‘Russo-Turkish War, 1877. Operations in Asia.’ [‎46r] (25/42)

95
of 7 or 8 battalions of infantry, 8 or 10 squadrons of sotnias and 2 batterios
of artillery advanced from Chiraka by the road leading from that nlacHn
ir n rSa/fmce he of left f 0f ^ P °tT ^ b ? tL
less cavalrv a lvsnc J f ' ^ 7, 7'? 3 ° r 4 batterieS of artiller y’ but
the Xole^f rZr^T u K °^ kh f bar Strai « ht towards th e Turkish centre,
rons an 1 ™ u 8 "^ f ° rCe (SOme 15 or 16 battalions, 16 squad!
ns and sotnias, and 40 field and mountain guns) advancing to the attank
hoping no doubt to catch the Turks on the movf. ^ aavanCin ^ to the attack ’
The latter were, however, firmlj established in strong positions on the
mountains, and were anxious to meet the Russian attack.
sunnortedhv 1° wJ Y a ' m ” Y 6 * c USSian ^ column Pushed forward a battery
hy 3 battalions of infantry and soon came into action with the
k sh ^uns at a long range. The infantry on either side were out of range
but the artillery fire lasted for upwards of an hour, doing little or no damage !
it was stopped by a storm of rain and was not re-opened till dark, when the
Russians retired.
4 -u r> At ^ he S , ame . tlme ^ hat the artillery fire commenced on the Turkish left
the Russian skirmishers from the centre column were pushed forward from the
position the 1 urks had occupied two days previously, to within some - 3,000 yards
ot the lurkish centre, but, on coming under the fire of the Turkish artillery,
were checked,^ and made no further advance during the day.
On the Turkish right, the Russians made an advance towards the hill on
the north-east of the Zor ravine, occupied by the Turks with 2 battalions and
{ bantam guns; they pushed their skirmishers to the very base of the hill
hut then suddenly retired for some unknown reason, without even exchanging
shots, and at noon had re-occupied the positions held by their outposts on the
previous night.
In the centre, however, where the firing had been stopped about noon by
the rain, and both sides were hidden from view for upwards of two hours the
Russians, succeeded during the storm in moving forward a field battery (8 guns)
0 a bill where its fire took the Turkish batteries en echarpe, the latter being
eche oned along the crests of the hills. The Turkish gunners were, however
e ? U Ti o • ° CCaS10n ’ ^ickly changing front, they gradually got the better
ot the Russians, though the latter were soon afterwards reinforced by 4 more
guns, and after a severe artillery combat, silenced the Russian battery, explod
ing 4 ammunition wagons and driving the teams and gunners from the guns
which were not removed by the Russians till nightfall, when they retired along
the whole front from the advanced positions they had taken up back to Myr
and the adjacent villages. ‘
Owing to the firing having been exclusively confined to artillery, and at a
long mnge, the losses were not heavy, the Turkish being given as 3 gunners
contused and a few men of the infantry killed and wounded. The Russians
give their losses as 5 men killed, but do not mention the number wounded.
1 hey had at least one gun disabled.
On the Turkish side, another council of war was held in the evenino-, at
which it was decided to continue the retreat*
This was well arranged and orderly, but being suddenly decided on for
strategical reasons, unfortunately happened at a time when there were not
sufficient animals in camp to carry away the whole of the spare ammunition
and commissariat; stoies that had been accumulated. The latter, moreover,
owing to the recent arrival of large quantities of rice purchased at Khoi in
Persia, were in greater quantity than had ever been the case since Ismail
Pasha’s force had advanced from Bayazid, and after loading all the animals
available, there remained some 500 boxes of ammunition (500,000 rounds), some
tents, enormous piles of horse shoes, nails, &c., and large quantities of rice and
biscuit. The latter were mashed up and destroyed by smouldering fire, the
tents were torn to shreds, cases of rifles and bayonets were opened and their
contents distributed among the soldiers to be carried away, and at about 2 p.m.,
when the last man was leaving the ground, the cartridges were fired.
Fortunately for the Turks it was a clear, fine, moonlight night—a striking
* Only on account of the disaster before Kars, and not on account of General TergnkasofFs
demonstration.
2 B