Insurrection of Villagers--Attack Krustach--Three Villages
burnt--Christian Version--Account given by Dervisch
Pacha--Deputation headed by Pop Boydan--Repeated Outrages by
Rebels--Ali Pacha of Scutari--His want of Ability--Greek Chapels
sacked--Growth of Rebellion--Omer Pacha restored to
Favour--Despatched to the Herzegovina--Proclamation--Difficulties
to be encountered--Proposed Interview between Omer Pacha and Prince
of Montenegro--Evaded by the Prince--Omer Pacha returns to
Mostar--Preparations for Campaign.
We now arrive at that period when rebellion actually broke out among the
Christians of the Herzegovina, and when things, in short, assumed the
aspect which they now wear.
Before entering upon any account of the various risings which have
occurred, I would remark that much blame attaches itself to the Porte,
not only because of long years of misgovernment, but also on account of
the supineness shown by its officials, who, in the presence of the most
positive proofs to the contrary, treated the idea of a rising with
supercilious disregard. Frequently whole villages came in to declare
that they should be compelled to rise, unless they received protection
and support. This was of course promised liberally, but the promises
were never redeemed, and so they were driven to rebellion against their
will, as a means of safety from the fanatical fury of their lawless
co-religionists.
After two years of indecisive skirmishing, in which the Turks, always
exposed in small parties, generally fared the worst, the Ottoman
government appeared to awake to the necessity for pursuing more
energetic measures. This resolution was hastened by the revolt of the
villagers of Yassenik, Lipneh, Garevo, Kazantzi, Doulatchi, Vralkovitch,
Golia, Krustach, Beronschitzi, Yenevitza, Danitzi, and others in the
neighbourhood of Gasko, who joined bands of Uskoks, with whom and the
Montenegrins they attacked the blockhouse of Krustach. As a punishment,
three of these were burnt by the Turkish troops. The version of the
affair given by the opposing parties varies considerably, as may be
supposed. The Christians affirm that, after repeated acts of aggression
on the part of the Bashi Bazouks, they took refuge in the mountains, but
returned thence on being promised protection. That they were one day
astonished by perceiving the heights covered with soldiers, who entered
and sacked the village of Beronschitzi. No blood was shed, but the six
sons of one Simon Gregorovitch were taken before Ali Pacha, who ordered
them to instant execution. The seventh son is reported to have been
taken to Metokhia, where, after being tortured, he was executed. The
people escaped from Yassenik and Yenevitza, but in the former two women
are said to have been killed and thrown into the flames of the burning
houses.
The whole of these villagers affirm that their only crime consisted in
having united with other villagers in posting videttes, to give warning
of the approach of Bashi Bazouks and Uskoks.
This somewhat improbable story is denied by Dervisch Pacha, who gives
the following account of the matter:--The occupants of twenty-one
different villages revolted in the spring of 1859, and interrupted the
communications between Gasko and Niksich and Grasko and Mostar. They
then attacked those villages occupied by Mussulmans in the plain of
Gasko, and made raids into the district of Stolatz, from which they
carried off 6,000 head of cattle, the property of the Roman Catholics of
that district. They further compelled many Christians to join in the
revolt, who would otherwise have remained quiet. Dervisch Pacha
therefore sent Ali Riza Pacha, a General of Brigade, to restore order.
He, after taking and garrisoning Krustach, advised the rebels to send
deputies, to show the nature of the grievances of which they complained.
These were sent accordingly, headed by one Pop Boydan, a priest, and a
leading mover of the insurrection; but in place of lodging any
complaints, the delegates appeared rather in the light of suppliants
demanding pardon and favour. Meanwhile the villagers returned, but not
to live peaceably--merely with the view of getting in their crops.
While the deputation, however, was at Nevresign, the villages of Lipneh,
Samabor, Yassenik, Yenevitza, and Beronschitzi revolted again, and cut
off the communications between Gasko, Krustach, and Niksich. They also
posted guards along a line of frontier, which they said that no Turk
should pass. When called to account by Dervisch Pacha for this breach of
faith, the deputies replied that the Christians acted through fear,
which feeling was taken advantage of by a few evil-disposed persons for
their own ends. They, however, undertook to pacify them, and wrote a
letter professedly with that object, but without effect. The disorder
increased, and numerous outrages were committed. Seven soldiers were
murdered whilst cutting wood about four miles from Metokhia; Ali Pacha's
aide-de-camp and five soldiers were cut to pieces between
Niksich and Krustach, and seven other Mussulmans were killed. Still the
Turks hesitated to act with severity. They appealed again to the
deputies, who wrote another letter, which, as the bearers of it
affirmed, only enraged the rebels, who tore it, and trod it under foot.
