The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-10-09

The truth is that he is n member-and appar'
emily worthy member-Of a remarkable interha-
tiOnal family which traces its origin to the nonlN
OF the Baltic states in 1900. There have pee"
branches in Sweden. Germany and Russia vi tue
Swedish branch the most famous was Admiral CAr'
Gustav Wlangel, who commanded the Swedish ar
mics in tIP last campaign of the Thirty fearS
war. Of The German Wrangels the best KNOWN
was the cid kipld Marshal Graf Won Wrahge"
Whose military career hong and tllustr'"nS.
Among the Russian members Of the family mere
is that explorer who gave his name TO Wrange,
island off the nOrfA coast of Eastern Siberia anu
who is linked with America through his services
as governor of Alaska.
Gen. Baron Peter Wrangel. the subject OF this
sketch, began his career in the Russian army in
1901 enlisting In the Morse Guards regiment as
private after having BEEN educated as mining
engineer. He left the army year later, tolloW-'
ing promotion To leutenancy, hut reAenlisted upon
the outbreak of the RuSsO-Japanese war, in which
he was twice promoted for bravery. Subsequently
he graduated from the General Staff academy
and M the outbreak of the World war was u cap
tain in command Of q cavalry squadron.
For distinguished service with this command he
was decorated with the highest Russian military
0rder-the Cross of ST. George. Promotion to the
rank of colonel followed; he appointed an aide
Ia the car and later became commander of the
First Trans-Baikal CosSack regiment. with which,
in July. 1916 he captured an entire battalion. He
was then made maj 0r general.
AS division commander and later as CON-
mander of cavalry corps he continued with the
army until the disorders of the revolution had
completely undermined its morale. Then. with
many other Russian officers. he fed to the Cauca-
Srs He was arrested by the hOlsheviki and mar.
ruwly escaped execution The story is told thar
hr escaped only through the heroic devotion Of his
wife who followed him to prison and obtained his
release after persistent appeals.
In the summer of 1913 with the growth of the
volunteer anti-Boishevik army he got command of
a brigade under General ErdeI. His chief fell ILL.,
and Wrange succeeding to the command, attained
the liberation of the whole Of the north Caucasus
and the Terek state He was promoted to the
rank of lieutenant general and given command Of
the Caucasian army.
Then came his test Of strength with the COM
mander in chief of the volunteer army. General
Denikne Under DenIkIne. Wrange commanded
Sfhe right wing Of the southern armies. He made
The brilliant capture of Tsartsin the VOlga and
later when 1t was too late. took command of the
central armies which had been beaten on the front
nearest Moscow. When Denikine gave up the
struggle and departed. he formally handed over
command of the southern armies 10 WrangeI AS
Denikine had previously acknowledged the KOl-
cbak government. WrangeI stands as the success
sor Of that government. which the United States
desired at one time TO recognize. hut whose weak
ness prevented
General wrange now holds that part of Rus
si. rightly Included In the government Of Taurida
His left Is protected by the wide sweep of the
rD,eper as It turns southwest from Ekaterinoslav
MAST Kherson to the Black His line TO the east
reaches the Sea of AzOv at about Mariupo. and
beyond that stretch TO the east the vast territories
Of the Don COssacks. hard fighting foes Of the bot
.hsvik regime and all II stands for. To the south
of the Don CoSsacks are the territories Of the Ku
han Cossacks. who fought with Denikne against
the Red armies. but later deserted their chief by
the thousands when they felt that their cherished
rights were being sacrificed by that leader. Wran