Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-11-20
YANKS, TRAPPED,
WIN HOT FIGHT
Sensational Feat in Russia Not
Surpassed in Whole History
of War.
BETRAYED BY DEsERTER
Americans Attacked While Asleep by
SUPERIOR Force of Russians-Victory
Finally Crowns Heroic Struggle
IS Sha naunhh0ve
Of the Doughboys.

San Francisco.-Stories Of heroism
may be told of the Argonne until they
are written in the pages of history,
the gallantry of the American marines
at Chateau Thierry may thrill man.
kind to the end of time itself, the glory
Of the western front may pass into
the generations, but never will there
be story that can surpass the one
brought home by the handful OF Amer
leans who battled at Romanofka, 81
IBERIA, on June 26, 1919.
It was disclosed here for the first
time by Lieut.. Lawrence D. Butler of
the Thirty-frst infantry. With the
lower half of his jaw shot away,
wound received in the engagement,
Butler recited the tale haltingly.
Guided by American.
An American soldier deserted and
guided a numerically superior force
of Russians to a poorly protected
camp, where the Americans were
bivouacked. They were sleeping when
the onslaught opened. The Russians
were massed on the crest OF heav-
lily timbered hill commanding the en-
tire camp, and poured deadly rifle
and machine gun fire into the thin
khaki ranks. There were seventy-two
doughboys when the fight started.
When it ended twenty-eight were dead
and twenty-five others were severely
wounded. Five of the company have
been recommended for the Distin-
guished Service cross.
The Russians had posed as simple
country folk, friendly to the Amer
leans. They outnumbered their bene-
factors ten to one. But when they
turned to attack they fired even into
their own homes where some of the
Americans had fled for protection
against the hail Of steel pellets that
rained into the camp. Victory finally
crowned the heroic struggle of the
doughboys.
"Most of the boys who were killed
never had a chance to leave their
BEDS" the officer said. "They were
shot while asleep. The others came
scrambling out, and fought in their
underclothing. I ordered them on to
advance in skirmish order. They
moved as though on the drill ground.
A corporal already wounded in the
foot, led them. He walked and the
men followed.
Buried Without "Taps."
1--WE reached a low-lying fence, and
I organized my defense with two men
on each flank, three to protect the
rear, and sixteen facing the enemy.
This is the manner in which the men
met the Russians, armed with Ger
man and Russian rifles.
''My orderly was behind me, carry.
ing my rifle. My pistol was empty, and
I turned to him, asking for the rifle
AS he handed it to me his head was
blown off. I was wounded in the leg
by an American bullet, fred by a
Russian.
"a Russian ran to our ammunition
tent. I put my head out of window
in a house where / had gone to pick
a sharpshooter and received a bullet
in the jaw My teeth flew over the
place like so many pellets. Before
long, though, we had them on the
rum"
When the fight was all over the
victors started to bury the enemy
dead. Lying face down, shot three
times in the back, they found the body
of the former "buddie" who had be-
trayed them. He, too, was buried, but
no taps babe him rest in peace.