Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-05-28
The Eastern War.

road crosses the river about iIty miles north.
east If Pedakrek, and follows tributary OF
the Choruk to Tortcum, guarding the northern
entrance Of the pass leading into the valley
Of the Kara or Western Eupbrates, thcCce it
runs through swampy valley, south Of which
lies Erzeroum. The Importance Of this road
cannot be overrated. 1t is the best and shortest
line of communication between ETzaroum and
the sea coast.
The object Of the Russian attack on Datoum
is thought to be less to obtain possession OF the
town itself than to control this road aul cut oft
communication with ElZeroum. They have
succeeded and pushed their advance already to
Antoine. From Arabian one road tuDs south
ward to Kars another to Ardanudsch, where It
branches west to Antrim and south OF Tavas'
gerd and OH. A third road leads from Arda-
han via Urut across the Chauly mountains to
Olf and Bardez. On their retreat from Ar
dahan the Turks used the roads leading west
ward and southwestward, part escaping 10
Ardauudsch and part across the Chanly noun
tains. o,.
The Russians have occupied the Ola road
from Kars to Erzeroum, which divides short
distance from Kars, branches running nearly
parallel, the northern through pass IN the
Loqhardc range little south OF Bardcz aud
the southern through Delcmicsa and across a
similar pass to Junction with the northcrn
branch at KhorassaD. One road leads from
Eriyap, through the valley Of the Arraa, TO
Kaycsouan. There it branches northward 10
Kars. communicating by a side road with Get
scheVen.
moro important road from Erivan is The
highway leading via Araych across the Persian
| frontier to Bursluo, Sulumursa aud Bayazid.
| This road was used by the Russians in their
advance upon Bayazid The Erivau column
! has reached Jerunos. The plan Of the Russian
advance is thus clear. The centre Of the Asi.
attic army, under General Nlelipoti, is estimated
at so 900 men and 240 CANON. The right wing
or Ron corps, under Gen. Oklcbyio BUMPERS
a., 500 men aud 40 guns The lett Wlug,or Eli
van CORPS, uudcr Gen. Tergukadoif, $4,000
men and l5G guns. The Turks have about
10, 900 men iu the neighborhood Of E"er0um
and about 10000 at Kars.
All signs indicate that the Russians ln!end
to attack Muhktar's position ty t"o flank
moyements-onc from the line OF ArtVin and
Ardanudsch and the other from Bayazjd. The
Turks are already terrifying Erzing in aniici-
patton Of being forced to leave Erzcroum.
A revolt in the Caucasus can only be produc-
| tive of netty annoyance, ia view of the rrGcau-
| tons adopted and the advance Of the Russian
! army, which is closely followed by another
army OF civil iunc!lonarles SO that BY the time
| the Russian commanders get to lIrZeroum ali Ct
the pashalik cast OF the river Choruk will be q
Russian province The districts Of Stcnrag2l,
| Bayazid and Dyadin are already under Russian
administration. That Erzeroum will be per.
mauentiy occupied is the opiuion openly OK
pressed 10 authoritative circles 10 Tiflis.
Do the Danube the Servians have occupied
| the chief positions on and near the Timok with
20 900 men and 81 guns under Gen. llorva-
tovicb. Their headquarters and 10000 men
are at NcgotD, 5000 men at Sul!schar, 1000
| at Kadova, 1000 at Roglova aad B!iuvano-
vatz, and 4 second corps OF 5000 TO 10000
strong is concentrating at Bapioi under Ranko
| Alempick. From Gruja, Oh the E0umanlan
| bank of the Danube, and RadigeyaIZ. on the
| Servan bank, is chain Of scntincls TO Turn.
SEVERN and Klabova within call of each other,
| to watch and give notice OF the movements oil
| the Turks. Russians or Roumanian dctach'
| ments also occupy the herb aud Ostrow islands,
| 10 the Danube, opposite TurncseVerin anI Ci-
ganaschi.
The system OF Russian advances seems to be
| that points first occupied by oae corps are ced-
! ed to another as it marches up, WAen the lirst
continues its march to the real destination.
Thus the men arc spared the fatigue Of con.
| tinuous march, while the line remains unbT0k
| co. The Turks have 10 Wlddln about 10000
men aud thirteen batteries; 10 Adtlc $500 men
and four batteries; in BrcgoVa 1000 men and
| two batteries, and twelve battallons at S0pa,
with six batteries and 1000 bashi.baZouks inr-
Their down the Danube.
| The Russians will probably cross 10 force be.
! tween Orsoya aud Nikopolis and again between
Sistova and Rustchuk 10 oppose this the
Turks have at Orsova five bsltaIions and one
battery; at Nkopos eight battaons and two
batteries, and about 1000 cavalry, besides q
garrison Of 1000 men; at SiSt0va arc five bat
talious and one battery; at Rustchuk is a field
army oil sc 900, with sd guns; at Sistrla 80
0OO men; at Schumla 6fy.two battallons and
ten batteries, and at Farpa about twenty bat
talions. The left wing Of the field army is 49,
900 or $4,000 strong, and rests on 'WiddIn,
| 20, 900 men garrisoning the fortress. Tie cen
trc rests 90 Rustchuk, where the garrison is
| also 50, 900. The right wing 10 the Dobrudscha
will consist Of $4,000 men, ITO be made up OF
forces from Silistria aud Narna, each Of which
will retain garrison of $4,000.
A reserve of sixty-four battalions is to be
| formed at Shumla, which would bring the
| Turkish field army up to 100000. But these
| $4,000 reserves arc as yet 10 the future. The
Danube is still too swoolen and rapid to admit
of au attempt at the construction OF a bridge.
The destruction of another Turkish monitor
in the Matcbin channel will tend to further
parayze the efforts of the Turks TO obstruct
Russian operations by means Of the Danube
! fotilla.
The Crcassians 10 trans. Circassa have sur
rendered their arms to the Russians.
Muhktar Pasha reports several small engage
mcnts, especially in the neighborhood Of kars,
all resulting favorably for the Turks, and claims
the Russians in taking Arabian lost G 900 men.
A dispatch from ShumIa, dated Thursday
| says: A great concentration Of troops has been
effected here. aud the number within the forti.
| fcations and camp is estimated at 10000 in.
tantry and $4,000 horscmen. The troops arc
held in constant readiness to march, but the
generals do not expect to be called into action
for another month. The elite of the Turkish
officers are assembled here, and appear to be
anxious for speedy encounter With the enemy