The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-29

LONDON. April cs-A dispatch 70 the
Daily Mail from Patrss. dated Tuesday
evening says.
The Greeks have suffered their first
great reverse IN Epirus and the situation
nas changed with startling s2ddenness.
When / last felsgrs phed. the TURKS were
In fun and Gl<orderly retreat toward Ja-
nina. and the Greeks were 5oyosIsiy ad-
vancing. For some unaccountz ole reason
the absUrdly inadequate force OF only J. 90
Hsn Was detached from Phitllpsada 20
seize Penteptgadia. On entering Pente-
piEadia some irreguiars oy mistake fred
upon the Greeks. During the confusion
which followed s.eo Turkish infantry ar
rived from janina and Instantly attacked
the Greeks. A desperate and bloody hand
TO hand encounter easued. The Turks 1T
tered denomlaesi ysils and showed the
greatest ferocIty. while the Greeks. who
had been without food ali night long aud
were hopeiessly outnumbered. were taken
al considerable disadvantage.
An hour after the fight began the COM
ranies OF Turks occupied a hin on the
Greek flank. and opened deadly FIRE.
The Greeks broke In confusion. and fled
IL panic. With the greatest difficulty the
officers rallied them and led them back
10 the front. where they removed the bat
tie against oveFpowerfng odds
MAJ. Commundaro commanded them.
All day he fought in the front line. Two
horses were shot under him. and he was
twice wounded. bat he seemed 10 bear a
charmed life. A Greek lieutenant. an
Italian volunteer and five Yrlyates rushed
upon the Turks. Five OF the seven drop
ped dead before they got anywhere near
the enemy, and the sixth vas wounded.
Another Greek private. when the Greeks
fed. fought the Turks from behind .
rock for FIVE hours until he was killed.
Ar : o'clock In the evening the Greek
ammunition failed. the men were faint
from want Of food, and the retreat cali
was sounded.
"A second Greek force OF infantry. cav
airy and field artillery. advancing by an
other road. arrived an hour too late. They
also retreated il great disorder.
The Turks now hold Pentepigadia.
which might, however. be attacked by ar
tIlieTy. The Greeks are greatly depressed
and discouraged.
The retreat Is much discussed here, and
no one can explain IL except upon the hy
pothesis that there was risk Of the Turks
disembarking force at Prevesa and so
cutting OF our escape. The Greeks have
suffered a reverse, but Greek honor Is not
lost
A special dispatch from Patras on the
west coast OF Greece attributes the re-
verse of the Greeks in Eplrus 10 deficient
transportation arrangements, and says
that meas Tres taken for the convey
ance OF ammunition and food were wholly
inadequate. The dispatch points out that
Loo Greeks who were defending Pente-
piEadis against 3.0"o To 400 Turks only
retreatsd when their ammunition was ex-
hausted. and while another division ad-
~anced 10 Pentsplgsdia- returned without
having tasted food for twelve hours. The
same conditions. the correspondent al
lsges, prevailed at Arta. where on Thurs
day last the Greek soldiers. being In a
famish!ng condition. broke into the stores
IN search Of provisions. when the Turks
hastily retreated before Arta. IL appears
the Greeks had a magnificent opportunity
which they threw away The correspond
ent adds that no doubt the Greeks might
recover the ground lost. but he asserts
such mistakes make an unpleasant i'm
preston.