GREAT BATTLE IN ASIA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5239, 8 January 1878, Page 3

GREAT BATTLE IN ASIA.

The Daily News special correspondent with the Russians in Asia sent the following full and graphic particulars of the great battle at Aladja Dagh, in which Mukhtar Pasha’s army was broken to pieces on October 3 5. The critical attack was made by General Heimaun on the Olya or Awly Hill. Heimann’s grenadiers lay for three hours waiting for the order to advance, while the shrapnel firing was concentrated on the Turks, when from the Aladja mountain a strong line of Turkish tirailleurs was seen advancing to the rescue of their hard-pressed comrades ; but before they could even cross the ravine their advance was arrested by a Russian line, which compelled them to withdraw. At the same time the three Russian columns told off for the assault on the Awly Yer moved onward up that hill. The black grenadiers swarmed on all sides and steadily climbed towards the summit, always firing, notwithstanding the desperate resistance of the Turks, who disappeared in the smoke. The Russians crowded more and more together as they got up the cone towards the enemy, while their batteries still covered the top level with shells and shrapnels. Then repeated hurrahs sounded through the air, and the grenadiers jumped in crowds over the enemy's ditches and parapets. The gallant Turks, then relinquishing all hope, ran for their lives, pursued by bullets and bayonets, and the formidable redoubt was at last taken by that gallant onslaught. The next fortified plateau to the south-west, situated just before that of Yezinkoi, was also stormed within an hour. After four o’clock the troops under Raschid Pasha in the Aladja Dagh were engaged by the Moscoiv Grenadiers. The cannon and rifle firing of the Turks was spasmodic, but they were gradually driven frond terrace to terrace beyond their camp to the summit of the mountain. About half-past four they gave up further resistance, and retired to the opposite side, leaving everything they had in the hands of the Russians, with the exception of some of their guns. They hovered there in the wilderness for a while, without water, food, fuel, «r shelter, and then despairingly surrendered at about half-past eight the same evening. The correspondent gives the names of four of the pashas taken, and states that the number of prisoners made and guns captured, which appeared in the first telegrams, was taken from the report made to the Grand Duke Michael by the chief of the staff of the cavalry! The correspondent with Mukhtar Pasha confirms the more extended narrative from his colleague at the Russian headquarters of the battle. He was carried away in the general rush of Turkish troops towards Kars which ensued after General Heimann bad broken through the centre of Mukhtar Pasha’s army. The panic was intense, and the troops of different corps of the Turkish array fired at and sabred one another. Cavalry and infantry fled in the utmost disorder to get to Kars. The irregulars and Arabs were the first to run, and drew their swords and struck out wildly when an attempt was made to stop them. The panic in Kars that night was fearful, the inhabitants flying - cn masse. It was not until the next morning that Mukhtar Pasha reached Kars. On the same day he told the correspondent, whom he had long known, and to whom he had frequently given information, that 12,000 of his men and many of his superior officers had been taken prisoners by the Russians. Early on the morning of October 17 he sot out with only 2800 men, having placed a garrison in Kars. The town is in a pitiable condition. There are 4000 sick and wounded there, and little provision, and absolutely no firewood. Such at least was the best information the correspondent could obtain in Kars itself, whore he had access to many sources of information. Assuming its correctness, wo may say with him that the condition of Kars is “ almost hopeless." A Russian official despatch from Yezinkoi of November 2 is published, and brings down the narrative of the pursuit of, Mukhtar and Ismail Pashas until the time when they had reached the Dovy-Boyun position. The Russians under General Heimann were allowed to occupy Kuprikoi, almost without resistance,

on tile evening of October 28. The Turkish rearguard retreated in all haste to Hassau Kale. The Russian cavalry continued the pursuit, and at two o’clock during the night attacked the Turkish bivouac. After a short skirmish, two sotnias of Cossacks, with a rocket battery and two squadrons of cavalry, with half a battery of horse artillery, entered the bivouac, cut down upwards of 100 men, and compelled the remainder to take to flight. The pursuit was continued, and at five o’clock on the following morning Hassan Kale was occupied by Russian cavalry. If we may believe a telegram from Constantinople, in Asia the ’lurks find the bad weather their beat friend. It is stated that a Russian column which had been advancing from Olti for the purpose of turning the Turkish positions near Erz roum was compelled to retrace its steps in consequence of a heavy fail of snow and the wretched state of the roads.

