The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-10-02
Advancing Foe Had Surprise of
Life When He Found Ameri-
cans in Line.
GRAPHIC STORY IN LETTER
Tells OF Our Troops Heroic Resist
ance in June-HeId by Many OFF,
GERS to Have Saved Paris
From Huns.

IHlerry, IN which American divisions
including the marine brigade, took
part, early in June, was made public
recently by the navy department. II
is in the form of long letter from an
officer of the marines to Major Gen
eral Barnett, commandant of the
corps, and the story told is Of peculiar
significance, as in the opinion of many
officers here it was the stand of the
Americans along this line which saved
Paris.
The name of the writer is not dis
closed. The Americans were rushed to
the line in motortrucks to support the
hard-pressed French. On June 1 the
marine brigade deployed in a support
position, the battalion commanded by
Maj. Thomas Holcomb hurrying into
the line as the men climbed out of the
trucks. The Germans were coming on,
and June the French dropped back,
passing through the American lines.
1--WE had installed ourselves in a
house in La Vote Chatel, little vii
lage between Champillon and Lucy-le-
Bocage," the letter says. From one
side we had observation of the north
and northeast They came out on a
wonderfully clear day in two columns
across wheat field We could see the
two twin brown columns advancing in
perfect order until two-thirds of the
columns, we judged, were in sight.
Foe Slowed Up by Shrapnel.
1.-THE rifle and machine gun fire was
tncessant and, overhead, shrapnel WAS
bursting. Then the shrapnel came on
the target at each shot The white
patches would roll away, and we could
see that some of the columns were still
there, slowed up, and it seemed perfect
suicide for them to try.
"Then, under that deadly fire and
barrage of rifle and machine-gun fire,
the Boche stopped. 1t was too much
for any men.
THAT men should fire deliberately
and use their sights and adjust their
range" he says, was beyond their ex-
perience. 1t must have had telling
effect on the morale of the Boche, for
1t was something they had not counted
on. AS matter of fact, after pushing
back the weakened French and then
running up against stone wall of de-
Tense, they were literally up In the
air. and more than stopped. We found
that out later from prisoners, for the
Germans never knew we were in the
front line when they made that at
tack. They were absolutely mystif1ed
at the manner in which the defense
stiffened up, until they found that our
troops were in line"
The letter tells in detail of the days
IF fighting that followed 1t describes
4 daylight charge against a machine
gun host and of scouting raids up to |
Tune 6, when the whole brigade swung
Onward to straighten out the line. This
lction resulted in the capture of Bel
eau wood.
Hit Three Times, Still Fought on.
Major Sibley'S battalion of the Sixth
marine regiment led the way here, with
1olcomb in support. The woods were
live with enemy machine guns. That
light word came back that Robertson,
With 20 men of the Ninety-sixth COM
dny, Ddu tdhSu loOQItSSHtS, cdhluS
through a heavy machine gun barrage
O enter the town. Robertson, fighting
With an automatic in either hand, was
it three times before he would allow
imself to be taken to the rear.
Speaking of individual acts of BRAY
ry the writer says Duncan, COM
any commander, before he was now
d down had his pipe in his mouth and
7as carrying a stick" Later he adds,
Dental Surgeon Osborne picked up
duncan and with hospital corps man
ad just gained some shelter when a
hell wiped all three out" :
Private Dunlavy, killed later, cap
lred an enemy machine gun in Bour-
sches, which he turned on the foe
18th great effect, while at another
oint young Zimmerman charged a
achine gun at the point of the bayo-
ct and sent in IL prisoners at a clip"
When the enemy made stand at
he point in the woods Sibley's bat
lion was withdrawn and for an hour
Id fifty minutes American and
rench batteries hammered the wood.
ugnes, with the Tenth company, then
ent III, and his first message was
at the wood had been cut to mince-
eat. Overton, leading the Seventy
xth company, finally charged the
ok plateau, killing or capturing every
inner and capturing all the guns, ;,
It'll few casualties. !,
The Eighty-second company lost all ]
J officers, and Major Sibley and his j
jutant, Lieutenant Ballamy, reOrgan- !
ed it under fire and charged ma !
inc gun nest at the most critical time 7
all the fighting.
II wonder if ever an outfit" the let ::
+ said, went up against a more des- !
rate job, stuck to it gamely, with !
t sleep, at times on short rations. =
tn men and officers going off like &
IS, and / wonder if in all our long J
of gallant deeds there ever were
Q better stunts than the work of Sib- I
Z and Holcomh y >: