Col. Vladas Skorupskis' memoirs about the battles with Gen. L. Želigovskis' troops

I stood at the front with my units, protecting the neutrality of the Lithuanian state. While taking back the territory from the occupiers, I disarmed the Bolshevik headquarters, which did not want to recognize Lithuania's neutrality.

After the Bolsheviks failed at Warsaw, the control of Vilnius passed into our hands and it was believed that no one would attack Vilnius again, after signing the treaty with Poland in Suwalki on October 7, 1920. The Poles tried to maintain very good relations with our military leadership, which was stationed at Augustau.

However, the Polish army, having formed a separate army, disregarding the treaty, unexpectedly attacked our army near Augustau, broke through the front, crossed the Nemunas at Druskininkai over the Nemunas and began to march towards Vilnius. On October 9, 1920, L. Želigovskis' army occupied Vilnius and began to march towards Kaunas. The most important L. Želigovskis' division carried out the attack in the Vilnius - Širvintos - Ukmergė direction. <…> there was a fierce battle near Širvintos. Even bayonets were used in that stubborn battle. L. Želigovskis' army was completely defeated in that place and its artillery was captured. The Samogitians, led by the current reserve captain Balnas, particularly distinguished themselves in that battle. People still say: "They walked like lions with their chests bare, shouting - "Valios". Nothing could stop them, neither rifles nor grenades. "Everyone who could went forward in pursuit of Želigowski's army. Moreover, after our success, the Military Command stopped the offensive, as the mission of the War of Unity required it."