The evening times., 1897-05-05
CROWN PRINCE A COWARD
General SmOlenski Accuses Him
of Running Away.
GREEK ARMY HERO WILL FIGHT
He Has Taken Up His Position to
Defend voIo and VIII Die Hard.
Hopes to Combine With the Fleet
and BE More SuccessfuI-Me Message
to America.

New York, May 5.-The Journals CORE
spOndent at VelestinO, Thesally, telegrapns
an account OF an interview had with Gen.
Smo!enski, in which the latter infercn-
tine Of cowardice in ordering the Greek re-
treat to Pbarsala The correspond ent
says:
II have had an interesting interview
with General Smolenski, who is now the
hero Of the Greek people. He was in-
dignant over the rout OF the Greeks at Matt.
He said: How did all this come about?
1t was a panic without reason, a retreat
without an excuse. Those troops at Matt
must not he reprOached with cowardice
Theywere the same as those with which we
fought at Raveni for five days against
tremendous odds and still made headway.
Believe me, it was blundeIng on the part
Of the staff, and nothing else, that drove
them into panic
How are men to fight if they lose CON
fidence in their leaders? / will not at
tack the fallen, but you We're there, and 1
am ready to stand by the Judgment of an
impartial witness. They say the army
was dIsheaTtened. Nonsensei The men
were ready to go ahead anyw here, but how
were they to understand a policy Of con-
tinuaI retreat without defeat? Our sol
diers are like the French. They want to
go always ahead, but want u see all the
officers always in the lead. I repeat, the
troops we 1ed-Dimopoulo JanniCosta and
myself-from Reveni and BOughese, were
the very same; but then we did go ahead,
and our men knew the Turks never would
compel US to retreat
But" L asked, who gave orders for
your retreat?''
II may tell YOU whom the order came
from. From Prince Constantine | re-
fused to believe it 1 waited, and a st COnd
and more pressing order followed. I be
gan TO understand what fault had been
committed. | saw, however, what would
be the consequences If refused % obey
and disregarded the mis- judged order, and
when the third came. insisting on an itnme-
diate withdrawal and announcing that no
troops were left north OF LaTissa. saw all
was lost, and thought only of saving for
the country the brave corps that had fol-
"Our retreat was in perfect order Moth
ing was lost, and there was not the slight
est confusion. We marched back with our
eyes full Of tears We sa our hopes blight
ed province lost, and shadow cast on
the honor ofOur army. We were depressed,
no doubt, but on our way to Pharsala we
thought our brave army had been betrayed,
and hoped that our enemy would allow us
to repair the mischief. Now we are here 10
try 10 do it.
Il am here to defend VolO. The Turks
must pass over me 70 reach VOlO, and
Will die hard, 1 can tell you. l should pre-
fer marching on Larissa, but cannot dc il
alone. l ought to be helped. There should
be combined action Of the staff and Prince
at Pharsala, but those people are slow
when the army is completely reformed
at Fharsala, then we will combine with the
fleet, and hope to be more successful
We have few friends, and appreciate them
the more Tell our friends in America
alive. The fiTemen threw hundreds of
that they need not despair as yet We
mean to deserve their friendship by act
ing up to the hard-earned reputation Of our
country