Waiting

 The Tired Warrior by Kemal Tahir

Translated by Elif Erkmen

Chapter 9

Shaban brought a dim kerosene lamp with a broken glass.

The optimism that they felt after eating the delicious soup was wearing off. They were waiting and were bored. It was raining nonstop for hours. They concluded that the men that they were waiting for wouldn’t be able to come because of the rain. They didn’t even know where Halit, the leader of the irregulars, was coming from; when he would arrive; or how many men he had. As a wanted man, how was he supposed to enter the town and how was he going to find them?

All four of them had the same thoughts. They were listening outside, hoping to hear something other than the rain. Selahaddin wiped his sweat off with his wet handkerchief. He changed his clothes twice. He was better now, but still weak. He was sipping water which they had added a drop of brandy to. He had difficulty swallowing the sulfate. It tasted bitter. He hoped no one saw him when he screwed up his face.

He had perspired a lot because of the fever. The thin mattress was wet as if it had fallen in the water. Shaban was trying to dry the sheets over the stove.

Bekir Sami checked the time once again; he was tired. He was trying hard not to show his desperation. The lines on his face and around his eyes were deeper.

Nizam had sent a messenger in the afternoon and told them that it would be dangerous to leave the building at night time so they were advised to go to the train station right away. The French Captain promised to protect the officers.

Bekir Sami and Jamil didn’t want unnecessary arguments and told the messenger that Selahaddin was sick. They would rather wait in the Military Office.

Jamil remembered how Shaban was crying in pain when they threw stones at him; he couldn’t wipe that image off his mind.

All the events, since they came to Akhisar, changed the dynamics between the higher and lower ranks of the army. There should have been a more respectful distance but since they were like prisoners in the building, they were feeling more equal. Bekir Sami was bothered by the fact that Lieutenant Farouk was sitting in the same room with him. He looked sad.

Bekir Sami thought they should have continued their journey to Manisa last night instead of getting off the train at Akhisar Station. It was hard to wait. “We didn’t hear from Rasim”. He said this for the third time.

Jamil thought they made a mistake today. “When we were able to use the telegraph we should have given orders to Rasim to mount the artillery weapons; use the war measures act and confiscate all the animals and carriages from the people; to load the carriages with ammunition and weapons and leave the town with all the available infantry and cavalry soldiers. We should have told Rasim to go to Salihli at all costs even if they had to fight.”

Jamil was sorry that they had to wait the whole day at Akhisar and had to deal with Gavour Efe. They could have called Halit to Salihli. That way they would be in a better position when negotiating. Halit would see them leading a larger group of soldiers. He wondered why the Commander didn’t think that. He was surprised and then Jamil realized for the first time in his life how difficult a Commander’s job was even though he had been a war Officer for so many years.

Jamil tried to analyze the situation. Could it be that the general desperation of all of the people was causing the Commander to make bad decisions? If so, that was not good. Normally, people would have a reflex to run away from danger, but in Akhisar, people were paralyzed, they were not moving. On the other hand, if people started to leave their houses; loading their carriages with their children and belongings, it would cause panic.  Jamil wondered in which case it would be easier to convince the people to resist: In a panic situation or while they are still at their homes in this paralyzed state. There was no way to talk some sense into them. Jamil concluded that this was the reason why the Officers didn’t know how to convince people. Then he remembered that sometimes the soldiers get shell shocked and they don’t obey orders. They refuse to leave their trenches. Jamil looked at the rifles by the wall. He squinted his eyes and concluded that it was not the same thing; because on the fronts those soldiers were waiting for the enemy to attack even though they were not the first to attack the enemy with their bayonets. And when the enemy attacks first, the soldiers have to defend themselves until the end. There is no other choice.

However, the situation in Akhisar was different. The people were waiting for the enemy army with the Greek flags; they were almost welcoming them. There was no resistance. That was why the Turkish officers were dumbfounded. Bekir Sami didn’t know what to do when he was faced with a lack of emotion. Bekir Sami normally would know what to do with the shell-shocked soldiers. He would force them to take action using his gun. The people of Akhisar could choose to take all their ammunition and arms and retreat eastward. That way they could wait to fight the enemy in a safer area. Instead, they were just waiting for the enemy to come and get them like prisoners in their homes. They were waiting in fear. They didn’t have any power to resist. ‘They are as good as dead!’ Jamil thought.

Jamil remembered the faces of Nizam’s friends, as well as Rashad and his men. He compared them with the Ottoman public employees that he saw all over the Empire. He felt like he knew the type, especially familiar was Nizam, the madrasah teacher. Jamil had trained so many novice soldiers and had been with them in the war. He had the opportunity to observe their behavior in dangerous situations. When the younger ones were on the ground lying on their faces, he used to order them to stand up and attack the enemy. And he had to ask the experienced soldiers to do the most difficult tasks; to obey him*. He thought, “Maybe we haven’t analyzed the situation correctly now at Akhisar. We didn’t understand the attitude of the people well; surely the people must have some good qualities. We didn’t know how to search for those qualities. We kept on talking about the things they already knew. Probably we should have talked to them in a more sophisticated manner. We would elevate their fears.  Perhaps we would have made them more fearful and they would have taken action, regardless.”

Selahaddin put his elbows on the table and covered his face. Waiting made him more tired. They heard dogs barking from far away behind the voices of the rain. The barks came from one yard to another approaching them. They heard horses and they all sprang to their feet.

“Two horsemen.”

“No, Commander. Three.”

”You are right, three. Farouk, please, go and see who is coming.”

The horsemen must not be afraid of anyone. They are coming at full throttle, English style.

When Jamil and Farouk opened the door, they saw the horsemen pulling the reins and stopped. Their leader Halit was a member of the Karaosmanoglu clan. He was about 35 years old and a tall handsome man who had dark looks. He had shapely legs and wore English riding pants in a dark grey color. He had riding boots and elaborate headgear. On his belt, there was a dagger in a silver Circassian case as well as a big pistol. He had a deep voice that gave the others confidence.

He saluted Bekir Sami and the Commander seemed to like him. He invited him to sit down. Halit apologized for being late.

“It is all right. We had a lot to do in the afternoon. Before I will explain everything, I want to ask you something, Are you a Unionist?” Bekir Sami said.

“Yes, I am.”

“We heard that the Accord Party, who is in Government, wants to arrest you. Is that right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I am here on the Defence Ministry’s orders with absolute authority. My job is to head the 17th Army with the help of patriotic individuals like yourself. We are going to stop the enemy and throw them back to the sea that they came from. If you support us then you don’t need to be afraid of Government prosecution anymore. You should know that we are all Unionist supporters as well. After the Truce, the Government changed in Istanbul. However, we still control the Armed Forces. Now that the enemy has landed in Izmir, we should forget our differences with the Accord Party. We have to combine our efforts to save the country. There are still some people who don’t support us. How many men can you bring to fight? Time is important. Instead of bringing five hundred men a month from now, we need you to recruit one hundred men now. Do you understand what I am saying?”

