Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-07
TURKISH REMNANTS
IN CAUCASTA FACING
ANNTHTLATTON BY FOE
Two Entire Corps Wiped
Out; Fleeing Forces Hem
med in by Russians in
Dangerous P asses.
pnrRnnRAn. ian. Z

PETRoGRAD, Jan. 7.
The flower Of the Turkish army has
been annihilated In Transoaucasa. The
rout of the ottoman forces at Ardagan
and sarl Kamysh appears moro COM
plete with additional details OF the ten
days battles in those regions. The rem
nants, fleeing from Ardagan, It Is re-
ported here, are surrounded and will be
cut TO pieces.
The following report has been made OF
the victories;
AT the end of November the bulk OF
the third Turkish army was sent to the
region east OF I5rzerum preceded by two
army corps, besides reserve corps near
Hassan Kaleh.
"ln conformity with tho plan Of Enver
Pasha. the third army was to proceed as
follows: The 9Th and 10th Corps were to
advance in the direction OF olti Dust
within the Russian border, % miles north
east OF Ere rIm) and form the offensive
wing, while the 11th Corps had orders to
hold Its powerful organized position and
to attract through a strategic demonstra-
NiSi viz Weight Va Jul lIOupbs III Chbe
the Russian troops had taken up the Of
fensive energetlcally. the 18th Corps had
been ordered to fall back on the fortress
OF Erzerum. carrying along with II the
Russian forces.
TURKISH STRATEGY.
THE 10th Turkish Corps was then to
advance in two columns, the first includ-
ing one division, proceeding toward Id
lin Turkey. IL miles southwest OF oltD
by the olti-shai Valley The second. two
divisions strong, was to advance on
Ardost 40 miles cast of OltD through the
Servy-Chai Valley. The 9th Corps was
70 take the offensive In the internal be-
tween the 10th and 18th Army Corps.
our troops In the region of Olti checked
with great courage the Turkish advance.
despite the numerical superiority of the
enemy and through several counter at
tacks inflicted heavy losses.
I'm the meantime, we detected n strong
Turkish column, reinforced by Mosem
rebels, which was advancing from the
Penjouretsk and Jalagouztchamsk Passes
in the direction of Ardagan. The garrison
which We had left at this point, after
holding out for II days, fell back a little
to the east.
Having received reinforcements we at
tackled on January 8 the Turkish forces
at Ardagan, and inflicted
upon the enemy complete defeat. We
captured the flag of the Sth Infantry
Regiment, a part of the Constantinople
garrison.
During the development of a subse-
luent action we discovered that the bulk
of the Turkish forces, that is to say, the
9TH and 10th army corps, were taking the
offensive against Sarl Kamysh. This
was undertaken through
mountain roads and steep passes buried
deep In snow. The Turkish troops were
provided with provisions and
var material. The enemy had planned
the operation. relying on the sympathy
and help Of the natives who previously
mad been influenced by Turkish emis-
5aries.
TWO CORPS DESTROYED.
1.-THE task of our troops consisted in
holding on the front important forces of
tho enemy, and at the same time in Of
'erng resistance strong enough TO
check the 9th and 10th corps. In spite
of the extraordinary difficulties OF this,
n spite. also of the rigors of the winter
and of the necessity OF fighting in passes
of mountains rising 10000 feet and
severed with snow. our valiant troops,
after Il nerce battle extending over 10
lays. fulfilled brilliantly the exceptional
task which had been imposed upon them.
"They repulsed the frantic attacks of
The Turks on the flank and on the front,
and at Sari Kamysh enveloped and al
most annihilated two Turkish corps.
They captured one of these corps, with
ts commander. three division generals
with their staffs, a number of officers,
thousands of soldiers and many guns,
rapid-flrers and horses.
"The fighting was very fierce on the
principal front and. of course, necessl-
lated a change in the grouping of our
'orces in regions of secondary import
ance. We brought certain detachments
nearer our frontier
I'VE have not yet ascertained theJ ex-
-ont of our booty. The pursuit of the
enemy still continues" |