could carry. To attempt the destruction of Shenkursk by burning or other
means would at once indicate to the enemy the movement on foot;
therefore, all was to be left behind untouched and unharmed. Soon the
messengers were rapidly moving to and fro through the streets of the
village hastily rousing the slumbering troops, informing them of our
latest orders. When we received the order we were too stunned to fully
realize and appreciate all the circumstances and significance of it.
Countless numbers of us openly cursed the order, for was it not a
cowardly act and a breach of trust with our fallen comrades lying
beneath the snow in the great cathedral yard who had fought so valiantly
and well from Ust Padenga to Shenkursk in order to hold this all
important position? However, cooler heads and reason soon prevailed and
each quickly responded to the task of equipping himself for the coming
march.

Human greed often manifests itself under strange and unexpected
circumstances, and this black night of January 23, 1919, proved no
exception to the rule. Here and there some comrade would throwaway a
prized possession to make more room for necessary food or clothing in
his pack or pocket. Some other comrade would instantly grab it up and
feverishly struggle to get it tied onto his pack or person, little
realizing that long before the next thirty hours had passed he, too,
would be gladly and willingly throwing away prize after prize into the
snow and darkness of the forest.

At midnight the artillery, preceded by mounted Cossacks, passed through
the lane of barbed wire into the forests. The Shenkursk Battalion, which
had been mobilized from the surrounding villages, was dispatched along
the Kodima trail to keep the enemy from following too closely upon our
heels. This latter maneuver was also a test of the loyalty of this
battalion for there was a well defined suspicion that a large portion of
them were at heart sympathizers of the Bolo cause. Our suspicions were
shortly confirmed; very soon after leaving the city they encountered the
enemy and after an exchange of a few shots two entire companies went
over to the Bolo side, leaving nothing for the others to do but flee for
their lives.

Fortune was kind to us that night, however, and by 1:00 a. m. the
infantry was under way. Company "A", which had borne the brunt of the
fighting so many long, weary days, was again called upon with Company
"C" to take up the rear guard, and so w