New-York tribune., 1918-05-30

sun came out and shone on the Ameri-
cans as they dug in their new posi-
tions. Fo
AS the Americans started out across
No Mans Land there were manv Jokes
about "eating Boche for breakfast. u
The Americans fought as though they
were veterans, and there was no hest
tatlon when the officers sprang for
ward and shouted:
Come on, boys!"
Several officers, describing the scene.
agreed that the outstanding feature
was the wonderful, morale of the men
and their absolute seif-confidence. The
Germans poured machine gun bullets
an around the Americans as they were
digging in, but no attention was paid
to them, as jokes and quips were hand
ed back and forth.
The demeanor of the men wounded
in the action was found similarly
cheerful when the correspondent Wis
tied the field hospitals. He saw
stretched out on their cots a number
OF these Americans, for the most part
only slightly wounded, who acted like
schoolooys returned from a great day
OF sport, smoking cigarettes, eagerly
relating their personal experiences and
laughing loudly at the humorous Incl
dents.
Lieutenant George E. Butler, former
~ an attorney in Indianapolis. who was
slightly wounded in the leg, said that
gong over the top was like ma
n9uvre in the training camp back
home. The men were eager for it, he
said. and some of them remained up
in the trenches all night talking about
the M approaching adventure with cneer-
full anticipations.
when we reached Cantigny," he
added, lit was only pile of bricks and
stones. Our artillery had levelled the
town. The German machine gun bull
let's were buzzing about. like humble
bees, but our fellows didn't pay any
more attention to them than if they
had been confetti
1T was the finest example of team
work | ever saw. There was not a
hitch anywhere. The men joked and
sang. but they were businesslike in
their work"
Lieutenant Albert E. Billing, of
Brooklyn, N. Y, who also was slightly
wounded, was brought to the hospital
and placed on a cot adjoining that of
Lieutenant Butler. AS soon as their
eyes met they c!asped hands and
greeted each other like long lost
brothers.
1T was great show. wasn't it ?"
Billing said. Gee, | wish the folks
at home could have seen it. wouldn't
have missed it for the world"
Many of the American soldiers who
took part in the successful attack
against the German lines west of Mont
dldier also participated in the repuse
OF the German raid against the Ameri-
can lines Monday.
One participant in Mondays affai.
is said to have been found to-day i.
a shellhole in No Mans Land with tw-
wounded Germans as his prisoners H !.
was unable to get back to the Amer
can lines Monday night, so he stood
guard over them until the attack this
morning liberated him and secured the
prisoners to the Americans.
Lieutenant Irving w. Wood, of Oak
land, Cal, said he did not see one
American fall during the attack.
1T was more exciting that foot
ball game" he added. 1--WE have got
the Huns on the runs All we need is
more Americans and then we shall lick
them"
When the news of the American ad-
vance reached the villages in the rear
cheering broke out among the soldiers
and civilians, some of whom had been
up all night in anticipation that some
thing out of the ordinary was being
carried out
The faces Of the women and children
were bright and happy and the sick and