The New York herald., 1877-09-24
Details of Desperate Fight With the
Czarewilch's Army.
SLAUGHTER OF THE RUSSIAN WOUNDED.
The Muscovites Finally Forced
to Retreat.
HEADQUARTERS THIRTY FIFTH DIVISION,
TniRrEESTH Corps, ARMY OF THE CzAREwITcH,
GAGnYn Sent 1 LII

past ten days has been altogether uniavorablo for
ropd movements; nevertheless 1t has not prevented
my riding from Sistova here, urged on by the expec.
taton OF an engagement, In very good time indeed.
The long monotonous road from tue Danube to Bjela
shall not soon forget the Thermometer marking AZ
degrees Reaumur, and the air perfectly dead. The
trans Of supply wagons halted by the roadside where
the lean cattle painted in the ana the drivers
sought shelter in the small patches shade under the
carts. For long miles not drop OF water TO be
had boated Of horses and polluted the
air; the silence was only broken by tho buzz Of
myrads of flies, attacking and beast alike, and
In the lifeess landscape few eagles lowering the
carrion made shc desoation still more OPP
pressive. Tho narrow dusty track wound over
tho broad hills and down into psrched val
leys, whore the neglected corn baking
in tho ear and dropping to the grouua through stag
Cling villages, Inhabited only by few Bulgars, who
make foeble attempts harvest enough their
winter supply, aud at last, at the end OF long day,
Into Bjela, with all its odors welcome haven, with
It's many fountains of COOL clear water and food for
the horses in abundance. Here we found q squadron
Of Cossacks ordered up to the front from the Empcr-
ors headq nartcrs, and resolved to join them,
having boon invited by the captain TO share his for
tuno for the journey. Leaving pack horse at
Eela TO be cared Tor until roturn, at inel
nitc date in the future. my servant and bodyguard
Terence, as devoted fellow was, strapped our
blankets to the saddles, and with minimum OF pro-
visions for ourselves aud good days feed the ami
mails we were OF al the head OF the column, moving
away to the inspirtng songs of the Cossacks tho
path through the woods toward the LON, the insruc
tons from headquarters directing the route to Pop
kioi, where the Czarowich supposed to be. Our
stay with the Cossacks ono long picnic-every few
hours we would halt and bivouac drink eat AT
noon Terence bought sheep from peasant, and for
supper We had roast and boiled mutton, with "a cab
bage soup. Our horses luxuriously groomed and
fed We shared the captains pillows night and his
tea by day.
SHIFTING THE HgApoUARrERs.
Arriving at the Lom found tho Czarewitch's
headquarters were moved to Hodzekikioj. about o
dozen miles TO the rear struck across the couu
try, having lost nearly day by the de;our and even
more If we were to count the cisurely gait the Co.'S
sacks kept up. tho whole distance and the indolent
pauses in the march. We made q lane through the
melon fields and vineyards wherever we went. At
every halt grapes and melons were heaped before u.s.
Sweet ears Of roasted maize were put in our hands,
fresh bread dropped from Heaven knows whore
We always had plenty and than enough Of every
thing. am not but should have been weak
enough 10 have continued the same luxurious lie
were 1t not for the fact that the SQUADRON was
ordered to remain at the Czarcwitchs head
quarters So VIC pushed the next morn
ing over the mountains by unircquented paths
reaching the Kara Lom toward dark. There We
learned that the camp was dozen to the SOUTH
near the village Of Gagovo We were near the outpost
'ne ana we hurried in toward the camp, stopped now
and then by Cossack videtes and last reached the
village, which is spread out over both sides of little
valley. 1t was now dark and the camp-Gres OF the
little army twnkled on a hillside a milo away. Bv
lucky chance We caught sight Of the field telegraph
and following 1t soon the office In little de-
serted Turkish house. No had the parole and az
we would either be shot arrested without IL we oc
cepted very warm invitation pass the night there
Tea borscht and good bed OF In the yard among
the horses-that is all remember of that night and
with freshly baked loaf of black bread, a parting
gift from the warm hearted officer of the telegraph
station, We were away bright and carly the next
morning to the camp, where wo saw O regiment
already ON tho move down into the valley. We fol-
loved and soon overlook General LeonoT, who was
on his way to the village OF Karahasankio about six
versts TO the eastward, on hill across tho valley,
where he had been holding advanced position with
weak force Of cavalry and few guns for tho last
three weeks.
POSITION OF THE ADVANCED POSTS.
To well understand the Importance Of this advanced
posts is necessary TO know the topography Of the sur
rounding country. The valleys oil the Kara Lom and
the LON run nearly parallel with each oiher north
aud SOUTH and are separated by range OF high hills
covered with growth OF bushes and small oak trees
The valleys are broad and Furthermore especially tho
one OF the Kara Lom little stream scarcely ten feet
wide, but deeply cut into the light earth OF the valley
The Russians advancing from Bjola the las. OF July
found themselves the low hills to the west of the
Kara Lom, and in front OF them this great range OF
high SUBMITS, all held by the Turks. In one poipt
only is there considerable break In the range and
That Is directly opposite the village OF Gagovo Here
the peaks suddenly terminate In a little irregular
bluf, ana there is plateau or rather a
nat topped ridge, much lower than the
rest of the range for the extent of two
miles to the southwark where the conca peaks again
rise, all thicky wooded and succeed one another In
continuous rank past Eski Dzuma and Osman Bazaar to
the blue Balkans the far distance At the northern
extremity Of the break In the chain of hills scattered
over both sides of sharp dip in the little plateau that
terminates the wooded SUBMITS. arc the thaicned
houses Of The village OF Karahasankioj, and great
stacks oil golden straw shone in the sunlight among
Ihe walnut trees as we made our way up the steep
slopes behind the town. l should have mentioned
That at this point that both valleys suddenly mar
now, and the mountain just north of the village Is one
whole position. The Russians compreheaded the i'm.
portance Of the possession Of the village neigh
boring ridge, and alter sharp ttlc fight in the village
OF Hajdarkioj, in tho valley near Popkioj few
weeks since, they stormed the height 10 tho south
and atcrward took Karahasankioj and half the
coveted ridge. General Leonon conducted Us to his
quarters among the straw stacks under great walnut
trees to the right of the and made ourselves
comfortable Hussars buit US charming little hut
out OF sticks and straw. The General lived In little
sheiter tent near by. We ate In the shnde OF great
walnut tree, and the nuts did not drop fairly into
our hands we had only TO throw up stick to knock
them on In front of US there was grove Of large
trees and tho ground soped away s,eeply to tho val
ley on the right and to the ridge opposite Along the
ridge In question were Cossack outposts and, to
make perfectly clear the description of the BATTLE the
chief incidents OF which havo already forwarded by
telegraph, will tell exactly whore they we're placed
FIRST beyond tho village through a piece OF woods
IL n tt.