Hatzimichalis Dalianis Hatzimichalis Dalianis ( , 1775 – 1828 ) was a commander of the Greek War of Independence ( 1821 – 1830 ) and revolutionary leader in Crete in 1828 . Greek War of Independence . According to some Greek historians he was born in the Greek - speaking town of Delvinaki , Epirus , when the region was under Ottoman rule . Consequent research , however , by other Greek historians dispute this fact , nevertheless they all agree that he was born in Epirus . Alexander Mammopoulos attributes his birthplace conclusively in an Albanian - speaking village of the same name in modern Përmet District , while Stavros Karkaletsis , claims that he was born in the Greek - speaking village of Bularat , Dropull . He has also been related to the Dalani clan of Konispol , but that is unlikely and probably arose as a theory due to a misconception in primary sources research as there was a notable individual of that clan , ( Haxhi ) Mahmut Dalani that lived in the same period ( 1775 - 1828 ) . He grew up in Trieste , where his father worked as a merchant . In 1816 he became a member of the Greek patriotic organization " Filiki Etaireia " . In March 1826 , while the War of Independence was in full swing , he participated together with other revolutionary leaders ( Nikolaos Krieziotis , Vasos Mavrovouniotis and Stavros Liakopoulos ) in an attempt to create an alliance with the Emir of Lebanon Bashir Shihab II against the Ottoman Empire . However , when Dalianis landed in Beirut in order to incite a revolt there , the local emir was far from certain that he would defy the Ottomans . Back to Greece , Dalianis fought in the Battle of Phaleron ( 1827 ) . In January 1828 he became the leader of an expeditionary force to assist the faltering uprising in Crete . In an attempt to revive the revolution there , Dalianis together with 700 men ( 600 on foot , 100 with horses and mules ) , landed initially at Gramvousa on 5 January 1828 but decided to restart their expedition from Sfakia . In March he took possession of Frangokastello castle , a 14th - century Venetian fortification in the Sfakia region . The local Ottoman ruler , Mustafa Naili Pasha , gathered an army of 8 , 000 men in order to suppress the revolt and attacked Frangokastello . The castle ' s defence was doomed , when Mustafa ' s Ottoman - Albanian force of 8 , 000 men and 300 cavalry arrived on 13 May 1828 , It is said that Hatzimichalis Dalianis was buried by a nun at the nearby monastery of Saint Charalambos . Mustafa ' s troops were ambushed on their return at a nearby gorge by a group of Cretan rebels , and suffered ca . 1 , 000 casualties . Legacy . This failed revolt of 1828 , is the basis for the local legend of the ghost army of the " Drosoulites " ( Δροσουλίτες , " dew shadows " ) . According to the local Cretan tradition , the spirits of the fallen revolutionaries return each year to Frangokastello . This unexplained phenomenon usually occurs on the anniversary of the battle where images of advancing troops ( Drosoulites ) appear at dawn to hover above the tragic location . The subject has been investigated and various scientific interpretations have been suggested . Later , in early 20th century , volunteer groups from Crete , in order to repay the sucrifice of Dalianis and his Epirote men in 1828 , joined the Epirus front of the First Balkan War , as well as the armed struggle for the establishment of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus , against annexation to Albania .