RUSSIAN MILITARY HEROINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 January 1916, Page 10

RUSSIAN MILITARY HEROINE.

MODERN JOAN OF ARC. San FraneisW December 8. The great war in Europe lias developed many instances of tVig participation of women in actual militajry activities, but none can equal a most remarkable figure in the Russian army facing Austrians and Germans in the person of Madame Alexandra Kokovtseva, the colonel of a dashing C'ossnck regiment, who has been decorated by the Czar with the Cross ot St. George, and who lias been hailed by the Russian people as the Russian Joan of Arc. Several Russian women arc known to be fighting side by side with tho soldiers, but none has achieved such fame as Madame Kokovtseva, and in a letter to a member of her mother's family in 'Pctrograd, particulars of which have just reached California, this i remarkable woman gives a vivid impression of devotion to the cause of her country and her soldiers' devotion to their female colonel. Madame Kokovtseva. commands a Ural Cossack regiment. Practically all her life was spent in the open air of the Urnl mountains region, and from early childhood she was used to the saddle. She can ride as well as any Cossack. She married a Co=sack officer, and when war broke out, successfully disguised herself as a Cossack cavalryman and gained entrance to her husband's regiment. She had already become famous for her courage before he knew of her identity. "We Cossacks," she states, "have little to do with trench fightinc; we make whirlwind attacks upon detachments of the enemy's communication guards. It was my Cossacks who surprised the Austrians at Okurn. and we saw much lighting in o,i licia, between the Dneister and Prut. The Austrians were entrenched there, and our infantry had attacked and were repulsed.

"Then it was that my little ones weri given a chance. There were two thousand of its, anil we charged forward, yelling mid fliinjr. covering a long front to convince the Anstrians that we were ii »reut force. 'l'lie ruse worked, ami the enemy started to re'treat. Before they were clear of the tenches the Cossacks were among them. riding them down ami sabring them as hard as they could wield their arms. We captured the position, and afterwards the sotruk (captain) sent to me a grizzled victor, who begged the privilege of presenting me with seven caps belonging to the Austrians, each pierced through .the crown. The Cossack had them skewered 011 his bayonet. '"Thank you, Bazushka," I said. "I sec you hiive some grouse, but I am not hungry." •■ 'Neither are they hungry who lately wore them,' he replied. 'Did you skewer lliem as you passed by the dead!' 1 asked, but he only grinned. " 1 skewered each cap with the same thrust that sent its owner to f!od,' lie answered, as he crossed himself. I afterwards found that what the, man said wan true. He bad faced anil killed seven Anstrians himself and brought their caps to me. "Frightful as this carnage is, however, you must not think me callous. Only ilits is a lioly war, anil these things are inseparable from war. Tf one did not kill the enemy, one would be of no service to the Little Father of great Russia. But through all the violence 1 know that with it all 1 shall have gained in all that becomes a woman—faithfulness ami j tenderness, and pity for the poo; " j