New Britain herald., 1916-01-13
|PERILOUS BRANCH
 0F RUSSIAN ARMY
Mounted Scouts Play Important
 Role in European War

1 tCorrespondence or +he Associated Press.D
 Headquarters of the Russian Army
 of the Center, Dec. 29.-One of the
 most perilous branches of army ser
 vice in Russia is that of nHunted
 scouts, an organization peculiar to the
 Siberian corps. There are one hun
 dred of these scouts to each regi- l ment, and a harder, more daring lot 1 of rough riders would be hard to find. | They are for the most part plainsmen, 1 whose life has been spent in the open and on horseback.
 This organization played an import ant part in the Japanese war where by their impetuous attacks they saved the Russian troops in many instances from heavy losses. After the Japan csc war they were disbanded, but with the outbreak of the present conflict
 were reorganized by Captain 'Benja- min Pessotsky, who became their commander. During the recent months while the Russians and Ger 1 mans have been facing each other in l the trenches these scouts frequently 1 have raided the German lines and 1 during the last week in November on l the Eastern front they bagged a Ger man staff, consisting of two generals, | doctor and six non-cOmmissioned 1 officers. A colonel and many soldiers were killed in the action.
 Some of Their Activities.
 The following incidents concerning the scouts activities earlier in the war were given by an officer at the front who participated in events re- i lated.
 At o'clock Cn the aftersoon of 1 Septembe 29th the last companies of l the first divisions left their positions
 before Warsaw to take up others be- l hind the defences of the city. The 1 ent1re defence of the city was left 1 to the Siberian scouts. Commander l Pessotsky, who had remained with 1 the scouts, took upon himself to or 1 der his men to spread out and occupy the left wing of the positions between l YulanOva and Novo Ivitchni in front | of a woods.
 The Germans began to advance on Novo Ivitchni, sending a flying col ] umn in front. Pessotsky got on top of a small house and through his glasses observed the enemy, ordering l changes in position to give the i'm 1 pression that the trenches were fully l manned. The Germans began she'll l ing the village and the house where ] he was. In face of this. he sent all l officer to the rear, saying that he was 1 holding the position and asking that 1 endorsements be sent. The enemy began pressing forward in force, but | Pessotsky's heroic action had given ! time for the whole Russian column 1 to move forward again by a ffanking 1 ~ l This was the beginning of the Ger man retreat that ended 1t their from tier.
 Laud Russian Red Cross.
 It may also be said that during this war the Russian Red Cross has done more than ever could have been ex pected of 1t. The doctors, surgeons and sisters, on the one hand and the volunteer organizations on the other have worked with marvellous efn- ciency.
 One of the most interesting phases of the work in the operation of the flying columns, which move along with the army and work while en- agreements are in progress In each flying column there is an officer in charge with all the rights of a mili- tary unit, although he may come from civil life. Besides him there are two or three aides. The medical side of the organization is represented by three surgeons, eight students and two sisters. One hundred and eighty men to each column are assigned and framed to the work required of them from the ranks of enlisted men. The column has also a large number of sanitary carriages, several field kitch- ems, held operating rooms and in case of necessity tents to live in.
 Column Is Divided.
 During battle the column is divided into three sections. The commander. either mounted or afoot, moves for ward with the sanitars as near as possible to the trenches. Sometimes they locate in the trenches them selves. Very often when trenches or positions change hands the flying column has to stay on until the last to take away the wounded in spite of the danger of falling into the enemy's hands. Two columns have been entirely desSoyed by the fire of the enemy, and several have been cap tured, to say nothing of individual losses among other columns. Not only have they to bring first aid to the trenches, but frequently they must transport the wounded in their 1 sanitary carriages through the zone of artillery fire.
 During battle the columns also or l ganize field feeding points and bring | to the trenches not only first aid, but l food for the wounded who often must lie for hours before they can be moved.
 FRENCH InAN CIrrNEScI,HrI