Middletown transcript., 1877-07-14

temptation, his comfort in trouble, hi
r sweetest, safest happiness on earth.
THE BATTLE OF ARDAHAN.
Shell Raining on the Devoted Town
How the Russian storming Party Car
ried the Forts-TerribIe Slaughter.
Letters from TiAis give graphic
sketch of the Russian victory at tArda
han. On the first day of the attack
the capture of an outer fort was only
regarded as a preliminary success
The bombardmeut Of the other forts
began at daylight the next morning, the
storming army being all the time kept
in readiness to begin the assault when.
ever the bombardment should have
made sufficient number of breaches
in the Turkish stronghold. After two
hours the same guns that had been
pouring their fiery contents into the
Ardahan forts began to pay their com
pliments to the city proper. The Rus
sian batteries, placed along the adjoin-
ing hills, formed semi-circle around
the beleagured city. Behind these
batteries. stood the infantry, out of
sight of the enemy Shot and shell
were being poured into the streets of
Ardahan, when the Russian comman-
der, as if overcome with awe at the
havoc he was creating, ordered the
firing to cease, and demanded the sur
rendered. the city without further blood
shed. The Turks, however, asked for
conditions that could not be granted.
Once more the fearful bombardment
began, this time directed simultaneous
ly on the forts and on the city. With
a sharp field glass one could see already
the piles of corpses continually accu-
mulating inside the forts, but the Turks,
with an obstinacy which almost ap-
peared superhuman, answered shot for
shot. Only one fort remained silent.
Brave as were the Turks, their shells,
however, did little damage ). most of
their shots did not even reach the Rus
sian batteries. Slowly, however, as
the incessant Russian firing commenced
to tell fearfully on the beleaguered
city, the enemy's fire grew fainter and
fainter. At once the order was given
to the storming columns to get ready
for action. 1t was already six o'clock
in the evening and only two hours were
left before dark, but the commander
Louis Melikoff, did not hesitate min
ute. The signal for the assault was
given. The right wing of the storming
column under General Heyman con-
sisted of two battalions of infantry and
one company of sappers. Heymann
rode at the head of his column. The
maneuvre was a brilliant sight seldom
witnessed in border warfare. Forward
they rushed through ravines and val
leys. Through another ravine but
leading to the same point two regi-
ments rushed forward at the double
quick. The batteries followed the left
of the column. Two regiments from
Tifis rushed forward, each against a
fort. All the battalions moved along
in the form of chain, the rear cover
ed by deep body of cavalry.
As the storming columns came in
sight of the enemy a terrible fire of
shot and shell came from the Turkish
ranks. It was apparent, however, that
their fire, though heavy, was aimless.
Entire salvos of artillery flew over the
heads of the Russian infantry without
doing the least damage, and ten thou
sand cartridges were fired off without
hurting a soul, so bad was the Turkish
firing. Slowly but steadily the Rus
slams now moved forward, not firing
single shot for nearly a half hour, not
outstanding the terrible fire directed
against them by the enemy. The mo-
nent they came within proper range,
hey aimed low and fired deliberately.
This coolness at once stamped the al
iault as a success. Not a single cart
'idge was fired in vain; the enemy suf- {
ering terribly, at disappeared to have
ost its self-control. The Turks fred
tremendously, but all to no purpose. l
All at once the walls of the doomed $
.ity looked like one sea of fame, and f
hen suddenly became enveloped in i
LIQUIDS of smoke. Slowly but simulta- v
ieously the various storming columns, /
low marching more quickly, closed in J
pon the forts, more and more encir- il
ling in a narrower compass the entire /
inc of the Turkish defense. The nearer h
hey approach the enemy the more b