The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-06-15
Yanks Whip Flower of Foe Army
and Improve Positions on
Marne.
TAKE KRupp GUNS IN FIGHT
Attack Delivered After Two Hours
Preliminary Bombardment In Which
American Artillery Made POSI-
ton an Inferno for the
Germans.

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dred and twenty casualties in
the American expeditionary forces
were announced by the war depart
ment divided as follows: Fifteen killed
In action; 8 died of wounds; is of
disease; / died from an airplane acct
dent; II died from accident and other
causes; so wounded severely; 6
wounded, degree undetermined, and 1
was reported as missing In action.
Washington, June 13.-Capture Of
$50 prisoners, of whom three were
officers, and considerable material by
American forces northwest of Chateau
Thierry was announced in the official
communiqUe from General Pershing,
which says the Americans were again
successful In advancing In Belleau
wood.
With the American Army at the
Marine, June ia battalion Of Amer
lean marines took Belleau wood
northwest of Chateau Thierry), cap
turing $50 Prussian and Saxon prison
ers, including 10 officers, and two
Krupp field guns Of 9-inch caliber, sew
eral huge minenwerfers and a number
Of machine guns.
The attack was delivered after two
hours of preliminary bombardment In
which the allied artillery made the
shell-shattered wood an inferno for
the Germans resting there.
The Americans kept a continuous
barrage on all sides, which prevented
the enemy from resisting the attack
successfully.
German Losses Heavy.
The furious American assaults
found the Germans stunned and reel
ing ready to surrender. The Ameri-
can machine gunners inflicted the
heaviest casualties upon the enemy.
Owing to the excellent artillery prep
aration and the swiftness Of the oper-
alton, the American casualties were
light.
The Americans had their eyes on
the positions Of the two big guns and
made sudden dash to capture them,
which they succeeded in doing with
their quick driving attack before the
German officers had time to destroy
the big field pieces.
The Americans worked their way
in storming units entirely through the
enemy's advanced offensive positions,
charging the gunners of the enemy
with fixed bayonets.
Position Bettered.
The result Of the fight has advanced
the positions of the marines, which
they We're particularly anxious to do
because their previous positions were
merely protected by hastily dug earth
works. The large bagging of German
prisoners was due to the concentrated
allied artillery fire, which prevented
movements of the emmy.
The field guns are the first big can
non to fall into our hands. They were
Immediately brought back to the
American lines. The commanding gen
eral expects to send them to Wash
ington and Annapolis as war trophies
instead of the trench mortars pre-
viously captured.
German officers refused to surren-
der to American privates, insisting
that they give themselves up only to
American officers. Nearly all Of the
marine officers who accepted the sur
render of German officers spoke the
| German language. The German pris.
oners and the Americans exchanged
| cards, cigarettes and cigars and con.
versed amicably before the captives
were taken to the rear.
The Germans made an attack at
Bouresches, but 1t was broken UP by
the GOODNESS of the American machine
gunners and the accuracy of the Amer
| lean artillery.