Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1917-11-17
GERMANS KILL
8 AMERICANS
Five Are Wounded in Hand-to.
Hand Encounter.
ENEMY SUFFERED LOSS
Cut on In Trench BY Heavy 6arrage
Flight Hand Ito. Hand With Foe
Until Overwhelmed BY
Numbers

with the American Army in France
"A small detachment OF American
infantrymen was attacked in the from,
line trenches early Saturday morning
by much superior force OF German
shock troops. The Americans were
cut on from relief by the heav, bar
rage in their rear. They fought gal
lhntly until overwhelmed solely hv
numbers
The fghunR in the trenches was
hand to-hand II was brief and fierce
in the extreme
As a result OF the encounter three
Americans were killed and -four
wounded A sergeant and corporal
and 10 men were taken prisoners.
Two French soldiers who we're in
the trenches. also were killed The
enemy lost some men. but the number
is unknown. as their dead and wound
ed were carried off by the retiring
Germans
From the beginning Of the engage
ment until the end the Americans
lived up TO all the traditions OF the
American army. tho records showing
the bravery Of the detachment and OF
individual members
The German raid on the American
trench was carried our against mem
bers of the second contingent entering
the trenches for training These men
h"d nnii been in a few DAYS Before
dawn Saturday the Germans began
Smelling vigorously III. barbed wire
front Of the trenches. dropping many
nigh explosives of large calibre 4
heavy ARTILLERY Are was then directed
20 as 10 cover all Tho adjacent tor
ri'oiy. including The passa9. leading
NJ 10 Tho trenches thereby forming n
most effective barrage in Mo rear as
well a. in Tho FROM
Tho Young Lieutenant who had
charge Of tho detachment Of Aneri
cans started back - The commitment.
Ing trenches to his Immediate superior
FOR orders. The harrage knocked him
down hu' he picked himself IN and
started on again HI va, knocked
down second time. hut. determined
10 reach ms objective. got ~ again
third time he was Knocked down
and badly shell.shockod and was put
out of action
Soon after that. Germans TO the
number according 10 tho report. OF
20. rushed through The breaches and
VIII" rniangl"m' on each side of the
salient then general Objective bar
rage in The forcneld having lifted FOR
momen' The Germans went into
the trenches n several points They
met with stout resistance Pistols
Rrenades, knives and ba,onet we're
freely used
For many minutes there was consid
erablc confusion In the trenches. the
Germans stalking tho Americans and
IA" Americans stalking The German.
In one section OF the trench an Ameri
can private engaged TWO Germans
with tho bay onci That was tho las.
seen Of him until after tho raid. when
II dead American was found on III.
spot Another waa Killed rs a blow
on the head with q rife bur, from
above
Some Of thc Americans apparently
At the beginning OF the attack did MOI,
realizr jus what was going on On.
Of The wounded. private. said
Il was standing In q communicative
trench waiting FOR orders | heard a
noise back OF me and looked around
In time 70 see n German fire in m,
direction fcl' bullet hi, ny arm ="
TIL Germans left no trench as soon
ae possible taking 'h"I doad and
wounded with them
An inspection showed however. 'ha,
th'> had abandoned rhr,, in., a
numhor q knives and helmet.
The raid eyidentl, wa carefully
planned and American officers admit
thai II was Well executed l. raid
howcvet thrrc wa unfhing unusual
about n Il was such rs hapnenlnp
all alon. 'ho line Tt"re i- reason for
believing that the German, were
greatly surprised when the, found
Americans IN tho troncAe- Instead NJ
the French
The French general IN command "
the division % which tho American
Detachment formed part expressed
extreme satisfaction ~ ~, action ~
the Americans. for 'hey fought brave
~ against a numerically superior
enemy the hsndm Of mon Ashting
until they were smothered
The bodies Of the American dead
We're brought back TO divisional head.
quarters and buried with honor> The
wounded are ~ tho base hospitals