The Bulgarians Retreat.

New York Times 100 years ago today, November 21, 1912:
Leave Advanced Positions at Tchatalja and Turks Reoccupy Them.
Special Cable to The New York Times.
Dispatch to The London Times.
    ON THE TCHATALJA LINES, Nov. 20.— Since this morning only the Turkish guns have been firing. It is clear that the Bulgarians have evacuated the positions facing the Hamidiyeh group of forts. The Turks followed the retreating enemy with their artillery, which has a longer range.
    I cannot understand the Bulgarians' operations as seen from this front. Their withdrawal may possibly be a feint, but if this is the case why did they make such strenuous efforts to entrench themselves?
    Is it conceivable that the Bulgarians believed the sensational stories of the retreat from Lule-Burgas published by emotional correspondents who never saw the Turks in action at all? Did the Bulgarians imagine they would arrive at Tchatalja and find the road to Constantinople open? Or have the Bulgarian Generals orders to make a demonstration without seriously committing their troops, in consequence of the negotiations?
    Again it may be that they want to draw an attack by the Turks and bring on an engagement in which they hope to obtain the advantage by superior mobility. I must admit that I do not understand it.
    I have just returned from Mahmud Pasha's lines, where the Turks have massed such considerable strength that it looks as though they would be able to resist indefinitely any attempt on the part of the Bulgarians to approach them if the enemy's forward movement continues to be as sketchy as it has been during the last three days.
    The Bulgarians have retired to the hills in the immediate vicinity of Tchatalja. The Turkish infantry have once more occupied the villages in the plain facing the Hamidiyeh position as far as Izzeddin.
    Whatever may be the importance of this movement, it has acted like a strong tonic on the spirit of the troops and is making them forget the Bulgarian shrapnel at Lule-Burgas.
    A fresh division of good troops arrived at Hademkeui this morning, and as they marched in they loudly cheered the Commander in Chief, whose headquarters are situated in that village.