The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1917-11-08
AMERICAN SOLDIERS
..-.-. TAKEN BY GERMANS

American soldiers mad been captur-
ed by German patrols on the Rhine
Marne canal on the French front,
brought the American people a step
nearer to the heart of the great strup
gle.
There was no doubt here that the
men referred to were members of
General Pershing's forces undergoing
final training with French regiments
in front line trenches. Confirmation
from General Pershing was lacking
but in due course he will transmit
the names of any men missing and
this may furnish some light.
II, as is assumed, Il small scouting
party was surprised by a German IA.
troll in No Mans Land and all can
tured, details of the incident nav
never be fully told since only cantor,
and captives would know what han
pened in the encounter under cover
of darkness.
This is the first report received
mere of the capture of any members
OF the American cXpcditionary forces,
but number of naval gunncrs from
American armed ships sunk by sub
marines and civilian members of the
crews of other ships are held in Ger
man prison camps.
An Important Task.
Night patroi.inp is vitality import
ant part of th2 final trai,inw of the
American fo::es as it is upon these
patrols that the commanding officers
rely for infornatior of activity in
the enemy's front line. Every night
the scouts creep out with faces
Dlackened against the keeh vision of
enemy lookouts and swift deadly
spurt from machine gun. They 90
creeping across the shell torn rround
up to the enemy's acknowledgements.
crawling and listening, dropping flat
when flare breaks out in the air
above them, sometimes lying abso
lutely still for hours while rifles and
machine guns hammer above them.
Not a night passes on many parts
OF the line but patrols encounter each
, other. Sometimes it results in firing
but that is seldom, for the menace of
the opposing trench lines with rifles.
machine guns and star rockets burst.
ing out at the slightest hint of dan.
ger, hangs over friend and foe alike.
| Usually one patrol discovers tn,
other and stalks it stealthily. A
time comes when surprise attacl
can be made. 1t is a swift. silent
hand to hand work and rarely is =.
shot fired. The victor carries off hi,
prisoners and when morning comes 8
report goes back on the other side OF
the line that a patrol of SO manv men
is missing That is all that is known
Officers here believe that this was
what happened on the French Ameri.
can front. Had there been anv fir.
ing, or had any members of the ma.
troi made their way back to the
French trenches Genar,l
fershlng probably would have re-
ported Immediately. As it was he
probably was waiting to make GER
tam that the missing men were not
hiding IN shell hole until dark came
again to give them opportunity to
make their way into their own lines
IL was agreed that the loss of the
patrol might have a very salutarv ef-
lect upon American troops in the
front line. They are young, in per-
iect physical condition and fairly
longing for chance at the enemy
IL mas taken all the authority of their
oihcers to curb their desire to 90 over
ana share in the daring work Of
trench raiding.
Men who have spent years in tho
army know what the situation must
De. They are hopeful that the lesson
OF caution will be brought home to
'he men by the loss of this party
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