Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1913 — STORIES OF HEROISM [ARTICLE]

STORIES OF HEROISM

Character of the Bulgarian Soldier Is Revealed. One Man Tells of Victory Over Turks Won by Privates Disobeying an Order to Retreat Soldiers Devoted to Their Officers. Sofia, Bulgaria.—ln order to explain the phenomenal exploits of the Bulgarian armies in their battles against the Turk in Adrianople and Macedonia one must become familiar with the character of the Bulgarian soldier, says a correspondent. It is but a short time since the Balkan war began, yet many are the incidents that have come to light which enable one to judge as to the caliber of “the man behind the gun.” As I was passing the postoffice one day I met some twenty men in wornout uniforms. Several had their arms In slings, one had his head bandaged and a couple of them limped a • little. I joined them the moment I had assured myself that they were wounded soldiers apparently cured and just discharged from the hospital. The men were very cheerful, but this is a striking characteristic of nearly all those who have received Injuries in the recent great battles. I asked if they were all wounded. “Yes, all of us, of course,” answered three of them at the same time. “Would we have left the battlefield otherwise?” I found out upon Inquiry that several had received -severe bullet wounds. Two showed me the very bullets that had been taken from their bodies. “They ordered us to go home,” one of them said, “but we are good enough for another trial with the Turk if the king wants us!” In one of the hospitals I have a friend who belonged to-one of the first regiments that took part In the engagements south of Lozengrad (KirkKllisseh). Here is a little story which he told me that is typical of the Bulgarian warrior: “Our regiment went too far Into the enemy’s Intrenchments when suddenly we saw ourselves nearly surrounded., Our commander gave the order to retreat For the first time since I have been a soldier I heard an order from a superior that was not obeyed. The order was repeated by other officers, but the men showed no inclination to obey it. Suddenly a deafening cry of "Ooraah!’ was raised and then a platoon of reserves led by a lieutenant dashed ahead and shouted: 'Forward, Boys! A Bulgarian soldier knows no retreat. Na voje [charge bayonets]. Ooraah!* “In a moment the blades on the Mannllcher guns shone in the light as the men rushed at their opponents, who for an instant were stupefied at the unexpectedness of the attack. We were pretty sure we were going to be killed, for we were too few in number. But God was good to us. The Turks, though bloodthirsty and fierce with the knife, are exceedingly afraid of it; at any rate, they were afraid of our ‘Na voje’ charge. Their right flanks gave way before our attack and after leaving a third of our men dead In the field, mostly killed by the Turkish rapid flrers, thus remaining intrenched themselves tn an evacuated Turkish fortification. "I never believed I could be so bni; tai with the knife. One does not think of it when engaged In battle. A man never thinks of death under these circumstances. Our disobedience to the orders was a very grave one, Indeed, but there is always an exception to the rule. Had we obeyed the command to retreat our comrades back of us would have thought we were cowards and we would have caused demoralization among our own men.” The other day I met a wounded officer. Greatly Interested In the war, I requested him to tell, me something about bls experience. “The only thing I can tell you Is this: That we'offlcers fall f&r below our soldiers in point of

courage and bravery. men would often stand in front of us or would pile their knapsacks in order to protect us from the bullets. Our hearts melted at this touching tenderness on the part of our subordinates.”