The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1897-04-30
TERRIFIC FIGHTING.
NUMEROUS BATTLES BETWEEN
THE GREEKS AND TURKS.
Two Battle Grounds ON tho Eastern and
Western Ends of the ThessaIian
FrontIer-Greeks Driven From Lar
issa-Turks Defeated In Epirus.


The fighting between the Grecian
and Turkish armies on the Thessalian
frontier has been of a character to
hold the breathless attention of the
whole world. Undoubtedly when Tur-
key started the ARRAY she thought she
could overcome all the forces Greece
could muster with great ease, but she
has found herself greatly mistaken.
The first great battle at Milouna pass
when the Greeks, with a much smaller
force and less advantageous positions
than the Turks, held the pass for two
days before retreating. was followed
by n heavy Turkish defeat at Mt. An
alipsis. The Greeks however retired
toward their headquarters at Larissa
and took up their positions at Revcni,
/ Tyrnavo and over minor points be-
tween the plains of Larissa and Da-
mast. For three days the battles ragged
right royalty about these places the
! Greeks astonishing their opponents by
their stubborn stands against greatly
superior numbers and their ferocious
assaults upon seemingly unassailable
Turkish positions Then il was that
Edhem Pasha appealed to the Turkish
government for 1000 more troops.
A peculiar and incomprehensible
feature of the fighting at Tyrnavo and
Reveni was that when the Greeks at
various points CALAMITY repealed the
Turkish army and followed up their
successes, orders were invariably re-
ceived compelling them to stop just
short of the complete occupation of
the conquered positions. These orders
in many cases involved the abandon
ment of the fruits of much fighting
with heavy loss and the spectacle was
repeatedly witnessed of victorious
force retiring to its old positions. The
result of this was that the Greeks fl
nally were compelled to retire from
their positions and retreat upon Lar
issa, the headquarters of the Greek
army
Then came the most serious blow the
Greek arms had yet sustained. Dis
patches from Athens say: Larissa has
been completely evacuated by the
Greeks, who spiked their guns in posi-
ton and carried away all of the NOV
able cannon and munitions of war.
The wounded remain at Larissa under
the protection of the Red Cross flag.
The news created considerable excite
ment at Athens.
Later dispatches say that, after a
most desperate battle at Matt the
Greeks were outnumbered, reiterated
with heavy loss, abandoned Tyrnavo
| and Larissa and removed their head
quarters to PharSala, a small town
90 miles due south of Larissa. AL
though it is said the Greeks carried off
all their guns from Tyrnavo and Lar
issa, and also destroyed the provisions
at both places, they could not trans
port the guns to Pharsala. 1t is re-
ported on good authority that the re-
treat was very disorderly and that the
column of Gen Smolnetz was in great
peril but finally reached Pharsala in
safety. Ex-Minister Rail-, who was at
Larissa, has returned To Athens and
placed the responsibility for the Greek
reverses upon the staff of Crown Prince
Constantine. Ralli denounced their
fighting tactics and declared that the
sudden abandonment of Tyrnavo and
Larissa was due to their cowardice and
incapacity. These charges created
great excitement at Athens and re-
suited in King George recalling the
staff and appoin ting Ralli and three OF
his nominees to replace them. King
George also announces his intention OF
going to the front. The Greeks
will make a firm stand at Pharsala,
which is a far stronger defense than
the frontier. But should it become
necessary to abandon that position a
final stand will be made 20 miles south
in the Othris mountains, ut the famous
pass of Thermopylae.
Greeks Victorious In Epirus.
While this disaster was being visited
upon the Greek troops in Thessaly
Gen. Manos with a force of 5000
Greeks had marched from Arta through
Epirus and continually drove the Turk,
before then toward Janina which place
is now practically in state of seigs
and is expected to fall into Greel
hands. Pentepigadia an importan
| luTklSn SJEOuRuOlu near JdHlud hd'
been captured after ferocious battle
AS a result of the Greek successes
the Albanian battalions of the Turk
ish troops have mutinied and threater
to join the Greeks. Constantinople ad
wees acknowledge that the news from
Epirus is serious. A Greek division
defeated the Turks at Fillipiada, an,
is con tinuing its march on Janina, nea
, which place strong Turkish force i
gathered, and an important battle viii
most likely be fought. The Greel
, government has decided to send tn,
force of engineers and gendarmes jus
, organized TO Epirus instead of Thes
, sally. The government considers tn
, troops already in Thessaly sufficient t.
maintain the position at Pharsala
while IL is regarded as highly impor
} tant 10 support Col. Manosin his marcel
on Janina.
Another view of the contest favora