The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-11
DUBLIN BOY, BACK FROM RUSSIA,
TELLS EPIC TALE OF 339TH US
Bv GLEN WALTERS


In the first place, get map of Rus
sia. Find Archangel on the White
Sea, at the mouth of the Dvina River.
Run your finger straight south on
the railroad until you come to Vologda
Then look about 100 miles west OF
Archangel and you find Omega on the
White Sea. Next run your finger
down the Dvina and Vega Rivers To-
eating Beresnich, Tulgas and Shen-
kinst Now locate Pinega. about 80
miles east of Archangel, and / will
begin my story Also while you have
your map handy. notice that the Muir
man coast is some three or four
hundred miles to the northwest, and
railroad runs south from a port named
kola, to Petrograd.
The American troops in Russia com
prised the following units: 339th In
fantry, Kings Own; the 337th Am
bulance company, the 337th Field Hos
pital company, and one battalion OF
the 310th Engineers, altogether about
5000 troops. They were a part OF
the 85th Division which trained at
Camp Custer, Michigan. We left the
United States July %, 1918, and ar
river at Liverpool, England, August
4, 1918. Were detached from the 85th
and encamped at Stoney Castle, Eng
land, left New Castle, England, Aug
26. We arrived at Archangel on Sep
TENDER f.
On leaving England no one seemed
to know just why American troops
we're being sent to North Russia. II
seemed long way from France and
the big show. But soldiers do ask
questions and the information finally
obtained was as follows: Our mission
was, first to guard huge stores OF
war material and supplies at Arch
angel, which had been sold by the
allies to the Imperial government: sec
ond, to prevent the Germans from
coming through Finland and southern
Russia and establishing a sub base
on the White Sea or on the Murmassk
coast: third, to assist the Russians in
re-esta blishing the Eastern Front, and
in recognizing their own army. thus
diverting some Of the Huns attention
away from the Western Front.
"Bolo Fair to MiddIing."
What kind of an enemy were we
fighting? He may be described In
general terms as fair to middling. AS
far as equipment went, he had better
and more than we At least rs per
their will, however, which largely &C
counts for the fact that so many of
Us are left to tell the tale.
After fully considering the mission
and the size Of the country, this
little bunch of Americans were not
long deciding that they had some job
cut out for them.
On entering the harbor Of Arch
@ha dtb of wp mass
ed a French battleship, and an Eng
lish gunboat, so at least there was
q feeling OF being among friends.
These ships with the American U. S.
S Olympia, had arrived about a month
before, ana had found the city looted
BY the Bo,shc1iki All u ats, railway
supplies and hardwar had been TAX
ell SO there was nothing FOR us 10
gard when We arrived.
Th> French and American sailors
had driven q a BUloS down the rail
road 3tout 100 miles from Archangel.
At tbs tn, the BolOs were very
poorly Organized When We arrived
there were Only two fronts, one on
the Dyiaa and the other Oh the We
logda latl.oul.
Arch angel is The greatest lumber
port IN the wor!G. IN peace tines il
L0asted of t. Ola $1,000 to 5000 lth2b-
itants When We landed it was atlOC d
with IS 900 refugees who hid already
tired OF Bolskeviki tyranny. There
were no foods except fish and fish
products. The people were virtually
serving, living mostly on fish, t4ac K
straw bread and Tea. It,.1 N;.3 no
coin money but al hi0d7 of paper
ruonev. worth nOthtuc. y ru>b!e was
worth 10 cents; bIfule Tbs Val, -
cents. There Was no work and all
the people had to do was walk the
streets and figure out some way to
revolt.
The country surrounding Archangel
is one vast expanse of forest and
ACCOMPLISHMENTS of the variety that
sucked up those lost legions or Rus
STA In the Masurian lakes district In
the early days of the great war. The
country is sparsely settled, only along
the streams here and there one finds
a small clearing inhabited by few
neasants. 1t is indeed a forest prl-
meval, with untapped treasures be-
yond the dreams OF man
Government Kidnapped.
Immediately after the Bolshevlkl de-
narted from Archangel, a provincial
government was set up, which was
practically the same as the kerensky
regime. A few days after the Amerl-
cans arrived this government was kid
Mapped by a Russian colonel named
Chaplain, taken aboard boat and
shipped out into the White sea. BY
this Chaplain hoped to place in power
som of his friends.
Mr.. Francis, the American ambas-
sador. made Chaplan bring the gov
eminent back During the time of
the kidnapping, the street car EN-
Moves had struck and the Americans
were operating the whole street car
system. as if they had been there all
their lives. When the government
was returned the strikers returned
TO work.
The first revolution was nipped in
the bud before it got a good start.
Several attempts were made to over
throw the government, but met with
no better success.
This government endeavored to CO.
operate with the Allies. They thought
Il