190 
TURKEY. 
end of May ; about the first of June he was met in the 
channel of Cavo Doro, by the Hydriote Sakhturi, who 
destroyed with his fire-ships three Turkish men of war and 
several transports; another corvette was run ashore by the 
crew, and burned in the island of Syra. These vessels con¬ 
tained a large proportion of the stores intended for the siege 
of Messolunghi. A few days afterwards, the Capitan Pacha 
entered Suda, where he joined the Egyptian fleet which had 
lately returned from Navarino. He was quickly followed 
thither by the joint forces of Miaoulis and Sakhturi, amount¬ 
ing to about 70 sail. On the 14th, two days after their 
arrival, these gallant officers attacked a division of the Otto¬ 
man fleet which remained in the outer harbour of Sud,a, and 
at the expence of three fire-ships, destroyed a corvette with 
its equipage. They were prevented from any further success 
by the narrowness of the entrance into the inner bay of 
Suda. 
A few days afterwards, the Greek fleet was dispersed by a 
tempest, when, finding themselves deprived of their best 
means of defence by a want of fire ships, they retired to 
Hydra. The Turkish admiral now proceeded unmolested 
to Navarino, where he landed a reinforcement of 5,000 men. 
From thence he pursued his course, with seven frigates and 
many smaller vessels, to Messolunghi, and arriving there 
about the 10th of July, furnished the Turkish garrisons at 
the entrance of the gulf of Corinth with the supplies of 
which they stood greatly in need. Redschid Pacha now 
pressed the siege of Messolunghi with increased vigour. The 
Capitan Pacha had succeeded, on the 21st of July, in pene¬ 
trating with small boats into the Lagune ; and, on the same 
day, the fort of Anatolico surrendered to the Turks. The 
besiegers had, moreover, succeeded in cutting off the water 
of Messolunghi, and in erecting several batteries; the ram¬ 
parts had been much injured by their fire, and a part of the 
ditches was already filled up. At length, on the 1st of 
August, the Turkish commanders, apprehensive of the 
approach of the Greek fleet, ordered a general attack. The 
works on the land side were assailed in four places, while 
thirty boats occupied the lake. The Turks, however, were 
every where repulsed. On the 3d of August the Greek 
fleet, consisting of about 25 brigs, made its appearance; 
and on the 4th and 5th of the month, succeeded in destroy¬ 
ing two small ships of war, as well as all the boats on the 
Lagwne; in relieving Messolunghi, and in forcing the Otto¬ 
man fleet to retreat. Some of the Turkish ships retired 
behind the castles of the gulf of Corinth, while others made 
sail for the iEgean, whither they were followed by a detach¬ 
ment of the Greek vessels. 
At the same time, the troops of Zavellas, Karaiscakis, 
and other chiefs, to the number of 2,000, who had arrived 
from the camp at Salona, and were proceeding to Apo- 
curon and Carpenisi, attacked the besiegers in the rear, and 
opened a momentary communication with the Greek gar¬ 
rison ; but the Seraskier was sufficiently strong to repel the 
sally of the garrison as well as the attack from without. He 
maintained his position throughout September and October, 
though with scarcely any result except that of loss to his 
own troops : expecting the return of the Capitan Pacha with 
reinforcements. 
