New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-04
THE TAKING OF MONASTIR

Serbian HcauyGa tcr-. NoDastir, Nov. 80.
The second phase OF the operations which re-
suited in the fall of Monastir was not less in
teresting than the first. which had eliminated
in the capture OF Mount Chuke. The objective
was 20 obtain possession of the l2l2-metre
mountain. an anonymous summit which Field
Marshal Mischitch saw was the key to the
whole position. 1t dominated all the other
heights around and commanded the plain be-
low. Once it was in Serbian hands the Buga-
rian positions in The plain, facing the French
trenches, would become untenable.
The LIST aud I'd divisions Of the Serbian
army were accordingly reinforced by troops
from the adjacent army as well as a French
contingent, and orders we're given that the
l212-metre mountain should be taken coute
que coute But the Bulgarans also saw the
crucial importance of the position and rein
forcemcnts, mostly German regiments, were
hastily brought from other parts Of the front.
/ II is a curious thing that the German stan
with the Bulgarian army always intrusts the
defence of the most important positions 70
German troops, evidently distrustng the
courage and tenacity Of their Bulgarian al
. lies. In this view they dIametrically differ
from the Serbs. who have from experience a
much higher opinion of the Bulgarian as a
lighting man than they have OF the German.
The correctness Of this view was soon
proved BY the number Of German prisoners
that came pouring in, hundreds being brought
/ in daily. / do not pretend that the Germans
! did not fight well; on the contrary, the Serbs
declare that they defended themselves to the
last but they allowed themselves to be out
manpuvred by the superior skill of the Ser
/ bian army in mountain lighting. Once their
positions were turned they showed a supe-
rior comprehension Of their danger and drew
the logical conclusion much more promptly
than the Bulgarian, who. inspired by racial
hatred. is apt TO fight on like a wildcat in
| impossible positions.
! After Polog, Badenci, Tepanc', Gcgel and
Jaraok fell in rapid succession and the com
bincd Serbian and French forces began TO
close in on l2i2-metre mountain I rode out
from the headquarters Of the army at an early
| hour in the morning and made for the noun
tain ridges on the other side of the valley Of
/ the Czerna Reha
The Mountainside Attack
As soon as we began TO climb the ascent it
was clear that momentous events were in
progress. All along the mOuntainside long
columns of troops could be seen pressing for
ward, while tens of thousands of pack horses,
mules and donkeys, laden with munitions.
were winding upward by every sheep track
and bride path. Batteries O. artillery were
arriving from all sides and were being put
/ into position with feversh haste. In all the
camps along the hillside the men were work
ing at high pressure striking the tents and
ping them into carts. An electric current
scemed to have galvanized the whole Serbian
army. The Bulgarans we're in full retreat
and the Serbian army was now in pursuit.
An hour later a whirling snowstorm set in
and the whole landscape was blurred out by
thickly falling fakes. But this did not in the
slightest damp the ardor OF Field Marshal
Mischitehs troops. One could see that they
we're fired by the certainty OF victory, and in
spite OF cold and wet pressed on with ire
sistble elan.
By the afternoon We arrived at Dobrobeni,
a village captured from the Bulgarians only
/ forty-cight hours before. Here We got fresh
horses and started to climb fresh line OF
mountain crests to visit the battlefield from
which the Bulgarians and the Germans had
| lust been driven No more formidable fight
| ing ground could be imagined To right and
left and in front was wilderness of peaks