But this affords little proof of the intensity of their feelings, as it
has since transpired that an arrangement had been made by the deputies
that all letters written voluntarily and in sincerity should bear a
private mark; and the letter in question was not so distinguished. Upon
the discovery of their treachery the deputies were imprisoned, and
energetic measures at once resolved upon. To give these effect, Ali
Pacha advanced at the head of a small force, and summoned the rebels to
surrender. They replied by firing on the advanced guard. The three
villages were then taken, and five men and two women killed, while a few
prisoners were made. These last were released, but one died in prison.
Such is the story told of the affair by Dervisch Pacha.
It does not appear that Ali Pacha acquired any great credit by his
method of conducting the operations. Quitting a strong position in the
afternoon, he arrived at the villages to be attacked after nightfall.
Having fired them, he was compelled to make a precipitate retreat, which
might have been most disastrous, had he been opposed to an enterprising
enemy.
With reference to the discrepancy manifested in the two accounts, we may
feel assured that both are highly coloured. But the deception resorted
to by the rebels, and the simple explanation given by the Turkish
officials, would tend to impart to their story the greater appearance of
truth. Had the Turks, moreover, wished to avenge the deaths of their
soldiers, or to vent their hatred of the Christians, they would have
maltreated the people of the first villages at which they arrived, in
place of marching seven miles through a difficult country to the borders
of a district which had for two years defied their efforts at reduction.
The implication of the villagers in the numerous murders which had
occurred was proved by the discovery of some of the Turkish bayonets at
Beronschitzi, while they actually made an offer to restore the property
of the murdered aide-de-camp, provided a reward was paid for them. They
even sent a list of the effects to Ali Pacha, with the sum which they
demanded for the restoration of each article.
I venture to give these details even at the risk of incurring the charge
of too great prolixity, as hitherto a one-sided account only has been
given to the world. Every channel of information, whether it be the
telegraph from Ragusa or the Slavonic press, does its best to mislead
the general public, by exciting sympathy for the Christians, as unjust
as it is undeserved. Even in the affair in question much stir was made
by the Slavish newspapers about the death of seven Christians, while, as
Dervisch Pacha very fairly complained, no notice was taken of the murder
of thirty-seven Mussulmans during the same period.
Another event, which afforded a handle for the ill-wishers of Turkey,
was the pillage of the four Greek chapels of Samabor, Dobrolie,
Kazantzi, and Grachantzi. This occurred in July 1859, and the case was
investigated by the Russian Consul at Mostar, who imputed the act to
Turkish soldiers, producing in evidence the fact of a sergeant having in
his possession a kind of church vestment. The sergeant, however, did not
attempt to conceal the vestment, and accounted for his possession of it
in a manner which was deemed satisfactory by the British and other
Consuls.
It was more probably done by Uskoks, who gutted a chapel near Nevresign
a few years before, or by the rebels themselves, at the instigation of
others, for the purpose of bringing odium upon the Turks in the eyes of
Europe.
By these and other no less unworthy means was the agitation fostered
throughout the province, until the whole frontier became denuded of
Mussulman inhabitants, who were compelled to take shelter in Klobuk,
Niksich, and other places capable of some sort of defence.
By the spring of 1861 affairs had assumed so serious an aspect, that
even the Porte could not but awake to the danger which threatened that
portion of the empire, and to the necessity for immediate and strenuous
measures. This danger lay not so much in the aggressive power of the
rebels themselves, as in the ulterior results which it was calculated to
produce.
It required little foresight to understand that the movement was
destined to be the germ of a general insurrection of the Slavonic
Christians of Turkey, which would lead to the partial or entire
dismemberment of her European provinces.
In this dilemma the Sultan's government bethought them of appealing to
the only man in the empire who was capable of grappling with the
difficulty. Omer Pacha was taken once more into favour, and was
despatched to the scene of discord. A Slave by birth, but tied to the
interests of his imperial master by the devotion of a lifetime, no more
fitting choice could have been made. With alacrity he proceeded on his
mission--a mission which required both courage and address, energy and
endurance.
He commenced his task by issuing the following proclamation, in which he
called upon all to return to their allegiance, in full assurance that it
was the intention of the Sultan to carry out the reforms which had been
guaranteed by the Hatti Humayoun of 1855.
'What this proclamation is I let you all know.
'His Majesty the Sultan has appointed me the chief of his armies in
the Roumelian provinces, and has sent me here to carry out in this
mission all the just privileges, which have not hitherto been
fulfilled. In obedience to the commands of the Sultan, I have come
here to show to you how kind and good are the intentions of our
sovereign to his subjects, and to announce without distinction to
Mussulmans, Greeks, and Catholics together, the following
decrees:--
'1st. Every village has the power to name one or two chiefs as
representatives, whom I will acknowledge.
