The Sun. — 1855-10-26 (London, England)

DEFEAT OF THE RUSSIANS AT KARS. ERZEROUM, Oct. s.—Yesterday evening there arrived here an express with letters of the 30th of September from Kars. The letters wore written in the evening, and contained the intelligence that on the morning of that day the Russians invested Kars on all sides in full force. The batteries at Kars opened a murderous fire on the besiegers. Three times did the Russians gain a footing in the Turkish retrenchments—and three times were they driven out by the Turks at the point of the bayonet. Colonel Lake distinguished himself in the contest, not only by his courage, but by his skill. It was be who drove the enemy from the Inglis Tabia. Eight hundred Russians were slain before a redoubt defended by four hundred Turks. The firing lasted seven hours and a half, when the Russians took to flight. The Turks performed prodigies of valour, and the European officers—Col. Lake and Captains Teesdale and Thompson—distinguished themselves. Mr. Churchhill, formerly attachk of our embassy from Persia, and now secretary to General Williams, commanded at one of the redoubts, and showed himself a thorough Eng.. lishman. A postscript of a letter of the Ist instant adds that the loss of the Russians is estimated at about eight or nine thousand killed or wounded. About four thousand corpses lie under the walls of Kars. The Turks are busied now in burying them. The enemy lost besides this a great quantity of stores ; and about 300 prisoners were taken, amongst whom were many officers. Four guns are said to have been taken. The loss of the Turks is reckoned at about 750 killed and wounde 1. This great battle, which had so fortunate a termination—thanks to the skill of the commander, General Williams—shows clearly enough that the Turkish soldier, when well led, is not only brave, but able to distinguish himself like the soldier of any other nation. At the same time it must convince Europe in general, and the Turkish Government in particular, that the latter has no good native officers, since, from the commencement of hostilities in Asia until the present moment, this is the only victory the Turks have gained, and this is owing to General Williams. When the Turks were under native commanders they experienced nothing but defeats. A letter written by a Bey of Livana (Turkish Georgia) says that Omer Pacha having concentrated his troops in Churuksu, had marched on Urzughet, and that he had made himself master of the place without much difficulty. He received there a deputation from the Georgian nobility, who made their submission to the Porte in the name of the inhabitants of the district. According to this letter Omer Paella was marching towards Akaltzick, for the purpose of making a diversion in favour of Kars, and of ultimately coming to the assistance of that city. This last news tallies with that contained in letters received the day before yesterday, which say that Omer Pacha has communicated with the Muchir in Kars, telling him to maintain his position for twenty days, at the expiration of which he would be at Kars with his army. He must be near there by this time ; and it would be most fortunate if he should arrive in time to cut off the retreat of General Mouravieff, and be able to invest Alexandropol. Not one of the European officers at Kars was killed or wounded.