The New York Times/1916/11/22/Victory Heartens Serbs
VICTORY HEARTENS SERBS.
Col. Vassitch, Ill at Front, Wanted to Go to Monastir if Only to Die.
Special Cable to The New York Times.ATHENS, Nov. 20, (Dispatch to The London Daily Chronicle.)—The great victory at Monastir already has had far-reaching results. The enemy is in disorderly retreat along the whole left front, abandoning dead and wounded and enormous quantities of material, and the still advancing Serbs are emphasizing the thorough nature of their triumph.
Beyond the Cerna on its right bank the veteran Voivode Stephanovitch has, during recent days, achieved the capture of Dobropolje, Vet, Kukurus, and Sbornik heights and is now driving the semi-demoralized army of the enemy without halt or rest towards the river. His forces ought, in the matter of hours, to be threatening the exit from the famous Babuna defiles. His left wing has carried Groudissta and is advancing along the hills on the right bank of the Cerna. Statarovina has also fallen, while his centre is advancing along the Germaine road from Veterinik and should now be before Vebsko near the Cerna.
Inside the Cerna loop Voivode Mishitchis’s First Army is sweeping successfully onward, having taken Bernik, north of Iven, and Jarotak. But the finest triumph, just reported as I write this dispatch, is the capture of Hill 1,378 in the upper Morichovo Mountains. Thus a grip on Mount Seletchka was secured and as a result the Serb forces dominate the route to Prilep, which will greatly hasten the enemy’s retreat.
On the left the Third Serb Army under General Vassitch—the name is not to be confounded with that of the gallant Colonel Vassitch, defender of Babuna and Monastir last year—is quickly clearing the foe out of the mountainous regions east of Monastir with the aid of the French and Russians. The enemy, then, are retreating hastily along the whole line and at midnight comes news that the Serb advanced forces are within a few hours of Prilep.
All reports agree that the enemy’s losses must be enormous. For example, two regiments sent to reinforce the troops defending Hill 1,212 were in two hours slaughtered to a man.
The great triumph has been received by the Serb Army with pathetic joy. “Now,” said an officer who has just come here from the front, “we have a home again.”
He told me a story of Colonel Vassitch. The invalid Colonel took Monastir from the Turks just over four years ago. He, as all the world knows, held on to Babuna with 4,000 men last November against vastly superior enemy forces. He had a reputation with his men of always being first into the enemy’s position. Though ill, he is with the forces at the front, and a day or two ago, when it was suggested that he should go to the hospital, he replied: “No; only let me enter Monastir, if it be but to die there.”