Sketches of the war in Greece, in a series of extracts from the private correspondence of P. J. G. with notes by R. L. Green ... and an appendix, etc

Preface

. That there are occasions where Truth is unpopular, has never been more strongly exemplified than in the progress of the present Greek Revolution. Those statements only which favoured the cause of Greek Independence, have met with ready belief. The English Papers have but echoed the tones of Foreign Journals in publishing accounts of Greek heroism and Greek triumphs, for which we should in vain seek a foundation in fact. Falsehoods the most glaring have been unblushingly published to the world — and the world has had little opportunity, and less inclination, to investigate the truth of the relation.

PREFACE.

. It is not intended to seek a competition with the numerous works on Greek affairs already before the public, to whom is left the task of judging of their several merits. I have only to observe in this place, that, from con sidering the inaccuracy of some, and insuffi ciency of others, arose the idea, that my own correspondence (though written with no such view) mightTprove acceptable to the Public ; as affording a correct, general, and connected view of the principal events of the interesting struggle that yet continues to agitate Eastern Europe. To such merits alone does the fol lowing work pretend. The Letters, from which extracts have been made, were written during an official resi dence in the Morea, or in Zante, to corre spondents in England, partly by myself, partly by my brother, the Vice-Consul. The information is derived either from personal obser vation, or from the official correspondence of Consular Agents in different parts of the Morea.

PREFACE.

. V If, in the course of these Extracts, instead of adopting the terms Infidels and Christians, I have made use of those of Turks and Greeks, it must not be thence inferred that I am pre judiced against the Greek Cause. On the contrary, it is impossible to be indifferent in such a Cause — it is impossible not to wish the liberation of any people from a state of thral dom so degrading as that of the Rajahs under the Ottoman dominion. But enthusiastic ad miration of their character, considered as the descendants and representatives of the ancient Greeks, must not be expected from a candid observer of the manners of the modern race who boast their name. That they may again exhibit the virtues and talents that have shed a charm over their land, is ardently to be de sired ; but, in the meantime, it cannot be disguised that the Greeks of the present day are little advanced in intellect or moral feeling beyond their barbarian oppressors. There is one among the numerous Publi cations on Greek affairs, which I cannot pass

PREFACE.

. VI unnoticed, viz. the work of Dr. Pouqueville, entitled " La R6generation de la Grbce," in four volumes octavo, published at Paris in 1824. My personal acquaintance with the writer and with his brother, the Consul at Patrass, and the fact of Dr. Pouqueville's works being received as authority in France, must plead my apology for introducing my remarks in this place. Without professing to have read the whole of this voluminous production of 2235 closely printed pages, a task for which, I am inclined to believe, none but the writer of it has had sufficient patience, a copious Index, in itself a work, has enabled me to refer to such parts of it as relate to the particular transactions which have come under my immediate observation. My knowledge of the Doctor's peculiar advantages in procuring information, from his brother having been on the spot as French Consul at the moment when the Insurrection began, led me to examine his account of these transactions with curiosity and attention ; but

PREFACE.

. VII my astonishment was great indeed, when I found that such advantages had been em ployed to give credit to falsehoods the most daring, to a distortion of facts the most inge nious, and in every falsehood, in every mis statement, to pursue the grand object of blackening the English name. That myself and my brothers are the individuals in whose persons he has most frequently sought to pan der to the vitiated taste for such abuse that unhappily exists among our Gallic neighbours, might justify severer language than any that shall be used here. As far as we are con cerned, I shall content myself at present with observing, that the persons who are thus tra duced, are those on whom Monsieur Hugues Pouqueville threw himself for protection. If proof be required to shew the national cha racter of the slander, let any of my readers who may have access to the Work, observe with what base calumny, and by what paltry acts, the authors attempt to hold up to hatred and ridicule the character of the late Lord

PREFACE.

