from the officer at the front and then requested a countermanding
order. He made use of the veteran Alliez's counsel. And for two dubious
nights and days with "M" and "I" Companies he held on to the scant three
miles of advance which had been paid for so dearly. And the Reds never
did get back the important bridge.

Now it was evident that the Bolshevik rear-guard action was not to be
scared out. It was bent on regaining its ground. During these last
September days of supposed converging drive in three columns on
Plesetskaya our widely separated forces had all met with stiff
resistance and been worsted in action. The Bolshevik had earned our
respect as a fighter. More fighting units were hurried up. Our "A" Force
Command began careful reconnaissance and plans of advance. American
officers and doughboys had their first experiences, of the many
experiences to follow, of taking out Russian guides and from their own
observations and the crude old maps and from doubtful hearsay to piece
together a workable military sketch of the densely forested area.

Artillery actions and patrol actions were almost daily diet till, with
the advance two weeks later on October thirteenth, the offensive
movement started again. This time French and Americans closely
co-operated. The Reds evidently had some inkling of it, for on the
morning when the amalgamated "M"-"Boyer" force entered the woods, inside
fifteen minutes the long, thin column of horizon blue and olive drab was
under shrapnel fire of the Bolo. With careful march this force gained
the flank and rear of the enemy at Verst 455, and camped in a hollow
square, munched on hardtack and slept on their arms in the cold rain.
Lieut. Stoner, Capt. Boyer, the irrepressible French fun-maker, Capt.
Moore and Lieut. Giffels slept on the same patch of wet moss with the
same log for a pillow, unregardful of the TNT in the Engineer officer's
pocket, which was for use the next morning in blowing the enemy's
armored train.

At last 5:00 a. m. comes but it is still dark and foggy. Men stretch
their cold and cramped limbs after the interminable night. No smokes. No
eats. In ten minutes of whispering the columns are under way. The
leading platoon gets out of our reach. Delay while we get a new guide
lets them get on ahead of the other platoons. Too bad. It spoils the
plan. The main part of the attacking forces can not press forward fast
enough to catch up. The engineers will be too late to blow the