The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-08-01
Pretended To Withdraw
Leading Prussians To
Occupy The Village
THEN ATTACKED
ON THREE SIDES
In Hand-to-Hand Conflict
Prussians Were Ami
hilated
(Bv AsgocIarod Prega.l !

London, Wednesday, July 81
Yesterday was a day OF sheer, hard
in an out fighting on the American
front, telegraphs Reuters CORES
pondent on the front north of the
Marne. He says that the final cap
ture Of Seringes by the Americans
was an especially creditable achieve
ment.
After the Americans took the viii
lage on Monday, the Germans made
no infantry attack on the place, but
kept up a constant artillery and ma
chine gun fire to drive them out.
This continued all day on Tuesday
and towards evening the enemy
seemed to think that the spirit of
the defenders might possibly be
broken and then they began to en-
erge from the Nesles forest in way
that seemed to forecast fresh at
tempt to take the village. OF the
lighting which ensued the correspon-
dent writes;
'The Americans after three days
Of to and fro fghting through vii
lagos had learned subtilty and were
determined to have a real fight to
a finish. They consequently with
drew as If retiring from Seringes and
the Germans crept down from the
high ground convinced they had
their opponents beaten. Additional
German troops came pouring in I'M
til the town was occupied as it never
had been before.
Fire From Three Sides.
'But as the new occupants began
to organize their defenses they found
that bullets appeared to be coming in
from three sides Of the village and
it was not long before they discover
ed that the Americans, while with
drawing from the front Of the town,
had commenced an encircling move
ment on both sides, thus forming a
ring almost completely around 1t.
Then came tragic fighting. The
Prussian guard had voted not to
surrender and their opponents were
just as anxious to see the thing
through. 1t was an affair of small
arms. but the Americans proved to
be better shots and slowly. picked off
men here and there.
EneircIe Village
'"Then the Americans began to ad
vance and slowly their encircling
ring closed about the village. AS
the ring drew closer and the defend
ers saw their doom approaching they
redoubIed their fire, but still the
Americans came on unfalteringly
like storm or the unavoidable
stroke Of fate.
When the Americans reached the
precincts Of the village their fire
ceased and with one wild yell they
closed with the foe. The fierce up
roar suddenly gave place to a
strange silence as man grappled with
man. Only the clash Of steel on steel
a %En 1fTfHlrnVs Gould
be heard. ~
"The issue was never in doubt for
an instant. At this kind Of fighting
the American is more than equal
to any Prussian guardsman, and in
a. little more than ten minutes all
was over. Except for few German
prisoners, every German in the vii
lage had breathed his last. Such
was the final capture Of Seringes.
During the night the enemy twice
attempted to retake Sergy but each
time he was repulsed with heavy
losses. Then he made a fierce as
sault on Meurcy farm, east of Ser
fnges, which was piled with the dead
which he had left there the day be-
fore, when every man defending it
died at his post. There again the
enemy was unsuccessful, though not
until steel had crossed SIeel IN tlS
big farm yard and the heaps OF Ger
man slain had been doubled in the
ruins about it.
Man TO Man.
'tThis was classic fighting indeed
man against man and the better to
win. There was no call for quarter.
Pride OF the professional soldier was
up against the pride Of the free
man, both preferring death to sur
render.
Later in the morning the ight-
ing extended still further eastward
and In every case the Germans who
attacked were anniailated. Later
came the attack on Sertnges and an
attempt at the same time to drive
the allies from Fiji 1877 west OF
Seringes.
Therefore the first time since the
allies crossed the Ourcq the Germans
may be said TO have definitely taken
the offensive.
All through the days fighting the
enemy's airplanes attempted in the
most daring manner to assist la the
battle. Early in the morning six en-
envy planes succeeded In penetrating
ais far ais the La Croix Blanche farm,
near La Fere forest They swooped