The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-09-22
Left for Dead by Troops, a
Lieutenant Eludes German
Patrol Of Uhlans and Gains
Own Line.
Takes Along French Family
of Refugees, and Although
Wounded Guides All to
Safety.

AeBA wy
PARIS. Sept "a lieutenant in
the French foreign legion has related
the following story here:
1T was on the night Of August %,
after the retreat from Luneville. To-
wards five l received ball in the
forehead-see the scar on the right.
on the frontal bone. ! fell stunned by
the blow One of my men picked me
up, and could hear him confusedly
saying: Our lieutenant is dead My
comrades took me behind q wall and
left me there.
Towards seven came to myself in
a fever, and believing was in the
thick OF the battle. l shouted For
ward but those to whom l gave the
order were German ambulance men.
They took me on q stretcher to Tune
vile, and shut me In the barracks OF
the Chasseurs, which had been trans.
formed into hospital
Makes His Escape.
1.-The window bars were old, and
the fever gave me the strength of ten.
| dug at the cement with q knife, and
tore out bar. Slipping through, !
fell from the first story into an empty
passage leading to the Rue Jollivet.
/ was bleeding at the knees, but what
matter? l crawled few yards, and
saw the Uhlans defiling past in the
main street. Close by was a house
where I had seen light appear and
then 60 out After knocking gently
and getting no answer, l broke down
the door with my shoulder and went
In, revolver in hand. A whole family
was hiding under the staircase, and
they had nothing to fear.
"A trembling woman's fingers were
held out to guide me. Give me
cloak, hat, and pair of trousers
were forthcoming. Which is the first
road come to- The road to Bayou.
A mans toneless voice added: Lieu.
tenant, you are going-let US 60 with
you'll l lit my pocket-lamp to look
at my companions-a lower middle
class family, the man pale, with chat
tering teeth, the woman also pale, but
resolute, and two children, one Of sew
en-, and the other baby Of nine
months. All right said. we will 90
all five OF u.s.
Disguised a. Civilian.
Disguised as a civilian, with bowed
shoulders like an old man. led the
way, carrying the baby. We ran and
crept along the banks of the Moselle
where the bridges were occupied by
the troops. We had to cross. and the
banks were steep. The man was an
angler, and said that he knew a shall
low place. We went on, but as we
could see nothing in the storminess
of the night. and as heard the woman
painting, I cried halt, and said that
at all costs we must cross Holding
the baby up at arms length / entered
the river The stream was slow, and
the water cooled my fever. l reached
the other side, and went back to fetch
the woman and the other child.
For the love of God do not leave
me- walled the husband, and he hung
on to my coat. had to give him my
word of honour that / would come
back for him. We had to go on noise
lessly, for 1 had heard the butural
cries of the sentinels on outpost duty.
One thing astonished me-the Ger
mans. when they shut me up in the
hospital, had left me my revolver.
Doubtless they were in a hurry, and
had put off till later the searching
Of the prisoners. The baby began to
wall. The outpost heard US, and 'Wer
da?' rang out $50 yards away. We did
not reply, and shower of bullets
swept US, whistling on all sides. Run
and run fast!' l cried, and / took the
baby again.
Cut Through Underbrush.
He was crying just now, but was
quiet again. Another shower of bull
lets. My left arm felt heavy. and my
little finger especially hurt me hor.
ribly. 1t must be looked at later. The
family hung on to my clothes. and
followed me. A wood doomed up on
our left With my free arm l urged
them to hurry At last we fell into
a dense scrub. God be thanked! We
are saved! But the underground was
thick. The man had knife with him,
and l still had mine. So we went at
it, cutting path through The woman,
motherly even in her terror, offered to
take the baby to tighten me. NO, MOI
said: He does not weigh much, and
he is asleep. Should we wake him. he
would cry And whilst hacking at
the bushes l asked the baby's name
Marcel she said; a fine. grand lit.
tie chap, lieutenant I could guess
her smile of maternal pride!
I'VE cut so hard into the wood
heard afterwards that it was the forest
of Parroy--that we came to a clear
ing and a path. But how heavy the
baby was! A grand, fine boy, said
the mother, and l did not doubt her
in the least Could l have had bull.
let In the shoulder? The swaddled
baby, to the hand that held him-my
bent arm--all seemed of lead We
walked hard going westward. Sudden.
ly French voices challenged, Halt,
who goes there?' "A French officer,
l answered, and advanced to explain
whom we were, and whence we came.
l rendered my papers. and by the Ian
terms light they were examined
Goes to Hospital.
But you are wounded, lieutenant,
says the sergeant. Hush! say moth
ing, for the sake of the Others re-
piled, for by the glare of the lantern
I had seen blood also on the baby's
bonnet Two men to take these good
A.