Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-28

was slain early in the war. For this
invention I had only a slight founda.
tion--a rumOr that reached me of the
death in battle of AfanaSi BotChkarCVa.
or course ii was an absurd excuse.
| But ! used it previously and afterward
on a number of occasions and il finally
gained large circulation and wide ere.
denCc.
It was cNhilarating to be able to do
some real fighting again. It is true
we were Il mere handful, scarcely 200
girls. But we raised quite a storm
Our machine guns ratified and No
Mans Land was turned from n boule-
ward for promCnading agitators and
drunkards into No Mans Land truly.
The news spread rapidly along tho
front Of tho activity of the womens
battalion, and l believe that for hun
dredS of Nersts our little sector was
the only fighting part of the line. |
was naturally very proud of this dis.
tinCtion.
For several days this state of affairs
continued Finally the Germans be-
came so annoyed that they ordered
their artillery to lombard my position.
There had not been any artillery fire
at our sector for some time and the
opening OF the big guns caused tremen-
dous excitement. Many Of the men
were caught in the bombardment and
were killed or wounded. The battal-
ions casualties were four dead and
fifteen wounded.
The whole corps was aroused to the
highest degree and a stormy meeting
took place Immediately. Then men
demanded my instant execution.
She wants waT." they cried, "and
we want peace. Kill her and make
an end of it,"
But the members of the committee
and my friends insisted that I acted
in accordance with an agreement
She only engages her own battalion
fighting" my defenders argued, "and
leaves us alone. 1t is not her fault
that the German artillery could not
find the range quickly and killed some
of our comrades"
When word reached me of the in
dignation and threats of the men |
decided to organize an offensive of my
own and die fighting. l requested our
artillery to answer in kind the enemys
fire. The engagement developed into
a regular little battle. We We're firing
furiousy
While this was going on and the
soldiers in the rear We're holding the
meeting the news arrived of the over
throw of Kerensky and the Bolshe-
visits victory in Petrograd. 1t was
announced TO the men by the chair
man and was hailed with such an out
burst of enthusiasm that the shouts
almost drowned the rafting of the
machine guns.
Peace. Peace" Numbered through
the air.
1--WE will leave the front now! We
Lei
Hurrah for Trotsky. Hurrah for 40
lontay.'
Land and freedom, Bread Down
with the bourgeoisie,"
As the celebration was attaining
new climaXes the ears of the multi
tude suddenly caught the sound OF the
shooting at my sector. The men were
strucN with frenzy.
xiii her. Kill them all! We have
peace now" they raved, and STAN
peded in our direction.
Several girls dashed up to me 10
tell of the approach of the bloodthlrsiy
mob. Almost simultaneously the com,
manding general rang up on the nela
! wire.
RUN" was his first word. we are
all lost am escaping myself. Go to
/ Krasnoye Selo!"
| | ordered my girls to seize thelI
rifles and whatever belongings they
could and run without stopping 10
one of the men instructors | gave tle
direction in which we were to go. ASK
ing him to transmit the Information 10
our supply detachment.
Meanwhile the mob was advancing
IT encountered in the immediate rear
about twenty of my girls. who were
engaged in the supporting line.
These twenty girls were lYnched by
the maddened soldiers.
Four of the instructors, who made
an attempt at defending these mno
cent women, were crushed under the
heels Of the savage mob.
For fifteen Verts I and my remain
ing soldiers ran. Although We coulC
see no sign of pursuers we took nc
chances. We stopped in the woods be
side the road to MolodeChno. 1t was
dark. We drank tea for supper anC
prepared sleeping quarters under the
trees. Our supply train came up dur
ing the night and was intercepted by
one of the sentries.
We were up at in the morning
I had a connection made with the tele