Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-28
THE LARISSA PANIC.
Graphic Description of The Crushing
Defeat Of the Greeks.
THE SOLDIERS WE'RE EXHAUSTED
When 10000 turks, Not Previously
Engaged in the Battle, Mado
Furious Attack.

This 10 the true story of what took
place at Lsrissa on the night OF Fri.
day, the 23rd. witnessed all phnses
OF the last serious struggle OF the
| Greek army in Thessaly. All day the
| battle rpged at Natl. The TuSks came
| down from MilOuna in Thousands.
The Greeks were to hold Matt as they
did Tyrnsvo and Larisss. Six batteries
OF artillery were concentrated there,
and their mission was to stop the al.
vance OF the Turks.
The battle lated eight bours and this
was an especially fierce artillery duet.
The Greeks were much batter marks
| men and caused great havoc, bu, with
desuitory filing the Turks waited tho
formation and advance OF 1000 tresh
troops along the frontier. The Greeks
stood their ground admirably.
| TowarI midday 1t bscsme evident
| that the Turks were preparing flank
attack TO DO revealed late In the Jay.
Unf0rtu nalely the staff had learned
this TOO late, anu moreover they had
no fresh troops. rne men had been
fighting five days, the last two days
with little II anything 10 eat ana no
| sleep al oil. The morning had seen
the men staggering with fatigue.
| When the day was nearly ended
anu rest was expsc.ed the Turks
suddenly showed their game aud the
fresh 10000 men were brought into
| line.
Night was coming on but atill saw
the Ulcers entreatiBg the msn o con.
tinue the fght, but the harasseI trool 8
| eoulu not stand what fresh troops
| could not have done. This order for
retreat had been given and as soon Bs
| the men knew 1t, they imagined all
was lost. Greek soldiers unuersla nd
nothing but TO advance. Tney havs
not had sufficient training In peace 10
| prepare for an orderly retreat and
consequently the order throw them
into indescribebIe confusion. The
men left their positions, The officers
being unable to control them. In vain
the Dugle was sou 1ded. Toe soldiers
thought the Turks were 10 massacre
all tuey found anu that they must SO, k
refuge In Larissa Immediately. Su r.
denly word ran through the broke
fies; "rne Turkish cavalry lie com.
Ing" Tnis put an end to MI
resis snce. The reputation Tor ferocl.
~ OF tne kurde had long beeu
established. In 1ve minutes the
widest panic prevailed.
All fed to the road leading to
Lsrissa. In tho dark the wounded
were tramped upon by the soldiers
lighting their way. san the soldiers
fired upon them In confusion. l saw
two Greek regiments Of infantry firing
| on "ech other.
| CHI ;ers OF the artillery seeing they
weie unable to stem the cure I
ordered a retreat to save the guns. In
| places they had to dash through the
| crowd, which refused TO open rauks.
| followed the flying hast TO
Tyrnavo, which was Teacned ia les,
| than an hour. Kept on until /
reached Larissa by s o'oIoot. with
me arrived messengers to the SITS Il
| which L foun q terrified by the news.
! The soldiers were just beginning 10
4 arrive but few coulu explsin affairs.
! As 1t was Good Friday for the Greeks,
according to custom, a procession OF
all the people was going through the
| town. Bsnde were playing and
everybody-officers. soldiers, children
| and women-were carrying u small
rush light. Officers anu messengers
forced their way through the crowd
| crying, "War firsI; make way"
Prince Constaniine's officers were
runniDg in nnd out ana messengers
were going In all directions. The
l prince looked careworn and anxious.
| A retreat had never been proviueI
for, and the officers hau lost their
heads.
The frat thing was to stop the sol.
| diers retreatiDg, but everybody seemed
| to forget. Messengers were sent i'm.
| meuiately to other corps ut Nozsros,
| Reveni and B:ugnazi ordering d
| retreat. The question was discussed,
but 1t was not decided whether to hold
Larisss or not. Soldiers anu officers
| arrived parallel with artillery and
wagon, the first arriving being shot at
| by soldiers at the gates OF the town.
Officers were lying asleep 10 the slreets
nearly dead with fatigue. Soldiers
were laying everywbete unable even
to answer my questions. They knew
nothing and only wanted food anu
sleep.
In the house the people were packing
their valuaol.s and leaving In the
direction OF Vulo or Athens. TIE
Idea prevailed tust Larissa was to be
abandoned by 4 O'Clock.
| lne tuu tOsc Ol tus huWn WueTB we
were packet together, 10000 innaoi.
tants and thousands Of s3ldiers, panic
stricken or lying asleep in tue thor.
Dug hfares.
| As passed out to SEQ whether the
| Turks had approached, l saw Prince
| Nicholas leaviag. We saluted. He
looksd like man without hone.
| Outside the town were long lines OF
carriages fun Of children ana women,
with men following on foot, driving
cattle before them. The wvundeu
were beiag carried in haste to the rail.
way. The first train lett at u. Already
thousands were rushing to the stati ~
| TO leave.
| 1t had transpired that the town was
to be abandoned TO the mercy OF the
forks. IL was q hesrirending sight
| Women carrying children were by.
ging the officers to give them places In
the carriages. Mon were rushing tC
seizs the same.
| Up to 2 O'Clock ia the afternoon ten
trains had left. About 1000 people
were lett pehind. dare n,t imagine
| what happened. AT 2 O'Clock, when
the last train left we heard distinctly
firing outside OF the town. The Turk.
were advancing. AT the station u or,
was regular night 10 take places 4,
the carriages, the strongest gushing tn,
weakest. Ii was a horrible signt To,