The Benson signal., 1917-01-20

thouSdnuS OF OtRerS or young Russians
similarly situated he did not rest un-
til he had found place with the Red
Cross, where he could work in spite
of his lack of training. He chose a
flying column" rather than the more
routine service of the organization be-
hind the lines and the hospitals.
Attached to the Twenty-first COL
umn. equipped by Countess Tolstoy of
Moscow, and popularity known by her
name, Kolpachnikoff was under fire in
seven battles within the first two
months in the field. These actions
were about Warsaw and Lodz and
since the Twenty-first was assigned to
the First Siberian corps. nicknamed
the Siberian Ironsides, it was at the
very brunt of the German attack.
One Of the things Colonel Kolpach-
nikOff recalls is that the Germans
used gas shells in these engagements
for the first time. 1t was not until
some months later that they were
tried on the western front and there
by came into notoriety. Even more
wildly does he recall the crisis when
eight divisions of the Prussian Guards
and the Bavarians were hurled
against Pleshkoff's Siberians, only to
be beaten back from the gates of War
saw. 1t is said the Siberians counted
but 1000 still in their ranks out of
10000 when this tremendous feat had
been accomplished.
| The end of these first two months
found KOlpachnikOff second in COM
mand of the Twenty-first. Within an
other two months, when his chief had
been wounded a second time and COM
PEELED to retire, Kolpachnikoff took
over the command with the rank of
colonel. He still holds to his place,
and his present visit to the United
States is being made under two
months leave.
Praised by Commander.
When he sailed for New York, he
was accompanied by Alexandra Ver-
blunsky, great oil operator of the
Baku and .Ural districts, who found in
Red Cross work the part in the war
he could not take in the army. In his
party was also DR.. Thomas M. Cas-
siday of New York, a young surgeon
who has been finding in Russia a
continuation of the activity he had for
some time with Villa in Mexico.
Upon his departure from the Iron
sides General Pleshkoff addressed to
Colonel KOlpachnikoff letter reading {:
my Dear Andre Ivanovitch:
"A few days ago was the anniver-
sary Of the second year of your work
in the flying column at the front, the
greater part of which has been devot-
ed by you to the corps whose command
| have the honor to hold by imperial
decree.
'The merit of your service has more
than once been cited by me in my
orders of the day to the troops COM
manded by me. but I consider it to-
day an agreeable duty to express
again to you from the bottom of my
heart my gratitude for your highly use
full service and your gallant work.
"At the head of your glorious fly
ing column you were always at the
front, Fastening where there were dan
gers and where you could make light
er the sufferings of thousands of our
gallant Siberian fighters. The care
you have taken of them shall never be
forgot by them, and they will always
bless you in their prayers.
"YOu are taking up long journey
for a good cause. and again in the
name of the entire corps let me wish
you good journey. May success at.
tend your every effort and undertake
ing. We are looking forward with
great pleasure to your return to the
old command in the corps that loves
you so much. Yours,
I'M. PLESHKOFF,
"Commanding First Siberian Corps
Active Army No. 35."
In Eighteen Battles.
Eighteen battles of first magnitude
stand now to Colonel Kolpachnikoff's
credit. In three Of these, Tchervonaia
Niva and Tschidlovskaia, where the
relief work of the Twenty-frst was
carried on under shell-fire that was
mel KOlpachnikOff was accompanied by
First Lieut.. Sherman Miles, u. S. A..
military attache Of the American en-
bassy to Russia.
Three other Americans Colonel KOl.
pachnikoff counts among his personal
friends. Foremost among these is
DR.. Malcolm Grow of PHILADELPHIA
who is chief surgeon of the Twenty.
first, and who won a medal of the or.
der Of st. George for his work. Colo.
mel Kolpachnikoff tells how, when this
medal was conferred, the commander
of the Tenth army said to Doctor
Grow:
81 hope that by the time this wal
ends Americans will like us as sincere
ly as we like you and all your people
who have visited my army. I am very
glad to see among my Siberans rep
resentative of the glorious nation OF
the Stars and Stripes"
The two other Americans of whom