Stories of the War

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXX, Issue 8683, 7 January 1905, Page 3 (Supplement)

Stories of the War

A Russian soldier's letter, which lias appeared in the Russian Listok, bears am icing testimony to the faithfulness of the Itussian soldier in time of war. "A battalion, of the 21st East Siberian Regi::;.-at, under the command of Lieutenam-L'c.-Ji'.ei Nekrassof, happened to be at the LV.iin Pass, a. distance of about eight miles from the body of the regiment. On Jm'v 27 the Japanese appeared quite unexpeci.. uiy. Luckily, some thick bushes ran for some distance from close to our entrenchment, and beyond them were fields of millet, which extended to the camp. Lie.uliv.aut-Gc-bnel Nekrassof ordered the ivtivi to be sounded, and the battalion scaiu-.ed itself among the bushes and in the millet. The dusk was falling, and the Jap.::esa lost, sight of lis. We crept cu our hands and knees through the bushes and u.ilkl.. and were most careful not to betray our movements by any sound. All of a sudden Captain Missin fell backwards with a groan; he had been ailing for some time, bub had refused stubbornly to go into hospital; he called out, 'Save yourselves, my brothers, but leave me behind ; I only hamper you hand and foot.' Thereupon Gostrouch, a common soldier, a. sturdily-built-man, paid no attention to the captain's words, and picked him up in his arms and carried him off. As we retreated during the night we came across tin; Japanese positions and lost 50 men, but the rest of us managed to escape in the darkness, and Gostrouch got. away safely with his burden. Meanwhile, the captain had lost his strength completely, for he could move neither hand nor foot. 'Oh ! throw me away, for Heaven's sake!' ho murmured with a choking voice to his bearer. 'lf you don't, then Doth of us will bo lost.' 'No, I won't do tluit.' answered Gostrouch, stubbornly. 'Well,' said the 'captain, 'you may just as well pull off my boots and my uniform, i'or then I shaft be lighter for yea to carry.' 'Why should I throw away your boots and uniform? You would be very sorry later if I did so,' replied the soldier. .As the morning was breaking, Gostrouch, who, with his load, liad fallen a good way behind his comrades, dragged himself into a Chinese village and found shelter for the captain in a farmyard. The olneer was growing worse and worse. 'No,' said lie, 'it is all of no use; you can't save me. I see that the time for mo to die is come.' 'Oh, a. man can always iind time to die,' said the soldier; 'the first thing that we have to do without fail is to rejoin our men.' Then he asked the Chinese about the way he ought to take, and he set off again, bearing his captain in his arms. Gostrouch had very little money with him, and the greedy Chinese refused to render the least aid for less than, fifty roubles, or about live guineas. However, they gave, the Russians a few maize cakes. Hiding himself in the bushes and millet fields, so as to avoid the, eyes of the Japanese, Gostrouch, worn out and half-starved, carried the- wounded captain for several days. Then he approached another Chinese village to ask in what direction the- Russians wexe, and how far he had tO' go to get back to his comrades. At last the faithful soldier reached his regiment's camp. As his comrades saw him staggering along with his burden they ran to meet him. As they flocked round him, some shouted 'Hurrah !' and otiieTs almost wept for joy. The commander of the battalion had already given up all ho\v. of Gostrouch ever being able to save himself, and no one expected to welcome back Captain Missin. The latter was taken into hospital at once, and soon regained his health., while his rescuer was recommended to receive the Order of St. George." The third company of the l'ensa Regiment of Infantry had a favorite "pet," which was called "The Nightingale,'" and which was just an ordinary Chinese donkey, which Captain Massalovski had bought when marching from Liaoyang to the Medulin Pass. The owner had asked fifty roubles as the price of the ass, but the captain got it for ten roubles. It was a thin, worn-out animal, but the Russian soldiers soon fattened it up on bread and Chinese maize cakes. Whenever the regiment came to a river, the first thing done was to .see that the ass had a good drink. The ass repaid their care, for, although its load was often nearly three- hundredweight, yet it made no ado about- helping the men to carry their baggage. Still, the ass neveir forgot to tell his friends that he was tired; he. did this by lying down and beginning to bray so lustily that he could be heard far and wide. Then the soldiers at once removed his load, got him on his legs again, and spoke to him nicely, so that he was himself again soon, and was trotting on as if nothing- had happened. Once, when the company w;;s within about seven miles of the Modulin Pass, it remained a second day in bivouac, all on account of its "pet," which had hurt its hoofs on the stony road. The ass lay down and brayed with all its strength. The commanding officer inspected itsi hoofs and said to the soldiers, "Come, my brothers, we have got to shoe him." The soldiers set to work, and rig ged up a forge; some iron and a hammer were found, and an imiirovised shoeingsmith turned out by the- sweat of his brow little shoes "made to measure;" then he* shod "The Nightingale," which was pleased to resume its inarch with the men. in a most contented mood.