Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-22
AMERICANS IN TRENCHES
LIKE life THEY LEAD
AS Cool and Mcthodical as II They
Had Never Done Anything
Else Than Fight.
ON THEIR TOES EVERY MINUTE
German First Limo Can DO Seen
Clearly, Between 500 and 1000
Yards Away-WoOlly Dog Deserts
Enemy and Forgcts Bochc.
IBy Associated Prc,,.1

by Associated Prcss.1
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES IN
FRANCE. November 21.--The American
artillery and infantry at the front are
dry once more. the rain having ceased
for several days.
The correspondents visiting the i'm
mediate front. through tho courtesy OF
tho French stan, found that the Amcri-
cans had taken advantage of the rain
less weather, and were dcroting all
their energies to changing, they
put II. Germans into casualties"
They arc on their toes every minute,
and arc not letting n single oppor-
tunity slip TO drop "a shell or to send
machine gun and rife bullets where
the enemy is seen. or where lie even Is
suspected of being. There is no doubt
that tho men like the life they are
living. They are as cool and mcthodi-
cal as II they had been doing nothing
else than lighting throughout their
lives.
The fine group in tho nrst-lIne
trenches had just sat down TO their
salmon sandwiches and corrco when
they jumped up and cut loose with
their automatic rifles at Germans who
were discovered hanging out clothes
on a wire In a battered villnGc. They
saw the enemy dive for cover like
rabbits, and then they went on with
their meal. as IL nothing had happened.
This particular section OF Frances
long battle front In tho Garth does
not absorb water like sponge. as in
some other localities. There has been
no rain for three days. so tho ground
is fairly dry. The uniforms Of the
men show evidences OF where mud onco
had boon. but that is all.
GERMAN TRENCHES LESS
THAN 1000 YARDS AWAY
From the hrst-linc trenches. which
arc on a hill. the German first line can
be seen clearly between 500 and 1000
yards away. There was some thing in
tho German first line once which
would never go back TO Germany. II
is a woody dog. which deserted the
enemy, crossed mo mans land and
bounded into an American trench one
dark night recently. 1t licked the
hand OF an American dough boy" and
Was promptly fed with u piece of white
bread and n handful Of Columbia River
salmon. lie was thorcupon adopted.
and now roarlS all around tho trenches.
and even walks upon tho paraFct and
through the barbcd wire cntanglcmcnts
as IL there were no war
This pup" said ono OF the soldiers,
lis n natureIizcd American. and there
Is no hyphcn about him. lie has en-
tircly forgotten all his Bochc conncc-
tons. ! hope he gets chance to bits
the Kaiser.
AS the correspondents approached
the trench lines over tho shelI-pittcd
ground. the enemy started breaking
shrapncl over the first line. This
firing lasted but a brief time. stopping
as suddenly 1t began. Immediately
aftcrward came dctonations from tho
rear and the viii. OF shells overhead.
as the American batteries got into ac-
ton. Then smoke puGs suddenly began
appearing over the German trenches.
The infantrymen looked cautiously
over mo mans land" whilo the firing
was going on. but as soon as II was
over. they appeared to forget all
about il.
PRINCIPAL WonHY
SEEMS TO DE RATS
In nearby dugout the men off duty
had not even heard the racket. Their
principal worry seemed to be rats.
one occupant OF the dugout explained
that there was sleeping room in II for
thirty eight mon, and that twelve cats
were kept in II. Cats were every
where, some sleeping on folded blan-
kets and some prowlng In dark cor
ncrs or stalking their prey.
The men all appeared TO be In tho
best OF health, although during tho
wet aud cold weather of previous days
several men in this unit had contracted
trench feet and cold.
While the sun was going down be-
hind tho hills and the darkness was
coming on swiftly. scarcely a shot was
fired. Just as the sun passed below
the horizon. however, the German bat
tcrics opened up one OF the Amcri-
can battery positions with a hot fire,
the high explosives bursting with the
regularity Of the clock 1ick-about
one every second. The hombardment
lasted Il couple Of minutes and then
ended abruptly. Immediately the
American batteries rctaliated. flashes
OF orangc-colorcd flame stabbing tho
night. The dctonation3-som heavy
and some light-continund for some
time with AS much speed as the Ger
mans had shown. Then the "strafing"
and the answer being over. the artil-
iery settled down for the night OF
usual quiet.