Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-23
HE FOUGHT II ABYssINIA.
Giovanni Tells OF the Horrors of
His Captivity.
Gigurian Correspondence Of the London
Daily News)

Oigurian Correspondence Of the London
Daily News)
The soldiers who have fought in Africa
are returning 70 their villages now.
1 sent word to Private Giovanni do
Lucca. Of Casarza. that ] should feel
thankful II he would come and tell mo
about the war. The African heror
said as he was ushered in-for the
"paese" had been ringing with stories
OF him and four other soldiers, whose
relations had worn mourning for them.
1 fear my voice spoke 10 him OF sur
prise and disappointment; for Giovanni
rushed into comlcal explanations about
his uniform. This is not African
'tenue," he said. My linen uniform
IS in the wash. and 1 had to put or my
old regimentals." But IL was the man,
not the dress, that took my breath
away-a little body. shrunk away from
the tunic. and standing scarcely five
feet high; eyes dim and dull. like e
sleep-walkeTs, and scarcely the flicker
OF a smile possible 10 his poor face.
Every other Italian can beam upon
friendly greeting, and has q flashing
eye when interested in conversation.
Poor Giovanni
so you fought at Abukarima7"
A name would send him of from any
point in the campaign. He best liked
to reel of his story in rapid Italian
patois, but he sometimes spoke very
original French-having worked in Paris
before he was recalled for his military
service.
Yes, indeed" he said. I'VE had
marched, and marched, twelve hours
at a stretch. / think. Then We lay
down. But a midnight we were aroused.
TO Abukarima-eight hours march, and
we started.
1--WE had a beautiful position. The
Gala cavalry was on our left. We were
posted along the ridge OF 4 hill; on the
right was what We thought an empty
ravine. Very, very, soon we knew that
some bad thing had happened. How
could that be? But we knew il. We
said 10 each other: Never mind; the tide
may turn again."
But by 10 A. NJ. he and 100 others were
down in the rav.ne; and 'tt was as fun
OF Abyssinians as an anthil is OF ants"
"The word came: Fix bayonetsp And
we went 10 the charge. We were sur
rounded. however. Ny officer said:
There's nothing TO be done. We're pris-
oners.' And so We were-prisoners OF
Ras Mangascia; and remained so for
forty-one days. But some Of the COM
races, not far OF, wounded and un-
wounded, lay among the dead and dying,
firing, firing, till they could not hold a
gun from fatigue. Then they piled up
the corpses OF our iow-soidiers-three
bodies one over another-to make a gum
rest. They took cartridges from the
dead around about. and leaned against
their dead gun-rests, firing for twelve
consecutive hours. But We were march,
ed off TO Abyssinian huts-dog kennels
half underground, three feet square Of
an entrance &c creep through-ten pris-
oners together. Some OF US were chained
close TO the ground by the wrist-chained
to a stake in the floor. / was never
chained that way
1T was in the afternoon, and We had
had no food for twenty-four hours.
told our guards that we must eat. They
brought US a double handful OF unground
barley and raw lentils, and the same OF
dried peas; and between every three OF
US one little bowl OF water. We ground
the barley between stones and made that
-four into paste with the water, and ate
It raw. Lentils and peas We put into
our pockets. and munched at them now
and then as the hunger drove us. Those
were tho rations every day for forty
one days.
I'VE were told that Ras Mangascia
had sent word to General Baldlssera that
as he was burning Abyssinlan huts at
Adgrat, the Ras would burn us Italian
prisoners. After We knew that We lived
in dread. and some OF US wept The
enemy staked the captain OF my COM
pany. They FIRST gouged out his eyes,
and then lit fire about him. and roast
ed him on his stake. My general, Bril-
monte. was killed at Abukarlma, but he
was shot In fair fight"
WAS It true" asked. that they mu-
tilated the woundedT'
"Ahl true, indeed" said Giovanni, In
his even. hollow tones. They cut on
their hands and their feet ana burned
the poor fellows afterwardl And in
one hospital-a small hospital-there
were COO without the LETT leg and the