“Yes, certainly, I understand, Commander. Before I came here, I spoke to Rashad. I will recruit a thousand Cavalry and a thousand Infantry soldiers in a couple of days, and provide enough arms and ammunition.”

“Are you sure? A thousand Cavalry and a thousand Infantrymen! That is a big force, very big.”

“Yes, I am sure, Sir. In the triangle of Akhisar, Manisa, and Casaba, all the villages follow our orders.”

“God Bless you, Halit. That’s good news. When do you think you can gather those men?”

“When do you need them?”

“I need them right now. We can’t afford to lose a minute.”  He checked the time and tapped his watch with his finger twice. “How many men can you gather by tomorrow? Three hundred, two hundred, even a hundred would do! The situation is such that we have to go to Manisa right away! We have to get the ammunition and the machine guns as well as the artillery and retreat inland. We sent our men there already. I gave my orders to them in the morning using the telegram. Our men in Manisa are working with all their might now. We have to go there right away and stop the enemy. There are eight cannons, twenty-five machine guns, fifty Mauser guns, and one million bullets. There are also hundreds of artillery shells and a hundred thousand machine gun bullets in Manisa! How many men do you have at the moment?”

“My forces are not ready yet. I have to call them to order.”

“Could you send them a message now?”

“No!” Halit squirted his eyes and thought about something. He said, “We have to send messengers to the villages. The roads are not safe, especially at night. We will go to Kumkuyucak in the morning. I sent men already. The ones who get the message will come to Belence by noon. I think we will get to Manisa by tomorrow evening. What do you think?”

“Sure, that would be fine. Thank you, Halit. Our nation will remember you.” The Commander’s voice was full of emotion. “Our people felt homeless in their own country and started a revolution. We will reclaim our country. We are living in difficult times but we have a holy struggle to save our country. On behalf of our nation, thank you.”

 Halit Karaosmanoglu was embarrassed and looked down. The officers respected him.

Jamil remembered his talks with Dr. Munir. He thought, “Munir thinks we don’t have a European-style feudal system. He is wrong. Halit is a Gentleman in that sense. He is like a real chevalier.”

“Commander, do you need horses?” Halit asked.

Bekir Sami looked uncomfortable answering the question.  “We had to leave our horses at Balikesir. We didn’t know what to expect when we came here.”

“I understand. The roads are muddy and walking is treacherous. We will give you one of our own horses. My men can walk to Kumkuyucak.” He thought for a while. “Shall we go right away, Sir? We can go to Kumkuyucak and spend the night there.”

Before the Commander could answer Selahaddin said, “Yes, of course. That’s a good idea.”

Halit didn’t know about Captain Selahaddin’s illness, so he didn’t think that anything was out of the ordinary.

Bekir Sami was worried, “No, you shouldn’t be walking!” Then he explained the situation to Halit.  “Selahaddin has malaria. He needs his rest. He shouldn’t walk!”

“Yes, I can walk, Sir. This is not new for me. I have had malaria for a long time now. It is all right.”

Halit didn’t have to think for long, “We will do something else. I will provide an ox-drawn carriage. The Officers will ride on it and we can load your belongings. The carriage will go slowly all night.”

Selahaddin insisted. “No, Sir! I will walk. The carriage will go too slowly. We will be late.”

 “We won’t be late, Selahaddin; we will get another carriage if necessary. You should be comfortable.” Then Halit asked Farouk to call Ali.

Ali came running. He respectfully waited for orders.

“Get on your horse Ali, and go to Rustem; tell him we need an oxen carriage with two strong animals. He has to send a coachman also. It is urgent. Give him my regards.”

Ali left the room respectfully walking backwards. He rushed down the stairs.

Halit listened to the horse hoofs going away, and he smiled. “They will send the carriage right away; you better get prepared!”

Shaban was still in front of the stove trying to dry the mattress.

“Hasn’t that dried yet?” Jamil asked.

“It is almost dry, Sir. It is ready.”

“No, don’t carry it upstairs. Where is your rifle?

“It is here, Sir.”

“Shaban, how many cases of bullets do we have?”

“Five.”

“Good. Take everything; carry them downstairs and put them by the door.”

“Should I bring the rifles?”

“Yes. Get all your belongings as well. Don’t forget your coat. We are not returning here.”

“Are we going now?

“Yes.”

“Good. Are we leaving the food behind?”

“No, bring the food as well.” Jamil scratched his chin. “Bring the tents and the raincoats. It doesn’t matter if they are worn. We need everything.”

“I think we have a tent!”

“Go find it right away. Be quick! Have them by the door in five minutes.”

 Jamil went upstairs. Halit was telling the Commander the latest developments in the region. “Most of the Gendarmerie soldiers have gone back to their home. Some deserters and draft dodgers are hiding in the mountains. They are taking advantage of the situation because no one is looking for them. The Zaybeks are unruly in the Odemish area.”

“What do you mean?”

“When an ‘Efe’ takes to the mountains with his ‘Zaybeks’ he is responsible for the security of the region. When he is running away from law enforcement, he also has to make sure the other gangs don’t enter his territory. He has to claim that territory and protect it from the other Efe’s and other gangs. The Efe’s are more concerned about each other. They are not so worried about the Gendarmerie. Yoruk Ali is intimidated by Mehmet the Ironsmith. The Aegean region leaders have a feud with the Circassians over the death of Chakici Efe. Not only that; there are groups from the Balkans as well. The Albanians are acting independently. Now that the situation has changed; even the Greek Captains are coming from the islands to plunder our villages. Even in the daytime!”

“Can we gather some of the men on our side?”

“Yes, some of them might agree to join us. But the problem is they don’t trust one another.”

“Who are they?”

“The ones who are feuding?”

“No, I am asking in general, I am asking about all the people who are in the mountains.”

There is the Wrestler, Yoruk Ali, Mehmet the Ironsmith, Hussein, Mestan, Jafeaki from Crete, Mehmet, Molla Ibrahim Gang, and others.”

“That many?”

“Yes, there are a lot of people in the mountains.”

“How many men do the Efe’s have?”

“Ironsmith and Yoruk Ali have the most men; they each have fifteen men that are traveling with them, sometimes more. When there is a need they can recruit more.”

“Do you think they are any good? Can we count on them?”

