Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-27

dlIICo UdtC OCSU
some time but not until to day was
there anything positive learned regard
ing the U. s. fighters.
Censorship rules forbid giving eth
er the number or location Of the
troops, butt It was admitted here
"that some American troops are now
facing the enemy fire."
The official announcement that
American soldiers are now in the first
line trenches was given out NJ Amer
-ican headquarters. It follows.
"In continuation Of their training
as a nucleus of later contingents some
battalions Of the first contingents in
association with veteran French bar
talions are in the first line trenches
of quiet sector of the French from
They are supported by some batter
les of our artillery in association
with some French batteries. "The
sector remains normal.
Our men have adapted themselves
to actual trench conditions in the
most serious manner"
A redhaired Irish gunner fired the
first American shot in the war on
French soil
II was six o'clock in the morning
and the weather was thick with fog,
hut it is reported that the proiectile
fell near a German battery.
The artillery firing continued all
day long and late in the afternoon the
Sammies moved toward the trenches.
The case of the first American shell
Is. to be sent to President Wilson by
Major william I. Sibrt. second IN com
mand Of the American froces.
A drizzling rain had set in as the
Americans moved towards the firing
line They ate their supper In French
villages
The drizzle turned into heavy
downpour and in the blackness of the
night the Sammics were silhouetted
against the white walls as they sill.
emily moved forward.
The silence was suddenly broken as
the men broke into song, singing:
Tramp, tramp, tramp, the boys are
marching"
Others started to cheer, but the Off
GERS gave sharp command for sil.
encc and stiffness settled down up
on the marchers.
AT cross road the boys turned off
and disappeared in the darkness.
The correspondent of the lnterna-
tional News Service and five other
correspondents were the only civil
ians who saw the mems departure.
There were various accounts cur.
rent as to the first infantry fire. One
popular story is that young Sammy
of certain regiment blazed away at
the German trenches at daybreak OF
the first day on the firing line. The
distance between the opposing trench
es however, is so far that sniping was
mpracticable. Nor could rife gre
, nades be used. The final arrangement
for the entrance to the trenches were
I completed ten days before the appear
. ance of the men by American officers
e The officers visited the ground and
D acquainted themselves with the front
r artillersts going over the gun sites
1t was a fine October morning when
I truck loads of heavy battalians start
T. ed for the distant battlefront with
I their helmets and gas masks and flll
equipment for the first appearance on
$ an European battlefield
They passed through villages wher'
q lAmericans had never been seen before
II The villagers CRYING "vive L'Amer1ue'
or "Vive LAnglais," as some OF IN
. onlookers mistook them for Englisl
{ soldiers on account of their helmets
:" In the meanwhile the artillery en-
trained at another point aud starte'
!, for the front.
), AT day break of certain morninl
- the men took up their positions, al
officer passing down the line and II
uuirng II all were ready
Ready. Sir" was the quick n
sponsc on every side.
A moment later voice on the fels
phone gave the range of the enem
battery positions, the gums were TRAN
' cd, the gun squad chief swung his arr
sharply downwards signalling lire
rS the gunner pulled the lanyard ther
's- was a pun of smoke and a crash an
49, the first projectile fired in anger D
on Uncle Sam was on Its way.
AZ Brazil Declares War.
l. Rio Janciro, Oct. 27.--Now that Br
''l zil has declared war on Germany q
OF noasible aid will be given TO the allie