New-York tribune., 1867-02-08
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.
CRETE.


, HEROIC RESISTANCE OF THE CRETANs-MovEMENTs
or THE EIIIGERENTs-sUCCESsEs OF THE
Observation-Disclosures CONDUCT or THE TURKS
From Our Special Correspondent 49,. r r ,oe7
Even those who knew the obstinacy of the Cretan
character and remembered all the resoute struggles
for liberty through which fortune has Knocked them
had not expected 80 enduring and uncompromising
Resistance as the islanders have made Since the 18th
of August series of expeditions formidable as the
Ottoman Empire could put afloat or ashore, have
hammered away one after the other at the different
etrongh0lds-60,0O 900 troops against population, all
told of 10000 disciplined and wel-equipped troops,
with fleet to bring supplies and blockade the island
hospitals and walled cities to retire to- against peo
ple who have nothing OF all these Things
, which make equipment, no resources 10
fall back upon after their present supplies
ore exhausted bad arms and organization muster
ing at no time more than 1900 5000 men, and rare
y more than 800 charged with their wives and chill
dren and seeing those die slowly under the cold and
hunger of this terrible position no hope OF diplomacy
little in humanity, but much in liberty, and always
keeping that faith which, in the Greek mind, becomes
sunerstition il is trie but still faith and looks to
the God of Christianity well they can compre-
hend him; in brief, 10000 men, with every modern
advantage of warlike resource against barely 5000
men capable of carrying arms, and often destitute
O.
for the force Of 900 men in he Jeld and penned into
an island that the above sentence would
make a better blockade for them than that
which exists how there could be a resistance
of even one month must ever be incOmpre-
hensible and yet to-day the troops are diminished by
half without having gained o point they can
keep if they should meet reverse with their
main force tomorrow. 1t is as II IN the
beginning of your war million and half OF
disciplined men with English muskets and rifled ar
Aery had been launched against the South, and ac-
complished nothing ! mean in military sense. be-
cause is not to be forgotten that Slavery was behind
the nsurTecon in case, and Liberty in the other,
aud that is what accounts for the milk in the
nut.
After the affair of Arkadi the Turkish army tenn
porarly crippled and unable to undertake any new
movements fen back Retmo TO recruit, and after
a fortnight's delay was Teorganized for a new ex-
peditOn against selinos, the most obstinate and
beOus of all the districts, as its people the most
- warke. The army left here with about 5000 regu-
lars and 5000 or 5000 basbbazouks. At Alikiame,
a town at the foot Of the northeast slope Of the
White Mountains 10 OF II miles from here they met
the first resistance, a skiTmish with an advance
guard OF Greeks and from there to the first strong
! hold LakuS, they nearly week making their
way, though it is but three hours walk. The Gre
plateau in the White Mountains, where were their
depots At Karis, a little village near Lakus, the
Turks were badly repulsed but division being
ordered up from the central districts to flank their
position, the insurgents fell back on the defiles
themselves and finding the passage TO OmalO im-
practicable the Pasha moved along by the right to
gain the passages 10 Senos, which excessively diff
ficult il well defended The Cretans had about 5000
men on the ground, with reserves of nearly as much
more, who might come go as their families de-
manded. These would have been sufficient to hold
the passes against 5OOOO men, if they had been well
disrosed but unfortunately they had three heads,
the three Greek volunteer officers commanding the
divisions Of Helenes and directing all the military
operations having united to offer the strongest pos
sible resistance. But with their dissensions and
;ealousies no plan possible, and Mustapha, NOV
ing suddenly after three days Of rains which deluged
everything and killed his men by hundreds,
took the pass Of Phrouka by surprise, and after
sharp combat Of four five hours. and considerable