Halit thought for a while. “You never know. Well, some of them may act courageously and charge to the enemy with all their might on the other hand, some might get scared by the slightest movement and run away. It is hard to control the gangs; before the war, they were only attaching the villages later on they started to raid bigger towns.  Ethem’s gang kidnapped the Governor of Izmir, Rahmi’s son, for ransom. You might have heard that. Some other gangs have followed his example and the rich had to pay protection money to them in every town. Yes, they might raid the enemy headquarters and cause damage, but they are not like a regular army, so they won’t be reliable. They don’t like the military officers because most of them are draft evaders; they are scared of the Officers and that’s why we can’t trust them totally. They can backstab us.

“I see. What about the regular army troops in this region?”

“The troops in Izmir have been dismantled and the former soldiers who came to this region are discouraging young men here. Some soldiers tried to go back to their homes and some took their weapons with them. Some officers dislike the Unionists. They were against our party from the beginning. They think we shouldn’t have organized a counterattack on the enemy in Izmir. They think if there wasn’t any resistance there wouldn’t be any problems. They are telling people that if no one opened fire on the enemy, there would be peace and everyone would have continued on with their business, as usual, and they blame the Unionists for the current troubles. Did you hear what happened in Tire?”

“No!”

“Ten Officers and thirty soldiers came to Tire as they were retreating from Izmir. The local Military Commander, Captain Mehmet, didn’t want them there and he had sent a cable to the Aydin Division Commander. He said they were able to maintain order in town; however, the military Officers who came from Izmir were trying to start a revolt there. He said the people wanted them to leave Tire immediately otherwise, there would be disorder. The next day the town Mayor sent a telegram: “Major Aziz is commanding twenty-five Officers and fifty men and they are trying to start an uprising in our town. The people of Tire, both Muslims and Christians, are about to revolt. There will certainly be some bloodshed. Please advise as soon as possible.” Because of this situation, the troops are losing their men. The biggest regiments here are at the most four hundred men. The 135^th Regiment in Soke has only 46 soldiers.”

“Yes, that’s correct. They have 46 men with rifles and the 75th Regiment has 85 riflemen. The 6th Division in Saraykoy has twenty men.”

“That’s why the people around here are so discouraged.”

“Yes. When the Greek Army landed in Izmir suddenly this entire region instantly became a war zone. Everyone has been tired of war since the Balkan wars. They have neither livestock nor crops anymore. Their lives and livelihoods are in danger. The gangs descend on the towns and rob them. Then the Security Forces rob them! There is no one to take care of the orchards and the vineyards. The women and children are too weak to work in the fields. The trade has stopped. They have a reason to be discouraged, Sir.”

“Yes, they have a reason but we are in a situation where we don’t have any other choice but to defend ourselves...”

“Some of their supporters say if we don’t take action then we could go back to our work, as usual. They claim the enemy will give us those rights. I don’t understand how they can talk like that. They are stupid to believe that. You have to wonder why they are talking like that. I think they are just hoping that they can spare themselves and don’t care about what happens to the others. It is May already and it is almost time for the barley harvest. It would be the first harvest after all those years of war. The commissioners for figs, grapes, tobacco, and licorice will buy the produce to export to foreign markets. When the farmers make money then all the store owners will be back in business! Before, there were shortages of sugar and coffee. Now they are starting to bring them to the market. Nobody wants any more disturbances, neither the village people nor the city folk. It is the same with the Istanbul Government. They want to keep quiet. Who is left to resist the enemy? No one except the Unionists. The Unionists are in this fight because they don’t want to be prosecuted for their past crimes.”

“What did the Unionists do? What crimes are you talking about? The Christian minorities here are happy with Governor Rahmi.”

“That’s right, Governor Rahmi took good care of the minorities here, but our boys wanted to take advantage of the situation and tried to take the trade away from them. They intimidated the Christian merchants who had been running the family business for generations. Now they are afraid they would be accountable for this. The Accord Party members are enemies of the Unionists. That’s why they were collaborating with the Christians during the war. Now they are even closer.”

“If the situation is this grave, how will you persuade people to join us?” the Commander asked.

“When Halit Karaosmanoglu calls them the people here come to join his forces. It has always been this way. They will fight against the enemy and even against the Ottoman Sultan. Their loyalty is with the Karaosmanoglu clan.”

“Jamil was thinking about the thousand infantry and another thousand horsemen that Halit Pasha was supposed to gather. If there will not be enough food for the army, then two thousand warriors will be hard to control. The country has been at war for seven consecutive years. Jamil wondered, “Who will supply food for all those men and the horses? How are we supposed to keep all the irregulars in line? If they steal or rape women what court will handle their cases? What authority can the Commander exercise among the warlords?”

Halit lit the Commander’s cigarette as if he were giving an answer to Jamil. He was very respectful. Jamil was hopeful and he wanted to catch Selahaddin’s gaze.

Captain Selahaddin had other thoughts. He seemed preoccupied as well.

Lieutenant Farouk was happy and anxious to go. He asked Halit, “How long will it take to go to Kuyucak?”

“It will take five or six hours.”

“How many homes are there in that village?”

“Around seventy.”

“How many horsemen can they provide?”

“We will send messengers to all the surrounding villages. I think we will have four hundred horsemen in a couple of hours.”

“That means we can arrive in Manisa tomorrow evening!”

“That’s what I think if we don’t get killed on the way.”

All four Officers thought about that sentence. It was still raining heavily outside and Shaban was busy downstairs with the preparations. Farouk walked to the window. He looked outside. The street looked as dark as a river in the night.

 Shaban and two others loaded the carriage with forty rifles and six cases of ammunition. They stretched the mattress on the empty space that was left. They put the tent up and tightened it.

Even though Jamil told Farouk to get on the carriage, Farouk preferred to walk along with Ali. The Commander was riding Ali’s horse. The coachman was a bearded immigrant. Farouk was carrying his Mauser over his shoulder with the barrel pointing to the ground.

Two were in the carriage, four on foot, and three riding their horses; altogether there were nine. They were walking slowly.  The oxen were big and they had curved horns. It was midnight and the town was dark.

After they left the town the road changed from hard paved road to wet and soft ground which was easy to walk on.

It was already very dark outside and Jamil and Selahaddin were in the covered carriage which was tightly closed and therefore even darker. The visibility was very poor.

Jamil lit his second cigarette and offered one to Selahaddin. When he lit the match he raised it to see his friend’s face. “How are you?”

“I am getting better. Just tired. Did you ever have malaria fever?”

“Many times.”

“Then you should know! It is good to change location. When you go to higher elevation you feel better. He listened outside. It was still raining. “I hope the Commander has a good raincoat. I don’t want him to get all wet.”

“I think he has a good raincoat. He put the hood on as well.”

“Good thing he is a Circassian; He is used to mountain roads and this kind of weather.”

“I worry about Farouk for he is very slim. He will get his feet wet and he might get sick.”

“He could have joined us here in the carriage.”

“I asked him but he declined.”

“Let him walk. If he gets tired he could always come in. He is slim but he is strong as well. He is a good marksman. He was competing against the best marksman and he won.  Halil Pasha rewarded him with the Nagant revolver that he is carrying.”