. VIII High Commissioner in the Ionian Islands. Will it be believed, that they have even con descended to exhibit in their history a dis gusting caricature, with no resemblance to any thing human, as a likeness of Sir Thomas Maitland, who is termed " cet etre incree V At one time I entertained the idea of re futing seriatim the misrepresentations con tained in the " Regeneration." Scarcely, however, had I entered on this Augean labour, than overcome by disgust and weari ness, I was compelled to relinquish it. The refutation would have equalled in length the work itself. I have confined myself in the present volume, to subjoining, in the form of Notes, three or four quotations from the Doc tor's publication, giving his statement of the transactions related in the text without comment. More than this, in compassion to my readers and myself, I could not do. That I have done thus much I must repeat the apo logy I have offered above, adding a hope, that the effrontery and ingenuity of the misstate-

PREFACE.

. IX ments or fabrications quoted, may give to my readers some degree of that amusement which those acquainted with the facts referred to, have so richly enjoyed. If the consistency of the Doctor's Phil-hellenic enthusiasm should be thought worth inquiry into, his character of the Modern Greeks, as exhibited in a former Work, dedicated to Napoleon the 1st, entitled " Voyage en Moree," Paris, 1805, will be found in the Appendix. The reader will find, subjoined to the Let ters, short Notes, illustrative of the manner of this singular warfare. They have been added by my Brother to the text wherever the point stated required further elucidation, or where an individual trait might shew the characters in their true light. CONTENTS.

Singular communication from Colocotroni — Notice taken thereof by the Turkish authorities.

Letter IV

Strong suspicions of a Revolution — Dissatisfaction of the Patracine Greeks — Cause thereof — They embark or secrete their property — Turks transport their families and effects to the Citadel — Greeks compelled to assist in fortifying and provisioning it — Ionians send their families to the Islands — General order of the Turkish Government.

Letter V

Insurrection at Patrass — Singular deputation from the Ionians — Turks set fire to the town — Skirmishing — Ionians openly join CONTENTS. XII the Greeks— Dreadful conflagration— Greeks occupy the town — Vessel hired to receive British subjects and property— The Russian, Prussian, and Swedish Consuls embark — Cephaloniot shot by the Turks — Negro woman put to death by the Greeks,

Letter VI

Greek Archbishop and Primates return to Patrass — Manifesto — Greek battery — Hospital— Turkish reinforcements arrive in the neighbourhood — Offer of pardon rejected by the Greeks — Interference of the Ionians — Proclamation of Ionian Government set at defiance — Turkish houses pillaged — Mosques destroyed — Insolent behaviour of a Patracine Greek — General feeling of the Greeks towards the Turks — Illustrative Note.

Letter VII

Isouf Pasha arrives at the Morea Castle — Extraordinary courage displayed by two messengers dispatched to the besieged — British Dragoman sent to the Morea Castle — His reception — Relief of the garrison of Patrass — The siege raised, and dispersion of the Greeks — They retire to the interior or embark — The Russian, Prussian, and Swedish Consuls sail for the Ionian Islands — Town given up to pillage — preeks take refuge in the Consulates — Wounded Greeks received into the British Consulate — Surgeon hired to attend them — Houses pillaged by the Turks — Greeks decapitated— Illustrative Note.

Letter VIII

Extensive conflagration — Arrival of Turkish reinforcements— Horrible scenes — Successful intercession for Greek prisoners — Death of two of the wounded Greeks — Guards hired to protect the British Consulate — They plunder it — Conspiracy to burn the Consulate detected — Observations thereon — British property saved, and sent to Malta — Unpleasant situation of the French Consul — His life attempted — Dr. Pouqueville's account of this transaction. CONTENTS. XIII

Letter IX

Turkish reinforcements enter the Morea — Partial destruction of Vostizza — Events at Patrass — Greek spies impaled — First Naval action between the Turks and Greeks — Arrival of Mr. Frere at Athens — Plot to burn and sack the British Consulate, and to poison its inmates, detected — Greek Hetæria.

Letter X

Arrival of a Greek fleet before Patrass — Turkish squadron retire to Lepanto — Consuls quit Patrass — Illustrative Note.

Letter XI

Lalla invested by the Greeks and Ionians — Lalliots demand succour from Isouf Pasha — Letter from the Ionian Chiefs to the Lalliots — Ionians taken in arms, beheaded — Two Ionian vessels openly join the Greek fleet — State of popular feeling in the Ionian Islands — Observations thereon — Case of daring piracy — Sir Frederick Hankey appointed Resident at Zante — Ionian Government proclaims its Neutrality — Illustrative Note.

