no simple matter to transport a
defeated army, with its supplies, enormous guns, ammunition, and other
impedimenta, even with an efficient railway organization at its back.
It is comparatively easy, then, to imagine some of the difficulties
that confronted the Turkish command. From Erzerum to the nearest
railhead is something like 200 miles. A blinding snowstorm was raging
and the temperature was hovering around 25 degrees below zero. Few
roads, and those almost impassable at that season of the year, must
supply all the needs of scores of thousands of men and thousands of
animals, carts, trucks, guns, carriages, etc.

[Illustration: The Russian Advance on Turkey in Armenia.]

The retreat of the Turkish forces from Erzerum, resembling a rout in
its inevitable haste and confusion, had to be made in the face of a
victorious enemy and, menaced by superior forces on both flanks, under
terrific weather conditions and through roadless and highly broken
country. After a preliminary artillery bombardment of the Turkish
forts on the southeast front of the city, the Russian infantry began
to assault Fort Kara Gubek. Finally this was carried and then fell
in quick succession Forts Tafta and Chobandede, six miles south on the
commanding and important Deyer Boyum Heights. By February 15, 1916,
the Russians were masters of the city and fortress.

At first it was supposed in the allied countries that the Turkish army
had been trapped in the fortress and more or less authoritative
accounts spoke of the surrender of 180,000 Turkish troops. These
accounts were circumstantial enough. Several days before the news of
the fall of Erzerum came through there appeared stories of the
envelopment of the city. It soon became known, however, that less than
17,000 troops had been taken with the abandoned forts--merely a rear
guard left behind to delay the onward sweep of the Russians and give
the retreating Turkish army a chance to put a few miles between it and
its pursuers.

If the country to the west of Erzerum was rugged and difficult for the
retiring Turk, it also followed that it was not only difficult for the
pursuing Russians, but also offered many opportunities for a stern
resistance. Thus it was not astonishing to learn that the Russians had
little chance of following up their success at Erzerum. The Turkish
army, largely intact, made good its escape across Armenia, followed by
the troops of the Grand Duke Nicholas, much to the chagrin