s wounded himself, but this
did not stop him and his presence was enough to make his soldiers
invincible. So all through the day, Colonel Batsicht directed and
encouraged, and at evening the Thirteenth Regiment of Infantry of the
Serbian army still held the line although most of their number had been
killed and their colonel twice wounded.

The Austrians were much disturbed by the heroic resistance of the small
body of Serbian soldiers and determined in the early morning of the
next day to finish the matter quickly. At dawn they attacked and the
Serbians gave way, first on one wing and then on the other, and at last
in the center. The reserve was thrown in but could not prevent the
Austrians from slowly advancing. It was six o'clock and the Serbians
had held the line for twenty-three hours. The few officers that were
uninjured urged Colonel Batsicht to order a retreat.

"It is no use to struggle longer," replied the colonel. "Order the men
to retire."

"Come with us," said the officers.

"No," replied the colonel, "I cannot. I promised to hold this ground
for twenty-four hours, and I must remain for one hour longer."

"But we cannot go without you," cried the officers.

"Obey my orders! Return to your troops and retire with them!" said the
colonel sternly.

Military discipline permitted the officers to do nothing but obey.

The colonel was left with his orderly upon the top of the hill up which
the Austrians were advancing. The orderly continued firing until the
first platoon of the enemy were upon them, when he fell, and the
colonel was left standing alone.

"Where is the Thirteenth Regiment?" asked the Austrian officer.

"I am the Thirteenth Regiment," replied the colonel with a smile.

"Then surrender," cried the officer.

"You insult me by asking me, a colonel in the Serbian army, to
surrender," replied the colonel as he raised his revolver. But the
Austrians were watching sharply and fired first, and the brave colonel
fell mortally wounded.

He was carried back of the Austrian lines in an ambulance. When the
Austrian general was told the story, he hurried to the hospital and
found Colonel Batsicht still alive.

The Austrian told him that it was sad indeed to see such a brave man
dying and that he was sorry the colonel had not surrendered.

"I am not sorry, General," replied the colonel.

A few hours later he died, and was buried with military honors.

The Serbian soldiers and the Ser