Page:Albert Beaumont - Heroic Story of the Czecho-Slovak Legions - 1919.djvu/25

 Czech officers, and they often came at night and we talked. A certain agreement was established, and by that time my Ruthenian troops became more sympathetic with us.

We established “friendly“ relations with the Russians. The Austrians had no idea of what was going on. From that time we sent regular patrols every night. They invariably got lost with the Russians. None of our patrols ever returned. They were reported as missing. Every time a patrol left under a Czech officer we shook hands and said, “Goodbye; we shall meet on the other side!“ We gave money to the men before they left. They promised to refund it when we got to Russia. We freely talked of the defeat of Austria. We expected an armistice any moment. It was agreed that Austria could not hold out for many weeks, not to say months. Even the Austrian officers agreed with us. They also talked freely of going over to the Russians if they got the chance.

It was on Feb. 1 that I was taken prisoner a second time. It was by a real surprise, but I was furious when recaptured. A small section was commanded by a Czech, Dr. E., of Prague, whom we all knew as a fervent patriot, and who afterwards became a member of our Provisional Government. The main forces were placed on two low hills. They gently sloped down to a hollow where a good road passed and led to a village some three kilometress behind where all our stores were concentrated. I was on the extreme point of the hill on the left. An Austrian regiment held the hill on the right. Down below in the hollow was Dr. E. in command of his little section. The Russians started along the road before dawn, and Dr. E. ignored them. They passed by his post, and actualy got to the village, and began removing our stores before the Austrian regiment noticed their presence and began firing.

I was awakened about five o’clock in the morning. The Russians had now started an attack all along the line. I hurriedly sent my men right and left. They could see nothing. I walked out of the trenches and went towards a wood behind us, from which I could see the village where the firing was liveliest. As I approached the wood I saw a line of men coming out that did not look like our own troops. I was sure they were Russians. But I wondered how they had got there. I walked up to them with my sword under my arm. They called to me, “Offizier,“ and I nodded. They made signs to me to hand over my sword. I did so. I was a prisoner a second time, and quietly joined their group. I offered to send over to my trenches and invite my men to surrender likewise.