KARS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 786, 11 May 1877, Page 3

KARS.

—o— The following particulars of the town of Kars, the opening scene of the present Turko-Russian war, we extract rrom the Dunedin Times. The town of Kars is about 45 miles W. S.W. from the Russian town and fortress of Alexandropol. The Rnsaiiit army before Kars will bo the Russian Army of the Trans-Can ensns, whose head quarters are at Alexandropol, Of this army, the well-in-formed Politishe Correspondenz of Vienna states, and its information is accepted by the leading English newspapers as correct, there are, or rather were two months ago, in readiness to pass the frontier, under the command of Lieat. General Lorisaraenikoff, four divisions of infantry, one brigade of riflemen, two divisions of cavalry, nine regiments of the Cossacks of tho Kuban and Terek, 35 batteries of field artillery, and a siege train of about 250 heavy puns—in all 115,000 men. among them 95,000 combatants. In this force the permanent-ramsons of ths various Russian forts-on the frontier, amounting to from 4000 to 5000 men, are not reckoned. From the Times correspondent at Sara w* learn that early in Febrnaiy tho Turkish (Government, fearing an early commencement of hostilities, took steps to put tho fortress on a war footing. It was victualled for twelve months, the garrison increased, and 359 guns, of great range and modern construction, were conveyed there in readiness. To oppose the army of Russia, it appears from the best sources that Turkey has an army on her Asiatic frontier which, though nominally numbering 80,000 or 90,000 men, consist# of 30,000 or 40,000. Kars hat sustained various sieges, but none more famous thin that in 1855, when the Turkish garrison, animated by General Williams, endured frightful hardships. It was, indeed, a sagacious appreciation of his special endowments that must hive influenced those who selected him for the post of difficulty and danger that he so honorably held. His long experience among the Turks, and his profound insight into their habits and national character, peculiarly fitted him for the duties of his office. When appointed, in 1854, a Commissioner to direct the movements of the Ottoman army in Asia Minor, no one knew better than Colonel Williams the arduous nature of the task imposed upon him. No one knew better than he did ths jarring elements of which the Turkish nation is composed. It was scarcely® novelty that he should have to deal with soldiers whose valour and endurance is such that, if well commanded, they are hardly inferior to any troops in the world, with officers who, from the very system under which they are appointed and promoted, are, with few exceptions, grossly incompetent, with officials of every grade inso'eat and corrupt, and with Pashas whose greed and venality are only equalled by the indolence and apathy which they mistake for a philosophic resignation to the decree* of destiny. He had to inspire courage an 1 confidence in men who had been in the previous year signally defe.atel by the Russians in the battle of Kimik-deri, and who had encountered such disasters, and been so cruelly plundered of their pay hy 1 boss in command of them, that desertion had become an every day occurrence, aud who were disorganised and demoralised to the last degree. Twenty-four months’ pay was due to them) and their uniform was in rags. Meanwhile, that distinguished General Mouravieff was assembling his large and well disciplined army at Gumri. The first thing which General Williams did was to visit Kars, fully- acquaint himself with tho “tat# of things there, and leaving his aide-de-camp {Captain Teesdale) to establish what discipline and order he could, to return at once to hea 1-quartcrs at Erzsroum, from which p'ace he wrote a series of despatches to the Embassy at Constantinople, as well as to the Foreign Office. He (lose abed the condition of affiirs —the arrears o; piy, the clothing of the men, and the want of ammunition. How his despatches were received and his requests neulectcd has been again and again adequately rliscussel. The Turks, who fight proverbially well on the defensive, are nevertheless singularly ignorant and unskilful in fortification. The position of Kars was strong, And to some extent tenable, but in 1828 the Turks surrendered it to Prince Paskiewitch in three days. In tho condition which General Williams found it, it is questionable whether they would have held it for three hours. Without wearying the general reader with a minute and technical account of the operations, snffio; it to say that in March, 1835, Colonels Lake and Thomson did everything in their power to make the place impregnable. They had, indeed, no sinecure encountering numberless obstacles in the bigotry and corruption of the Turks in command. Anything more lamentably wretched than their cavalry could not bo conceived. Their swords were too short, their lances ton heavy, their uniforms torn and tattered, and their horses old, worn-out, and therefore useless, and the men themselves such indifferent horsemen that they could scarcely keep their seats. Even on out-post duty it would have been unwise to have placed wsieh reliance on their firmness or strategical

