On our arrival the forward forces consisted of three main columns or forces known as “A” force, operating on the Archangel-Vologda Railroad, with Obozerskaya as a base; “C” force, operating on the Dvina and Vaga Rivers, with Beresnik as a base; and “D” force, with Seletskoe as a base. It was necessary to attach engineers to each of these forces; so one platoon of “A” Company, commanded by an officer, joined “A” force; one sergeant and ten men joined “D” force, and the remainder of “A” Company consisting of five officers and approximately one hundred eighty men joined “C” force, where they were divided into small detachments with each operating force.
The base work consisted mainly of construction of warehouses and billets and operation of sawmills, street car systems, water works and power plants. This work was divided among “B” and “C” Companies.
Later in the fall it became necessary to have two more columns in the field, one on the Onega River with Onega as a base and one on the Pinega River with Pinega as a base. By the time this became necessary, the rush on base work was over and “B” Company was moved forward, having one detachment of one sergeant and twelve men with “D” force and one platoon with Onega River Column. The remainder of the company was doing construction and fortification work on the lines of communication along the railroad and roads to flanking forces.
In spite of our shortage of personnel and equipment, the morale of the engineers has been the highest. They have gone about their work in a most soldier-like manner and have shown extreme gallantry in the actions in which they have participated.
The engineers were found on every front, as well as at Archangel, the various sub-bases, the force headquarters of the various columns, and also were found in winter at work on second and third line defenses. They often worked under fire as the narrative has indicated. At night they performed feats of engineering skill. Never was a job that appalled or stumped them. They generally had the active and willing assistance of the doughboys in doing the rough work with axe and shovel and wire. The writers themselves have killed many a tedious hour out helping doughboy and engineer chop fire lanes and otherwise clear land for the field of fire.
Here is Colonel Morris’ summary of the engineer work done. This includes much but not all of the doughboy engineering also. One thing the engineers, doughboys and medics did do in North Russia was to demonstrate American industry:
| Blockhouses (some of logs and some of lumber) | 316 |
| Machine gun emplacements | 273 |
| Dugouts | 167 |
| Double Apron Wire | 266,170 yards |
| Knife Rests (wire entanglement) | 2,250 yards |
| Concertinas (wire entanglement) | 485 |
| Barricades (some of earth, some logs) | 46 |
| Billets (mostly of lumber) | 151 |
| Standard Huts (of lumber) | 42 |
| Latrines | 114 |
| Washhouses (of lumber) | 33 |
| Warehouses (of lumber) | 30 |
| Stables (of lumber) | 14 |
| Clearing (fire lanes and field of fire) | 1,170 acres |
| Railroad Cars (lined and remodelled) | 257 |
| Rafts | 12 |
| Bridges (of lumber and of logs) | 4,500 lineal feet |
| Roads | 11,000 lineal yards |
| Trenches | 14,210 yards |
| Topography—total copies of maps and designs | 109,145 |
| Topography—plane table road traverses | 1,200 miles |
In connection with their mapping work engineers took many pictures, several of which are included in this volume. All the mapping work of the expedition was done by the American engineers. See the one in this volume.
The longest bridge constructed was the 280-foot wooden bridge which spanned the Emtsa River. At Verst 445, close to No Man’s Land, a sixty-foot crib bridge was constructed by Lieut. W. C. Giffels. This work was completed in two nights and was entirely finished before the enemy knew that an advance was anticipated. Not a single spike or bolt was driven on the job. Railway spikes were driven into the ties behind our own lines and ties carried up and placed. Finally the rails were forced in under the heads of the spikes and were permanently fastened.
In this district there are three types of road—mail roads, winter roads, and trails. The mail roads are cleared about eighty feet wide through the woods. An attempt has been made at surfacing and ditching, and the bad places corduroyed. The winter roads are cleared about twenty feet wide. Wherever possible they go through forestry clearings, swamps and lakes, or down rivers. For this reason they can only be used after a solid freeze-up. The trails are only cleared about six feet wide and are often impassable for a horse and sleigh. Approximately four and one-half miles of road have been corduroyed by this regiment, and a considerable part of the front line roads were drained.