“Is that right? Which Halil Pasha? Uncle Halil?”

“Yes.”
“Where were you with him, in Iraq or in Caucasia?”

“I was with him from the start. Farouk came later to the 5^th Caucasia Division. The Commander was Major Nazim who was the Chief of Staff of the Islam Army. Do you know him?”

“Who is that?”

“Ottoman Balkan Forces Commander, Major Nazim.”

“Yes, I know him. Nazim Kayseri.”

“Yes! Initially he didn’t think Farouk was any good. Now, when he thinks back on that, he is embarrassed. He said; ‘I thought I knew people well. I was mistaken’. While saying that, he slaps his knees. He sent Farouk to the 28th Battalion of 10th Caucasian Regiment. The troops were supposed to make an initial attack the next morning. The grass was as tall as human height. They were walking in secure positions. They were ambushed from all sides. The troops were about to dismantle. They went to the road. Then they noticed that some were fighting back, so they got encouraged. The rear defence was retreating while still under fire. It was 45 degrees Celsius; it was boiling hot. You felt like you were in a hot oven. We were under fire and thirsty. And worst of all, the enemy didn’t take prisoners. If they captured you, they killed you. Don’t forget the Battalion was dismantled. The enemy claimed the mountain artillery. We had only two anyway. We lost 19 men. Our animals were gone.”

“What happened to the Battalion?”

“Two Officers dead and two wounded. When the 30th Battalion came to help they saw that Lieutenant Farouk was still holding strong with a couple of men. Then the experienced soldiers told us that when they saw young Farouk fighting with all his might they were not able to leave the battlefield and decided to continue fighting.”

Selahaddin’s face was lit up by the cigarette momentarily. “This happened in Gokchay which is located between Baku and Gence in Caucasia. Just a small town. I was thinking about this at the hotel. Farouk fought there like that. However, the people here refuse to fight. Why are they so discouraged? Is Farouk so courageous? Or is he mad? Is he as competitive as the athletes? Is he the only one who loves his country? What about the others? Why are people here not as patriotic as he is? They were born here. It is their land.”

“It is not that. Farouk was born in Istanbul. If it had something to do with birthplace he would have stayed and defended Istanbul.”

“That’s right!”

Selahaddin opened the tent door to throw out his cigarette butt. It was not raining anymore. There was no one behind. They must be walking in front of the oxen. The animal’s feet were smashing the mud.

Selahaddin inhaled the fresh air. “So what is it then? Why would people fight like madmen? Without any fear? Is it because they are angry? Is it because they are stubborn?”

“Halil Pasha and Dr. Munir talked about this for a long time.”

“What did they conclude?”

Hunter Troops

Leaders of Action Army

“Dr. Munir talked about the uprising of March 31st. He accused the Unionists of not having revolutionary forces.”

“And?”

“They wanted the Hunter Troops to leave Istanbul before March 31^st and journalist Hussein Jahid said that ‘they were the forces of the revolution. They should not be allowed to leave Istanbul. This was fifteen days before  March 31^st. Dr. Munir said that we had taken those Hunter Troops right out of Abdulhamid’s army instead of forming our own troops to guard the revolution. If they hadn’t come from Monastir we would have used some other troops from some other location. Even after the revolution, we didn’t train them for their new duties. So how did Hussein Yalcin conclude that these were the troops to guard the revolution? He didn’t know about the new revolutionary cadres or he simply had chosen to look like he didn’t know about this. I think some of our leaders had profited from March 31^st.”

“Your doctor doesn’t know what he is talking about! We were all in danger in the counter-revolution of March 31^st. How could anyone profit from them?”

“I don’t know! That’s what he said. He gave some examples.”

“Like what?”

“He said we killed Hasan Fehmi. We didn’t care about the death of Dervish Vahid! We let the bigots influence the army. We let them form their own association called Ittihad-i Muhammediye. And worse, we let Abdulhamid’s men govern after our victory. Dr. Munir was convinced that we didn’t have any progressive ideas or we were intimidated by the progress. Generally speaking, these things were causing us to profit from the old ways and the corruption.”

“What did Halil Pasha say about all this?”

“He just smiled under his mustache.”

“No way! Halil Pasha?”

At this moment, the tent door was opened. “How are you, Selahaddin?”

“I am fine, Farouk. How about you? Are you tired?”

“No. Is your fever gone?”

“Yes.  The malaria is gone. If you are tired come sit with us, there is enough space. You must be getting wet.”

“It is not raining anymore and I am not tired yet.”

“Is Shaban with you?”

“Yes, he won’t leave us.  He always finds something funny to say.”

They heard the Coachman’s voice, he had a Balkan accent. “Is he Molla Nasreddin?”

Shaban pretended he was sad. “Better than that. They say when the donkey is hurting he will run faster than the horse. That’s us!  Even Koroglu’s famous white horse wouldn’t be able to keep up with us. Don’t you know? I have my gun now. I wasn’t allowed before. We will beat the gangs. My feet are soaking now. If it gets worse and I still have my courage, then these mountains will see a real warrior!”

“Good for you, son! You are a brave soul.”

“Thank you. Even the Major likes my courage. I am a handy guy; I am sure I will be useful.”

Zaybek Ali said, “What is all this rain, Shaban? Is it the fool’s rain?”

“Right on! That’s the fool’s rain. I know because it is raining on Greeks! When you see the Greeks, it means Victory for us. I am sure about this. The Greek King’s whole job on this earth is to make the Ottomans happy!”

Crete ( The island  achieved independence from the Ottomans in 1898)

“Don’t you know they have already taken Crete from us?”

“Never mind Crete! It is like I said.”

“What about the Balkans?”

“The Balkan wars were different. The Greek army is invading our country because they are encouraged by our defeat in the Balkan wars. They have come and they are asking for it. We are going to win and forget the miseries of the Great War. I know this for sure. I don’t understand why you guys didn’t finish them in Izmir? What happened to the brave men of Aegean?” He waited for an answer. When there was none he sighed. “It is our Government’s fault. They didn’t install telephone wires all over. That’s why people didn’t learn about the situation in Izmir. Am I right?” He waited for an answer again. Then he added, “I am not blaming the Gavour Efe of Akhisar.  He somehow knew that Izmir was under attack even though there wasn’t a phone connection. That’s why he collected his gang right away and attacked us. He only had pebbles for ammunition. He was attacking the wrong people. He must have acted that way to save the honor of his town.”

They were going uphill and it was hard to proceed in the mud.

Jamil let Lieutenant Farouk sit in the carriage. When he came in Farouk opened his bottle and offered them some brandy.

They took a little sip and ate some raisins.

There was a light wind in the morning and it took the clouds away to Salihli. The weather was cool and wet.

