ABSTRACT

About the middle of May alarming rumours became current of strange happenings in the White camp; and on the strength of these the Bolshevist leaders decided to undertake in earnest the offensive against the west they had so long talked of. The "rump Government" of the Latvian democratic republic had fled to Libau when the Bolsheviks approached Riga. In these events the Bolshevists seemed to perceive a sign of approaching danger. They decided, therefore, to strike at once themselves. For hours on end column after column passed—infantry with Red banners, cavalry mounted on shaggy Cossack horses, and artillery received from Russia—light and heavy guns in masses. At the end of the third day, it became noticeably quieter at the front. The booming of the guns became less continuous. Bolshevist motor ambulances came driving by at full speed. Some stopped at our hospital and wounded were unloaded.