Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-04-15

the men traditions Of the American
army.
Washington April 10.-The war de-
partment issued tonight an official
statement confirming Associated Press
advice from Archangel that what
amounted TO mutiny took place
among the American troops there on
March 81. A company of infantry the
message stated, refused to entrain for
the front until personally urged to 90
so by Col. George E. Stewart, COM
manding the American contingent
Open threats were made in general
from Washington insuring early with
drawal was forthcoming.
The text Of the paraphrase OF the
code message dated March 81 follows
the department having eliminated only
the Identification of the company and
certain military information not bear
ing on the incident:
yesterday morning, March 80, a
company of infantry, having received
orders to the railroad front, was Or
dered out Of barracks for the purpose
OF packing sleds for the trip across the
river to the railroad station.
Refused to Obey.
THE commissioned officer who
was in charge Of the packing soon re-
ported to the officers that the men re-
fused to obey. At this some OF the
officers took charge and all except one
man began reluctantly to pack after
q considerable delay. The soldier who
continued to refuse was placed in con-
finenent. Colonel Stewart, having been
sent for, arrived and had the men as
sembled to talk with them.
Upon the condition that the pris-
oner above mentioned was released
the men agreed to go. This was done
and the company then proceeded tc
the railway station and entrained there
for the front. That they would mo-
60 to the front line positions was open
ly stated by the men, however, anc
they would only go to Obozerekaya
They also stated that general mutm1
would soon come If there was not some
definite statement forthcoming IRON
WASHINGTON with regard to the remov'
al Of American troops from Russia a
the earliest possible date"
The department has cabled for more
information. From the message re-
ceived today officers were unable u
ascertain whether condition OF mu
tiny had in fact developed in the pas
ten days. Pending fuller advices, M
comment was Forthcoming as to th'
course to be pursued.
Presumably, it was said, Colone
Stewart already had been advised oil
rectly that 1t was the purpose or th'
supreme war council in charge of tn
policy governing the movement u
withdraw the entire force from North
ern Russia when the ice blockadin'
the harbors goes out. The British re
lief expedition, originally scheduled u
he 2.40O strong, has sailed as have tn
two companies Of American railwa!
engineers sent at the request or tn
British authorities to keep open tn
railroad south Of Murmansk.
To Withdraw Forces.
Announcement Of the purpose u
withdraw the force was made officiail;
to congressional military commute
by Secretary Baker, February II OF
instructions from President Wilson
Supplimenting that statement Genera
March, chief Of staff, said last Satur
day that the American contingen
would certainly be withdrawn D.
June.
The Official report makes the incl
dent even more serious than the orlsi
nal press accounts. Intimations tina
q general feeling of unrest pervade'
the entire force have come previousl
from General Ironside, the Brltis
commander in chief Both British an
French troops have been involved ac
cording to rumor in similar incident
but American officers on the seen
have felt that the morale of the Ameri
can troops was too high for such a
outbreak.
The dispatch today did not show I
what extent Bolsheviki propagandlst
could be held responsible for the be
havior Of the troops, nor has any in
formation reached the department
tending to show the extent to whic
the rebellious attitude may have sprea
through the whole American contin
gent.
The Three Hundred and Thirty
ninth infantry Of the Eighty-flfth di
vision forms the bulk or the Ameri
can contingent Archangel region. tn
unit is almost wholly composed