The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-04-29

the island raised the Greek
flag and declared their desire
of union with Greece. Col.
Vassos, commander of the
Greek army of occupation, is
sued a proclamation to the Gre
tans, in which he declared his
orders to be to take possession
of the island in the name of
the King Of the He11enes: His
first move was to send 400 sol
diers to take the block house
of Voukolies which was occu-
pied by 800 Turkish troops, On
being summoned to surrender
the Turkish officer in command
gave answer that so long as he
had one soldier left he would
defend mis- post. On Feb. II
the Greeks opened fire on the
fort with their two mountain
cannon, and by evening had
greatly weakened the walls.
However, for some inexplicable
reason, the retreat from the
block house on the east had
not been cut off, and during
the night the garrison escaped
to Castellos, three hours dis
tant, where 100 of them were
taken prisoners the following
day. All the rest were either
killed or escaped to Canea.
This account of the engage
ment is from a Greek officer
who was present and has just
returned to Athens with the
100 prisoners. The latter are
to be taken to Alexandretta and
handed over to the Turkish
Government. This is merely a
means to get them out of the
island.
On Feb. 10 the Turkish Gar
rison of Coma, some 800 men,
with about 1900 native Mos
lens, started out to relieve the
blockhouse at Voukolies. Col.
Vassos, however, anticipating
the attempt, had placed about
200 Christian insurgents to
guard the road on the heights
at Monodendri. These men
held hesTurks in : check until
Col. Vassos came up with the
main body of the Greek force,
LOO men. The Greek troops,
supported by eight mountain
cannon, attacked the Turks at
the bayonette and completely
routed them, driving them
back into Canea, where they
were safe under the protection
of the European men-of-war.
After taking the blockhouse of
Aya, Col. Vassos withdrew,
having orders not to disturb
the European occupation of
Canea. During these engage
ments the Greeks lost thirty
men killed and wounded and
four officers. The official re-
port of Col. Vassos estimates
the Turkish loss at Monodendri
at about 100.
The account of this incident
of Feb. 81 is from an eye wit
ness who was on board the
Greek man-of-war Hedra. To
the east of Caneais peninsula
called Acroterie. On an ele-
walton about five miles from
the town, is the Greek church
of the Prophet Elias. A Greek
flag waved from wall near
this church, and a body OF
Christian insurgents occupied
the spot. Fifteen hundred
yards west, toward Canea, was
another church occupied by
Moslem insurgents. Firing be
tween these two churches be-
gan at 1 p NJ, and increased
in vehemence until about s.
when the crackle of musketry
became an uninterrupted roar.
Then the European fleet took
a hand in the matter. The
German boat fired the first shot,
which landed within ten yards
of Greek gunboat anchored
off Acroterie. The cannonade
in which the English, Russians,
Germans and Austrians took
part, lasted ten minutes. All
the firing was dirtcted against
the Christians except one shell
from the Austrian boat, which
fell on the church occupied by
the Moslems. The fire of the
English was much the most
accurate. The Greek flag was
shot away, but a few minutes
/ II l,