The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-17


army is fleeing westward
The news Of the fall Of Erzerum was
conveyed TO the Car in a telegram
from the Grand Duke Nicholas. The
telegram follows:
God has granted the brave troops
or the army Of the Caucasus such
great help that Erzcrum has been
taken after Ave days OF unprecedented
assault. ] am inexpressibly happy to
announce this victory to your Imperial
Majesty.
The Omciai Report.
Tho latest Russian War Office state.
ment concerning the nghting there. which
does not contain the statement OF the
city's capture. is AS follows.
We captured nine forts Of the Deve
Boyun position. covering the fortress
OF Erzerurn. We took seventy guns,
great quantities Of munitions and pris-
oners.
The General stan regrets To be COM
PEELED to abstain from mentioning
the glorious regiments which dislodged
the Turks AZ the point OF the bayonet.
our success Is being developed despite
the cold and local obstacles. The
Turks are hurrying troops from the
west and south to relieve Erzerum.
The southern part Of Erzerum Is
afamc.
In the Khopy region. southeast OF
Erze ruin, our offensive continues sue
cessfully.
ON the Black Sea littoral We dis
lodged the Turks from the mountains.
throwing them across the Rive. Wit.
Aesu.
Four Turkish army corps--the Fourth
Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh-under the
command Of Gen. Liman Won Sanders
defended the fortress.
The doom of Erzerum was sealed wher
the Russian forces. bravinr the intense
cold and the deep snow. took kop Noun
tain by storm. infictine a crushing defea,
on tn. already exhausted Turkish army
Blow after blow followed. the Muscovitt
troops moving down Everything tina
tried to block their steady onrush ant
soon the Grand Dukes artillery hat
tenders
Daily Nal. tclegraphing to-day. says:
"Erzerum resisted only Ave days. Tn,
Turkish army is now in night wcstwart
In the d!ft'cuit mountain region
The same correspondent telegraphnl
under yesterdays date says:
THE FIRST stage OF tho attack was th,
result Of the operations last month. wheI
the Russians drove the Turks within III,
ring Of the outer forts. Then a della!
was nccsssitated by weather condition,
which can he conceived only by thos,
who saw the Caucasus battles at the enc
of 1914 or the Carpa THAN hghting o
last spring
Zero frosts and snow ten feet deep II
the road are the obstacles with whici
the Russians have had to contend Tha
they are overcoming them manfuly ant
q,Ecky speaks highly of the splendi'
courage and endurance OF the men ant
Of the management of the campaign h!
Gen. Youdcnitch and his stan
''The heavy guns which blew UP tn,
first fort the Russians occupied were 20
in position with the greatest difficulty
All transport WAS carried on under con
d!tions scarcely credible In Europe
Erzerum. a historic Armenian strong
hold, IL strateRicaiiy Of tremendous i'm
portancc. II forms tn. converging poin
Of vital roads il about sixty miles from
the Russian frontier, II has belonged I,
Turkey for four centuries and has hg
ured In many wars. In the present con
hict it first began TO figure OH NOvembe
:, Ialt. when the Russians inflicted
crushing defeat on three Turkish reEi
ments. which fed in wild disorder In TIN
direction Of Erzerum. The Russians fol
lowed close upon their heels. but ono
under the protection Of the fortress gun
the Turks were able 10 recuperate an,
regroup. Since then the fortunes OF wa
have altcrnated frequently between Rus
slams and Otton,ans.
BOmba dmrnt ReGun.
ON the whole the Russian forces main
taincd the upper hand. although the,
wer, not able 10 begin the actual bonn
ba rdment OF Erzerum until late in De
cembcr, The defence OF the fortress wa
confided to Gen Won der Goltz. Their
have been frequent reports Of reinforce
ments having been despatched to tn
hari pressed Turkish army. but IL is no
believed the Giermsn Field Marshal ha
succeeded In reli, wing Gen. Won Sanders
forces to any substantial extent,
The capture Of Erzerum may b
ascribed directly to Grand Duk
Nicholas, who. relieved by his uncle
OF the armies In Russia last Sen
tembcr. was sent to direct operations Il
the Caucasus. At the time the chang
was e. nerally taken as IA shelving Of tn
Grand Duke. Developments since, how
ever have demonstrated the importanc
of tn. Caucasian campaign. especial,
because OF it's effect on Russian on. ra