From GREECE..

PALAMAS

A city inhabited since ancient times.

The battle of Mataraga The sergeant major D. Tertipis, with 18 men, seizes the Abaj Aa bridge, a strategic but completely unfortified position, in order to stop the advance of the Turkish army,

which was arriving from Karditsa, and to obstruct the gunfires. The sergeant

Georgios Laios seizes the hill of Petromagoula and takes on its defence.That was, in

a few words, the battle order, which was presaged to be horrifying. The focus of the

battle was in three points:

a)In Mataraga, where 80 revolutionaries confronted 2000 foot soldiers, 300

horsemen and two cannons,

b)In Abaj Agha bridge, where D. Tertipis fought with 18 soldiers,

c)In Petromagoula / Mogolino, where G. Laios among others, with approximately 60

men, confronted the bulk of the Turkish army.

In Mataraga scenes of unspeakable heroism took place, but, in view of the torrent of

the enemy attacks, the revolutionaries retreated to the village Pyrgos of Mataraga.

In Abaj Agha bridge, Tertipis 18 men, after having fired their last shot, retired to Petromagoula.At the top of Petromagoula, G. Laios, with 16 men, fights a Homeric

battle, confronting a Turkish army battalion. The brave commander falls in battle.The

Revolution lost one of its most devoted advocates.The pincer movement around

Petromagoula and the hill of Mogolino closes continuously in. At about 4.30 in the

afternoon Greeks and Turks fight hand to hand. They fight with bayonets. Things for

the Greeks were very bad when a force of about 100 men appears to rush into from Mosholouri.The battle was sealed. At about 8 o clock in the evening the Turks started to retreat evenly and the Greek revolutionaries withdrew to the foot of the

Agrafa area. The battle had already been won. The folk muse sang this battle and

Laios heroic death in many folk songs. One of them says:Girls of Sofades, women of Mosholouri dont shift this year, dont shift this Summer. Our own Laios was shot in Pyrgos of Mataraga. Both nights and dawns lament for him, the noons lament

together, his poor mother laments for him as well .

acting by a dedication to tradition ...

A city with a strong religious character