THE MENNONITE BROTHERHOOD IN RUSSIA (1789 - 1910), P. M. Friesen, 1911

nt to share to what extent the colonists participated in this hurried advance. Naturally, in just a few days we could not cover the gigantic distance before us on foot— to say nothing of being ready for battle at the moment of arrival. But then the colonists appeared from a distance about 500 versts in circumference. More than 5000 of them came on their splendid carriages harnessed with pairs of strong, capable horses, and offered their services voluntarily. With their help we flew across the Preamble 577 stretch of 300 versts in the shortest possible time. This included our entire army corps (the 4th), three divisions of the infantry, all of the artillery equipment, the sharp-shooters as well as the sappers. For an entire month the colonists stood at their appointed stations, enduring all hardships as only a plain person can, several hundred kilometers from home, living largely in the open field for several weeks. As soon as the colonists had brought one regiment to a given post they turned back, loaded another group and transported it to the next station. Such trips they had to make twelve to fifteen times and the smelliest post was not less than 30 versts removed. It was not easy for them and still— we experienced nothing but genuine sincerity and heard only friendly words of brotherly welcome. Faithfully they carried out the duty which they had voluntarily assumed, and after thanking us for our kindness, returned to their homes. “We had been sent to join the infantry division which was under the command of the General, Prince Gortschakov I, stationed by the Tschoraaia Rietschka. There we had further opportunity to be deeply indebted to the colonists. They brought several hundred wagon loads of assorted things from distant colonies as a spontaneous love offering for the soldiers. Mountains of potatoes, onions, beans, barley, oats and everything edible were distributed gratis among the soldiers without taking into account their regular rations. The grain was also apportioned to the artillery horses, regardless of their regular military ration of forage. The dear, brave soldiers munched heartily on baked potatoes and spoke in superlatives of the German people. However, the helpful German Mennonites earned the gratitude not only of those whom the colonists served, but indeed of all mankind, through a single service which I will now endeavor to relate. The scene of the war which had escalated to the greatest possible dimension had through force of circumstances, as everyone knows, shifted all too quickly from the shores of the Danube to the bountiful shores of the Salgir. In the Crimea it had been impossible to make the necessary military preparations for so sizable an army as that which suddenly formed on the peninsula. The battle of the Alma, the long bombardment of Sevastopol, the battle of October 13 by the Tschorgun, of October 24 on the heights of Inkermann, the daily gun battles and the c