The daily gazette., 1877-08-27
,1eFH E13.-.--.---W=ArR..,
REPULSE OF THE TURKS BY
THE INVESTING ARMY a'
''"' AT KARS. '
A FOURTEEN HOURS BATTLE
MANY VAIN ATTEMPTS TO
TURN RUSSIAN LEFT.
DESCRIPTION fOF THE RUS
SIAN POSITIONS IN BAL
KANS.
"TO DIE AT THEIR POSTS"
LONDON, August 81, 1877 Z.

LONDON, August 81, 1877.
The Herald's special correspondent
at the Russian headquarters in Armen.
la telegraphs from Kuruk Dara. under
date of August 25, as followf:-''A des-
perate engagement has j1st been tough
near this little village about twenty
miles northeast of of Ksrs resulting
10 an unequivocal victory for the Rus
SLAMS. The Turkish right at tackled the
Russian left which rested on a plateau
in front of Kuruk Dara at three O'Clock
This morning.
An Entire Days Fight ing.
"The two armies fought all day
day long. The weather throughout
was magnificent. and for fourteen
hours attack continued. The roar of
musketry and cannon was unceasing
and so thick was the smoke at times
that the hot noon sun could not be
seen. The Russians we're persistently
brave and pursued their well known
policy of reservlng their fire until the
attacking column was at very close
range, when, after the discharge they
sprang forward and received their
| foes with bayonet. Ii was not always
that the Turks wavered. Some por-
lions of the Turkish line fought better
than Others. Desperate hand to hand
fighting occurred on two occasions.
/ "The Turks attempted to flank the
right of tue Russian defensive position,
but were defeated in each and every at
faaW,. - n oNt, M
manded the defence in person. He was
enthusiastically cheered whenever he
appeared. Both the Russians and the
| urks were in full strength. 1t was on
the part of the latter an attack in force
to fully test the Russian position, but
General Melikotf was able to so mass
his forces at the point of attack, when
made in the open country, as to oppose
man for man to his enemy.
THE ONLY TURKISH SUCCESS.
"By cavalry dash about day light the
Turks captured the little village of Kiz-
zeil Tapa, place wholly untenable, and
was consequently abandoned by the
Russians long since. This place the
Turks held throughout the day because
the fighting at the front was so active
that no men could well be spared to dis
lodge them. They will doubtless eva
cuate the place tonight
THE TURKS FIGHT DESPERATELY.
"The efforts of the Turks to capture
Kuruk Dara were desperate and certain
; ly did not fail from want of persistency.
Prior to the opening of the attack only
a few companies of the regimen: form
ing the extreme Russian left had been
entamped in front of the little town, but
shortly after midnight, General Loris
Melikoff having been informed of the
advance of the enemy. two entire divi-
sions, each division consisting of four
regiments of 2, 800 men, were thrown in
to the place before five o'clock in the
morning The greater part of the Sc
cond division was held as reserve. and
did not come into action until late in
the afternoon.
TERRIBLE ORDEAL
"The first shock of the attack was re-
ceived by two regiments of infantry
which had reinforced the small force
in occupation of Kuruk Dara, and in
these two regiments the losses were ter
rlble, some companies being literally
wrecked. They stood their ground, how
ever, until relief, came, and that was the
main thing. These men gave the Turks
, their first check, and checked they were
AT every point throughout the day.
THE PALM OF VICTORY.
"The repulse of the attacking army was
decided. / saw thu greater portion of
the fight and the retreat of the Turks at
nightfall. The losses on both sides were
undoubtedly very heavy, but at this
time, within two hours of the cessation
of he fight, it is impossibly to accurate
ly estimate the number of killed and
+ wounded.
A WOUNDED GENERAL.
at was reported about two o'clock
that General Komanotf 'rchavshevadZe
was killed, but it trauspires that be was
only badly wounded l was assured of
this fact BY one of his aids less than an
hour ago. He tells me that the General
is doing WELL"
STILL FIGHTING.
The correspondent telegraphs from Bu-
charest, Sunday, as foilOws:-"1nforma-
, ton follows me here that the fighting at
) the Pass is still raging, having. been
again renewed to-day, but that Radetzky
continues to holdi his own. 1t is now
question of endurance, but l adhere to
my impression that the Schipka Pass, as
, now held by Radetzky, is safe, and that
unless Suleiman Pacha can run column
through another pass, regarding the
practicability or contrary of which L
know nothing, he will wreck his army
by thus dashing it continually against
Schipka.
| WHAT THE PASS Is.
I 1.s. hat Iaa