On the 9th of April, three days after the great fête had passed over, and just as Europe was praising Greece for the behavior of her men, the fighting broke out.
Great excitement prevailed when it was learned that a body of Greeks, one thousand strong, had invaded Turkey, and was holding the Turkish army at bay.
War had not been declared, so the news of the fighting surprised everybody very much. But it was soon learned that the Greeks engaged in the fight were not soldiers of the regular army, but were described as "brigands."
They were, however, a body of men who were armed by a powerful Greek secret society, which is at the root of that enthusiastic demand for war which is echoing from every quarter of Greece.
This society has been gathering men into its service for years, and making them swear, on joining, that
they will do all in their power to restore to Greece her old possessions in Macedonia, Epirus, and Thrace, and that they will bring these Greek peoples once more under the rule of Greece.
For years the Greeks have been in the habit of putting all the money they could spare aside, for the use of this great League which was to free them. Even the little children have devoted their banks and money-boxes to the cause of liberty. In this way a large sum of money has been gathered together, and this society, which is called Ethnike Hetairia, has been able to arm men, and send them to the frontier to fight for their country.
King George was well aware of the existence of this society, and probably that its members were on the frontier waiting for their chance to overrun Macedonia and reconquer it from the hands of the Turks.
He therefore sent a message to the Turks, warning them that bands of armed men, who did not belong to the regular army, were on the frontier, and that he would not be responsible for any of their acts.
On March 8th, fifteen hundred of the members of this League crossed the frontier, and were met by some Turkish soldiers, who fought them and drove them back again.