. If they had
struck quickly after March 23rd the Allied force would have soon been
out of ammunition and been compelled to retire. But during the days
devoted to massing up the Red forces and working around through the deep
snow to attack the rear of the Verst 18 camp, the Allied force of two
hundred Americans and four hundred Allied troops, mostly Russians, were
stocked up with food and munitions and artillery shells sufficient to
stand against a desperate, continuous onslaught. And they did.

Came then the three days' continuous attack by the enemy in his
determined attempt to gain possession of the road so as to be able to
move his artillery over it to attack Obozerskaya. His men could travel
light through the woods on skiis but to get artillery and the heavy
munitions across he must have that one road. He must first dispose of
the stubborn force in the road at Verst 18. For this attack, he used
three regiments. The 2nd Moscow, whose Commissar we took prisoner the
first day; the 90th Saratov whose commanding officer was shot from his
white horse the second day; and the 2nd Kasan.

The first day's fight began, on the morning of the last day of March
with a surprise attack at the rear, cutting our communications off,
ambushing two parties of officers and men, and threatening to capture
the two 75's which were guarded by a single platoon of "M" Company and
two Russian machine guns. The artillery officer reversed his guns and
gave the enemy direct fire, shrapnel set for muzzle burst. Another
platoon reinforced the one and a Lewis gun Corporal distinguished
himself by engaging the two Bolo machine guns that had been set in the
road to the rear. The guns were held.

Meanwhile under cover of this attack at the rear a heavy assault was
delivered against the forward blockhouses and barricades. Fortunately
the Reds directed their attack at the points held by the Americans
rather than at the four flank positions held by the green Archangel
troops. The shooting was good that day for the veteran Yanks and they
repulsed all attacks at front and rear with terrible losses to the
enemy. Night found the Americans shaking hands with themselves for being
in a tightly fortified place and carrying plenty more ammunition to
every firing point where the enemy was expected to appear again the next
day. According to the prisoners taken this was only a preliminary attack
to develop our lines of fire. The next day he would envelop the little