'2nd. Every district has the power to name one or two
representatives whomsoever the people of the district may choose.
'3rd. The Christians shall have full religious liberties, and shall
be permitted to build churches and place bells therein, like all
the rest of the subjects in the empire.
'4th. The Zaptiehs (police) shall not be permitted to locate
themselves in your houses, but an appointed place shall be set
apart for them in every village.
'5th. The arrangement which has been made at Constantinople
touching landowners and the agriculturists, and to which both
parties have assented, shall immediately be put into execution.
'6th. The taxes shall be collected by your own chiefs, and
consigned by them to the officers sent by our Sultan to receive
them.
'7th. I will further recommend to the Greek Patriarch at
Constantinople that a Bishop of your own nation should be
nominated, who knows your language and customs.
'8th. I will take such measures as shall secure you the right of
purchasing landed property.
'When this proclamation shall have been promulgated to you, and
you should still have some farther favour to ask at my hands, you
may do so in writing, or by word of mouth. All that is possible for
your welfare I will endeavour to fulfill.
'Furthermore, it is your bounden duty to submit yourselves to your
sovereign, and to show humility to him.
'From the Divan Marshal &c. &c. &c. &c.
--at Mostar.
'When you shall have heard what I have promised, see that everyone
know of it, and what is necessary to execute let me know, and it
shall be fulfilled.'
This proclamation, was disseminated in all the Nahias (districts),
towns, and villages, and in many instances produced a favourable result.
But it could not be expected that these assurances, even though they
should have reached them, could have made much impression on a set of
lawless brigands, who loved plunder for plunder's sake, and who were
supported both morally and practically by the agents of civilised
European powers.
Having allowed a sufficient time to elapse for all to make their
submission, it now remained to employ force where it was requisite. But
the difficulties which Omer Pacha had to encounter were prodigious. An
unprecedented drought rendered an unusually sterile country more
incapable than ever of sustaining life, while the period which
generally elapses between the autumn rains and the killing frosts of
winter, renders the time available for military operations short and
uncertain. Add to this, the total want of provisions, stores, and other
necessaries, which his predecessors had neglected to procure, and an
empty treasury, and we may not be surprised that his mission is as yet
uncompleted. But another and still greater difficulty presented itself
to him. This related to the attitude which he should assume towards
Montenegro.
The shortest and most efficient line to pursue, in order to arrive at
the root of the evil, would have been to have invaded and subjugated
that province. But even had he felt confident of his power to effect it,
he remembered too well the lesson of former years, when his successful
advance was checked by political interference. There was little reason
to suppose that the same power, which then intervened, would allow him
greater latitude in the present instance. The idea, therefore, was
discarded, and endeavours were made to bring about a pacific
understanding, which should result in the re-establishment of order. A
meeting between Omar Pacha and the Prince of Montenegro was consequently
agreed upon at a point close to the Lake of Scutari. Omer Pacha,
accompanied by the European commission, travelled to the spot. All
appeared to be going well. Though nothing definite was ever
promulgated, there is good reason to believe that the Turkish
Plenipotentiary would have offered the most advantageous terms to the
Prince, including an accession of territory to the NW. and W., and the
possession of Spizza, a seaport, had the meeting taken place. But at the
last moment the Prince evaded his share of the arrangement, on the
shallow excuse that his people would not permit him to cross his own
frontier. He well knew that the Sultan's representative would not demean
himself by pandering to the caprices of one by rights a subject, and
that the only way in which Omer Pacha would ever pass into Montenegro
would be at the head of his soldiers.
In vain did the European Commissioners try to change his decision. In
vain they asserted the sincerity of the Sultan, and the safety with
which he might fulfill his agreement. They could only elicit a surly,
'Faites comprendre ces gens-là.' The indignant 'C'est assez, Monsieur,'
of the French Commissioner brought the interview to an abrupt
conclusion. The rejection, for such it must be deemed, of the Turkish
overtures, together with the boast which escaped the Prince, that he
could pacify the frontier in fourteen days, are quite sufficient proofs
of his implication in the disturbances, and would fully justify the
Turks, were they to sweep this nest of hornets from the face of the
earth.
Unfortunately, the principle of non-intervention between a sovereign and
his subjects is a chimera, refuted as it has so signally been by the
very author of the principle.
The Commissioners now saw that nothing more could be done save by force
of arms, and were dissolved accordingly.
Omer Pacha returned to Mostar to continue his preparations for carrying
on hostilities, not against the Montenegrins, but against the rebellious
Christians on the Turkish side of the frontier.