The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-05-27
GREAT BATTLE DESCRIBED.
The Fighting Before DOmOlSOs Re-
hected Great Credit on Greeks.


Turkish Headquarters, Before Domo-.
kos, May 1S.-lDelayed in Transmission
"A great battle, fought well into the.
night, is now ended. The combat can
only be described as indecisive. The,
fighting ragged from early morning until
long after dark, when the last dropping.
shots were passing over the field. The
advantage does not appear to rest with
either side. The Greeks maintained their
positions, having acquitted themselves so,
well as to have earned the hearty praises.
of the Turks. They resisted with stub
born endurance the determined attack of
the Ottomans through the livelong day..
and still held their entertainments ut
nightfall. The Turks made supreme
effort late this evening, but it was met
with the utmost bravery on the part of
the Greeks, and failed. The Turkish
losses were heavy. The left division of
the Turks were engaged from o'clock in
the morning and appears to have succeed
ed in forcing back the Greek right wing.
The Turkish troops were in the move.
ment at an early hour. most of the di-
visions leaving PharsalOs at dawn, led by
the Circassian cavalry, which acted as
skirmishers during the early part of the
engagement
The real fighting began at about IL
o'clock when the Turks encountered a
squadron of Greek cavalry occupying a.
village ON the plain before DOmokOs This
preliminary skirmish was the signal for
the Greeks to prepare all along the line to
receive the Turkish attack. One of the
Turkish divisions was led by its bands of
music, and the troops moved forward as
il on parade.
The Greeks had established siege guns
on the submits of the hills around Do
H.
gagement with a well directed fire upon
the massed battalion of Turks advance
ing from the foot of the bills. Although
the artillery was admirably handled it
had no material effect in checking the
Turkish advance.
Suddenly, at given word of comEand,
the Turks deplOyed to the right and took
up position behind hill. where they
waited while the wings of the Turkish
army completed their formation move
ments. Then followed al period OF sils-
nense, during which the Turks steadily
took up the positions assigned to- them,
and at last, at 3 O'Clock in the afternoon,
the Turkish artillery opened fire.. The
Greek guns replied both sides exchanging
shell fire for about an hour. with no very
great results, so far as could be seen. on
either side.
Towards 4 o'clock Nechat Pasha. who
commanded the advance on the Greek POI
sitions. ordered the infantry brigade TOD
advance. The bugles sounded, and, TAX.
ing advantage of every inequality OF tho
ground, the skirmishers, little by little,
crept up to the first position held by the
Greeks. The spittdr-spatterlng nre al
the skirmishers' line was aDsw cred by a
long, grinding rattle of musketry from the
Greek entertainments, forming long ime
which was well held by the Greek, IN
fantry and which commanded the ap-
proach from the pain. -
The preliminaries over 81 terrlhc COM
hat between the opposing soldiers COM
menced. The skirmishens increased the
rapidity of their fire, the main bodies OF
the Turkish troops advanced. thasf for-
ward movements being c9vered by the nre
of ten batteries of artillery. Soon the en-
gagement was general, the musketry hre
increased in force, and the booming OF
the field pieces became general. The guns
of the Greeks were sIlendidly aimed, ana
ont of action, but the Turkish artillery
men revenged themselves by pumping
shell into Greek eaisson flied with am,
munition and blew it up. This aforded
the greatest encouragement to the uft0-
mans. During the artillery duel the
main bodies of the Turkish infantry open
ed fire at long range in order to discover
the positions occupied Dy tine enemy. lHe
Greeks were not long in replying. NO
sooner did the Turkish commander feel
the enemy accurately than he pushed for
ward his irregular troops to. the attack:
The latter advanced with the greatest
spirit. and in the face of hot hre drove
the Greeks from several OF their adj
yanced entrenched positions.
But, If the fighting had been gallant
and desperate on both sides up TO the
nresent. ii was still more so from that
time on. The firing on both sides be,
came really terrific. Both Greeks and
Turks realized the Importance OF achley-
| ing decisive results before nightfall. The
sun was getting near the horizon, and
there was no telling what might happen
during the night. Therefore. the can
nonading and rife FIRE increased in inten-
sity. Long lines Of flame and smoke OPP
posed each other. the Turks from the
plain pouring hail Of lead at the Greeks
| In their entertainments, and the latter re-
plying with a continuous rain OF leaden
..~.to.:loo Oath kho Turkiuh and (yreok