The true northerner., 1877-08-31

An Account Of the Late battle Near Ksr
The Russians Claiming Desrly-Pur-
chased Victory.

L
An Account OF the Late battle Near Kar
The Russians Claiming n Desrly-Pur-
chased Victory.
A special correspondent of the New
York Herald at the Russian headquar-
ters in Armenia telegraphs from Karuk.
dara, under date of August 25, as fol-
lows: "a desperate engagement has just
been fought near this little village, about
twenty miles northeast of Kars, result
ing in an equivocal victory for the Rus
sians. The Turkish right attacked the
Russian left, which rested on plateau
in front of Karukdara, at o'clock this
morning. The two armies fought all
day long. The weather throughout was
magnificent, and for fourteen attacks, re-
pulses, and counter-attacks the roar OF
musketry and cannon was unceasing,
and so thick was the smoke at times that
the hot noon sun could not be seen. The
Russians were persistently brave, and
pursued their well-known policy of re-
serving their fire until the attacking col
umn was at very close range, when, after
the discharge, they sprung forward
and received their foes with the
bayonet. 1t was not always that
the Turks wavered. Some portions of
the Turkish line fought better than
Others Desperate hand-to-hand fight
ing occurred. On two occasions the
Turks attempted to flank the right of the
Russian defensive position, but were
defeated in each and every attempt.
Gen. Loris Melikoff commanded the de-
Tense in person. He was enthusiastical-
ly cheered whenever he appeared. Both
the Russians and the Turks were in full
strength. 1t was, on the part of the lat
ter, an attack in force to fully test the
Russian position, but Gen. Melikoff was
able to so mass his forces at the point of
attack, when made in the open country,
as to oppose man for man to his enemy.
By cavalry dash, about daylight, the
Turks captured the little village of
Kzzultopa, a place wholly untenable,
and it was consequently abandoned by
the Russians long since. This place the
Turks held throughout the day, because
the fighting at the front was so active
that no men could be spared to dislodge
them. They will doubtless evacuate the
place tonight.
The efforts of the Turks to capture
WClC ocoptldUc, duu
did not fail from want of persistency.
Prior to the opening of the attack, only
a few companies of the regiments form
ing the extreme Russian left had been
encamped in front of the little town, but
shortly after midnight, Gen. Loris Nell
koff having been informed of the adj
vance of the enemy, two entire divisions,
each division consisting of four regi-
ments of $500 men, were thrown into
the place before o'clock in the morn
ing The greater part of the Second
Division was held as a reserve, and did
not come into action until late in the
afternoon. The first shock of the at
tack was received by two regiments of
infantry, which had reinforced the small
force in occupation of Karukdara, and in
those two regiments the losses were ter
rible, some companies being literally
wrecked. They stood their ground,
however, until relief came, and that was
the main thing. These men gave the
Turks their first check, and checked
they were at every point throughout the
day. The repulse of the attacking army
was decided. L saw the greater portion
of the fight, and the retreat of the Turks
at nightfall The losses on both sides
were undoubtedly very heavy"