The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-29
HOW GRECIANS RUN
RETREAT AFTER THE BATTLE OF
MATT Is DESCRIBED.

Nerve Breaks on the Retreat - The!
TrudTe Along Cursipe Their Officer
Until the Alarm Of Turks " Is Sounde
When the Whole Mob Becomes {.
Headlons Plight.
copyrighted 1897 by the Associated Press
Athens, April 27.-The correspondent
Of the Associated Press, who was with
TIE rctreating Greeks after the battle o,
Matt, mas arrived here.
when I overlook the Greek infan-
try" the correspondent telegraphs,
"they were in struggling order, foot
sore and grimy from tours days in the
trenches and long exposure 10 shells
enough to unnerve veterans. They went
along in silence, a contrast to the or
binary chantering in the Greek ranks.
The night was pitch dark and the red
glare at Kutari and Deliler in the dis
lance added TO the weirdness Of the
scene.
Later I passed batteries Of artillery,
mule trains carts. wagons, crying VII
layers, women and children. 1t was
> heartrending. All were hopelessly mix
ed. There was no attempt az order. All
arms were intermingled and the con-
fusion was completed by the shouts and
rusnes of the Evzones and irregulars in
every style OF outfit. Their previous
eullenness gave place TO the clamor Of
Tod v,anfl
forgot their WEAKNESS in wild impreca-
sions against their generals and other Of
fcers.
The retreat became a route. Our
carriage was slowly picking its way
through the desperate men, crying wo-
men and children and horses and
donkeys, all over-laden, which were
creeping along al q snaiIs pace or
prancing with nervous fright.
THE TURKS ARE UPON Us"
Suddenly above the din of the con-
fusion masses on the road and IN the
adjoining fields came a roar developing
into a fierce, sustained yell, rolling from
the distant rear with lightning speed.
Soon in the midst of this yell could be
distinguished cries Of THE Turks are
upon u.s."
In a few moments a dozen horsemen
and as many riderless steeds appeared
on the left at full gallop, the men shout
ing with frenzy: Run, run. The Turks
are here"
Into the night air arose this agoniz-
ing roar. fairly paralyzing imagination.
1t Will remain In my memory forever.
The stampede was immediate. The
animals were dashed into a gallop and
men, women, children and soldiers join
ed peIl-mell in a mad rush, many who
fell to the ground being trampled 20
death. Vehicles were overturned, mix
ing UP bedding, furniture, ammunition,
horses, donkeys, oxen and buffaloes.
According to one story, the horse
men who SO suddenly appeared and
caused this fearful stampede were real
ay Circassian cavalry which debouched
from Boughazi, but this report is not
generally believed.
Beside our carriage the infantrymen
appeared with faces blanched from ter
ror. They jumped upon the steps and
we tried to keep them out. One of them
thereupon ievelled his rifle in our d.rec
ton. Blu. their combined weight on the
steps Of one side of the carriage over
turned it, smashed It to pieces and the
london Times correspondent and my
self were thrown out. ! was pinned by
the leg under broken timbers as the pam
demonium increased.
SHOOTING AT RANDOM.
In perfect insanity of terror, sold
ters, irresulars and armed peasants be-
gan firing their rifles in every direction. |
From the front and rear, from right and |
left the bullets whizzed but the reports |
Of the firearms were scarcely heard |
above the roar of human beings and the
terror OF the maddened animals One |
man deliberately turned, raised his rife |
10 within three inches of my head and |
fired. l dCcked just in time and fell TO |
the ground, thus saving my life.
81 had lost my companion in the |
meanwhile ard walked on IN the ditch t
already mentioned or else plowed my /
way through the thick of the stampede |
The mad firing continued for fully half |
an hour. At the expiration of that time |
buglers were heard sounding Cease /
firing" but il was long time before the !
rattle slackened
THE pandemonium had spread sever
al miles. When l returned TO the road,
stumbling over dead and dying animals,
men and women, the scene was terrible
The way was strewn with ammunition
boxes. broken carts and furniture. the
bedding Of soldiers, blankets and tin
The latter ratified under
the horses feet, blankets became en- !,
tangled about and among crowds many
Of them riderless and deserted"
Gums and ammunition. wagons and /
horses added 10 the obstruction. Their
traces had been cut in order TO enable the /
drivers TO mount the horses attached 10
them and seek safety in flight
SOME OFFICERS AS BAD.
There were many struggles between
the fugitives for the possession Of the
horses. In this manner the affighted |
crowds struggled on for several miles pre-
senting most vivid picture OF disaster
and fear. Some OF the Greek officers. Il
is true. did their duty. They ordered the
buglers ard trumpeters 70 sound cease
firing" and rode about ca ling upon the
fleeing soldiers to halt But others of the
Greek officers lost their heads and pushed !
onward as terror-stricken as the soldiers.
One brave officer tried bringing hrs men
10 their serses by presenting a revolver
Ma WoeA m Es,ll