But
the situation was saved by one of those incidents which sometimes
stand out above the savagery of warfare and give to it a touch
of grandeur.
A young artillery officer, Major Djukitch, of the Fourth Artillery
Regiment, asked permission to go out and meet this body of advancing
Austrians with but a single cannon. He would create a diversion which
would give the Serbians time to adapt themselves to the changed
conditions, though the chances were very largely in favor of his
losing his life on this mission. Permission was granted. Calling
on volunteers from his command, he advanced with his single cannon
and took up a position in the path of the approaching enemy. The
moment he opened fire the Austrians, naturally not realizing that
only one cannon was opposing them, and believing that a large Serbian
force had surprised them, broke into a panic. Half an hour after he
had opened fire, the Serbian field commander sent a messenger to
Major Djukitch, ordering him to retire. In reply he sent a message
to the commander, describing the confusion he had created in the
Austrian ranks, and instead of retiring, he asked for reenforcements.
The balance of his own battery, a detachment of infantry, and a
cavalry division was sent him. The result was that the Austrian
column was temporarily driven back into the mountains. Hastily
re-forming, the Austrians now massed along a line extending from
Belikamen to Radlovatz, while the Serbians deployed along a front
running from Slatina through Metkovitch to Gusingrob.
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