The New York herald., 1877-11-19

IOrC0b
scss r they were to conquer Armenia and must hold
30 long ashe conquered province is to be retained
Tho town Is picturesquely situated in q
rocky amphitheatre Of black bAsaltic hills.
dngy material, and this circumstances, coupled
with the absence Of trees gives the disma! ap
pearance quite in keeping with the name 1t bears.
Karadagh, Black Mountain, with several other
abrupt rocky and precipitous hills, flank the
the eastern side. within about mile of tho wallis
These are separated from Kars by valley, through
which river flows, passabe by bridges. The hills
the western side offer an easy ascent to an enemy.
On the south largo plain extends for some
miles, and then barred by a range OF easy
soping heights. These hills command the city
from military point OF WOW, and, there
lore, during the defonco of Kars by Fcnwick WILL
iams, series OF forts, redoub:s and earthworks
constructed along them, tho greater attention being
PAID to Karadagh-tho key OF tho place. According
to Nolan the dofences of the city, devised by the
skill OF Colonel Lake, were admirable. Their great
weakness consisted In their extent. ut requires q
largo army 10 man such extensive works, and all must
be garrisoned Otherwise they liable, oil course,
10 seizure by the enemy, who by possessing ono link
In the chain would be In betcr position to seize the
rcst."
CAPTURED ASSAULT.
In tho war OF 1s2s-2o, the Russians, under General
Prince Paskevtcn, appeared suddenly before Kars
June 20, 1928, having marched from Te1s before ad-
vces or his movements had reached the Turks He
same into shs with all the flush OF his 10
he struggle with Persia, and his name oven was
error TO tho Kurds of Armenia. In q very short
lime tho fortress surrendered, nor could tho
sacha Of Erzeroum, who at the head Of
10000 men, whilo Paskevtch had less than 20 00O do
anything to prevent the loss Of this bulwark Of his
lmprc. In outbreak OF the plague which followed
Mo Russian com mander showed himself able IN
ADMINISTRATION he had boon In gcncralship,
md by careful treatment and the immediate
ISOLATION OF suspected tho disease was
lctually stamped out In twenty days.
Kars then greatly strengthened and as made
mo central point IRON which desperately aggressive
warfare was carried both to tho south aud wost
There OF the assault upon Bajazd and or des
peraie fights in tho soughanlu mountains. After tho
Treaty Of Adrianople Kars restored along with
other Armenian possessions.
.'THE cRIMEAN WAR;"
The siege OF Kars In 1s54-55 attracted tho widest
attention OF the stubborn vaor tho gar
rison, under the command OF the English General Sir
fcnwick Williams. The hnal surrender Of the tort
ress to tho Russians unoer General Mouraven was
then regarded OF the gravest calamitics that
bolol Turkey for many centuries, because with Kars
fell the only barrier to the tide Of invasion that
threatened TO overwhem Armenia and all tho
safeguards that Armenia represents to tho Turkish
empire in Europe as we'll as in Asia. But
the Russian triumph became barren account OF
the OF that by the Gear
In Roumania and the Crmca, Tor In order to patch up
the peace that temporarily settled the Eastern ques
couQucsts and TO retire 10 her former frontier Tho
campaigns OF Paskievtch and MouravieT worc mainly
directed against Erzeroum, the capital OF Armenia
but the capture iiars necessary successful
occupation Of that province that the seges OF tho
tress were tho chief operation OF each war. Undor
Paskicvitch, In 1s2S the Russian army, poorly pro-
vidtd and with hostile territory In Its rear, had
performed extraordinary feat OF driving tho Turks
from Armenia and capturing Ksrs and Erzeroum This
leader seems 10 havo overcome ph ysical
obstacles with a marvellous case and won great glory
for the Gar MouravcG, less fortunate, had 10
tend with a better organized Turkish army under
more cnterprising commanders, and although he TOO
captured Kars, It oriy after protracted siego
which tho defeudcrs succumbed to starvation
DEFENCE ny WILLIAMS
wnen Sir Fenwick Williams proceeded 10 Kars 10
undertake the doicncc OF the town against tho invad
ing army o. General MouravItn the military cond
ton OF ASIA Minor was most dcporable. The troops,
piundered by tho unprnciped pachas and subjected
TO defeats from tho Russians wore demoralzed to tho
last degree Ten thousand Of them had deserted and
for twen,y.iour months mono OF thep had re-
ccived any pay. The cavalry were inounted:
their swords too short, and they knew even
the rudiments OF drill Among the infantry a few
regiments were well clothed and armed, but tho
majority were newly raised militia, and as guiltess
Of military training as tho officers who commanded
them. Altogether, tho troops placed at tho disposal
OF Williams consisted OF 1900 infantry, 1900
artilIcrymcn, and small body oi bashi-
bazouks TO these wcro opposed the weIl-
disciplined, well-equippcd army OF nearly 10000
Russians attended bv swarms OF Cossacks and within
few days. march OF Kars. II is impossible to con.
cciyc more hcartbreaking undertaking than tho de-
fcnco Of this thrust upon Sir Fenwick Williams
ia March, 1895, when Colonel Lake and Captain
Thompson arrived at the place. IL was questionable IL
II could bo held for three hours Tho magazines
rero empty Of powder, tho granarics con-
,ancd no provisions, the forti1catIons were ono
mass of ruin the soldiers half starved wandered
about pilaging the villagers OF thoIr scanty Stores
wb,le tho Turkish officials smoked their eternal
tchibouque unmindfnl Of tho approach OF the enemy
Tho strong represents iatons Of tho two English OH.
eors had induced Williams TO send forward from
Erzeroum as many stores as could be spared, and
when he arrived at Kars on the 7th June ho found
,oady sufficient materials OF defence to DO ,abc ten
ovs nter TO repulsc with slight loss, the attempt OF
uoorav,c TO take tho town by surprise the foast
af pairam. Writing the same DAY to friend, VIII.