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

THE RUSSIAN ATTACK ON KARS.

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,--I had 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 reconnah !mice, 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 Tikm6, 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
of ground convey but an imperfect
locality, I beg to enclose a sketch rhade
which will, I trust, tend to elucidate
bibdiyre dam' s
of
y vcae
any
yu ce hwislpi
my description.
Your lordship will observe that whilst our camp and
magazines in the town were rendered as safe as circura-
stances would allow, the hills 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 has now lasted
four months, the troops in all the redoubts and intrench-
ments 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 fall of Sebastopol, aad of the landing of Omer
Pacha at Batoum. I also acquainted your lordship with
the fact that the Russian General was engaged in send-
ing off immense trains of heavy baggage into Georgia,
anal 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 Chasseurs, armed with
Minie rifles, was, after long and desperate fighting, com-
pletely broken, and sent 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 Yuksek Tabias, where desperate fighting
occurred and lasted for several hours, the enemy being
repulsed in all his attempts to enter the closed redoubts,
which mutually 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 had 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 salient 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 flying 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 sinfantry and 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.
sitmoofstthe severe
line,
In this part of the field the enemy had, including his
reserves,
and
22
cossacks, battalions g
together
ofe infantry,ther wiwith
a large force of dra-
goons 32
guns.
Whilst this struggle, which I have attempted to
de c r
combatib e
wawaso foncgc uornr
at
tg t
ha
et
eTa
sathemr
na spbo, a
ion
called the English Tabiaq.
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 with the
connecting breastworks, defended by townsmen and
mountaineers from Lazistan, whose clannish flags, ac-
cording to their custom, were planted before them
on the epaulment', and, consequently, fell into the
enemy's hands ; but ere the firing had begun t•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
Kars 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 Tabias (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 Karadagh, by Captain Thompson. This
officer deserves my best thanks for having seized a
favourable moment to remove a heavy gun from the
eastern to the western extremity of Karadagh, 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-
tion, plied with round shot from all the batteries bearing
on their columns. During their temporary success, how-
ever, the enemy captured two of our light guns, which
the mortality amongst our horses from famine prevented
our withdrawing from their advanced po!itions. He also
and many of his dead ; yet he
feeafrtr
3i edd3oofff histh wound,e fa tedre
within and in front of these en-
trenohments ; 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,
the Turkish infantry, as well as artillery, fought
with the most determined courage ; and when it is
recollected that they bad worked on their intrench-
ments, and guarded them by night throughout
a period extending to nearly four months,
dI
themselves
worthy of the admiration of
lacedurope,
amongst theestabl most din
a.
undoubted claim to be
p E and ished a

tinguisbed of its troops.
With regard to the enemy, as long as there was a
chance of success he persevered with undaunted cour-
age, and the Russian officers displayed the greatest gal-
lantry. Their loss was immense ; they left on the field
more than 5,000 dead, which it took the Turkish infan-
try four days to bury. Their wounded and prisoners in
our possession amount to 160, whilst those who were
carried off are said to be upwards of 7,000.
As the garrison was afflicted with cholera, and I was
apprehensive 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 ;
and I can assure your lordship that the whole battle-
field presented a scene which is more easy to conceive
than to describe, 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
wounded 631. The townspeople, who also fought with
spirit, lost 101 men.
His Excellency the Mushir has reported to his Go-
vernment those officers who particularly distinguished
themselves ; a difficult task in an army which has shown
such
desperate valour throughout the unusual period of
seven hours of uninterrupted combat.--I-have, &c.,
(Signed)
The Earl of Clarend & W. F. WILLIAMS,
on, O.

PROFESSOR ANDERSON IN CUSTODY.-
THE GREAT WIZARD OF TEE
NORTH.

The following story of one of Mr. Anderson's adven-
tures, copied from a Boston paper, may not be uninte-
resting, nowAhat the professor is about to visit us again.
The " Maine Liquor Law," to which it has reference,
prohibits the dispensing of ardent spirits anywhere in
the State of Massachussetts, unless the dispenser be a
medical practitioner. The scene, as here described by
the Boston Herald, must have been highly amusing :
On Friday evening, as Professor Anderson was con-
cluding his performances in the Melodeon, in Boston,
which he did with the " Bottle"—the audience were
somewhat alarmed by seeing a large body of police rush
into the ball, and, without ceremony, walk into the pro-
fessor's " Magic Temple"—a warrant was produced, not
only for the immediate apprehension of the professor,
but of his " bottle." The professor having read the
warrant, assured the audience that it was bond fide, and
that he must obey the law.
Here a scene, which it is impossible to describe, en-
sued. Shouts of "Don't go, Anderson, we'll protect
you ;" " Never mind the Liquor Law ;" " Don't give
up your bottle.' " Mr. Anderson begged to be heard.
When silence was gained, the professor stated, "That
in all countries he had visited he obeyed their
laws—and he hoped the citizens would not wish him,
for the first time in his life, to disobey them." He
further said "that he was not aware he was breaking
any law when he supplied the citizens of Boston from
his bottle.' "—(Cries of "No 1" "No 1")
Mr. Anderson asked the officer if the " bottle" had to
be taken to the police office ! " Yes !" was the reply
of the official. The professor handed him the "bottle,"
and no sooner was it in his hands than the " bottle"
commenced to emit streams of liquid fire. The " bottle"
was soon released by the policeman. As soon as he
dropped it, the fire became extinguished. Another
officer lifted it up, when fire again made its appearance
—of course he was also glad to drop it. The audience
screamed, roared, and never was such a scene witnessed.
At last the professor lifted the " bottle," and giving his
audience thanks, and bidding them good night, he
walked off with his " bottle" to the police office, fol-
lowed by two or three thousand persons, whose shouts,
going up Washington-street, soon augmented the crowd
to many thousands, all calling out " Shame on the
Liquor Law !" " Down with fanatics, compulsory,
and coercive policy." " Eat and drink what you please,
and in what places you please." "No legislation for
the stomach !"

