The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-30
FALL OF PROT IS SEVERE BLOW
 10 SERB ARMY

Sofia. Oct. 3o-The fall of Pirot,
 Wednesday morning, was a severe
 blow Ito the Serbian army since the
 reduction of this strong position leaves
 open the road to Nish and invites a
 strong Bulgarian advance towards the
 center of old Serbia. The cc.0ture
 of Pirot followed three days of des-
 perate fighting, ending at nightfaI1 on
 Oct. 26. During the night the Serbs
 evacuated the city, sacrificing all their
 heavy, baggage and leaving dnuge stores
 of ammunition and war material in the hands of the Bu1garsA It is as-F serted here that the Serbian losses were extremely heavy.
 The fall of Pirot and Zajecar, to- gether with the junetion made by the Austro-Gern1an and Bulgarian forces north of Negotin, have rendered the position of the Serbians, it is copsid- cred here, extremely critical. Serbian forces near Mitrovitza and Prfshtina are retreating north in the direction of Novipazar with the purpose evil. dently of Joining the main groups of their army in the interior, where it is said a state of siege is rapidly ap- bearing since the Serhs are on the verge of being completely cut off
 The capture of Zajecar was of dis tinct benefit to the Bulgarians as it was of importance to the Serbians both as a frontier fortress and as a railway junction. zacecar was de- fended by Serbian first line division, supported by about 900 men of the third reserve. The Bulgarian forces numbered about two brfgades. E
 The most thorough preparations for defense had been made by the Serb lans. whose resistance was determin- ed Every mountain crest surround -f with barbed wire entanglements and other obstacles. From thesei points 5he Serbians poured terrific fire into he Bulgarian lines.
 Three outlying positions were taken more than week ago, but the inner i me and the southern, eastern and 1 northern works held out until MonL 1 lay, However, the BuIgariansa sl,cz ! eeeded in taking heavy artillery to the | top of the mountain, whence theye I were able to direct their fire at the | Serbian defenses.
 The Serbians. were subjected to a | preliminary bombardnent on Mon I day and early yesterday. This was I followed by Bulgarian infantry at tack of the most desperafg charactec The Bulgarians we're often obliged to i climb on all fours up steep slopes to | Serbian positions. Now and then the attacking parties were shot down or | thrown back, but they returned to the assault and shortly before noon car- ried all the Serbian defenses.
 The Bulgarian artillery fire was said by Serbian prisoners to have been | he worst they had experienced. The l. 7hrapnel exploded unerringIv at height of 50 feet above the Serbiar positions. This, together with fbA mpetuous rushes of the Bulgarian in D 'antry, compelled the remaining S.rb ans to surrender.
 Most of the prisonerA of war wear sivilian clothing, with military over coats and caps Others. are wearing E hin summer uniforms and three Of our shirts. Few of them have eood E' shoes. There was no lack, however 'f the best French and British war materials. The Serbians ere still hon ng that reinforcement will reach hem.
 All accounts agree as to the valor # the Bulgarians. Extraordinary sex- .rtions were required to scale the iizzy heights at zejecar The Bul- sarian infantrymen removed their hoes to obtain better footing on the lippery rocks.