“If there are any troops in the town determined to defend it, you will not easily take possession, unless by its destruction, a measure not justifiable for the object in view.
“The steamer will clear the environs of the Egyptians, and the troops may be landed to cover your proceedings in the distribution of arms.
“The country is open for the use of the enemy’s cavalry.
“I plainly foresee that in all operations on shore, wherever there is any fighting, the brunt of the whole will fall on the marines, as you will see tomorrow.
“Your’s, &c.,
“Robert Stopford.”
“P.S. I will direct Wasp to go with Thunderer.”
I left things in this state on the evening of the 23rd, and finding that no further communication had been made by the Albanian chief on our front, I directed General Jochmus to descend into the valley of the Dog River with three Turkish battalions, move up the valley, and take the road leading to the heights of Ornagacuan on the enemy’s left. Another battalion crossed the bridge near the mouth of the river, and occupied the heights on the opposite side, to watch the Beyrout road, and cover a battalion of marines and the Austrian rocketeers who crossed higher up, and advanced on the enemy’s front. The Albanians, afraid of being cut off from the road leading to Boharsof, and not liking the appearance of the marines in their front, moved to their right, and gained the heights of Ornagacuan, occupying a strong position above the road by which General Jochmus was advancing. The Turks, moved with great rapidity and gallantry.
General Jochmus, the chief of the staff, accompanied by my aide-de-camp, Lieut. Bradley, put himself at the head of the skirmishers, and was followed by Selim Pacha, leading a Turkish battalion. The mountaineers also joined, and were not the last in advancing. The enemy’s skirmishers were driven in, and the main body, consisting of about seven hundred men, after firing two volleys, retired by the road of Boharsof; the Turks followed them up with great vigour, made three or four hundred prisoners, and dispersed the rest. This first success gave confidence to the Sultan’s troops, and opened the whole district of the Kata, and enabled us to arm many of the mountaineers of that province. Our loss was only an officer wounded, and two men killed.
“Sir,