The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-06-22
A BLOODY FIVE DAYS BATTLE In
THE DUGA PASS.
The MOntenegrins Repulse the Turks
With Great Slaughter.
New YORK. June II.

New YORK, June II.
The Herald'S correspondent at Cast.
ennoya reports as follows: After making
his dispositions with great care, and seiz
ing several important positions in front
of Krystaz, and at the Immediate en-.
trance of the Duga Pass, Sulieman Pasha
advanced with several battalions and
mountain artillery to force the defle
held by the Montenegrins. There being
only one available road, and that leading
directly through the Duga Pass, the
Turks sought
BY DINT OF SHEER FIGHTING
to seize the bends of the road, SO as to
place their guns in position to support
the advance of the head of their column.
The ground was favorable for this plan
of operations. For the first two days,
the Montegrins slowly retired before the
well deployed Turkish line until the
narrowing of the ground and the in
creasing difficulties of the road forced
the Turks to reduce their front. Then
the concentrated fire of the Montegrins,
delivered from every rock and gully of
the rugged mountain slopes, began to
tell with frightful effect on the Turks.
AMID PERFECT HAIL STORM OF BULLETS,
the brave Turkish infantry struggled
onward, encumbering the road with
their dead and wounded at every step.
The guns posted before Gotta shelled the
defile in advance, but with little effect as
the Montenegrins were well covered and
suffered only when the Turks desperate
ly charged on them amid the rocks and
brushwood. The fighting on the third
day was almost hand to hand, the COM
batants firing in each others faces at
few yards distance. But although the
Turks gained ground slowly, it was at
terrible cost in men. Their superior
number enabled them to push up
supports to take the place of the slain,
and ii seemed as if the head of
THE TURKISH COLUMN OF ATTACK
was melting away as if before furnace
Notwithstanding the stubborn bravery
Of Sulieman PashaIs troops, the fourth
days fighting found them no nearer the
key of the pass, and they had already
lost nearly three thousand men. Still
they endeavored to maintain possession
of the ground they had gained at such
a fearful cost, but the effort was hope
less. The hardy Montengrins repulsed
every attempt 10 advance, and it became
now only a question Of covering the re
treat Of the exhausted column. This
was commenced by
A FURIOUS ONSLAUGHT OF THE MoNTENE
GRINS
by the troops further in advance, but
which was quickly repulsed by mur
derous fire. The retreat now became
general, and the victorious mountain
eers Speedily followed the retiring Turks
killing an immense number and reoc-
cupying their former positions.
In this bloody combat, lasting over
live days, the Turks have lost over 1000
men and quantity of arms left on the
field.
The victorious Montenegrins lost 700
men. The disproportion in casualties is
due wholly to the natural strength of
their position, and to the necessary ex-
posure of the Turks during the attack
and retreat. The failure of the Turks
to force the Duga Pass is believed here
to insure
THE CAPITULATIoN OF NICsICs
within short time, but it is likely that
sulieman Pasha may again attempt to
relieve the town.