The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-07-20

The Brave Mountaineers, Though Tempo
rariiy Defeated, are Neither Conquered
Nor Cast Down.
fFrom the Chicago Tribune.l

rarity Defeated, are Neuher Cohq"erc"
Nor Cast Down.
From the Chicago Tribune.l
The Montenegro campaign is over.
The brave mountaineers, after desper-
ate resistance, were crushed between the
overwhelming numbers of the Turkish
armies, led by two of the best Generals
in the service, and composed of the very
flower of the Turkish soldiery. But
Montenegro is still free. Her warriors
are still in their mountain fastnesse s,
upon the sides of which lie Is, 900 Turk
lsh dead Though driven back to their
rocks and crags, they are still uncon-
quered, and their ancient enemy, through
the demand of Austria on the one hand
and the straits of the armies in Bulgaria
on the other has withdrawn, and is now
slowly pursuing its way to the south of
the Balkans to co-operate with the forces
of the quadrilateral.
In reviewing the campaign from the
outset il will be seen that the Montene
grins, though defeated, have been of i'm
mense service to the Russians. AT the
very beginning of the outbreak In Her
zegovina, the MonteDegrins were III arms
against their old oppressor, and, down
to the time when Servia entered the
field defeated the Turks in every engage
ment. When Bosnia and Herzegovina
were ovelTun and Servia sued for peace,
Montenegro would accept no terms from
the Turk because her claim for territory
was not allowed. She wanted the small
strip of level territory to the north that
once belonged to her. arabic land for her
crops, pasturage for her fiocks, chance
to descend to the plains, instead of be-
ing cooped up on her bleak mountain
crags. The Turk refused this demand,
and the mountaineers refused to lay
down their arms. When Russia declared
war with Turkey, the Turks first effort
was to crush Montenegro, so that she
should not cooperate with the Russian
right wing as it moved south to turn the
Balkans, which was in the outset sup
posed to be part of the Russian pro-
gramme OF operations. The Turks sent
up one army from the south through AL
bania, under Mehemet Pasha, and sec
ond down from the north through Bos-
MIA, under Suleiman Pasha-in all, a
force OF about $4,000 of the best soldiers
of the Turkish army, under command of
two OF the best of their Generals. This
powerful force the little Montenegrin
army OF 10000 men has kept employed
ever since the 1st of April, and what
have the Turks accomplished? Monte
negro is still free. Fifteen thousand
Turks have been killed and the remnant
of 45. 600 is now on long tedious foot
march TO the south OF the Balkans, to
relieve the forces of the quadrilateral,
and TO hold the mountain passes against
the Russians if possible.
The Turks have made many blunders
in this campaign, but none so monstrous
as the diversion of 10000 of their best
troops TO carry ON this disastrous Mon.
tenegrin campaign.
1t is apparent now that if the Russians
are successful during the present season
III their Bulgarian campaign, it is owing tc
this detection OF 60, 900 of the best troops
in the Turkish service, to waste then
strength for three months against the
Montenegrin mountain sides, and leave
one-fourth of their number under Mon.
tenegrin soil Ii the Turks are beaten
III this campaign, they deserve it fol
their blunder. If the Russians are sue
cessful, the Montenegrins deserve tC
have the territory given to them which
they have claimed of Turkey, both as {
reward of gallantry and heroism, and al
compensation for the great service they
have rendered Russia.