San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-04-28
WHY THE. GREEKS Ran.
Poor Men Had Fought
Twenty -Four Hours,
AND WHEN CONFRONTED BY
FRESH TURKISH TROOPS
COULD DO NOTHING.
Men Became Confused. TrampIei 0y,
er Their Wounded And Fired
Upon Each Other, Pouring
Death And Destruction In
to Their Own Ranks.

|
the Journal from Volo says:
This is the true story of what took
place at Larissa on the night of Fri
day, the 2Srd instant. 1 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 Milouna by the thoa-
sands. The Greeks were to hold Matt
as they did Tyrnavo 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
there was an especially fierce artillery
| duel. The Greeks We're much better
marksmen and caused great havoc but
with desultory firing the Turks waited
| the formation and advance of twenty
thousand fresh troops along the ridges
| forming the frontier. The Greeks
stood their ground admirably.
| Toward midday it became evident
that the Turks were preparing a flank
attack to be revealed late in the day.
| Unfortunately the staff learned this
too late and moreover they had no
fresh troops. The men had been fight
ing five days, the last two days with
little if anything to eat and no sleep
at all. The morning had seen the
men staggering with fatigue. When
the day was nearly ended and a rest
was expected and the artillery fire had
already slackened, the Turks suddenly
showed their game and the fresh 10000
| men were brought into line.
| Night was coming on but still l saw
the officers entreating the men to con-
tinue the fighting but the harrassed
troops could not stand what fresh
troops could have done. The order for
retreat had been given and as soon as
the men knew it they imagined all was
lost.
Prince Constantine's officers were
running in and out, and messengers
were going in all directions The SOL
diers looked careworn and anxious. A
retreat had never been provided for
and the officers had lost their heads
The first thing was TO stop the SOL
diers retreating but everybody seemed
to forget. Messengers were sent to
other corps at Nezeros, Reveni and
Boughazi, ordering a retreat. The
question was discussed but it was not
decided whether to hold Larissa or not.
Soldiers and officers arrived pell nell
with artillery and wagons, the first
arriving being shot at by soldiers at
the gates of the town.
officers were lying asleep in all the
streets, nearly dead with fatigue. Sol
diers were lying anywhere, unable to
| even answer my questions They
knew nothing and only wanted food
and sleep.
In the houses the people were pack
ing their valuables and leaving in the
direction of Volo or Athens. The idea
prevailed that Larissa was to be
abandoned by o'clock. The sun rose
on the town where were packed to-
gether ten thousand inhabitants and
thousands of soldiers panic stricken or
lying asleep in the thorOughfares.
As 1 passed out to see whether the
Turks had appeared 1 saw Prince Nj
cholas leaving. He looked like man
without hope. Outside the town were
long lines of carriages full of children
| and women, with men following on
foot driving cattle before them. The
wounded were being carried to the
railway. The hospital was cleared
in a half hour of the 400 wounded. The
first train left at six o'clock. AL
ready thousands were rushing to the
station to leave.
1t had transpired that the town was
to be abandoned to the mercy of the
Turks. 1t was a heartrending scene.
Women carrying the children were
begging the officials to give them pla-
ces in the carriages. Men We're rush
ing to seize the same.
I'm to two o'clock in the afternoon
ten trains had left About 1000 people
were left behind. l dare not imagine
what happened. At two o'clock when
the last train left we heard distinct
firing outside of the town, and we
knew the Turks were advancing.
At the station there was a regular
fight to take places in the carriages,
the strongest ousting the weakest 1t
was a horrible sight. There were