The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-03

equally sensible to the terrific military
force possessed by each other. Each made
the most elaborate preparations to In
sure success. Months were spent In these
preparations. and singulariy enough a year
and eleven days passed by from the
time of their mutual personal defiance un-
til their armies met in actual combat.
The armies which met in battle array
on the plains OF Angora at sunrise of the
morning Of July 20, 1402. are variously es-
timated. The number Of men present In
any battle always is more or less a mat
ter OF doubt. and never IS more than an
approximation. In regard to the forces
under Timour, there is a practical unan-
unity of sentiment among the various
contemporary historians and his army is
reckoned at from 10000 to 100000. On
the other hand there is great discrep-
ancy in the estimates made OF the Turkish
troops, the lowest being 10000 and the
highest 100000. From what appears to
be the best authority 1t would seem that
the Turkish army was about 10000 strong.
and that Tnour opposed it with force
of about 10000 men.
The marching Of the Tartar host to the
field of battle was from the river Araxes,
through the countries Of Armenia and
Anatolia. This forward movement on the
part of Timour precipitated condition
whereby the fate OF the two empires
necessarily must be determined by a
pitched battle in the open country. This,
of course, was to the advantage OF him
who could bring the largest force into
action. for IL must be remembered that
the troops confronting each other were
not composed of the degenerate peoples of
Southern Europe and of Southern Asia,
but were made up OF tho best fighting
blood of Northern Asia and of Eastern
Europe, and of men who had been trained
in arms from infancy.
1t does not appear that Bajazet was able
to devise any plan to prevent Timour
from taking UP this position In the open
plain with the Tartar army. In conse-
quence the great mogul turned the en-
trenched camp OF the Turkish host. and
moving by the left occupied Cesarea,
crossed the salt desert and the river
Helas and invested the city OF Angora-
BY this march OF something like 100
miles. made with great swiftness and with
the utmost order. covered by great clouds
OF light cavalry. Timour established him
self In the very heart OF the Ottoman en-
pire, and upon ground whose topography
assured the full employment of his re-
sources should tho Turkish emperor en-
gage In battle.
Even while the Tartar army was in
process OF executing this great flank
movement, Bajazet with equal swiftness
attempted the correct counterstroke by
marching against its communications and
trying to attack II In flank and rear. But
the military genius of Timour had fore
seen and provided against such resource
on the part OF the Turks. Abandoning
HIS original line OF communications. he
established his army upon the city of
Angora, proposing to capture tho place
and avail Of IL as a temporary point dap
pull. Bajazet readily discerned this phase
of the Tartar's plan, and It appears that
he toyously accepted the alternative thus
presented to him of attacking the Tartar
host in open field.
The battle Of the Plains of AngorA IL
most instructive and It is peculiarly in
tere.ting as an exposition OF the tactics
Of the age in which IL was fought.
Bajazet with the full ferver OF the OF
toman empire, advanced to the attack
with tho rising OF the sun. His army was
mads up of troops OF many provinces.
both In Europe and Asia. The most no.
tabls Of his forces wore 10000 Janixaries.
These troops corresponded to the imper-
ial guards of European states. and in
fact constituted the choicest reserve of
the Turkish army. Next to these Bajas.ct
valued a body composed Of 10000 Europeans
clad in complete armor. Then came 10000
Mameiukes or light Egyptian cavalry.
whose fame for skill and courage was a
household word throughout both Europe