476 
THE WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND TURKEY (PART II.) 
150th from the reserve, which he placed in rear of his left flank, 
Admiradjiboff advanced at 4 p.m. to the attack; the second range of 
the Tchoban Heights was stormed by a direct attack, and the enemy’s 
attention drawn to their front, while a battalion from the right flank 
pressed up the ravine and turned the Usun plateau. The battalions of 
the 73rd and 150th now pressed forward, and the Turks, fearing for 
their line of retreat, were forced to retire from the plateau, which move¬ 
ment ended in a disorderly flight. Mukhtar Pasha now drew off his troops 
from the centre and left of the position; Admiradjibofl and Bronevski 
had to halt on account of the darkness, but Amilochvaroff, followed by 
the 13th Grenadiers, pressed forward along the high road, in spite of 
the increasing darkness, took seven guns, and advanced so quickly 
that when the Turkish right wing began its retreat it found the road 
completely barred, and it was only after a two days* march over the 
ridges of the Palandoken Mountains, during which many of his 
battalions disbanded themselves, that Ismail Pasha reached Erzeroum, 
leaving his camp, his baggage, and all his artillery in the hands of the 
Russians. 
About 400 prisoners and 43 guns fell into the hands of the victors, 
whose loss was only 820 men. 
The Turkish troops, especially those of the centre and left wing, were 
completely demoralised by their previous retreat, their evidently bad 
leadership, the bad example of individual officers, and their hardships 
and sufferings, and fought very badly. 
The great demoralisation of the troops, and the reported unwilling¬ 
ness of the inhabitants of Erzeroum to undergo a siege, which still 
further discouraged the men, offered to the Russians a good opportunity 
for a coup de main against the city, on the night from the 9th to the 
10th November. This failed because the columns lost their way in the 
darkness, and only the isolated advanced guard (three battalions of 
the 153rd) succeeded in surprising Fort Azizie and taking 19 officers 
and 540 men prisoners. An overpowering attack forced them to retire 
with their prisoners next morning, the three battalions having lost 
632 men. 
General Heimann now established at first a partial and later a com¬ 
plete blockade of Erzeroum, as the severity of the winter prevented 
further active operations, while Mukhtar Pasha withdrew to Constanti¬ 
nople, leaving Ismail Pasha in command. To the close of the year the 
positions of the opposing forces round Erzeroum remained the same. 
The Blockade and Storming of Kars. 
Under the supreme command of the Grand Duke Michael, after 
Heimamr’s troops had left, Lazareff began the siege of Kars, which was 
strictly invested. 48 siege guns having arrived on the 4th November 
from Alexandropol, on the 5th he began the construction of 12 batteries 
against the east front, about 3000 metres distant from Ports Karadagh, 
Hafiz, and Khanli. A Turkish sortie to destroy these on the 5th was 
repulsed, and on the 11th the bombardment of the town and forts 
began. In spite of the heavy, uninterrupted, and most effectual fire^ 
