Letters and Journals of Samuel Gridley Howe: The Greek Revolution (2 Volumes) (American Biography Series) [Library Binding]

Samuel Gridley Howe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1909

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1909. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VI. THE CRETAN FAILURE Grabousi, Thursday, September 1st, 1825. Very sick Friday and Saturday last, but medicines promptly taken restored me on Sunday. A vessel which was to sail on Saturday having waited for me, I got on board Sunday night, and after an uncomfortable passage of two and onehalf days, we arrived here yesterday morning. Found young Kallerges in command of the fortress, who received us kindly. The Cretans have risen in two provinces, and the others are ready. On our passage we were much troubled by a strange sail with all the appearance of a Turkish corsair, and were obliged to flee with sail and oar. The first sight of Grabousi was splendid. A little island, entirely of rocks, rises abruptly from the sea. On its summit is built the fortress. To the west the rocky wall is two hundred feet perpendicular, and on all the other sides, where nature has not made it inaccessible, art has reared such walls that it is almost impregnable. There are forty-six brass cannon, water, wheat, corn, dried provisions, etc., enough for many years. It cannot be cannonaded or bombarded to advantage from sea or land, and is every way a great gain to the Greeks, who may now with confidence call on the islands to rise, since here is a place of refuge in case of need. Kallerges (a youth of twenty-two, of a rich Greek family), who captured it, now commands the place, and will do so until some other person supersedes him. Metaxas is the man talked of at Napoli. We get here but a small variety to eat; hardly any fruit or vegetables, for things are so unsettled that the inhabitants will not bring them off. September 2d. My wounded are but five in number, only one hurt badly. My quarters are two miserable rooms, where I must pass my time for some weeks to come. Kallerges...

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Library Binding
• Publisher: Reprint Services Corp (January 1909)
• ISBN-10: 0781282012
• ISBN-13: 978-0781282017
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 3.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,908,211 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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5.0 out of 5 stars Young Amercan Doctor Fighting for Greek Independence !, April 9, 2011

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This review is from: Letters and Journals of Samuel Gridley Howe: The Greek Revolution (Paperback)

First hand account by an obviously intelligent young Ameican doctor of his part and his knowledge of this struggle against the Turks. He not only went back to America to raise more money , but he returned to Greece ! After what he had been through the first time, he was a hero of that fight by Christians against the Ottoman Empire. He not only performed work as a a surgeon but was in charge of distributing food and other aid to starving and homeless people, built a hospital and generally provided the type of organisational skills which were so sorely lacking in the Greeks themselves at that time .

For those interested in re-living that period in the history of Modern Greece, this is a great read. It covers the period 1824 -1831. It gives you an insight into why these Philhellenes put their lives at risk. Some would say they were romantic fools, but what better cause than to say that you helped free the descendants of the Ancient Greeks ( and yes a lot of them were !! ) and that such a famous land was back in the hands of its European Chritian inhabitants.

The reproduction of these long out of print books is a treasure trove for history buffs like me.