The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-12
US. MEN FIGHT
REDS AS INDIANS
LOG CABIN STYLE
Small Guard, Surprised at
Romanovka, Repulse
Surprise Attack.
ONE GOES FOR HELP
BOlsheviki Retreat When
II Soldiers Go to Relief
Of Besieged.
TROOPS DEMAND REVENGE
Details Of Engagement Show
10 Americans Killed in One
Of Three Battles.
ONE GOES FOR HELP
TROOPS DEMAND REVENGE
BY the Associated Press.

RoMANovKA, Siberia, July Q (de-
laye0.-It was in this little village
fifty miles northeast Of Vladivostok.
that at dawn on June 25 a force of 400
Bolsheviki attacked an American
camp in which were seventy -four men
OF Company A, Thirty first Infantry.
killing nineteen of the Americans and
wounding twenty-seven others, two of
whom died of their wounds. "a Wash
ington despatch on June 80 carried the
official report OF this engagement)
The mon of Company A were
guarding the railway from vladivos-
near the railroad. The Bolsheviki
crept up and hid in the dense under
brush, fence corners and woodpiles
near the camp AT o'clock they fired
volley which killed several Of the
sleeping Americans. Others, who had
been wounded by the first discharge,
staggered outside and were shot down
as they left the tents.
or those who escaped the first volley
unscathed some pulled on only light
garment or two. clapped on their steel
helmets and organized a centre Of re-
sistance in a log cabin. firing thence at
puts Of smoke from the bushes.
Fought a. In Indian Battles.
Then for three hours the Americans
fought as in an Indian battle OF the
frontier days. relief finally coming to
them when seventeen men rolled in on
a train after an American volunteer had
run from the bcsieged cabin to Novo-
miles distant.
The Bolsheviki, thinking large REIN
forcements were arriving. then withdrew
toward the hills, dragging their wounded
and some of their dead with them. but
leaving behind eight Of their number
who had been killed.
The Romanovka attack was the first
OF a series that evidently had been
planned by the Bolsheviki to be carried
out along the Suchan railway. On the
following day a Bolshevik force attacked
Novonezhino. the next station on the
road. using the same methods as those
employed on the twenty-hfth firing on
the tents at dawn. This time the Amer
leans were ready. however. They were
not sleeping in their tents but in log huts.
from which they poured in a hot fanking
fire and inflicted severe losses on the at
tacking party.
Again on the twenty-seventh 200 Boil
shevik attacked an American supply
train near Sitza- Two Americans were
wounded. but. on the other hand. twenty
i've Bolsheviki were killed. one American
marksman with an automatic rifle kill
ing eleven of the attackers.
Bitter Against Bolsheviki.
Intermittent sniping and minor at
tacks with the destruction here and
there of railway bridges and telegraph
lines. has continued between Shkotova
and Suchan for a week. communication
with the American forces having been
cut, except for service by native cour-
iers.
The Associated Press correspondent,
making the trip from Vladivostok to the
Kangaus River. where the last American
detachment in the direction OF Suchan Is
stationed, slept two nights with the SOL
diers in their huts and marched from
troops. This close touch with the Amer
lean soldiers revealed the bitterness
among them against the Bolsheviki. virtu-
ally the only subject OF conversation be-
ing their desire to avenge their compan-
IONS who had been killed.
During these three days not a single
conversation about going home was heard
among the men. although this until re-
Gently had been the main topic.
The Americans are closely cooperat-
ing with the Kolchak forces In the Su-
chan district, where the small numbers
OF the anti-Bolshevik forces make the
work of protecting the railway lines ade-
quately an impossible one.
The Russian civilians In this district
appear to be just about as greatly dis
liked by the Americans as the fighting
Bolsheviki, because 1t Is known that
many villagers who had been believed to
be friendly took part in the Romanovka
attack. One elderly man who was act
ing as a sniper and was killed close to
the American camp was identified as a
man whose professed friendship for the
Americans had been much in evidence.
Active measures against the Bolshe-
vik depredations and attacks are being
taken by the American command.