When they reached the top of the Karadag they saw the sunrise. Kumkuyucak village was below. There was a stream dividing the village in two. The cows were let out after being milked. The elderly people were gathered at the town square.

One of the horsemen already went ahead and let them know that Halit was on his way. The Mukhtar’s room was ready for the visitors.

Halit was well respected there, everyone came to greet him.

They noticed that all the villagers here were armed to the teeth like the people they had seen in other towns.

The officers were happy when they realized that Halit was indeed capable of delivering a thousand horsemen and a thousand infantrymen.

Halit knew the villagers by name. He greeted all of them. He had the authority but his actions were not pretentious at all. He was acting normally as if nothing was extraordinary and he was there on a hunting trip with his guests. He asked the Mukhtar his usual questions regarding crops, the animals, and the equipment. He talked to the Mukhtar privately. Then he ordered Ali to supply all the things needed for the village from his own ranch. Then he changed the subject. He inquired about the Greek villages in the area.

The Mukhtar said that even though the Greeks were armed, they hadn’t done anything wrong so far. It looked like no one was willing to fight before the harvest. They informed Halit that the Greeks had dug trenches around their villages and had guards on duty day and night. Halit asked, “What about you?”

“It is the same for us. We are on guard.”

“Trenches?”

“We dug some trenches as well. We have secret guard posts. Our guards let us know that you were coming before the morning prayers. They told us how many men you had and that all the men were carrying guns. They weren’t sure what was in the carriage. However, they didn’t recognize you in the dark.”

“That’s OK. You will be informed in time. Did you have any news of the Greek Army?”

“We heard that they were around Menemen. Local Greeks in Menemen plundered the army depot. They distributed the guns to the villages. The Commander even gave them the machine guns.”

“That may be so, but I don’t think they would know how to use a machine gun.”

“You know better than me on this subject, Sir!”

“That’s bad news. Don’t you agree, Commander? I suppose they sent a machine gun operator as well”, Halit remarked.

“I agree. That’s bad news!”

“A Mauser is useless, compared to the machine gun. We need to get a machine gun ourselves. Do you have any men with experience with machine guns?”

The Mukhtar was silent. Everyone looked at a tall blond man who was sitting by the fire; the man was surprised at the attention. He was thinking and then he looked like he was going to stand up. Halit asked him, “Were you a sergeant in the military, Suleiman?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Is there anyone who knows how to use machine guns in this village?”

“The late Haydar had used them, but unfortunately he is no longer with us.”

“Do you think we can find someone from one of the neighboring villages?”

“Yes, we might find someone.”

“Mukhtar, please send some messengers to all the villages around here. Tell them that if they have horses they should get here right away. The others can come later. Let’s not lose time by waiting for each other. They have to come here as soon as possible. Tell them that, I will notice the ones who come first. They will be in my good books. Tell them to bring whatever guns they have. If they don’t have rifles tell them to bring their pistols. If they bring horses we will pay for the horses. The foot soldiers will be given horses in time. The ones who came before sunset will have special gifts from the Sultan. OK, boys. Get on your horses. We are waiting for good news.”

The men in the room hurried outside. There was only Mukhtar and some elderly men left in the room. Halit ordered Mukhtar, “We haven’t slept all night. We are hungry as well. We would like to have some soup and rice pilaf with meat. Bring us some hot water; and while we clean up get the meal ready. Prepare the beds as well. As soon as we finish dinner we want to sleep. Don’t let anyone make noise in the morning. We need our rest. We will have to take care of important business tomorrow afternoon. Get the guards on duty around the village. If there is bad news from Manisa wake me up.”

When they were awoken by the gunshots it was past noon already. They hadn’t changed their clothes for bed so they were able to run out by grabbing their rifles. Shaban came running up to Jamil asking, “Did we get ambushed?”

“No, Sir. “ He was out of breath. “The troops are approaching.”

“Which troops?”

“Ours. The gang is headed by ‘Girl Efe’.”

“Son, you have to stop thinking about ‘Girls’. What do you mean by ‘Girl Efe’?”

“They call her Girl Efe, Sir.”

The sounds of the guns were approaching fast. The gang was firing shots, taking a break, and saying a prayer in a loud voice. Halit showed the newcomers to the Commander and explained. “They are coming from Belence, Girl Efe is leading them.”

“Is that right? Is she really a woman or are they calling a man ‘Girl Efe’?”

“Yes, Sir, she is a woman who lost her husband in the war. She got on a horse and started carrying the flag and leading the way. People figured after losing her husband she went mad. People are used to her now, no one cares that she is an Efe now. That’s her! She is carrying the flag and leading the way!”

The flag was half red, half white, and there was an Arabic script on it with gold letters.

The flag post had a golden Crescent and star and green ribbons on top. Girl Efe had a big dagger on her belt and a beautiful embroidered scarf on her Fez. She had an embroidered vest and Efe pants as well. She was looking good in that outfit.

Her men had new guns and their cross holsters were full of ammunition. The other men who were on foot were also carrying different types of guns. They looked strong and agile.

The Flag barrier came and stopped by the mosque. The men who came earlier and had been waiting around came by her side. The Officers were happy. After Halit’s call, two hundred men had come to join their forces already.

Bekir Sami looked at them. He was trying to estimate the capability of those irregulars. Halit looked proud with his knitted eyebrows. The Commander asked, “Is that all we have?”

“No, Sir. There are some more horsemen by the river; many arrived at night when we were sleeping.”

There were about 35 horses under the willow trees by the river that were busy eating the food that they brought. Jamil elbowed Selahaddin. “We gathered sixty horsemen already. We should start heading toward Manisa. What do you say?”

“You are right. We should start going. The others can follow us. Let me go talk to the Commander.”

He went to Bekir Sami and whispered. The Commander said, “Yes, that’s what we should do. I will talk to Halit. Farouk should be on his way with these men. There is no need to wait.”

On the signal from Girl Efe, the men started singing a song that was popular during the Crimean War.  Omer Pasha was mentioned in the original. This was changed to Halit Pasha by his men. They were waiting for Halit to give the attack order.

The women started to cry already.

They gave Mausers to the horsemen. Farouk was on his way to Manisa leading 83 cavalrymen. Farouk was ordered to invite others. He ran into on his way to join his forces and tried to go to Manisa as soon as he could. Once there he had to load the ammunition and the guns and transport them to safer locations.

Both Bekir Sami and Halit were deceived by the fact that the first group was assembled so easily and up and running already. When all the other horsemen from different villages came and filled the town square the Officers faced some difficulty in forming units and sending them on their way. Nobody wanted to be separated from the people of their own villages. It was the same with the foot soldiers. The situation turned into chaos. The men didn’t obey the orders. They were gathering in one place and going to different places a while later. Everyone was talking. There was so much noise. Even though they had all completed their service in the military they were acting like they hadn’t had any training at all.

