Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-11-08
EiR|CAN TROOPS
0UTNUM BERED
(ershing's Men Fought Gallant.
Nv in First Clash with the
Germans.
H AND.TO.HAND CONFLICT.
rom beginning to End u. >. soldiers
Lived TIP TO All the Traditions Of
the American Army.

With the American Army in France,
GOV. s, (By the Associated Press).-A
mail detachment of American infantry
nen was attacked In the front lire
renches early Saturday morning by a
,uch superior force Of German shock
roops. The Americans were cut off from
|elicf by the heavy barrage in their rear.
they fought calamity until overwhelmed,
olely by numbers.
The fighting In the trenches was hand
% hand. It was brief and fierce in the
xtrems.
As result Of the encounter three Ameri-
)nns were killed and four wounded. A
ergeant and corporal and ten men were
aiken prisoner.
Two French soldiers, who were III the
trenches, also we're killed. Tho enemy
ost some men. but the number IL un-
known. as their dead and wounded were
BARRED of by the retiring Germans.
From the beginning Of the engagement
nntil the end the Americans lived up to
ell the traditions Of the American army.
he records showing the bravery Of the de-
1chinent and Of individual members.
The German raid on the American trench
Wss carried out against members of the
peoond contingent entering the trenches
Tor training. These men had only been In
0ermans began Smelling vigorously the
barbed wire front Of the trenches. dropping
many high explosives Of large calibre. A
heavy artillery IRE was then directed 10
- to cover all the adjacent territory, in
oluding the passage leading UP to the
erenches. thereby forming q most effective
barrage in the rear al we'll a. In the
eront.
The young lieutenant in charge Of the
detachment Of Americans started back to
the communicating trenches to his imme.
date superior for orders. The barrage
Knocked him down, but he picked himself
up and started off again. He was knocked
down a second time, but. determined to
reach his objective, got up again. A third
time he was knocked down and badly
oh ell shocked. and was put out of action.
Soon after that Germans to the
number. according to the report OF 30
rushed through the breaches and wire
salient their general objective barrage
IN the foreneld having lifted for a
moment. The Germans went into the
trenches at several points. They met
with stout resistance. Pistols. gren-
hdes. knives and bayonets were freely
used.
For many minutes there was consid-
cradle confusion in the trenches. the
Germans stalking the Americans. and
the Americans stalking the Germans.
IN one action of the trench an Amer
5can private engaged two Germans
with the bayonet That was the last
keen of him until after the raid. when
y dead American was found on the
epot Another was killed by blow
bn the head with a rifle butt from
Above.
Some of the Americans apparently at
Che beginning of the attack did not realize
bust what was going on. One Of the
wounded. a private. said:
II was standing in communicating
krench waiting for orders. l heard noise
back Of me and looked around in time to
zee German fire in my direction. I felt
p bullet hit my arm"
The Germans left the trench as soon as
possibdle taking their dead and wounded
with them.
An inspection showed. however. that
&hey had abandoned three rifles. number
Ut knives and helmets.
The raid was evidently carefully planned
end American officers admit that 1t was
we'll executed. As a raid, however, there
was nothing unusual about 1t. 1t wal
huch as IL happening all along the line
There Is reason for believing that thu
Germans we're greatly surprised wheI
they found Americans in the trenches In
stead Of the French. The French genera
in command Of the division. Of which thu
American detachment formed party ex
pressed extreme satisfaction at the actor
Of the Americans for they fought bravel'
against numerically superior enemy. tn
handful Of men fighting until they wer
emothered.
The bodies Of the American dead wer
brought back to divisional headquarter
Ind buried with honors to-day. Tn
Wounded are at the base hospitals.
The whole American expeditionar
forces are thrilled by the night put u
By their comrades and all are anxious