sly
ignorant, likely material for a fiery tongued orator and plausible
propagandist. They thought the Americans were supporting the British in
an invasion of Russia to suppress all democratic government, and to
return a Romanoff to the throne.

That was the story that was given out to the moujiks, and, of course,
they firmly believed it, and after all why should they not, judging by
appearances? We quote here from an American officer who fought at
Toulgas:

"If we had not come to restore the Tsar, why had we come, invading
Russia, and burning Russian homes? We spoke conciliatingly of
'friendly intervention,' of bringing peace and order to this
distracted country, to the poor moujik, when what he saw were his
villages a torn battle ground of two contending armies, while the one
had forced itself upon him, requisitioned his shaggy pony, burned the
roof over his head, and did whatever military necessity dictated. It
was small concern to Ivan whether the Allies or the Bolsheviks won
this strange war. He did not know what it was all about, and in that
he was like the rest of us. But he asked only to be left alone, in
peace to lead his simple life, gathering his scanty crops in the hot
brief months of summer and dreaming away the long dreary winter on top
of his great oven-like stove, an unworrying fatalistic disciple of the
philosophy of nitchevoo."

After the fierce battle to hold Toulgas, the only contact with the enemy
was by patrols. "D" Company came up from Chamova and relieved "B"
Company for a month. Work was constantly expended upon the winter
defenses. The detachment of 310th Engineers was to our men an invaluable
aid. And when "B" went up to Toulgas again late in January, they found
the fortifications in fine shape. But meanwhile rumors were coming in
persistently of an impending attack.

The Bolo made his long expected night attack January 29, in conjunction
with his drive on the Vaga, and was easily repulsed. Another similar
attack was made a little later in February, which met with a similar
result. It was reported to us that the Bolo soldiers held a meeting in
which they declared that it was impossible to take Toulgas, and that
they would shoot any officer who ordered another attack there.

It was during one of the fracases that Lt. Dressing captured his
prisoner. With a sergeant he was inspecting the wire, shortly after the
Bolo had been driven back, and came upon a Bolo who t