Huntsville gazette., 1885-11-21
THE DOGS OF WAR.
Let Slip By King Milan Over the
Bulgarian Frontier.

The Initial skirm;sh Disastrous to the Bull
! garians-Advancing On Dragoman Pass,
| Where a Sanguinary Conflict
is Inevitable.
LONDON, November l5.-Grim-visage
Wars wrinkled front Is glowing over
the Balkan provinces. Servia is at it
in earnest, and there is not to be child's
play. A dispatch received last evening
says the irst actual battle occurred on or
about noon Yesterday at Tru, little VIII
| lage on the Bulgarian frontier, on the
road to Viasina, by the advance guard
coming Unexpectedly upon a body of
Bulgarian skirmishers. The Servians'
advance was compelled to halt under the
heavy fire of the enemy. Reinforcements
were hurried forward and were met by a
| large body of Bulgarians who had come
up to support their skirmishers.
| The Servans formed and
| gallantly charged the Bulgarian
position, forcing them to retreat after a
| hot fight. The pursuit was kept up for
| some distance. The casualties are not
| known vet, but from what can be ascer-
tanned the Bulsarians suffered severely.
| This first victory greatly elates the Ser
vians, who are pressing forward with all
speed. The first great battle Is expected
to take place this Sunday morning,
when the advance forces expect to reach
Dragoman Defile~a rocky gorge on the
frontier. A large force Of Bulgarians
have been concentrated in this pass and
have thrown up intrenchments. A
bloody and sanguinary conflict Is ex-
pected.
At Belgrade 1t was officially announced
yesterday that force of Bulgarians on
Thursday attacked body OF Servians near
Vasina. The Servians returned the fire.
Ten Bulgarians, killed or wounded, were
left on Servian territory, Several OF the
Selvians were wounded. In consequence
of the attack OF the Bugarians, the Cabi-
net on Friday decided to declare war.
Accordingly peace ended and war began
yesterday morning, when the Servian
army moved over the border. King
Milan has assumed command OF the
Servian army and active operations will
be begun at once. The Servian army has
commenced moving forward and an ad-
vance on Sofa Is anticipated. The
| troops displayed much enthusiasm.
| divisions on Sofia. General Horvatovitch
commands the left wing, General Losh-
yeania the right and King Milan the
center The whole force is expected
to concentrate at Sofia on November 22d.
The roads are covered with snow, re.
tarding the progress of the army.
Dispatches from Belgrade state that
King Milan has informed the powers that
Servia has declared war against Bulgaria
because Bulgaria arbitrarily attacked
position which the Moravia division OF
the Kings troops held in Servian terri
tory, opposite the Bulgarian frontier.
King Milan has also issued prOcla-
nation, which Is In substance as follows:
"Servia can not allow Bulgaria. which
has already proved hard neighbor, to
disturb the balance of power in the Bal
kans to her exclusive advantage" He
then alludes to what he calls the unjusti-
fable Bulgarian customs duties on the
frontier; the unlawful seizure of Bregova
and the encouragement by Bulgaria of
the Servan rebels condemned for high
treason. (King Milan here refers probably
TO Peko PavIovich, the Herzegovinian
chief, and Pashico, the Servan Radical
leader who was expelled by King Milan
from the Skupstschna. Copies of revo-
lutionary proclamations signed by these
mon and distributed throughout Servia
were recently found by Servian officials,
and the latter claimed that they were
disseminated by the revolutionists under
Bulgarian protection. This Bulgaria
denied, claiming that the men were manv
miles distant from the Servian frontier
intcrned in fortress.)
King Milan also alludes to alleged ILL.,
0f Garuian oOainranfG In Rnl-
caria; the blockade OF the frontier by
Bulgaria, aud alleged attacks by undis-
ciplincd Bulgarian volunteers on the
Scrvian people and troops. In conclusion
the King says: ~ cannot suffer these in
territorial provocations, and | therefore
adopt the policy OF open hostility which
has been forced upon me by Bulgaria.
Servia's just cause now rests on the arDi-
trament Of arms, the bravery OF her
army, the protection of the Almighty
rely upon my peoples patriotism"
The various forces of Servia are as
follows: Field army, 62,0SS men with
264 guns; reserve formations, 1856
men with "a guns; reserve army, or
Iandwehr, 52.270 men with 120 guns;
landstrum. 45, 900 men, or total OF l7O,-
4i2 officers and men, and 4l3 guns. The
infantry is armed with the Mauser rife,
improved by Major Mecovanovltcn,Wn Wnlcn
is OF a calibre Of 1918 milimeires. The
artillery is variously armed with muzzle-
leaders and Krupp guns. The total cav
airy force included in the above, numbers
1900 men.
The ugarian field army consists OF
"a, 900 infantry, 1,400 cavalry, two resi-
ments and one company of artillery, 2,340
men; battalion of engineers, $50 men;
a detachment of train, 1000 men, and
force Of gendearmerie, 1,600 men; or
total force of 1920 men with l0i guns.
The infantry is armed with Berdan rifles
and the batteries have Krupp guns and
guns of the latest Russian pattern. The
reserve force consists of $4,000 men.
There are also twelve battalions OF land
elrum of 500 men each, or 1900 men,
making a total force OF 10000 men,
Th re is no want of arms, but there is
~c,rcolv suficIauf foyoo 0f cavalry and