Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-11-08
THE FIGHTING IN THRACE.
Nothing Like 1t Since Sedan and Muk-
den.


London. November 4.-The stor!
of the Turkish disaster in its full ter
ror Is told in the Daily Chronicle TO-
day by Martin H. Donohoe' with the
Turkish army.
There has been nothing like IT,
saws Mr.. Donohoe, "since Napoleon
retreat from Moscow. The Turkish
generals are trying to stem the panic
but 1t is expected that only a handfu
of the once great army Of more tna1
100000 men will ever get behind the
line of forts at Chataldja."
Mr.. Donohoe's thrilling story
which, to escape the censor, was sem
from Chorlu. the Turkish headquar-
ters on Friday night by automoole
to Constantinople, and thence by ooa'
to Constanza, Roumania, and caoieo
from there last night to London Is
as follows:
"Irrevocable disaster has befallen
the Turkish army. 1t has suffered an
appalling defeat. This has been fol-
lowed by confusion and the rout for
which there is scarcely a parallel In
history-a rout which in its later
stages degenerated into a wild panic
a stampede, which communicated IT.
self to the whole fighting force.
"As 1 am writing this dispatch the
four fine army corps forming Ao-
dullah Pasha's splendid army lie bat
tered and decimated, and the defen-
sive lines have fed pell neil oeioro
the advancing Bulgarians.
1T has been the most complete
military disaster since Mukden' the
greatest debacle since Sedan. Forty
thousand men, the flower Of the TURK
ish troops, have fallen, while ABDUL
,ah Pasha himself narrowly es aped
their fate. Seventy-fve per cent OF
his artillery was captured. His men
seemed to melt away like snow oe-
fore the summer sun.
"The disintegration, once pegun'
soon became general. Brigades ols-
solved into regiments, regiments into
companies, and the companies be-
came small groups until all cohension
disappeared and the demoralizauon
became complete. BY handfuls the
remnants of the army have found
their way back to Chorlu, the Bull
sarian artillery cruelty harassing
them, moving them down in thou
sands.
For a like disaster one is COM
pelled to turn to Napoleon's memor-
able retreat from Moscow. 1 am one
of two journalists who were caught
in the wild stampede Of the retreating
Turks. The retiring movement began
early on Thursday. Since then 1 have
travelled continuously for two days
without food until reached Con-
stanza this Sunday afternoon.
came hither to be able to relate TO
YOU without fear Of the censor the
full story Of the vast calamity.
EARLY on Tuesday the 4th corps,
on the Turkish extreme left, found IT.
self hotly engaged with the enemy.
The Turks held line on the nils
west Of Lule-Burgas.
1.-The Bulgarians, advancing In
large numbers, strongly supported py
their artillery, speedily drove back
the Turks, who retired in the direction
of Lule-Burgas. Throughout the ter
rible fighting the superiority OF the
Bulgarian artillery was pronounced.
The Turks were unable to Withstand
the murderous fire and withdrew slow
ly.
1.-The gunners being dead and a
majority of the horses being killed,
the artillery was forced to abandon
many guns to the enemy. The Bull
garians, who displayed extraordinary
energy, pressed forward, determined
to make the most Of their advantage.
"By the afternoon the Bulgarians
had shelled the Turks out OF Lule-
Burgas. Fortunately, the inhabitants
had fed and the loss Of life among
non -combatants was therefore insig-
nificant. Having effectually silenced
the fire of the Turks, the Bulgarians
launched an infantry attack, which
stormed the town at the point Of the
bayonet.
1.-THE greater part of the Turkish
garrison had already withdrawn, but
the rear guard was caught like rats
in a trap. The men of the 4th corps,
although they had been without food
for two days, offered a stubborn but
unavailing resistance. They died to
a man.
THE victorious Bulgarians next ad-
vanced eastward toward the railway
station, four miles from Lule-Burgas'
Here they met a resistance which de-
layed their advance for two hours.
A ponorti of the cavalry division was
concentrated here under Salih Pasha
and Fevid Pasha, the latter Of whom
has served in the German army.
1.-The Bulgarians pressed forward
at full dash. To understand this dash
1t must be explained that Lule-Burgas
lies in a cup-shaped depression encir-
cled by hills. AS the Bulgarians ap-
preached the railway station they
were subjected to a raking fire from
the batteries posted behind the sta
ton on the neighboring hills The
shrapnel tore through their ranks
When the confusion caused by this
unexpected fire appeared at its height
the cavalry under Salih Pasha, dash
ing from concealment with drawn
swords and shouting the Turkish
war cry, Allah! Allah!' swept like I
tornado upon the exposed infantry.
mo troops could be expected tc
withstand such an onslaught. The
Bulgars turned and the Turkish cav
airy rode them down. causing extra
ordinary havoc. Elated by this sue
cess the Turks continued the forward
movement. but suddenly found them
selves exposed to the fire Of the Bal
garian machine guns.
This surprise attack brought the
Turks and their horses tumbling tc
the ground, torn and mangled mass
Few, indeed, of the gallant troopers
ever came back. They found a he