1770. efficiency; mutual recriminations ensued: the A.D. Russians charged them with deceit in magnifying the resources of the country; the Greeks upbraided them with falsehood in exaggerating the vastness of their preparations. Mauro Michali at length told Feodor boldly, that he was only destroying the houses of the Greeks; that he was ignorant of the mode of attacking a Turkish stronghold; that he would follow no advice, and was merely ruining the Moreots, without injuring their oppressors. The Russian retorted with insult and invective. Mauro Michali replied, that had he under his command the whole hosts of the Czarina, he was still but the slave of a woman: "As for me," said he, "I am the chieftain of a free people; and, were I the last descendant of my race, my life would be more valuable than thine."* this alarming crisis, the first division of the long-expected squadron of Alexis cast anchor in the bay of Vitylo, and for a little retarded the dispersion of the Mainote troops. Feodor, wearied with the protracted siege of Coron, resolved to attempt some new enterprise, and a portion of this seasonable reinforcement was dispatched to the attack of Navarino, under the command of General Hannibal, son to an African slave of Peter I. The Turks, on their At 1770. A.D. first approach, capitulated without opposition; they were transported in an English vessel to Candia, and the Russians remained masters of the fortress and the most secure harbour in the Morea.* Apr.23. On the 23d of April, Alexis Orloff cast anchor with his remaining detachment in the bay of Coron; and the united forces of the Russians then amounted to six vessels of sixty guns, four frigates of twenty, two armed transports, and about eight hundred soldiers. He resolved at once on abandoning the profitless blockade, and issued orders for the troops and fleet to move toward Navarino. The unfortunate Greeks of the place, on the first intimation of his departure, rushed in crowds to the shores of the gulf, and implored the Russians not to leave them unprotected to their fate. Alexis could only consent to receive a portion of them on board the fleet; the remainder, with their wives and little ones, followed on foot the track of the Russian army, and abandoned their dwellings to the fury of the Turks, who, immediately on their departure, completed the demolition and ruin of Coron. Alexis now resolved to alter the plan of the campaign, and overrun the interior, before attempting farther conquests on the coast; and Pappas Oglou and his * Villemain, p. 223. 1770. emissaries were again dispatched to rouse the AD. peasantry, and announce his approach. Psaros, who still remained inactive at Misitra, received orders to march with all his forces upon Tripolizza, where a communication had been already opened with the archbishop and primates of the Greeks; and in order to repair the disgrace incurred before Coron, Prince Dolgorouki was dispatched from Navarino with a thousand Russians, Montenegrins, Mainotes, and Messenians, to lay siege to the town of Modon ;* but the fortress was gallantly defended by eight hundred Janissaries, and its reduction promised to be as tedious and difficult an attempt as that which had been just abandoned. The Turkish fleet, issuing from the Dardanelles, had in the mean time appeared upon the coasts of the Peloponnesus, and the Dulcigniots and Albanians were already advanced to the isthmus. A party of the former, in passing by the entrance to the Gulf of Lepanto, had witnessed the preparations of the Missolonghiots for flight. Their entreaties for assistance having been disregarded by Feodor, and the defences of the town being inadequate to their protection, they had resolved on abandoning their homes to the advancing Alba * Pouqueville, Régénération, &c. v. i. c. ii. p. 44; Dufey, v. i. c. ii. p. 17. 1770. A.D. nians, and escaping to the Ionian islands. They had stowed their property on board thirty small vessels, and were on the point of departure, when the arrival of a party of Dulcigniots, in their boats, suspended their intentions. For seven days they resisted successfully the attacks of these plunderers, who finally drew off on an expedition to surprise Patras. Then, embarking in their small craft, one portion of them succeeded in gaining the Venetian islands, but the other having taken refuge in Anatolico, were a few days after besieged, overpowered, and, notwithstanding a capitulation, butchered by the Albanians. The Dulcigniots entered Patras on the night of Good-Friday, when the Greeks were engaged in celebrating the festival in their churches; they were joined by the Turks who had retired to the fortress, and pouring through the streets, they slaughtered, with indiscriminate fury, the unarmed and astonished Greeks. A few only escaped in some Zantiot boats, and the remainder who survived, betook themselves to the shelter of the surrounding mountains. The Albanians, who had been expected by the Pacha, arrived at length at the isthmus, to the number of 20,000, under the command of the Pacha of Bosnia. They entered Corinth without opposition, and, forming themselves 1770. into two divisions, one penetrated the north of A.D. the Morea to the district of Patras, where they committed the grossest atrocities; whilst the second advanced with all expedition to the assistance of Tripolizza. They reached it but a few hours after Psaros and his legion, who, having dragged a few cannons through the mountains, were busily occupied in throwing up batteries to commence the assault. The Turks, on the first appearance of their allies, sallied sword in hand from the gates, united with the Albanians, and rushed furiously on the assailants. The Moreots fled on the first onset, their batteries were forced and demolished, and the Russians, almost to a man, were slaughtered on the spot. Three thousand Greeks, of every age and sex, fell in the action, or were sacrificed in the indiscriminate butchery which ensued; and the archbishop and others, suspected of correspondence with Orloff, were executed, by order of the Pacha. The Ottoman troops, who now amounted to six thousand, encamped without the walls, to await the arrival of their fleet at Napoli di Romania, whence they proposed marching upon Navarino, Misitra, and Modon, and cutting off the residue of the invading army; whilst Hassan, with his squadron, should obstruct their escape by sea. * Annual Register, 1770, p. 31; Villemain, p. 224. |