The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-25
A Crushing TURKISH DEFEAT.
Details of the Russian Victory at
DeVebOyun Pass.
GRAND TACTICS OF THE MUSCOVlTES.
Forty-dve Battalions Of Infantry
in Ambush.
WILD RUSH FOR ERZEROUM.
GRAND TACTICS OF THE MUscOVlTEs.
WILD RUSH FOR ERzESOUM.
From tho Daily Teegrapn's correspondent with
Ghaxi Ahmed Moukhtar Pacha

From the Daily Telegrapn's correspondent with
Ghaxi Ahmed Moukhtar Pacha
ERzgRouM, Nov. Q, via Athens, Nov 9, 1877.
I now sit down 10 announce the utter defeat Of the
Turkish army before Erzeroum. On Saturday, No
vember 8, the enemy were within miles OF Free
roum, and had pushed reconnaissance to The
foot OF the Dsveboyun Pass. 1t was evident,
therefore, that tho attack was not far distant,
and that no time could be spared II the cap
ital OF Armenia was TO bo saved On our
sido scouts were actively employed in ascertainng
the Russian strength and the movements OF their ad
vancing corps and it resulted from the Information
thus obtained that had ut least thirty thousand Rus
sian infantry, supported by $50 guns and vast
masses OF cavalry, Immediately in our 'front.' On
the morning OF Monday, November D. great
movement OF the enemy was visible from the
Turkish left in the direction OF the villages OF Knand
jos and soghrIu The Russians could be discerned ad
vancng, with considerable force OF infantry and ar
tery, against the positions intrusted to lsma Pacha
The Turks remained in their trenches and calmly
awaited The assault Tho usual result followed The
attack was frutess Again aud again the Russians,
steady OF the defenders in the trenches and
about eleven O'Clock hey were compelled TO retire,
inch 81 The Turkish ground Tue Ottoman command
led to believe that The main body OF The Rus
intention OF turning their unassailaole position in the
Deveboyun Pass
WORK OF AN INFERENCE.
Such an inference only natural inasmuch as It
moral IT not hysical, impossibility, humanity
speaking, 10 make direct assault on the front Of
Moukntar Pacha's position. While, however, tho
attack the lett had been CALAMITY thwarted IN the
way have described, the enemy began, to our sur
prise. TO develop a movement the Turkish centre
Soon after midday large OF Russian cavalry
were observed maneuvring In tho plain stretching
amazed and Dewiidered at the seeming audacIty of
this movement. The idea OF sending a force OF cav
airy, however strong, against such position was IN
aniA ~ nj VinnS
wholly unsupported either ny artillery or
Infantry. This seeming audacity, IN tact, proved
rtse conceal stratagem on the part Of the RUS
SLAMS OF the serious nature Though there were
Russian loot soldiers in sight, the fact was that the
forty i've DattalIons strong Immediately in front
OF our central position-n ambush.
During the darkness OF the night of Sunday the
4h inst. almost every man Of these torty-fve baal
ions had noiselessiy crept over the hills formed by
the branching spurs OF the Sogilnar Dagh, and
had hidden themselves In the gulIies near the
foot road the Deveboyun, IN the recesses
had pr provided b. Of shelter under s which
fully armed and equipped soldier could secrete him.
SELF OF this tremendously important movement,
carried q scale OF such magnitude, the Turks
had no idea With The slightest warning II would
have been easy to defeat u; our batteries could have
swept the hillside clean OF every Russian very
short time, and have frustrated the clever design
OF the Muscovte general As IL was however,
the Turks iell INTO the trap thus skfuly lard Tor
them. Whlo arc still wondering what earth
they mean-even tneaudacty Of the manauvre never
suggesting vciiluE oil some deep dcslgn-the
my's horsemen approach still nearer 10 the actual
ascent OF the Pass AS they come they make grand
display Tue force oil mounted men is certainly an
imposing one We are all agreed that they are push
ing their Reconnaissance advcnturousy near our DO
sitions.
MoUKHTAR ORDERS HIS OWN RUIN.
