The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-08-03
THE MONTENEGRINs.
The Black Mountaineers In Battle-Their
Terrible Mode of Warfare.

Terrible Mode of Warfare.
[Constantnople Cor. Philadelphia Press.l
In the campaign of last year the Turks
lost almost ten to one against the Mon
tenegrins. From the mountain SUBMITS
overlooking PodgoritZa and the APP
proaches from Scutari their scouts sig
nalized the advance of the Ottoman
army. From peak to peak signal fires
by night announced the coming OF the
foe, while by day mounted troopers sped
to every district to rally the people to
the defense of the threatened frontier.
On they came men, women and chill
dren, every one that could carry gun,
roll rocks on the heads of the enemy, or
assist in the building of intrenchments.
certain distance in the passes until they
reached the narrow gorges. There they
found their progress arrested by massive
walls of rock and stone, stretching from
side to side, completely blocking up the
road, pierced with embrasures for can
non and with musket holes. A halt is
called. A council OF war determines
that retreat is impossible, and that the
intrenchments must be carried. At first
it is an artillery engagement. Under
the smoke of the cannonade an assault
is ordered. Forward dash the Turkish
troops with the blind fury that character
ICES them in the field. The Montene-
grin fire having lulled, supposing that it
is a sign of yielding, the Turks hurry
forward with cries and yells as if sure of
their prey. Hardly have they got with
in twenty feet of the intrenchments, be-
fore from every opening in them pours
stream of incessant fire of shell, shot,
mimic balls and all kinds of deadly
missiles. Suddenly the top of the ram
part is crowned with sharpshooters,
whose steady aim picks off the officers
and mows down the heads of the
columns. On the overlooking heights
armed men, women and children
appear. Enfilading volleys tear the
shattered ranks from above, and huge
powders and rocks come rolling down
the precipices, crushing into the midst
of the serried masses and laying low
thousands of combatants. ALI this
while the air is rent with the shouts of
the mountaineers; the banner of the
Cross is waved defiantly from on high
and on the works; priests, with the cru
cifix displayed on their robes, pointing
to it as a sign of hope and victory. After
repeated onsets, their ranks broken,
their officers, for the most part, slain,
the Turks begin to waver. AS soon as
this is perceived the enthusiasm of the
Montenegrins can no longer be restrained.
Over the ramparts they leap, and with
understandable fury they charge, bayonet
and sword in hand, on the disordered
masses before them. For moment the
Turks stand at bay, but as the deafening
clamor sounds like continuous roll OF
! thunder, and in rear and flank they are
assailed by unseen enemies that have
descended by secret paths from the top
of the mountain walls, and in front by
the regular troops, they break and run.
Then comes the hour of vengeance. For
miles the pass is strewn with heaps OF
Turkish slain. Whoever turns to fight
finds himself face to face with squad of
foes who leave him no chance of escape.
No quarter is given; blood flows in tor
rents; it becomes a pitiless massacre;
only remnant is left to tell the tale of
disaster and woe, and to carry dismay
into the Albanian Businesses. With
thanksgiving to God for the triumph
vouchsafed to their arms, the Montene-
grins sheath their bloodied swords, and
homeward turn loaded with captured
arms and precious spoils. This is pic
ture of the mode of Montenegrin fight
ing as described to me by participant
in one of the worst defeats the Turks
ever encountered at their hands.