Georgia Troops led by Commander Kvinitadze Seize Ardagan

The Georgian Messenger, N9, May the Fourth, 1919

The Capture of Ardagan

(From the report of the commander of the Georgian forces General Kvinitadze.)

Pressing back the enemy during the 18-th and 19-th of April, the forces under my command drove him back on the heights of the mountain chain which lies to the south of the line Kiarkaban-Orchas.  On the 20-th of April the troops by a dashing attack drove him from these heights. The retreat was so precipitate that the opposing forces had not even time to occupy the fortifications on the left bank of the Kura at Ardagan. In the Chaul pass more than 100 shells were captured. The retreating enemy burnt the bridgesacross the Kura, but we were able to save the burning bridge at Firkhel and repair it. This allowed throwing part of our troops over on the right bank of the Kura. In the meantime the enemy retreated along the right bank of the Kura, and occupied this part of Ardagan fortifications: being unable to withstand our attacks, the retreated in the direction of Olty and Kars. During the pursuit advance parties of the 6^th regiment captured one gun with 19 boxes of shells on the Olty road, while in the fort of Gaz-Tanakh we captured 4 heavy howitzers with a large quantity of shells. In Ardagan a large quantity of grain and forage was captured. Our losses are not yet ascertained. The enemy suffered heavily.