Moukhisr Pacha himself, commanding at the Pass,
decides that they have now come Tar enough. He
accordingly gives The order to attack-they are now
at the very foot OF the hIlL He suspects no DANGER
He SIMPLY repelling an insufforably bold at
tempt the part OF the Russians TO reconnotre
A. I'm min std g Hunk n fhn Pm
covered by the fire Of our artillery and infantry
there seems TO be no risk OF beng beaten. Rapidly
the Turks rush do the roadway, and, watching the
movement from the top OF the hill, We are predicting
that II thut brilliant force Of cavalry Is not utterly
many empty saddles when the steady, unerring
fire OF the Turks from SO short range rs
brought to them. Strange TO say, though the
horsemen see all that Is gong on, they choose to
remain lantailzngiy near at hand. Down go tho
Turks. Now they begin to hre-they are within
range. Their begin to take effect The hills
Just scnaing oack tho echoes OF their lusiIlade,
when--in amoment-everything is changed
suRPRIskDl
From many places the hllsdes, where only
ago there nothing to be but the bare
ground, start up dense hies OF Russian Infantry.
Tue hills covered wRh them-thelr shouts echo
from side 10 sde In an instant they pouring
fearful voieys at murderousy short distances on
both fauks OF the unsuspectng, unprepared
Turks TOO confident, too ANXIOUS 10 punish the
over-daring OF the Russian cavalry, Moukhtar's men
have advanced SO lar down III the valley that there
no longer lett the possibility oil retreat The narrow
ness Of the road the closeness Of the overwhelming
nrc, the advantageous positions secured by the
enemy-above all, the suddenness OF the attack,
unman and paralyxe them. Panic stricken, the
Turks run niller and tnither-terrned, bewiluered,
unable 10 offer the least resistance. Up the hill
side dash the victorious Russians. they reach
the trenches the surviving Turks thcm-
selves position after position they assal and take
with amazing ceerity. They have IL all their own
way Practically there ia defence oil position that
was just now deemed inv'neipe. Tho Turks, no
longer disciplined iorce but only a panic-strlcken
crowd driven over the crest OF tho MIL abandon
Ing munitions, arms. everything The confusion is
Understandable.
Meanwhile the Russians steadily push on their adj
vance with undated vigor. Couds oi skIrmishers
ali the mountain slopes. All this Ia done
time indescriDably short. II full midday the
Russians gave US the first warning OF their presence,
and at two o'clock our army was in iu retreat.
Equally astounding The with which this great
feat accomplished. The moment that armed host
sprang ground resistance was virtually al an
end. Not single gun was fired at The advancing Rus
SLAMS as they came up the hill On the contrary, 30 I'M
manned were our forces that the Turkish gunners
tue traces OF their artillery, mounted their horses,
aud gaoped away. IL was every for nimsell--a
universal saupequs peut The day was gwen up, and
one thought OF any thing but his own safety he
brave infantry, u IS true, did what they could for
short time, forlorn hope and last what
the exclamation, .'Deicati Deeat 1t Is the WIN OF
Allah"
''oP WHICH WAS A PART"
Continuing their onw ard rush, the Muscovtes
take many VI the rcroatng Turks, ana IL is heart
rending To see The flying masses OF ugitivos all
ing their way Erzeroum, struggling under the
centraed ire of greater part Russian Datta-
hons. Sucn was the conuiLon oil matters at quar-
ter TO tures fno appalling. Imagine IL
you can, a terrified, Mingled thr,ng oil men horse
back, Turkish infantry and oniccrs Circassars and
-bazouks, camp followers, daniels and their drv
ers oxen, and vchicies vi various descriptions,
ali thrown together und tnguisnabc tnroDg,
pressing with reckless fury unreasoning panic
ana IN great part under the lire VI the Rus
sians--loward Erzeroum. IL is struggle Tor HE,
roads aeep in mud. Words fail 10 convey the
Impression oil such scene. Just now these mon
were drawn up those heights TO defend Erzeroum;
rushing toward IL as tncir only hope of
safety the mann anxiety Is who snail bc
there nrst. Z
NOTHING CAN CHI Eek THE PANIC
Ten minutes later tndn tao time have just named
reach the front oil ErZeroam. Here Tor awhile the
spectacle IS even sho cking than the rout. The
arghted Governor given orders TO smut the gates
the CITY. Thus he keepng out tho dense crowd