Page:The Russian Review Volume 1.djvu/136

114 battalion of the 271st regiment of German infantry stationed in this village. Our losses, naturally, were very small. But our work did not end here. At the very beginning of the fray our company divided into several parts. While some of us worked with the grenades, others sought the battery of guns stationed in Nevel, and explosions from that quarter soon joined the general din. At the same time, the rest of us surrounded the largest house in the village, where, according to our information, the headquarters of the regiment were located. But kind fate sent us the staff of a whole division, in addition to that of the regiment. The officers opened fire, but they were almost all cut down. Only General von Tabernis, commander of the 82nd Division, was saved by a sheer miracle, for he wore a sweater instead of his uniform, and was unarmed. It was only later that we recognized him We took with us large quantities of important papers and maps.

"But it was time to start back. The din and the conflagration caused the alarm to spread all around. And we were far within the German lines. The most difficult task was to get back safely We set out on our homeward march in the sight of German troops already closing upon us. Luck was with us to the end. Constantly firing back at our pursuers, we succeeded in preventing them from encircling us. Besides, the general commotion robbed the Germans of their usual alertness and quickness of action Towards morning, we were already approaching our own positions. There were no more orders of the kind, 'Just you cough, and I'll' Each one sang as loudly as he could. Only those can understand our feelings who have themselves passed through whole hours of such a November night, in the circumstances in which we found ourselves.

"We did not bring back many prisoners. The risks were too great. But we did have the general and the commander of the battery with us. General von Tabernis was very gloomy. He did not have his casque on; there was no time to look for it. When we offered him a cap, he sullenly refused it, tying a handkerchief about his head. We tried to put some questions to him, but he answered abruptly, 'Why do you ask me? You know that I am a Prussian general and won't say anything.' He walked along, silent and dignified. Only once did he break his silence, to ask about the fate of his Chief of Staff. 'I cut him down,' said one of my soldiers and bared his bloody sabre. General von Tabernis looked at the soldier and at his sabre, and then lowered his eyes