The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-04-29
At LARISsA.
True Story of What Actually Hap
pened There.

New York, April ga dispatch to
the Journal from Volo says:
This is the true story of what took
place az Larissa on the night of Fri
day, the 23rd. / witnessed all phases
of the last serious struggle of the
Greek army in Thessaly All day the
battle ragged at Matt The Turks came
down from the Milouna pass in thou
sands. The Greeks were to hold Matt
as the-r did Eyrnavo and Larissa. Six
batteries of artillery were concentrated
there, and their mission was to stop
the advance of the Turks.
The battle lasted eight hours. and
this was an especially fierce artillery
duel. The Greeks were much better
marksmen and caused great havoc.
but with desuitory firing the Turks
waited the formation and advance of
2O,0OO fresh troops along the frontier.
The Greeks stood their ground admir-
ably.
Toward midday it became evident
that the Turks were preparing a flank
attack to be revealed late in the day.
Unfortunately the staff had learned
this too late. and, moreover, they had
no fresh troops. The men had been
lighting five days, the last two days
with little if anything to eat and 10
sleep at all. The morning had seen
the men staggering with fatigue.
When the day was nearly ended and
rest was expected, the Turks sud-
denly showed their game and the fresh
20 900 men were brought into line.
Night was coming on. but still 1 saw
the officers entreating the men to con-
tinue the fight, but the harrassed
troops could not stand what fresh
troops could have done The order for
had haor1
as the men knew it they imagined all
was los.. Greek soldiers understand
nothing but TO advance. They have
not had sufficient training in peace to
prepare for an orderly retreat. and
consequently the order threw them into
indescribable confusion. The men left
their positions, the officers being UNI
able 20 control them. In vain the
bugle was sounded. The soldiers
thought tie Turks were to massacre
all they found, and that they must
seek refuge in Larissa Immediately.
Suddenly word ran through the broken
files, The Turkish cavalry is coming
This put an end to all resistance The
reputation for ferocity of the Kurds
had long been established. In five
minutes the widest panic prevailed.
All fled to the road leading to La
rissa. IN the dark the wounded were
upon by the soldiers fighting
their way. Still the soldiers fired upon
them in confusion. l saw two Greek
regiments of infantry firing on each
other. officers of the artillery seeing
they were unable to stem the current
ordered a retreat to save the guns IN
places they had to dash through the
crowd, which refused to open ranks
l followed the flying host to Turnavo.
which was reached in less than an
hour l kept on until / reached Laris-
sa by s. With me arrived messengers to
the staff which l found terrified by the
news. The soldiers were Just Begin
ming to arrive but few could explai-,
affairs. AS it was Good Friday for
The Greeks, according to custom, a pro-
,ession of all the people was going
through the town. Bands were playing
and everybody-officers soldiers, chill
iren and women-was carrying a
small rushlight. Officers and mes
;engers forced their way through the
,rowd crying, War first; make way"
Prince Constantine's officers were
we're going in all directions. The prince
cooked careworn and anxious.
A retreat had never been provided |
or and the officers had lost their
reads.
The first thing was to stop the SOL
liers retreating, but everybody seemed !
o forget Messengers were sent i'm
nediately to other coros at Nezeros, |
2oyoni and Boughazi ordering a re-
reat The question was discussed but |
was not decided whether to hold Las
issa or not. Soldiers and officers ar
lived pell-mell with artillery and |
the first arriving being shot |
I by soldiers at the gates of the town.
officers were lying asleep in the streets
early dead with fatigue. Soldiers
we're lying everywhere %s2able even to |
nswer my questions. They knew moth
ng and only wanted food and sleep.
In the houses the people were pack /
ny their valuables and leaving in the |
erection of Volo or Athens. The idea
revealed that Larissa was to be |
bandoned by o'clock.
The sun rose on the town where we