The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-09-05
THE M~ONTENEGRINS.
The Black Mo~untainoers In Battle-Their
Terrible Mode Of Warfare.

The Black Mountainoers In Battle-Their
Terrible Mode of Warfare.
A Constantinople correspondent
writes !: In the campaign of last year
the Turks lost almost ten to against
the Montenegrins:: From the mountain
SUBMITS overlooking Podgoritza and the
approaches from Scutari their scouts
signalized 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 the
defense of the threatened frontier. On
they came, men, women and children,
every one that could carry a gun, roll
rocks on the Leads of the enemy, or u.s.
sist in the building of intrenchmepts.
The Turks were allowed to enter for O
certain distance in the passes until they
reached the narrow gorges. There they
foundtheir 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 charac-
terizes them in the field. The Mon
tenegrin fire having lulled, supposing
that it is q Sign of yielding, the Turks
hurry forward with cries and yells as
if sure of their prey. Hardly have they
got within twenty feet of the intrench-
ments, before from every opening in
them, pours q stream of incessant fire or
shell, shot, mimic balls and all kinds Of
deadly missiles. Suddenly the top of
the rampant is crowned with sharp
shooters, 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 preci-
pices, crushing into the midst of the
serried masses and laying low thousands
of combatants. All this while the air is
rent with the shouts of the mountaineers;
the banner of the Cross is waved defiant
ly from on high and on the works
priests, with the cruci6x displayed on
their robes, pointing to it as a sign of
hope and victory. After repeated on
sets, their ranks broken, their officers,
for the most part, slain, the Turks be-
gin to waver. AS soon as this is per-
ceived, the enthusiasm of the Montene-
grins can be no longer restrained. Over
the ramparts they leap, and with indie
scribable fury they charge, bayonet and
sword in hand, on the disordered masses
before them. For a moment the Turks
stand at bay, but as the deafening clamor
sounds like q 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 q squad Of
foes who leave him no chance to escape.
No quarter is given; blood flows in tor
rents Z; it becomes q p~itiless massacre !;
only a 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 a participant
in one of the worst defeats the Turks
ever encountered at their hands.