The Keota news., 1915-01-15

Paris.-ln all its. wealth Of heroic
actions the present war contains no
moro surprising episode than sa.'
which has Just been brought to hsnI
The facts are aS follows:
For more than four months. ever
since August 23. An organizeo COM
pany of $50 French soldiers have oeen
living In the Belgian provinces OF
Luxemburg and Namur. and altnouSn
surrounded entirely by the German
forces occupying Belgium. they nave
constantly escaped capture. For at
most four months they have conducteo
a guerrilla warfare against tneiI !oes'
indicting heavier losses and moro Gam
age than could be done by an enufe
regiment In the open. and every a.
tempt of the Germans TO disioo3e
mem from the mountain forests wnefe
they have found refuge has failed.
The story 10 vouched for BY IN I'M
impeachabls authority who has Per
sonally seen and interviewed tne
commander Of this fugitive force ana
several of his men.
These $50 men are all that u lett o'
the French troops who vainly attempt
ed In q two-day battle TO resist the
German advance between the Rivers
Liesse and Semois on August Iz-zs'
The order for general retreat sent out
by tho allied forces on Sunday. August
%, reached them too late. Their only
way Of retreat. through Aezieres, hav'
ing been cut on. and realizing thai
they were surrounded. they decided 70
seek refuge in tho thick forests Win
which this region II covered ana %
await there the return OF the French
forces. which In their minds then VA
. matter only Of days.
The informant who brings this story
to Paris makes NO secret Of the hiding
place Of these soldiers. which. he says
10 between tho towns Of Saint-HubeFt
and 0ivet, in the Belgian section oi
the Ardennes mountain0 Their pres
ence there IL known to all the inhao
itants of the surrounding villages and
to the Germans as well.
Villagers Help Frsnchmsn.
Having decided to remain within the
enemy's lines, the men were Organized
by tho few ofncers who had survived
the battle and after = careful survey
Of the country . place OF concealment
was selected from which It would be
possible to do the moot harm to the
enemy with the least danger OF detec.
ton. Scouting parties were sent to
the nearby villages, who enlisted the
aid Of the Inhabitants. all OF whom
have long ago ned the country and ara
now beyond tho reach OF German 70
prisals. A good supply OF ammunition
was the most urgent need Of the sol
diers and women and children vdlun-
teered to make q se1rch Of the Liesse.
Semois battlefield and to empty the
cartridge belts Of the dead French
troops still unburied. A supply Of IT,
900 Lebel cartridges was gathered in
this manner and carefully concealed in
the forest.
In exchange for the food and cloth.
Ing which were furnished BY tho VII.
layers the commanding omcer gave
regular army reQuisition papers which
viii be redeemed when the war Il over
and the Belgian peasants were only
too glad to save their property from
the Germans In this manner, moving
that they will obtain payment for 1t
from the French government 1T q later
date.
But this Was not the soldiers only
means Of obtaining supplies. Believ.
Ing the surrounding country cleared OF
hostile troops the Germans continued
n send nIuyfsion trnina fheonHh With