Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

8 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

THE WAR IN THE EAST.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

THE WAR IN THE EAST. PASSAGE OF THE IN GOTO BY THE TURKS. (From the Times Correspondent.) TURKISH CAMP, BANKS OF THE INGOUR, Nov. 5. Having heard that the avant-poHe of the army was encamped within two hours' inarch of the Ingour, I determined a week ago to leave Shemserrai, where Omar Pasha still retained his head-quarters, and to push on to the front At about seven miles from Sham- serrai the road crosses the Godava river, and finally leaves the coast. The country is flat, but for the most part covered with a dense forest, where swamps fre- quently occur which are calculated seriously to impede the progress of an armv on the march. I found myself surrounded by a miscellaneous concourse, straggling by devious paths through the tangled underwood, or ploughing thefr way through the deep mud. There were infantry and cavalry in long lines winding between the magrnificent oak and beech trees of which the forest is composerl-.A hasians on wiry ponies dodging in and out, and getting past everybody—mules and pack horses, in awkward predicaments, stopping up the road, on whose devoted heads were showered an immense variety of oaths by their drivers, who, in their turn, were sworn at bv the rest of the world. There were some batteries of artillery, which looked so hopelessly em- bedded that nothing short of British energy, as imper- sonated in the young Englishman who commanded, could have extricated them. There were broken-down baggage waggons and broken-down mules, and every- thing hut broken-down men. Here and there a Pasha was squatted by the roadside induljing in his nargilhe. enjoyincr his kieff," and watching placidly the exer- tions of his troops. At last I got past this scene to a pretty village perched upon the river, where the peasants were grouped by the roadside, selling Indian corn cobs, and cakes made of the same grain or of millet, to the passers-by. Everything was paid for regularly, and the property of the country people in Abasia has been scrupulously respected by the Turkish army during its passage through the country. Beyond this the road was more open and dry. and the occasional ravines were roueMv bridged. I found the arant paste encamped in a large plain near the village of Ertiscal. about 24 miles distant from Shemserrai. On the following morning they received the order to march for the Ingour. Two battalions of Chasseurs, commanded by Col Ballard, an officer in the Indian army and one of the heroes of Sillistria. led the way, followed by f,000 infantry and artillerv. the whole being under the command of Abdi Pasha The main body of these troops halted at about an hour's distance from the river, while the Chasseurs with two field pieces and two battalions of infantry, took up a position on a large plain, separated from the river by a belt of wood, about half a mile in width. On the following morning I rode down to the river to reconnoitre. The Ingour is one of the principal streams which enter the Black Sea upon its eastern shore, and it is the boundary of Abasia (or, more properly speaking, of Samoursachan, which forms part of Prince Michael's territory) and Mingrelia rising in the snowy Caucasus, it winds through the densely wooded country which extends from the base of the range to the sea, and debouches at Anaklia. Creeping past our outposts and approaching the bank of the river, as if stalking deer, 1 was enabled to see across the river and to follow the line of stockades erected among the trees upon the opposite bank, behind which appeared of the headsnurnbers of Russian soldiers andJMingrelian militia. At one point there was a tabia (intrenchment) where 30 or 4') were grouped together at others they were posted at regular distances behind the stockades or am'd the thick brushwood. In the afternoon a dropping shot or two informed us that we had been perceived by the enemy, and a company of Rifles was marched down for a little Minie practice. On the 3d. desultory firing of this sort was pretty brisk, and the utmost caution was required in reconnoitering. The sharp "ping" of the Minie was snre to follow any im- prudent exposure. There was only one casualty, however during the day-a young Abasian, a nephew of Prince Michael, was wounded in the leg. The bed of the river at this point averages about 200 yards in breadth, but there is very little water in it at present, and large stony islands intersect it in every direction. The two branches at which it is most easily fordable are about 30 yards broad each, and are supposed not o be more than knee-deep. The wood upon the opposite bank i* so dense, however, and so blocked up with felled timber and«tockades, that any attempt to cross will be attended with considerable difficulty. In the course of the afternoon Omar Pasha arrived and in- spected the position him-elf Yesterday his Highness again rode over the ground, and ordered two batteries to be constructed to command the passage of the river, and which should at the same time enfilade a great portion of the opposite bank. These were constructed last night with great success. Although right untler the enemy's batteries the working parties were not dis- covered before dawn, when the batteries were almost completed, and cnly one man was killed by the fire which was opened upon them* The strengh of the enemy is estimated at about 1*2,000, of which half are regular troops, the remainder Mingrelian militia- We have no positive information as to the number of guns which are mounted on the fortress of Ruchi, which is situate upon the opposite bank. The denseness of the foliage prev. nts our seeing this fort, but there is a picturesque old ruin Brar it behind which some of the Russian tents are visible In many places the opposite bank is flat, and nowhere do their banks seem to exceed 100 feet in height. We have been most fortunate in our weather. I have not seen a cloud for a month. All the troops that were struggling through the woods a week ago have arrived, and are in excellent heart and spiri's, have unbounded confidence in their commander, and. from the anxiety they manifest to cross the river, entertain no dbnbt of success. To-day the firing on both sides is a good deal more lively. 