The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-06
Men Captured Were Great
ly Outnumbered But
Fought Bravely
BARRAGE CUT OFF
REINF0RCEMENTS
Commander Commends
Men Germans Surpris-
ed to Find Americans
CBy Associated Press.)

With the American Army in
France, Nov. GA small detachment
of American infantrymen was at
tackled in the front line trenches
early Saturday morning by a much
superior force Of German shock
troops. The Americans were cut off
from relief by the heavy barrage in
their rear. They fought gallantly
until overwhelmed. solely by num-
bers.
The fighting in the trenches was
hand to hand. 1t was brief and fierce
in the extreme. .M
AS a result Of the encounter three
Americans were killed and four
wounded. A sergeant and corporal
and ten men were taken prisoner.
Two French soldiers, who were in
the 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.
Five Days In Trench.
The German raid on the American
trench was carried out against mem
bers Of the Second contingent enter
ing the trenches for training. These
men had been in only few days.
Before dawn Saturday the Germans
began shelling vigorously the barbed
wire In front Of the trenches. drop
ping many high explosives Of large
caliber. A heavy artillery fire was
then directed so as to cover all the
adjacent territory including the pas
sage leading up to the trenches,
thereby forming q most effective
barrags in the rear a. well az 4tn
the front.
The young 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 bad
ly shell shocked, and was put out Of
action. p, .
Germans Trench.
Soon after that Germans to the
number, according to the report, Of
210, rushed through the breaches
and wire entanElements on each
side of the salient. their general OBJ
jective barrage in the fore-fiel hav-'
ing lifted for a moment. The Ger.
mans went into the trenches at sew
eral points. They met with stout
Pistols, grenades. knives
and bayonets were freely used.
For many minutes there was con-
confusion in the trenches,
the Germans stalking the Americans
and the Americans stalking the
trench an American private engaged
two Germans with a 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 a blow on the head with a
rife butt from above.
Some Of the Americans apparent
lys at the beginning Of the attack
did not realize just what was going
on. One Of the wounded. a private,
said:
"I was standing in a communica-
tion trench waiting for orders.
heard a noise back of me and looked
around in time to see German fire
in my direction. felt a bullet hit
The Germans left the trench as
soon as possible, taking their dead
and wounded with them.
An inspection showed, however,
that they had abandoned three rifles,
q number OF knives and helmets.
Surprised to Find Americans.
The raid was evidently carefully
and American officers admit
that it was well executed. AS raid,
however, there was nothing unusual
about it. It was such as iB happening
all along the line. There is reason for
believing that the Germans were
greatly surprised when they found
Americans in the trenches instead Of
the French.
The French commander at the
head Of the division OF which the
American detachment formed a part,
expressed extreme satisfaction at
the action Of the Americans, for they
fought bravely against numerically
superior enemy, the handful Of men
until they were smothered.
The bodies of the American dead
were brought back to divisional
and buried with honors
today. The wounded are at the base
The American expediti tionary forces
are thrilled by the fight put up by
their comrades and all are anxious
TO get a chance to deal a blow.