Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-06-29

appeared to have lost all self-con-
troll. The Turks fred tremendous
ly, but all to no purpose. All at
once the walls Of the doomed
city looked like one sea of
flame, and then suddenly be-
come enYeloped in clouds of
smoke. Slowly but simultaneously
the various storming columns, now
marching more quickly, closed in
upon the forts, more and more en-
circling in a narrower compass the
entire line OF. the Turkish defense.
The nearer they approach the enemy
the more murderOus become their
fire. AS they came upon the earth
Notifications their columns were
massed closer and closer. The
Turks now saw that the Russian
attacks were irresistible; that they
would soon have to take recourse to
the bayonet and engage in hand
to hand conflict. At the sight of
this the Turkish infantry lines
wayered. Whole regiments threw
their arms away and took to flight.
The artillerlsts, however, kept at
their posts, but most of them, were
killed at their guns. Others aban-
doned their batteries without even
spiking their magnificent guns.
The city of Ardahan is, however,
divided in two by the river Kura
On the right bank, now made Sc
cure, are the mansions of the rich,
the palace Of the Pasha, the hos
pital, barracks, and the powder
magazine. The other part of the
city, with the citadel, warehouses,
and number of government and
other public buildings, lies on the
left bank. Two bridges connect
the two parts of the city. AS the
Russian columns came over the
citadel poured terrific fire into
their ranks, causing severe losses.
But regiment afterregimen rushed
forward across the bridge and moved
up to the citadel. The garrison be-
came panic stricken, and left the
poor artillierists to their own fate.
In the meantime the garrison that
had ian away from the other part
of the city were seen to cross the
second bridge. The Oossack artil
lery sent few shells among them,
and hundreds of Turkish soldiers
were thrown from the bridge into
the water and drowned.
Fifteen minutes later a regiment
from Tihis also took possession oi
the second bridge, thus cutting of
an enemys retreat At that mo
ment the most remarkable episode
ever witnessed in warfare occurred.
Whole Turkish battalions threw
their arms away and jumped into
the water, so as to save their necks
by swimming. But even there the
Russians were ready for them
They fired at the swimming Turks
from the bridge and killed them
while in the water. A large num-
Der who had taken refuge in the
hospital and in the barracks con-
tinued firing from the upper stories
of these buildings upon the advanc-
ing Russians, but the soldiers of the
Tiflis regiments soon overpowered
them also. The cavalry was now
sent to the front to pursue the fugi-
tive army. The infantry closely
followed them. A street fight OF
considerable magnitude next en-
gagged the attention of the COM
batants; but the Turks were fleeing
fast, and quiet was soon restored,
the cavalry pursuing the Turkish
fugltives some eight miles outside
the city, where everybody tried to
save himself the best way he could.
AS darkness fell upon the city the
cavalry returned to town with an
immense number of prisoners.
The commander-in-c chief, Louis
Melikoff, who led the general as
sault in person, entered the city
Immediately after his troops had
occupied it. The streets were liter
ally covered with the dead bodies
of the Turks, not only those who
had fallen during the assault, but
also those who had been killed dur
ing the terrible bombardment two
days previous. Everywhere abun-
dant evidence was found that the
enemy became panic-stricken and
abandoned all idea of glorious re-
sistance.
HOW IL Looks Ia ROumania,
The section of Roumania be-
I ~