The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-11-19

storm and the italians have been
driven from Monte Tomha, the
war office announced today. -.
10y Associated Press) 70.
! Italian Headquarters In Italy, Sun
day, Nov. l8.-The Austrians who
forced their way across the Ptaye
river above Zenson have been thrown
into the river, drowned, bay0netted
killed, or captured. Until now not On
enemy remains on the west bank at
that most threatened point. The fight
was one OF the most fearful chapters
OF the war and one OF the most klor.
iOus.
Fearful Carnage '-> Z.
Details OF the fight have been gath.
cred from eye witnesses, who saw
the fearful carnage through Friday
night and yesterday, and stayed until
the whole west banks were cleared,
except for the cOrpses on the ground.
The wounds were so numerous that
they had not yet received succor. The
enemy had staked everything on. get;
ting to the west bank of the river,
and the Italians 'staked everything on
keeping him on the eastern; bank.
The Austrians made the first move
Friday in two separate . crossings, !. =
short distance above Zenson, first 1t
the village of Fagare and then an old
mill, called the Sega, near Follina.:.
-es ~ Sanapar IL Aid As~..,5.l -. I, & r
Several circumstances enabled them
to pass. They chose q PLACE ;whero
a sandbar ran in mid stream, swing
them landing and dividing the main
stream into two small shallow cur.
rents. There also was q heavy the
screening their movements Materisl
for an improvised bridge, with I'D.
rights and iron plates for flooSine.
was also moved up. At an early hour
they crossed the, bank. The last teh
feet the men waded across the water
above waists. At the first thrust they
swept past four Italian machine gun
batteries, capturing the guns and driv.
ing the Italians back into the village
of Fegara. -: .,:s@
Hand to Hand Fight
There the Italians began their real
fight, and they fought like demons. 1t
was hand-to-hand fight through the
town with no place for artillery or
machine guns, the Italians using bay.
Onets, hand grenades, and knives and
gelatine torpedoes. The Austrians held
part Of the town near the bank with
the Italians on the land side. The
Austrians tried to throw a line around
the town and succeeded In part on
one side until the Italian batteries
outside the town got the range on the
streets. This was the first part to be
and then the Italians ad.
vanced chewing their way. -.
Turn About in Confusion
The enemy held at first, then began
to seek cover, and finally broke as the
Italians pushed into the town back
to the river. Some plunged into the
water and sought to get to the sand.
bar. All the machine guns were
abandoned. Most Of the enemy fell
along the waters edge and one Oh.
server who saw the grewsome sight.
said the bodies on the rivers bank
and in the water reminded him of
seeweed after the tide had gone out.
Further up the river, the outer
crossing had brought on another
bloody fight which lasted until late
yesterday when the whole short was
cleared of living Austrians. But 1t
was lined with dead. The movements
here began late Friday night and
reached its elimination about II
o'clock Saturday morning. Saturday
night several battalions got across
under the cover of darkness. They
took a position near the town Gem.
etery and opened on the Italians With
guns. The Austrians carried
two search lights, which they played
on the Italian positions. 1t was only
by the flashes of the Austrian machine
guns that the Italians could direct
their fire. For a time it appeared the
Italians would have to fall back, but
now the famous Bersaglieri brigade
was brought up fresh. Some Of the
other troops were from nearby towns
and they we're stirred to last des.
perate efforts to save their homes.
Charge After Dawn
The Italians charged shortly after
dawn, their line moving straight up
the hill to the cemetery. Against ma.
chine gun fire, and guns on the bank,
the Italians moved with bayonets,
grenades and torpedoes. 1t was one
of those charges inspired by love OF
home and country and was irresistible.
The enemy wavered and broke just as
the Italian artillery on nearby height
got the range of the cemetery, but
the main fighting was hand to hand
with the enemy being pressed back
steadily to the river, where they were
cut down, bayonetted, drowned, or cap
tured. BY 10 o'clock yesterday. all
had been swept away except . few
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