done so often before in other parts of Russia if we may believe the
statements of wounded men and prisoners and deserters. Down the valley
with the handful of Americans and Russian White Guards there came an
ever increasing tide of anti-Bolshevists looking to Pinega for safety.

The Russian local government of Pinega, though somewhat pinkish, did not
want war in the area and appealed to the Archangel state government for
military aid to hold the Reds off. Captain Conway reported to Archangel
G. H. Q. that the population was very nervous and that with his small
force of one hundred men and the three hundred undisciplined volunteer
White Guards he was in a tight place. Consequently, it was decided to
send a company of Americans to relieve the half company there and at the
same time to send an experienced ex-staff officer of the old Russian
Army to Pinega with a staff of newly trained Russian officers to serve
with the American officer commanding the area and raise and discipline
all the local White Guards possible.

Accordingly, Capt. Moore with "M" Company was ordered to relieve the
Americans at Pinega, and Capt. Akutin by the Russian general commanding
the North Russian Army was ordered to Pinega for the mission already
explained. Two pieces of field artillery with newly trained Russian
personnel were to go up and supplies and ammunition were to be rushed up
the valley.

On December 18th the half company of American troops set off for the
march to the city of Pinega. The story of that 207-verst march of
Christmas week, when the days were shortest and the weather severe, will
be told elsewhere. Before they reached the city, which was desperately
threatened, the fears of the defenders of Pinega had been all but
realized. The Reds in great strength moved on the flank of the White
Guards, surrounded them at Visakagorka and dispersed them into the
woods. If they had only known it they might have immediately besieged
the city of Pinega. But they respected the American force and proceeded
carefully as far as Trufanagora.

On the very day of this disaster to the White Guards the Americans on
the road were travelling the last forty-six versts rapidly by sleigh.
News of this reinforcing column reached the Reds and no doubt slowed up
their advance. They began fortifying the important Trufanagora, which
was the point where the old government roads and telegraph lines from
Mezen and Karpogora united for the Pinega-Archangel line.