[3] During April 1821, the initially small Greek forces in the area were slowly augmented by men from the nearby villages who declared Kolokotronis as Archistratigos, the man of overall command.

[5][6] A couple of weeks later, a combined Turkish and Albanian force of 5,000 men, under the command of Kâhya Mustafa Bey, set out to destroy the Greek positions at Valtetsi.

On 24 May, Rubi Bey gave orders to storm the village, while a small force took a position to cut off the Greeks' expected retreat to mountain paths.

The Turkish and Albanian forces managed to capture some positions including the water supply but a fierce resistance obliged them to demand for Kâhya Mustafa's reinforcements.

Then another Greek contingent under Dimitrios Plapoutas made a significant entrance in the battle so as to give vital support to the exhausted rebels.

All Turkish and Albanian attacks were repelled and finally Rubi Bey ordered a retreat which turned into a rout after the Greeks abandoned their defensive posture and counterattacked, completely breaking the enemy lines.

According to an old Maniot folk tradition, Captain Kyriakoulis Mavromichalis while watching the Turkalbanians in retreat is said to have shouted: Που πας βρε κερατόμπεη, (Where are you going, you cuckold Bey,) και συ σκυλαρβανίτη; (and you, Albanian dog?)