The New York herald., 1877-10-01
than they set TO work with immense energy 70 render


rnx RIDGE on KITCHEN.
The heights above the eastern right bank OF the
LON this part OF very steep ana hign
They rise at FIRST from tho valley 10 terrace OF low
six hundred feet the culm mating point being higb
projecting hill called Sakar repe. upon tne summit
OF this hii which dominates tue who!c plain and val
10y beiow Tor miles the Turks had planted battery Of
three Krupp guns and too much praise cannot DC be-
slowed on the energy skill with which this com
mandIng position was armed ana fortified. Within .
very days after the capture OF tho first and lower
ridge Mehemet Airs engineers had made ,oans, prsc
Sakar Tepd and the crest Of tho kirchen ridge from
which rises and the Russians had barely recovered
kebIr Jenikeni when they were confronted by series
OF batteries, planted in almost inaccessible positions
which rendered all prospect OF further attack or even
Of near approach quite hopeless They compelled
10 retire 70 their camp e. Popkeni and 10 maintain
Position OF KARAHAssAKKESL
The ridge Of Kirchen. after skrting tho valley Of
subsldss from lis termination series OF lower
ridges sweep around In semcircle away from the
higher unit. they DESCEND into It close 70 and north Of
tho village OF karahassankenL But across this amphi
sopss gently up from the river ana connects tho two
extremities OF the semcirce, other words IS the
chord Of the arc A. the upper end Of this ridge lies
sleeper than AT any other place. descending into the
valley in rugged SLOPE broken up nto little ravnes
by the action Of water. These slopes, the height Of
Karahassan bare. and the soil being OF whtish
clay they look at distance Ike low white cliffs or
position, OF which Karahassan Is tho key. Probably
The Russians always occupied the village IN considers
BILE i0rce formed the base from which they pushed
their recon nnoissances into the valley Of the Middle
LON tcwnrd Rasgiad From karabassan road runs
another village called Ketchier and descends into tbs
Middle LON Valley at Sadna II is only eight mics
acros the next range Of heights into the valley OF tho
Bcl LON TO Rasgrad; but since the concentration OF
the Turkish army a. that town the Russians have
never been able 70 gam footing on those heights
Spahilar and the other villages the valley. But
when tue force holding that part OF the Krichen
rdge which c0mmxnos the entrance OF the valley OF
Kebir Jenikeni had been driven back these villages
became untenabe and they fred and abandoned
Above Karahassan is the little village OF kctcher.
than mile and q halt distant Both vii
lagos stand on spur which juts out from the high hill
forming the western extremity OF the amphithealre,
and is covered by thick forest and brushwood. The
Immediate neighborhood OF the villages s occupied
by folds Of Indian corn divided OF by hedges but be-
tween the villages 10 bare SLOPE which iorms ad
mirable defensive position against an enemy advanc-
ing from the north.
tho combat OF Sarnasunar In the latter engagement
the right wing OF tho Russian positions on The Lom
had been driven back, while their right cvntro re-
mained At Karahassan. An attack upon them at that
place was therefore inevitable, and being 1t is
founding that the general In command had not made
better provision against II.
THE TURKISH FORCES AND POSITION
engaged in the battle consisted OF Two divsionsthat
OF Nediib Pacha ana another division, which WAS d.
vded INTO two parts, one brigade supporting Nedjib
either hand. All these troops formed part the
army which Mshemet All has SO long been concentra
ing at Rasgrad. All tho dispositions made by the
Chief since his assumption OF the com.
mand have been those OF q skiiful aud cautious gen
eraL While the army lay at Rasgrad before tho plans
for general attack were matured, he made Rasgrad
an inlronchcd camp, impregnabie assault even by
tho combined forces OF the Russians this siae Of
the LON; but when ali vas ready he moved out,
owy 0S. Ut steadily. S and Sok % h
a sn ~ BIS rear Tue turkish scops Sss
10 bo led agsns. The enemy. Months OF inactivity.
but incessant drii IN the camps at shuma and Ras.
tor swift and well combined attack, and when the
moment for action arrived they struck hard
RUSSIAN POSITION AND FORCES
Tho Russian forces the Lom consisted OF
eleven baltalions OF infantry who were quartered IN
the village OF Karahassan, and two batalions
cupied Ketchiler and The heights above Besides,
they had regiments OF cavalry ana sixteen guns.
