New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-07-13
The Ciyii war In SYRIA

i correspondent Of the Boston Traveller, writ
ing from Beirut Syria, under date of June O. gives
an account of the civil war now raging near that
vicinity. He says:
Druses and Christians numbering hundreds of
thousands, are now engaged IN wholesale murder,
arson and pllage, in which fiendish work they are
aided by Turks Moslems, Arabs and the people
known as the Metawalies.
From my window last week counted from 20
to 80 burning villages upon the mountain, few
miles from Beirut, from whence the flash of mus
kerry may easily be seen, and the yolleys heard
one after another in rapid succession. as they echo
through the valleys. The dying and the dead are
brought daily into the town in large numbers, and
the widows and the orphans may be seen in great
crowds weeping and wailing about the streets.
The barbarity OF this war is truly shocking.
Men. women and children are oFertaken while fee
ing for refuge aud without arms, and ruthlessly
slaughtered while praying for quarter.
The Christians have thus far suffered most terri
bly. Their villages have been burned, their crops
DESTROYED and great numbers have been brutally
murdered, while the Druses who are better war
riors and far more courageous are assisted by the
Turks mDsem and Metawaiies, and up to this time
have PRAYED successful.
The bloody war which is waged on both sides as a
war of extermination has its origin in religion and
political causes. The Christians and Drnses hate
each other with deadly hatred on account of the
differences in their religious falkland the Christ
ans hate the Druses with special hatred because
the Druses are in great many OF the mountain
Christian districts feuda chiefs and rulers the
Christian or Maronte and Greek Catholic villages.
| The more immediate causes of the war may be
traced to the fact that last summer ct Bait Mari
| quarrel arose, in which the Maronite Christians
were victorious, having repulsed the Druses, killing
forty or more, while their own loss was less thar
| one.third of that number. Although peace was
then declared, the Druses have since assassin
| ated every Christian who came in their way.
| This aroused the Christians. aud SO exasperated
| them that they made an attack upon several Druse
| villages. At first they were successful, but the
| Druses rallied under their warrior chiefs, and
burned every Maronite and Greek Christian village
within their reach. The provincial authorities pro
| nounced the invading party-.Ghe Christans--to be
rebels, aud the Governor General proceeded witt
all his available force to the mountains and brought
his cannon to bear upon the Christians. The Chris
tiaas are rallying for the fororn hope: for hey
fear that the Druses, thus aided, will endeavor Il
eStermnate them. This however, will not be al
easy matter, as the Maronite Greeks and the Greel
Catholics number about two hundred and fifty
| thousand.
The American missionaries in Mount Lebanon
have been greatly exposed, but as yet, have sui
ferad only Tor the want of provisions
r. Upon the breaking out of the war Mr.. Consu
johnson sent guards for their protection, and il
| some cases provisions. Some OF the families o
the Mission have come down 10 Beirut under al
\ escort furnished by the Consul, and others ar
| daily expected. No personal danger to the Amer
| leans III Mount Lebanon il appreheRded, as the.
are well known and well protected, but their worl
| is stopped by the war, their houses become asy
iums for the wounded and the fearfnl in fact the
| are crowded our By the people who seek their pro
j lection; for, wherever the American tag is seel
| waving on the honsetop, the people flock in grea
i numbers for admission.
The humanity shown by the Americans iH Reru