Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-07
From the Journal Of Commerce.
The Battle of Ingedere.

CoNsrANTINoPLE, aug. 30.--The battle of
ingedere, or Koroukdere, in which the Otto
man troops sustained severe defeat, on the
night and morning Of the 9th of August, forms
the principal topic of conversation among the
thousands Of our city. Ii is universally allowed
TO be one of the worst defeats given TO the
Turkish arms during this campaign. The
| question naturally arises-to whose fault shall
we ascribe the loss of this battle /? Some Law
it on the Muchir Zarif Pasha, and denouace his
hatred of the Giaours, which, breeding dissen-
sons, produced the result so disastrous. Again,
il is attributed to the hastiness and want OF
| generalship of General Guyon. Wherever the
fault lies, it is nevertheless true that the Mu.
CHR has, in his official account of the battle,
land all the blame on General Guyon, and ex-
pressed the desire that he should be recalled.
Ever since the admission Of foreigners into
the Ottoman service at Kars, q strong feeling
OF jealousy and dislike of their influence has
been growing up, and repeated efforts have
been made by the Turkish commanders to get
rid of them. As it is, they are not considered
on the same footing as Ottoman officers of the
same rank, and are never attached to any regi-
ment or corps of the army, save as occasion or
necessity requires. They are barely borne
with and though in almost every case, receiv.
ing regular salaries, they form little company
by themselves, and to whose orders alone no
soldier in the camp need pay attention. This
| system is certainly not conducive to complete
organization Of the army; it tends, on the
contrary, to unhinge it; and while there are a
body of officers risking their lives in the Turkish
behalf, they have no assistance from them but
are even treated as SO many unworthy tools,
| whom they use reluctantly for a while, then
| throw aside.
For month previous to the battle, General
| Gnyon had been endeavoring to persuade the
Muchir to advance against Bebutoff, the Rus
| sian general, who had been advancing from
day to day towards the Karschi on the Kars
river, which, running through the town Of Kars,
empties itself into the Arpa- chat The Muchir
| had, it is true, pitched his camp FIRST in SEN
betham, and then at Hadgivalik; but as the
movements of the Russians were to cross the
kars-chi a further advance was required on
the part Of the Ottomans, to protect the heights
before them. In the middle of July last, the
| Russian and Ottoman camps we're pitched re-
| pectively at Gheselchakchak and Senbethem
Towards the end of the month, it was dis
| covered by reconnaissance party, that Bebatoff
was about moving to Ingedere accordingly, to
keep pace with them, the fortified camp OF
HadgiValki was formed, and occupied by the
Ottomans. On the first of August, bridge
was thrown across the kars-chi, and the Rus
| slams crossed in large numbers.
1t was then that the plan was formed to adj
vance, under cover of the night, and, occupy
ing the heights and intermediate plain, so dis
pose the troops as to combat favorably with the
enemy. The plan was a good one, and if car
ried out in time, it would have been successful
The original design of General Guyon was to
place his forces in the form of wedge, SO as
TO break any line which the Russians might
have formed. But it was discovered on recon
| noissance that the enemy had taken up their
line of battle, as you may see by the plan, in
almost straight line, thus occupying the points
| necessary to General Guyon's intentions
Learning this, the latter then instantly reversed
the wedge form, so as TO present concave
surface or an obtuse angle, to the enemy. Ac
cordingly his forces received orders to march,
and during the night take up their position as
agreed upon.
But must say that, though the plan Of Gen.
eral Guyon was good, and resembled the one
have above given, yet unforeseen delays and
accidents, coupled with the inconsistent move
ments Of some Turkish generals, prevented the
line from ever being formed. At first, Kerim
Pasha took up the position assigned on the ex
4
arrive in time, he had to bear the whole brunt
Of the battle for full an hour. Finding his po-
sition untenable, he sent for aid to Vely Pasha,
who was half an hours march behind. This
man would not 90 till he received orders from
the Muchir, though Guyon threatened to shoot
him on the spot. Half an hour more brought
the order from the Muchir; but the evil was
done, il was too late, and Kerim Pasha was in
full retreat While one division was yet march
| ing into position, another had been beaten; so
that at no one time, was the whole line engaged;
| but the Russians were able to concentrate all
their forces on each and every point success
| sively.
1t was thus comparatively an easy victory to
the Russians, and though the Turks fought
desperately, and many companies suffered
themselves TO be cut to pieces, individual valor
was Of no avail, and the day was irretrievably
| lost TO the Crescent. General Guyon, by i'm.
mense efforts, succeeded in getting the flying
| mass into some degree Of order, though the
pursuing artillery Of the enemy kept popping
! into the midst OF them with fatal, and in some
cases ridiculous effects. One instance of an
amusing character ] might relate. A Turkish
bimbdshi, o. major was slowly retreating
among number Of fellow.oficers, all on horse
back, and, though within range Of the enemy's
cannon, he was jokingly saying, with affected
sang -froid, that 81 il was not necessary 10 be in
a hurry" just then, when the smile was still
on his lips, chance ball came sweeping along,
and carried of the whole headquarters Of his
horse He regained his feet, and turning one
instant to look at his horse, his countenance
underwent such change, that those riding
with him burst out into laughter. He gave one
glance Of fear and alright, and then, like an
arrow out Of bow, he dashed forward, and,
says a spectator, "neyer man few at that speed
before" The poor fellow never stopped till un.
der the guns OF Kars.
The results Of the battle OF Ingedere have
been quite disastrous in more than one sense.
Ia the first place, the morale and confidence Of
the Asian army have departed; and though
still numbering 10000 men, unless active
measures are taken, these will not hold to-
| gether. The true loss Of the Ottomans in the
battle Of Ingedere might be estimated at
10000 men, viz; 1900 killed, and 1900
wounded, 1000 prisoners, and 5000 runaways
or deserters, who have not since been heard Of