The herald., 1897-05-20
HOSTILITY
SUSPENDED
While Terms of Peace Are
Formulated
A WHITE FLAG FLYING
Over the Battlefield at Do.
mokos
THE GREEKS FOUGHT N0BLY
BUT TEE TURKISH VICTORY WAS
COMPLETE
THE GREEKS FOUGHT N0BLY
BUT TEE TURKISH VICTORY WAS
COMPLETE
Under Specific Direction of Russia an
Trade Is Issued Declaring
Truce and Promising Gen.
eral Peace
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire
ATHENS, May ia dispatch from
Lamia, dated 10 o'clock this morning.
states that white flag has been hoisted
between the armies of Turkey and
Greece and Prince Constantine has been
ordered to suspend hostilites with a
view to concluding an armistice. A panic
prevails at Lama owing to the report
that criminals will be released from the
jails. The arrival of troops during the
night increased the general feeling Of
terror The army of the Crown Prince
has reformed on the Orthys mountains
and will be reinforced by General Smo-
lenski's brigade and the troops dis
patched to the front from Athens yes
terday.
The Turkish troops were in movement
at an early hour, most of the divisions
leaving Pharsalos at dawn, led by the
Circassian cavalry, which acted as skir-
mishers during the early part of the en-
gagement. The real fighting began
about II o'clock, when the Turks encoun-
tered squadron of Greek cavalry oc-
cupying village on the plain before
Domokos. After a sharp exchange of
shots, the Greek squadron retired from
the village and retreated toward Do
mokos. This preliminary skirmish was
the signal for the Greeks to prepare all
along the line to receive the Turkish
attack.
One Of the Turkish divisions was led
by bands of music and the troops moved
forward as though on parade. The
Greeks had established siege guns on the
submits Of the hills around Domokos,
and these pieces opened the engagement
with we'll directed fire upon the massed
battalons Of Turks advancing from the
foot of the hills. Although the Greek
artillery was admirably handled it had
no material effect in checking the Turk
ish advance.
Suddenly at given word of command
the Turkish troops deployed to the right
and took up a position behind hill,
where they waited while the wings CT
the Turkish army completed their for
ward movements.
Then followed period of suspense,
during which the Turks steadily took up
the positions assigned them, and at last,
at o'clock in the afternoon the Turkish
artillery opened fire. The Greek guns
replied. both sides exchanging shell fire
for about an hour, with no very great
results. Toward o'clock Neschel Pasha,
who commanded the advance on the
Greek positions ordered the infantry
brigade to advance. The bugles sound
ed, and, taking advantage of every in
equality of ground, the skirmishers.
little by little, crept up to the first posi-
Iy- fho
spattering fire of the slsrmish lines was
answered by long, grinding rattle of
musketry from the Greek entrench-
ments forming the long line which was
we'll held by the Greek infantry, and
which commanded the approach from
the plain. The preliminaries over, a
terrific combat commenced The skir-
mishers increased the rapidity of their
fire, the main bodies of the Turkish
troops advanced, the movements being
governed by the fire of the artillery,
Soon the engagement was general, the
fire increased in energy and
the booming of the fieldpieces became in
ces'Sant. The guns of the Greeks were
splendidly aimed, and succeeded in put
ting one Turkish piece out of action, but
the Turkish artillerymen revenged
themselves by Pumping shell into a
Greek caisson filled with ammunition
and it blew up. During the artillery duel
the main bodies of the Turkish infantry
opened fire at long range in order to dis
cover the positions occupied by the en-
emy. The Greeks were not long in re-
plying. No sooner did the Turkish COM
mander feel" the enemy accurately
than he pushed forward his irregular
troops to the attack. The latter ad-
vanced with great spirit, and in the face
Of hot fire drove the Greeks from sew
aral of their advanced positions.
But If the fighting had been gallant
and desperate on both sides up to the
it was still more so from thie
time on. The firing on both sides be-
came really terrific. The sun was get
ting near the horizon, and both sides
realized the Importance of achieving de-
cisive results before nightfall. Long
lines of flame and smoke opposed each
other. The Turks continued to pour
a hail of lead at the Greeks in their en-.
trenched positions, the latter replying
With continuous rain of leaden missiles.
Both the Turkish and Greek batter.
les, meanwhile, were belching forth
4 never-ceasing storm of shells and
shrapnel.
1t was then o'clock in the evening and
neither side had gained any very great
advantage. The Greeks stubbornly re-
sisted the advance of their enemies, but
the soldiers of the sultan had gained
ground and were fighting with as much
dash and brilliancy as when the flrst
cannon shot announced the opening Of
The engagement. The sun finally disap-