The Detroit times., 1912-11-15
Var Correspondent Who Was at
Great Battle of KumanovO
Writes Graphic Article
|ERVIANS AND TURKS IN
DESPERATE ENCOUNTER
Describes Horrors of Conflict
and Dreadful Scenes
That Followed
ax q. ]. MAcHueH.

VRANJE, Servia. Oct. 25.-The bat.
lie of Kuhanovo began on wednes.
Jay night at 8 o'clock. when a Turkish
Regular division attacked the Servian
|utposts in front of Tova.
There was some mist at the time,
|ut the moonlight enabled the com
|atants to sec each other. Desperate
lighting went on till midnight, when
he Turkish attack was rGpulsed ali
long the line.
At o'clock in the morning the Ser.
ians launched counter-attack ana
he Turks were driven back into the
hills with terrible losses. The en-
|ounter was OF fearful character, as
here were many Albanian Bashi-Ba-
ouks with the Turks. These people
IRE the deadly enemies of the Servians
md fought with faI\tical courage.
Bayonets. dubbed rifles, and even
#pades were used In the battle.
Among the Turkish dead, many were
Found whose heads were smashed by
Spades welded by the Servian irregu-
X at tTOODSf VIM IOuEht Will uuuduuScu
bravery. all through the night.
When morning broke the scene was
appalling. The roads and fields We're
Btrewn with dead and wounded men.
Ind the Turks everywhere were fly
Ing for their lives in panic before the
Infatuated Servians. At daylight the
Bervian artillery came into action.
Dense swarms OF fugitives In a mar
Row mountain valley offered target
which gunners often dream OF but sell
|iom realize. The guns poured shrap-
bel over the flying Turks, and the hail
|pf lead and iron moved them down
Din heaps until the roads were chokeo
with dying men and horses.
One>shell burst In the center of a
column, killing the gun team ana,
gun, completely blocked
khe road. A wild panic ensued. The
Turkish gunners cut the traces, leav-
|ing the guns and wagons behind, ana
|galloped up the valley over their own
Infantry, riding down men in the
muddy road, where they were tramp
lied to death by the feet of their com
|rades behind Others were pushed
lover the edge OF precipice into the
mountain torrent below.
The rout continued through the
mountains. with the SeFvian guns TAX
ing q dreadful toll. 49, the top OF
Ia mountain some Turkish regulars at
tempted to stem the Seryian advance
by the occupation Of hastily-dug
trenches. The First Servian battalion,
on arriving within 900 yards of the
trenches, had exhausted their am
munition, but the troops, elated by
victory and filled with exultation. re-
fused to wait until fresh ammunition
had been brought up. They charged
the position with the bayonet, ana
drove out the Turks. killing or captur-
ing almost every man.
The spirit displayed by the Seryian
troops r. alleged TO hHve been unsur'
passabIe. and the officers led their
men with a courage and skill beyond
praise. Col Glishitch, commencing
the Seventh regiment, vas SLAIN in the
firing line leading bayonet charge.
The major commanding another bat
'talion picked mp the rifle OF man
killed AT his side. and continued fT'
ing TIL a bullet stfnck him in the
killing him instantly
The most reliable reports place the
Observation-Disclosures losses at 5000 kill
ed, 5000 wounded and 5000 taken