Selahaddin was tired and his voice was hoarse from yelling all day. He got his sulfate medicine and went to rest. The Coachman from Akhisar wanted to return home. Jamil distributed the rifles to the men who had proven that they had already finished their military service before. He kept one box of ammunition for their own use and he gave the other boxes to the men. They were happy to be given the free rifles and the ammunition, however, their joy didn’t last long. They were hoping for more since the situation was so precarious. Everybody wanted horses. They all claimed to have been in the cavalry units in the past. They said they could be more helpful if they each had horses. Some pessimists among the villagers were warning them that if things were dangerous the horses would run away easily and asking them what would they do without animals. So they were worried. They were happy before because of the new rifles and the ammunition but now they were not willing to go and they wanted to give the rifles back.

Bekir Sami promised them that the horses would be given to them in Manisa, but they didn’t listen. Halit was angry. The villagers were running away and hiding when they saw Halit coming. So he sent the village elders to convince them, but it was hard.

After a while the horsemen dismounted their horses, saying that they were not going anywhere if their friends were not given horses. They reminded the Commander that these men had served the country during the war as cavalrymen.

Jamil thought about getting a stick and yelling at those men but he thought better of it. They might leave. When he asked for sergeants almost all of them ducked. The ones who didn’t hide were not any good either. After getting permission from the Commander, Jamil went in front of the mosque and stood on a bench. He raised his hand and addressed the crowd, “Friends!”

Everybody was quiet.

“Friends! Where are we? We are in the Efe’s land. Your fathers were brave Efes as well. Your men are lions and your women are lionesses. Girl Efe has come to join us. She wants to fight in the name of God. We had difficulty in persuading her to go back home. Some among you are asking for horses. They want that because they want to attack the enemy sooner. Halit and the Commander appreciate your courage. But you have to understand something; we are not fighting the enemy today. You are going to Manisa to guard the artillery. Our friends may have already got the artillery pieces out of Manisa. I think the horsemen should start going to Manisa right now and the foot soldiers should follow them. The platoon that left earlier has orders to provide horses when you go and join them to guard the artillery. You all served before. You know that the artillery guns are very important for any army. They are the pride of the army. We cannot let the enemy confiscate our guns. You should be on your way. We are not starting to fight right away. Do you understand?” He waited a while then asked again, “Is that understood?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good! I wish the best to the ones who decide to go. And the others, if you stay, keep quiet!”

Somebody asked timidly, “Are you sure we will be given horses if we go there?”

Jamil knitted his eyebrows. “I can see that you are not willing to go. I can understand that from your voice. We have 500 good horses in Manisa. Of course, we are going to give you horses.”

Jamil made his fist and ordered. “Get on your horses! Toward Manisa!”

There was a sudden commotion in the town square. Men got on their horses. Soon, they were on their way proudly. Foot soldiers were following them, first running then walking.

Some of the men who were not ready to go went back to their homes or vanished in the shadows of the trees. Some had a change of heart and left their friends and returned to the village.

The town square was bright with the afternoon sun. There was no one to be seen. Everywhere was silent.

Jamil got down from the bench where he addressed the soldiers. He was walking with the sun in his eyes. He was surprised by his own ability to deliver a good speech. The fact was, he was always good at that. He always wondered how he came up with the speeches. He even questioned his own sincerity. “Sir, those cowards who declined to go with the troops still have our rifles. Should we go and get the rifles back?” Shaban asked.

“Why do we need to take the rifles back?”

“We gave them the rifles and then they didn’t go.”

“Shaban let them have the rifles. Don’t worry about them. You go watch our ammunition boxes.”

Selahaddin was feeling better. He didn’t have another malaria attack. He just had a fever then he was all right.

Jamil added some brandy to his tea. He asked his friend Selahaddin. “How did you like my speech?”

“You are good at this, brother. You will be elected to the Parliament one day, and then you will have plenty of opportunity to deliver speeches.”

“Oh! Please. Actually, I know how to handle those kinds of people.”

“What would you have done?”

“We should have conscripted them by force and whipped the ones that didn’t obey the orders…”

Hasan Pasha

He was illiterate and used numbers 7 and 8 as his signature

Kanlica Istanbul- Red house was Hasan Pasha's yali (waterfront house)

“You are just like ‘Hasan Pasha the Seven-Eight!’ ”

“No, I am not like him. We should have used the War Measures Act. We gave them the rifles and the ammunition. They wanted horses and we promised them. But they still didn’t want to go. They were almost going to ask the Sultan to issue a Firman giving them what they wanted. It is hard. They are not willing. I know what to wish on them but I can’t.”

“What?”
“If the enemy attacks their villages only then would they understand how serious the situation is. I don’t want that to happen.”

“Never mind them. We haven’t heard from Farouk yet.”

“Yes.  It is on my mind also. I have been worrying for him. If he had some trouble he would have sent a messenger to us. Don’t you think?”

Selahaddin was pensive. He was pulling the buttons on his coat.

 

The wind coming from Akhisar was cool. Black clouds were gathering in the sky and the road to Manisa looked foggy.

Jamil was drinking his tea. He was depressed on this cloudy spring evening.

Soon after the men left there was no happy sound in the village. There was quiet. The animals returned from the fields and were wandering around. They were occasionally being beaten by the unhappy village women for no reason.

“Do you think they can carry the guns out of Manisa?”

“I trust Farouk to get them out of Manisa if he is not running into trouble that we don’t know about.”

“Yes, I think he can do it. What kind of trouble are you talking about?”

They were both quiet and thinking. They were both watching the empty road.

“It is getting cold! Let’s go in. I don’t want you to catch a cold.”

“I am not cold. I was thinking. If they were indeed able to save the guns it is not enough. What would we do if there is no man to operate them?”

“First, we should be concerned about the guns. Once we get them we will think about the next step.

“I think it is hard, regardless.”

“If we can gather a large army, we will find artillerymen!”

It was getting dark. There was no light in the houses other than the mosque and Mukhtar’s room.  Halit was there with the Commander.

“Look at this weather! It is almost June and we haven’t had nice spring weather yet!”

Jamil didn’t answer. He was still watching the road. “Who is there? Is that you, Shaban?”

“Yes, Major. It is me.”

Jamil laughed at this. He said, “What do you say to that, Selahaddin? Jamal Pasha didn’t promote me because of my fight with a German Officer; however, Shaban here promoted me to the rank of Major.”

“Shaban is not concerned with politics. That’s why he calls you, Major”.  Jamil asked, “What is it Shaban?”

“A group of soldiers are approaching, Sir.”

“Who are they?”

“The Irregulars.”

“Are you talking about the irregular soldiers that have just left or is this another group?”

