The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-06
READY FOR Big BATTLE.
Turks and Greeks Stand Face to
Face at Pharsalos. ..4...
THE CONFLICT AT VELBsTINO.

TURKS Claim That They Were Not Re-
pulsed, but Were Merely Reconnoi
Observation-Disclosures of Lnrissa De-
nounce the Greek Commander.
Athens. May GA dispatch from the
front says that the Turkish forces. at
noon yesterday, were drawn up In bat
tie array on the plain of Pharsalos fac
ing the Greek army, numbering $4,000
men. 1t is expected here that a gen.
eral engagement between the opposing
forces has commenced.
The Greek feet has captured at the
entrance Of the Gulf of Salonica
schooner in which Sir Ellis Ashmead
Bartlett. the Anglo-American member
of parliament recently visited the
Turks. The vessel will be taken to the
Piraeus for examination. 1t is reported
that documents of a seriously COM
promising character were found on the
schooner These will be turned over
to the government.
Dispatches from Larissa say that
two batteries of howtzers arrived
there Monday evening from Elassona,
and IA battalions of infantry, four
squadrons of cavalry and four bat
teries of artillery have been sent to
reinforce the Turkish troops 11ghtins
at Velestino. The victory of the Turks
seems assured The prisoners taken
report that the population, including
that of Volo, is disposed to submit, and
from various sources 1t Is learned that
the Greeks are badly demoralized and
discontented with the crown prince
and his officers.
The soldiers who were wounded In
the first engagement at Velestino are
now coming in to the hospitals OF
Larissa. The latter are well organized
with the materials which the Greek
abandoned.
The inhabitants of Iarissn denounce
the commander of the Greek troops,
and even accuse him of treason They
hope for an carly Intervention on the
part of the powers in order to prevent
the complete ruin of the country.
1t Is stated at Larissa that the crown
prince of Greece ordered Larissa to be
burned previous to evacuating the
place, but 1t is said there was no time
to carry out his instructions.
The Turks claim that the fighting
which has taken place at Velestino
and in which they are said to have
been repulsed, was merely a recon-
noisance in forces, and its object, that
Of finding out the strength of the
enemy, being achieved the officers had
the utmost difficulty in inducing the
meu to retire. They were Obliged, II
is claimed, to threaten them, and even
then they could not prevent the Turks.
in defiance. from singing during the
withdrawal, the men declaring they
were challenging the Greeks and per.
sisting in singing in order to secure,
IL possible, renewal of the fighting.
There was a striking feature in last
Fridays cavalry charge. Colonel NAH
moud Bey was fired upon by Greek
officer, who sent four bullets from his
revolver in the direction Of the Turkish
officer. Mahmoud Bey then galloped
ahead of his men, and with one fierce
blow with his sword completely sew
cred the Greek officers head from his
body.
The heat at Larissa is tremendous,
but the troops are suffering without
any complaint, and the doctors are
greatly impressed with the wonderful
vitality of the wounded Turks. One
Turkish soldier who was shot In the
stomach remained in the ranks and |
afterward walked ten miles. Another
Turkish soldier who was wounded |
twice in the legs and once in the
shoulder continued attending to his
duties for "a hours, until an officer no.
ticed his condition and ordered him to
the hospital.