The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-03-03
DARING ESCAPADE
OF AUSTRIAN OFFICER
Rode Through Russian Lines at Night
and Trotted Back by Daylight AL
though in Partial Disguise.

Berlin, March 3>--Daring exploits
which won quick renown for an Austri-
an cavalry officer In Galicia are related
in newspaper correspondence from that
section.
The Austrian headquarters had learn
ed that the Russians were bringing for
ward reinforcements. Ayiators We're 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 as
the hero of the narrative, stepped for
ward and Asked
"Shall / ride through the lines?"
His superior laughed at the bold offer
but after some hesitation agreed to ac-
cept it when fifteen other cavalrymen
| volunteered to make up the scouting
party By choosing the lonely forest
road, the riders succeeded in their plan
Of passing through the Russian lines at
night. BY day they concealed them
selves in deep thickets, but at night
they boldly trotted along on the main
highway with their Austrian uniforms
covered with brown mantles and fur
caps pulled down over their regulation
helmets
They met a Russian cavalry division
led by a Circassian prince advancing to
take part in the battle at the front,
and their mounts almost touched TANKS
with the Russian horses as they passed
by, unrecognized Late at night the Aus
trian party took refuge in a deserted
farm house, where the men tried to
sleep until morning Before day. break
a murmur of voices was heard and a
large party OF Cossacks was seen APP
preaching the place. The Austrians hur-
ricdly mounted to the attic where they
stood with carbines cooked, ready to
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 outbuldings, where the Austrians
had stabbed their horses,
The following night the little party /
Of scouts rode along path in the wood /
ed hills where suddenly a Russian pa I
trul barred their way with the cry OF I
'Halt" The Austrians were motionless /
for a few seconds then their leader
commanded AT them" and not one Of /
the Russians escaped with his life
Concealed next day in thickets, the
Austrians were able to see heavy coll
umns Of Russians retreating along the
nearby road The Austrian advance had
evidently begun. For hours the masses
Of infantry, artillery and baggage trains
hurried by toward the adjacent river,
crossing temporary bridge On the top
OF the hin beyond the river the Rus
slams halted apparently with the inten-
tion OF taking up a position there.
The Austrian cavalry officer who was
leading the scouting party had sent
landtl OF men across the river to watch
the Russian movement He feared this
little group might be in danger. and 50
decided upon the daredevil trick Of
bluHng the Russians BY charging the
bridge with his little party. The dozen
men gallopcd wildly across the fields
toward the bridge There they met the
ADVANCE guard Of their own infantry, I,
md. encouraged BY this. they dashed az I
Pc Russians who evidently believed +,
arge masses ~ Austrian cavalry were
,oming after them They hastily re-
sumcd their retreat. II