“I asked them but didn’t get an answer. They are only interested in seeing the Mukhtar.”

Jamil and Selahaddin sprang to their feet. “Were they carrying something?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Do they have rifles?”

“Some do, some don’t.”

The Officers ran down the hill. It was dark in the village. Mukhtar was talking to a couple of people when he noticed them. Suddenly he was quiet. Selahaddin asked, “Has anyone returned from Manisa yet?”

“No, Sir. These men are from neighboring villages.”

“Why are they here?”

“They were just asking after their friends…”

As they were climbing the stairs they heard horses approaching.

Five horsemen were coming. They were coming from Manisa at full throttle and didn’t even stop by the village.

Officers tried to listen. “Some more men are coming. Who are they?”

“I don’t know. I will go tell Halit.”

Jamil whispered to Shaban, “Go walk around among them and try to learn something.”

Halit and the Commander were smoking and they were looking pensive when he entered the room. “Commander, some men are approaching the village, some just passed by without stopping. Some are walking. Following them. We asked the Mukhtar but he didn’t answer”

Halit stood up. “Where is Mukhtar?”

“He is in the front yard.”

Halit didn’t even take his rifle with him and went downstairs checking his dagger and pistol in his belt. Bekir Sami stood up as well. He adjusted his holster and his colpack. They all stood in the hallway and listened to the night to hear whether or not there were gunshots. There was a commotion in the village. Bekir Sami was depressed. “I hope Farouk is safe. I hope they have not been ambushed. He can protect himself. What do you think, Selahaddin?

“I hope so. I don’t think they have been ambushed. We would have heard the women screaming if something bad happened.”

“What do you think it is then?”

Before he could answer, Halit came back. He was in shock. He had a funny expression on his face. Not only his face but his whole body was changed. He looked like a proud warrior before, but now he looked like a child who had just been scolded. He rubbed his face and said, “We are finished, Commander!”

“What is wrong?”

“It is a disaster! Manisa fell!”

“When?”

“Today.”

“What time?”

“I didn’t ask. It is over. We are in trouble.”

“Don’t get discouraged. Why are you talking like that? Get a hold of yourself! Did the troops fight in Manisa?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”

“Were they able to retrieve the artillery? What happened to the soldiers? Did you hear from Farouk? Where are the horsemen that we sent?”

“They didn’t go as far as Manisa. They got separated on the way.”

“Farouk?”

“I don’t know. It is over, Commander! I am sorry.” He scratched his face again. “I am going now.” He went to grab his rifle. “You do as you wish.”

“Wait a minute! Have you lost your mind? Is the enemy coming towards us?”

“No. But they sent us word from Papazli.”

“Who are you talking about? Where is Papazli?”

“It is a Greek village adjacent to our farm.”

“Yes? What are they saying?”

“The Papazli residents know why we are here. They have been spying on us since this morning. The Greek Priest sent a messenger to Mukhtar saying that; ‘we know the villagers are helping the Unionist Officers. We know that Halit is leading the irregular troops.’ He warned us, ‘You are doing wrong. Manisa has already fallen. We are expecting the Greek army. Send the Unionist soldiers away and surrender the weapons. Or else the Greek Army will burn your village.”

“Tell Mukhtar not to tell the bad news to the villagers,” The Commander interrupted.

“The villagers heard this before Mukhtar; everyone is talking; people are angry.”  He went into the room and took his rifle. “I am leaving now, Sir. With your permission.”

“No. Don’t leave yet! Wait a little while. I am surprised to see you so discouraged. You are acting on a village priest’s words. Put down your rifle and listen to me.”

“We have discussed enough. You see Manisa had all the ammunition and the artillery and they had troops there as well yet they surrendered without firing a single shot! What can we do with these irregulars? My advice to you is just to leave. Mukhtar also said the same thing; he wants you to leave. The villagers are gathering around here and Mukhtar is worried about your safety. I can’t control them. Take your men and go. The people here are saying that they won’t let the enemy burn the village; they won’t risk it for a couple of Unionists. They are determined not to let any Officers come to the villages. They also said that they won’t lead the way either. Some are mad. They’ve even thought about kidnapping you and giving you to the Greeks. They are afraid for the women’s honor in the village; they want to protect them from the Greeks. The Mukhtar says he is sorry. The enemy is hanging the Officers as soon as they locate them. He is begging you to leave.”

“Don’t worry. We will leave. I think you are safe here. You don’t need to hurry. Let’s wait for our men to return from Manisa. We can’t leave them and go in the middle of the night. Tell them that we are going to leave soon. We are just waiting for a friend here.”

“I will let them know.” He was quiet for a moment. He was in despair. “I don’t have time to spend here. I am in danger. This is the first time in my life that the villagers are not listening to me. The Greek priest sent me a messenger to warn me because we are neighbors. The Greek notables in Izmir are offering a prize for my head. They will give thousands of gold Liras. The Priest said that we were old friends. We had good and bad days. He is not after revenge. He wants me to leave here as soon as possible for my own safety. He also warned me not to go to the ranch for the roads are not safe. There are men ready to ambush me.”

“If you are not able to return to your Ranch, why don’t you join us?”

“I can’t, Commander.”

“Maybe we can travel together. Where are you going?”

“I don’t know? Where can I go?” His lips were quivering. “Where? I have family in Istanbul! Yes, I should go to Istanbul! He was talking to himself. “I have no choice. I have to go to Istanbul. They won’t let me stay here. I am a big deal. They warned me before. They told me to stay away from the politics. They said, ‘You are rich, enjoy your good fortune.’ I didn’t listen to them. Why did I ever join the Unionists? The Government in Istanbul wants me. The Greek notables in Izmir want me. If the villagers are no longer supporting me, I am in trouble. I am a landowner, an Aga here. I should have good relations with the Government and the villagers. At least one or the other. If you are in trouble with one side you should be safe with the other. I am not safe. I don’t have any future.” He went to the stairs. “I am sorry, Commander. Everyone knows that I am no coward. But…”

“I know that. I know you are not a coward. Listen to me; your men also went with Farouk. They will return soon. You take two armed men so you will be safer on your way to Istanbul. We will travel together until we reach Istanbul junction. I will give you a message to be given to the Minister of War in Istanbul to help you. They will protect you in Istanbul.”

“I don’t want any paper. I don’t want anything to do with the Government. Even if they asked me to be the Prime Minister, I wouldn’t accept it. With your permission, Sir.”

“What about your men?”

“I don’t think they will come back. Servants are only loyal to us when we have the power. Even if they come back, I can’t take them with me. I will be afraid of them. They will kill me to get my silver dagger. I know how they are.”

He started to walk. Bekir Sami said, “Wait a minute. Please find us some men to accompany us to Salihli. I will pay them.”

