The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-21
BATTLE OF THE PASS
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGHT ny 4,
CORRESPONDENTS.
Turks and Greeks Alike Displayed
the Greatest Snlor, ContcstinE
Every Inch of Ground.

| New York April Gothic Journal this
morning publishes dispatch sent by the
special correspondent of the London Daily
Mail TO his paper from Miouna Pass, Thes-
sally. describing the Graeco- Turkish battle
The dispatch follows
| Milouna Pass. Thessaly, April is. 2 pm.
The bloody fight at this pass began last
evening at p. m. and is s,ll in progress.
| The battle has for its scene series Of
densely covered with brushwood aud 9TH
ers comparatively bare.
| The morning broke delightfully."- fine. the
sky cloudless and the sun pouring down a
genial heat At the base of the opposing
hills, stretched away into the far distance.
were two long lines o. smoke. showing
where the fight was in progress.
| Very early in the morning the Greeks
| with splendid bravery charged the Turks
and took possession of tho hlltops stretch
ing below the peaks The Turks, recover
| ing from their monetary check and
cheered' on by their officers who led their
men magnlfcently. charged the Greeks
with the cold steel. An awful scene OF
bloodshod and carnage ensued Through
my glasses / could SEQ struggling masses
of men. the CLINT Of steel as the bayonets
swept through the air, the flash OF re-
| volvers and the raised butt ends of rifles
doing their dreadful clubbing work. The
struggle was brief. though appalingy
deadly The Greeks fighting to the last
were swept back by the impetuous on
| slaught of the Turks. and the hiiltops
were again in the possession of the in
yader.
Toward n m. Marshal Edhem Pasna
advanced towards the fighting line with
five battalions OF the reserve. a strong
force of cavalry covered the TANKS OF the
infantry, who marched over tho yellow
fields with shouts of enthusiasm. Marshal
Edhem pasha took up his force face TO face
with the line OF hills to the left OF Mi
louna. which was where the Greeks werc in
| strongest force.
can not omit mentioning that the insr-
shall sat down on tho ground, Turkish fash
ion looking cool and unconcerned as
the most dislnterestcd OF the spectators.
Tho Greeks stu fought hard and the Turks
pressed them vigorously.
The arid slopes Of the hills We're whItcne1
with puffs of smoke as the duel progressed.
About O'Clock when the day, to my mind.
| seemed 10 have lasted a whole week, The
Turkish field artillery came into action
under the command of Ria Pasha.
Owing 10 the difficult nature of tho
ground RIaz could not approach the hills
which the Greeks were holding nearer than
| two miles and a half, hut At This great
range shells were dropped with The incest
precision Into places where the Greeks we're
the strongest.
For the time being all interest ',as con
| centrated upon the work Of Riaz Pashn' 3
guns. As shell after shell shrielsed through
tho air into tho hills three miles off, the
effect was evident.
Tho Greek rifle fire diminished. and |
| noticed as evidence of the tremendous de-
1
the shells that at many places In the Greek
position there WAS an absolute cessation of
firing after shell or two had dropped
The shells had either killed the Greeks or
driven them panic-srcken away.
AT 2:S0 o'clock the principal positions
on the Greek side had either been taken
by storm or evacuated.
One important hilltop alone remained in
possession of the Greeks. Al o'clock Ed
hem Pasha had practically taken the pass,
after heavy fighting, which, however.
slackened in intensity on the Greek side.
The Turkish army did tremendous execu-
cution during the latter stages of the bat
tie. firing with marvellous precision and
the most deadly effect. The Greeks per-
sistentlv and with splendid courage at
tackled three Turkish blockhouses. around
which the battle conferred. but We're IN
eaoh occasion steadily repulsei.
The Turkish rifle fire was very deadly.
attack on the blockhouses and fell
back sullenly into their entrenched posi-
ton. There they practically recommended
the fight. pouring hail OF bullets upon
the Turkish positions. However this re-
newal of the battle did not last very long.
and by degrees the fuslliade from both
dmins he'd
The Turkish troops are hall dead from
fatigue. having neither eaten nor slept for
twenty four hours. The reserve are lying
about ON the bare groSnd. most of them
fast asleep. The losses ON both sides are
unknown. but have reason TO believe the
Turkish losses are not heavy considering
the long rnd stubborn battle that had been
fought. j myself saw prone; inert forms
on the hillside in numbers lnat tod their
own tale OF terrible slaughter,
Keian Bey. an officer who fought in the
engagement at Karya. states that the de-
featod Greeks lost about 1000 Killed, while
he nuts the Turkish loss at 200.
Reinforcements Of Infantry, artillery and
oavalarv have reached here from Elassona
The ighting is extending the whole length