ustration: Group of soldier admiring a sword.]
U.S. Official Photo
Bolo Commander's Sword Taken in Battle of Bolsheozerki

[Illustration: Five smiling soldiers.]
U.S. Official Photo 158853
After Eight Days--Near Bolsheozerki

[Illustration: Several soldiers standing in deep snow.]
U.S. Official Photo
Wood Pile Strong Point--Verst 445

[Illustration: About 30 rail cars near a small siding.]
U.S. Official Photo 161108
Verst 455--"Fort Nichols"

[Illustration: Six soldiers in white coveralls standing in front of log
building.]
WAGNER
Back from Patrol

[Illustration: Explosion in clearing of snow covered forest.]
U S. OFFICIAL PHOTO
Our Shell Bursts Near Bolo Skirmish Line

[Illustration: Four soldiers standing in front of snow covered log shed.]
WAGNER
Blockhouse, Shred Makrenga

XXIV

LETTING GO THE TAIL-HOLT

Preparing For Spring Defensive--River Situation Ticklish--Must Hold Till
Our Gunboats Can Get Up--"F" Company Crosses River On Cracking
Ice--Canadian Artillery Well Placed And Effectively Handled Holds Off
Red Flotilla--Engineers Help Clear Dvina With Dynamite--Joyful Arrival
Of British Gunboat "Glow Worm"--We Retake Ignatavskaya--Amusing Yet
Dangerous Fishing Party--British Relief Forces Arrive On Vaga--Toulgas
Is Lost And Retaken--British-Russian Drive At Karpogora Fails--Old White
Guard Pinega Troops Hold Their City Against Red Drive Again--Kodish And
Onega Fronts Quiet--Railroad Front Active But No Heavy Fighting--
General Richardson Helps Us Let Go Tail-Holt.

Many an uncomfortable hour in the winter General Ironside and his staff
spent studying over the spring defense against the Reds. It was well
known that the snows would melt and ice would loosen on the distant
southern river valley heights and as customary the river from Kotlas to
Toulgas would be open to the Red gunboats several days before the ice
would be released in the lower river stretches, necessary to permit the
Allied fleets of gunboats to come in from the Arctic Ocean and go up to
help defend the advanced positions on the Dvina and Vaga upper river
fronts. It was feared that Red heavy artillery would blow our fortified
positions into bits, force our evacuation at a time when there was no
such thing as transportation except by the rivers. These would be for a
few days in control of the Reds. Thus our Americans and Allies who had
so gallantly reddened the snows with their stern defense in the winter
might fin