Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-10-31
5000 DIE IN FIGHT;
BYLGARIANS WIN
Casualties in Capture of Forts
at Kirk-KiIisSCh Enormous.
BATTLE ON SINCE TUESDAY
Forts Are Carried at Point Of Bayonet
Minister Of War at constantin-
opIs Explains Defeat, Says
Object Was Attained.

Sofia, Bulgaria, Oct 26.-Details of
the capture Of Kirk-Kiisseh are
meager, but an unofficial estimate
places the Bulgarian casualties at
1900 The fighting has been continu-
Gus since Tuesday.
The BUlgarians made a steady ad-
vance, but at a great sacrifice Of life.
Tuesday the first army, under Cen
eral IYanof, attacked the outer works
Of Adrainople in two large bodies The
northern detachment marched along
both sides Of the River Tundja, the
right wing to the west Of Havaras, the
center to the east of Tundja and the
left wing from the northeast along
the road from Kirk-Kilisseh to Adrain-
opIe. In the west another division
simultaneously attacked the Turkish
lines on the heights of ChatJalja, four
miles west of the city. Another strong
Bulgarian column attacked the Turk
ish positions in the viIayet Of the Arda
river, and rolled up the whole Turk
ish position.
The BuIgartans crossed the banks Of
Arda, Is miles southwest Of Adrain-
ople, and, advancing, surprised the
Turks, who Tetreated to that city,
leaving 100 dead and 160 prisoners.
Fighting was resumed all along the
line at dawn Wednesday. The north
ern column captured several advanced
Turkish posts at the point of the bay
Onet and pressed on toward Adrain-
ople The Turks delivered counter
attack toward the northeast in the di-
rection of Arnautkeui. Although well
supported by artillery, they were re-
pulsed and in the retreat swept away
the men from other advanced posts
IN the face Of a heavy fire from the
Turkish batteries the Bulgarians fol
lowed the retiring Turks, whose loss
es were enormous owing to the we'll
placed Bulgarian quick firers.
General Dimitrieff then ordered an
advance The eastern army was
massed to the east and west of the
road from TirnOvo to Kirk-Kilisseh
and the battle opened on this side
The Bulgarians opened with artillery
fire by night, having carefully placed
their guns in position beforehand, and,
covered by a heavy cannonade, the
infantry pushed the attack from two
sides. They found the Turks in a
state of panic owing to the night she'll
ing and carried the forts at the point
of the bayonet.
An attack then began all along the
r;-I,
the capture of the fortress. The Turks
in their retreat fought a rear-guard &C
ton. in which the Bulgarians were
victorious.
ConstantinopIe, Turkey, Oct. Is
The following communication was is
! sued by the minister of war in refer
enCe to the battle of Kirk-Kilisseh:
In order to check the adyancs of
the Bulgarian army, which had
| crossed the frontier east of Tundja,
and to compel it to extend it's front,
our eastern army attacked the heads
of the enemy's columns The object
of this movement was to gain time IN
til the arrival of expected reinforce
ments. Another attack was delivered
against the flank of the Bulgarians,
who were compelled to retreat. Thus
/ the Ottoman army successfully caused
the enemy to lose time. Afterward it
abstained from giving battle to the
I Bulgarians because the issue would
have been doubtful The Ottoman
forces retired in good order in the di-
rection whence the achievements are
/ approaching.
In order to conceal the object of
our tactics from the enemy, which was
/ TO execute q retreat for the purpose
/ above explained, some of our detach-
ments fought fierce engagements with
/ Bulgarian columns, whose counter
attacks were gloriously withstood,
and thus our object was attained"
Wounded and noncombatants from
Kirk-Kilisseh are arriving at Constan-
| tinople,