Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-29
THE GREEK RETREAT
WAY TO LARIssA.
MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN,
SOLDIERS AND CIVILIANS. ALL IN A
PANIC-srRICKEN MASS.
lNDISCRI INNATE
MANY of the Fleeing People Killed
nv the Fusiliadc-fndcscrtb
Confusion I'm Larissa's streets
Panic Also at Noio.

Copyright. 1897. by the Associated Press)
ATHENS. April 2S-rhe retreat OF the
Greeks after the battle Of Natl. de-
,elopea into a rout before many miles
had been covered The Larissa corre-
spon6ent OF the Associated Press who
MS with the rctreating troops, has ar
rived here and his story OF the tight is
'un OF interest. While soldiers, villagers
women and children were marching
along all hopelessly mixed up and the
solsiers antahematizing their officers. a
dozen horsemcn and as many riderless
horses appeared.
The cry went up. "The Turks arc upon
ne" and the stampede began. The
-ricbfered soldiers and villagers COM
-,cnced 10 fire in every direction. and the
terror OF the animals added to the con-
fusion. The correspondent, who mar
ro,yly escaped being shot by an irregular
saws the mad firing was kept up for half
81 hour.
The scene was terrible. Men, women
ans children were killed. The way was
sfrevn with ammunition-boXes. broken
rerts and furniture. the bedding OF SOL
slers blankets. and tin-pans. The last
named ratified under the horses feet
the blankets became entangled In them'
srs ths horses. frantic with alarm. gal
loao5 about among the flying crowds
many Of them riderless and deserted.
Guns and ammuniton-WaSons ana car u
added 10 the obstruction. Their traces
had been cut I'm order 10 enable the
drivers TO mount the horses attached 10
them and seek safety in flight Ihere
Were many struggles between the tugl-
nves for possession Of the horses.
In this manner the affrighted crowos
struggled on for several miles present
Ing most vivid picture of disaster ana
fear Some Of the Greek officers. 1t Is
true did their duty. They ordered the
buelers and trumpeters 10 sound lease
firing" and rode about, callng upon the
fleeing soldiers TO halt. But others Of
tbe creek officers lost their heads and
rushed onward. as terror-stricken as the
soldierv. one brave officer tried 10 bring
his men 10 their senses by presenting a
revolver at them, and shouting, stop
stop" but he might as we'll have called
upon a whirlwind to stay its course.
General Mayromichaelis, who had eVl-
IDENTIFY reached Larissa some timo peIore'
rode back some distance, IN oIoeT 10 al
rest the stampede. Two miles from 'he
Iarlssa road is situated an empanKheh' H.
where the General succeeded in inducing
ne a connanv of footsore soldiers to
fan in. but thousands cohlihueu - iusii
pell-nell for Larissa.
PANIC AT LARISsA.
,-.o-e ,yas n block at the bridge across
the salambri river at the entrance o4
I'erissa Another terrible scene was there
Tresented-guns, men, ana HORSES s''Ns
Cling in a fearful mass.
In the streets Of Larissa there was IN
desorihab,e confusion. Troops of al arms
were mixed together. and threw them-
selves down in utter exhaustion, needless
~ the calls of the trumpets ana pugles'
sunnouing them TO fall in. The nhapI
tants rushing about the streets intensihed
the confusion. The mere mention OF the
Turks was sufficient TO create irenzlea
rush. ..,a,,,,,.
When the moon rose and the neghoor-
hood OF the town could be maze out WIN
some distinctness. matters became caliii-
or and at dawn the excitement had been
rsdrced 10 a restless movement from
a+reet 10 street. and an anxious discussion
Of the future.
some estimates Of the number Of deaths
which occurred during the stampede ana
,ndiscrininate firing say that from hve
10 six hundred persons were killed bui
,,our correspondent thinks these figures
are exaggerated. though people declare
~, have seen many wagons bearing
dced 10 Larissa. The five newspaper
co~-esrondents who were in the stampede
an had miraculous escapes from DEAN.
The frs. hours Of daylight were spent
bv the Greek officers in assembling their
scattered troops and sending them 10
pharsalos. The troops continued lhe
march without any refreshments. ana II
Is alleged that many OF them Aad ho'
tasted food since Friday morning
ANOTHER PANIC.
When II became known that Larissa
was 10 be abandoned, there was another
manic The women. and even the chill
dren went about drawing their hands
across their throats. showing what they
expected Of the Turks and in an increil-
bly, short time the roads leading to Pnar-
salos and Volo were crowded with peo-
pie. vehicles. and animals, the latter
bearing all kinds OF household effects.
A special train Of trucks took 10 Nolo
about three thousand people Of every de-
gree the passengers hanging on % the
roofs and platforms like a swarm OF bees;
but the majority trulged along on foot'
and many Of the refugees threw anxious
looks back an Larissa and the Vale OF
Tempe fearing every moment a rush
from the Circassian cavalry.
BY 130 p. NJ. Larissa was emptied. IN
stead Of following the troops 10 Phar-
salos. the correspondent, IN order 10 Set OF
his dispatches. pushed on TO Nolo. where
there was a panic almost eqnailing the
one witnessed al Ikrissa. Fueitives were
arriving al Volo every few minutes. and
they spread rumors that the Turks would
s.fl In hours Inc
absence OF steamers. there was a general
rush for caiques. on board OF which the
well-to-do classes went 10 Euboea, or
other islands.
COMMOTION AT VOLO.
The correspondent hired caique and
went on board Of It with a newspaper
companion. Mr. Holdall. In minute
there was a great commotion. crowds oi
people shouting 10 us TO come out OF the
boat. Then a number Of men mace Z
rush on board OF her. threw Mr.. Hoidail
out and pushed the correspondent ashore
II seems that the lower classes panic
stricken. determined that II they could
not escape from Volo no one else should
DO so. and they cried: eve all must dc
together"
TO such an extent did this feeling OF
panic spread that government steamer
which was embarking wounded soldiers
for the Piraeus. was Obliged 10 leave Voio
harbor owing 10 the fact that the. fran
tie population threatened to make rush
on board the steamship. which would
probably have resulted in great loss OF
lie As it was. the wounded soldiers
were taken on board the steamer In small
boats. and the vessel sailed for the
Piraeus in a hurry. leaving two English
nurses and six wounded Greek soldiers on
b.. ko wounded
men were taken TO the British consulate
IL o.nLtornn..t continued all day Sun.