St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-05-24
STURDY MOUNTAINEERS.
How the M~ontenegrins Fought FOR Inde-
pcndencc Against Incredible Odds.

How the Montenegrins Fought FOR INDIE
pcndcncc Against Incredible Odds.
The eycr-glorious mounfaineers OF
Montenegro" were the only people who
did not succumb to the attacks of the
Turks in the fifteenth century. During
the four centuries which have inter
vened the M~ontcnegrins have preserved
their autonomy, and. in the midst of the
mountains which surround them. they
have kept inviolate their Christian faith.
The p~rincipality Of Montenegro is about
sixty miles in length by about thirty
five miles in its widest part. Its within
the limits of this small territory that a
comparatively few thousand have been
able for a long time to withstand the
encroachmcnts of the many millions by
whom they have DEC surrounded. As
an illustration OF the valor which these
rugged men have ever displayed. the
following dispatch from the Montenegrin
Commissioner-in-Chief to his brother,
Prince Daniel, sent from the field of
victory i'm their resistance to the Turks
in 1855, is uniqe: Great Conqueror,
Prince of the valiant Montencgrins.-
In the name of the Lord Almighty, and
in honor of my Prince and well-beloved
brother, l disposed my troops OF Assem-
sion Day, May 18th, before sunrise, for
a general assault on the Turkish en-
trenchments. Immediately the columns
of attack were formed, | opened fire in
the valley, where were masSed the
guards of your Highness, to cut of tho
retreat of the Turks. At the same
moment our faithful and brave falcons
darted on the foe, brandishing he'll
yatagans and shouting with an un-
sscakable enthusiasm, Glory to God in
the Highest and honor to u Prince. |
bcheld, then, o my chieftain and
brother. prodigies of valor, OF
heroism, of love, of liberty. Thanks he
rendered to the Lord Almighty. our
boys fell on the ranks of the enemy as
though we had been Telling the trees OF
the forest. of the thousands of which
the Turkish army was composed, scarce
a few hundreds have escaped to tell how
the Montenegrins a fight for their
country. Your soldiers have slain seven
thousand Turks, taken eight pieces of
artillery, twelve hundred caparisoned
HtEStS anu ANc nuilOEcu III AZ thA
moment it is impossible to cnumerate
the arms captured and all the rich booty
which we have acquired. The field of
battle presents the spectacle Of a forest
laid low, and the mutilated corpses of
Turks are a sight of horror. 1t is thus,
o my Lord, that the Montene-
negrins have in part avenged the
defeat of their Servian ancestors
on the plain of kossovo on June
Il, 1889. They rushed onward. n
over the body of another, Drawing
wounds and death to distinguish them
selves in your eyes. In this action we
had forty-scycn killed and about sixty
wounded. On the side of the Turks
two Pashas were slain. The head
of one was taken by the brave Captain
Djukanor; the other fell by the sword
of the standard-bearer of your High
ness guard. In the struggle of man
against man our officers were not to be
distinguished from the common soldiers
all behaved as true heroes. Honor TO
them all before God and before you. my
Prince. When we shall have paid the
last honors to the dead. tended the
wounded and distributed the booty. I
will repair to your Highness. Chris
tian at Work.