TNT History Mini-Series: Islamic Army of the Caucasus in Dagestan (1918)/Part X

//Ed. Note: The battle for Tarki Mountain, as the last
impediment to the IAC/NCC in its quest to take Petrovsk,
(today's Makhachkala) went back and forth in the first 
week of November 1918.  The battle was fought in 
terrible conditions and losses on both sides were heavy. 

And all this came a week after the Great War had ended 
for the Ottoman Empire, with the punitive Mondros 
Armistice, signed with the Allies on 30 October.//

Athough initially the Dagestan Detachment, under the command of 

Kemal Bey who was a member of Akif Bey’s group, which joined the

attack on the left flank of the Division, was successful, the strong 

enemy counterattack forced them to retreat.  At 1 o’clock, the enemy

launched a counterattack on hill 1579, which Nuri Bey’s regiment had

taken, prompting a fierce battle all along the front.  The big guns of 

the two warships and the long-range battery south of the Petrovsk 

electric company continually pounded the Ağaç Ağil valley and the 

center of the front.

Tarki Mountain was the site of the IAC/NCC's
final battle in its Dagestan expedition.

At 1330 hours, Nuri Bey’s regiment began to retreat under the effect

of the enemy counterattacks with additional forces and scattered into

the valley.  Four officers from Ye107 T1 were wounded and just 40

soldiers remained healthy.  Subsequently, the enemy counterattack 

was turned toward Ye56, which had seized  the Tarki Mountain pass.

The heroic battalion, after spending its last bullets and bombs and 

after the deaths of two company commanders and valued soldiers, 

retreated in an anxious mood toward Ağaç Ağil.  This retreat allowed

the enemy to occupy the pass location and the line between there and 

hill 1579.  The enemy then rained fire down on our retreating troops, 

resulting is severe losses.  With the retreat of Nuri Bey’s regiment on the

right and 56 T2 on the left, Ye56 T1 was left surrounded by the enemy 

but despite this horrible situation, did not abandon its position.

We mounted a counterattack to rescue Ye56 T2 and take back the crest 

line.  At a quarter past 2, Ye38 T2’s machine gun company attacked 

toward the pass.  Ye38 T3 had already been sent toward Tarki so the 

Division was left with only Ye38 T1 in reserve.

With a counterattack by the 38th Regiment toward sunset the pass was 

retaken.   Ye38, on the right, and Ye56 on the left,  spent the night of 5/6 

November at the crest line.  Hill 1579, on Ye38’s right flank, was 

occupied by the enemy.  By working the entire night, the regiment was

assembled and sent for an counterattack on 1579.  Prior to dawn, this 

too was retaken and the situation rectified.

The terrain on which this fighting took place had no roads for vehicles 

or even animals, for that matter.  So food and ammunition resupply and 

removal of the wounded could only be accomplished under the harshest 

conditions that defy description.  The ammunition boxes, the wounded 

and food were all carried on the backs of soldiers.  On this night, like 

last night, there was no sleep.  The troops had climbed, attacked, 

scattered and counterattacked continually for 36 hours.  In short, they 

were exhausted by the tides of battle. 


                       Railway Station Square, Petrovsk

The Battle of Petrovsk on 5 November 1918 was the last battle in
Dagestan and the bloodiest.  The troops and commanders fought with
superhuman sacrifice and competed with each other in heroic acts. 
Everyone was thrown forward. The zealous Division General Staff
attacked on Tarki Mountain with hunters.

Akif Bey’s group retreated before sunset and did not return to its old 

position, nor was it able to launch another attack.  In fact, unfortunately,

the bulk of the assisting local forces were scattered as a result of their 

lack of success.

The mountain ‘obüs’ battery that the Islam Army sent from Baku 

arrived  on 6 November and was installed in the vicinity of the ‘kudretli’

battery’s position.   At 9 o’clock Ye38 T1, which was the Division’s 

reserve, came to the area of the pass and with great self-sacrifice move 

all of the Division’s ammunition 1 kilometer forward, securing Tarki 

Mountain more effectively. Ye107 T1, with only two healthy officers 

remaining, was made a Division reserve and organized into two 

companies.

The enemy, with many reinforcements, fiercely and desperately 

counterattacked against Ye38 at half past one and against Ye107 T2 at 

a quarter past three.  The attack on Y38 resulted in bloody losses and 

scattering.  Although at first Ye107 T3 pulled back 600 meters, it was 

able to retake its former position with the help of reserve forces that 

were sent  forward.  The enemy retreated toward Tarki village.

          Monument to Turkish war dead in the Caucasus. 

The enemy’s hopes were completely dashed, its lines in disorder and the

signs of fear began to show themself.  Toward sunset, a group of enemy 

soldiers could be seen fleeing in the direction of Petrovsk.

There was a cease-fire at sunset and the Division was able to sleep the 

night on Tarki Mountain in safety.  We were now masters of Petrovsk city

and its plain.  The enemy was 200-400 meters across from our Division’s

front.  Akif Bey’s group was not able to advance today. 

At 9 o’clock Yusuf İzzet Paşa issued the following order:

“The proposal from the leaders of the opposition that came from Petrovsk

has been deemed to be in conformity with the political situation of the 

North Caucasus government.  In accordance with a decision of the 

Republic’s government,  until further notice the attack is in abeyance.  

The positions are to be fortified and defended.  In the event that the 

enemy attacks, there will be a counterattack.”

On the morning of 7 November, the enemy completely vacated Tarki 

Mountain.  Nevertheless, in accordance with the Army’s order, the 

Division did not pursue the enemy.


       Memorial to the British soldiers who died at Baku.

//End of Part X//