The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-11-04
Brewery u Mounted ST.
Projects Third Army From
Annihilation.
BEAR RErlIEAT BkUNT
Hold lEnea.y 1t BY While
Roman Forces Withdraw
% Place Of Safety.

omulSted the deeds Of the famous isht
brigade at Halaklvs, said British Of
ficer. who has been rouowing the Oper-
ations on the italian front In speaking
today of the campaign now in progress
Ever since the opening Of the war the
Italian cavalrymen have been chaIing
because the mountain warfare offered
no opportunity Tor employment OF their
branch of the service. They were draft
cd into infantry and bomb throwing
contingcnts and into the aerial service.
Now, however, they have had the
chance to prove that the cavalry Is not
as "obsoletc as cross bowmcn" as one
writer put il. In fact the successful
retirement Of the valiant Italian army
was due very largely to the heroism
Of the mounted troops.
Brilliant Defense.
The splendid maneuvering Of the
cavalry in great masses. and their
reckless charges III the face Of streams
Of machine gun bullets. are regarded by
military officers as constituting one OF
the most brilliant features Of the fight
ing on this front. Charges OF entire
brigades were executed with perfect
precisior, and control Many difficult
feats were performed.
Machine guns could not stop them.
Some regiments were actually anni-
hilated, but their sacrifice was not III
vain. inasmuch as they protected the
road over which the third ARMY passed
to safety. The stories or hfroism are
inspiring the troops, whose spirits are
recovering. One of the most remark
able features of the retreat to the Tag
liamento line was the manner In which
the third army, occupying tho southerly
end Of the old line. effected it's escape
from the development threatened by
the second ar,ny's enforced rearward
movement.
Third Holds Ground.
While the second army wss steadily
giving ground in the earlier stages Of
the Austro- German thrust, the third
army had held its own, not yielding q
foot. although heavy bombardment
had been kept up all along Its front.
When heavy enemy artillery fire began
to be heard, first on it's left flank and
then towards Its rear. hoYeyeE It was
recognized that the position was q
prccarious one for such a vast assem-
blage Of men and war material. This
led to serious consideration Of the uues-
ton of retirement and it is be-
lieved the order was issued late on Oc-
tober IS or early the following MORN
Ing. =5.st
Even after the order to fall back
was issued, however, the Duke of Aos-
ta's men stood to their guns, unwilling
to quit the field they had won with
such heroic sacrifice, until the boom
of the enemy's guns began to be dis
tinctly heard towards their rear. Then
began the stupendous movement rear
ward and sideward with the enemy
lowering close along the line of with
drawal and Italy's Berbaglieri brigades
sacrificing themselves to permit the
main columns to get clear with their
guns and munitions.
Retreat Wonderful.
1t is the Judgment of military experts
that their removal under ordinary con-
ditions would require a full month. yet
It was accomplished within an almost
incredibly small fraction of that pc
riod amid exhibitions Of fortitude and
displays Of endurance under hardslips
and inevitable suffering almost without
parallel.
During it's retirement, the third army
had become separated from the second
leaving gap. Into this gap enemy
forces pushed forward and soon put
into operation a cunning device. Aus
trian soldiers were dressed in Italian
uniforms SO as to permit them to spread
out over tho country or minglc will
the Italian forces on both sides and thu
Arc t,.in ,,,c tvsa r1A09
enabled to advance unopposed ant
opened fire with machine guns on re
treating parties. Some of the Aus
TRANS were struggled forward in moto
lorries and then turned against TIN
westward moving force.
Delayed Almost Too Long.
Conditions near the retreating arm!
became worse as the days passed an,
the supplies grew scarccr. Many lnel
died along the road from exhaustion
However with all the inevitable misery
terror and tragedy attending such 81
gantic operation, the army itself ha
been preserved, with most of its ar
tillery and supplies, although the bes
informed military opinion believes tina
another two hours delay in Cadorna'
order to retire would have resulted i
the loss OF tho entire third army.
Reports coming in today were some
what encouraging, showing the Ital
ian rear guard still holding the enein
east of the Tagliamcnto. This rive
is a difficult one for the enemy I
cross as the rapids arc so swift It
impossible to float pontoOns.
A late arrival from the invaded re
gions today said he saw soldiers break
ing into jewclry shops and coming int
the street with their hands filled wit
watches and jewelry. while all othe
places having things of value were sim
ilarly raided.
While the retreat was on. the enem
continued to push forward close upo
the retiring army. the rear guard hold
ing the pursuing forces at most point
The commanders battled against til
enemy and also against the abnorm,
congestion. with all its terrors. misel
les, and fatigues. which follows IN tt
wake Of the vast rearward movemen
Situation Still Grave.
There were several reassuriu
v,laas on the situation. renOrted IL