From a Russian official despatch, dated from the headquarters at Vesiukoi, we learn that Kars is now closely invested. The Russians have begun to erect siege batteries opposite to the south-eastern fort. Mukhtar Pasha has not found the DeveBoyun the impregnable position which it has of late been taken to be. He has lost it, and fallen hack upon Erzeroum. On November 5 the Porte announced that it had received “reassuring information” from him; but it published a despatch from him dated Erzeroum, November 5, which is thus given : “ We have had an engagement at Deve-Boynn, after which we returned here.” The engagement must thus have taken place on November 6. The Deve-Boynn, or Camel’s Neck, is the name given to the crest of a range of mountains 2000 feet higher than the plain below, distant six miles from Erzeroum, on the road to that place from Kuprikoi. Since July it has been covered with military works, the entrenchments and earthworks being described by English officers well acquainted with them as a very formidable obstacle to the advance of an army towards Erzeroum. It is from this position that Mukhtar Pasha acknowledges that he has been compelled to retire.

It is plain that Mukhtar Pasha’s despatch only tells a small part of the truth. If he has fallen back upon Erzeroum, the Russians have certainly followed him, and if he could not defend the Deve-Boyun he is not likely to be able to hold the city behind it. In that case he will have to choose a line of retreat, and his choice lies between Eizingan and Trebizonde. By retiring to the latter place he would approach the reinforcements which have been sent to him, and be in a position to receive the protection of the fleet ; and this is what he is likely to do, unless the report is true that the Ardahan force, instead of being stopped on its march by snow, is threatening the road from Erzeroum to Trebizonde. According to a. recent telegram, the Russians made a determined attack on the Turkish positions on November 5, and after ten hours’ fighting the Turkish centre was driven in as it had been at Olya-Tepe, near Kars, just three weeks before. The Deve-Boyun position was constructed for an army ef 25,000 ; it was defended by forces which, according to Turkish authority, did not exceed 15,000. A telegram from Constantinople announces that Mukhtar Pasha left Erzeroum on Nov. 6, upon which the city was occupied by the Russians. The Turkish confirmation of this news is withheld, and, the Russian headquarters being at Yezinkoi, official bulletins from that quarter are always in arrear. There is no doubt, however, that the situation of Mukhtar Pasha after his defeat in the DeveBoyun position, from which his troops fled in the wildest disorder, was such as to make his abandonment of Rrzeroum an absolute necessity. It is announced, indeed, that he wished to defend the place, and that his wishes were resisted by the inhabitants, who dreaded a Russian bombardment ; but no one knew better than the Turkish commander that he had not troops enough for such a service. The report is probably true that he has fallen back in the direction either of Erzingau or of Trebizonde, though not;of both, as it has been stated. Any aid that Mukhtar Pasha can now receive must come from Constantinople. He is for the first time in this campaign deprived of all resources to be found in Armenia itself. He has been cut off from his depots and magazines, after having sustained extraordinary losses of material and munitions of war. Ho wants a new army and a new equipment, and must have both before he can again take the field with any hope of success.

This total defeat of Muktar Pasha is regarded as almost crushing. The main body of his army is believed to have beeu cut off from its left wing, consisting of 10,0i'0 men with 35 guns and seven generals, and this force is in great danger of having to surrender to the Russians. Mukhtar himself is shut up in Kars, and his communications with his right wing, under Ismail Haki Pasha, are interrupted by the Russians, while Kara itself is threatened with a second investment. : The Russians are bringing up large reinforcements of heavy artillery. Great anxiety is felt in Turkish quarters, and thirty battalions, of which twelve are from Batoum, are being sent forward, but it ia feared that they will arrive too late. Mukhtar’s defeat ia attributed to a disregard of the orders sent him, to act purely on the defensive, and to his having allowed the Russians to draw him on. lie himself ascribes it. to the want of sufficient officers, the greater part of the staff being absent, or killed in previous battles. The peace party now think that this signal Russian success in Asia, especially if it be followed by another in Europe, may create an unexpected opportunity for mediation.