Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-03-05
DARING EXPLOITS
gain REN0WN FOR
ARMY OFFICER
AUSTRIAN SCOUT PARTY is CAUGHT
IN TIGHT PLACES WITHIN
RUSSIAN LINES.
HORSES TOUCHED FLANKS WITH
RUSSIAN REGIMENT WHO
NEVER SUSPECTED.

Correspondence of the Associated Press
Berlin, March 5.-Daring exploits which
won quick renown for an Austrian cavalry
officer IN Galicia are related in newspaper
correspondence from that section.
The Austrian headquarters had learned
that the Russians were bringing forward
reinforcement~. AviatorS were sent out To
ascertain the size of them, but the weather
was foggy and the scouts were not able To
find the Russians. An unnamed cavalry
officer. who appears n the hero of the mar
%rative, stepped forward and asked:
"Shall | ride through the lines ="
His ~uperiorS laughed at the bold offer.
but after som hesitation agreed 10 accept
IL, when fifteen other c%avairymen volun-
teered to make up the scouting party. BY
choosing the lonely forest road, the rider
succeeded in their plan of passing through
the Russian lines at night. By day they
concealed themselves IN deep thickets, but
al night they boldly trotted along the main
highway with their Austrian uniforms COW
cred with brown mantle~ and fur caps
pulled down over their regulation helmets.
They met a Russian cavalry division led
by a CircasSian prince advancing Ia take
part in the battle at the front. and their
mounts almost touched flankS with the
Russian horses a. they passed by, unrecog-
nized. Late at night the Austrian party
took refuge in a deserted farm house,
where the men tried 10 sleep until morning.
Before ~daybreak Il murmur Of voices was
heard and a large party of Cossacks was
seen approaching the place. The Austrians
hurriedly mounted to the attic where they
stood with carbineS cooked. ready 10 shoot
down the first Cossack who might show
his face IN the stairway. The Russians.
however. 'contented themselves with a short
stay on the first floor and then rode away
without even inspecting the outbuildingS.
where the Au-trian> had stabbed their
horses.
The following night the little party of
scouts rode along a path in the wooded
hills where suddenly a Russian patrol
barred their way with the cry Of 'halt.'
The AuStrian~ were m%otlonlt~~ for Il few
seconds, then their leader commanded "at
them" and not one of the Russians escaped
with his life. Concealed next dav IN
thicketS, the Au>trianS were able to see
heavy columns of Russians retreatine
along the nearby road The Austrian nd
vance had evidently begun. For hours the
masses Of infantry. artillery and baggag,
trains hurried ~ toward the adjacent river.
crossing 4 temporary bridge. On the TOP
of the hill beyond the river the Russians
halted. apparently with the intention Of
taking up a position there.
The Austrian cavalry officer who wa
leading the scouting party had sent Il hand
iul Of men across the river 10 watch IN,
Russian movement. lie feared this lttls
group might BE- IN danger. aud ~ drridrd
upon the daredevil trick 1T bluniug NJ
Russians by charging the bridge with NJ
little party. The dozen men galloped wildl,
across the fields toward the bridge. Their,
they met the advance guard Of their ov
infantry. and. encouraged by this. they
dashed AZ the Russians. who evidently be
lievcd large masses of Austrian cavalry
Were coming after them. They hastily ~
~umed their retreat.