed amongst the most dis-
tinguish ed of its troops.
With regard to the enemy, as long as there was a
chance of success he
persevered with undaunted cour-
agai, and the Russian officers displayed the greatest gal-
lan4y. Their loss was immense ; they left, on the field
mole than 5,000 dead, which it took the Turkish infan-
trifour days to bury. Their wounded and prisoners in
ou posse ssion amount to 160, whilst those who were
ca red off are said to be upwards of 7,000.
As the, garrison was afflicted with cholera, and I was
appreher isive of a great increase of the malady, should
this melancholy duty of the burial of the dead be not
pushed :forward with every possible vigour by our fa-
tigued and jaded soldiers I daily visited the scene of
strife to encourage them in their almost endless task ;
anti I can assure your lordship that the whole battle-
field presented a scene which is more easy to conceive
than to deecribe being literally covered with the ene-
my's dead and dying.
The Turkish dead 'and wounded were removed on the
night of the battle. The dead numbered 362, the
w°Cinclecl 631. Tire townspeople, who also fought with
olt 101
spirit. J men. •
.EXCe llency the Mushir has reported to his Go-
vernment those officers who particularly distinguished
-themselves ; a difficult in a
taskirehich'has shown
such despert ate valour throughout Ire- unusual period of
seven hours of uninterrupted combat.—l have, 14C''
The Earl of (Signed) F. WILLIAMS.
Clarendon, &o,