The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1877-06-22 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE GREAT BATTLE NEAR DELIBABA. CAPTURE OF 350 TURKS.  1,000 KILLED AND WOUNDED. •  The special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph writing from Erzeronm on Tuesday evening says :—According to reports that have reached here, there has been sharp fighting all along the Turkish line near Debbaba. From the account that I have received, the battle opened with a series of manoeuvres ; at first the infantry steadily advanced in skirmishing order, and, being well supported, succeeded in pushing the Russians back, with heavy loss on both sides.  The rifle fire is described as having been exceedingly sharp and destructive. Soon the fight became general and extremely fierce and bloody, reserves being brought up. For some time the combat raged in the centre and along the Turkish right. Meanwhile, the Russians made a supreme effort with their right and gradually succeeded in taking up a position which gave their artillery command of the Turkish line. From the heights the Muscovite gunners opened a terrible cross fire, which checked the movements of their opponents, and threatened to inflict on them serious losses.  The Turks having strengthened their artillery to meet this new assault, a well-sustained fire was maintained, and a regular artillery battle ensued.  While this was proceeding the Russians made a simultaneous assault on both flanks with large bodies of cavalry. They pressed at all points, and enduring a galling fire from the enemy's artillery in its new position. The Turks were forced to retire; and, still fighting, they made an orderly retreat into the plain of Passin. The former plain of the Russians of falling back is now apparently changed. Further details of the battle appear in the same journal under date Delibaba' Tuesday : A very large force of Russians of all arms advanced towards Zedi-Khan, and posted light troops on the hills. The Turks withdrew to a village called Thaha —a shepherd's resting place, abandoned in winter, and not to be confounded with Daher, eight miles off. At six o'clock the next morning, after some unimportant outpost combats, the Russians developed a movement on Zedi-Khan. Immediately six Turkish batteries, with all the field artillery available and three mountain guns, moved out to meet the enemy. Two batteries and six battalions were left to guard the road, and a reserve remained in the village. About noon the Turks came up with the Russians, about six miles from Taha. Soon after, heavy Russian !pins, from a commanding position on the tcp of a ridge, 4,000 yards off, opened a brisk and well-directed fire on the eminence occupied by the Ottoman troops, during which General Sir Arnold Kernball and Captain Norman were in considerable danger, the latter having received a cut from the splinter of a shell, and a Turkish colonel was killed. Saturday morning, at six o'clock, six large masses of Russian infantry made a general advance under cover of a terrible artillery fire, the shells, however, falling short. As they approached, the Turks poured in a steady and effective tire. The enemy succeded in crossing the intervening ridge between the two positions. For two hours, in the face of a destructive fire, the Turks stood to their guns with remarkable courage. At nine o'clock the Russians brought up four field guns on a ridge, which enabled them to rake almost the entire front of the Turkish line; their artillery was dislodged, and their infantry left exposed, without support, to a murderous fire. At this crisis Mehemet Pasha, their commander fell, sword . . . . . .  in hand, in front of his men. A cavalry charge from the Muscovite forces completed the discomfiture of their opponents. The Turks lost 350 in prisoners, and had 1000 killed and wounded.