The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-08

a War Correspondents Graphic Ac
count of the ROut of the Greeks.


count of the ROut of the Greeks.
| LONDON, May 8.-The Times prints the
following dispatch from Velestino, via
Athens: "The expected battle began at $50
yesterday morning Thursday at this point
and at the Cynoscephalae, and little later
| above Avail and Phersala. The positions
were as follows: Veestino and the main
| Cysnoscephalae chain-were held by the
| Greeks. The plain to the northwward and
the Grey Ridge jutting out between the
| Cynoscephalae and Velestino were held by
| the Turks. The Greeks had three batteries
of artillery and the Turks four. Early in
| the morning a well-diretcted Greek artil-
| lery fire prevented the advance of the Turk
| ish infantry. BY 1870 the artillery firing
was very heavy on both sides. but each
| maintained its position. AT 1890 Turkish
| battery behind Koniari began firging shrap-
| rel and the Greeks soon began to lose
ground. A hot artillery and musketry fu-
| sillade was kept UP until about noon when
the Greeks on the big hill began to retire
in orderly fashion, but at double quick.
The Turks were not firing at them, and
were apparently ignorant of their success.
The irregulars tried in vain to assist the
Greeks by firing at the advancing Turks;
and in fact throughout the engagement
|
"At 12:45 p. m. the Turks attacked the big
hill with musketry and shell fire. 1 and an
other correspondent received a volley, and
five shells very close to u.s. besides the
sharpnel whistling overhead. Several shots
reached the road beyond, designed proba-
bly, to prevent the Turks from sending re-
Inducements to their left, where the Turks
were rapidly ascending the hill. The Greek
batteries on the right were now useless and
almost silent, and the Turks on the La
rlssa ROAD made no attempt to capture
them. AT AS p. m. the attack on the right
of the Cynoscephalae became severe The
Greeks there were in full retreat, the ir-
regulars fleeing in all directions. AT 2
o'clock the long line of Greek infantry was
retreating, the skirmishers forming into
| companies and then falling into single file.
Il hear that the retreat from the Cypo-
scephalae began somewhat carrier and the
| retreat from Phersala toward Domokos
earlier still. Despair was doubtless run
ming down the line from left to right and
influencing the result. The railway was
completely abandoned and the Pyrouphli
Station deserted. At o'clock the Evzones
retreated on Alkitsi and the remainder of
the eastern infantry to Almyros The
Turks burned the village of Deltitis
During the morning the foreign legion
entered the engagements, probably be-
tween Phersala and Aixzali. The Turks
were seen to have driven back the Greeks
along the line extending from Phersala to
Avail, turning the flank of the Velestino
division at the Cynoscephelae and rolling
up the Greeks into two retreating masses
THE Turks won chiefly because they had
field guns, whereas the Greeks had only
mountain guns. The former also showed
their tactical superiority by making strong,
attacks near the Cynoscephalae, where the
Greeks were weak and without artillery.
Two of the chief Turkish batteries were
outside the Greek range and the Turks
seemed to have good sheltering rifle pits
The Greek infantry stood their ground well
under a heavy fire, especially along the
center of the line of rifles. Many shells
burst around them and overhead. General
! smolenskts right wing was much stronger
and could easily have held it's position had
not the left collapsed.
THE Greeks at Domokos and Almyros
will probably join forces at Lamia and go
together by a new road to Mustapha Bev
Pass, where the next big battle should oc-
cur though / am officially informed that
a stand will be made at Domokos. Their
mopylae will doubtless be left to the fleet
The CynoscephGlae was the main strategic
point of the battle. The number of cas-
ualties is unknown, but in the early part of
the day it appeared to be small"
A dispatch to the Daily Telegraph from
Volo, dated Thursday. says: "rrhe battle
| Of Velestino was renewed at this morning
General Smolensh has sent reinforcements
to protect his left wing, owing to events
at Phersala, and hence the disparity be-
tween the Greeks and the Turks was in
| creased, the latter being greatly superior
in guns, infantry and cavalry. osman