Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-05-08
PHARSALA FALLS.
After Bloody Battle the Greeks Are
Forced to Retreat.


After Bloody Battle the Greeks Are
Forced to Retreat.
The expected battle of Pharsala has
been fought and has resulted in Turk
ish victory. The correspondent of the
London Daily Mail, telegraphing from
Pharsala, describes the fighting as
follows:
yesterdays (Wednesday's) battle
was most sublime as spectacle and
the most decisive of the entire war.
1t was not intended at the beginning
that the fight should be a regular
pitched engagement, but on the arri-
val of Edhem Pasha ut the outposts a
furious firing began.
The weather was cool and the sky
was cloudy after thunderstorm. The
village of Pharsala could be seen, hud-
died, as it were, under line of low
peaked hills. Higher and around
about were black hills rising behind
the others, while between US and the
village ran the small stream known to
the ancients as the Raipeus, crossed
by bridge at the railway.
"Between the stream aud the village
were the Greeks, in excellent posi-
tions, we'll defended by earthworks.
Their advance line consisted of two
brigades and their reserve of two half
brigades; altogether about 10000 men.
Against these were $4,000 Turks.
"The artillery began the engage
ment, the Greek practice being much
better than usual; but after about two
hours they began to retire across the
river. This was a great mistake, as
they were thus enclosed between the
river and the mountains, with no
room to deploy.
"The sight was superb. In many
cases the Greeks fought with the cour-
age of despair. The great black masses,
forming the rear guard to hold the
brigade bridge, covered the whole rich
green plain. The endurance and dash
of the Turks were magnificent, too.
I reached the battlefield with regi-
ment whose men Immediately began
to run forward, dancing under fire, and
shouting like children when they saw
the enemy. The Greeks repulsed
them vigorously and followed up the
repulse.
"The Turks had formed semi-circle
of laundering batteries and cracking
battalions. The division on the ex-
treme right tried to cut off the retreat
to Domokos, while the remainder Of
the forces flung itself upon Pharsalas.
"The battle was but little like the
battle described in books. There was
no firing of volleys, no bayonet assault,
no rush, no cheering, but only steady,
leisurely advance into the open in per-
feet order. There was some individ-
ual firing, and the soldiers shouted
Allah Allah = till the constant repe-
tition swelled into one heavy monoto-
nous shout like the Hear! Hear of
the house of commons. I saw some
men suddenly fling up their hands and
fall face downward, but the Greek fire
in the main was ineffective.
"Before o'clock the last village
north of the river had been taken.
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
fall, the fanking division having es-
tablished itself behind the Greeks and
cut off the best line of retreat to
Athens"
The news of yesterday was to the
effect that at 8 o'clock, Thursday
morning, the Greeks began an orderly
retreat on Domokos, about six miles
distant. They had already sent their
cannon and baggage TO that point, and
when daylight came, the Turks, who
had been maneuvering all night with
a view to surrounding Pharsala, found
the city deserted. 1t is reported that
the Turks promptly butchered the
wounded Greeks who had been left in
the city. The report is that the
Greeks intend to try another battle at
Domokos.
A dispatch from Athens says that
the Greek government has been served
by the powers with joint note, call
ing upon it to cease hostilities, and
promising to undertake settlement
of the trouble on terms alike honora-
BILE to both countries. The Greeks,
however, have not signifed their in
tention to accept mediation.
The story is that the feet of the
powers will at once enter the port of
Athens and take possession of the city.
Although there are numerous reports
of further aggressive movements by
the Greek army, the probability is that
the war is pretty nearly at an end.
MEETING 0F MAYORS.
LARGE numher of mavors and in