The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-11-10
AMERICANS FIRST FIGHT.
iPEnHIiNG's MIN FOUGHT
DIsAvlI,N A;iAlNsr GREAT
ODDS. ~NAAs
From beginning of Engagement Cihil
Fad the SOLDIERS or the uhbfh
stlacs Lived UP tn Al Traditions of
tho Army. Is SLi, ,.,t,


In the front line trenches early Satur.
day morning by a much super.o.
force OF German shock troops. 1'he
Americans were cut off from, reiieg Dy
the heavy harrage in their rear. They
fought igallantly until overwhelmed.
solely by numbers. ...r
The iishting in. the trenches was
hard to hand, II was brief aud fierce
in tho extreme. As a result OF Tho
encounter three Americans were kin-
cd and four wounded a sergcln,
and corporal and ten men were taken
prisoner. a...
Two French soldiers who were in
the trenches also were killed. The
enemy lost some men but the number
is unknown as their dead and wonld-
ed were carried OF by the retiring
Germans
From the beginning of the enga GO
ment until the end the Americans
lived up TO all the traditions of tho
American army. the records showing
the bravery of the dctachmcnt ana
of individual members.
The German raid on the American
trench was carried out against mem.
be-ss OF the Second contingent enter-
ing the trenches for training. These
mon had only been I'm few days =,
heavy artillery fire was directed ~ a,
to coycr all the adjacent territory. in
cl0ding the passage leading UP to- the
trenches. thereby forming a most cr.
fective oarrase In the rear as well al
in the front
The young lieutenant In charge o.,
the detachment OF Americans startc
batk To the communicating tiencnes
TO his Immediately superior for or
ders. Tho barrosc knocked him down.
bat no picked himself up and startaI
on agaim lie WAS knocked down a
second time. but. determined To re,.,li
h'S objective. got up again. a thsrd
time he was knocked down. and bad
iy she'll shocked and was put out oi
action lt+ /
Soon after that Germans To ia I
number. according to the report o.
2lO rushed through the breaches an,ll
wiro eEtanglements on each SIDE o; 4
the salient their general obJcct.vc ,
bhrraEe ln the foroGeld being lifted /
for "a momsnt. The Germans went
into the trenches mt several points
They me, with stout resistance. pls
tolls. erenades. knives and bayonSts
bcane freely used.
In one section Of the trench uu
American private engaged two Ger
irans with the layonet. That was the !
last seen OF him until after the raid (
when n dead American was found o. ,
the spot; Another was Killed by u /
blow, on the head with a rifle bat
from above.
Some OF the Americans apparently /,
nt The beginning of tho attack did no 7,
Tyaiise jus; what was going on. !
THE raid was evidently carefrlly
planncd and American officers adm;
chat IL was wen executed. There ia
reason for believing that the GermIna
were grealy surprised when they
fouad Americans In the trench In
stead OF the French.
The French general In command oc
the division expressed extreme sat.s-
faction ut the actions OF the Amori-
eans for they ought bravely agarst
rn ,enormously superior enemy. the
anuful OF men lighting until tl"yi
were smo,hered.
The bodies OF the American dn1
we've brousht hack Ia division head
,nafteFs and buried with homo = to-
dny. Ths wounded arc at the haze
hospitals.
The whole American cxpeditionary
fcrALs are thrilled by the nght pot
Up by their comrades and all are
anxious 10 get chance To- deal q
blov. o.
Tho casualty list.
Klled--Private Thomas H. Gu
rESt. sister Mrs Mary Irwin. PITTS
purgh.
Private James II. Gresham. moihc.
Mrs Alice Dodd Evansville. Ind
Private Merle ID. Hay. father fIar
yeyi u. Hay. Glidden. Iowa
Wounded Private John j. Snith
pyotNsr +. ID. Smith. Ludington. Mlch
iriyate Charles j. Hopkins. brothc.
Joracs w. hopkins stanton. Texas
Private George T.. Fox. father ia
T.. BoN. Anus. Okla.