Had the Russian com mander made the reversed dis
tho village OF Karahassan greater strength, the
Turks would probably have had harder work before
them. But, as It was, the position occupied BY the
Russians Ia the WOODS and on the slope between the
villages one OF great natural strength and they
evidently knew its advantages, although by some un
any works except a shelter trench on tho slope
THE PLAN OF ATTACK.
The attack liked tor the morning OF the Both OF
August. Tho signal to be two rounds nrcd from
the guns Of the brigade overlooking the village OF Sa
take possession OF place The brigadcs Of Savet
aud Al, Pachas then to from the right OF
the Turkish line upon the villages OF Ketchiler and
karanassan, and when this movement was veil devcl-
oped the extreme lett Of the Turkish order vi battle
to cross the river and advance upon Ajaslar,
Jazar, supported by the Egyptians of Prince Hassan.
This operation iDtrusted to the brigade OF AZiin
pacha. Three villages formed the objective point Of
the Turkish advance. Karahassan on the right bank
and Hadarkeni and Jazar on tho left bank OF
thcy lie in straight inc, which ntersects tho river
between Karahassnn and Hadarkeni.
OBSTINATE TURK
spent tho night OF the goth Of August at Kcbir
Jenikeni village lying behind tho lel wing oi the
Turkish army AZ a short distance from the camp of
Mehemet Ali and Prince Hassan OF Egypt, but dark
had the secret becn kept that outside the head
Tor tho morrow, although all knew that there
''somcthing in the wind, ana that the ''ollensivo
movement which had been talked about SO long
could not be much longer delayed. There were many
who thought nothing could be done until Suoiman
should arrive from the other side OF the Balkans.
With ninety fine battalions under his command, and
the Svno Pass open 10 him, he remained molonlcss,
week after week, although urgently enreated by Me.
hemet ALI to push forward, turn the Shipka Pass and
effect junction with the army this eide OF the
mountains But week alter week passed and nothing
was done-thc whole campaign was thwartod by the
jealous opstinacy OF Sueiman What this conduct
the more shameful Is the fact tnat It Is entirely due TO
personal jealousy OF Mehemet All on the part OF
Sucimau Pacha. While The Russians In the
Balkans he wished TO pose as the defender oil Con-
slantinope, ana TO present himself and his tine army
as wall between the invaders and the capital This
was all very well while II lasted; but Suieinan has
maintained his heroic attitude long after EVIL
deut to the merest iyro In matters military that all
danger OF advance was past, and. unfortunately,
he has had filcient influence at I0nstantnople 10
told that at last Menemet Ali grow desperate aud,
tired oil waiting any longer, sent peremptory orders
his jnsuboI dinate colleague that II be did not adj
At once he might so back TO Constantinople
and make Tor some who would. IL
is miserable story OF personal ambition
Suleiman commenced 10 move ana Mchemet Ali
WAS enabled to undertake with more confidence the
Of the OF operations by which he hopes
drive away the Russians from the right bank OF The
LON. The complete success OF tnat operation is now
matter OF history, and viii 90 on NJ once 10 describe
what saw of
SIGNAL GUNS.
The sound OF guns which cimo booming over the
hills between eight aud nine O'Clock the morning Of
the 80 Of August caused mo and two colleagues who
we're sharing with me the squallld misery ol deserted
keDr Jenikeni 10 jump INTO our saddles and
hurry OF 10 the camp We went TO tho tent OF the
doctors OF the National Society and heard there that
the and oil the stan mad up TO the top oi the
Saknr Tepe, aud That there certainly something
important going on. Wc hurried on and assembled tho
ridge by the road which the TURKISH engineers
have made Tor the usc OF guns, and, after iagu-
ing climb, reached the top OF the ridge We found
ourselves ON spacious plateau at tho edge of
winch was battery OF krupp guns in position hankcd
either side by shelter trenches The view from the
parapct was glorious and commanded an immense
extent OF country On our right AZ distance OF SIX
EAtn