Journal of a Visit to Greece
Chapter VIII
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CHAPTER VIII.
In the mean time the siege of Navarino continued but too successfully on the
part of the Turks. The Greeks could not stand the determined advances of regular troops; and,
abandoning their tambours, were cut up by the cavalry. A brother-in-law of Coletti, Pappas
Flescia, and several other commanders, were killed. Hadgj Christo, with 800 men occupying a position in the old castle of Navarino,
their supplies were cut off, and they were obliged to capitulate; but the gallant
Hadgj Christo, unwilling to surrender, and, with only a hundred
followers, endeavouring to force his way through the Turks, was made prisoner, and afterwards
shot. Those that submitted were dismissed by ![]()
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Ibrahim Pacha. On the appearance of an attack in boats,
on a small island situated in the harbour, the greater part of the garrison abandoned it, and
took refuge on board the ships; but the brave Surmadoff,
an Hydriot captain, who commanded the squadron, and was entrusted with its defence, refused to
desert his post, and remained with twelve of his men. His brig, in which Mavrocordato, who was in the Island, had embarked, fought her
way gallantly through the Egyptian fleet, and joined the rest of the squadron, who had moved
off. Mavrocordato joined the President Conduriotti at Calamata, who shortly after returned to Napoli.
Anognostara, and other captains, who had remained, were killed; the
few men who escaped saved themselves by swimming. The brave Count
Santa Rosa here lost his life. The surrender of Navarino soon followed the loss
of the Island: the garrison being reduced to a scanty supply of water and provisions, in the
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latter end of May capitulated, to the number of 700 men—the
soldiers giving up their arms, the officers retaining theirs. The garrison was to be
transported by neutral ships to Calamata, but Ibrahim Pacha detained the
only surviving son of the Bey of Maina, and
Iatracco, chief of Mistra, and afterwards offered them in exchange for
the Pacha of Napoli, Ali Bey, whom the Greeks had made prisoner: but this
was refused, on the plea that he had retained his prisoners contrary to the treaty. The English
surgeon, Dr. Millingen, joined the munificent Pacha. The
loss of the garrison during the siege amounted to about fifty men; and in the different
engagements, since the landing of the Egyptians, the Greeks lost about 1000, and the enemy more
than double that number. In this Oriental warfare, where so small a number of men are killed,
it is only a few of the bravest who advance and are really engaged; the rest are little more
than noisy spectators, ![]()
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firing out of all distance. It is the same thing
with the fleet: about ten vessels take the lead in every engagement; the others look on. The
Greek fleet had made a successful attack on the Egyptians lying at Modon; burning several of
their ships, and making numerous prizes of vessels bearing supplies: but the advantage came too
late “to turn the odds of deadly game.” The Moreots used before to regret
the successes of the fleet, and complained that the Islanders, by impeding the enemy’s
landing in the Morea, monopolized to themselves all the booty and spoils of war. But the Greeks
still find, as in former times, their best defence is in wooden walls. Messolunghi was closely
besieged. There were many Greeks in the Turkish army, and these were chiefly employed in the
works of the siege. They had advanced their approaches, and had planted two guns on the
counterscarp of the ditch: four guns and two mortars, badly served, formed their train of
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tillery. They had effected breaches in two places, but did not
attempt any assault. Their force amounted to 22,000 men: three Pachas, besides Radschid Achmet Pacha who commanded, were in the camp; they
were well supplied with provisions, but without the slightest order or vigilance; and a
spirited sortie would be very likely to raise the siege. The garrison of Messolunghi amounted
to 6000 men; most of their families had taken refuge at the Island of Calamo, humanely
appropriated to the reception of the Greeks; but so many of the inhabitants of the country had
sought protection within the walls, that the number of useless mouths was very great, and they
required large supplies of provisions, which were beginning to fail them. Colocotroni, and the other state prisoners at Hydra, were now
released; the Government proclaiming a general pardon to all political offenders, with the
exception of Ulysses, as a traitor to his country. But by
retarding this ![]()
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measure till the emergency of affairs, and the demands of
the people left them no choice, it was received not as an act of grace, but as a homage to
their power; and Colocotroni again raised his standard for the gathering
of his clan at Caritena.
The Turks from Negropont were now advancing towards Athens. The posture of
affairs at Salona remained much the same. We led a rough life on the heights of Mount
Parnassus; marching and countermarching; bivouacing in its sequestered
valley—“scenes more suited to the shepherd’s tale;”* never
engaging, though
* After marching through the trackless wilds of the mountains, our
guides showing the sagacity of the American Indian, we used to halt in some grass-grown
dell, where there was a supply of water, and where our fires were not likely to be
discerned by the enemy. Numerous fires soon appeared among the rocks and trees; and the
rude groups of the soldiers were seen, by their light, preparing their repast, or
couched under the thick foliage of the fir-trees, which formed our dwell- |
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close to the enemy; and harassing the men to no purpose. As long as the
Turks were accommodating enough to remain inactive, it would have been folly, on the part of
the Greeks, to rouse them from their lethargy,“and make pursuit when they did mean no
chace.” But the time was come to stand at bay. The Turks had been reinforced, and
amounted to about 8000 men. We had divided our forces; one division occupying a monastery about
two miles distant from Salona, while the other formed a camp
volant; and if the monastery was attacked, we were to fall on the enemy
when engaged. A Greek captain, Skalsas, was on the opposite mountains,
close above Salona, with about 2000 men. The multitude of our generals were constantly holding
councils of war, where they universally agreed to disagree. It was an amusing ing, and sheltered us well from the heavy rains
that fell continually on the mountains. |
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sight to see these cross-legged warriors seated in a circle on the
ground, surrounded by their armed followers. Goura
possessed no authority, and his situation began to be embarrassing;
Sophionulo, his adviser, having derived from him all the advantages he
had to expect, now deserted him. He had made himself an host of enemies by betraying the party
he had espoused, who were now become all-powerful in the Morea, and his only chance of support
was in giving Ulysses his liberty; but he feared
Ulysses might forget that benefit, and only remember the wrongs he had
received from him. He proposed making an adherent of General
Giavella, by holding out the prospect of his taking the command of the province
of Livadia. An affair now happened that led to my leaving Greece, which I should not otherwise
have done at this critical juncture. A treacherous attempt by Fenton to assassinate Trelawney, and in
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which Fenton was shot, had taken place in the
cave of Ulysses; and a few days afterwards Ulysses
met a violent death at Athens. In the month of June, I left Roumelia, to procure medical
assistance for Trelawney, who was dangerously wounded; and, on the
frivolous pretext of having left the camp without leave, I was detained a prisoner by the
Government at Napoli.
