ΧΑΪΔΑΡΙ ΧΑΪΔΑΡΙ - ΣΥΝΑΝΤΗΣΗ ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ | Page 212

212
as well as full power to appoint officers. However,
his efforts to unite different guerilla groups failed and
headed for Athens with about six hundred and fifty men.
Karaiskakis arrived at Eleusina after a meeting with
Krieziotis and Maurovouniotis in Salamina. The two had
already set their camp in Eleusina since 1825. Other
captains started to arrive and the troops became four
thousand, plus twelve hundred Philhellenes under C.
Faviere, who was allowed to act autonomously.
The battles of Chaidari in August 1826.
The battles of Chaidari are described by guerilla captain
C. Perraivos in his memoirs and by C. Vyzantios, captain
of the tactical army under C. Faviere. The two descriptions
reveal different aspects of the historical facts including the
arguments between the two armies, tactical and guerilla.
As soon as they arrived in Eleusina, Faviere suggested to
wait for the cavalry to arrive, whereas Karaiskakis wanted
them to attack, so that the guerillas do not disband.
The battle of the 6th of August 1826. On the
midnight of the 5th of August both Greek armies camped
in the Chaidari garden, between Korydallos and Elaionas
and close to Palataki. The guerillas notified both besieged
Greeks and Turks of their arrival with gunfires and then
fortified in the garden. Faviere was stationed out in the
open field. The following sunrise a Turkish cavalry unit
was repelled by the Greek guerillas with the help of the
Philhellenes. An hour later a complete Turkish corps with
infantry, cavalry and artillery units attacked in vain and
retreated. Faviere wanted to pursue them, but Karaiskakis
was afraid of the open field between Chaidari and Athens
and no attack was attempted. Thus, the first battle lasted
eight hours and left many wounded, ten dead guerillas
and twenty soldiers. The Philhellenes and the band of
Kriezotis played a distinguished role in the battle.
The officers’ evening meeting had to decide on the next
step. Karaiskakis wanted to proceed to Piraeus, because
he did not feel safe in Chaidari. Faviere disagreed and as
they decided to stay, they received news that Kutahiye
was leaving Athens. As the Greeks prepared to hit the
retreating Turks, Homer Pasha arrived with three thousand
men and Kutahiye decided to move against Chaidari and
crash the Greek camp.
The battle of the 8th of August 1826. The
Greeks prepared for the battle against eight thousand
soldiers and two thousand cavalry. Karaiskakis, in view
of the enemy numbers, tried to encourage his soldiers.
Faviere started fighting on his own against the Turkish
cavalry. A Turkish attack disorganised them but he and
the guerillas repelled the Turks. Kutahiye ordered a full
attack against the guerillas. A few successful shots at
the Turkish commanders disorganized the Turks and
Perraivos suggested counter attack. In the meantime,
the Turks fortified and started bombing the Greeks with
their canons. Their cavalry tried to flank the Greeks, but
was repelled by the Philhellenes. The battle lasted until
the evening with the Greeks holding tight. Karaiskakis
secretely took his troops out to Eleusina, fearing Turkish
reinforcements. However, the tactical army was not
informed. They had to fight through enemy lines in the
night and thus left twenty wounded behind. This second
battle was more fierce than the first. There were four
hundred Turkish casualties and over seventy dead Greek
soldiers. The Chaidari battles had no winner. The Greeks
did not manage to relieve the Akropolis and understood
that they should avoid open confrontation with the Turks.
Faviere on the Chaidari battles
The day following the battle Faviere retreated to
Salamina in disappointment. The French colonel reported
that the guerillas had not informed him of their plans,
while they stole most of their equipment. This does not
seem possible. There seems to have been a translation
problem between the two commanders, while the part
of Karaiskakis accuses Faviere for sympathising with
Karaiskakis’ political enemies and aiming to becoming
the commander-in-chief of the liberation of Athens. On
the other hand, Faviere was a brave and capable officer,
with experience in the Napoleonic wars, the Turkish army
and the 1822-1823 Spanish revolution. He successfully