Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-13
OPERATIONS
CLOSE TO FIGHTING LINE
DIR. Eugene Hurd, American Surgeon,
Is at Front With Russian
Forces.
HAS MANY NARROW ESCAPES
Acquires Reputation Among Simple
minded Soldiers for Doing the I'M
posSible-His Column Quilted by
Noble Families Of Grodno.

PETROGRAD. February l2-More
them close 20 the lighting line and
with the roar OF artillery in his ears,
- the past ycar's record of DR.. Eugene
iiurd. until recently the only Amcri-
can surgeon at the front with the
Russian forces. DR. liurd is chief sur
Eeon in charge of the Twenty-ninth.
known as the "GrOdno Nobility" FLYING
Column. He has the rank of colonel
IN the regular army His physique
he stands six fee, three inches in
height and weighs 225 pounus-makcs
him u conspicuous figure. even among
tn" big fellows of the siberian Corps
among whom he works He has ac-
CURED a reputation among the simple
minded soldiers for doing the inpos-
sibic soldier returning from the
hospital told his fellows that the big
American surgeon could take "a hand
that had been shot off, patch il together
ana put IL back OF good as new"
Hurd has been reported several times
killed. wounded or missing. lie has
made a number OF hurried getaways.
but lie has always turned up with his
outfit when the smoke cleared His
column was QUILTED by the noble
families OF Grodno soon after the out
break OF the war. Then they looked
about for Il surgeon to take charge
About that Zine Hurd, who was in
Seattle was offering his services To
Russia. Through the Russian consul
III Seattle his offer was accepted. and
he sailed on November % for VI,Ji-
vostok. ilc was at once sent to Groduo
with Il contract 10 serve during the
f,stst lf Inn. l.
giving his services gratis. but several
months later, when he had time to
nave his contract translated. he found
that he was 10 receive 400 roubles
monthly.
His first taste of battle was on thc
Grodno front. On the retreat OF the
Russian army last summer Hurd mar
rowly escaped an involuntary transfer
of his activities to the German side.
After twenty hour stretch OF hard
work. lie was ordered To retire by night
to Orani At 3 o'clock in the morning
he had reached an estate six miles from
that point. and there he decided to rest
until daylight When preparing 10 re-
sumo his journey the following morn
ing. he found the stable yard full of
Russian cavalry horses some OF them
wounded. y Russian soldier informed
HIM that Orani had been captured by
the Germans early in the morning and
that they We're approaching less than
two miles away. lie made Il hurried
exit southwark through sand dunes
where Napoleon lost his transports on
tho retreat from Moscow. Until {
O'Clock in the afternoon when he
reached new Russian positions, he was
between the hostile lines, uncertain as
10 the location OF either army.
EVENTUALLY MAKES
his WAY no SAFETY
Al another time the German cavalry
broke through the Russian lines be-
fore llurd was aware OF the fact ana
had cut his field telephone They pass
ed his operating base, evidently be-
lieVing his capture assured on their
return. But the American doctor har-
messed his horses and, with his oper-
ating force, made break for the re
firing Russian army. Tho Germans
turned battery on him, and with
shells bursting all around him, he gall
loped his teams over the crest OF IL
Continued on Seventh pageO