The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-03-03
THE BATTLE OF CITATE.


On Friday, the 9Th of January, the Turk
isl troops, under the orders of Ishmail Pacha
and Ahmed Pacha, marched to attack the
Russians, who had fortified themselves in the
village Of CiIate, which is about S hours
march from kalci;lt The force of lslimai
Pacha was composed Of three regiments of
regular cavalry and one regiment Of Basli
Bozouks, with six guns. Ahmed Pacha was
stationed at some distance from the village,
with some reserve troops, consisting cr five
b Ittaions, and six guns.
The Russian force in the village consisted
of three battaons Of infantry, commanded
by Colonc, Donncgarde, three squadrons of
hussars and two squadrons Of Cvssacks, with
six guns.
The Turkish troops were, rs will be seen,
superior in number; but the position Of the
Russians, who were distributed in nil the
houses of the village, which is Of great ex.
tent, and which is surrounded by double
ditch, rendered the attack extremely perlous,
MS the enemy, well sheltered, were enabled to
direct n murderous fire upon the Turks, with
out the latter being able to reply to it.
In spite of this evident disadvantage, Ish.
mail Pasha gave orders for the attack, and
threw himself into the village under show
er of balls fired from all the windows. At
first the Turks received very serious injury;
but although this circumstance somewhat
dlsorganized their attack, their impctuosity
was by no means checked. The greater por
ton of the soldiers, who had never before
been exposed to muskctry, nevertheless dis
played indomitablc courage.
After desperate struggle they attacked
the houses, and fought hand to hand with
sword and bayouct. The massacre was fright
full. The Russians in vain begged for quar-
ter. In the fever of the fight the Turks lis
tened to nothing, and slaughtered, without
pity, all who fell under their hands. The
Mussulmans Of the Crimca, incorporated with
the Russian army, in vain appealed TO their
character of Mussumans. No quarter was
given to them. Cutters of blood ran down
the streets from this wholesale human slaugh.
ter. TO add to the horrors of the scene. it
may be stated that Il number of pigs which
had been let loose were seen eating the dead
bodies.
All who could escape the slaughter took
refuge in rcdonbt at the head Of the village,
and thence recommended murdcrous fire
upon the Turks, who returned it vigorously,
from the Russian guns.
AT last the enemy, incapable of any further
struggle, decided on abandoning the en-
trcnchmcnts A number of Russian troops
had already evacuated the place, when col
Oncl of Turkish cavalry conceived the untor-
tunate idea Of cndcayoring to oppose their
passage.
The Russians, finding themselves sur
rounded, and having no outlet for escape,
and no resource but the terrible energy de-
rived from despair, no other alternative but TO
conquer or die, recommended the fight with
desperation, and in vigorous SOrie they
succeeded in capturing two Guns. 1t should
be stated that the Turks, upon the first sue
cess in the entertainments, committed the in
credible fault Of not destroying the enem, S
guns.
While the battle was thus going on in the
village, twelve battalionS of infantry Of the
Russian army and Il squadron of the cavalry,
with sixteen pieces Of cannon, were brought
to the assistance of the bcscged, and at
tempted to place the Turks between two
fires. Information Of this was givcn to
Ahmed pacha, who, by skiIlful man"uvrc,
directed his soldiers to the point, in order to
prev NE IlUNllol WIN llc DtSltpth iiboIo.
For this movement he made use Of three OF
his reserved battalions.
The advantage of the position was row
on the side of the Turks, who were on ground
which slopcd towards the Russians; but the
latter were in three times greater number
than the Turks. In spite of this inequality
! however, the Russians were entirely beaten
and fled in the greatest disorder. They were
completely routed, n fact constituting feat
of arms on the part of the Turks which does
great honor to them, and establishes another
important truth--that the Russians cannot
cope with Turkish troops in equal numbers
| to themselves in open field, and that they can
only h"pc for any success when they have Il
much more powerful force than their enemy.
Their losses in these two simultaneous at-
fairs amount to nearly 1000 men, among
whom are included 80 superior officers. The
| Turks had about 300 killed and 1896 wound.
ed, who were sent to the hospitals at Wild.
! den, and of whom it is hoped the greater
part may be saved.
According to the opinion Of some Euro
pcan officers now ut Widen, this affair is a
most glorious one for the Turks, and, if not
productive ofany material result, will ut least
| prove of great moral advantage to them.
On the next day the Russians attempted
to rcoccupy the rcdoubt from which they had
been driven in the night, but the appearance
of some Turkish battalions discouraged
them from the attempt and they beat re-
treat.
AT the time of the attack upon the village
the Turkish soldiers, particularly the Bashl.
Bazouks, committed the fault Of stopping to
piIlage before being entirely assured OF
victory, and by this means, in dcspolline
the dead, obtained some trilling articles, much
to the prejudice of the general interest II
is to be regretted that it has not been posi-
bic to derive all the advantage from this al
fair of which it is susceptible, at least so far
as regards material benefit: but, as regards
the moral effect, there is nothing to desire.
IshmaiI Pacha fought like lion, and more
like soldier than u general. lie had two
horses killed under him. lie was grazcd with
two balls-onc on the shoulder, and another
on the wrist. A third ball struck the scab-
bard of his sword.
The Turks took from the field Of battle,
besides number of horses, great many
muskcts, sabrcs, schakos, cpaulettes, and dc.
corations, and also many wounded. The lat
ter consoled themselves for their wounds 10y
the sight of watches or handtulls of gold,
gathered in the midst of danger, which they
placed by their beds of pain rs a solacc TO
their suflcrings.
Justice has been done to the bravery of
the Russian officers who couragcously did
their duty, but were badly seconded by the
eold;ors ,vbnu IL wns often necessary TO prick