Palamas, Greece

From GREECE…..

PALAMAS

A city inhabited since ancient times.

The battle of Mataraga The sergeant major D. Tertipis, with 18 men, seizes the Abaj AÄ&#x;a bridge, a strategic but completely unfortified position, in order to stop the advance of the Turkish army, which was arriving from Karditsa, and to obstruct the gunfires. The sergeant Georgios Laios seizes the hill of Petromagoula and takes on its defence.That was, in a few words, the battle order, which was presaged to be horrifying. The focus of the battle was in three points: a)In Mataraga, where 80 revolutionaries confronted 2000 foot soldiers, 300 horsemen and two cannons, b)In Abaj Agha bridge, where D. Tertipis fought with 18 soldiers, c)In Petromagoula / Mogolino, where G. Laios among others, with approximately 60 men, confronted the bulk of the Turkish army.

In Mataraga scenes of unspeakable heroism took place, but, in view of the torrent of the enemy attacks, the revolutionaries retreated to the village Pyrgos of Mataraga.

In Abaj Agha bridge, Tertipis’ 18 men, after having fired their last shot, retired to Petromagoula.At the top of Petromagoula, G. Laios, with 16 men, fights a Homeric battle, confronting a Turkish army battalion. The brave commander falls in battle.The Revolution lost one of its most devoted advocates.The pincer movement around Petromagoula and the hill of Mogolino closes continuously in. At about 4.30 in the afternoon Greeks and Turks fight hand to hand. They fight with bayonets. Things for the Greeks were very bad when“… a force of about 100 men appears to rush into from Mosholouri”.The battle was sealed. At about 8 o’ clock in the evening the Turks started to retreat evenly and the Greek revolutionaries withdrew to the foot of the Agrafa area. The battle had already been won. The folk muse sang this battle and Laios’ heroic death in many folk songs. One of them says:“Girls of Sofades, women of Mosholouri don’t shift this year, don’t shift this Summer. Our own Laios was shot in Pyrgos of Mataraga. Both nights and dawns lament for him, the noons lament together, his poor mother laments for him as well …”.

…acting by a dedication to tradition ...

A city with a strong religious character