Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1897-05-08
PHARSALAS.
The Battle the Most Decisive of
the Entire War.
The Greek Troops Fought With the
Courage of Despair.
The Turks Endurance and Dash Were
Magnificent-There Was No Firing of
volleys, No Bayonet Assaults. Buta
Leisurely Advance In Good Order.

CoNsTANTINoPLE, May 7.-Edhem
Pasha, the Turkish commander-in-chief
in Thessaly, has sent the following dis
patch to the ministry of war, dated
Thursday morning:
1.-THE Imperial army, while march
ing to Pharsalas met the enemy in the
village of Soubathi Souledji, Turco-
manli and Lamia. After a severe en-
gagement lasting 10 hours we dis
lodged them from their positions and
advanced to Pharsalas, which the I'm
perial army has just victoriously occu-
pied.
ATHENS, May 7.-Fighting is pro-
ceeding between the Turkish and
Greek force at Velestino 1t is pre-
sumed that the Turks, noticing that
Gen. Smolenski was preparing to re-
treat, attacked him in force The
Turks have burned two villages
LONDON, May THE Daily Nails
correspondent at Palias, under date of
Wednesday, says:
The Greek battalion Thursday at
tackled the Turks near Philippiada.
The Greeks fought we'll, but their am
munition was soon expended and they
were compelled to retire,
"Officers and men in Spirus are bit
terly displeased with the headquarters
staff, and lately the soldiers have been
plundering their compatriots, A very
unsatisfactory condition of things ex-
lists"
LONDON, May THE Daily Nails
correspondent with the Turkish forces
at Pharsalas, telegraphing Thursday
morning, says:
Wednesdays battle was the most
decisive of the entire war. 1t was not
intended at the beginning that the
, fight should be regular pitched en-
gagement, but on the arrival of Edhem
Pasha at the outposts furious firing
began.
THE weather was cool and the sky
somewhat cloudy after a thunder
storm. The village of Pharsalas could
be seen huddled, as it were, under a
line of low-peaked hills. Higher and
roundab bout were black hills rising be-
hind the others, while between us and
the village ran the small stream
known to the ancents as the Raipeus,
crossed by bridge at the railway.
Between the stream and the village
were the Greeks in an excellent posi-
ton we'll defended by earthworlls.
Their advance line consisted of two
brigades. and their reserve of two half
brigades, altogether about 90, 900 men.
AS against these were 80, 900 Turks.
The artillery began the engage
ment, the Greek practice being much
better than usual, but after about two
lnt 70 rnti
river. This was great mistake, as
they were thus inclosed between the
river and the mountains, with no room
| to deploy.
1.-The sight was supurb. In many
cases the Greeks fought with the cour-
age of despair. The great black
masses forming the rear guard to no Id
+ the bridge, covered the whole rich
green plain. The endurance and dash
/ of the Turks were magnificent, too l
reached the battlefield with a regi-
ment whose men began to run for
ward, dancing under fire, and shout
ing like children when they saw the
enemy. The Greeks repulsed them
vigorously and followed up the repulse.
The Turks had formed in semi
circle of laundering batteries and
cracking battalions. The division on
the extreme right tried to cut off the
retreat to Domokos, while the remain
der of the forces flung itself upon Par
salas
The battle was but little like the
battles described in books. There was
no firing of volleys, no bayonet as
sault, no rush, no cheering, but only
steady, leisurely advance into the open
in perfect order. There was some in
= dividual firing and the soldiers shouted
Allah till the constant repetition
= swelled into one monotonous shout.
saw some men suddenly fling up their
! hands and fall face downward, but
the Greek fire in the main was iuef-
fective.
'Before 3 o'clock the last village
, north of the river had been taken.
S Then the village OF Vasili and the en-
trenchments near the river were
stormed, with considerable loss to the
Turks, and the battle ceased at night
t fall, the fiarking division having es-
h tablished itself behind the Greeks and
cut off the best line of retreat to
Athens
ATHENS, May IA dispatch just re-
; ceived from Almyros announced that
t Gen. Smolenski's brigade arrived there
| Friday morning after having effected
retreat from Velestino in good order
ATHENS, May mo news has been
received of the whereabouts of Gen.
Smolenski, whose brigade of Greek
troops was last heard of as being en-
gagged with the Turks at Velestino, the
latter apparently attempting to pre-
vent him from retreating upon Volo or
Almyros. The government has or
dered the ironclad squadron to send
several torpedo boats to obtain news
of the missing brigade.
A panic prevails at Lamia, on the
Gulf of Lamia, which is now the base
Of supplies for the Greek forces al
Domokos. MANY of the inha bitan s