The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-08
GREEKS DECIMATED.
Cut Down by Turkish Shells While
Crossing Bridge.

NFOsSlnS Al
LONDON, May THE following dispatch
from Phersala, the present headquarters OF
the Turkish army in Thessaly, dated May
g. has been received here after a delay in
| transmission
"The Turkish army tonight is bivouack-
ing in the eighteen villages surrounding
Phersala captured from the Greeks. The
battle began at O'Clock in the morning.
After skrmishes between the advance posts
of the opposing forces the Greek artillery
opened fire with great precision, but the
Turks pushed forward, exposing themselves
to the enemy's fire with the greatest sang
froid. The Greeks then made a fatal error
in leaving the commanding positions which
they occupied and retiring on the plain,
which was commanded at all points by our
batteries, which were brought into action
so soon as the Greeks left the hills. The
scene which followed was both interesting
and cruel. The Greeks, from all parts of
the plain, were converging toward a stone
bridge spanning the river and which was
the only means of getting over. The mass
of humanity at this point was constantly
growing when the roar of the Turkish ar
tillery began. The Turks obtained the ex-
act range of the enemy, and shell after
shell fell and exploded in the midst of the
AuSAbANCS' IliC IoNOC Cl0dlCu ny TIC olil etp-
mel was terrible. Gradually, however,
through this decimating fire, the greater
part of the Greeks crossed the river. The
Turks, who were then covering the plain
like bees met with a strong resistance
while attacking Vasil where the Greeks,
from hidden positions, opened furious fire.
In the face of this the Turks advanced
with marvellous temerity and captured the
village, not so much by force OF arms as
by the fear which their splendid insouciance
inspired IN the enemy. OWING TO the IdcL
that it was not designed to commence the
decisive engagement until tomorrow, the
Turkish division which intended to take
the enemy in flank only arrived half an
hour before the close of the combat to-day
having marched thirty miles.
THE Greek guns, while they opened we'll
ended badly while ours We're served even
better than usual The Turkish attack
upon Nasli was made without any previous
plan The men were ordered to capture
the place and they advanced, quietly shoot
ing as though hunting. The Greeks main
tanned a whitening hre. | saw a Turk
wounded III the leg, advancing TO the attack
on all fours.
Press is writing this dispatch in the midst
of the bivOuac at Edhem Pashas headquar-
ters. The general and his staff officers, at
the same time, are forming a little group
around lantern, studying the war maps
for to-morrows operations. During the day
the Turks captured a mountain battery
and eighteen mules, great quantity of am
muntlon and provisions and the personal
effects Of the Greek princes, Constantine
dIlu NlCHOIdS.
A dispatch from Phersala, via Larissa,
says: During Wednesdays battle the
Turkish losses Were not heavy, but it is
impossible to eXaggerate the strategic and
moral Importance of the Turkish victory.
| The soldiers are hunting for umbrellas,
which arc almost a military necessity, the
sun is so boiling hot. 1t appears that the
Greeks intended to resist to the uttermost.
On the platform at the railway station were
bdrricadeS of turf and forage, and the
houses had been strengthened by heaps of
turf and We're loopholed for rifles. The
GOODNESS of the Turks was extraordinary.
Three soldiers stood together in advance of
their comrades, on a path crossing
meadow, while a whole battalion of Greeks
fired at them. They did not condescend to
stoop or lie down, but fired away coolly
until their skrmishers came to their help.
The stoicism of the wounded is equally
admirable. One young fellow, an Albanian,
with a ball in his foot and even then under
fire, stood calmly and smilingly discussing
with companion the best way of retiring.
Another with a wounded hand slept all
night without troubling to get the wound
dressed. The courage and physical force of
the Turkish soldiers are prodigious Many
of them fought on Wednesday from dawn
until seven in the evening without the
least Distress