The Indianapolis journal., 1897-04-13

until late at night. Many of them are in
the saddle twenty hours out OF the twenty
four"
A late dispatch from Larrissa says: THE
invaders continue 10 blockade Baltino. IT
Is reported that Turkish reinforcements
are now en- route from Diskata- The re-
mainder of the insurgents have taken up
| strong positions near the mountains. The
| latest details at hand are that the invaders
dynamited the Turkish post opposite Pho
| nika and Perliangia. The troops here were
kept standing under arms until O'Clock
yesterday afternoon. as IL was feared that
the raid would hasten hostilties There
| have been outbreaks OF smallpox among the
Turks, and many deaths are reported at
| Damasci.
The Daily Chronicles correspondent at
Athens says that the main body OF irregu-
| lars expected to fight a decisive battle at
| Grevena. Following is the text of their
| prOclamatiOn
Brothers and Soldiers of Christ and Lib
erty-We hoist the flag Of liberty for the
Greek countries. Under its shadow let Us
unite. having q watchword Liberty or
| death The justice of our cause is recog-
nized by all free people. Blest by God. let
US push onward. brother Greeks. God Is
The Daily Chronicles correspondent at
kalambaka says that at p. m. yesterday
| fighting was still going on a few miles
| west of Baltino. Many of the irregulars are
returning to the frontier for food Ihis
| afternoon Turkish captain and his men,
| tino. Last evening there was a heavy fall
| of snow and the irregulars were much ex-
crown Prince Constantine, OF Greece, VIII
| shortly leave Larissa to inspect the posts
| by battalion of infantry and a squadron
| of cavalry. 1T is reported att Athens that
a. strong band equipped by hhe, Ethnike
| Hetairia is ready to enter Macedonia near
/ Catherine and another to enter EpiriuS
| from the Island of Corfu.
THE INVASION OF MACEDONIA.
A correspondent of the Daily News who
accompanied the Greek raiders says: ION
| Sunday, April 4. having heard from scouts
| that the Turks were very strong at the
| point where we intended to cross the from
tier. Mulonas ordered the camp to break up
and decided to return TO Kalabaka. The
next day we marched northwest along the
| river Peneios and encamped at a mill near
the village of Meritsa. On the road Anil
/ care Cipriani and his Italian volunteers
lost their way and did not overtake the
main body until Wednesday. just as the
| latter was about to move northward after
remaining stationary on Tuesday. which Is
| used tc such rough marching, were COM
pletely exhausted. and had to rest the
| whole day at the mill. Meanwhile the main
| body marched to the gorge of kakoplevri,
where 1t remained in camp till Thursday
known Macedonia ehieftain. disguised as
| Turkish peasant, advanced alone across the
| frontier and reconnoitered. He returned to
the camp during the afternoon. and before
| nightfall We ascended higher in the noun
| tains and encamped about an hours dis
situated e ro IN 'He romantic % decivitv dp Well
wooded and presented most picturesque
appearance when lighted up with numerous
campfres. AT Mylonas's fire all was hustle
and activity, messengers coming and going
throughout the night. A council Of war
was held lasting two hours, after which
| Davelis and Bermas, with 6O0 men, quietly
started about midnight across the frontier,
gong through pass near the Prophet
! Elias's outpost. Not meeting with any re-
| mil
| occupied strong positions near Spilio and
Phimas. The main body in long marching
| column, with banners flying ana chieftains
| on horseback, started across the frontier
at o'clock Friday morning. dividing into
| two columns, the second passing the from
| tier about an hour after the first.
| The column of Mylonas soon engaged
! the Turkish station at Phinika, which re-
piled with a sharp discharge of musketry.
| Mylonas decided to storm the position,
| which was done gallantly. The two columns
now converged slowly on Baltino, a small
/ down the hiily slope. During the move
ment we were constantly harassed by a
| fusillade from the Turkish posts along the
| nne. TO which the Greek outposts replied
| vigorously. About 1,5C0 yards from the viii
lagee the enemy opened a heavy fire, the
| bullets whistling about our ears. The
| Turks made a desperate resistance.
Meanwhile Davelis was storming several
| Turkish stations. the garrisons of which
| We're compelled 10 fly to Baltino with heavy
| loss Baltino lies OH a small elevated spur
| SO the Greeks were able to approach quite
4
soon succeeded in reaching the outermost
| house from which poured sharp fire. The
! turkish force occupied large two-story
/ house in the center of the village and
their hiring from that point continued
| for some time. Finally Mylonas sent
/ a Turkish prisoner to urge the
| Turks to surrender. The Turkish captain
| replied that he would fight to the last
| Thereupon Mylonas ordered his men to
cease firing. intending to blow up the place
| with dynamite. Nightfall came on, and a
/ heavy hail storm set in. The Greeks were
/ drenched to the skin, but they held their
/ ground and repulsed three sorties of the
| Turkish garrison with heavy loss. The at
! tempt to use the dynamite proved a failure
Mylonas refused to order a bayonet charge
| fearing a heavy loss. He determined to
/ Starve out the garrison.
4 Il therefore decided to return to Kala-
| baka with a convoy escorting eight pris-
| oners. We were overtaken at noon on Sat-
| urday by a runner announcing that a whole
Turkish battalion. with one mountain gun
| had attempted to relieve Baltino but had
| been defeated and nearly annhilated by the
Greeks. who surrounded them. The entire
| loss of the insurgents at the hour when [
| left them was nine killed but a much
| larger number We're wounded. Cipriani
| and the Italians arrived in time to partici-
| pate in the battle, but half of his men de-
| camped later, when the rain and snow fell
| 1 left the troops in the best spirits and
| eager to advance to fight all the hardships
| of the march !"