the Americans had to dig
in. In fact they lay for over a week in the swamp hanging tenaciously to
their position but unable to advance. Men's feet swelled in their wet
boots till the shoes burst. But still they hung on under the example of
their game old captain, At this time Lieut. Chappel was victim of a Bolo
machine gun while trying to lead a raiding squad up to its capture. Six
others were killed and twenty-four were wounded. Droskies needed for
transportation of supplies and ammunition had to be used to take back
the wounded and sick from exposure to Seletskoe. No "K" or "L" or "M.
G." man who was there will ever forget those days.

It was obvious that the Kodish force must be augmented. English marines
and a section of Canadian artillery came up. Headquarters was
established in the four-house village of Mejnovsky, eight miles back.
Steady sniping and patrol action was carried on actively by both forces.
Col. Henderson's further attempt to throw a force across the river by
means of a raft was frustrated by the Reds. October 7th Lieut.-Col.
Gavin came up to assume command.

This energetic and keen British officer soon worked out plans for
effecting an advance. Using the American engineers, he soon had a ferry
in use three versts--about two miles--below Mejnovsky.

And on October the 12th "K" and "L" Companies crossed on that ferry and
marched up the left bank of the Emtsa till within one thousand yards of
the flank of the strong Bolo position, and bivouacked in the swamp for
the night. In the morning Captain Cherry took his company and two
platoons of "K" and struck south to pass by the flank and fall upon
Kodish in rear of the enemy who was holding the position in great force
at the river.

The remainder of "K" Company moved upon the right of the enemy front
line at the river crossing. At the time Donoghue struck, a frontal
demonstration was made upon the Reds by the English marines and American
machine guns firing across the river and by the Canadian artillery
shelling the woods where the Red reserves were thought to be. The plan
failed because of the inability of Captain Cherry to reach his
objective, on account of the bottomless swamps that he encountered.
Captain Donoghue gained a foot-hold and then was forced to dig in and
during the afternoon repulsed two counter attacks of the Bolos, having
paid for the capture of the two Bolo machine guns by severe losses.

During the night under cover of these two pla