Letter XII

Greek fleet abandon their attack against Lepanto — English squadron visits Patrass and Gulf of Corinth — Lalla relieved by Isouf Pasha — Decisive action before that place — Cruelty of the Victors — Ionian prisoners impaled — Sack of noses and ears sent to the Sultan — Destruction of the town — Removal of its inhabitants to Patrass.

Letter XIII

Greek land forces return to the environs of Patrass — First blockade instituted by the Greeks — Patrass supplied with provisions by foreign speculators — Detention and subsequent liberation of an Austrian vessel — Foreign officers arrive at Missolongi — Surrender of the Fortresses of Arcadia, Malvasia, and Navarin CONTENTS. XIV — Inhuman and treacherous conduct of the Greeks — Illustrative Note.

Letter XIV

Turkish combined fleet arrives at Patrass — Blockade raised — Dispersion of the Greeks — Expedition against Galaxidi — Destruction of that place — Greek vessels captured and destroyed — Capture of two Ionian vessels — Illustrative Note.

Letter XV

Surrender of Tripolizza — Description of events attendant thereon — Consternation at Patrass — Equivocal conduct of Albanian auxiliaries — Isouf Pasha retires to the Morea Castle — Lalliots forcibly occupy the Fortress of Patrass.

Letter XVI

Re-occupation of the town of Patrass by the Greeks — Lalliots besieged in the Fortress — Disturbances in Zante — Gallant action between an Algerine brig and the Greek fleet — Insurrection in Zante — Martial law proclaimed — Infamous outrage committed in Cerigo — Illustrative Note.

Letter XVII

Second Relief of Patrass by Isouf Pasha — Panic and flight of the Greeks — Final Demolition of the town by the Turks — Tranquillity restored in Zante — Illustrative Note.

Letter XVIII

State of affairs at Joannina— Desperate situation of Ali Pasha — Negociations for the ransom of Chourschid Pasha's Harem Surrender of the Acropolis of Corinth — Infamous conduct of the Turco-Albanian auxiliaries — Capitulation violated by the Greeks— Butchery of part of the Captives — Seat of the Greek Government removed to Corinth— Attack made on the Vice- CONTENTS. XV Consul by pirate boats — His narrow escape — Arrival of the Ottoman fleet.

Letter XIX

Death of Ali Pasha — Description of events which preceded and accompanied it — Chourschid Pasha receives his Harem at Prevesa — Murder of Mustafa Bey and Defter Kayah Bey.

Letter XX

Arrival of the Greek fleet — Naval engagement — Subsequent manoeuvres of the fleets — They return to the Levant — Neutrality of the Ionian States violated by each of the Belligerents.

Letter XXI

Colocotroni defeated by the Turks — Proceedings of Isouf Pasha off Missolongi — Detention of Ionian boats — Their subsequent liberation — Turkish vessel not received in Zante — Isouf Pasha's reasoning thereon — Omer Aga. exchanged for a Greek family — Summary punishment inflicted on a pirate boat — Horrible atrocities committed by a Corfiot — His sentence, and mode of carrying it into effect.

Letter XXII

Mavrocordato arrives at Missolongi — He assumes the chief command in Western Greece — Foreign Officers and Cephaloniots join the Greeks — Attempted diversion in favour of the Souliots — Battle of Peta — Bravery of the Philhellenes — Shameful defection of the Greek bands — Defeat of the insurgents — Greek declaration of blockade — Detention of Austrian vessels — Their liberation — Line of conduct adopted by the Austrian cruisers — Surrender of the Acropolis of Athens — Its obstinate defence — Privations and sufferings of the besieged — Violation of the treaty by the Greeks — Massacre of the Turks — Laudable exertions of the Foreign Agents — Opportune arrival of a French vessel of war — Humane exertions of her Commander, who rescues part of the vanquished. CONTENTS. XVI

LETTER XX III.

