Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-11
bRAvEALPINI
MADE HEROIC
LOSINCFICHT
Defenders Of Italy Hold
Mounts Until Moved
Down.

Rome, Dec. fi.-"Artiliery was
active along the whole front and
there were intense duels between
the Brenta and the PiaFe. especi-
ally in the coastal zsne," says to-
days official war statement
@ln the Capo Sile region pow
erful enemy attempt made in the
afternoon TO retake our Agenzia
and Xuliani positions after heavy
artillery preparation. was sam
guinarily and completely repulsed.
We forced the enemy to retire
leaving many dead and SEINE score
of prisoners
Italian Headquarters in North
ern Italy, Monday, Dee. 10, by
the Associated Press).-A visit to-
day to the headquarters of a ma
i0r general commanding q diyi-
sion OF heroic AlpiRi and Bersa-
giieri, disclosed the story of the
manner in which this division held
the heights back of the Asiag0
plateau until it was cat to pieces
aad the remnant was compelled TO
fall back TO its present new line.
The general is now engaged in
reforming his shattered forces
which were seen in long lines
along the roads preparing to go
back into the fight.
A major OF the generals staff, who
toward the close Of the fight, col
lected the remainder of the men Of
the division and led them in the flnat
charges until the order for retirement
came, gave first hand description O
the struggle. He said there wer,
three Bersagferi regiments. some AL
PM battalions and one infantry regi
ment in the division, in addition Il
the usual quota Of batteries of fielt
and middle calibre guns. These weri
ranged back Of Asiago when the en-
emy's drive reached its maximum in
tensity last Wednesday.
Terrific Fight in Hills.
For "a hours one Bersaglieri regi
ment had held Monte Tondarecar I'm
til its platoons had been reduced fron
30 men to six. 1t was then that tn
battalions Of Alpini were sent to thei
relief.
The Alpini fought their way up tn
! hill, gaining the summit against heay
odds, only to find their comrades Gu
to pieces. Most OF them were lyin
/ dead from stab wounds. Now th
/ Alpini found themselves in the cente
/ of a concentration of enemy force
which gradually encircled then
Some of the battalions maneuvere
and were carried back and forth /
I the fury for hours along the slope
Others remained on the summit, III
enemy surrounding them.
At 8 O'Clock on Wednesday morn
ing the colonel of these battalion
sent his last report to the general.
said: THE enemy is on all sides an
l am about to charge" That was ii
/ last heard Of him or his men.
The enveloping enemy masses gre
denser and the gallant Alpini ban
which had gone to the rescue Of Il
! Bersaglieri, was wiped out.
Fighting continued along oth'
points OF the line until the forc'
were decimated and it became clet
that the enemy greatly outnumbert
th3 Italians The general himse1
who was directing operations from
point just back of the line, narrow
!, escaped a shrapnel shell which bur
. near his automobile.
Hold New Defense Lines.
1t was then that the major wi
recounted these events gathered Il
remnant of the division and foug
: out the remainder Of the day UNI
the new Italian lines Of defense we
formed across the Franzella and C
dena passes leading to the Brenta va
, ley and the plain. 1t is here t
l lines are now resting with good pre-
!, poets of holding.
The correspondent visited a numb
: Of points on the present line a
: talked with officers and men. /
were confident of being able to he
when the new attack, which they G
pect in few days. is made.
y Taken by Storm.
S Vienna, Dec. II, (yia London).
n Honyed storming troops have wrest
= from the Italians the Bressania birds
4 head in the mountainous region ne
: the Piave river, according TO the
fetal statement issued today by I
Hungarian war Office. T
hundred and thirty-four Italians VIZ
s taken prisoner and 10 machine gu
+ were captured.