LORD  BYRON  and  his  TIMES

Documents Biography Criticism

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Journal of a Visit to Greece

Chapter IX

INTRODUCTION & INDEXES

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

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Introduction

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

‣ Chapter IX

Appendix

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CHAPTER IX.

The aspect of affairs, after five years’ struggle with her powerful foe, was now becoming threatening to the existence of Greece as a free nation. Colocotroni, though joined by almost all the chiefs of the Morea, had not assembled above 5000 men. The Moreots remained in their territory, and the inhabitants of the Morea seemed resolved on no further exertion. The President, Conduriotti, was absent from Napoli, at Hydra. Prince Demetrius Ipsilanti, as he had before done when Courschid Pacha’s formidable army entered the Morea, now took the field with 300 men, and received the authority, but not the means, from the Government to raise 2000.

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Ibrahim Pacha’s force, including the garrisons of Navarino, Modon, and Coron, amounted to about 15,000 men. He extended his operations on either side of Navarino along the coast as far as Calamata and Arcadia; and, at the head of 6000 infantry and 300 cavalry, advanced in person on Tripolizza. The Egyptians having now penetrated into the heart of the mountainous passes and defiles of the Morea, an important blow was expected to be struck by Colocotroni; but no defence was attempted. On their approach the Greeks evacuated Tripolizza, setting fire to such goods as might be useful to the enemy; and the Egyptians entered the town three days after. On the 23d of June, Ibrahim Pacha’s Mamelukes were seen under the walls of Napoli di Romania, capturing some camels, within gun-shot of the garrison, and his troops were at Argos, having traversed the Morea undisturbed and unimpeded, as if marching through the sandy plains of his own dominions.

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The crisis of Greece seemed decisive. All Roumelia, save Athens, a few mountain-tops, and Messolunghi, was in the power of the enemy. Messolunghi, if not relieved, could not long hold out. In the Morea all resistance seemed at an end: the Greek fleet was dispersing, and the Hydriots spoke of abandoning their country, and seeking refuge with their families in America. The consternation was universal. The Government now thought of preparations, for which there was no longer time; of forming cavalry, and the few horses that were in Napoli were put in requisition. The command of the garrison was offered to Colonel Favrier, who had been absent from Greece, but had lately returned, accompanied by several officers, and proposed to the Government to organize 1000 regulars, for one year, with his own resources; but a crowded and unprovisioned fortified town, wanting in every thing needful for its defence, was a charge no one would accept at a moment

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when it was too late, by any effort, to remedy past neglect. The command of the regulars was ceded to Colonel Favrier, and in this emergency every attention was shown to foreign officers. Those who embark in the cause of the Greeks must prepare for much suffering, to witness many scenes of wanton cruelty, encounter endless obstacles, arm themselves with inexhaustible patience, and seek their reward in the satisfaction of having added their mite to a good cause.

Ipsilanti had, with 500 men, taken up a position at the Mulos on the sea-side opposite Napoli, near Argos, and flanking the road from Tripolizza. Ibrahim Pacha, making, it was reported, a reconnoissance in person, was here wounded in the arm; and in consequence ordered the last battalion of his Moors, who were marching on Argos, to deploy on a hill which commanded the position, and make an attack; which Ipsilanti repulsed with great bravery, the

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Moors filling the garden of the house, which he occupied, and a French officer, Mons. Graglia, was slightly wounded by his side. An officer of Colonel Favrier’s, M. Le Croix, with two or three gun-boats, conducted a well-directed fire on the Turks, who retired, after losing 100 men.* An American officer, of the name of Muller, a young man of bravery and conduct, with ten Bulgarians, cleared the garden of the Moors, sword in hand, and their main body being already at Argos, they did not repeat the assault. Our small body of cavalry had

* The Prince, in his despatch to the Government, of the affair of the Mulos, stated the loss of the enemy at 400, which he mentioned to Le Croix; and that he did not do so with any view to magnify his own exploits, as he had no other desire but to devote his life to his country, but he wished to make the most of the affair to raise the spirits of the people and soldiers in this moment of consternation; and Le Croix made a corresponding statement in his report: but the real loss amounted to 100 men, which does not argue much in favour of the intrepidity of Ibrahim Pacha’s Moors; for the Mulos was by no means an advantageous or a strong position.

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some unimportant skirmishes, which, however, made an imposing appearance, under the walls of the town. Through Coletti, and by the instances of my friend Emanuel Kalergi, with whom I now staid, liberty was allowed me, he being responsible for my appearance. We fell in near Napoli, with a party not exceeding our own force; but, though we were well mounted on fine Arabians, and the Greeks were the elite of the garrison of Napoli, they would not make or stand a charge, and after skirmishing with pistol shots, and having three horses wounded, (no men) the Mamelukes forming, drove us within range of the guns of the fortress.

Though reiterated proclamations were issued for levée en masse, to march and join Colocotroni and Ipsilanti, and all shops and coffeehouses were closed, the streets of Napoli continued crowded with thousands of soldiers and armed men.

After remaining two days at Argos, burning

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the villages and devastating the plain, Ibrahim Pacha returned to Tripolizza, and a second time passed the long and perilous defile on that route unattacked. Ipsilanti could not assemble troops to harass his march, as they dispersed to finish the plunder of the deserted villages around.*

Ibrahim Pacha had neither artillery nor provisions, and unless he expected the co-ope-

* Our horsemen, on the Turks withdrawing, had scoured the country as far as Argos; but, uncertain whether a detachment of the enemy might not have remained, only four of our party of thirty at first entered the town, which was still partly burning. The town and the surrounding plain presented a dismal scene of the ravages of war. The wind passing raised clouds of smoke from the different villages, and the sunk fire of the houses; while the dreary stillness that reigned in Argos was only broken by the clattering of our horses’ hoofs on the broken tiles that strewed the streets, or the falling in of another building adding to the work of devastation and ruin. A small bird or two flying from one scorched branch to another of the once flourishing trees, as if seeking their place of wonted rest, and the domestic cat, still haunting the spot of its former threshold, were the only living objects that met the eye.

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ration of his fleet or treachery at Napoli, it seemed an extraordinary movement. Napoli was a scene of uproar and confusion, and a general pillage was expected to take place. The populace began a massacre of the few Turks who were living among them, but the Government being informed of it, they immediately put a stop to it, and the Turks were collected together, and a guard placed over them. A massacre of 150 Turkish prisoners took place at Hydra, owing to a Turkish slave on board an Hydriot vessel having set fire to her.

Circumstances now obliged me to leave Napoli. Not being very solicitous of the imputation of having left the Greeks in the hour of danger, without entering into particulars, I sent two letters relative to the circumstance which determined me to do so; one, in bad French, to Mavrocordato, the other to Capt. Hamilton. I have already mentioned that I was imprisoned, on the pretext of having left the camp without leave.

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LETTER I.