San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-04-23

The Press Correspondent Quits The
Greeks And Is Now With
The Turks Which Ac-
counts For Their
Victory.

New York, April 23.-The Journal
and Advertiser this morning prints
the following dispatch from G. w
Stevens to the London Mail describ-
ing the fighting at Milouna.
The Turks have now succeeded in
forcing back the Greeks from their po-
sition on the heights above Tyrnavo
and are now preparing for the final
advance on Larissa.
About four o'cDlock this afternoon
the inhabitants of Tyrnavo could be
seen abandoning the town and retreat
ing in wild confusion along the Laris-
sa road. The Greek troops fell back
in good order and occupied, with four
batteries of artillery, the low hill be-
tween Tyrnavo and Larissa. There
they prepared to offer further resis-
tence.
While they were taking the range
several battalions of Turkish infantry,
with five batteries of artillery, moved
slowly down the slopes of Milouna
pass toward the plain. Their object
was to support the force of cavalry
engaged in making a reconnaissance.
Hitherto the ground had been too
uneven to employ cavalry, but now
that they are gaining the famous
plains of Thessaly, the Turkish mount
ed men will be kept hard at work.
They are we'll mounted and eager to
bear their full share of the defense of
their country. Indeed the spirit of
the troops is above all reproach.
Presently our artillery halted and
opened upon the Greeks and a vigor-
o,til lnal 1T1Nnnnad The
spectacle was a magnificent one from
the heights, which seemed to have
been expressly designed to serve as an
amphitheatre.
We looked down upon the battle rag
ing at our feet and were close to Ed
hem Pasha and his staff while in all
directions the hills were crowded with
the Turkish soldiers gazing wistfully
at the fight The marshal and his Off
GERS were of the opinion that Larissa
has been. virtually taken now that
Milouna pass was in his hands. Ed
hem Pasha's plans have hitherto been
crowned with complete success.
Below us were serpentine lines of
bayOnets glittering in the bright sun
and standing out from the deep green
of the plains and dull brown of the
bare, rocky hillsides. They moved
with even cadence toward Tyrnavo.
From the mouths of the guns in action
below came jets and spurts of white
smoke and gray dust as the shells tore
up the ground. Here and there shells
were bursting. Few reached our men,
however, as the distance was too great
and we suffered but little though l
saw a few men knocked over by burst
ing shells and there were several very
narrow shaves.
More than once a shell exploded
within a very few yards of our regi-
ments without doing any harm but
splinters and sharpnel bullets must
have come uncomfortably near. The
hill from which the Greeks are firing
lies about half way between this place
and Larissa.
Soon the Turkish battery limbered
up, finding that the shells dropped
short and moved forward and then re-
opened. It's fire was better directed
than that of the Greeks but against
their superior strength it seemed to
effect little. Our infantry gave it's sup
port and commenced a furious fire to
which the Greeks replied.
The aim of Edhem Pasha is not as
yet to fight a decisive battle. He has
gained a strategic success of the ut
most Importance by holding the Greeks
in front while, in lines parallel to our
advance, his other columns move for
ward by Damasi and Tyrnaco. He has
ascertained the strength of the Greeks.
Our troops are now fast converg-
ing on Tyrnavo and we shall probably
occupy the town tonight. From the
position which we now occupy, .Laris-
sa with it's white houses is embossed
amidst green trees and slaring in the
sun as I send off this message.