The Sentinel=record., 1915-01-07

LARGE AMOUNT OF BOOTY
Russia Reports Their Commanders
Have Not Yet Been Able to Esti-
mate the Number of Prisoners and
the Booty Taken.

Petrograd, Jan G.-The following
statement of the general staff of the
army in the Caucasus was issued to-
night:
AT the end of November the bulk
of the third Turkish army was sent to
the region east Of Erzerum preceded
by two army corps besides a reserve
corps near Hassan Kaah
In conformity with the plan OF
Enyer Pasha, the third army was to
proceed as follows:
The Ninth and Tenth army corps
were to advance in the direction of
Olti and form the offensive wing,
whereas the Eleventh corps had or
ders to hold its powerfully organized
position and to attract through a
strategic demonstration the weight of
our troops. In case the Russian troops
had taken up the offensive energetic
ally, the Eleventh corps mad been or
dered to fall back on the fortress of
Erzerum, carving along with it the
Russian forces.
The Tenth Turkish army corps
was then to advance in two columns.
the first including one division pro
ceeding toward Id by the Ohi-Chai
valley. The Second. twodivisions
strong, WAS to advance on Ardost
through the Servy-Chai valley.
The Ninth corps was to take The
offensive in the interval between the
Tenth and Eleventh army corps.
"Our troops in the region of OH
checked with great courage the Turk
ish advance despite the numerical
superiority of the enemy and through
several counter attacks inflicted
heavy losses.
I'm the meantime we detected a
strong Turkish column, reinforced by
Mussulmen rebels, which was advanc-
ing fro mthe Paajouretsk and Jala-
soustchamll passes in the direction of
Arjahan. 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
attacked on January 3 the Turkish
forces concentrated at Ardahan and
inflicted upon the enemy a complete
defeat. We captured the flag of Uhe
Tenth infantry regiment, a part of
the ConstantinOple garrison.
During the development of a sub
sequeat action we discovered that the
bulk Of the Turks hforces, that is TO
say the Ninth and Tenth army corps,
were taking the offensive against
Sarikanysh. This movement was I'M
dertaken through mountain roads and
steep passes buried deep in snow.
The Turkish troops were abundantly
provided with provisions and war ma
terial. The enemy had planned t1e
operation, relying on the sympathy
and help of the natives"
The task of our troops consisted in
holding ON the front important forces
of the enemy and at the same time in
offering a resistance strong enough
to check the Ninth and Tenth corps.
In spite of the extraordinary difficu,-
ties of this, in spite also of the rigOrs
Of the winter and of necessity of fight
ing in passes of mountains rising ten
thousand feet and covered with snow,
our valiant troops. after a fierce bat
tie extending over ten days, 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 Sarikamysh enveloped
and almost annihilated two Turkish
corps They captured one of these
corps with its commander three divi-
sion generals with their staffs,
number of officers thousands of sol
diers and many guns, rapid-firers and
horses.
The fighting was very fierce on
the principal front and of course ne
cessitated a change in the grouping Of
cur forces in regions Of secondary inn
pOrtance. We brought certain detach-
ments nearer our frontier
We have not yet ascertained the
extent of our booty The pursuit Of
the enemy still continues,