The Turco-Egyptian fleet oame within sight of Messo¬ 
lunghi on the 18th of November. After remaining a few 
hours so near the coast of iEffilia that the ships could be 
distinctly seen from the fortress, and trom the camp of 
Redschid Pacha, the whole fleet bore away for the bay of 
Patras, and anchored there. On the 23d, three ships en¬ 
tered the port of Patras, discharged their cargoes, consisting 
of provisions, stores, and ammunition, and landed some 
troops. During this time, no attempt was made against 
Messolunghi by the Seraskier from the land side, nor did it 
appear that any combined plan of attack had been con¬ 
certed ; but on the 24th, there was a slight skirmish between 
a party of Turks, who had concealed themselves in one of 
the trenches, and the troops of the garrison, in which the 
former suffered some loss. On the 26th, the Grecian fleet, 
consisting of about 30 sail, under the command of Miaoulis, 
appeared, and began to engage the Turks, who were await¬ 
ing them between Zante, Cephalonia, and Chiarenza; a de¬ 
sultory action ensued, which lasted, with little intermissionj, 
two days and nights. The Greeks,with their small, stout- 
built merchant brigs, sought by the dexterity of their move¬ 
ments to cut off and destroy isolated vessels, or to direct 
fire-ships against the enemy’s larger men of war ; but on 
this occasion they were not successful. On the 29th, another 
naval skirmish took place; partial engagements occurred on 
the two following days; and, on the 2d of December, the 
Greeks compelled the enemy to return for shelter within the 
Gulf. Shortly afterward, Miaoulis returned to the Archi¬ 
pelago. By this time, the whole of the southern shore of the 
Gulf of Lepanto had been reduced by Ibrahim, who had 
placed a garrison of Arabs in Patras. 
The distress into which the Greeks were driven by this 
invasion induced the senate and the executive body, towards 
the end of July, to propose to place the country under the 
protection of Great Britain; and a formal manifesto to that 
effect was issued by them, and transmitted to our government. 
The offer was, however, not accepted. 
On the 10th of August, a bold but unsuccessful attempt 
was made to burn the Turkish fleet in the port of Alexan¬ 
dria. 
In this month, the insurrection broke out anew in Candia; 
and the insurgents obtained possession of the fortresses of 
Grambouses and Kissamos. 
Ibrahim Pacha retreated to Naupaeti, and suddenly em¬ 
barked on board some vessels stationed in that port, crossed 
the gulf, landed at Messolunghi, and ordered immediately 
a general assault. The garrison, however, repulsed the 
Egyptians, and beat them back into their entrenchments. 
Ibrahim now established a strict blockade; but on the 22d 
of December, Miaoulis with the Greek fleet endeavoured 
to break the blockade, but failed. The garrison suffered the 
greatest hardships, until the 22d of April, when they 
made a desperate sortie, but were dispersed. A party now 
cut their way through the enemy, and procured the 
escape of about 700 women and children, who fled to 
Cravari. The Turks made a general assault, entered the 
town, put to the sword 2,000 or 3,000 men, took 150 men, 
and 3,000 women prisoners, and burnt the place. Ibrahim 
had cn the 2d offered the Greeks very honourable terms of 
capitulation, which they refused. 
About three weeks after the fall of Messolunghi, Tripolizza 
was recaptured from the Turks-by the brave Nikitas. Ibrahim 
had made great attempts to save the place, but without avail; 
for the Greeks had occupied all the passes so completely, 
that none of his detachments could penetrate into the 
Morea. 
The poverty of the Greeks had driven many of them to 
plunder merchant ships with their small vessels, and un¬ 
fortunately they did not confine their depredations to the 
ships of the enemy, but attacked English merchantmen: 
other pirates also assumed the Greek flag, and did so much 
mischief, that the Ionian government was forced to adopt 
very severe measures, and the Greek navy was severely 
injured. 
A great attempt was now made by the friends of the 
Greek cause in England. Much money was collected; a 
large quautity of stores, arms, and ammunition, were sentto 
Napoli, and Lord Cochrane proceeded from this country 
to the assistance of the Greeks. 
He was received with the warmest demonstrations of 
attachment from all parties, and was very instrumental in 
reconciling dissentions and repressing piracy, and reducing 
the Greek navy to obedience. His exertions were, however, 
for some time frustrated by the villainy or ignorance of some 
of those who conducted the Greek affairs in England. It 
had been arranged that an armed steam boat should be sent 
out to him as soon as completed. The construction of th s 
was entrusted to some parties who built it so badly, that it 
was found totally unfit for sea. 
The rest of the year was not occupied with very active 
operations; the Sultan’s forces being directed to the suppres¬ 
sion 
