KAFFIR WAR.—There was an invasion of the Kaffirs, or Caffres, in the vicinity of Grahamstown, Cape of Good Hope, in October, 1831. The invaders fell upon the settlers, murdered them, burnt their houses, destroyed their crops, and carried off their cattle; this irruption was eventually suppressed by the colonial authorities. Other, but slighter annoyances to the colonists took place occasionally, up to December, 1850, when Sir Harry Smith, the then Governor, proclaimed martial law, and ordered the colonists to rise en masse for the defence of the frontier; the Kaffirs had previously defeated the British troops, and had committed many murderous forays on the villages. Then followed several disastrous operations in the Water Kloof, and Colonel Fordyce and several officers and men of the 74th Regiment were killed, November 6th, 1847. Captain Oldham, and others, had just before this fallen into an ambuscade and been killed. The wreck of the Birkenhead with re-enforcements from England, took place February 26th, 1852. General Cathcart, at last, on the 20th December, 1852, attacked them with 2000 British troops at Berea, where they numbered 6000 cavalry. In this action Captain Tanner and 38 men were killed, and two other officers and 15 men wounded. The Kaffirs suffered severely, and at last were obliged to sue for peace. KALITSCH, BATTLE OF.—Fought, February 13th, 1813, between the Saxons, under the French General Regnier, and the Russians under Winzingerode. An obstinate engagement in which the French were defeated, with the loss of 2000 killed and some thousands taken prisoners.
KALUNGA, FORT.—In the East Indies.—Unsuccessfully attacked by the East India Company’s forces, and General Gillespie killed, October 31st, 1814. Again unsuccessfully attacked, November 25th, following, and evacuated by the Nepaulese on the 30th November, 1814.
KARS, THE BATTLE OF THE HEIGHTS OF.—“On the 29th September, 1855, about 3.30 A.M., the Russians were seen advancing up the Shorak valley in dense masses, but in what order could not then, on account of the darkness, be ascertained. Our troops were in a moment under arms, and at their posts. General Kmety, with one battalion of infantry and seven companies of chasseurs, was stationed in Sheshanegee[174] Tabia; Major Teesdale, with one battalion of infantry, in Yuksek Tabia; and Hussein Pacha, with the Arabistan Corps, in Tahmasb Tabia, where he was soon joined by Kerim Pacha, the second in command of the army. Bashi-bazouks were also dispersed throughout the different works, and the Laz held a small work called Yarem Ai Tabia, in front of Yuksek Tabia. General Kmety was the first to open fire with round-shot on the advancing battalions of the enemy; he was immediately answered by two guns placed in position on a height forming the north-west boundary of the Shorak valley. In a few minutes the whole visible force of the Russians charged up the hill with loud cries; they were received with a terrific fire of grape and musketry, which mowed down whole ranks at every volley. General Kmety’s position was attacked by eight battalions of the enemy; they advanced very gallantly to within five paces of the work, when so heavy a fire was opened on the head of the column that the whole corps wavered, halted, then turned, and fled down the hill in the greatest confusion, leaving 850 dead. They did not renew the attack there.
Tahmasb Tabia bore the brunt of the battle; about 16 battalions, with many guns, were brought up against it, but its garrison was undaunted, and for a long time the Russians could not even get possession of the breast-work forming the left wing of that battery; but, at length, an overwhelming force obliged the Turks to retire within the redoubt. A scene of carnage now ensued perfectly terrible to behold. As the Russians came over the brow of the hill within the breastwork, to take the battery in rear, Tchim and Tek Tabias and Fort Lake opened on them with 24-pound shot, which tore through their ranks, but they did not seem to heed this. They charged Tahmasb Tabia, which was one sheet of fire, over and over again, and so resolute were their assaults that many of the Russian officers were killed in the battery, but they could not succeed in carrying it.
General Kmety, after having repulsed the Russians, went forward with four companies of chasseurs to Yuksek Tabia, which was sorely pressed. Major Teesdale pointed out a battalion of Russian chasseurs which lay hidden behind Yarem Ai Tabia (this work having been abandoned by the Laz at the commencement of the battle), and begged that they might be dislodged. The General at once determined to carry the battery; so, forming up his men, he charged and drove the Russians down the hill; leaving a company to defend the work, he returned to Yuksek Tabia, from whence perceiving a battalion of the enemy trying to turn the right wing[175] of Tahmasb Tabia, he reinforced his corps with three companies from Major Teesdale, and charged the Russians; here, too, he was successful. In the meantime reinforcements were sent up from below; these formed behind the tents of the reserve, and watched their opportunity in attacking the Russian columns, when driven back from an assault on the batteries. For seven hours this went on; reserve after reserve of the enemy was brought forward, but only to meet death. Nothing could shake the firmness of our troops, till at length the Russians, wearied and dispirited, at eleven A.M., turned and fled down the hills in a confused mass, not one single company keeping its ranks. The army was followed in its flight by the townspeople and Bashi-bazouks, who brought down hundreds as they fled. While the infantry were engaged in this conflict, the Cossacks tried to penetrate into the tents of the reserve, but they were soon driven back by the townspeople and infantry reserves with heavy loss.
One battalion of Russian infantry attempted to march round the position, and take a small battery situated in a commanding position on the road leading to a village called Tchakmak. It commenced its march in splendid order, but ere it went 600 yards it was broken and in great disorder, and so terrified, that fifty or sixty of our chasseurs drove the broken mass down the Tchakmak valley like a flock of sheep. The cause of the terror was the terrible fire opened upon it by Yuksek Tabia, the guns of Sheshanegee Tabia and Fort Lake.
