Incident
An American unit of the 27th Infantry Regiment was based at Evgenevka, Station on the Trans-Siberian Railway. An American sentry, known as Private "Little" Smith, was guarding a portion of the station when a Japanese unit was disembarking from the train. One of the Japanese soldiers tried to pass into the American section but was blocked by Smith. The Japanese soldier, angered by Smith's refusal, smacked the American across the head with his canteen strap. In response, Smith raised his gun to fire but his rifle jammed and so he stabbed the Japanese soldier in the neck with his bayonet.
After their soldier was wounded the Japanese unit seized Smith and threatened to execute him. Alerted by American soldiers, the commander of the American 27th Infantry Regiment, Major Fitzhugh Lee Allderdice, mobilized all 250 men under his command and marched to the station to free Smith. When they arrived at the station, a Japanese captain tried to stab an American but the blow was blocked by his heavy sheepskin jacket. Major T. Airi, the commander of the Japanese, then arrived and started negotiating with Allderdice. When the Japanese captain became enraged, he lunged at the Americans again but Major Airi blocked the blow with his body, receiving a wound on his shoulder. The Americans drew their guns and Allderdice spoke through the translator stating that, "Very well, if you shoot an American soldier tonight you'll have to annihilate my command. You know what that means - we - are outnumbered 20 to 1, but we'll sell our lives dearly." When the Japanese captain still refused to listen and raised his sword, Allderdice stated, "If you want war with the United States you'll get it if you raise your hand against this command."
Smith was eventually freed after it was agreed that the Americans would salute the Japanese officers in the station.
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