The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-23 00:00:00

FALL. OF MISSOLONGIII.

On the 15th April the Greek fleet had an engagement with the
Turkish squadron. The combat was terrible ; the Greeks had the
advantage, yet it was not so decisive as to enable them entirely to
drive ■way the Turks and throw provisions iatn 1111%11013r%hi.
Aliaulis, therefore, waited fot fresh divisiors to renew the combat.
Ibrahim, wearied out by so many fruitless attacks, in which he
had sustained such severe losses, directed all his attention to prevent
the arrival of sui•plies sent in small vessels from Zaute.

On the pith all the COMMUllielliol,ll were cut of by means of
rafts and Hat-bottomed boats, armed with heavy artillery. From that
time the provisions which were at Petela and l'or:o Soro, could not
arrive ; the besieged, who maintained themselves only by meson Of
the few 'applies which they daily received, began to be in the moat
deplorable situation. On the 17th and Guth several women, children,
and old men, died of hunger. On the 19. h the evil increased. Not-
withstanding the horror' of this situation, nobody thought of cur.
rendering ; all will plias] their hopes on the fleet, but every ore
prepared to sacrifice his life. Several parts of the town were Relived
to receive the women, the children, and the aged, and every pre.
pnration was made to blow up tl.e place. On the 21st and 22d prayers
were performed, several parts of the town were undermined, and the
inhabitants determined that all those who should not be able to
make a sally, an well as the wounded, the women, and children,
should bury themselves by springing the mince.
On the 21st and 29l 111isulie axein au/muted the Turkish fleet;
but what could a number of little vessels do against six amps of
the line, eight or ten frigaree, and 100 other vessels, which had the
advantage of the wind ? All their effiwts were useless; it was lin-
possi'ale to get a reset!l laden with provisions into the town, and the
Greek fleet in vain lost its best vessels, exposed to the fire of the
large Turkish men of war. The unfortunate besieged, seeing their
last hopes vanish, thought only of executing their heroic project.
Every thing was prepared for the great sacrifice : the women and
children were 'laced over the mines. Some of the most intrepid
old men premiered to set fire .to the mines the moment the signal
should be given; the men whe were 8:ill able to carry arms resolved
to make a eally, to force their way through Ibrahim a artry, to join
their brethren, and revenge if poseibie„ the women and children
whom they abandoned to death. About 2,000 attempted to execute
this design ; 130 or 140 men remained in the town. and retired into a
house which they converted into a tonnes. On the 23ti, in the
evening, their departure hark place, and at the name moment the
frightful volcano blew tip the population, which was reduced to
11000 souls. The Turk., who knew the project of the unhappy
besieged, made a very great resistance to the sally of the Greeks.
A dreadful carnage took place, and at least the half of the sacred
battalion perished ; it is hoped. however, that about 7110 or 800 may I,
have gained the mountains. On the follosit.g day, the heroic town
and its inhabitants no longer existed. The Turks, on entering the I
town, found only ntin and dead bodies; however, the 130 men who I
had fortified themselves in the house defended themselves the whole
day, making a great carnage of the Egyptians. At length, exhaust-
ed by fatigue and want of food, they blew themselves up at the
moment tenet) the Turks were going to take them.
Almost every week, and since the sth of April, every day, English
vessels entered 3lissolonghi. Sir F. Adam, before his departure
for London, had interposed between the town and Ibrahim, and
had exerted all his efforts, as a private individual, to bring about a
capitulation. The inhabitants of Missolonghl had contented to
leave the town with their arms. luggage, &c. and with dtums
beatieg. Ibrahim refused ; he promised that property should be
respected and their lives spared, but he insisted that the whole garri-
son should be prisoners of war. Our heroes indignantly refused, and
declared they would blow themselves up. The English seeing that
liseolonghi was not tenable, and that it was impossible for the
Greek fleet to throw in supplies, made the greatest efforts to induce
Miuolunghi to surrender, but all was in vain.