The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-10-25
(National News Association

SOFIA, Bulgaria, Oct 25.-Follow-
ing the capture of Kirk Kilesseh the
Bulgarian army under Gar Ferdinand
pressed on Adrianopile today fighting
back the Turks and capturing three
batteries and 1900 prisoners
The Turks slowly retreated from
their outer strongholds into the first
base of the defense of Adrianople pur-
sued slowly by the Bulgarians who
feared land mines. The Bulgarian gem
erals counseIled caution in the mo-
ment of victory for they did not want
to be taken in a trap.
While the Bulgarians continued
their march upon Adrianople their
fan-like battle line was extended. All
night Bulgarian infantry and artillery
poured through the pass at Kirk kiles-
sch which fell yesterday.
An Artillery Battle.
Details of the battle at Kirk Kiles-
sch received from the front today
showed that both sides fought with
great bravery.
The taking of Kirk Kilesseh is at
tributed by the Bulgars to their super
ior artillery fire. The Bulgar guns ST.
fenced the batteries of the Turks af
ter a continuous artillery duel for 40
hours. 1t was not known until these
messages were received that an all
night battle with artillery had been
fought Wednesday night. While the
soldiers of both armies lay upon the
field in the valleys of the Moritza and
Arta rivers trying to get little sleep,
the heavy guns Of the opposing armies
thundered constantly from the heights
where they were stationed.
Continuous sheets of artillery fire
punctured the darkness. the artillery
men aiming at the flashes of the ene-
mics guns.
Finally at dawn when the Turks be-
gan to fall back, their retreat was COW
cred by two picked regiments of in
fantry who braved the fire of the Bull
garian guns and in this way consider
able of the Turkish artillery was saw
ed from capture.
The tremendous task of moving the
Bulgarian artillery upon the mountain
heights south of Kirk Kilesseh COM
menced Immediately after the Turks
retreat and has been going on ever
since. Some of the mountains are so
lprecipitous that roadway had to be
blaSsed out.
.epmherd City.
The canflU6 Re inH moved to the
elevated points for the lOuble purpose
of shelling the Turkish defense which
stiIl remains in range of artillery Gre
and to repulse any sortie which the
Turks may make from Adrianople In
addition to the citadel Adrianople has
strong defensive works around the
city. There are also land mines and
masked artillery batteries.
Wars grimmest pitcure was painted
by the correspondents who saw the
bloody battle at Kirk Kilesseh. They
told how one Bulgarian arti1leryman
insisted on helping work the guns af-
ter one of his arms was shot cff until
he dropped from loss of blood.
While the battle ragged the dead and
dying lay where they fell. One Turkish
shell dismounted a gun killing five
Bulgarian gunners.
A Bulgarian cannon of the old type
burst during the firing killing the men
| who were manning 1t.
These incidents were allowed I, be
Itelegraphed here because they show
ed the courage of the Bulgarian sol
diers.
The Turkish gunners seemed ignor-
ant OF their duties Some Of their vol
leys fell half mile short while many
shells whistled harmlessly over the
Bulgarian artillerymen.
| Following the artillery duel the Bull.
garian line moved in solid column up
the slopes of Kirk Kiiesseh on the
Turkish batteries.