The Butler weekly times., 1917-11-08
THE FIRST CASUALTY LIST
American Soldiers at Last Fighting
in the Trenches Of France.
Three Killed, Four Wound
ed and Twelve Taken
Prisoner In the
First Fight.

With the American Army III
France, Nov. S (By The Associated
Press).-A small detachment OF
American infantrymen was attacked
in the first-line trenches early Sat
urday morning by much superios
force of German shock troops. The
Americans were cut off from relief
by heavy barrage in their rear. They
fought CALAMITY until overwhelmed
solely by numbers.
The fighting in the trenches was
hand-to-hand. 1t 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 ten men we're TAX
en- prisoner.
Two French soldiers, who were in
the trenches, were also killed. The
enemy lost some men, but the num-
Der 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.
Washington, Nov. 5.-Arrange-
ments for supplying captured Amer
leans with food and clothing in the
German prison camps have been
made through the Red Cross. which
has a committee in Switzerland to
send rations and other necessaries
at regular intervals. AS the num-
Der of Americans in German hands
increases it may be necessary to
make further provisions for them
through the Spanish ambassador in
Berlin, who is caring for American
interests there. r.
The capture of the soldiers height
ems interest in the question as to
probable E., treatment Of American
prisoners in Germany. ~
Other military prisoners have been
used on roads and in the field. and
presumably the Americans will be
treated the same way.
Secretary Baker would make no
comment today on the capture The
facts made public were all that had
reached the department, he said, and
spoke for themselves. As to treat
ment of prisoners and reports OF
brutality in the German camps, Mr..
Bakers only comment was that the
United States was bound by the Gen
eva convention and would live up to
it so far as any prisoners falling in
to American hands was concerned.
The American troops captured by
the Germans in the trench raid on
the morning of November 3 prob
ably were trapped in their dugouts
and forced to surrender or be blown
to pieces with hand grenades with
out a chance for their lives.
This is the only explanation which
occurs to army officers today, lack
ing any details OF the fighting.
General Pershing's brief report
merely stated that the German artil-
1ery had dropped a heavy barrage
fire about a sector of the trench, cut
ting the men off from help. No ex-
, PLANTATION of the eight casualties and
the twelve men taken prisoners was
received. The fact that one wound
,aved German was captured, however.
indicated that the trench had been re-
occupied by the American forces.
The official casualty list of the
losses of American troops in France
in their first clash with the Germans
follows:
The killed:
Private Thomas F. Enright; sister,
Mrs. Mary Irwin, Goal Premo street,
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Private James B. Gresham; moth
er, Mrs. Alice Dodd. 1901 West Ohio
street, Evansville, Ind.
Private Merle D. Hay; father,
Harry D. Hay. Glidden, Ia.
The wounded:
Private John J. Smith; brother, F.
d. Smith, box Sc, Ludington, Mich.
Private Charles ]. Hopkins; broth
er, James w. Hopkins, Stanton. Tex.
Private George L. Box; father.
James L. Box, No. 700 North Grady
street, Altus, Okla.
Private Homer Givens; father,
William F. Givens, Cloverdale, Ala.
Private Charles L. Orr; mother,
Mrs. Sarah Regnell, R. F. D. No. S.
Lyons, Kan.
Captured or missing:
Sergeant Edgar M. Halyburton;
father. George B. Halyburton, Stony
Point, N. G.
Corporal Nicholas L, Mulhall;
mother, Mrs. Bridget Mulhall. I6o
Ninth street. Jersey City, N. ].
Corporal Edwin H. Haines; moth
er, Mrs. Elizabeth Haines, route No.
4 Woodward, Okla.
Private Herchel Godfrey; father.
William c. Oberst, 100 North Ridge
v.v avenue. Chicago.