Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-05-09
SURRENDER OF THE ACRoPoLIS.

SURRENDER OF THE ACROPOLlS.
(aAn eve witness of the siege and surrender
of the Acropolis of Athens, held by the Turks
in the year 1912, has2published an account OF
those events, of which the following extracts is
part a.. A,,ono
lis increased, and despair began 10 creep into
the boldest heart The lower and poorer class
Of Turks wished to captulate; but the gran
dees rejected, with proud perseverance, TO the
last, every suggestion of surrender. They as
sured The people, at one time, that Choursit Pa
cha was approaching to their relief; at another
time, that the Captain Pacha had put to sea
with his feet, to come TO their assistance, some
proposed to kill ali their women, and to make
sally into the town, and thus to sell their lives
dearly. But one thing yet remained 10 be tried.
A large sum of money was offered to any one
that would attempt TO make, his way through
The Greeks, in order 10 inform Choursit Pacha
of the dreadful situation Of the Turks of Athens.
Two offered themselves for this hazardous en-
terprize; they got as far as Cassia, but there
they were arrested One of them was imme
diately killed, his head sent TO Athens, and
shown upon pole to the Turks; the other was
brought back to assure them, verbally, that
their last hope had fallen. Not moment was
TO be lost, for it had been ascertained that the
cis.erns had only water for three days longer
They asked for suspension Of hostilities; it
was granted. Two of their chiefs came from
the citadel, for the purpose of treating with the
Observation-Disclosures Aga, and Hassan Aga, the
first well known to the Greeks for his probity
and manly courage; the other considered as
very able negotiator They declared to the
IL. - n,
weary Of this bloody warfare, and although they
were enabled to hold out at least a month Ion
ger, (their being plenty OF provisions in the
citadel, and water enough for that time,) still
they fell disposed to put an end 10 this war,
which they had not begun, which, in the midst
Of tranquility and peace, had come unawares
upon them and the cause and origin OF which
they had always been at a loss TO find out
' Have we not lived Continued Hassan Aga for
centuries together in friendship and peace &
WHY then, this sudden rebellion, this sanguina-
~ war? If you have suffered wrongs, why did
YOU not complaint have we never given re-
dress? We have heard that you have taken up
arms for your faith. Who molested you for it?
have we ever forced YOU to embrace ours, and
was il not in our power for centuries to have
done it, Have we not all one God, and are we
not all his children Is it for his glory that you
have murdered so many of US, that our houses
are burnt, and that you take the fruit OF our
trees We have conquered this country, ii is
true, but not from you, from the Franks: and
were they better masters than WEI You have
had some success; but you have heard that
Turkey has persisted Let us make fair agree
ment.-These words flowed from the lips Of
the notwithstanding old man with much dig
ni,y and animation.
The 22d Of June was fixed for the surrender
of the fortress An immense number Of coun-
try people thronged, the evening before, into
the streets of Athens; and early at daybreak all
the avenues to the Acropolis were beset by the
crowd, to witness the glorious event. The sun
rose over the mountains Of Attica in magnii-
cent splendor-it was day suited to the trans
ports Of liberty. At 8 O'Clock the gates Of the
citadel opened, and the Disdar, with Mehmst
Aga appeared, TO deliver the arms into the
hands OF the Greek magistrates, who remained
outside the gate. After this was done, the
Greek magistrates and captains entered the
Acropolis under the immense shouting from
the people The Turkish flag was then taken
down from the wall, and Captain Panagi, the
chief commander at Athens, gave the first sig
nal, by a gun, that the Acropolis was in the
hands of the Greeks. But most dreadful &C.
cident threw a gloom over the transports of
the day. Captain Panagi, when about to dis
charge the second, Gin consequence of some
neglect or oversight, the gun going off on
sudden was thrown over the walls, and dashed
to pieces on the rocks.
The Turks, alter having got what belonged
TO them, according to the capitalization, were
brought down from the Acropolis, and lodged
in different houses, but the greater number oc.
eupied the Konaki, or the house of the wal
wode. About two thousand individuals, only
one thousand one hundred and forty had SUR
viyed the siege, and half Of these were almost
in dying state; the want Of water, the un.
wholesomeness Of that which they had got
from their cistens, having brought diseases
upon them.
As the Greeks had pledged themselves to send
the Turks in European vessels to Asia, the TO-
reign Consuls, and particularly the French con-
sui Fauvel; expressed wish, that this might be
done forthwith, as he apprehended that the
Turks were not out Of danger from the fury Of
the pOpulace. The Greek magistrates gave E.
vasive answers, and few days after the Con-
suls heard that direct breach OF the eapitula-
ton had already taken place, the Greeks having
taken in the night seven Turks Of distinction