The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-11-10
FIRST SHOT FIRED
IN THE BALKAN WAR
The St0rming of Planinitza
Is Described
PODGORITZA IS QUIET
Was No Undue Excitement on Eve of
Attack Although Everyone Knew
War Was Imminent-Monte-
negrin Fire Is Accurate
May Edith Durham in the London chroni-

May Edith Durham in the London Chroni-
Gle.
MISUNDERSTANDING on the 4th 1 had it
from one of the generals that If l meant
to see the first shot fired, must hasten
to the front. But every vehicle and horse
had been eommandered by the govern
n:ent. A seat in a carriage was, however,
courteously assigned to me. and / ar
rived at Podgoritza on Sunday night with
FIVE officials, having. indeed, walked a
considerable part of the way, for the
horses were heavily overladen.
Here at Podgoritza almost every shop
was already closed; troops streaming in;
old men (decked with the medals they
won in the last war; begging to be accepts
ed as volunteers; boys of Is vowing they
were Is in hopes of being enrolled But
no noise, no undue excitement. Rather a
calm determination and high hope that
the day was about to dawn when the long
slavery of the Turks Christian subjects
would end.
Yesterday morning l was told, in conf
dence, that the proclamation of war was
fixed for morrow. Events followed
rapidly. The members of the royal family
arrived. The troops were inspected by
Prince Danilo. l think everyone knew that
we were on the brink but no one talked
openly of Immediate war In the evening
we watched troops file through the tom
and go to eneamp ON the plain beyond.
Later came artillery. On the open STAIR
case at the back of the inn met an old
here of the last war, one of the Voivodas.
l.. i Il,
early II we mean to rest tonight"
Then we begin tomorrow"
God willing" said the old man gravely,
'and then Gods will be done.''
Blessing the Great Banner
We turned out before the dawn, in fine
drizzle A long line of pack horses and
men showed dim under the trees. 1t was
a. m. Already the Bishop of Ostorg had
blessed the great banner in the church.
The whole atmosphere seemed tense with
restrained excitement. All was ready. ~
few officers were still dashing about with
messages, and mutton was being piled
on the pack horses. Then perianik, one
of the Kings guards, said: THE King
has gone up 10 Goritza."
oritza is the little hill above the town.
The rain was ceasing and the sun came
oft as I scrambled over rock and wet
grass towards the summit, where, agains.
the sky, was standing, conspicuous. the
stalwart figure of the old King, sur
rounded by his suite. while the perianiks
sept guard a little below.
1t was clear l had come to the right
viewpoint. But even then l could not real
ize that a European war was about to
begin, that the status quo under which
the people had been suffering so long and
so cruelty was about to be upset, that
the - boomi Numbered a big gun from
the heightsS.of Gardina and struck ac-
curately in the Turkish fortified camp al
Planinitza, high on the mountain Side
across the valley. The sun shone bril-
liantly and Illuminated the white column
of smoke that rose. The mountain was
deep purple under sullen rain cloud.
The military band struck up the nation
al hymn, God Help Montenegro" AL
uncovered and, as the hymn died away
cried aloud, 'zhivio zhivio!' (vivaD. The
church bell rang out from the little white
church below 1t was exactly s a. M
War had begun.
The Turks in Retreat