File No. 10044/186.
Ambassador Leishman to the Secretary of State.
Constantinople, April 27, 1909.
Sir: With further reference to my several dispatches on the recent crisis here, I have the honor to inform you that on the 22d instant [Page 570] the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, having constituted themselves as a National Assembly, met at San Stephano, about 10 miles from the capital, and within the lines of the Constitutional forces beleaguering the capital. The fleet, which after their half declaration for the reactionaries had again swerved around to the Constitutional Party, steamed out of the harbor and anchored in the roadstead of San Stephano, where the navy placed itself under the orders of the military commander, Gen. Mahmout Shevket, in charge of the army of occupation.
Considerable anxiety existed for several days as to the intentions of the Macedonian Army, as it was called, and many wild rumors were circulated both as to alleged dissensions in their ranks and reports that they had come to terms with the Sultan. In reality the cause of the week’s delay at the gates of Constantinople was their wish to concentrate sufficient forces to make all resistance impossible. The celerity with which this was carried out can best be judged from a forecast of the correspondent of the London Times who estimated that, with the existing inadequate railway facilities, three weeks would be required to convey the number of men considered necessary for such a purpose, namely, about 40,000, while, in reality, eight or nine days in all were consumed. It was realized that the military problem was not only the punitive one of severely punishing the authors of the mutiny of April 13, but also the restoration of order in a city of over a million inhabitants, practically all of whom were armed, and which had been in a virtual state of anarchy for a considerable period of time, as the forces of lawlessness and disorder had been at work long before the rising of the soldiers. It was regarded as especially desirable not to shock Europe by the spectacle of a civil war in the capital. Various motives, some of a military, others of a political, order, contributed to the opening of negotiations between the Sultan and the Macedonian Army. But the cardinal points insisted upon, namely, the punishment of the instigators of the crisis and the removal from Constantinople of the entire garrison, proved insurmountable obstacles.
On Friday night, the 23d instant, the Constitutional forces occupied some barracks in the plain outside Stamboul, and the next morning before dawn they entered the city at four different points. No resistance of any kind had thus far been offered, and it was likewise supposed that the occupation of the capital would be effected without firing a shot. But although the mutineers deprived of their officers had made no concerted plan of defense, they concentrated their efforts in resisting the attacking forces from their barracks and guardhouses. The total garrison of Constantinople, consisting of about 25,000 men, was scattered in large barracks in different parts of the city. Each one of these became a center of attack, and hardly one was captured without loss. The fiercest fighting took place early on Saturday morning in Pera, not far from the embassy. The mutineers had treacherously hoisted the white flag, and when the Macedonians, expecting no resistance, approached to take possession, they were shot down by their opponents from behind the barrack walls. Artillery had to be brought up, and for several hours a severe fight took place in the very center of the foreign residence quarter. It was during this contest that Mr. Moore, correspondent [Page 571] of the New York Sun, was badly wounded in the neck and had to be carried through the firing lines to the nearest hospital, and Mr. Gargiulo, the dragoman of the embassy, was wounded in the forearm. A number of innocent bystanders were also killed, but under the circumstances this was well-nigh unavoidable.
In the early hours of the morning a patrol of three men was sent by the army of occupation to guard the embassy and these were joined an hour later by a dozen more, commanded by an officer in sergeant’s uniform. Similar dispositions were taken at all the other foreign missions and establishments, while communications between the different quarters of the city were suspended; the bridges were guarded and traffic stopped, though fortunately, as two steamers were leaving, I succeeded in assisting about a hundred American tourists to leave the city. Perfect order was kept and the city saved from scenes of pillage, which would otherwise almost inevitably have occurred. During the actual fighting cordons of troops barred the streets in order to keep spectators outside the firing lines, and it is safe to say that but for the admirable precautions taken to diminish the serious consequences of a battle in the streets of a crowded city the losses suffered by the noncombatants would have proved far more considerable.
While most of the barracks capitulated without great effusion of blood, the capture of the one known as “Tash-Kishla” was the scene of a fierce fight. It was occupied by the battalions of sharpshooters from Monastir, who last July had been the first regiment to rise against the absolute régime and demand the promulgation of the constitution. Hence this regiment was singled out from all the others in being later sent to Constantinople to guard the newly won liberty. It was among these men, however, that the agents of reaction worked most actively. The fight around their barracks lasted the whole day and the greatest loss of life on both sides took place there.
Several of the mosques as well were the scenes of sharp contests. The “softas,” or theological students, had been the active instruments of reaction in preparing the late mutiny and the ire of the army of occupation was largely directed against their intrigue which had resulted in such serious consequences. Hence when at the Conqueror’s Mosque they attempted with their revolvers to resist the troops many of them were shot down. In the streets, moreover, the soldiers arrested them on sight, while all suspicious characters were searched by the numerous patrols and their weapons taken from them. In the sentry box at the embassy there lay piled up a heap of revolvers, pistols, and dirks which had been removed from passers by.
After the various barracks had been reduced the investing army surrounded the Sultan’s residence at Yildiz, where a garrison of about 4,000 men still held out, but the defeat of their comrades convinced them of the futility of resistance; while as 1,500 men had already perished there was every desire to avoid further loss of life and within 24 hours they surrendered unconditionally to the constitutional forces. The Sultan almost alone has been permitted to remain defenseless in his palace pending the decision as to his ultimate fate, which is now being considered.
The military operations terminated with the capitulation of the garrison at Scutari on Sunday. Since then the victors have been occupied in tracking the fugitives, many of whom have escaped with [Page 572] their arms. To facilitate this task by permitting a house-to-house search and to insure the maintenance of order, martial law has been proclaimed, and no one is permitted on the streets after dark without a special permission and a military escort. Thus far the order and discipline observed have been perfect and is all the more commendable when it is considered that the army of occupation, in addition to the regular troops, contains numerous volunteers, Greeks, Bulgars, all Albanians, several of whom are notorious chiefs of bands. But all have taken the oath to restore the constitution, and refrain from committing any acts prejudicial to the high patriotic motives which have thus far animated the Macedonian army.
I have, etc.,