Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-07-10
correspondence of the Boston Traveller.
BEIRUT, Syria June 6. 1860

sloSARIEs sAFE-TURKlsH COMPLETELY.
Correspondence of the Boston TravelsrJ
Beirut, Syria. June 6, 1860.
SYRIA Is now the scene of one of the
most sanguinary conflicts ever enacted in
this land, which has ever been the battle
field of the old world, and Mount Lebanon
is now one vast funeral pile.
Druses and Christians, NUMBERING hun-
oreds OF thousands, are now engaged in
wholesale murder, arson and pillage, in
which tlendish work they are aided by Turks,
MosieWs, Arabs, and the people as the
Metdwaies
From my window last week counted
from twenty to thirty burning villages
upon the mountain few miles from
Beirut, from whence the fash of musketry
may easily be seen, and the vollcys heard
IN rapid succession, as they echo through
the valleys. The dying and the dead are
| brought daily into town in large numbers,
aud the widows and the orphans NAV be
seen In great crowds weeping and waiting
about the streets.
The bArbarity of this war is truly shock
ing. Men, women and children are over
taken while fleeing for refuge and without
arms, and ruthlessly slaughtered while
praying for quarter
The Christians have thus far suffered
most terribly. Their villages have been
burned, their crops destroyed, and great
numbers have been brutally murdered, the
Druses, who are better warriors and far
more courageous, are assisted by the Turks
MosIem and Metawlies, and up to this time
have proved successful.
The bloody war which is waged on both
CGfn~ rerTgrUus"u s"uuN pUItucNI causes. rne
Christians and DruseS hate each other with
a deadly hatred on account of the differ
ence in their religious faith-and the
Christians hate the Druses with special
hatred because the Druses are in great
many of tee mountain districts feudnl ru-
lers over the Christian or Mnronite and
Greek Catholic villages. The more i'm
mediate causes of the war may be traced
to the bloody feuds existing between Druse
ana Christian tribes, Last summer at
Bait Marri q quarrel arose which threat
eued to precipitnte IL war in which the
Maronte Christians were victorious, hav-
ing dispersed the Druses, killing forty or
more, while their own loss was less than
one third of that number. Although peace
was then declared, the Druses have since
assassinatcd every Christian who came in
their way, with an evident intention to
make the Maronite loss equal that of the
Druses. This aroused the Christians, and
so exasper0ted them that they made an
attack upon several Druso villages.
At first they were successful, but rely
ing upon their numbers, they neglected to
appoint leaders or to form any plan for the
caU:paign; consequently, the Druses rail-
lied under their warrior chiefs, and burned
every Maronite and Greek Christian viii
lage within their reach. The provincial au-
thorities pronounced the einvading party-the
Chrstians-to be rebels, and the Governor
| General proceeded with all his available
force to the mountains, and brought his
cannon to bear upon the Christians, check
ing them at every turn, while the Druses,
aided by their soldiery, carried on their
work of pillage and murder in q manner
shameful even to North American Indian.
Denounced as traitors and rebels, their
homes having been burned, their crops
destroyed, and in some cases their fami-
lies butchered the Christians are rallying
for the forlorn hope; for they feel that the
Druses, thus aided, will cndeavor to exter-
inmate them. This, however, will not be
an easy matter, as the Maronite Greeks
and Greek Catholics number about two
hundred and fifty thousand, and if, rs they
hope and daily expect, the European pow
ers come to their aid, they may not only
be saved, but greatly improve their condi-
tion, by being placed under the rule of a
European prince who may be placed over
the Government of Syria.
The American missionaries in Mount
Lebanon have been greatly exposed, bu:
as yet have suffered only for the want Of
provisions.
Upon the breaking out of the war Mr..
Consul johnson sent guards for their pro-
lection, and in some cases provisions. =
Some of the families of the Mission have
come down to Beirut under an escort
furnished by the Consul, and others are
daily expected. No personal danger to
the Americans in Mount Lebanon is ap-
pretended, as they are we'll known and
we'll protected, but their work is stopped
by the war, their houses become osylUms
for the wounded and the fearful; in fact
they are crowded out by the people who
seek their protection: for, wherever the
American flag is seen waving on the house,
top, the people flock in great numbers fol-
admission.
The humanity shown by the American:
in Beirut to the wounded, the homeless
and the starving refugees from the noun
tains will long be remembered by. the ma
tives of the country.
The American Mission premises arr
crowded day and night by women anc
children crying for bread, which they re
ceiYe with comfort and consolation from
the American missionaries
One of the largest of the Christian towns
Deirel Kenir, is now in a state Of siege
and great suffering is produced by ia
! want of provisions.