861.77 Chinese Eastern/591
Memorandum by the Vice Consul at Harbin (Lilliestrom)5
The sea captain, who has just returned from Lahasusu, dropped in this morning. He was in the midst of the Soviet shelling, and 46 Chinese soldiers were killed on his steamer. He gave me the following story.
On October 12th, at 5.30 in the morning, heavy artillery fire was started from the Soviet flotilla against the Chinese fleet and land positions at Lahasusu. The signal for firing was given by the Soviet gunboat Liebknecht. At 6.10 in the morning the Chinese gunboats Chantai and Chanan were sunk. At 6.20 a fire broke out on the Chinese gunboat Chianping, which sank at 6.40. At 7.05 the big former German, now Chinese, gunboat Lichi was abandoned by its crew and taken in tow by the Russians. It was subsequently brought to Habarovsk. Seven barges, formerly belonging to the Chinese Eastern Railway, were also captured by the Soviet forces, as well as army transport steamer No. 18. These were also taken to Habarovsk. The Soviet gunboats participating in the attack were: Liebknecht, Kalmuk, Batrak, Arachanin and Lenin. On the Kalmuk was killed the Chief of the Amur River Fleet, as well as 16 men. The Soviet side lost no gunboats, steamers or barges, nor any airplanes.
On October 13th at 8.45 in the morning the Chinese troops stationed at and near Lahasusu retreated in complete disorder to Fuchin, 45 versts distant. Soviet infantry and cavalry detachments pursued the retreating Chinese troops and killed great numbers with shrapnel fired from light artillery pieces. The Chinese troops completely robbed all the stores in Fuchin, and through their actions there were casualties among the civilian population of that town.
The Soviet detachments were brought to the Chinese shore in eight barges towed by the S/S Krasny [Krasnoie?] Vimpel and landed seven versts from Lahasusu on the Amur bank.
On October 14th and 15th the above barges were loaded with military stores, including 6 3½” and 1 6” guns, 4 machine guns and 346 rifles, Russian model, left behind by the Chinese troops. The Soviets also captured two barges loaded with ammunition and dynamite. From the mill at Lahasusu were taken 74,000 poods of wheat flour belonging to the winter reserve supplies of the Chinese forces, On the barges were also loaded large quantities of potatoes, cabbage, etcetera, stored by the military. The Chinese coolies engaged for this work were paid 6 chervonetz roubles per day. These coolies and the rest of the civilian population were not harmed by the Soviet troops.
[Page 338]On October 16th and 17th the above work of loading stores was continued. On the 16th a meeting was held, and those Chinese who so desired were invited to join the red army and proceed to Habarovsk. My informant did not know whether or not any volunteers came forward. On the same day at 5 P.M. the Krasnoie Vimpel took on board 172 hastily made board coffins with dead Soviet soldiers. At five o’clock in the evening of October 17th the red troops left Lahasusu, and only two Soviet gunboats were left at the mouth of the Sungari 3½ versts from Lahasusu.*
The Soviet casualties were 275 men killed or wounded, while the Chinese casualties were 964 killed or wounded, including 148 sailors from the gunboats and 225 marines killed.
On October 19th several Soviet airplanes appeared over Fuchin, and sunk with bombs the Chinese gunboat Lisui. By orders of Admiral Shen there were sunk at a place called Shalbatai, 5 versts below Fuchin, army transport steamer Lochin and three barges, in order to prevent the Soviet fleet from sailing up the Sungari river.
At the present time 16 steamers are held at Fuchin by order of Admiral Shen. On these steamers are Chinese land troops, which, in case Fuchin is taken by the Soviets, will be immediately transported on to Harbin. The number of the Chinese troops in that neighborhood is approximately 3,000.