, 1876-08-20
TEE MONTENEGRIN CAMPAIGN.

Great Powers interpose, the Turco-Servlan
war must result in disaster to the Christians.
The clouds hang heavily abont them; but IN
oil this gloom and hopelessness the courage
md prowess of the lIontenegrins shine out
with more than ordinary splendor. Had the
Servians with their large army fought with
half the courage and skill Of the Montcne-
grins with their comparative handful OF men,
the war would have ended before this time
in Sclayonic triumph. The information
furnished from official sources is now sutti-
ciently intelligible and reliable to show the
results which have been achieved by these
hardy mountaineers in their campaign against
the Turks. The ultimate design of Prince
META was to effect junction with the Ser
Wan corps upon the northeast frontier, along
the Drina. To do this, however, he must
fight the strong Turkish army under D[uKH-
TAR PASTA, which occupied AIostar. He
might have passed around Mostar or pushed
on to Novi-Bazar, bnt this would have ex-
posed his own territory to the mczci-
less ravages aud 1iendish cruclties of
the Turks, who would have overrun
it without hintlrence and speedily depopu~
lated it. This Turkish army lay in his way,
and before he could help the Seryians he
must fight it, His army moved very slowly
towards Mostar. and 11UEnrAR PASTA, i'm
patient at the delay, moved on the eth of
July to meet the Montencgrins, and that
night entered Bilek, 10 miles to the south
cast of Mostar. The next morning, after
q three hours march, he attacked the Mon
tenegrins at Urbitza, and, after fight Of an
hour and half, was driven back in disorder
to Bilek, after having lost five guns, great
quantity of provisions and ammunition, and
between 5000 and 1000 men. nine battalions
having been literally dccimated. It appears
that it was MCRuTAE PAsHAs intention to
penetrate between the Montenegrins and
their line of retreat, but, in trying to &C.,
complish this, he was virtually cut of from
his own line of retreat and hemmed in
among ravines, precisely as Crooks troops
were caught by the Sioux at Rose
bud Creek. From the sides of these
ravincs the AIontenegrins assailed the
Turks with comparative immunity to them
selves, their entire loss being only about 800
men. The next day the Montenegrins ad-
vanced towards Bileh and menaced the
Turks with blockade, fearing which they
withdrew and fell bach behind the strong
Notifications at 1'rebinje to await reinforce
ments.
Since that time the Turkish army at
Kuci under 1lEHEMED PAsHA. one Of MUKH-
TAR PAsHA's Generals Of Division and COM
manding the First Corps, has met with a
crushing defeat. This army, like the other
was surrounded in the ravines on all sides.
The battle lasted all last A1onday and ended
in repulse which amounted to rout, the
Turks losing 8, GOO men and isHiarge qunntity of
nrms aud war material, and being pursued to
Podgoritzo where they protected by
their artillery. Tie 1lontenegrins having no
artillery, except few light feld-pieces, were
evidently unable to follow up their advan-
tage.
Both these victories inflicted serious dam
age to tie Turkish armies i'll Southern Bos-
MIA, and, had they been supported by victo-
ries in Seryia of similar character, the
power of the Turks would have been broken
BY this time. The a1ontenegrin victories,
however, come too late to affect the general
result, as all Of Central and Southern Scrvia
is occupied by the Turks, and even Belgrade
is menaccd. The prowess of the Montene-
grins is none the less admirable on this ac-
count, and it is only to be regretted that
such splendid fighting qualities us they have
displayed should be expended to no purpose
owing to the ineficiency or misfortune of
their allies.