The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-01-09
THE 18TH CHASSEURS.
The Last of Their Number Fell
Fighting Hungry Wolves.

Fighting hungry w Owes
In the French invasion of Russia in
1912 the Sixteenth Chasseurs were de-
tailed as skirmishers. They had fought
in Spain and Germany and had gained n
high reputation for bravery. On the
way to Moscow they made themselves
dreaded by the Cossacls and the sound
of their battle cry wassenough to put
the foxes of the plains to flight As
is we'll known, the Russians offered no
serious resistance, but their heroic pol
icy of self sacrifice in destroying all
crops and provisions that lay in the
path of the invader made the enemy's
progress very slow.
However, Moscow was reached at last
and promised to prove haven of rest.
Then the Russians crowned their previ-
Gus efforts of devotion to their country
by setting fire to their old, sacred town
and in the depths of winter the in
truders were forced to commence dis
;tstrous retreat.
The bitterly cold and pitilessy north
easter moaned and howled through the
scanty and stunted trees standing here
and there on the side plains Of Western
Russia 1t whisked sharp snow parti-
cles high into the air, whirled them
into shadowy shapes and drove them
furiously after small troop OF French
soldiers that were slowly and painfully
plowing through the riffs
No one would have recognized the
CAV sayreUrs of the Sixteenth Imperial
Chasseurs in those wretched bundles OF
rags that tottered feebly westward
Three weeks before that regiment had
led the way into Moscow, two thousand
strong, mounted on fine horses, and the
sun had glistcned brightly from their
uniforms of light blue and gold. When
Moscow went up in flames, they had
protected the rear of the retreating
army; when the retreat became rout,
they had still showed their teeth to tho
enemy. But harrasscd hourly by the
relentless Cossacks, tortured by hunger
and cold day by day the regiment had
lost scores of brave men-till hardly
one hundred remained. Weak and
worn, they still had a cheery word for
one another, and hoping against hope,
every man expected to see once more
his beloved France-one thousand miles
away OF their horses but three were
left-tottering along under stacks Of
straw and horseflesh, they were but
specters of those fine steeds that once
needed the res straint of curb. Marching
westward wrapped in the cloaks of their
dead comrades, their legs and feet
bundled in horse hides, tied with the
brides and stirrup feathers of their
dead horses, staggering under the bur
den of their carbines, the Sixteenth
Chasseurs retained not a particle of
their former splendor.
Twilight was fast fading into night
when the little band reached slight
but welcome shelter from the icy fury
OF the wind under the bank OF q small
stream. A halt was made and fire
kindled. Their supper was of melted
snow and boiled horsehesh. Guards
were posted and the weary men slept.
As morning broke savage yells re-
sounded on all sides and bullets came
pinging through the camp. A party of
about two hundred COssacks had acci-
dentally come upon them, and tho sup
erlority Of the enemy in weapons and
nun bers gave them but little promise of
asuccessful resistance. Volley after vol
ley Of the Cossacks could only be answer
ed by few well-directed shots. for their
ammunition was getting low and they
dare not waste bullet. The Cossacks
grew bolder-circling nearer and nearer
round the camp, seeking weak spot for
one of their resistless charges Sud-
denly they clustered together, pointing
toward the east and gesticulatiuv vio-
lently- squirting their horses they
all rode off to the west. As the enemy
fled the French raised a shout of victory
feeling sure help was near at hand.
Probably a large detachment of the re-
treating army was coming up and in |
their JOY they rushed out of their shelter |
and poured a hail of lead after the rap
idly disappearing Cossacks. Looking |
eastward they discerned on the horizon |
a long black line, but blinded by the !
glare of the snow they could not at first |
make out what it was. But the horrors
of their situation burst upon them when |
The faint but terrible, ominous sound of
prolonged bowling reached their, ears.
That long line meant wolves.
Despair was in their hearts, but they
It once began preparations for stout
iefense. Twenty had fallen beneath
he bullets of the Cossacls-onIy eighty
non to face hundreds OF wolves. They \
gathered the rifles of the dead Cossacks
md OF their dead comrades and hastily
hrew up an embankment of snow.
bounding with long strides over the
lndulating stretch OF frozen plain on
anne that ravenous host of fierce brutes.
lowing and yelping they came straight
'ver the track of the Cossack troop that
vas now but dim speck on the hori-
on. They would halt to devour the
'odies of those who had fallen beneath
he French fire, and an attack was in
vitable. Every face in that doomed
ittle body of soldiers was pale, but
heir courage never faltered.
On came the foremost wolves. They
cached the doa1 Cossac1ys. and n turnb-
ing mass OF shaggy forms struggled
lercely as, with horrible cries and wells,
hey fought for piece of flesh Teeth
and furious fights took place
between the discoverers of the feast.
Then they scented the other prey and
ushed for the encampment Crack
'rackl cracki and eighty carbines sent
heir dread warming tearing through
he ranks of that wolf army. The fore
most fell and the charpe was cbaclvo1 |