BULGARIANS at TCHATALDJA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 196, 8 January 1913, Page 7

BULGARIANS at TCHATALDJA

FIERCE I'IOUTINC ALONC THE LINES. Mr. Axlmicad Bartlett, the war correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph, in a despatch dated November 18 and sent from the front by way of Constanza, claims that the battle before Tchataldja on the previous Sunday and Monday resulted in a great Bulgarian success.

"Early Monday morning no sound of firing came from the front. Instead there was an ominous silence lasting several hours. A gendarme drought orders for Bartlett to leave immediately for Constantinople, saying that any hour the Turkish arinv might be in full flight, as they had suffered a disaster during the night.

'lnstead of obeying, the correspondent, 'squared' the four guards and returned towards the 'battlefield. He could only see through the mist the red flashes of an artillery duel, which had been resumed. hut 011 the lifting of the mist he could observe a change in the positions. ADVANCED POSITIONS TAKEN.

"At once it becaroo evident that all the outlying works forming the advance defences to the receding centre line had fallen info the hands of the Bulgarians, who no longer were, concentrating against the outlying lines, but had brought Li:;> guns and were now shelling the main lines of works in front of Hadcnikeui, as well as the left wing of the Turkish lines from the captured positions.

"From an officer lio learned that at one o'clock in the morning the Bulgarians concentrated their infantry against the advanced lines and delivered a night attack with decisive effect, the whole works falling into their hands as the result o£ forty-five minutes' fighting at the point of the bayonet.

"This was the disaster to which the gendarme referred. The Bulgarians were now established in an arc made by the receding circle of hills forming the main line of defence, which enabled them to attack at will the main line around Ilademkenui itself. "Still more serious was the fact that they could enfilade the Turkish left wing, and if they pierced the -centre at liademkeui both wings would be cut off and would be compelled to retire in confusion, if it were possible to escape at all.

TURKS AGAIN RETREAT. "Having captured the outer works, the Bulgarians devoted the entire day to a tremendous bombardment of the remaining works. They also demoralised the reserves by concentrating a section of their fire on the exposed camps. Early morning mist made the fire on the camps ineffective, but later when the day cleared, shooting was resumed with the old-time accuracy, and the effects became painfully apparent among the troops of the first army. A steady dribble of men began to leave the lines, making for shelter in the rear, and apparently no effort was made to stop them. ■ "Soon entire battalions began to clear 1 off in masses, and the whole army corps , showed signs of breaking up and retiring in confusion. Throughout the 'horning the Turkish artillery hardly replied to the enemy's lire, being either chary of ; disclosing their position or short of ammunition. "It was evident that this bombard-. ment of the first army corps was only intended to demoralise the troops and to keep in check any counter attack against the main Bulgarian advance on liademkeui. "During the morning and afternoon no infantry attack was delivered against the main .position, which was subjected ' to the same concentrated bombardment as the outer works had suffered the previous day." As to the position of the combatants when he left the field on Monday, Mr.

Ashmead Bartlett says:—"The Bulgarians occupy all the advanced work where their artillery in established and is engaged in bombarding the centre of the main lines of defence around Hademkeui, evidently with the intention of delivering an infantry attack late in the evening, during the night, or perhaps at d'awn. '"Should this attack succeed, the famous lines are won. The Turkish army 'has no alternative but retirement to Constantinople. If the army again retreats it will break up altogether. There merely will be a repetition of the scenes after the battle of Lille Burgas, with the army arriving at Stainboul instead of Tchntaldja." Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, telegraphing on Wednesday from Constantinople, says that the Bulgarians found the advanced position unfavorable for artillery operations. The Hademkeui valley, by reason of its low-lying character, was exposed to the full brunt of the Turkish guns. Therefore, finding the position not as bad as had been expected, and their losses becoming excessive, the Bulgarians decided to withdraw to the positions which they -held before the attack.

IX FAVOR OF Till-: TURKS. The correspondent of the Daily Hail telegraphs from Constantinople under date of November '2O as follows: "The balance in the lighting at the Tcliataldja 1 ines to-day was distinctly in favor of the Turks. The Bulgarians did not suffer a defeat, but received a check. Their first attempt to carry the lines not having succeeded, they have drawn back at Bujuk Tchekcinedjc to Papas Burgas and further north. The Turks have advanced their entrenchments,

"There is, however, a great difference between a successful defence and a Turkish advance. The best the Turks tan liupe to do seems to bring on a condition of .stalemate, where they can enter upon negotiations."

The correspondent in another despatch fully eoniirms the terrible cholera scenes, the .horror of which he says can never ibe effaced from his .mind. As there were no medical arrangements, the victims were thrown out to die. Then the •bodies were hastily covered with a thin layer of earth.

"These ghastly mounds/' he says, "litter the whole country; there is 110 escaping them. liut these horrid scenes pule in significance when compared with the horrors of llademkeni, wlieri' the, remnants of the defeated army linally rallied. These men. who lived for ten days on green corn, or scape of offal picked up on the march, yield the greatest number of victims. 1 never actually entered the village of Ifademkeui. because the sights outside, caused me to turn my horse in the opposite direction. The valley in which Ifademkeui lies, viewed from the hills, is the valley of the shadow of death." "Shortly afterwards the Greuks entered Salonika the haven of their desire — and the town swelled to the martial tread of men who. Phoenix-like, have risen from the poor stuff of fBO7. Among tlicm are thousands of Americans domiciled in Greece on tobacco work. They stiffened the army and made the infantry incomparable. Hut, at the hack of I lie gallant march their remained in my mind the sad picture of H;isstiii defying fate, yet yielding to entreaty: he had wished to die fighting. And that, other (igure of that brave artillery I'asha. weeping 0:1 the trail of a gun. Kismet."