Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-09
Germans Use Butts of Rifles
and Bayonets in Attack
at TouI Sector.
U. S. GUNS IN DUEL WITH
CAPTURED RUSSIAN PIECES
French War Cross Given Airmen
From This Country; Brilliant Pa.
troll Action Carried Out.
By the Associated Press.

on the Toul sector fell victim to q silent
enemy ambush some time last night.
The Germans evidently used bayonets
and the butts Of their rifles. The
Americans went out early in the evening
and nothing further was heard of them
until another patrol happened to cross
the spot where the others had been am
bushed. Not one shot was fired during
the encounter, as far as was known.
Reports received from all the fronts
on which the Americans are engaged.
with the exception Of Picardy, said that
quiet prevailed tonight, principally be-
cause of the bad weather. The artil-
lery activity was normal. although tho
enemy was using a few gas shells in.
termittently on the Luneville sector.
New Activity by American Guns.
American heavy artillery was fired to-
day for the first time in the sector
northwest Of Toul. After several weeks
spent in preparation. the American ar
tillerists. having picked out targets in
the rear OF Montsec, reported that they
were ready to open fire q couple Of
days ago. For reasons not disclosed
the guns were not fired until today.
About forty big shells were sent over
Montsec at the heavy German batteries
composed Of 203s captured from the
Russians. which had been firing for
some time. especially at the American
Except for artillery firing and patrol.
ling there Is little new in Picardy.
Every day the Americans become
stronger Apparently they are better
entrenched than the Germans. who arc
being continually harassed, day and
night. Despite the enemy's heavy ex-
pendfture In gas he has obtained NO ad-
vantage in this sector. the Americans
discountfng bis every move.
The weather has been unsettled for
several days. preventing much infan-
try activity. There have been some
aerial Encounters.
One Of the American patrols last night
encountered an enemy working party.
enemy, but later retired owing to the
superiority in numbers the Germans
had over them.
Effective American Fire.
A letter. freshly written. found on
the body Of German killed by the
Americans in Picardy, discloses the ef-
fectiveness of the American fre against
the enemy and the difhculties the Ger
mans are having in bringing up sup
plies. The letter follows:
Here we lie in a village which has
been completely demolished by artil-
didier
I'VE dare not show ourselves. We
live in the cellar. We have to go and
went out with a detail which brought
back food.
I'VE got a direct hit. A shell hit our
party, which KILLED some men and
wounded several; I hope we will soon
be taken from the western army"
At least three new German squadrons
OF pursuit airplanes have been sent up
to the American troops in the Toul Sec
tor for the purpose Of strafing them,
according to information received to-
day. The exact composition Of the
squadrons has not yet been definitely
eSta ablished.
There was no aerial activity today, az
It was raining heavily.
The commanding general Of French
corps has decorated with the war cross
Lieuts. A. J. Coyle. pilot. and Stewart
Board, observer. of a fighting air.
plane. The American plane drove OF
attacked it northwest of Toul and then
continued its mission.
Carry Out Brilliant Operation.
The official French report of the pa
rol action in which American troops in
he Lorraine sector of the battle front
.arried out a brilliant little operation
IN May in the vicinity of the hamlet
# Anservillers shows the wonderfully
spirit Of the American
roops.
The report says the Americans, whose.
lctivity never relaxes and whose audacity
8 remarkable. wanted to see what the
Germans opposite them were doing. At
,'clock in the morning Of May 5. without
lrtillery preparation. three American pa
rolls left the village Of Anservillers. which
8 in the entente allied lines.
Two Of the patrols took a position on
he right and, left flank, while the third,
Of eight men under command
4 Lieut. Cassidy. executed a clever turn
ng movement and entered Anservillers
ierman advanced post.
The patrol fired only one shot and then
ttacked the Germans with trench knives.
\ fierce struggle ensued, the Germans
sing the butts Of their rifles against the
american knives. The fight ended with
he death Of two Germans and the wound
ng of their corporal, who with three other
1en were brought back to the American
mes. There were no casualties among
he Americans.
German-American Spy Caught.
The first German-American to be cauEht
pying on the Americans is safely IN
ustody.
Behind the characterization Of traitor
o his country. contained in the report
his arrest. is the story that he aided
German prisoner to escape. Both men
onned American officers uniforms ana
ntered the line from the rear in the
ate afternoon. They said they were
tudying the ground between the lines
nth a view to using tanks, and asked
D be allowed to cross the lines. The.
mcer to whom they made the request
Don discovered the ruse and ordered
hem escorted to the rear. TherA II
as found that one of the men was b
erman and that the German
as his accomplice.
The United States labor mission ar
wed today in the zone of the Americah
force. 1t had intended
Isiting the headquarters of the gen
ral commanding the Toul sector and
ther points, but because of its de-
.yed arrival had time only to see the
mericans who were engaged recently
Seicheprey and now are resting in
llets. not far from the line. The
borites shook hands with many Of the
en- and heard vivid stories Of the
ghtng. The party was entertained at