The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-17
Interesting Story of Events
Transpiring Back of the
Russian Battle Line


der to retire at nightfall. Three
hours at least to wait.
The orders were communicate
ed in French over each battalion
telephone. The Colonel apollo
gIzed for his elementary French;
1t was anyhow the French of a
brave man.
AS disquietude increased, per-
mission came to retire at once !;
but the Colonel answered that
this could not be done; he was in
hot defensive action, and the
enemy would follow on his heels
at present he was holding his
own.
My hosts argued me to go.
The situation was getting too
serious for non-combatant. 1t
was with an ill-feeling that l
turned for the slope. AS | gegan
to reach shelter, | suddenly saw
on the hills to the west men run
nlng down the slope towards us.
Perhaps ours, perhaps the enc
my said my Cossack escort.
But we reached the crest unmo-
Tested and were now in compare
tive safety; for we were out of
the line OF the fire, and the valley
to the north of us was full ofOur
own people.
Here there was long train of
wounded and we found our au-
tomobile in the midst of it. We
packed in the mem with the
worst wounds that we noticed;
they lay without groan, and
one said Thanks be to the Lord,
and eternal gratitude to YOU" A
young soldier told US that no liv-
ing man could have driven the
troops on the right wing from
their positions; but that the
whole area was covered with
ishells till trenches and men
were leveled out of existence.
! The companies left comparative
ly intact had all joined the CEN
ter. OF this section of the line
we could only hear vague rum
OrS.
); Late in the day we reached
the deserted school house to
which the sta had retreated.
| BY morning the lines lay just
outside the town, and the Ger
mans and Austrians were Aak-
ing tremendous attack or
them, pounding them with the
); heaviest artillery and advancing
e in close column again and again
i The leader of this Division i.
t a fighting General, robust ane
!, active. The staff was yer,
: close up to the front, and from
:. the balcony of the school hous,
II the General viewed the lines anC
: gave orders. Many parts of tn,
lines were now non-existent
eI having been reduced to serie.
r OF shell-pits by the German ar
e tillery.
81 Making my way to the ad
:, vanced lines, | found a Brigade
g General and got leave to accom-
S pany an attempted advance.
r, was the first regiment of tn
e famous Caucasian Corps just ar
rived after an all night march
t, and going up to the attack.
e battalion commander stood jus
II below the hut. putting his mel
e in position. He was a quiet lit
k tie man, already elderly an,
It with an old voice, that sounde,
d vigorously, however, across tn,
It slope. The men made their wa,
nj by companies up the differen
g aefts in the hollow and sool
/ lined the ridge beyond. Tn
al commander moved among then
at an easy walk, directing some
$ hurrying on others.
n The men went forward OF
: their knees, separating off int,
d what the Russians call a chain
r where any one with initiative
=, by finding cover little furthe
d forward. gives lead to all tn,
Il rest. The officers walked up
s right throughout. When tn,
e crest was lined, the comander
n went forward in different direS
c tons.
d On his return he gave a few
e orders to his officers; one o
i them was little excited, ane
|. called out Il have an instinct
/ that it will go right; God grant
II that 1t Is a true one and turning
y to his meu he shouted God i.
e with u.s.. Except for this, moth.
t ing broke the atmosphere OF the
V evening stiffness.
e We'll children" said the com.
t mander. What shall | say tc
e you? With God! Forwardr
One company went off to the
e wood on the right, and after a
e few minutes another with the
commander and myself moved
forward over the bare hill, leav-
e ing two Others to follow in re-
l.