The professor was bound over in 1,000 dole, to appear
and answer thecharge of selling liquor without a licence;
the bottle was locked up as the principal witness against
him ; the whole of the officials having had a taste of its
contents before it was locked up, and bound to appear as
witnesses to prosecute ; as they swore this was the
" bottle" from which Mr. Anderson had supplied his
audience with brandy, rum, gin, and whisky, according
to choice. The professor then left for hilhotel, followed
by an immense crowd. In the morning, every available
inch of the police-court was crowded long before the
usual hour of opening. The magistrate arrived, and
took his seat en the bench.
" Anderson's case" was called fir.,t, when a long in-
dictment was read, setting forth that "Professor Ander-
son," better known as the " Wizard of the North," had
been in the habit of nightly supplying the citizens of
Boston, during the last five weeks, with all kinds of
spirituous liquor without a licence, and against the laws
of the commonwealth of Massachussetts, and was there-
fore liable, for the first offence, in the penalty of 10
dollars fine, and securities for 1,000 dollars ; the second
offence, double the fine, and forfeiture of bonds ; the
third offence, imprisonment in the penitentiary. Vari-
ous witnesses were then called, who stated that they
had been frequently supplied by the professor from his
" bottle,"

One, " a native of the sod," declared that "by St.
Patrick he had never tasted better ' Potheen' in his life."
Here the magistrate asked "if that was the bottle Pro-
fessor Anderson was using when he was apprehended ?"
" Yes." " Did you drink from it ?" " Yes." " When ?"
" Last night, before it was locked up in the Marshal's
safe." " What did you drink ?" "Rum," said one ;
"brandy," said a second ; I had "gin," answered a
third ; while a fourth said he was satisfied with that
" bottle," for it had blistered his bands, which he showed
the court was the case. "And is this the identical
bottle ?" " Yes." The magistrate here asked the Mar-
shal " if the bottle had been out of his possession since ?"
The Marshal said the safe had not been opened until the
" bottle " was wanted in court.

This was in evidence for the prosecution. Professor
Anderson, who was undefended, stated that he was not
aware he had acted in opposition to the "Statute," in-
asmuch as he had presented a petition to the aldermen
of the city for a licence to give his performances in the
Melodeon, which they granted on payment of 10 dols.
per week foe said licence. Here the professor handed a
receipt for the payment of the above sum, and, said he,
further, " The Bottle " is a part of this entertainment,
duly licensed and paid for. If any clause had been in-
serted by the aldermen at the time they granted the
licence, prohibiting the performance of the " Bottle "
feat, of course he would not have done it ; but as he re-
ceived the licence without qualification, he considered
the performance of the " Bottle " as duly licensed with
the other part of his entertainment.
The magistrates, after a little consideration, decided
that the professor was duly licensed, and could use his
" Bottle as he thought proper. This decision was re-
ceived with loud applause.
The magistrates asked if the " Bottle " was still full ?
"Oh, yes," replied the professor, "you can help your-
self." No sooner did the magistrate touch the "Bottle"
than he dropped it again, stating that it was "ret hot."
The "Wizard " asked if his honour was satisfied I He
answered in the affirmative, and told the professor
" that he did not care how soon he left the court." The
Wizard asked the magistrate to hand him the "Bottle."
The magistrate took his handkerchief from his pocket
for the purpose of taking the bottle by the neck. He
was about to lift it, when, lo I it vanished, to the utter
astonishment of his honour and all present.—Edinburgh
Paper.

THE CONVICT BANKERS.-MEMORIAL
FAVOUR OF MR. BATES.

A strenuous effort is about being made by the friends
of Mr. Bates to procure a commutation or remission of
his sentence of fourteen years' transportation, by means
of a memorial in his favour, to be addressed to her Ma-
jesty. During Friday and Saturday the memorial was
carried round amongst the creditors of the late firm, the
ground of the application for mercy being the minor po-
sition occupied by Mr. Bates in connection with the
banking business, and the probability that the securities
which had been criminally applied were so applied with-
out his sanction, or even his knowledge. It is also
urged in his favour that no misapplication of monies
entrusted to the care of the army agency in Norfolk-
street, which was more immediately under his personal
supervision, bad been proved to have taken place until
after its transference to the banking department, when
it was virtually beyond his control, inasmuch as he can
scarcely be regarded as having been in reality a de facto
partner in the bank at all. Most of the creditors al-
ready applied to have signed the memorial, and it is
anticipated that the majority of those who have been
victimised by the failure will ultimately do so. On the
whole, the friends of Mr. Bates affect to be sanguine as
to the result of their application for mercy ; but it may
be doubted whether the Government, after the remarks
of Baron Alderson, on passing sentence, will be inclined,
so soon, at all events, to accede to the prayer of such a
memorial.