Office of the Historian

861.00/6140: Telegram

The Chargé in China (Tenney) to the Secretary of State

Peking [undated].
[Received January 17, 1920—3:22 a.m.]

2. From Harris via Harbin:

“January 8, 5 p.m. Arrived in Verchniudinsk today with entire Red Cross women personnel. Destruction of telegraph wires Irkutsk prevented my communicating with the Department. Seven telegrams filed there for forwarding. Armistice arranged for between Social Revolutionaries and Kolchak forces January 3. Social Revolutionaries have upper hand. About 1,600 Japanese soldiers arrived Irkutsk. Three armored trains of Semenoff on railway track outside of city renders evacuation difficult. Railroad being continually destroyed at various places. Semenoff troops captured station at one time, but were shortly afterwards evicted by Social Revolutionaries. Fighting everywhere attended with considerable loss of life.

Kolchak held in Nishniudinsk by Social Revolutionaries. They have demanded his retirement and that his staff and body guard should be enrolled in Social Revolutionary army. They also demand that gold be turned over to them. Allied High Commissioners in Irkutsk have instructed General Janin53 to take military measures to safeguard Kolchak’s person and to bring out the gold. Critical relations exist between Czechs and Semenoff troops and conflict may result if Semenoff attempts obstruct passage of Czech troops.54

[Page 528]

I shall remain for the present in Verchniudinsk or Chita in order to watch situation. Colonel McCroskey54 joined me here today. As I have safely delivered nurses and Doctor Teusler55 at this point, I now consider myself no longer responsible for their welfare. I believe it is the intention of Colonel Teusler to send all nurses to Vladivostok as soon as possible.

I have left Vice [Consul] Glaman for the present in Irkutsk. Vice Consuls Ray and Hansen are slowly proceeding direction Krasnoyarsk. All are safe. There are still some Red Cross men and railway engineers at and west of Irkutsk, but are moving slowly eastward.

Am mailing complete written report56 concerning evacuation Irkutsk.” Harris. Jenkins.

Tenney
  1. Gen. Maurice Janin, of the French Army; Commander in Chief of the Allied forces west of Lake Baikal.↩
  2. For papers dealing with the evacuation of the Czechoslovak forces, see pp. 561 ff.↩
  3. Lt. Col. B. B. McCroskey, with American forces in Siberia.↩
  4. Dr. R. B. Teusler, American Red Cross Commissioner in Siberia.↩
  5. Not printed.↩