The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-03-01
BATTERIES OF
GERMANSARE
0BLITERATED
BY AMERICANS
Swift Retribution Falls on
Batteries Which Bombard-
ed u. S. Soldiers with Gas,
Causing Poisoning Of
Eighty Men.
DIRECT HITS ARE MADE

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, Thursday. Feb. 2s.-By The
Associated Press.-Swift retribution
has fallen upon the German batteries
W hich this week bombarded the Amer
lean trenches northwest of Toul with
gas shells. American heavy artillery
concentrated its fire on the German
minenwerier batteries for half an
hour today and obliterated the posi-
ton.
Many direct hits with high explos-
i've shells were made by the American
gunners. Timbers were thrown high
into the air explosions probably of en-
envy ammunition and gas, resulted.
The ground about the German batter
les was turned upside down and IL
there were any German soldiers there
they certainly suffered death
Thus far six men have died from
the effects of the German gas shells.
More than eighty are in hospitals suf
fering from gas poisoning. Most Of
these cases, however, are slight and
only one man is reported to be in a
grave condition
Airplane photographs aided the
American gunners in their destruc-
tive fire against the German batter
les. The photographs, taken yester-
day, disclosed the exact location of
the minenwS'fers with the result that
it did not take the gunners long to
even up the score with the enemy.
Artillery Fighting Lively.
While the number of enemy shells
falling within the American lines has
decreased slightly, in the past twenty
four hours, nevertheless, the artillery
fighting has been lively.
While an empty American ammunf-
tion train was halted at place called
Dead Mans Point, stray enemy
she'll dropped nearby and killed two
men, two horses who had run away
and wounded four men.
In certain town behind the Front.
German shell exploded near the
door leading to a telephone dugout,
blocking the passageway. The oper-
ators in the dugout. although in con
siderable danger continued to work
the important line at the same time
calling for held. Soldiers were sent
to the dugout and the passageway re-
opened.
The American artillery has kept up
constant harrassing and destructive
fire on many vital enemy points such
as cross-road:, and towns. German
working parties were dispersed ef
fectively and once the 75s fired yigor-
ously on a number of Germans in a
first line trench, quickly blowing in the
entire trench system. Ground mist and
rain have prevented free observation
but the guns have the enemy targets
so we'll registered that they have been
able to work effectively.
Late this afternoon, the Germans at
tempted to retaliate for the destruction
of the minennwerfer batteries. They
bonn mbarded the American heavy artil-
lery with their biggest guns, but their
shooting had little effect.
American patrols were all over No
Mans land last night but did not en-
counter any Germans
The American sector is now an
ocean of mud and constant work Is
necessary to keep the trenches, gun
pits and dugouts free from water.
From information reaching the
American lines, it is apparent the
enemy is taking advantage of the low
visibility to do much work in his posi-
ton. Many noises of kinds impossible
to suppress and other information
make this certain.