Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 248, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 November 1917 — A. P. Correspondent Describes Flight of Italians. [ARTICLE]

A. P. Correspondent Describes Flight of Italians.

Rome, Nov. 2. —Describing the events of the Italian retreat on Oct. 27 and later, a correspondent of the Associated Press says Gen. Gonzaga wap transported to Udine, suffering from eleven wounds. All his staff officers were killed or wounded, and 'only .three of his fifty horsemen escort remained alive. The correspondent; describing the exodus of the fugitives, says they comprised people bf all classes—in automobiles, in vehicles of all epochs, and oxen drawn carts. Some persons transported their belongings in hand carts, while others carried them. There were women with half naked children in their arms and others crying or beating their breasts because they had lost their children in the confusion. There were wounded and there were aged or sick being carried by relatives. Some of the carts bore all the humble furniture of a household.. Here and there a donkey or mule passed, loaded with all the kitchen utensils of the family. The girls of some families carried with the greatest care their shoes in baskets, tramping along in the wooden clogs that are worn in these parts. Here was to be seen a man running away in full evening dress; there a woman in evening toilette, wearing white evening slippers. Many persons carried pets with them. Dogs and even cats frequently were seen, and a soldier was obsreved who with great difficulty was keeping his cloak about him, sheltering a tiny puppy. Some women in ox carts had geese .and other fowl with them.

A heavy rain added to the miseries of the refugees. Foot passengers made- quicker progress than those in motor cars, as the latter about every ten yards were forced to stop for half an hour owing to the crush. Afte six long, weary hours the band of refugees with whom the correspondent was proceeding had made only six miles, in rain and a strong, cold wind which chilled everyone to the marrow. At Biano, a small village before Codroipo, there were a score of enemy airplanes circling above the fugitives. From a small church a group of young girls in white dresses came out, having just made their first communion. Crossing the Tagliamento river, the fugitives reached Pordenone, where there was nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep until a stable boy took the correspondent and some of the fugitives td his home, which was three miles from the town. Next morning only black coffee was to be had. No bread or eggs, and still less butter, could Jt>e purchased. After a long search some small tablets of chocolate were discovered, for which the party paid 75 cents for each little packet, and a half dozen biscuits at 25 cents each.