not
more reprehensible in themselves and disastrous in their issues.

For about six years the fight was maintained without foreign aid, save
that given by private volunteers and generous champions in Western
Europe, against a state numerically nearly twenty times as strong as
the little community of revolutionists. In it, along with much wanton
cruelty, was displayed much excellent heroism. But the heroism was
reckless and undisciplined, and therefore often worse than useless.

Memorable instances both of recklessness and of want of discipline
appeared in the attempts made to wrest Chios from the Turks in 1822.
The Greek inhabitants of this island, on whom the Turkish yoke pressed
lightly, had refused to join in the insurgent movement of their
brethren on the mainland and in the neighbouring islands. But it was
considered that a little coercion would induce them to share in
the Revolution and convert their prosperous island into a Greek
possession. Therefore, in March, a small force of two thousand five
hundred men crossed the archipelago, took possession of Koutari,
the principal town, and proceeded to invest the Turkish citadel.
The Chiots, though perhaps not very willingly, took part in the
enterprise; but the invading party was quite unequal to the work it
had undertaken. In April a formidable Turkish squadron arrived, and
by it Chios was easily recovered, to become the scene of vindictive
atrocities, which brought all the terrified inhabitants who were
not slaughtered, or who could not escape, into abject submission.
Thereupon, on the 10th of May, a Greek fleet of fifty-six vessels was
despatched by Mavrocordatos to attempt a more thorough capture of the
island. Its commander was Andreas Miaoulis, a Hydriot merchant, who
proved himself the best sea-captain among the Greeks. Had Miaoulis
been able, as he wished, to start sooner and meet the Turkish squadron
on its way to Chios, a brilliant victory might have resulted, instead
of one of the saddest catastrophes in the whole Greek war. Being
deterred therefrom by the vacillation of Mavrocordatos and the
insubordination of his captains and their crews, he was only able to
reach the island when it was again in the hands of the enemy, and when
all was ready for withstanding him. There was useless fighting on the
31st of May and the two following days. On the 18th of June, Miaoulis
made another attack; but he was only able to destroy the Turkish
flag-ship, and nearly al