The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-10-29
Fire First Shot of the War in
FIanderS-FrenCh
75S Used.
OFFICIAL U. S. REPORT
First Statement Issued 6y American
Headquarters Is Made Public
Heimeted Infantry Given
Wild Greeting.

With the American Army in France,
Oct. 29.--(By the Associated Press.)-
Following is the first official states
ment issued by the American head
quarters:
In continuation of their training,l
as a nucleus for instruction later, a
contingent OF some battalions of our
first conting ents in association with
veteran French battalions. are iii the
first line trenches of a quiet sector.
on the French front They are sup
ported by our batteries of our artil-
lely in association with veteran
French batteries.
The sector remains normal. Our
men have adapted themselves to
actual trench conditions in the most
satisfactory manner"
First Shot Fired at Germans.
American troops are in the first line
trenches on the French front. The ar
tillery fired the first shot of the war
at a. m. OF a recent day, at Ger
man working party. There has been
Intermittent artillery fighting since.
The helmeted infantry marched in,
without the knowledge of the enemy
on the same night, through rain and
mud The French soldiers in the
trenches welcomed them enthusiastic.
ally
Casualty List Coming.
The nearest enemy trench is several
hundred yards away. The sector is
one of the quietest of the front Il
has not been taken over, being under
the control of troops under the direc-
tion of the French.
The Americans have shelled German
positions and troops, the enemy send
ing shell for she'll The first casualty
list will De sent President Wilson
The empty case of the first she'll
fired will be sent to President Wilson
II is now in the possession of Cen
eral Slbert The shot was fired by
a red haired gunner as his comrades
I'm the ranks and the assembled of
ilcers cheered Later a luncheon in
the field was attended by the Ameri-
can and French artillerists in cele-
bration of the First American con-
tact with the enemy.
0ct 6eneFII OF ACtuaI WARFARE
The gun used in firing the first shot
was one of the famous French 75s.
On the second day the French shelled
German battery position which was
located by sound and the enemy re-
piled vigorously, proiectiles falling
close to the Americans who joined
in the artillery duel. All the troops
hn In, fnI
by others. Thus the American expe-
ditionary forces are getting the bene-
fit of actual war conditions
Standing in a little, almost de-
serted shell wrecked village we'll
within hostile gun range and few
kilometers from the trenches, the AS
sociated Press correspondent watched
the troops marching up in a driving
ain over roads covered with sticky
mud. The artillery had been firing
all day and as a result the impress
sion was given that there was con
siderable more activity on this
front than there had been for some
time.
Missouri Mules There.
II was soon after lulls in the firing
and after dark that the first machine
guns hauled by Missouri mules, the
drivers swathed in slickers and with
shrapnel helmets over their eyes came
up on the road beside dark canal
There was a long line of these and
then came some infantry rolling kitoh
ems, giving off savory odor of warm
food All passed in silence. The
last gun carriage had sprawled on IL
the form of soldier who had beer
taken i'll and who was being held or
by two of his walking comrades
Through another street paved will
cobbles and its sides lined with gaun
skeletons of shell wrecked house.
came the sound of the tread of man,
hobnailed boots and in the darkness
the forms or men could be seer
marching.
March A. II On Parade.
The cautious fash of an electri,
pocket lamp disclosed that they wer,
American infantry, packs on thei
packs, rifles slung on their shoulders
ain glistening on their helmets ant
coats, the wind whipping the bottom o
their coats around their legs, whiel
were moving with machinelike pre-
cision.
The Americans swung down tin
street apparently as proud as thougl
on dress parade, notwithstanding tha
they had marched miles from the bil
lets where they had been since cominl
by motor truck and railway from tn
instruction centers AN the rank
passed every now and then a soldie
could be heard whistling softly to hin