all now call
him General, Williams shut himself up in Kars. The Turkish pashas
immediately conspired together to neglect him, to refuse succours
military or material, and by leaving Kars to fall into the hands of the
Russians, bring discredit upon the foreign general, and deter the sultan
from committing commands or positions of authority over the faithful to
infidel generals. The limits of this history do not allow of the detail
of the defence of Kars. It is one of the most remarkable and romantic in
history. So extraordinary was the capacity of General Williams that he
inspired confidence in the minds of the abject Turks, and ensured order
among the wild and predatory auxiliaries who came to the assistance of
his garrison. His exceeding sweetness of temper, urbanity of manner, and
ease and persuasiveness of address, enabled General Williams to secure
the support of the people of Kars, the wild Lazi, and his own little
band of noble British officers. He defended Kars without any European
troops whatever against the best general in the Russian service, and
one of the most noble and generous as well as her officers, Mouravieff. The
Russians were repulsed again and again by the townspeople and their rude
and undisciplined assistants from the country. The army of Mouravieff
was punished with appalling slaughter, and had food been sent to the
garrison, which the Turkish pashas could have effected, General Williams
would not only have saved Kars, but have driven the Russians back upon
the line of the Caucasus. Famine, however, conquered the heroic chief
and his devoted followers. The surrender of Kars became necessary, and
the famished garrison and its adored chief went forth prisoners to the
Russian camp. Severely as the besiegers had suffered, they used language
of unbounded admiration for the skill and gallantly of General Williams
and his officers, and for the devotion, endurance, and courage of their
followers.

While yet the struggle was going on in Kars, Omar Pasha, at the head
of a Turkish army, was dispatched to the northern shores of the Asiatic
coast of the Black Sea to create a diversion, and cause the siege of
Kars to be raised. In this undertaking Omar was not sincere. He, like
the other pashas, was jealous of Williams, and wished Kars to fall. Omar
landed, lost time wherever he could on any pretence make a stay, beat
his enemy to prove his own generalship, and took care to reap none of
the fruits of victory le