6 P.M. The order h"s just come that all fires and lights in tents are to be put out, which invokes mv closing this and going to Led,when other people are going to dress for dinner. There is a report that we are likely to be on the move to morrow morning. If so, we may expect some hot work The passage will probably be attempted at a fori) about two miles lower down the river than our present position, while the batteries which we have re- cently constructed here will occupy the attention of the eaemv. HEAD QUARTERS, Nov. 7. The energy with which Omar Pasha has pushed forward opera'ions his met with a glorious reward, in the utter defeat of the Russians, and the successful passage of the Ingour yesterday evenin?, after a short but bloody battle. In the morning the order came for the Hoops to get under arms immediately, and at 11 o'clock a.m. we crossed one branch of the river, about, two miles lower down, without opposition. We now found ourselves upin an island five or six miles long and about two miles broad, across which the troops marched. Three battalions of Rifles under Colonel Ball-ird, was sent forward to line the woods, t'.irouzh which we advanced by a nairow path. About we reached a large field of Indian corn, and heard the II:ties aotlv engaged with the enemy in a thick wood in our front. The Russians were soon driven from this across the liver, anl opened a tremendous fire from behind a battery upon toe wood, of which the Rifles had now taken possession. Meantime, as the leading coiumns of the Turkish army showed itself upon the plain, a batterv consisting of five guns opened upon them, which was speedily replied to by our artillery. A. path was forme un lei rover of a steep bank, under which the infantry advanced to the support of the Rifles in th" wood, who had been sustaining and replying in the most deter- mined manner t > the tremendous fire which the enemy had been concentrating ujion them. Sufficient credit cannot be given to the gallantry of Colonel Ballard, whose steadiness and courage were infused into those under his command, and contributed largely to the successful issue of the affair. VVhue this was the position of affairs opposite the batteiy, I Jrnar Pasha detached Osman Pasha with six 1 attiilior.s to a ford which had been discovered about a mile and a half lower down the river. Here they found themselves warmly received by the enemy, drawn up in force upon the opposite bank. Notwithstanding the velocity of the current and the depth of the water, the Turkish troops, after firing a volley, dashed across the river in the face of a murderous fire, and in splendid style drove the Russians into the woods behind, at the point of the bay "net. At aloiost the same moment, Colonel Sinimonds, at the head of two battalions of in- fantry, and three companies of Rifles, crossed the river in front of the fort, an assaulted it under a murderous fire. Here his Aide-dc-Camp, Captain Dymock, was killed while gallantly chirking at the head of his battalion, while a Russian column which attacked them in flank, was promptly met by the column under Colonel Simmonds at the point of the bayonet an completely routed, This decided the day. The Russians evacuated the battery in the utmost confusion, leaving five guns and ammunition waggoTIs in our hands, besides about fifty pr soners. The ground was strewn with killed and wounded; their loss must have been very great though so many escaped into the woods to die, th.it it is difficult to form any just esti- mate. Uuwards of 300 have already been found, among which were the bedies "f eight officers and two colonels I coun'ed 22 horses lying dead in one heap. Gui own loss amounts lo 40 ) killed and wounded, ot wlnca about 100 were killed. The Rifles alone lost 26 men and to wounded. The English officers concerned in this affair all behaved Tnost iv and of five attached to the army three had horses shot under them, and one was killed. There can be no doubt ti.at this victory will exercise a most important influence upon the population of Mingrelia. A great portion of the troops opposed to us were Min- grelians, with no very strong Russian propensities and when they find that victory has declared for the Turks, and that, the power of resistance of the Russians, upon which they calculated so largely, has availed them so little, they wiii probably disper.-e to their homes, if they do not actualU change their colours. Of the force which was opposed '-O us a very oort^gt cstitnate cannot be formed, but from the have received it cannot have been tar short o! 10, >00, of which 4,000 were Mingrelians and the rest regular troops. ° The Russian armv is now in fuU retreat upon Kutais whither I trust that we may speedily follow thetn This victory has put rur troops into excellent spirit, and made them more confident than ever (it that was possible) in the lucky star of their General. We have just heard from Skenda Pasha, who was left in charge of the bat- teries opposite to the fortress of Ruchi, that the Russians have abandoned their position there, and that the troops under his command have crossed.

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