Occupation of Corinth by Dramati Pasha — The defiles and Acropolis abandoned by the Greeks — They murder Chamil Bey and other prisoners — Critical state of Affairs at Napoli — Its relief by Ali Pasha — Destruction of Argos — Interview between Isouf and Dramali Pashas — Greek blockade of Patrass raised — Arrival there of the Turkish fleet — Mehemet Pasha appointed Capoudan Pasha.

Letter XXIV

Turkish fleet quit Patrass — State of affairs at Corinth — Privations of the Turks — Successes gained by the Greeks — Scarcity of Provisions — Strange conduct of Isouf Pasha — Mortality among the Turks — Death of Dramali Pasha — State of Napoli — Its relief neglected by the Capoudan Pasha — Submission of the Souliots — Their domiciliation in Cephalonia —Missolongi invested by Omer Vrioni — Greek traitor — State of Missolongi — Arrival of a Greek squadron — Gallant action between a Turkish brig and six Greek vessels — Reinforcements received at Missolongi — Ulysses appointed Captain-General of Eastern Greece — Death of Chourschid Pasha.

Letter XXV

Proceedings at Missolongi— Assault — Heroic defence made by Mavrocordato — Courage of the besieged — Complete defeat of the besiegers — Siege raised— Greek blockade — Second arrival of Lord Strangford in Zante — Supplies for the army at Corinth landed in Zante — Apathy of the Porte.

Letter XXVI

British vessels captured by the Greeks— Hazardous attempt to victual Napoli — Its failure — British vessels released by Captain Hamilton— Indemnity paid by the Greeks — Vice Consul proceeds to Napoli— Occupation of the Palamidi by the Greeks Surrender of the town and batteries— Dreadful state of the CONTENTS. XVII besieged — Interview between Captain Hamilton and Ah Pasha — Refusal of the latter to sign a capitulation — His consequent detention — Captain Hamilton's humane exertions — Turks received ou board the Cambrian — Their deplorable condition — Captain Hamilton's uniform praiseworthy conduct — Details respecting the surrender of Napoli — The Cambrian and Greek vessels sail with the Turks for Scala Nuova — Greek blockade of Patrass ineffectual — Illustrative Note.

Letter XXVII

State of affairs at Corinth — Garrison left in the Acropolis — Remnant of the army reaches Patrass — Their dreadful sufferings described — Particulars respecting this army — Greek piracy — Proceedings therein — Summary method of obtaining satisfaction — Illustrative Note.

Letter XXVIII

Greek blockade of Missolongi raised — Continuation of Greek piracies — Greek Admiralty Court — How constituted — Capture of the English brig Ann — Her subsequent recapture — Isouf Pasha proceeds to Prevesa — Insolent conduct of a Greek brig resented by the Zante Government — Disunion among the Greeks — Mr. Blaquiere arrives in Zante — His departure for the Morea — Pecuniary aid furnished to the Greeks.

Letter XXIX

Greeks traffic in Turkish women and children — Female slaves bought by an Ionian — He brings them to Zante — Particulars concerning them — They are declared free by the Government — Are permitted to land — Are received in the lazaretto — They embark for Prevesa.

Letter XXX

Arrival at Patrass of the Turkish fleet — Blockade instituted — Interview with the Capoudan Pasha described— Particulars b CONTENTS. concerning the fleet — Its occupation — Visit to Ali Pasha — State of Patrass described — British Commanders-in-Chief visit the Capoudan Pasha — Isouf Pasha returns to the Morea Castle — Mutiny of his army — His narrow escape — Intrigues of Omer Vrioni — Arrival of Lord Byron.

Letter XXXI

Capoudan Pasha quits Patrass — His incapacity — Second surrender of the Acropolis of Corinth — Investment of Missolongi by Mustafa Pasha — Death of Marco Bozzaris — Dissensions of the Greek Chiefs.

Letter XXXII

Siege of Missolongi raised — Greek blockade renewed — Naval action — Greeks violate the Ionian territory — Shocking outrages perpetrated by them — Remarkable occurrence — Ionian proclamation — Arrival of Colonel Stanhope — Statistical account of the Morea.

