The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-10-01
In Soldier-P oet Says
yal Army Closed
nt,lks IN His Wake.
AVED BULLETS
DF FlUME TROOPS
- Napoleon, Invader
Old Comrades to
- On War Wound or
kavery Medal.
D'ANNUNzro.

& - ~ - "
raa sept. 20 wa Farsi It
An the night OF September l.
a. lay prostrated in bad ~
~ sicvoured by fever. a vision
r-A4 II, fsae---4a vision Of beloved
nwas Il mystic cali Of exalted pa
nt31 Ill made me arise and }sat! q
efte FOR the rescue Of that eity, No
must be lost, for ! learned that
twelfth. raven!nE horde# %
planned 10 sweep down VAN
WI swprgt and ravase wherever
md legally to Mother liasy were
within the confines OF t1um".
" today liz the holy mecca OF al'
kaiians
58arnToning a handful Of follow
nxpiained that the hour of sol
lmEfz fee and 4 ex4sts5a44 had sound
m Me set out upon the great pal
- OF patriotism.
10 have described our Odyssey
nAmboyant. glory -se, king ad-
"a Of mad poet There arc
&hailow spirits without vision.
$her for myself nor for my he
10E0wers liz this a1l adventure or
MIA Tor glory. or a. piratical ro-
Ii is divine mission, no less
ana holy than the crusaders OF
4nt times.
6m the humhlest grenadicr TO the
70. my forces are all inspired with
Inc unQuenchahlc FIRE.
NJ nrxt / had thought Of leading
te&rg on the yoriious quest. but
~ once that this would not sur
Tor wanted 10 demonstrate that
Iii which reused me from nay
Hed had come TO ali Italy. So |
~ to set forth almost alone,
rhing the gospel OF Fumes de-
mnCe az | went along and gather
4rUm bivouacs and camps along
1und an army OF patriots in the
III right and jrstice--~an army
SnOsed OF regular italian troops,
snGentattve of the entire mother
~ Judgment proved sound. my vis-
clear. 1t was the Italian royal
~ which closed ranks In my Wake
II marc bed TO F'iume. 1t is the ltal-
royal army that now holds tue
M city OF eF'luIne under my COM
SSSd. In defiance of all enemies.
HAn know their leader viii not fan
- In the hour OF peril. All know
IN ready To die AZ moments no
= III the service of great cause.
WiM Make Suicidal Flight
what III death 10 me, who have al
nv braved II two score and more
AAa9 What liz the value OF this poor
E my body?
xKhen Eiun1e La definitely won am
ing to fly from Rome To Toxic hop
4evoutfy that a typhoon viii end
Y life, far out in tho Indian aAGan--
No. glory did not tempt nlc to come
khars nor did death deter me Glory
mine already and death I know too
III
his same spirit irnbues my heroic
Bowers. who have signed their lives
= nay hands and coniided their des-
- lnto my Keeping
We have pledged our existence to
= sacred soil--living or dead this
n = our hiding place.
Hrom Venice I hurried to Ionchi,
N home OF the martyr who died III
cause of Italy thirty years ago.
I&re, for a moment ] despaired for
> auto trucks that had been promised
~ not on hand But. courage Harmed
I'm. Ny forces seized sufficient
roeif had not expected the expcdt-
N would be SO easy ] had looked
resistance and feared bloodshed en-
aex
1od be thanked. we were not opposed
!01Er former brothers In arms The
- OF our progress flew ahead Of
Ike wildfre / harangued troops
SDg tho road and all Joined my
|umpAal column. When We reached
xoate. . veritabie army STROBE az MY
49, In II ] counted "a regiment Of
GGntry. two battaiions OF Arditi
|6k troops Of The Regina brigade,
E&1E3es OF artillery; { % ia !, ct {. Y
1pR0d and two sauadrone Of
ScrSd cara
Ghsy had miracuously sprung up
- the ground as though called forth
the stamping of ii magician's foot
3aro general barred our way. Say.
Who and what are you, whittier
= 1Ou going, ! arm your superior"
NE nm going to Fiume where today
~ Ahtaf command devolves upun me-
ponded. III you like. go to the
~ End take our dust. but stand
- was Aki, LOT sor& ara again
~ the star lii night was sue
y - ~ a glorious dawn We came
w hal& at the gates al Fiume. There
na Ptttualaga, commanding the
I'm troops. WAS aw aiting rs VITA sla
Giee4 air.
IhAt--you who are SO w lse are de-
BlsT' he asked
on,t Won understand the gravity OF
y,
IN the master here and J am po-
III pass. told him. disdaining the
" ~ words
~. my troops viii fire on you
II, whereupon l and ali who heard
meot into peals Of laughter
nS1fes Bullets of soldiers.
~ have FIVE minutes In which II
o PASS" ] replied TELL yeui
~ they want a target I invite
~ aim at my war wound, ms
~ my gold star for bravery"
{ 16 minutes elapsed We advanced
~ ehot was heard
~ A1try into Fiume was the SUI
san0ment Of my life. Not wo.
- child wns encountered in III.
Welcoming throng that did moi
Hazel branch in token Of honor
~ and gratitude.
Enoash the daiirous crowds az ia
1gtA We pushed on. then we
ds surrounded and entered Tho
There / al once undertook
e4itpuE task OF distributing my
~ md putting into action plan
which ! had personally de-
{ ~ l3th ~ September. nothing
tce ~ 10 do but walt All
Withdrew peacefully. I
~ ltntfnn Adulral Ca