Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-02-12
AMERICANS IN TRENCHES.
Our Troops Now Holding Front Lines
in Lorraine.

An American general now commands
the sector OF the front recently taken
over by our troops. When the Amer
leans first entered the sector was
unLer the command OF a French gen
eral commanding a certain large unit
OF the French army.
In turning over the sector To III"
American general on Fehruar! th'
French commander issued general
order in which ne expressed complete
satisfaction with our troops ana was
confident that the sector was IN Sood
hands and if attacked would defend
il with great valor. The order turn
ing the sector over 10 the Americans.
a copy OF which was communicated !"
our forces. reads:
"On February D. the comnianu,hs
general OF - American unit takes
command OF sector. The COM
manding general of - F'rsnSh
units takes occasion 10 express To thr
American general the ColonclS of ar
tillcr, and all Of the American units
which hav. been under his orders
romplctc. satisfaction with the way IN
which American troops have acquitted
themselves Of the mission entrusted L"
them. Their good will and their ardent
desire to excel and the rapidity WIN
which they have adapted themselves
10 life OF the sector have brought them
the admiration Of all. General
hands over the sector with confidence
that II is in good hands and that the
American troops will organize II win
method and the tenacity charartcrZ-
ing American genius and In case oi
attack will defend IL with great Nnlor:
One American artilleryman was XIII,
rd and five artillerymcn wer" wounh'"
saturday night by shell fire.
The Americans sprinkled the enemy
trenches with shrapncl all during the
day. There was considerable patrol
activity but no further clashes were
reported.
The early reports Of the encounter
between the Americans and Germans
Friday night in front Of the Am"ri-
can wire cntanGlcmcnts have been
The enemy patrol cried
"Kamerad." as they opened nrr ana
continued to fight. iells from TN" %
enemy as the American barrage tell
verified the accuracy OF the aim OF
the Americans.
Five American soldiers are belirSed
10 have been killed. four are missing
and one was wounded when an Amcri-
can patrol was ambushcd in NO Man
Land last Friday by superior force oi
Germans.
Th. spot where the encounter o.
Cured is an isolated one anu reports
the casualties inflicted u!
both sides are meagcr. pniy one
American is known TO have escaped
the trap OF the Germans. which was
laid in front OF our wires. The one
survivor. who crawled back TO the
American lines. with bullet In mis-
chest. IL unable TO talk.
Our artillery Immediately laid
baragr around the ambushing Ger
mans and some are believed TO nave
been accounted for. The infantry ac-
counted for others as II is certain the
attacked patrol fought to nnish ac-
cording TO information trickling III
from the front line. our patrollinS
soldiers were walking in front OF our
wire entanelcmcnts when big enc
my patrol that had been divided into
parties which took up concealed posi-
tions opened fire at close range. The
night was clear and the forms OF thr
Americans made the best possible tar
gets for the hidden Germans. There
is no doubt but that the Americans
battlcd gallantly until completely
overpowcrcd The artillery duel In
our sector continued today. Scores OF
airplancs were out observing and MAX
ing photographs. The men In the line
were thrilled by n number OF air duels
high In the sky over their heads.
\ German statement confirms re
cent dispatches from the American
front that American troops have taken
up front line positions to the northwest
of Toul. In and around Frcpch Lor-
rainr. /, defines their location more
'rfihuteIy. howevef.sa91Hn un,- pfo|sefSs'
dispatch from any source has done, the
American authorities manifestly with
holding exact information until II had
been established beyond doubt that the
Germans knew where the troops are
faced by Americans. Nivray lies about
nine miles due east Of -. Mihicl. wh"r"
the front south OF Verdun makes u
sharp turn eastwards. Nivray Is about
fourteen miles northwest OF Tuol ana
four miles west OF Flirey. strategic
railway intersection where heavy ar
tillery duels have occurred OF late.