The sun., 1918-04-21
PERSHING'S MEN
REPULSE GREAT
DRIVE AT T0UL
1900 German Storm Troops
Capture Village, but
Are Thrown Out.
OUR LINE ALMOST<INTACT
Three Enemy Soldiers Taken
and 2 Airmen Brought Down
-Teuton Loss Heavy.
OUR LINE ALMOST<INTACT
BY the Associdted Press.

ny t"o hcooes0SeO fTSsS.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE
April 20. - Twelve hundred German
storm troops. the largest number ever
concentrated against the American
troops for an offensive operation. were
hurled to-day against the American POSI-
tions on a one mile front west of Rem
neres forest. northwest of Toul, after
a terrific bombardment of gas and high
explosive shells.
The enemy succeeded in penetrating
the front line trenches and taking the
village OF Seicheprey. but after furious
hand to hand fighting. which was still
going on at nightfall. the American
troops recaptured the village and most
OF the ground lost In the early fighting.
No Americans were taken prisoner.
but three Germans we're captured.
The Germans suffered heavy casual
ties and the American lines remained
virtually intact.
L. s. Afrmen Return safely.
The German airmen poured machine
gun fire into the American troops, but
the anti-aircraft batteries came into play
and American airmen took the air,
bringing down two OF the enemy planes
and dispensing the others. All the Amer
lean airmen returned safely.
The attacking troops carried rations
and entrenchins tools. indicating that
they intended to occupy the American
positions for n long period. \ heavy
haze overhung the sector when the at-
tack began. but later there was brilliant
sunshine. The American artillerynien
did valian; work. the men on many OF
the batteries wearing gas masks.
The enemy's casualties are believed to
have been the heaviest suffered by them
thus far In any operation against the
American troops. Numbers Of German
dead are lying in No Mans Land in
front of the American trenches.
The Associated Press correspondent
viewed the battle from a hill a short
distance behind the lines. Trains moved
to the front with great regularity and
scores OF huge shells were seen burst
ing. growing up clouds Of white smoke
in the neighboring hills. The heavy
rumbling was heard all day.
The American ambulances tore over
the shell torn roads and approached to
within a short distance of the front
line. Numbers OF men In the rear post
tons begged their commanders to he
sent up to assist the infantrymen bear
ing the hrunt OF the attack. The men
Of all services were eager for an oppor-
tunity to fight the enemy in the open.
Enemy Is Surprised.
Tho resistance offered by the Ameri-
can troops was a surprise to the enemy.
who expected TO break through with 1T
tie difficulty
Americans behind the lines, scores OF
peacefully employed in the fields. appar-
entity unmlndful OF the furious fighting
which Is going on less than fve miles
away. The troops IN nearby towns
eagerly sought news. expressing conf
dence IN the Americans and hoping for
the chance 10 take part.
All the Americans moving to the front
we're in the highest spirits and waved
their caps to the cheering villagers.
A German raid against the American
positions north of ST. Mihel this morn
ing was easily repulsed. The American
troops withdrew from part OF the front
line and allowed the Germans to enter
II. They then drove them out, the en-
emy leaving two dead in the trenches
and one German Lieutenant dead on the
wire Two wOunNeu tieTrnaUS were made
prisoner but died later.
One OF the American patrols encoun-
tered an enemy patrol in another part
Of this sector and dispersed the Ger
mans after a short fight. All the Amer
leans returned safely.
The village Of Secheprey. where tho
German attack occurred, is northwes. o.
Toul and about seven miles east OF t:,.
forest of Apremont, where the Americans
recently repulsed masses Of German
storm troops. The fact that American
troops have been on the sector north Of
Toul has been known. but the fighting "A,
!Seicheprey, with the report OF an en-
gagement north Of st Mihiel, shows that
upward OF twenty miles OF the line In
that sector Is under American control
Se!cheprey lies among rolling hills
overlooking a winding valley which runs
off 10 the northeast. The probable OBJ
tectve Of the German attack there was
to get possession of = strategic road
which parallels the battle line for fifteen
miles.