“No, Commander! I can’t find anyone to help. Even Mukhtar won’t listen to me anymore. Nobody will listen to my orders. We are not worried about money now. It is our lives that are on the line.”

As he was descending the stairs, Jamil held his arm, “Wait a minute Halit.”

Halit was surprised. He knitted his eyebrows and he was about to be his old self again as an Irregular Leader, but he gave in to despair and answered, “Yes, Jamil?”

“Go over there. I said go over there. I will get angry. Don’t be a coward. You should see yourself in the mirror. You are in no shape to go anywhere in the middle of the night. You are scared. You shouldn’t travel alone.”

Jamil grabbed Halit’s rifle and pushed his shoulder gently. “Go sit down somewhere. Drink some water. We will leave together. We will leave as soon as Farouk comes. You have to go through Akhisar anyway. We will separate in Akhisar, then you will be free to go wherever you wish.” His voice was calmer now. “If you wish to go to Istanbul you should be on good terms with the Commander. How are you going to live there? Forget about the Government. The Unionists will bother you if you cross them.”

“What can I do? You don’t know the situation, Jamil.  The Greeks in Izmir…They are offering so much money for my head.”

“How do you know that? When Mukhtar didn’t listen to you, you became discouraged. You will feel better soon.” Jamil felt sorry for him. That handsome tall man was as scared as a little boy. “Things like this happen. I have been in situations like this before. I know how bad it feels. You weren’t expecting it. You are sad.”

“I am not scared, Jamil! I swear it is not that! You can shoot me. I won’t budge.  The Mukhtar wanted me to leave. That guy told me to leave. How can he talk to me like that? I am an “Aga”. If the villagers don’t respect me, I don’t have anything to do. It is better to die. My family were the landowners here. It is who I am but one has to earn the respect of the villagers himself. If they don’t respect me I can’t do anything. People think all you need is horses, guns, and land to be an Aga, but that’s not true. You need the support from the Government and the villagers. We have to be loyal to the Government. Even if we have disagreements it can’t last forever. The villagers also know that. They believe we will come to an agreement with the Government sooner or later. This job is not like being an officer.” He heard some commotion outside and Halit sprang to his feet. “Jamil, you are an honorable man. Don’t prevent me from leaving. Let me go. You see the commotion in the village. In a time like this, we can’t help each other. Those men can easily capture and surrender me to the enemy for money. Let me go, don’t let me die!”

They heard someone climbing the stairs. The Officers ran to the door holding their guns. It was Farouk. He came in and saluted the Commander.

“Oh, Farouk! You are here. Thank God!”

“Thank you, Sir.  I am here but unfortunately, I don’t have good news. We couldn’t reach Manisa in time. The enemy beat us. They entered the town at noon.”

“Do you have any news from Rasim?”

“No. I think he must be in Akhisar by now.”

“Artillery? The troops?”

“I don’t know.”

“When did you learn that Manisa fell?”

“I think we were halfway through when we heard that. We stopped by a fountain. I wasn’t planning on resting. But everyone stopped and got off their horses. I didn’t object. Then I noticed that as we came close to the mountain, some other men joined our little group. They didn’t have uniforms. So I didn’t know who they were. I ordered them to mount their horses. Previously, I divided the troops into small groups and appointed sergeants to supervise them.  However, I didn’t know the sergeants well. The sergeants didn’t obey my orders. I asked them what happened. The one with a grey beard said, ’Manisa fell. And he told me that the men didn’t want to go any further. Then we debated for a long time but no one obeyed my orders. At the same time, some started to protest. They were shouting and saying that we had deceived them. They accused us of pushing them into the line of fire. I thought about shooting a couple of them but it wouldn’t be of any use. As I was thinking about what to do, they attacked me. The bearded sergeant saved me.”

“Did you see people on the road, moving to other cities?”

“No. At least for now, everybody is waiting in their own villages. If it was our own army coming they wouldn’t wait like that so carelessly. They must be crazy. I am sorry, Sir. In the same circumstances, we all would act crazy. We don’t know what to do anymore.” He looked at Halit and smiled. “One of your servants ran away and left his horse. We brought the horse back. When I had to deal with the others your men didn’t help. I am not bringing this up to complain, but to warn you that you can’t trust these men.”

Halit was already scared. He said, “Did you hear that, Commander? I was right. I know these men. They are not trustworthy.”

Bekir Sami looked disgusted by this kind of talk. He showed his contempt for the first time since Halit became discouraged. The Commander said, “It is time to go!  Farouk, do you think Rasim returned to Akhisar? I think he must have. We have talked about this before. He must be waiting for us at Akhisar. That means we should go there.”

He looked at Halit. “Are you coming with us to Akhisar?”

“I will do as you say, Sir. I will obey your orders, but I would like to travel separately. I will follow you. I should take another road, through Gordes. People don’t know me there.”

Bekir Sami pulled on his mustache and looked at Jamil. He had enough of Halit. Jamil said, “You are coming with us to Akhisar. We are not asking you to come to town with us. You will help us as a nobleman.” As Jamil was saying this he remembered how impressed he was by Halit when they first met. Halit looked to the floor.

Jamil mentioned the guns in Kuschu-Bashi Ranch when he talked privately to the Commander. He explained that he had transported the 7th Army’s guns to Salihli and explained all the specific details of the guns. Bekir Sami thought of going to Salihli first but then he figured without soldiers the guns would be useless. So he decided to go to Akhisar first.

Lieutenant Farouk realized that something was amiss and asked Captain Selahaddin what was wrong. Selahaddin shook his shoulders.

They heard many people going from one house to another, carrying lights. Jamil called, “Shaban!”

“Yes, Major!”

“Come upstairs at once.”

“I can’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“Someone might steal the horses. I have to stay here.”

“Which horses?”

Farouk looked out of the window and said to Halit, “I think your remaining man has left as well. He left the horses with Shaban.”

“I hope the Mukhtar will give our horses back. He might want to keep them as payment for our stay. Do you think he will try to keep them?” Jamil wondered.

Bekir Sami stood. “Let’s go, Gentlemen. Selahaddin and I will ride. The others can walk.” He stopped for a minute. “Jamil, you must have a box of spare ammunition. Do you still have it?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“We can’t carry the box. We should get a couple of bags and fill them. Could you get some bags?”

Jamil ordered Mukhtar. “Bring us two good bags right away. If you don’t return with two bags in five minutes I will burn your damn village!”  They loaded the bags with ammunition and Jamil put his clothes on top of them. They had to leave their suitcases and tents in the village. He teased Mukhtar that he would come back one day and ask for them.

For the second time in recent weeks, they were being thrown out of the place they wanted to protect. It was their own country.  As the officers were leaving the village with Irregular Leader Halit riding in the middle as a prisoner; they heard the muezzin’s call for the night prayers.

 “Allahu Akbar.”