On April 23, Omer Vryonis with half the army attacked Gorgopotamos held by Dyovouniotis. The rest of the Turkish army had not yet moved. In front of the section of Dyovouniotis was a giant, Mitros Vagias. This giant was with four other comrades ready to fight. But they didn’t have time. Turkish bullets killed all five of them. The Greeks lost sight of Vagia dead, their morale dropped. Well, when the attack of the Turks began, they retreated to Dema. The cavalry of Omer Vryoni then harvested them and smashed them. Now he attacked Panourias, who had fortified himself at Heraclea and Chalcomata. Two attacks were made against him respectively. In the second, Panourias, who was fighting in the front line, was wounded and they retreated to Kallidromo. There disaster awaited them, because Vryonis, after the retreat of Dyovouniotis, had sent a part of his army there. The Greeks managed to escape with great difficulty. Among the dead was the Bishop of Amfissa, Isaiah. He was carried for a long time by a lad, Markopoulos, but the Bishop was heavy and the Turks were many. So Isaiah put down his weapons and gave them to Markopoulos. He did not accept them. -Despite my children, the country needs them more than me! insisted Isaiah. The Turks took his head while he was praying for the freedom of the Fatherland. Now the Turks headed to the bridge of Alamana. At the same time, Mehmet Kiose’s division arrived. Fate had chosen Athanasio Diako (Deacon) to fight with the whole army. Diakos stays in his place.
His lads are waiting for the order to retreat. But they don’t listen to her. Diakos wanted to stay and fight. Because; He had decided to stay to die to fulfill his debt to the Fatherland. After about two thousand three hundred years, the fate of Greece wanted a second Leonidas to be sacrificed on the altar of the same debt… A drizzle has begun. The first Turks to arrive stand at a distance. They do it because they wonder how so few Greeks don’t run away to get away. The troops eventually stop. And when the place goes to regain its peace, a thunderous voice is heard from the side of the Turks and the great attack begins… The lads who have captured the bridge are attacked with heavy fire. But the Turks are not just an army. It is a sea that every now and then throws its wild waves on the Greeks. The bridge of Alamana cannot be held… Diakos sees it and sends reinforcements to the bridge from the three hundred lads he has in Pouria, but this is in vain. Kalyvas, Leventogiannis and two other soldiers do not give up. They run to an old inn and barricade themselves to continue behind the crumbling walls the superhuman struggle.
Diakos sees them and is more stubborn to stay. The Turks begin to encircle Pouria… -Hell, let’s go! Let’s fight the Turks elsewhere! shouts next to him his friend and lieutenant, Vasilis Bousgos. – I do not leave or abandon my comrades! shouts Diakos and points to the inn from which smoke rises from the rifles… Busgos, with tears in his eyes, begs Diakos to leave. He stays and fights without giving an answer. Bousgos leaves with most… Diakos counts those who are left around him. All together are 48 lads. The knight of Diakos, the Romanian, who because he was thin and small was called «Bisbiriko», came before him along with his mare, the moonlit Astero.
-We are lost Diakos, look to get away! She shouts at him breathlessly, suggested the horse's bridles. He gets a curt answer which is both order together: -Ride her and go!
Bisbirikos did not leave. He chose to stay and die with the Chief… Diakos, seeing the lads fall one after the other, orders them to head to Damasta where he had rocks to fortify. When they arrived, there were only ten men left. The Turks begin their attack. The rifles of the Greeks burn from heavy use and catch swords and pistols. Diakos’ brother, Kostas, is killed. Diakos with tears in his eyes says: -Oh Kostas, what news our mother will get tomorrow! And he takes his brother’s body and uses it as a fortification! At some point, when the battle goes hand to hand, his sword somewhere found and broke. He continues to fight but a bullet hit him in the clavicle of his right shoulder. After emptying his pistol at an enemy, five Turkalbanians capture him and tie him tightly. They forced him on a mule and led him to Lamia. The 4 warriors who are in the inn and continue the battle as soon as they see Diakos tied up, rush to free him. They were killed just beyond their leader… Finally, when they arrive in Lamia, Diakos meets Omer Vryonis. After they had dismounted the man tied by the mule, they brought him before him.
-How did you leave and get caught alive, Diakos? He asks with a smile. She already knew him from the court of Ali Pasha in Ioannina. -"If I knew I wasn't going to be killed, I'd keep a bullet to myself," he replies. Then they take him to Mehmet. And the following dialogue follows: "Are you Diakos? - It's me. Why did you take up arms and rouse others? -To be freed or to die. -And what can we do with you now that you have ruined so many people? -Whatever you want. -And don't you feel sorry for your beauty and your manliness? -To God I will surrender what He has given me. -God give them to you to enjoy. Come to my service and you will have what you want. - I do not serve you Pasha either, but those who serve you do not benefit you. What I want is to see my country free. -This will never happen if I kill you. -Greece has many Diakos and there are thousands... -If you come with us and change your faith, you will save your life. Think and decide. - Go and your faith murtates to perish! I Graikos was born, Graikos I want to die!
Mehmet showed sympathy to Diakos. But the governor of Lamia, Halil Bey, demanded the immediate killing of Diakos. So in the evening he was subjected to terrible torture. In the morning he was beaten alive by the Turks. It was April 24, 1821, a Sunday. The battle of Alamana greatly convinced the Greeks. The death of Diakos infuriated them and made Odysseas Androutsos return to Central Greece. It also gave Kolokotronis the right time to win at Valtetsi as Vryonis started again from Lamia on May 7. After the battle, Diakos passed into the memory of the Greeks as a Saint.
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Θεματα Στρατιωτικης Ιστοριας 