rd on another road to make speed with slow cart transport with
orders to intercept an enemy supposed to be preparing to flee westward
from the railway. Not forgetting that was to be done in spite of the
opposition of a strong force of Red Guards somewhere in the vicinity of
Turchesova thirty-five miles up the valley. "A little job, you know,"
for those one hundred and fifteen Americans, veterans of two weeks in
the wilds of North Russia.

The American officer from his reconnaissance patrols and from friendly
natives learned that the enemy instead of seeking escape was massing
forces for another attack on the Americans.

About seven hundred of the Red Guards were heavily entrenched in and
around Kaska and were recruiting forces. In compliance with his orders,
Lieut. Phillips moved out the next morning, October 1st, with the
eighteen mounted Cossacks, joined in the night from Obozerskaya, and his
other anti-Bolshevik Russian volunteer troops. Movement began at 2:30 a.
m. with about eight miles to march in the dark and zero hour was set for
five o'clock daybreak. Two squads of the Americans and Russian
volunteers had been detached by Lieut. Phillips and given to the command
of Capt. Burton to make a diversion attack on Wazientia, a village
across the river from Kaska. Lieut. Pellegrom was to attack the enemy in
flank from the west while Lieut. Phillips and the Cossacks made the
frontal assault.

Phillip's platoon was early deserted by the Cossacks and, after
advancing along the side of a sandy ridge to within one hundred yards of
the enemy, found it necessary to dig in. Lieut. Pellegrom on the flank
on account of the nature of the ground brought his men only to within
three hundred yards of the enemy lines and was unable to make any
communication with his leader. Captain Burton was deserted by the
volunteers at first fire and had to retreat with his two squads of
Americans. The fire fight raged all the long day. Phillips was unable to
extricate his men till darkness but held his position and punished the
enemy's counter attacks severely. The enemy commanded the lines with
heavy machine guns and the doughboys who volunteered to carry messages
from one platoon to the other paid for their bravery with their lives.
Believing himself to be greatly outnumbered the American officer
withdrew his men at 7:30 p. m. to Chekuevo, with losses of six men
killed and three wounded. Enemy losses reported later by deserters were
thirty k