The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-09-13

New York. Back Of the meager Of
Acial dispatch announcing the award
hy the Italian government Of It's sill
Yer medal for valor, virtually the high
est military recognition that can come
% IN Italian soldier, b one Of tho
most thrilling and romantic episodes
pf, the entire war; one which. In fact.
may Be said DO have had a distinct
and definite bearing upon the success
pf the TtnlIan arms.
The cable message announcing the
hwsrd. and which was published In
America a few days ago. read:
awarded to First Lieut.. the later
4eceived his captaincyl francesca
Mario Guardabassi Of Perugia, while
On the stAtf Of the commander Of divi-
Aion- Energetic co-Operator Of tho
high command Of the division, First
lieutenant Guardabasd gave an adj
mirable proof Of determination. energy
and bravery in a very difficult circum-
: stance during the drive from the Car
% to the Piave. firmly checking sud-
den and threatening panic aroused
among the troops. Carso- Tagiiamento.
Bridge 0f LAtisana. % October. 1917"
\ Captain (then first ileutenant)
10uauhshassi, by his action. prevented
khs IMh&h retreat from the Carso to
khe Pave from becoming q Gsorderly
T0It and Transformed It into an or
det5y retirement. which enabled the
italian fSrces to reform and to make
their position on the Plays impregna-
rb1a- Il wSs Captain Guardabasd who
standing virtually alone on the bridge
head Of LAtisana. inspired the troops
Of the THIRD army to hold their ground
when overwhelmed with fear and
panic.
Z IL Here on Special Mission.
Captain Guardabassi, who AZ the
time was aid-de-camp Of General Pc
tilIo, divisional commander in the
Third army Of Italy, In the last few
months has become a familiar figure
In New York. Following his achieve
uments on the Tagiiamento he was
called to Rome and. because of his
vide knowledge Of America and Amer
leans was sent to the United States
on d special mission from the Italian
government. Captain Guardabassi
was persuaded to tell the story Of how
be won the decoration. II is'best told
In his own words:
~Tou can imagine the spirit Of our
army last October" said he, '.when
our generals Of the Third army an
nounced that we were 70 fan back.
We had worked 50 hard to establish
our line On the Tagliamento. and we
were 90 proud. Now the orders canie
that we we're 10 get back on the Pr
ave. There were no finer fellows In
che world than In the Third army. but
= wave OF dlscouragement swept
through the ranks Were we 10 be
beaten7
'The Piaye line vas stronger--it
was our natural line. There we could
hold or the Austrians coming down
IRON the north and prevent their
breaking Into the italian plains. n
was only 40 miles back jet our army,
meme Of Us. could realize this. II was
B retreat And II became more ana
haors difficult to keep up the soldiers
morale to hold them together
/ '.The Third army numbered 100000.
Il was reduced during the campaign
from 90 900 to 10000. but that was its
sizs when the retreat was ordered.
There were complications In the re-
xreAf, for down from the northwest
began to come detachments from the
Second army. mingiing with our men.
lending TO produce disorder.
Rain Makes Retreat DIffcult.
Il shall never forget how It rained
during those days. The Carso-T aglla-
mento region Is a marshy country.
Where we we're was not far from the
sea. IN the retreat we had 10 keep to
ne roads. This made our falling back
Ill the harder.
Il could never have done what had
10 do had Il not been for my general.
General petiIlo and the fact that
vas his aid-de-camp. Remember
that. besides the hurriedly retreating
soldiers pouring along the roads ev-
erywhere. disheartened and fearfk. the
country people By thousands were re-
treating. Nobody knew what might
happen. The feeling was growing that
the war was lost. That we would soon
make : new stand and q brilliant one
alone the plave and later retrieve e.
erythinz nobody realized. Tou c1uld
not have tnla them that.