Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-11-06

GeIhapS ne were bcttef uedd tian
alive in those German prison camps"
said Mrs. Elizabeth Haines today
when she received word from the war
department that her son, Corporal
| Edwin II. Ilaines, was one of the
! twelve Americans taken prisoner by
the Germans Saturday still, can't
help feeling glad that he is alive. lie
is iusy boy, only lS, and | am proud
of him. I'm sure he would have
fought on until killed II it would have
availed his country anything.
~ ROFF, Okla, Nov. 5.-"Buliy for
Ncrn' said Sam ker dali, "A farmer
| near here. when he learned today that
his son was one of the first Americans
| to tangle with the Germans In France.
| Even the thot that his son was pris-
oner did rot seem to dctract from the
fathers elation that his boy had been
one of the first Sammies to strike a
| the Germans. They may starNe him
Up somewhat" he continued, but |
guess he will come back to us some
day To tell us all about II II they give
him the ghost of n show"
ALTUS, Okla, NOV. 5.-James BOX,
| father of George l.. Box, one of the
| four Americans wounded In Satur-
days battle with the Germans. was
/ much concerned over the injury to
his boy, yet said that he was proud
| that his son should be numbered
among those Americans who had
struck the first blow for world free
dom. George was working on the
farm when the word came that the
! United states was about to enter the
struggle, and he laid down the hoe to
take up the sword. This Is the sec
ond time his son has been wounded
since going to France.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY
IN FRANCE, Nov 5.-A small de-
tachment of American infantrymen
was attacked in the first line trenches
superior force of German shock
troops. The Americans were cut off
from relief by heavy barrage In their
rear, they fought gallantly until
overwhelmed solely by numbers.
The fighting I'm the trenches was
hand to hand. II was brief and fierce
in the extreme. AS result OF the
encounter three Americans were
killed and four wounded. A sergeant
and corporal and ten men were taken
prisoner.
tho trenches also were killed. The
enemy lost some men but the num-
ber is unknown as their dead and
wounded were carried off by the re-
firing Germans.
From the beginning of the engage
ment 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.
Barrage Proves Fatal.
The German raid on the American
trench was carried out against mem
bers Of the second contingent entering
the trenches FOR training. These men
had been in a few days Before dawn
Saturday the Germans began shell
ing vigorously the barbed-wire front
of the trenches, dropping many high
explosive shells of large caliber. A
heavy artillery fire was then directed
so as TO cover all the adjacent terri
tory, including the passage leading up
10 the trenches, thereby forming a
most effective barrago in the rear as
well as in the front.
The youno lieutenant in charge of
the detachment of Americans started
back to the communicating trenches
to his immediate superior for orders.
The barrage knocked him down but
! he picked himself up and started off
again. He was knocked down a sec
ond time but determined to reach his
objective, got up again. A third time
he was knocked down and badly shell
shocked and was put out Of action.
!. Fighting Hand to Hand.
Soon after that Germans 10 the
number. according 10 the report. OF
210. rushed thru tho breaches and
wire entanglements on each side of
the salient their general protective
barrage in tho forefield having lifted
for n moment. The Germans went into
the trerches at several points They
met with stout resistance. Pistols,
grenades. knives and bayonets were
freely used.
For many minutes there was con-
siderable confusion i'm the trenches,
the Germans stalking the Americans
and the Americans stalking the Ger
mans In one section OF the trench
an American private engaged two
Germans with the bayonet. That was
the last seen of him until after the
raid when "A dead American was
found on the spot. Another was
killed by blow on the head with a
rifle butt from above.
Americans Surprised.
Some of the Americans apparently
at the beginning Of the attack did
not realize just what was going on.
One of the wounded, private said.
Il was standing in a communicat
Ing trench waiting for orders. |
heard a noise back OF me and looked
around in time to see n German fire
In my direction. l felt a bullet hit
} my arm"
"The Germans left the trench as
: soon as possible. taking their dead
and wounded with them"
An inspection showed however