4. The Allies were forced back at the Battle of Shenkursk in 1919
The American 339th Infantry Regiment provided the main defense of the Vaga River in North Russia, supported by troops from Britain, Canada, and White Russia. The southernmost defensive positions were around the village of Shenkursk, where the Allied troops were locally commanded by an American captain named Otto Odjard. At Shenkursk itself, about 200 Americans and 900 other troops were attacked on the 19th of January, 1919, following an intense artillery barrage. About 1,000 Russian troops assaulted the Allied positions south of Shenkursk held by 47 American troops, who made a fighting withdrawal toward Shenkursk. The White Russian artillery ordered to support their retreat instead abandoned their positions.
Of the 47 Americans who began the withdrawal from their positions, only seven survived to reach a defensive position to the north that day. Two others arrived at the new position that night, having eluded pursuing Russian troops by hiding in the countryside. The new position, at a village named Vysokaya Gora, was reinforced by Canadian artillerymen who arrived from Shenkursk to man the guns abandoned by the White Russians. For the next three days the heavily outnumbered Americans and Canadians fought a defensive action against at least 3,000 Red Army troops, repulsing their assaults while inflicting heavy casualties. On January 23 the Allies withdrew to another position about 4 miles from Shenkursk.