‘Russo-Turkish War, 1877. Operations in Asia.’ [‎47v] (28/42)

98
and bivouacked at about 7 p.m. At the same time a flanking column of
5 battalions and some cavalry marched by the Chat or easternmost road across
the mountains. The Djeli—Gedik road attains a height of 6,200 feet near
Halias; it was by this road that General Tergukasotf retired in the previous
June, and it had been greatly improved by the Russians, still, owing to the
exceptionally steep gradients and muddy subsoil, it was a formidable obstacle
to a retreating army encumbered with wheeled transport, especially in wet
weather.
On the 25th, the column marching again at about 1 a.m., found the road
all but impassable. AVith each gun, there were 500 infantry and extra relays
of horses, yet it took 8 hours to drag them a distance of little more than half
a mile near Kiurdali, and so difficult was the greater portion of this day’s march
that the artillery did not arrive at the camping ground near Halias, distant
about 11 miles, till the following night.
Snow fell continually, and marching for the strongest w r as no easy matter
under the circumstances; for the sick and exhausted it was in many cases
impossibe, and many a poor fellow was left to perish by the roadside, utterly
unable to stagger on a yard further.
In the afternoon the troops prepared to bivouack near the memorable
heights of Halias, where Tergukasoff’s advance had been checked in the early
summer; the baggage was some three miles ahead at the village of Henkilias,
but on a report being received that Cossacks had been seen in the neighbour
hood, it was ordered back to Halias and Henkilias occupied by a detachment of
cavalry.
On this day the cavalry of General Heimann occupied Milliduz, its
further advance having been checked on the previous day near Zewin by
Mukhtar Pacha’s timely attack, the news of which reached Ismail Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
this afternoon ; consequently it was reasonably concluded at the head
quarters of the latter that the retreat of the right wing, or its junction
with Mukhtar Pasha’s force, was now secure, unless the Russians were in force
at Milliduz, which fortunately for the Turks was not the case. Still up to the
actual hour of marching on the 26th, it was understood that the column w ould
avoid the Delibaba defile and reach Kieupri-keui by a circuitous road over
the mountains.
By 5 a.m. on the 26th, the baggage train was moving towards the defile (6
miles from Henkilias, and 9 or 10 miles from Halias) followed at 7 a.m. by the
infantry and artillery; this portion of the road was good, and by 1 p.m. the
baggage and ammunition train had cleared the defile, and by 2 p.m. was
parked in the plain beneath awaiting orders. It was shortly afterwards
followed by the artillery and infantry. Thus the retreat had not been practically
interfered with by General Tergukasoft’s cavalry since the affair near Mussin
on the 19th.
The cavalry of General Heimann’s advanced guard on this day pushed
forward from Milliduz to Zewin, and occupied the ford over the Araxes, near
Maoudjikh, with a detachment, but the retreat of Ismail Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. was in no way
interfered with.
This was continued in the afternoon and by midnight the greater part of the
baggage train had arrived at Kieupri-keui; it was followed next morning by
the artillery and infantry, the whole force reaching Kieupri-keui by 3 p.m. on
the 27th where it now joined the force under Mukhtar Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. .
Had the Russian cavalry been more enterprising, they might have
seriously interfered with the retreat of the baggage train near Delibaba on
the 26th, or if not there, certainly during the subsequent march to Kieupri-
keui. The flanking column on the Chat road might, it may be said, have
prevented the approach of the Russian cavalry near Delibaba, but the column,
some 10 miles in length, in subsequently moving over the plain, undoubtedly
invited attack, and though the infantry soldiers who led a number of horses
throughout the line, might have made a show of resistance, they were much too
few and too exhausted to repel the assaults of cavalry at different points, and
a few squadrons would have thrown the whole column into irretrievable con
fusion and disorder.
Whatever the shortcommings of Ismail Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. may have hitherto been as a
general, it must now only fairly be allowed that he had proved himself of