'General information on Persia for any future edition, 1895' [‎84v] (159/211)

conflict between Turkish troops and Kurds in Dersim, in which the former met with a
severe reverse.
Some davs ago, during the visit of the Commander-in-chief, a battalion of regular
troops was suddenly ordered from this town to Erzingian. It was then rumoured that
their real destination was Dersim, where troubles were said to have occurred; but it
was impossible to ascertain the truth. These rumours would nov appear to be
confirmed.
I telegraphed the substance of Mr. Boyadjian’s despatch to your Excellency
three days ago.
No further news has been obtainable here.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CHARLES S. SAMPSON
Inclosure 1 in No. 71.
Vice-Consul Boyadjian to Acting Consul Hampson.
Sir, Kharput, Avgust 10, 1891.
I HAVE the honour to report, for your information, that the Governor of
Dersim, who is also invested with the command of the troops stationed in the
mountains, addressed a telegram three days since to the Governor-General, informing
his Excellency that there were disturbances in the sandjak, and that a fight which
took place a day before resulted disastrously for the troops, at the same time applying
for a reinforcement in order to inflict a severe and exemplary punishment upon the
aggressors.
It appears that a certain Ahmed, the Chief of the Khodge Oushaghi clan, having
a long-standing feud with Youseph Agha, another powerful Chief, on account of his
brother having been poisoned in the house of the latter, made a raid recently upon a
village belonging to Youseph, killed one of his men, and carried olf one or two
hundred head of cattle, upon which the Governor collected several hundred irregulars
and dispatched them in company with the regular troops to follow and chastise the
offenders. In a gorge of the mountain fastnesses, Ahmed’s men joining with another
clan called Sham Oushaghi, made a rush upon them, and a fight took place, in which
fifteen of the troops, including the Physician of the battalion, were killed, and
twenty wounded.
Colonel Mehemed Ali Bey also received a severe wound. I am further informed
that forty rifles and one cannon, with a considerable quantity of ammunition, were
taken by the followers of Ahmed.
I am not yet in a position to state upon whom the responsibility of this serious
disaster will be fixed, as this expedition and the employment of the regular troops
was, as far as I know, undertaken without previously obtaining the authorization of
His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, and the collecting of irregular forces is, as you are
undoubtedly aware, strictly forbidden.
The details above given were obtained by me from different and reliable sources.
I have, &c.
(Signed) THOMAS BOYADJIAN.
Inclosure 2 in No. 71.
Acting Consul Hampson to Sir W. White.
Sir, Erzeroum, August 29, 1891.
I HAVE the honour to inform your Excellency that the only further news which
I have been able to obtain regarding the troubles with Kurds in Dersim, reported in
my telegram and despatch of last week, is to the effect that the military doctor who
was stated in Mr. Boyadjian’s despatch of the 10th instant to have been killed was, in
fact, only severely wounded, and is doing well.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CHARLES S. HAMPSON.
JP-S-—I have just learnt that a few days ago further reinforcements were sent to
Dersim, consisting of a second battalion of infantry and half a battery of mountain
artillery (three guns) from here, and a battalion of infantry from Erzingian.
C. S. H.