Letter XXXIII

Arrival of Lord Byron in Zante — He sails for Missolongi — He is surrounded by the Turkish squadron — His narrow escape — Detention of Count Gamba and his Lordship's baggage — Singular recognition — Release of the vessel, passengers, and property — Arrival of Lord Byron and suite at Missolongi — His reception — Proceedings of the Greek and Turkish squadrons — Greek newspaper established at Missolongi — Loss of the Columbine sloop of war — Death of Sir T. Maitland.

Letter XXXIV

Proceedings at Missolongi detailed — Lord Byron raises a corps of Souliots — Proposed attack on Lepanto — Secret correspondence with the Albanian Chiefs in that garrison — Precautions adopted in consequence by Isouf Pasha — Lord Byron's first CONTENTS. XIX illness — Dissentions — Differences between his Lordship and Colonel Stanhope — Arrival of Mr. Parry — Destruction of two Turkish gun-brigs — Greek Loan — Observations thereon — Sir Frederick Adam appointed Lord High Commissioner.

Letter XXXV

Death of Lord Byron — Dissentions of the Greeks — Revolting case of piracy and murder — Particulars thereof.

Letter XXXVI

First instalment of Greek Loan reaches Zante — Reasons for its detention there — Lord Byron's remains arrive in Zante — Colonel Stanhope quits Greece.

Letter XXXVII

Second instalment of Greek Loan arrives in Zante — Ionian proclamation respecting the same — Anxiety of the Greeks to obtain possession of the money — Deputies sent to Zante for that purpose — Naval engagement — Continuation of Greek piracies — Greeks make two attempts to take Coron — Their failure — Arrival of a Turkish army near Salona — Proceedings in the Morea.

Letter Xxxviii

Greek Loan sent from Zante to Napoli — Mr. Blaquiere and Mr. Hastings return to England — Death of Lord Charles Murray — State of affairs in the Morea — Increase of Greek refugees in Zante — Greek proclamation — Why rescinded — Illustrative Note.

Letter XXXIX

Greeks resume the blockade of the Gulf of Lepanto— Arrival of the Egyptian expedition at Candia — Supineness of the Turks — Dissensions of the Greeks. CONTENTS. XX

Letter XL

Severe earthquakes — Destruction thereby of the town of Santa Maura — Partial destruction of Frevesa — Preparations to attack Patrass — First arrival of the Egyptian fleet at Modon — Landing of Ibrahim Pasha — Disembarkation of the first division of his army — Fleet returns to Suda— State of affairs in the Morea.

Letter XLI

Second arrival of the Egyptian fleet at Modon — Troops landed — Return of the fleet to Suda — Offensive operations commenced by Ibrahim Pasha — He invests Navarin — Bombardment of that fortress — Bravery of the besieged — The President of the Senate marches to its relief — Foreign officers in the Pasha's service — Relief of the garrisons of Patrass and Lepanto — Preparations to invest Missolongi — Secession of Ulysses — He is declared a traitor.

Letter XLII

Defeat of the Greeks at Nisi — Third arrival of the Egyptian fleet at Modon — Disembarkation of the troops and stores — Greek fleet puts to sea — Gallant exploit achieved by Miaulis at Modon — He burns eight of the enemy's vessels — Egyptian fleet forcibly enters the harbour of Navarin — Possession taken of Sphacteria — Critical situation of Greek vessels — Their gallant conduct and escape — Surrender of Old Navarin — Its garrison set at liberty — Surrender of New Navarin — fts garrison transported to Calamata — Shameful detention of some of the Greek chiefs contrary to the treaty — Dissensions among the Greeks — Their troops mutiny— Arrival of the Seraskier before Missolongi — Investment of that place — Occupation of Salona and Galaxidi — Surrender of Ulysses to the Greek Government.

Letter XLIII

Release of Colocotroni — Ibrahim Pasha's operations — Occupation of Arcadia — Decisive battle — Occupation aud destruction of CONTENTS. XXI Nisi, Calamata, Armiro, and Kitries — Ibrahim marches on Tripolizza — Defeats Colocotroni — Evacuation of the capital — It is taken possession of by Ibrahim — He advances to Argos — Is repulsed and retreats to Tripolizza — Continuation of the siege of Missolongi — Bravery of the garrison — Monstrous out rage committed at Hydra.

