River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-11-14

a short respite to Abdullah Pasha's
army from shot and she'll The men
badly needed sleep and food, but the
Turkish commissariat was nonex-
iStent.
Chase Starving Turks.
mo food was there and sleep was
impossible, as the pursuing Bulgarians
were endowed with relentless force
and energy. Turkish dead and wound
ed lay everywhere and encountered
the ground in all directions.
Surgeons were few and ambulances
absolutely none. The dead lay where
they had fallen. Some attempt was
made to remove and succor the wound
ed, but the greater portion persisted
miserably in the bitter cold of the
night.
For an hour the retreat was in
good order, but subsequently, pressed
by the mass behind, the vanguard
speedily lost all semblance to an or
ganized army. The men abandoned
haversacks and rifles, all equipment.
1.-TWO hours after sunrise the Bull
garians obtained information of what
was happening in the ranks of Abdul
lah Pasha's army and started in pur'
suit. Thenceforward the retreat was
a disorderly rout Sakizkoj was speed
lily occupied by the Bulgarians, prac-
tically without a shot being fired. Inc
Turks baggage, guns, equipment ana
all their military stores fell into the
hands of the Bulgarians.
Tries to Flank BuIgars.
"The only Fey of hope throughout
the long and bitter day of disaster
and death was obtained by the par.
tial success Of the right wing, under
Mukhtar Pasha While the left wing
and the center were being Hereby
assailed Mukhtar Pasha, under the or
ders of Abdullah Pasha, essayed coun-
ter attack. The Turkish right sought
to turn the Bulgarian left and there
was desperate fighting between Mukh-
tar Pasha's troops and the Bulgars on
Istrandja Heights until night closed
in.
con Wednesday the full strength Of
the Bulgarian army was hurled
against the Turkish left, it being the
weakest point of the entire defensive
line. Abdullah Pasha's losses had been
enormous and the Bulgarians were
determined to force the Turkish left
center at any cost. In this effort a
feeble reply was made by the Turkish
artillery. and efforts were made to
send munitions and provisions to the
threatened flank. The transportation
was inefficient, and no food forthcom-
ing for the starving, rapidly dwindling
army fighting for it's life, fresh ground
was again and again conceded, and the
First corps, which had been holding
on grimly in the neighborhood of Tux
bel on the northeast of Lule Burgas,
was driven out early on Wednesday
afternoon, it's retreat eastward strewn
with dead and dying.
"Disquieting news continued to
reach Abdullah Pasha from the har-
assed Second corps at Burmar Has
sar.
Its commander implored Abdullah
Pasha to send reinforcements and
ammunition, saying that he had come
to his last cartridges, and his maya
zines were empty.
Wounded Are Unaided.
THE ambulance wagons had brok-
en- down, the horses being missing or
shot. Consequently those wounded
who could walk were left to shift for
themselves, limping forward, usually
with gaping shell wounds in the head
or upper part of the body. Seventy
five per cent. of the wounded had been
hit by shrapnel. This bears out elo-
quent testimony to the murderous
precision of the Bulgarian artillery.
"In the darkness of the night, the
Turkish commander pursued his way
toward Karisoirian, small village ten
miles to the southeast of his old head
quarters, in the vain hope of yet saw
ing his army by stemming the retreat
of the center
"Abdullah Pasha may have been ac-
tuated by the best intention. but his
action was the worst possible step,
and it brought disaster. The climax
came at three o'clock on Thursday
morning. When the Turkish left wing
learned of the disappearance of it's
commander it needed little for the
panic-stricken soldier to fire his rifle
and shout 'Bulgarians coming to
complete the confusion.
Army's Fate Settled.
Chaos reigned. The general cry Of
'Sauve qui peut' followed In the dark
ness of the wintry morning the whole
army broke away and made a concert
ed bolt for the road leading to the
rear. Horses, stores, arms, everything
was abandoned. Officers mixed pell-
NELL with the men, and carried away
the rear guard in their rush.
"Wednesday settled the fate of Alb
dullah's army. His force could no
longer fight. It had neither ammuni-
ton for the guns nor food to sustain
the soldiers. Their pitiahle plight
brought to light every moment the hid
eous defects of the Turkish army or
ganization. 1t had occupied the cap
ital lines of battle with a great -four
ish of trumpets. but it was i'll pre-
pared for the Hurculean task before
it of conQuering the highly trained
end efficient Bulgarians."