A column of eight battalions, with 16 guns and three regiments of cavalry, attacked the English lines at half-past five A.M. This line of fortification was at the time very weakly garrisoned; the breastwork was carried in a few minutes, the batteries Teesdale, Thompson, and Zohrah, successively fell into the enemy’s hands, and the men who formed their garrisons retired into Williams Pacha Tabia. The Russians then brought up their artillery into position in front of Zohrab Tabia, and began firing upon Fort Lake and shelling the town, but Fort Lake (under the able superintendence of the gallant officer whose name it bears), Arab Tabia, and Karadagh, opened so heavy a fire on them with 24 pounders, that they were compelled to withdraw their artillery altogether. The Russian infantry then charged Williams Pacha Tabia, but were repulsed by a flanking fire from Fort Lake and a severe fire of musketry from the defenders of the battery attacked. They retired into Zohrab Tabia, re-formed, and again assaulted; a body of their chasseurs was at the same time sent forward to within 500 yards of Fort Lake, to take a small open[176] work called Churchill Tabia, which was doing the enemy without the lines much harm. This was occupied by two companies of our chasseurs: they turned to receive the attack of the enemy; and, after retiring a short distance halted, and kept the Russians at bay. While this was going on, Captain Thompson, who had charge of the batteries of Karadagh and Arab Tabia, sent over the 5th regiment of infantry from Arab Tabia to retake the English Tabias of Teesdale and Thompson, and from below two battalions of the 2nd regiment came up to recapture Zohrab Tabia. The forces commenced the attack together from each end of the line, and drove the Russians out of the forts and breastworks at the point of the bayonet. Once out of the lines, they did not attempt to retake them. Unfortunately the enemy had time, while in possession of the batteries, to take away five guns, and to spike three, but they abandoned three of the captured guns at a short distance from the redoubts, so that we only lost two. As the enemy retreated our long guns again played on their columns, and they retired as speedily as possible.
Some cavalry attempted to engage the battery above the village of Tchakmak, but again the terrible guns of Fort Lake drove them off. By 10.30 A.M. the English Tabias were silent.
Such was the dreadful battle of “The Heights of Kars.” This is but a very lame account of the glorious fight. I have not the time to enter into greater details, but it will give an idea of what our men did and had to endure. The forces of the enemy exceeded 30,000, while ours, engaged, were below 8000. Not one of our men had tasted anything since the previous afternoon; hungry and thirsty, they remained undaunted, and repulsed column after column of the Russians; at last their heroism was rewarded with perhaps the most brilliant victory that has been gained during this war.
The field of battle was a sight too horrible ever to be forgotten by me; the dead lay in vast heaps in every direction around the forts—the ditches were full of mutilated bodies—the tents were torn to rags—arms, clothes, broken ammunition-boxes lay strewed about. Upwards of 6000 Russians fell, and more than 4000 muskets have been collected, and 150 prisoners taken. The total loss to the enemy in killed and wounded must have been very near, if not more than, 15,000. Several Generals were killed or wounded; amongst the former, reports say, General Breumer, the second in command; and General Baklanoff, who commanded the attack on Canly Tabia on the 7th of last August. Thousands of carts have been sent to Gumri (Alexandropoli) with wounded.
[177]
Our list of casualties is but small, about 1000 in killed and wounded. Dr. Sandwith, the Inspector of Hospitals, had made his arrangements, and, thanks to his abilities, the hospitals are in good order.
For this great victory, Turkey has to thank General Williams; during the past four months his exertions to get things into order have been astonishing; night and day he has laboured. He has had many and great obstacles to overcome, but nothing could break his energy. On the memorable 29th he directed the movements of the troops; the reinforcements always reached their appointed position in time. The great results of the day prove how well his operations were conceived.
The loss inflicted on the enemy fully shows how well the positions of the redoubts were chosen by Colonel Lake. All the batteries flanked each other, and the Russians were unable to bring up guns to command any of our positions. The troops kiss the batteries, and say that the Miralai Bey (Colonel) was “Chok akill” (very wise) when he made them work.
Captain Thompson aided greatly in recapturing the English lines. He directed, by order, the guns of Arab Tabia and Karadagh, and sent the troops over to attack the Russians.
Major Teesdale was in the hottest fire, and acted with great coolness and bravery. He is the admiration of the Turks. He showed them how English officers behave in battle.
All the Turkish officers did their duty nobly. Kerim Pacha was slightly wounded, and had two horses killed under him; Hussein Pacha was hit; two Colonels, and many other officers, were killed.”
Another account thus graphically describes the fall of Kars:—
“Omer Pacha, gradually overcoming the difficulties of that deficiency in transports found himself at the head of about 15,000 troops in Abasia, a good many of these being his own trustworthy veterans. He had gradually edged them down towards redoubt Kaleh, which he fixed on as his basis of operations. On the 30th Shemserai was secured, and, having driven in the Russian outposts from Sogdidi and endeavoured to open relations with Schamyl, while conciliating the Princess Dalian and the Christian population in his own neighbourhood, he moved inland in a south-eastern direction. But, owing to the difficulties of the country, which is an entanglement of woods interspersed with very rich but neglected farm lands, and owing still more to the precariousness and uncertainty of any supplies from the inhabitants, his progress was extremely slow. He did all that lay in his power, purchasing[178] provisions in every direction, and organizing, as his principal resource, a regular commissariat at Redoubt Kaleh. The river Phasis, which flows from the Caucasus to the Euxine, is navigable for nearly a hundred miles from the sea; and he had hoped to have availed himself of this cha............