Battle of Romanovka facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Romanovka
Part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War, Russian Civil War
American troops marching through Vladivostok in 1918, Japanese troops stand at attention on the left
Date June 25, 1919 Location Romanovka, Siberia, Russia Result American victory Soviet attacks repelled
Belligerents
United States	Russia (Bolshevik)
Commanders and leaders
Lawrence Butler (WIA) James Lorimar	Yakov Tryapitsyn
Strength
~72, plus a platoon of reinforcements	~400
Casualties and losses
24 killed 25 wounded	41-57 dead or missing Unknown wounded

The Battle of Romanovka was an important fight that happened in June 1919. It was part of the bigger Russian Civil War. During this battle, a group of Russian soldiers called Bolsheviks, led by Yakov Tryapitsyn, made a surprise attack. They attacked an American army camp in a place called Romanovka, which was close to Vladivostok. The Americans managed to fight them off and win. This battle, along with the Suchan Valley Campaign, was one of the last big fights where the United States was involved in the Russian Civil War.

What Happened at Romanovka?

A Surprise Attack on American Soldiers

Lieutenant Lawrence Butler was in charge of the American soldiers at Romanovka. He had seventy-two men from Company A, 31st Infantry. They were camped at the bottom of a hill in the town.

On the night of June 24, 1919, Lieutenant Butler placed a guard, called a sentry, at the top of the hill. This sentry was supposed to watch for any enemies coming. However, early the next morning, around 4:00 AM, the sun was rising. The sentry left his post for a moment to get ready for the morning roll call.

The Bolsheviks Attack

Just moments after the sentry left, the Russian Bolsheviks attacked. Because the guard post was empty, the Russians were able to surprise the Americans. They quickly took control of the hill. From there, they started shooting down at the American camp below.

Most of the American soldiers were still asleep when bullets started tearing through their tents. In the first few minutes, nineteen Americans were killed. Lieutenant Butler himself was wounded. A part of his jaw was shot away, and he also had a bullet wound in one of his legs.

Fighting Back Under Fire

Even though he was badly hurt, Lieutenant Butler used hand signals to tell his men what to do. He directed them to form a firing line to defend themselves. The Bolsheviks had about 400 men, much more than the Americans. They tried to surround the American position.

The Americans had to move back to stay safe. First, they retreated to a large pile of wood. Then, they moved again to the back of a small cabin. All this time, they were under heavy enemy fire.

Help Arrives

After a while, Butler sent one soldier to find help from other American units nearby. The messenger was shot while trying to get away. But he managed to flag down a supply train that was passing by. This train was guarded by a small group of American soldiers, called a platoon, led by Lieutenant James Lorimar.

When Lieutenant Lorimar heard about the situation, he quickly sent half of his men to help Lieutenant Butler. Lorimar's soldiers found the American camp. They saw Butler lying on the ground near some ammunition boxes, unconscious. The two sides continued to fight for a bit longer. Eventually, the Bolsheviks gave up and retreated.

On the same day, soldiers from the 27th Infantry also fought against Bolshevik forces. These fights happened in places called Kraefski and Shmakovka. Six more American soldiers were wounded in these battles, but the Bolsheviks retreated there too.