The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-25

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 matter
of doubt, and never is more than an APP
Proclamation. In regard TO the force under
Timour, there is a practical unanimity
of sentiment among the various contem-
porary historians and his army il reckon
ed at from 10000 to 10000 On the other
hand there is a great discrepancy in the
estimates made of the Turkish troops, the
lowest being 10000 and the highest 1900
900. From what appears to be the best
authority, it would seem that the Turkish
army was about 800 Coo strong, and that
Timour opposed it with force of about
100000.
The marching OF the Tartar host to the
field of battle was from the river Araxes,
through the countries of Armenia AMI
Anatolia. This forward movement on the
part Of Tfmour precipitated a condition
whereby the fate of the two empires nee
essarily must be determined by pitched
battle in the open country. This of
course, was to the advantage of him who
could bring the largest force into action;
for II must be remembered that the troops
confronting each other were not COM
posed of the degenerate peoples of South
ern Europe and of Southern Asia, but
were made up of the best lighting blood
of Northern Asia and of Eastern Europe.
and of men who had been trained in arms
from infancy.
it 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 consequence
the Great AMogul turned the intrenched
camp of the Turkish host, and moving
by the left occupied Caesarea, crossed the
Salt desert and the river Helas and in
vested the city of Angora.
h f- ar1l re
miles, made with great swbftness and
with the utmost order and covered by
great clouds OF, light cavalry, Timour es-
tablished himself in the very heart of the
Ottoman Empire, and upon ground whose
topography assured the full employment
of his resources should the Turkish En-
peror engage in battle.
Even while the Tartar army was in pro-
cess of executing this great flank move
ment, Bajazet with equal swiftness at
tempted the correct counterstroke by
marching against it's communications and
trying to attack it 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 es-
tablished his army upon the city of An
CORA, proposing to capture the place and
avail of it as a temporary point d appui
Bajazet readily discerned this phase Of
ti6 L dfldI pan, anu IL appears mat ne
Joyousiy accepted the alternative thus
presented TO him OF attacking the Tartar
host in open field.
The battle of the plains of Angora Is
most instructive and ii is peculiarly in
teresting as an exposition of the tactics,
of the age in which it was fought
Bajazet, with the full power of the Of
toman Empire, advanced to the attack
with the rising of the sun. His army
was made up of troops of many provinces,
both in Europe and Asia. The most no.
table of his forces were 10000 Janizarles
These troops corresponded to the i'm
perial guards of European states, and in
fact constituted the choicest reserve of
the Turkish army. Next to these Bajazet
valued a body composed of 10000 Euro
peans clad in complete arInor. Then came
100000 Mamelukes or light Egyptian cav
airy, whose fame for skill and courage
was a household word throughout both
Europe and Asia. In addition to these were
mounted men by the hundreds of thou
sands, all men of valor and of years of
experience.
| 1t does not appear that by Bajazets in
itial movement in attack is disclosed the
plan of battle which he undoubtedly es-
sayed to put into execution. 1t is not to
be doubted that the Turkish Emperor gave
| the scientific direction to his troops, and
| it is to be regretted that writers of the
history Of those days were less skilled in
warfare than in letters.
1t is impossible to discern from the
vague and rhetorical descriptions of con-
| temporary writers the initial movement of
! the Turkish army. This description exists
undoubtedly in the still untranslated por-
ton of Timour's own commentaries, but
at present it is inaccessible to those who
| cannot read the ancient Arabic
| The second movement of the battle is
! clearer, and from that time out the grand
tactics of this stupendous contest are
readily followed. There is no doubt that
for his victory the Mogul conqueror was
| indebted first, to his own vast military
genius, and, secondly, to a despotic dis
cipline of thirty years which had trans
| formed his rank and file into automatons
Timour took up a position with his
army on the defensive and awaited the
| attack of the Turks. His central columns
which constituted his main body, were
| posted in front of the city of Angora. The
city itself was closely invested by a large
| detached corps in order to prevent the
garrison from taking any part in the COM
! ing conflict. The two wings of his army
extended diagonally forward from the
| central columns, making two vast re-en.
tering angles and constituting three con-
| tisuous sides of a great octagon
On each fang of his army Timour post
ed enormous masses of light cavalry
| PROBABLY amounting to several hundred
| thousand troops, and the whole of the
main line was supported in rear at regl-
lar intervals by dense masses Of the choic.
est Tartar troops, selected for long exper-
fence and exact discipline. On the front
of his line Timour displayed some 6OC
elephants Upon the backs of these for
midable creatures were great towers oc-
| cupied by furnaces OF Greek fire His
lines were still further strengthened bv
scores OF cannon made in the gunshops OF
Europe.
In front of the Tartar line of battle and
| on the TANKS of the advancing Turkish
host skirmished thousands of Asiatit
horsemen, who welded with ASTONISHING
| skill all kinds of missile weapons. lave.
Inns, sings and arrows, and advanced re.
treated and manoeuvred in rapid evolu
tons which make such battles a study
and admiration of the student. Of caval.
ry tactics.
Whether ID was the cannon or the Greek
! fire or the elephants or all combined. o,
| the superior numbers of the Tartar
troops, 1t is impossible to say, but fol
some reason the critical attack of che
Turkish army appears to have been re.
Id hxr F1Na y,