eating from Shenkursk. Such was the condition here upon
our arrival.

Immediately we at once set up our outposts and fortunately got our
artillery into position, which was none too soon, for while we were
still so engaged our Cossack patrols came galloping in to report that a
great body of the enemy was advancing along the main road. Soon the
advance patrols of the enemy appeared and our artillery immediately
opened upon them. Seeing that we were thus prepared and probably
assuming that we were going to make a stand in this position, the enemy
retired to await reinforcements. All through the night we could see the
flames of rockets and signal lights in surrounding villages showing them
the enemy was losing no time in getting ready for an attack. Hour after
hour our guns boomed away until daylight again broke to consolidate our
various positions.

[Illustration: Three couples dancing, and about 50 soldiers seated
around wall. Soldier of left side has crutch and cast on leg. Room is
decorated with evergreen boughs and the American flag.]
RED CROSS PHOTO
Holiday Dance at Convalescent Hospital--Nurses and "Y" Girls

[Illustration: Several people and sleighs in front of church with three
steeples.]
ROZANSKEY
Subornya Cathedral

[Illustration: Several soldiers working on log blockhouse, surrounded by
snow-covered forest.]
U. S. OFFICIAL PHOTO
Building a Blockhouse

Our position here was a very undesirable one from a military standpoint,
due to the fact that the enemy could approach from most any direction
under cover of the forest and river trails. Our next position was Kitsa,
which was situated about twenty miles further down the river toward
Beresnik, the single trail to which ran straight through the forests
without a single house or dwelling the entire way. This would have been
almost impossible to patrol, due to the scarcity of our numbers,
consequently, it was decided to continue our retreat to this position.

At 5:00 p. m., under cover of darkness, we began assembling and once
more plunged into the never-ending forest in full retreat, leaving
Shegovari far behind. We left a small body of mounted Cossacks in the
village to cover our retreat, but later that night we discovered a
further reason for this delay here. At about eleven that night, as we
were silently pushing along through the inky blackness of the forest,
suddenly far to the south of us a brilliant flame commenced glowing
against the sky, wh