Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-11-28
The c.artura of Var

~ &
The Capture 81 Kars.
The details of the night attack on
Kars, and the capture Of that strong
hold, make ono of the most Interest,"
ing chapters in the history Of tho pres
emit war.
In 1928 Kars was taken by the Rus
sian General Paskevitch, and occu-
pied for two years. In l852-53 it held
out for five months against the Rus
sian General Mouraviefr. Although
1t was then defended by 1900 men,
with only forty guns, an attempt to
capture 1t by assault Sept. 90 failed,
after q bloody struggle, and the gar.
rison did not surrender until it was
starved out late in November. The
Notifications since that date have
been improved in every way, and
were defended at the time of the re-
cent attack by 800 guns including
many of the Krupp pattern. The
completeness of the Notifications and
the thorough preparations for defense
add to the briliiancy of the Russian
operations that ended in the capture
of the fortress on Sunday morning.
Kars is situated on rugged plain,
six or seven thousand feet above the
level of the sea, and on the Kars
branch of the Arpa River. 1t Is on
the main road from Alexandropol, on
the frontier, to Erzeroum, and COM
mands one of the most available pas
ses from Russian Armenia to Turk
ish Armenia. 1t is thirty miles from
the frontier, and is to Turkey in Asia
what Schumla is to Turkey in Europe.
Although hundred miles from Free
roum, Kars has always been considl-
cred a sort of advanced fortress of the
Armenian capital.
| 1t is now apparent that the prccipi-
tate retreat OF the Russians last sum.
mer was in one sense strategic
move. 1t drew the main body of the
Turkish army to line east Of Kars
and near the Russian base of opera
tions. When this was accomplished
an attack was made on the Turkish
positions, the attack eliminating in
the battle of Aladjadagh, this ending
in the disastrous defeat of Mukhtar
Pasha's army. When it was known
that Mukhtar was retreating on Erze-
roum, two columns were sent in pur-
suit, and 80 promptly did they move
that Mukhtar was unable to make a
stand either at the Soghauli passes,
lIassan Kaleh, or Deveboyum.
i Whilo these two columns were adj
vancing on Erzcroum, the divisions OF
General Lazareff, who was in COM
mand of the thanking column at Alad-
jadagh, moved up promptly to posi-
tions in front Of Kars. He was Joined
by other divisions of the army under
Melikotf, and Kars was summoned to
surrender. The Turkish officers, al
though discouraged by the crushing
defeat Of Mukhtar, resolved to defend
the place to the last. The Russian
commander determined to carry the
Notifications by storm.
j The earthworks about the city en-
close an area of about ten square
miles, and are for the most part on
elevations naturally strong. On the
east is the mountain of karadagh
which overlooks every other for miles
This is nearly two miles from the cit.
adel in the city. The Notifications
consist of line of open redans com.
municating with one another, and
ending in closed redoubt on the
north spur of the range. An inner
line of rcdoubts and earthworks il
situated on the north side of the riv.
or, and between the town and the
Tahmasp. To the south. on all open
plain, there is an entrenched camp
about mile and a half square. This
is protected by five redans and two
redoubts. Another inner line OF
works extends from the river south.
west of the city.
a careful reading Of the dispatches
shows that the principal attack was
made on the southern forts. General
LaZareff, in command of the right
wing, assaulted Fort Hafiz Pasha and
worked nortnward toward Fort Kar-
adagh. The Moscow Grenadiers as
saulted Fort Kanti, while Generals
Roop and komaroii attacked the forts
on the south. All these points were
captured by daylight Sunday morn
ing. Arab Tabia on the east and the
redoubt on the west commanding the
road to Erzeroum maintained a stub
born resistance until s O'Clock, when
they were evacuated or surrendered.
4 The attack made on the most vul-
nerable part of the Turkish line was
la furious onslaught, well directed
and stubbornly continued. The de-
fense was fierce and stubborn, but,
with the capture of the Karadagh,
became hopeless. The capture of
Kars is the more serious to the Turks,
as it was dept for supplies and mu-
nitions of war. The indications are
that Mukhtar Pasha, concentrating
his attention on the force OF Deve-
boyuin, or in his front, has been cut
off from Trebizond by flanking COL
umn, and that, unless he moves expe-
ditiously, he will find the Russian
cavalry in his rear, and an over
whelming force in his front Only q
few days ago he telegraphed that
there was only a small Russian force
in front Of Kars, and that be was
holding the main Russian army in
check at Deveboyum. For the last
few days no dispatches have come
from Erzeroum, and it may be that
the army at Erzeroum will share the
fate of the garrison at Kars.-Inter-
Ocean.