Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-21
BEFORE DOMOSKOS.
Story Of One Of the Fiercest
Battles Of the War.
For Hours the Fighting Was Severe
Neither Side a Victor.
The Headiong Charges Of The Turks Calamity
RepuIscd by Greeks.

Turkish Headquarters Before DOM
| okos, May 17.-Delayed in transmits
| sion).-A great battle, fought well into
| the night and the most important of
| the war Is now ended. The combat can
only be described as indecisive The
| fighting ragged from early morning I'M
| til long after dark and when the last
| dropping shots We're passing over the
| field the advantage did not appear to
rest with either side.
The Greeks maintained their posi-
tons and acquitted themselves so well
as to earn the hearty praises of the
Turks. They resisted with stubborn
| endurance the determined attacks of
| the Ottoman troops through the day
| and still held their entertainments at
night fall.
The Turks made a supreme effort
late this evening, but it was met with
the utmost bravery upon the part of
the Greeks and failed. The losses Of
the Turks were heavy. The left divis-
ion of the Turks was engaged from .
o'clock in the morning and appears to
have succeeded in forcing back the
| Greek right wing.
| The Turkish troops were in move
| ment at a very early hour and most of
| the divisions left Pharsalos at dawn,
led by the Circassian cavalry, which
| acted as skirmishers during the earlier
| part of the engagement.
The real fighting began at about II
o'clock, when the Turks encountered
a squadron of Greek cavalry occupy
! ing as an advance post, village on
| the plain before Domokos. After a
sharp exchange of shots between the
Turkish and Greek cavalry men, the
| Greek squadron retired from the viii
| lage and the fire and retreated towards
| Domokos. This preliminary skirmish
was the signal for the Greeks to pre-
pare all along thir line to receive the
Turkish attack.
The scene at that hour was really
lmagnifce The weather was every
thing which could be desired for a bat
tie and it would be difficult to imagine
anything more attractive than ths
sight presented by the two divisions of
the Turkish army as they deployed in
| fine order upon the plain, their red fezes
and glittering arms forming bright
contrast to the dark blue uniforms.
The troops moved forward as If on
parade.
The Greeks had established seige.
guns ON the submits of the hills around
Domokos and these pieces opened the
engagement with we'll directed fire
upon the massed battalions of Turks
advancing from the foot of the hills.
Although the Greek artillery was al
nirably well handled. it had no mate
rial effect in checking the Turkish adj
vance.
Suddenly. at given word of COM
mand. the Turkish troops instead of
keeping straight ahead in the direction
of Domokos, deployed in fine order to
the right and took up a position be-
hind a hill, where they waited Will
the wings of the Turkish army com
pleted their forward movements. The
followed a period Of suspense, durin
which the Turks steadily took up tnGI
positions assigned to them and at las.
at o'clock in the afternoon, the Turk
ish artillery, to the great relief of the
Ottoman troops, opened fire upon the
enemy.
The Greek guns replied with great
precision and a severe artillery duel
was the result, both sides exchanging
shell fire for about an hour. Towards
/ o CLOCK IN tfle dltei iooH, tttIi't
Pasha, who commanded the advance
ON the Greek positions, ordered the in
fantry brigade armed with MausorI
rifles. to advance. The bugles sounded
and with commendable skill, taking ad-
vantage of every inequality of ground.
the skirmishers, little by little, crept
up to the first position held by the
Greeks.
About 8 o'clock. the Greeks, having
gallantly held their entertainments
against superior forces and having
given proof of the greatest courage
deserving of all praise, began to slack
in their fire. The firing of the Turk;
at the same time also abated and sooa
the deafening rattle of war sinothercd
down into a few dropping shots hero
and there about the hills and plairs
and eventually silence felSneu once
more over plain and hill.