The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-11-06
JAPAN AND UNITED STATES
REACH FULL AGREEMENT
FOR COOPERATION IN WAR
AMERICAN SOLDIERS
GREATLY OUTNUMBERED
But Pershing's Report Indicates That
They Fought Well Until Complete
ly Smothered BY the Enemy.

4 With the American army in France
Nov. 6.-tBy Associated Press).--A small
detachment of American infantrymen
was attacked in the front line trenches
early Saturday morning by much SUI
Iperior force of German shock troops.
The Americans were cut off from re-
lief by the heavy barrage in their rear.
They fought gallantly until over
whelmed, solely by numbers.
The fighting in the trenches was hand
| to hand. 1t was brief and fierce in the
extreme.
As result of the encounter three
Americans were killed and four wounded
IA sergeant and corporal and ten men
were taken prisoners
Two French soldiers, who were in the
trenches, also were killed. The enemy
lost some men, but the number is I'M
known, as their dead and wounded were
carried off by the retiring Germans
From the beginning Of the engagement
until the end the Americans lived up to
all the traditions of the American army,
the records showing the bravery of the
detachment and of individual members
The German raid on the American
trench was carried out against members
of the second contingent entering the
trenches for training. These men had
only been in a few days. Before dawn
Saturday the Germans began shelling
the barbed wire front of the |
trenches, dropping many high explosives
of large calibre. heavy artillery fire
was then directed so as to cover all the /
adjacent territory, including the passage
leading up to the trenches, thereby form
ing a most effective barrage in the rear
as well as in the front.
The young lieutenant in charge Of the
detachment started back to the communi-
,ating trenches to his immediate supe-
rior for orders. The barrage knocked
lim down, but he picked himself up and
started off again. He was knocked down
/ second time, but, determined to reach
lis objective, got up again A third time
le was knocked down and badly she'll
hocked, and was put out of action.
Soon after that Germans to the num-
'er, according to the report, of 2l0 rushed
hrough the breaches and wire entan-
dement's on each side of the salient their i
,eneral objective barrage in the forefield I,
aving lifted for moment The Ger I
mans went into the trenches at several s
oints. They met with stout resistance. a
'istols, grenades, knives and bayonets r
sere freely used.
For many minutes there was consider
BILE confusion in the trenches, the Ger .
mans stalking the Americans, and the
americans stalking the Germans. In one 1
ction of the trench an American private
ngaged two Germans with the bayonet
hat was the last seen of him until
fter the raid, when dead American
Fas found on the spot. Another was
utt from above. N
Some of the Americans apparently at
ne beginning of the attack did not realize
ist what was going on. One of the
ounded, a private, said;
IL was standing in communication
'ench waiting for orders, | heard a noise "
ack of me and looked around in time W
} see German fire in my direction. l lii
1T bullet hit my arm or
The Germans left the trench as soon as y
ossible taking their dead and wounded to
it'll them. Fl
An inspection showed, however that in
ley had abandoned three rifles, num- at
II of knives and helmets. vi
The raid was evidently carefully ii,
AIMED and American officers admit that
was well executed. As a raid, however,
ere was nothing unusual about it, 1t Il
as such as is happening all along the
lie. There is reason for believing that
e Germans were greatly surprised
nen they found Americans in the M
enehes instead of the French. The
ench general in command of the di-
sion. of which the American detach-
ant formed a party expressed extreme
tisfaction at the action of the Amer
ms for they fought bravely against a
superior enemy, the handful IN
men fighting until they were smoth- of
I'd. -
The bodies of the American dead were A.,
ought back to divisional headquarters IN,
d buried with honors yesterday. The 40,
'unded are at the base hospitals. IN,
The whole American expeditionarv no
'ces are thrilled by the fight put up i
their comrades and all are anxious to inf
a chance TO deal blow.