Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-01-10
The Cretan Wharf.-The Convent Trag.
edy.

persons-men, women and Chlldren-at
the Convent of Arcadia, in Gambia,
rattle. than surrender to the Turks,
blew , the bull ling which was likely to
fall into the hands Of their enemies, and
sacrifice their lives and those of some
1000 of their besIegers but there is no
longer any reason to disbelieve the story.
The Convent was very ancient one, and
had been famous for its inequalities FOR
many generations. So noted was it in
this respect that it stood unmolested
through many wars-Pagan invaders even
respecting it and its reputation, On the
18th of last November it was invaded by
an army of 10000 Turks, commanded by
Mustapha Pasha. The inmates at the
time numbered $40 men, women and
children. About 1877 were men capable
ofbearing arms, viz; So Monks, Greek
volunteers and l3l Cretans. No assault
was made for some days. \ letter from
Athens in the New York Herald gives
the particulars of the tragedy which ultI-
mately occurred:
"Upon the morning of the 10Th the
Pasha summoned the Cretans to surrender,
and upon their refusal Immediately began
the Commandment. In the afternoon
Turkish messengers reached Rethymnos
requiring fresh artillery, men and NUM-
tons; and all that still remained in the
town were at once sent on, SO that on the
2lst twenty-siX heavy guns and two NOR
tars were playing on the convent. The
siege continued unnteruptedIy two DAYS
and nights, when, breach being effected,
the Turks entered the convent court, and
the Greeks continued firing upon them
from the cells. But this lncessant fire
terminated by putting most of the fire
arms of the Christians out Of order;
many of their number had also been killed
and wounded.
The remainder - men, women and
children-thtn assembled in hall, under
the leadership of Father Gabriel, the Su-
perlor of the convent and determined to
blow up the building. The powder was
deposited in the cellar. A young monk
twenty wears of age, Emanuel T. Coulus,
applied the match, and the bulk Of the
convent was Immediately blown into the
air. Thirty-nine men and sixty women
and children, most of them wounded, who
were in the wing that remained intact, sur
vived the catastrophe. The greater part
of these are reported to have been mas
sacred. The Turks applied lighted
torches to the faces Of the wounded
stretched upon the ground, to see which
of them still lived, and then despatched
them. The large and beautiful church Of
the convent was not shattered by the eX-
plosion. The Turks rushed into it to pill
lage the wealth accumulated for ages, and
afterward set fire to the building.
The Turkish wounded began to arrive at
Bethvmnos and the adjacent towns on the
ODD. The hospitals being insufficient to
accommodate the number, private houses
were transformed into intirmarles. The
number of two thousend Turks killed by
the explosion, stated previously, Is below
the truth. The bodies of insurgents in
the other parts of the department fastened
to the aid of the besieged as soon as they
heard of the attack but Mustapha Pasha
detached troops to meet them and hold
them in check"
The Turkish official account Of the above
affair is as follows;
'Before investing the place the In
perial Commissioner offered an amnesty tC
those within the walls on their making
their submission and laying down then
arms but confdlng in the strength Of the
walls, the number Of the garrison, and the
ampI" supply of provisions and ammuni
ton, these offers were rejected. The as
saut Of the monastery was impeded by Z
tower INSTRUCTED to defend the approach
of the great building, and from this towel
and the loopholes in the walls II heavy hr'
was kept up on the imperial troops. TIL,
tower was reduced to ruins, breach wa
opened in the wall of the monastery, anC
the storming party sprang forward tt
force an entrance into the principal court
As the men mounted the breach, the gar
rison set fire to their mines. The head o
the attacking column was shaken and fel
back for moment but as soon as th
falling stones and smoke cleared away, tn
troops were rallied by their officers an,
rushed forward to complete the conques
of the place In short time sever
struggle rendered them masters of tb
whole building. One of the mines for
tunately burst upward and expended it
force in the air. Another burst inwar
and inflicted severe loss on the rebel
themselves. The attack lasted all day
From 500 to 600 rebels fell, and the mem
bers of the insurgent Assembly of tn
province, as well as the Abbot of tn
monastry, were among the killed. Forty
two insurgents were taken prisoners, an
ninety women and children were found /
the magazines of the building"
Three rough fellows sought a
introduction to Senator Wade at Ne'
Orleans, and told him they had Away
been rebels and would always be rebel:
as they were honest 10 their belief of th