To make things still worse, the retreat had begun at nightfall, and it was
in the darkness of night that the cry, "The Turks are upon us!" was
raised.

As a matter of fact, there were no Turks in sight, and nobody quite knows
how the scare was started.

In their mad rush the people at last reached Larissa, leaving the road
they had travelled strewn with guns and baggage, and dead and dying
comrades.

Arrived in Larissa, the soldiers threw themselves on the ground, taking no
heed of the trumpets calling them to rejoin their regiments.

When morning came the officers collected their men, and formed them into
companies in marching order.

Then the news crept out that Larissa was to be abandoned; and another
scene of confusion followed, the people fighting each other in their mad
endeavors to escape.

Special trains moved out of the city for Volo; the people crowded the
platforms, and even climbed on the roofs of the cars in their eagerness to
get away.

The Greek army retreated to Pharsala, without so much as striking a blow
for Larissa!

So wild a rush was made when Larissa was abandoned, that the soldiers did
not even fold their tents or carry away their baggage.