730 



TURKEY. 



them as enemies, shelled the fortress from 

 Widin. The fire was returned, and thus actual 

 warfare was begun between the Porte and its 

 vassal state. Prince Charles assumed the com- 

 mand of the Eoumanian army, which had been 

 increased by the calling-out of the militia and 

 the reserves. On May 8th, two Turkish moni- 

 tors, supported by the shore batteries at Ghia- 

 cet, opened a severe fire upon the Kussian bat- 

 teries at Braila, which replied vigorously. The 

 cannonade lasted three hours. Braila was un- 

 injured. All night there was great activity in 

 the Russian camp, showing that they were 

 about to assume the offensive. Early on the 

 following morning their batteries recommenced 

 cannonading Ghiacet. Later in the day a body 

 of Cossacks crossed the river and destroyed all 

 the works around the town. On May llth, the 

 Russian batteries at Braila succeeded in sink- 

 ing a Turkish monitor before that town. Can- 

 nonading continued during this time all along 

 the river. At Oltenitza the Russian batteries 

 bombarded the town of Turtukai on the oppo- 

 site bank, and succeeded in firing the town, 

 which was then abandoned by the Turks. The 

 forward movement of the Russian troops dur- 

 ing May continued very slowly. Large bodies 

 of them were massed at Giurgevo, opposite 

 Rustchuk, and were sent on to Simnitza. The 

 principal causes of the delay of the Russians 

 were the great difficulties of transportation en- 

 countered in Bulgaria. The roads in Roumania 

 were also in such a condition, brought on by 

 the incessant rains, that the troops could march 

 only under the greatest difficulties. 



One of the most daring deeds in the early 

 part of the war was performed on the Lower 

 Danube near Braila on the morning of May 25th. 

 A small detachment of Russian soldiers, com- 

 manded by Lieutenant Dubasheff, accompanied 

 by the commander of the Roumanian flotilla, 

 Major Murgescu, left the northern shore of 

 the Danube in a number of small boats, and 

 proceeded toward the point Petra Fetei, below 

 Matchin, and opposite Braila, at which point 

 there was stationed a large Turkish monitor. 

 The night was very dark, and they managed 

 to surround the monitor before being discov- 

 ered by the Turkish lookouts. When finally 

 observed by the sentries on board they were 

 challenged. Major Murgescu replied in Turk- 

 ish, " Friends." The Turks, evidently not sat- 

 isfied, commenced firing in the direction of 

 Matchin, not knowing where these boats came 

 from. The shots flew wide of their mark, and 

 did no damage to the men in the boats. Dur- 

 ing the firing several of the Russian soldiers 

 plunged into the water, swam silently to the 

 hull of the iron-clad vessel, and placed the dead- 

 ly torpedo in close contact with the bottom of 

 the monitor. After the destructive machine 

 had been securely fastened and the wires of an 

 electric battery accurately adjusted, the men 

 retired to the neighboring shore of the river, 

 and at half-past three in the morning the moni- 

 tor was blown into the air, with all the officers 



and crew. The town of Matchin opposite 

 which the action took place is situated on the 

 right or Bulgarian side of the Danube, distant 

 from Braila ten miles to the eastward. Being 

 a place of moderate strength, it was selected 

 by the Turks as the base of monitor operations 

 against Braila; but, owing to the uncertainty 

 attending the river-levels at this season, it has 

 been the point where the monitors took refuge 

 during a threatened subsidence. 



By June 3d the Russians had finally occupied 

 the chief positions on the Danube, and their 

 lines extended from Galatz to Kalafat. The 

 number of Russians was estimated at 240,000, 

 without counting the Roumanians or the re- 

 serves, who numbered 60,000 men. On June 

 6th, the Emperor Alexander arrived at Ployesh- 

 ti, and took up his headquarters at that place. 

 In the beginning of June, another attempt was 

 made, without success, by the Russians to sink 

 a Turkish monitor. 



At the same time that the Russians crossed 

 into Roumania, they also entered into Armenia, 

 the easternmost province of Turkey in Asia. 

 The scene of war is thus described by the In- 

 valide, the official organ of the Russian War 

 Department : 



The general character of the country bordering 

 upon our trans-Caucasian Provinces is that of a 

 mountainous land, of which the hills are high and 

 steep, but the valleys are wide, and favor military 

 movements. There are numerous carriage-roads, 

 but they are in a bad condition, especially in spring, 

 at the rainy season, and in autumn. They require 

 frequent repair. The principal roads connecting the 

 vilayet of Erzerum with our trans-Caucasian Prov- 

 inces are these : 1. From Alexandropol, three roads 

 lead to Ears by way of Arpa Chai, the border port. 

 Branching out from Molla Musa, one of these roads 

 proceeds to Tichnis and Hadji Vali ; the second to 

 KisilTchachuchach and Kuruk Dara; while the third 

 and most northerly goes to Mekus. Our troops 

 marched along the two former roads, these being 

 comparatively easy and passable at the time. The 

 last road to Mokus is well provided with grass.but 

 circuitous. The distance from Alexandropol to Ears 

 is 70 versts (1 verst = t English mile). 2. From the 

 Province of Erivan three roads lead to Bayazid. Of 

 these, two are carriage-roads, repaired by our Erivan 

 detachment in 1854, while the third is fit only for 

 horses. The first road goes from the village of Igdir 

 to the post of Orgoff, then ascends the Tchangil 

 ridge, and, passing by a fresh-water lake, reaches 

 the Kurd village of Kurabulach. Thence it proceeds 

 along the western side of the lake Baigel, crosses 

 the river Garnaux Tchai, and terminates at Bayazid. 

 The second road goes from the village of Tchachtche, 

 in the Province of Erivan, 20 versts northwest of the 

 Orgoff post, through the Pass of Karavan Serai, and 

 the valley of the Balik Tchai. It then makes for 

 Diadin, situate on the great transit road from Erze- 

 rum to Bayazid, and farther west reaches Bayazid. 

 This pass is not so high as the preceding one, hut 

 has no water at first ; at the rainy season, too, the 

 valley of the Balik Tchai becomes a swamp. The 

 third road is at present only for horses, put may 

 easily be made practicable for carriages. It is south 

 from our port of Abasgel, and, ascending the pass 

 of the same name, proceeds to the Monastery of 

 Surpu Oganes, west of Diadin. Bayazid is 135 versts 

 from a river. 3. From Akhaltzikh to Ardahan 

 there is but one carriage-road. It accompanies the 

 right bank of the river T)ozchoff Tchai, from the vil- 

 lage of Ker, ascends in zigzags the ridge Souk Pugar, 



