one after another the strongholds of the Dobrudscha yielded as soon as they were attacked,—in the same way after the fall of Akhaltsikh every place before which the Russians appeared capitulated at once and the invaders were left masters of the territory as far as the Saganlugh. Prince Tchertzevadze had been almost equally successful in Armenia, and an advance of the Pacha of Mush having been checked by the Russian garrison of Kars, at the end of September the invaders had finished the campaign and were unmolested. The results of these brilliant exploits of Paskewitch, effected though they were with so small an army, were by no means unimportant-5 fortresses, 313 pieces of cannon, 195 standards, and 8,000 prisoners had fallen into his hands within five months. He was master of the whole of the territory from the Georgian frontier as far as Saganlugh; in fact, when the winter set in, a small Russian army of about 15,000 men, with 34 guns, occupied a triangle of which Kars was the apex, and thus were in an admirable and secure position for an advance in the following spring.

It may be remarked that in addition to the movements of the centre column, which we have followed, there were also minor operations on the flanks, as before mentioned, on the coast of the Black Sea and in Armenia. These were just as successful as the movements of the main body, so that Count Paskewitch, while Persia remained neutral, had no reason to feel anxiety either respecting his actual position or as to his base of operations for the campaign of the following year.

CHAPTER VIII.

ASIATIC CAMPAIGN OF 1829.

Preparations of Turks for campaign-Threatening attitude of PersiaConsequent precautions of Paskewitch-Turkish attempt on Akhaltsikh-Successful defence and results-Letter of PaskewitchDefeat of Hadgi Pacha-Defeat of the Seraskier near Kainly-Retreat of Hadgi Pacha-Fall of Erzeroum-Check of the Russians at Khart-Final defeat of the Seraskier-Retreat of Russians-Conclusion of war--Remarks on campaign-Conditions of peace.

THE Asiatic campaign of 1829 commenced almost with the new year. So alarmed was the Sultan by the advance and successes of Paskewitch that he lost no time in putting forth all his energies to regain his lost territory and to reestablish the prestige of the Ottoman armies in Asia. His first step was to disgrace the leaders who had been defeated, pour encourager les autres.' The Seraskier, Halil Pacha, and his lieutenant, Kiossa Mahomet Pacha, alike shared this fate, and were replaced by Hadgi-Saleh, Pacha of Maidan, and Hagkhi Pacha of Sivaz, both of whom were supposed to be men of ability and energy.

These leaders at once commenced their preparations for the coming campaign; large depôts of provisions and ammunition were stored at Erzeroum and elsewhere; all

believers were summoned to the defence of the Crescent, their religious fanaticism and loyalty to the Sultan were appealed to with the most fervid proclamations, while at the same time—an unusual occurrence in Turkey—the sinews of war were not wanting, large sums of money being sent to the commanders from Constantinople, still further to intensify the sacred devotion of the Faithful to their supreme Leader. It was hoped that these preparations would enable two large armies to be set on foot by the commencement of spring. One of these, 80,000 strong, with 66 guns, was to assemble at the base of the Saganlugh and march on Kars and Akhaltsikh, while another, numbering 50,000 men and 50 guns, under the Pachas of Mush and Vann, was to attack the left flank of the Russians and penetrate into Armenia.

Before, however, these preparations could be carried out or perfected, an event occurred which precipitated matters. On February 12th, 1829, the Russian minister at the Persian Court was assassinated. It was supposed by both parties that this event, accidental although it might be, probably would be the forerunner of a Persian and Russian war; hence General Paskewitch had to dispose his troops so as to resist, if necessary, the advance of a Persian army on the left bank of the Araxes, while the Seraskier deemed that he might commence operations without further hesitation.

The first operation of the Mussulman army was directed against Akhaltsikh. This place was selected for

attack not only on account of the moral effect which the recapture of so important and renowned a fortress would produce on wavering allies, but also because it seemed more open to attack than Kars or some of the less important strongholds. Accordingly, Ahmed Bey with 15,000 men appeared before Akhaltsikh on February 18th, while simultaneously the Seraskier threatened Kars in order to distract the attention of Paskewitch. The latter, however, was not deceived; he not only reinforced the garrison of Akhaltsikh, but despatched as large a body of troops as he could spare to assist in relieving it. Notwithstanding this reinforcement the defenders only numbered 2,000 men, being commanded by Prince Bebutoff, whose name has ever since been handed down with honour throughout the annals of Russian history. The attack and defence of the fortress were equally determined and brilliant. The outer town was carried at once, and the citadel was nearly lost owing to the presence of some houses near its walls which had not been levelled, and which the Turks occupied. Finally, on the morning of March 16th, when the besieged were at the last extremity, signs were seen of a retreat on the part of the investing army. Prince Bebutoff immediately sallied out to pursue them, and about two o'clock in the afternoon was met by the head of the Russian columns under General Burtsdorff, who had been sent to raise the siege. Akhaltsikh was saved, and with it the hardly-won results of the last campaign.

The successful defence of this fortress had an immense

moral effect favourable to the armies of the Czar throughout Asia, just as its fall would probably have been the first cause of their ultimate defeat and ruin. The Shah, on hearing the news of the Muscovite success, immediately changed his policy, suspended his warlike preparations, and forwarded to St. Petersburg the assurances of his devoted attachment to the Emperor Nicholas. A letter of exhortation addressed at this time by Paskewitch to Abbas Mirza, and quoted by Fonton, is peculiarly interesting to Englishmen, as indicating that, although nominally allies, even in those days there existed between the Russian and English Governments that antagonism of interests and feelings which of late years has unhappily been so strongly developed. He says, 'Ne comptez pas ni sur les promesses des Anglais ni sur les assertions des Turcs. Les Anglais ne vous défendront pas ; leur politique n'a en vue que les intérêts de leurs possessions dans les Indes. Nous pouvons conquérir en Asie un royaume et personne ne s'en inquiètera. En Europe chaque pouce de terrain peut donner lieu á des guerres sanglantes; la Turquie est nécessaire à l'équilibre européen; mais les puissances de l'Europe ne regardent pas qui gouverne la Perse.'

The events of the last fifty years have proved most forcibly the truth of Paskewitch's remarks. Russia has acquired ranges of territory in Asia equal in extent to half-a-dozen European kingdoms, and except an accidental protest the result of the extreme inquisitiveness of some