Letter XLIV

Ibrahim Pasha personally reconnoitres Napoli — Colocotroni's attempt to surprise a foraging party — His defeat — Arrival of Mr. Humphreys in Zante — Death of Ulysses — Attempted assassination of Mr. Trelawney — Fourth arrival of the Egyptian fleet in the Morea — Junction and arrival of the Capoudan Pasha therewith — His previous defeat — Disembarkation of the troops — Capoudan Pasha proceeds to Missolongi — Greek blockade of the Gulf raised — Turkish blockade instituted — Vigorous operations against Missolongi.

Letter XLV

Proceedings at Missolongi — Visit of the Vice-Consul to the Seraskier — Description of his camp — State of the besieged — They offer to capitulate — The terms rejected by the Seraskier — Visit to the Capoudan Pasha — Arrival of the Greek fleet — General assault on Missolongi — Brave defence of the garrison — Complete repulse of the besiegers — Admirable conduct of the Greek fleet — It relieves Missolongi — Engagement between the two fleets — Shameful flight of the Capoudan Pasha — Probable consequences thereof — The Egyptian fleet returns to Alexandria — Riots in Zante — Illustrative Note.

Letter XLVI

Continuation of the siege of Missolongi — Desertion of the Albanians — Greek blockade of Patrass renewed — Destruction of the Turkish flotilla — Isouf Pasha's narrow escape — Occupation and destruction of Mistra, by Ibrahim Pasha — Arrival of Mr. Tre- CONTENTS. XXII lawney in Cephalonia — He confirms the account of the attempt on his life — Lord Cochrane espouses the Greek cause — Re flections thereon.

Letter XLVII

Inactivity of the belligerents — Fifth arrival of the Egyptian fleet in the Morea — Arrival of the Capoudan Pasha's fleet therewith — Force of this armament described — Disembarkation of the troops and stores — The fleets proceed to Patrass— Arrival of the Greek fleet — Naval action — State of Missolongi — Exchange of prisoners effected. LETTER XLVII1. Greek fleet returns to the Archipelago — Mutiny in Spezzia — Ibrahim Pasha proceeds to Patrass — He visits Vostizza and Galaxidi — He is ordered to invest Missolongi — Transports his army to Crio Nero — English sailor shot by the Greeks — Illustrative Note.

Letter XLIX

The Vice-Consul proceeds to Patrass — He is compelled to build himself a residence — Severe gale, and consequences thereof — Isouf Pasha quits the Morea — Ibrahim invests Missolongi — Description of the Egyptian army.

Letter L

Operations at Missolongi — Bombardment — Bravery of the besieged — Surrender of Vassiladi and Anatolicd — The inhabitants set at liberty — Sir F. Adam visits Ibrahim Pasha — Attack on Monasteri — Brave defence and complete repulse of the assailants — Energy of the Capoudan Pasha — Dreadful state of the besieged — Their determination to abandon the place — Ibrahim advised thereof by deserters — He offers a capitulation —It is rejected — General sortie — Lamentable consequences thereof Ibrahim occupies Missolongi — It is sacked by the Arabs CONTENTS. XXIII Consequent serious dispute between the Arabs and Albanians — The Vice-Consul visits Missolongi — Description thereof — Tomb of Marco Bozzaris — Visit to Ibrahim Pasha — He re-enters the Morea — Proceeds to the relief of Tripolizza — The combined fleets quit Patrass — Disposition evinced by the Greeks to return to their former allegiance — State of affairs in the Morea. CONCLUSION. Summary of events, from April, 1826, to September, 1827.

Appendix

. Dr. Pouqueville 's Character of the Modern Greeks . . . .page 267 Greek Manifesto 271 Manifesto by Petro Bey 272 Greek Protest against Consul Green 273 Refutation thereof by the Constitutionnel 275 Ionian Proclamation 279 Deposition made by Vice-Consul Green 283 First Greek Bulletin 286 Greek Declaration of Blockade 287 Dr. Lushington's Opinions on Greek Blockades 288 Ionian Proclamation 297 Statistical Account of the Peloponnesus 299 Confession of a Renegade Maltese Pirate 300 Ionian Proclamation 321 Treaty for the Pacification of Greece WAR IN GREECE.