skill, if thoy had nob boon scientifically in position by tho eminent Hungarian General Kmety (hhtnail Pacha), In tho Infantry there existed some strong contrasts. A few regiments wore well clothed and well armed, but tho majority wore quite guileless of all knowledge of drill or of discipline ; some of their officers wero. ignorant oven of tho words of command. The Turkish soldier is brave, loyal, long-suffering, hardy, and, if well led, is inferior to tio soldier in tho world. Tho national occasioned by tho venality, the rapacity, and intrigue, combined with the indolon;o and sensualism of the higher order of Turkish officials, has scarcely yet reached the ill-paid, overworked, and maltreated commonality, who arc often preserved by their very poverty and sufferings, from the crimes vices, and abominations which degrade their social superiors. Un the 7th June, General Williams, who was previously engaged at Erzeroum, arrived at Kars, and on that and tho following day, reviewed the troops. Nothing had been left undone in the way of bringing the troops into discipline, and to fortify the position ns strongly as possible. Meanwhile, General Wournvieff had assembled his army of from 30,000 to 40,000 men within but a short distance of the defenders’ entrenchments. The defending force on the other hand did not number more than 14,000 infantry, 1500 c artillery, and a small body of cavalry, while;'tills branch of the service in the Russian army was large and efficient. The Russians sagacionsly chose for making their first attack the fat of the Bairam, and it was with the greatest difficulty that men who had to work energetically could ho persuaded to break through the rule which enjoins tota l abstinence from food and water during the day, even though it is provided in the Koran that in time of war or urgent need tho Bairam fast may he dispensed with. That day the attack was made by 25,000 Russian troops, and after a desperate tight they retired with a loss of from 100 to 150 men. Month after month passed, and the beleagured host he’d the town. The first attack was made on the 17ih of June. September came, the enemy which had received reinforcements more closely pressed the outposts. Forage became so scanty that they had to get rid of the half starved cavalry hoises. No money, soldiers on half allowance, Mussulman population nearly reduced to starvation, weather cruelly cold. Late iit September came the cholera among them. Then, after the enemy making a feint of abandoning the blockade, occurred a long and deadly contest, which occupied nearly the Whole day, and resulted m the total defeat of the enemy, with a loss of 2500 dead, and nearly that number of wounded. The loss of the defenders was 700 killed. Then came days when the roar of the cannon was hushed, when there was j the sad silence of expectation, and the dreadful despondency of hope deferred. I One thousand of the troops perished by the deadly pestilence No animal food for seven weeks. On the 25th of November General j ’Williamstreale.l with Mouravieff. Williams I proposed his terms, “ If you grant not these,” exclaimed the General, “ every gun I shall he burst, every standard burnt, every j trophy destroyed, and you may then work your will.on a famished crowd. “1 have no wish,” answered Mouravieff, “to wreak an unworthy vengeance on a gallant and long-suffering army, which has covered itself with glory, and yields only to famine. Look here ! ’ he exclaimed, pointing to a lamp of bread, and a Landfall of roots, “ What splendid tioons must these he who can stand to their arms in this severe climate on fool such as this?” The capitulation agreed, upon arranged that, to quote its second article, “ The garrison of Kars shall inarch out with the honors of war. The 'officers, in consideration of their gallant defence of the place, shall retain their swords.” The foregoing particu ars we have compiled from “ Kars,” a work by Colonel Lake, one of the gallant defenders of the place.