Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-22

. liberating, But it was already too late.
| AS the breathlesS, mud-Covered. blood
| despatched survivors Of the battalion
trekked one by one into our trenches
! 1t became obvious that there was no
use in any further deliberations. The
offensive movement proved abortive.
| The Germans reoccupied. without op-
| position, all the ground and trenches
we had won at such high cost. There
were only 200 women left In the ranks
of my battalion.
| I regained consciousness at a hos
pital in the rear. | was suffering from
shell-shock. Ny hearing was affected
and, while l could understand when
spoken to, I was unable to talk. l was
sent TO Petrograd and was met at the
station by distinguished gathering,
including many of my patrOnesses and
some high army officers. kerensky
sent his adjutant. General Vasllkovsky,
successor to Polovtzev as commander
of the Petrograd military district, was
also present. l was showered with
flowers and kisses. But to all con-
gratulations I could not even reply
with a sound. lying motionless on the
stretcner.
! was taken to hospital and given
large, beautiful room. kerensky
came to see me. kissed me on the fore
head and presented to me handsome
bouquet He made a little speech,
| apologizing for the trouble he had
given me in the controversy about in
Producing the committee system in
the battalion and praising me for my
bravery. declaring that l had set a
wonderful example to the men all over
! the front. He invited me to call on
! him as soon as | got well.
President Rodzianko visited me the
| following day He was very depressed
and pessimistic over the condition of
the country.
Russia is pershing," he said, "and
there is no salvation in prospect for
her. Kerensky relies too much on his
own power and is blind to what is
going on around him. General Korni-
low requested that Kerensky grant
him the authority to restore discipline
in the army. but the latter refused
claiming that he was able to accom-
plish it himself in his own manner"
While I was in the hospital a dele
gate from the front brought me a tes
timonial from my corps committee
1t appeared that two days after | was
wounded the committee, which usually
comprised the more intelligent soldiers
met in session and discussed all night
how they could best reward my con
duct. A resolution was passed in
which praise and thanks were ex-
pressed to me for leading bravely ir
an attack which resulted in the cap
ture of 1000 prisoners. The testimonial
was a record Of the resolution, signed
by the members of the corps com
mittee. Later, the men would have
done anything to revoke their sigma
lures. as they deeply regretted this
tribute to me, an implacable enemy OF
the Germans, from the entire corps
which was permeated even then with
the Bolshevist spirit.
] learned that Lieutenant F'ilippov
took charge of the battalion, gathering
the survivors from all the units with
which they identified themselves dur
ing and after the retreat However
he did not remain with the battalion
resigning to Join some aviation detach
ment in the south, after his reorgani-
Zation of the remnant of my unit. II
was also reported to me that the com
mander of the corps had recommended
me for a cross.