Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1860-08-04

as promised, to Damascus. For nearly
W, ek they were put off with some pretext
or o,her, until. on The sixth day after their
being disarmed during which time the
Tutkish soldiers had prevented any OF
the IN from leaving the precincts OF the Se-
raglo, two Druse shieks OF great inia
ence arrived, and had conference OF sew
eral hours with the Turkish commander
of the troops. No sooner was this con-
ference ended than the Christians observ.
ed tha! the harem (wives, women and
children, as well as The property OF the
commander, were removed from the Sera-
Clio. and that the Turkish soldiers also re-
moved their baggage outside.
Suspecting ireachery, many OF the
christians tried to escape from The place,
but were prevented by the bayoDets OF the
troops, while their women and children
were ordered and compeIledto TO remove 10
the large upper chambers Of the building,
the men being forced 10 reman below.
By this time il was known that many
hundreds of armed Druses were close TO
The town. The troops had hardly made
the aforesaid arrangements when the Dru-
ses were admitted into the seraglio, and
rushed like hungry tigers upon the un-
armed mob in the courty ard. No man
was spared. In ten minutes the very
stones were inch deepn human blood.
No bulchery ever known in history
equalled This in ferociiy and cOwardlce.
In half an hour upwarde Of thousand
strong men were hacked 10 death. Some
few tried again 10 escape, but were driven
back by the bavonets of the Turkish sol.
diers Irregular troops, moi Bashibazonks) }
and The Druses had their revel OF blood
undistub bed mothers, wives. daughters
md young children Witnessing from above
Ilhe massacre OF their relatives. | could
enter into more delalls, but Sicken al the
; task.
Would to Heaven that il were fable
or dream! In the slaughter, some few
hid in out-of.the-way chambers, Others es.
capped notice from being heaped over by
the dead, and these, by Gods mercy,
managed to escape in the night. and
wandered down to the coast, where one
Ali Bey. Metuai chief, protected them
and so TO Tyre, where they took ship 10
Beirout, and arrived here on Saturday
evening, the 18th inst. OF the fate of The
women and children, nothing is certain
but, from wha, is known Of Turkish sol.
Jiers, il is feared that The state of the for
mer will be worse than death. OF the
Protestant community, not man escaped
but more than one Of The Greek Christian
refugees bear witness how they met their
tate, exhoriing others 10 turn 10 the Sa-
n viour, and TO pray TO Him in their last
+; hour.
] But have not yet done. Let me now
y relate the fall of Rasheiya, another village
] situated near the foot of Hermon, and
0 containing population Of 1000 Chris
l;ans. In this place the Christians were
$ unable 10 repel the Druses who attacked
them. They tried to take refuge within
; the enclosure of the barracks, but were
driven back by the bayonets of the Tur
kish troops. who even fired upon them.
0 About third escaped towards the coast
during the night of ihe rest, neither
man, woman, nor child now lives. BE.
tween Sidon. Hasbeya. Rasheiya, and
the Christians murdered in trying 10 es-
cape from Dabeiya 10 Beirout along The
coast. Turkish troops and Turkish Off
cials have 10 account 10 Christian Europe
for the cold blooded murder OF more than
2, 900 OF our co-religionisis.