1823.] 
enterprise of the Greeks against the 
Turks. He took the title of General i in 
Chief, and commissioner of the gencral 
government, and displayed a tricolor 
banner, bearing for emblem,a phoenix 
rising out of its ashes. In order to 
draw, the nation into. an insurrection for 
which it was so little prepared, de- 
ceived by his own emissaries, he found 
himself obliged to practise the like de- 
ception on Greece ; and he declared, by 
a proclamation dated from Yassy (in 
Moldavia,) Feb. 24, 1821, O. S. that a 
great power was, prepared to support 
her. -At the same time he pruned a 
circular to the members of the socicty, 
to exhort them to make patriotic contri- 
butions towards the expenses of war. 
The crroneous idea, which these two 
documents spread, led’ Europe for seve- 
ralmonths to suppose, that Russia was 
fomenting the insurrection, in the hope 
of advancing her frontiers towards the 
south. ‘Hence arose against the Greeks 
an -unfavourable impression, which 
seemed to justify the animosity of Eng- 
Janl and Austria. 
‘The unsuccessful result of the expe- 
dition in Wallachia was owing to the 
.inexperience of the chief, the incapacity 
or ‘treachery of those who surrounded 
him, the insubordination of his troops, 
which indisposed the iababitants, and 
the cabals of the Austrian agents, 
especially Mr. Oudriski. Greece in this 
unfortunate expedition saw her im- 
mortal chief Georgaki perish, the victim 
of patriotism ; she saw bim bury himself 
with his companions under the peeine 
ruins of a convent, which he dcefendes 
tillit was deluged with the blood of ie 
eneinies; Greece then lost, too, that 
noble body of youths, the Sacred Bat- 
talion, which was offered up as a bolo- 
eaust to their country’s honour, at the 
battle of Dragachan. 
‘Meanwhile, about the end of March, 
the standard of the Cross was raised at 
Calavryta, a town in Achaia. The 
instrrection soon spread, and the 
Mainotes crossed their mountains under 
the guidance of their noble chief Petro 
Mavytomichali. Andreas Metaxas, of 
Cephalonia, left his family, squandered 
his property, and ventured, with a 
chosen band of valiant Jonians, to 
attack Lala, a strong position, defended 
by the most warlike Turks of the 
Morea; aid, though severely wounded, 
after prodigies of valour, he forced 
them to retire on Patras. The arch- 
bishop of that» city eneouraged the 
cuinbatants by his exaniple, and by his 
3 
Greek Insurrection. 
467 
pastoral exhortations. The brave chiefs, 
Colocotroni, Nicetas, Tatraco, &c. con- 
duct them to victory. The Turks are 
driven from. the whole open country, 
and confined in their fortresses: A 
junta of notables assembles at Calamata 
in Messenia, presided by the Director of 
Maina, appointed Commander-in-Chief 
of the Morea. They implore, by an 
address dated the 25th of March, the 
European courts to aid the people of 
Greece. 
At Psara, Spezzia and Hydra, the 
Apostoli, the Mexi, the Botassi, and 
the Coundourioti, the Toumbasi, the 
Boudouri, the ‘Tzamado, and _ their 
friends, fitted out for cruizing, and 
commanded in person their merchant 
vessels. 
The Greeks of Candia, and at their 
head the warriors of Sphakia, engaged 
the Turks in various and deadly 
combats. 
Lower Epirus, profiting by the revolt 
of Ali Pasha, flies to arms under the 
conduct of the chiefs Zonka, Caraisco, 
Viachopoulo, Macri, &c. and treads 
closely in the steps of the Souiliotes. 
‘The eastern portion of the Greek 
continent pours forth its warriors; and. 
their first blow is a splendid victory 
gained by their brave general, Goura, at 
Fontana, i in Phocis, over tliree pashas, 
on the 23d and 24th of August. After- 
wards, the chicftains Mitzo, Contojanpi, 
Panouria, Scaltzodimo, and above. all 
Odysseus, add new exploits of their 
own to these early successes. 
The strong-holds of Monemyasia aud 
Navarino fall. shortly after into our 
hands ; and Tripolitza is closely sur- 
rounded, 
If Demetrius Hypsilanti had been 
born for great things, he might have 
mastered Greece and his own fortune ; 
but, although gifted with firmness, when 
in a camp he displayed fitile capacity. 
His suite, composed of vain and ambi- 
tious persons, perhaps diminished his 
means, while they heightened his self- 
conceit. He indisposed the Notables, 
and the Senate, which he had formed, 
by arrogating a ridiculous pre-emi- 
nence. ‘Thus the military operations 
were not subject to any central direc- 
tion. Each chieftain adopted his own 
manoeuyres at pleasure, and the only 
principle which gave a sort of unity to 
their individual ‘efforts, Was a sympa- 
thetic cagerness to harass the Turks. 
It was, however, under this state of 
anarchy, that ripolitza, the capital of 
the Morea, already distressed by famine, 
and 
