THE AMERICAN WAR WITH RUSSIA By A Chronicler (John Cudahy) Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice. —OTHELLO CHICAGO A. C. McCLURG & CO. 1924 Dedicated to the memory of SERGEANT WILLIAM H. BOWMAN who died of wounds received in the action of 1st March, 1919 near Toulgas, Russia CONTENTS Archangel and Gallipoli Russia and the Vast Unknown Objects of the Expedition The Plan of Campaign The Railway Onega Kodish The River The Vaga Pinega Retreat ILLUSTRATIONS Sergeant William H. Bowma

"This war was one of the most unjust ever waged. It was an instance of a republic following the bad example of European monarchies." From Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant. Commenting on the war with Mexico. ARCHANGEL THE AMERICAN WAR WITH RUSSIA I ARCHANGEL AND GALLIPOLI " Theirs not to reason why; Theirs but to do and die. " Many people have asked me about the Russian campaign, why American soldiers went to Siberia, and what they did after they got there, for the general notion seems to be that

"The Emperor fully realized the nature of the task he had before him. To defend himself in Italy, Germany or even Poland against the Tsar was one thing; to invade the vast empire of Russia, was another task altogether—a task colossal, if not appalling. And arrayed against him were two fearful enemies—the Russian Army and winter." WATSON'S Napoleon . II RUSSIA THE VAST UNKNOWN Sometimes we are amused by foreign littérateurs and commentators, who come to our great country for a few crowded weeks o

"Shall the military power of any nation or group of nations be suffered to determine the fortunes of peoples over whom they have no right to rule except the right of force?" WOODROW WILSON—27th September, 1918. III OBJECTS OF THE EXPEDITION It is said of the Bolsheviks, that they are a terrorist, minority party, rode to power by the seizure of every available machine gun in Russia and maintain their sway by the same forceful persuasion. One of the intelligencia once told me, that of every hundre

"I consider it my duty to inform you in plain language that unless considerable reinforcements are sent before the end of October, the military situation both at Archangel and the Murman Peninsula will, in my opinion, become very serious." ADMIRAL KEMP, in command of British warships at Murmansk, to the Admiralty, 26th August, 1918. IV THE PLAN OF CAMPAIGN The Province of Archangel stretches from the Norwegian frontier across the Arctic Ocean east of the Ural Mountains of Siberia. It includes th

"We are not declaring war, nor making war on the Lenine and Trotsky government, because it is not our affair." SENATOR HITCHCOCK, Chairman of Foreign Relations Committee in the Senate of the United States. 13th February, 1919. V THE RAILWAY When the troops of Poole's first expedition divided at Archangel, and one group was sent up the Dvina; another which was a part of the French Colonial battalion was told off for pursuit of the Bolsheviks down the Archangel-Vologda railway. Hot and eager for f

13th Feb., 1919 "Americally Sowest London for H A E F France. Due to primitive conditions of life and continuous service in the field under Arctic conditions, officers and men are beginning to feel the strain. Practically the whole Allied Command has been on continuous duty in the field all winter with no reserves in Archangel. Limited Allied reserves are now being supplied from Murmansk, a few coming on ice breakers and others by rail to Kem and then by horses and sleighs to destination. Recomm

January 30, 1919. MEMORANDUM FOR COLONEL HOUSE. SUBJECT: Withdrawal of American troops from Archangel . Dear Colonel House: The 12,000 American, British and French troops at Archangel are no longer serving any useful purpose. Only 3,000 Russians have rallied around this force. Furthermore, they are in considerable danger of destruction by the Bolsheviki. The appended memorandum and map which General Churchill has prepared show that unless the ice in the White Sea suddenly becomes thicker, it is

"There ought to be an efficient American Hell Raiser from one end of the front to the base, with a rank of lieutenant colonel." DOCTOR JOHN HALL ( Major Medico 339th U.S. Infantry ). 21st October, 1918. "The Government of the United States has never recognized the Bolshevik authorities and does not consider that its effort to safeguard supplies at Archangel or to help the Czechs in Siberia have created a state of war with the Bolsheviki." Cablegram, State Department, Washington, D.C., to David R

27th Oct., '18 Dear Colonel Stewart: I understand you have very little information of the situation up here. I have very little myself, and what I get is usually from rumors unless I go to British Hdqrs and ask for it which I do not care to do. .... The commander of Force C has my Bn scattered so much there is only one company in a place. Have two companies under my orders Co A is up the river about 25 versts from here Co C is at this place and one Plt of Co A. Co B is over on the Dvina and Co D

19th March, 1919. C. G. Tours. HQ: 3407, Following telegram repeated from Archangel quote Information as to future possible relief for this expedition would materially improve the morale of troops after their long winter of Field Service, and it would also assist me in making arrangements for the future. So far I have not received any official information as to prospects. Signed Stewart unquote. Repeated to G.H.Q. and Agware. Wheeler. "It has always been a cardinal axiom of the Allied and Associ

"There is no use people raising prejudice against this expedition. Every one knows why it was sent. It was sent as part of our operations against Germany. It was vitally necessary to take every measure in regard to Russia during the war which would keep as many German troops as possible on the Russian front, and reduce that formidable movement of the German armies which carried more than a million men to the Western Front, and which culminated in that immense series of battles which began on the