Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1919-07-30
TURKS and HUNS
REFUSE TO FIGHT
FOR DAMASCUS
Australian Tells of Victory Gained
Over Superior Force.
ENEMY MORALE SHATTERED
Interesting Account OF Capture Of An.
Client City by Australian Forces
Gould Have Sustained
Siege for Months.

Sydney, N. S. Wan interesting II
belated account of the capture of Da-
mascus by Australian forces last fall
is given by returned Australian SOL
der in the Sydney Morning Herald.
The narrative starts with the Aus
tralians' advance from Liberals and
the subsequent encircllng operations
which resulted In the fall of Damas-
Gus itself.
Leaving Tiberias behind the Aus
tralian division pushed on northward
to Lake Huleh. where they tried to
cross the Jordan, but the enemy had
blown up the big stone bridge, and
, nests of German machine gunners lined
the precipitOus river banks. Up and
down the river the patrols reconnoi-
tered, but always they were met with
/ burst of fire from the eastern bank.
But the old Jordan had to be crossed,
so the Tenth Light Horse, under cover
| of darkness, forced a passage near the
lake, while the Fourteenth Light Horse
| did the same further south. In the
morning they converged on the enemy
from either flank. capturing Il number
| Of prisoners, a few guns, and many
machine guns. The bulk of the enemy
rear guard bolted. So once more was
| continued the great race toward Da-
mascus.
Enemy Rear Guard Routed
"At Kuneitra the rear guard ma
chine gunners were again encountered.
and once more at Sasa. At the latter
| place there was stiff fighting, and we
had some casualties. but the last OBJ
stacle was removed, and we pushed
on to the great city.
Away to the eastward we could
| see clouds of dust rising from the
! Hedjaz road. II was the remnant of
! the Fourth Turkish army from Aman.
/ So. IN spite OF t,rir long start, we
i al made dcoa-heat OF It. Their
! ='te was alre ny called. We had
cen in the saddle {. 4 the previous aft
! moon all night. ..ad all the morn
.H. hut there was no chance Of
/ halt. Genera! HuG-Son commanding
| the Australian division-pushed the
| Third Light Horse brigade toward the
| south of the city, while he sent Gen
eral Onslow's Fifth brigade on a wide
| encircling sweep to the west and
north Of Dumar, with view to block
ing the escape.
1.-THE battle Of Damascus, which fol.
lowed will be studied In years to come
as the perfect example of the infiu-
ence OF morale. Napoleon said that
morale TO material is as three to one.
Here one found 1t a hundred to one. A
! few thousand exultant horsemen hem
med In and captured an army. The
| city was surrounded. The roads to
northward were held. Having abun-
dance of arms and munitions, food and
water. and being in such overwhelming
numbers. they could have sustained
siege for months, even If they feared
to risk battle In the open. But their
morale was shattered.
"There was little fight left in them.
| A fringe of machine guns and few
pieces of artillery held OF the attack
ers for an hour or so. Then the horse
| men broke through The Third Light
Horse brigade captured some thou
sands of the Fourth Turkish army from
| Aman.
! Turks Refused to Fight.
1.-THE Fourth REGIMENT entered the
outskirts OF tho city. found the big bar
! racks swarming with Turks and Ger
| mans. But they wouldn't fight and
tie Yictorians rounded Up 10000 of
them and led them away. Another
column, several thousand strong, flee
ing from the Arabs, tried to escape by
the northern road to Honin. But the
Third Light Horse brigade started in
pursuit, charged the rear guard of
German machine gunners and captured
| the whole column.
| Meanwhile the Fifth Light Horse
| brigade-which used to be the camel
corps-broke through the Gordon Of
machine guns, hiding in the northern
| gardens, and reached the Barada
Gorge 5000 stroHg streaming out
! along the road to Beyrut. In one place
house on the hill 0verlooks the gorge,
where the rail, the road and the river
run within few yards of each other,
and here a party of 10 men Of the
Fourteenth regiment, n. S. w, with
two officers. opened fire on the big col
umn. Turks and Germans fed in all
| directions.
| Several were killed and the horse
men then killed the horses and mules
in the gun teams and blocked the road.
The column was cut in two and more
than 5000 surrendered. A mile further
! along the road others of the Fifth bri-
| gade opened with machine guns and
rifles on the leading portion of the col
umn. The enemy was absolutely at
their mercy, and after a futile half
hearted resistance surrendered.
Hun Starts Destruction.
| ~ $3.50. ..i.-h.aanr A. .1.nr, %